彼得后书 2 Peter

彼得后书是使徒的临终嘱托。彼得知道自己「脱离这帐棚的时候快到了」，便趁还在世时尽力提醒信徒，叫他们在他离世以后能时常记念这些真理。本书面对的危机不再是外部的逼迫，而是教会内部的假师傅——他们私自引进陷害人的异端，连买他们的主也不承认，以贪心和放纵败坏许多人。

彼得的对策首先是扎根：神的神能已将一切关乎生命和虔敬的事赐给我们；信徒当分外殷勤，在信心上加上德行、知识、节制、忍耐、虔敬、爱弟兄的心和爱众人的心。其次是回到根基：使徒所传的并非乖巧捏造的虚言，乃是亲眼见过主的威荣；先知的预言也不是出于人意，乃是人被圣灵感动，说出神的话来。

第三章回应讥诮者的质问：「主要降临的应许在哪里呢？」彼得宣告：主所应许的尚未成就，并非耽延，乃是宽容，不愿有一人沉沦，乃愿人人都悔改。主的日子要像贼一样来到，天地都要被烈火销化；我们却照他的应许，盼望新天新地，有义居在其中——因此更当殷勤，使自己没有玷污、无可指摘，安然见主，并在主的恩典和知识上不断长进。

Second Peter is an apostle's last will and testament. Knowing that he will soon "put aside the tent" of his body, Peter writes so that after his departure the church will always be able to remember these things. The danger he confronts is no longer persecution from outside but corruption from within: false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, exploiting believers through greed and promising a freedom that is really slavery.

Peter's first remedy is rootedness. God's divine power has already given us everything we need for a godly life, so believers must make every effort to add to their faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. His second remedy is to return to the foundation: the apostles did not follow cleverly devised stories — Peter himself saw Christ's majesty on the sacred mountain — and prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Chapter three answers the scoffers' taunt, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?" The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise; He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and the elements will be destroyed by fire — yet in keeping with His promise we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. The right response is not date-setting but holy living: make every effort to be found spotless and at peace with Him, and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.