This merely means that no prophecy contained in the bible was the personal opinion or interpretation of the prophet, but rather the direct world of God. This is made clear in the very next verse where Peter says, "for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." The passage is assuring us that scripture is the word of God not the word of man.
Silly goose. They can just say that’s your “private interpretation” and dismiss the inconvenient fact, don’t ya know?
There I believe you are conflating two different things being explained by St.Paul: prophecy and the interpretation of prophecy.
Paul affirms two truths: that
This Paul makes really clear in his discourse on the Body of Christ with its many parts and functions:
1 Corinthians 12:7,10
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:28
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:30
Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Obviously there are different people appointed by God in the Church with different gifts. Not all can teach, not all can govern, not all can interpret.
"First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,"...
Exactly. These things are manifestations of the Spirit, distributed by the Spirit to particular people He appoints in the Church for the common good. We're not just a bunch of in-DUH-viduals interpreting things on our own.
I find that private interpretation of this scripture lacking :). 1. The verse stands on its own. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2. It is then supported by a lengthy example that does not end in chapter one (chapter markings are to be avoided as delimiters of context and meaning).
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. and it continues well past that, making mincemeat of the modern doctrine of OSAS.
3. The point is that private interpretation spawns false heresy which leads believers to fall away and be lost. Yes, the Scripture did not come from man, but from God; the second verse I quoted verse establishes this premise, not to end there, but to point out the real danger is false teaching, which is fed by the practice of private interpretation where every man and his brother is his own pope and comes up with thousands of new denominations, sects, and cults teaching heresies that destroy souls.