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彼得后书生命读经 · 第11篇

神圣的行政（三）

The Divine Government (3)
1读经：彼得后书三章一至九节。在本篇信息中，我们来到彼后三章。在一至九节我们看见神对异端讥诮者的审判。在本书信里不但有假教师，也有讥诮者。这些讥诮者也许本身就是假教师，或者是为假教师的教训所影响的人。假教师和异端讥诮者将受神审判。现在我们逐节来看三章一至九节。
1Scripture Reading: 2 Pet. 3:1-9 In this message we come to chapter three of 2 Peter. In 3:1-9 we see God’s judgment on the heretical mockers. In this Epistle we have not only false teachers but also mockers. These mockers may be the false teachers themselves or those who are influenced by the teachings of the false ones. Both the false teachers and the heretical mockers will be judged by God. Let us now consider 3:1-9 verse by verse
2在一节彼得说，『亲爱的，我现在写给你们的是第二封信；在这两封信中，我都是以题醒激发你们纯诚的心思。』这里我们看见，彼得的目标是要激发圣徒纯诚的心思。要领会神行政的对付，我们需要纯诚的心思。在二节彼得继续说，『叫你们记念那藉著圣申言者豫先所说的话，和你们的使徒所传主和救主的命令。』申言者所说的话乃是旧约（经书）的内容，（16，一20，）使徒所传的命令乃是新约（使徒教训）的内容。（徒二42。）彼得用这二者证实并加强他所写的，以豫防背道中异端的教训。他在第一封书信里说到神完全的救恩，已经题到申言者和使徒。（彼前一9～12。）然后在第二封书信里说到神圣真理的照亮，再次题到这两班人。（彼后一12～21。）在三章二节这里是第三次题起。所以，彼得的教训是基于旧约的申言者和新约的使徒，即圣言的两段。这指明彼得在这里所说的实际上是指全本圣经。他的题醒是基于旧约的申言者的话和新约的教训。
2In verse 1 Peter says, “This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you, in both of which I stir up your pure mind by a reminder.” Here we see that Peter’sa im was to stir up the pure mind of the saints. In order to understand God’s governmental dealings, we need a pure mind. In verse 2 Peter continues, “To remember the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior by your apostles.” The words spoken by the prophets are the contents of the Old Testament, the Scriptures (v. 16; 1:20), and the commandments by the apostles are the contents of the New Testament, the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). Peter uses both to confirm and strengthen his writings as an inoculation against the heretical teachings in the apostasy. In his first Epistle, concerning the full salvation of God, he refers to both the prophets and the apostles (1 Pet. 1:9-12). Then in the second Epistle, concerning the shining of the divine truth, he refers again to both (1:12-21). Here in verse 2 Peter does this for the third time. Therefore, Peter’ste aching is based upon the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament, the two sections of the Holy Word. This indicates that what Peter says here actually refers to the entire Bible. His reminder is based upon both the prophecies of the Old Testament and the teachings of the New Testament
末后的日子好讥诮的人
MOCKERS IN THE LAST DAYS
3三节说，『第一要知道，在末后的日子，必有好讥诮的人，带著讥诮而来，随从自己的私欲而行。』『末后的日子』指现今的世代，（提后三1，犹18，）开始于基督的第一次来临，（彼前一20，）一直持续到基督的第二次显现。在彼后三章三节彼得告诉我们，在末后的日子必有好讥诮的人来。这些好讥诮的人也许就是二章一节的假教师，他们的讥诮乃是背道的一部分，也是随从他们自己的私欲。
3Verse 3 says, “Knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come with mocking, going on according to their own lusts.” The “last days” denotes the closing period of the present age (2 Tim. 3:1; Jude 18). This period began from the end of the so-called apostolic age, in the latter part of the first century, and will last until Christ’s second appearing. In verse 3 Peter tells us that in the last days mockers will come. These mockers may be the false teachers in 2:1. Their mocking is part of the apostasy and is according to their lusts.
4照四节看，这些讥诮者说，『主来临的应许在那里？因为从列祖睡了以来，万物依然存在，如同从创造之初一样。』主来临的应许是在旧约里，（诗七二6～17，一一○1～3，一一八26，但七13～14，亚十四3～9，玛四1～3，）藉著圣申言者（彼后三2）赐给列祖的。但讥诮者以讥诮的口气说，『祂来临的应许在那里？』（译注：四节的『主』原文直译是『祂』。）他们可能轻蔑的用代名词『祂』。讥诮者说，一切依然存在，没有改变，如同从创造之初一样。
4According to verse 4, these mockers say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” The promise of the Lord’s coming was given to the fathers by the holy prophets in the Old Testament (Psa. 72:6-17; 110:1-3; 118:26; Dan. 7:13-14; Zech. 14:3-9; Mal. 4:1-3). But the mockers said, with a mocking tone, “Where is the promise of His coming?” It is possible that they used the pronoun “His” in a contemptuous manner. The mockers said that everything has continued unchanged from the beginning of creation
故意不理神的话
WILLFULLY IGNORANT OF THE WORD OF GOD
5在五至六节彼得反驳说，『他们故意不理这件事，就是从太古凭神的话有了诸天，和出于水并藉著水存立的地。藉著这些水，当时的世界被水淹没，就毁灭了。』这里彼得指出，讥诮者故意不理旧约中关于神用洪水施行审判的记载。那洪水是严厉的审判。然而，讥诮者故意不理圣经中关于这事的记载。他们故意不理这件事，原文直译，因著他们自愿，这件事就向他们隐藏了。这意思是说，他们故意不理这件事，所以这件事就避开了他们的注意。异端的讥诮者故意不理且有意否认，神藉著申言者在经书上所说的话。因此彼得题醒信徒，要记念旧约申言者和新约使徒所说的圣言。（1～2。）主来临的应许（4）乃是神的话。诸天和地是凭神的话而成的，（来十一3，）也是凭同样的话得以保留，（一3，）直留到不敬虔的人受审判遭毁坏的日子。（彼后三。）好讥诮的人不该不理这事，他们应当确信，凭著神的话，整个物质的宇宙，包括他们自己在内，都要因主来临受审判。彼得在五节说，从太古凭神的话有了诸天。『从太古』的意思是从古时就存在。起初，就是太古，神创造了诸天和地。（创一1。）凭著神的话，先有了诸天，（诗三三6，）然后有了地。（伯三八4～7。）
5In verses 5 and 6 Peter fights back: “For this is hidden from them by their own willfulness, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth, subsisting out of water and through water, through which the world then, being flooded by the water, perished.” Here Peter points out that the mockers willingly ignore the record in the Old Testament concerning God’s judgment by the flood. That flood was a serious judgment. Nevertheless, the mockers willingly ignored the record in the Bible about it. Literally, the Greek words rendered “this is hidden from them by their own willfulness” mean “this escapes them by their own willfulness”; that is, they are willfully ignorant of this. Hence, it escapes their notice. The heretical mockers ignore willfully and deny purposely the word of God spoken by the prophets in the Scriptures. Therefore, Peter reminds the believers to remember the holy words spoken by both the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles (vv. 1-2). The promise concerning the Lord’s coming (v. 4) is the word of God. The mockers should not ignore that it was by the word of God that the heavens and the earth came into existence (Heb. 11:3), and it is by the same word that the heavens and the earth are being kept (Heb. 1:3) for the day of judgment and destruction7 of ungodly men (2 Pet. 3:7). Therefore, the mockers should be assured that by the word of God all the material universe, including them, will be judged by the coming of the Lord. Peter says in verse 5 that by the word of God the heavens were of old. The words “were of old” mean existed from ancient times. In the beginning, that is, of old, the heavens and the earth were created by God (Gen. 1:1). By the word of God (Psa. 33:6) the heavens came into existence first, and then the earth (Job 38:4-7).
6在彼后三章五节彼得说到『出于水并藉著水存立的』地。『存立』，原文直译是同立，并立（并列，并排）。在创世记一章一节先有了地，然后在九节，地又藉著神的话（说话─诗三三9），开始出于水并藉著水而存立，就是与水并立，一部分露出水面，一部分沉在水中。地是这样有的。彼后三章六节的『这些水』，指五节的水。地有秩序的从水而出，并藉水存立。但在挪亚的时候，地却藉著同样的水受了审判，被洪水毁灭，（创七17～24，）指明万物与创造之初并不一样。
6In verse 5 Peter speaks of the earth “subsisting out of water and through water.” As in Colossians 1:17, the Greek word rendered “subsisting” literally means standing together, standing with (in juxtaposition, side by side). First the earth came into existence in Genesis 1:1, and then from Genesis 1:9, also by the word (the speaking) of God (Psa. 33:9), the earth began to subsist out of water and through water, that is, to stand together with water in juxtaposition, partly emerging out of water and partly submerged under water. This is the way the earth came into existence. The relative pronoun “which” in verse 6 refers to water in verse 5. The earth subsisted out of water and through water in an orderly condition. But through the same water it was judged and destroyed by the flood at Noah’st i me (Gen. 7:17-24). This indicates that all things have not remained as they were from the beginning of creation
藉著水与火的审判
JUDGMENTS BY WATER AND FIRE
7世界，原文意秩序、体系，指世界连同其上的居民。彼后三章五节的地成了六节的世界；不仅是地，乃是有体系的地，连同其上的居民。这是指挪亚世代的世界，由于那世代的罪恶与不敬虔，就被神用洪水审判了。（创六5～7，11～13，17。）彼得后书主要的是说到神圣的行政及其一切的审判。头一次对世界的审判，乃是在挪亚的日子用洪水所施行的，把那不敬虔的世界清理了。彼得写彼后三章六节的时候，他里面必有这思想，含示这背道的世代也要在主显现的日子受审判，就如在挪亚的日子一样。（太二四37～39。）彼后三章六节的『当时』，指挪亚的世代。六节的『淹没』，指挪亚的时候使地毁灭（创六13，17，九11）的洪水。（彼后二5。）当时的地不再和以前一样，乃因洪水泛滥有了剧变，而被毁灭。这里是彼得对异端讥诮者有力的争辩。他们说，万物依然存在，如同从创造之初一样。但事实上，地因著其上居民的不敬虔，曾经发生过剧变。这含示现今的世界不会照现在的样子存留，却要因著主的来临，以及祂对背叛之人（包括背道的假教师，和异端的讥诮者）的审判，再有一次剧变。在三章七节彼得接著说，『但现在的诸天和地，还是凭著同样的话保留著，直留到不敬虔的人受审判遭毁坏的日子，给火焚烧。』本节的『现在』，与六节的『当时』相对，指那凭神的话存留，（创八22，）现今的诸天和地，照神与挪亚所立的约，不再被水毁灭，（九11，）却要在不敬虔的人受审判遭毁坏的日子，给火焚烧。在彼后三章七节彼得说到『同样的话』，指五节神的话，就是包括在旧约里申言者之话中的。在背道中虚假、异端的教训，乃是偏离了神在旧约里藉众申言者所说的话，以及神在新约里藉众使徒所说的话。因此，彼得豫防背道教训的毒素所用的抗毒剂，就是他所一再强调，那带有神圣启示的圣言。照著彼得的话，诸天和地保留著给火焚烧。『保留著』的意思是储存著。这里的火要在千年国末了，白色大宝座的审判来临时，（启二十11，）焚烧诸天和地。（彼后三10。）神对宇宙起首的审判是用水，（6，）但祂将来总结的审判要用火。水不过洗净表面的污秽，火却把整个本质的性质改变了。这里的话进一步指明，诸天和地不会照现在的样子存留，乃要被火清理，并且不敬虔的假教师和好讥诮的人，要在神圣的行政下受审判遭毁坏。
7The Greek word for world, kosmos, denotes order, a system, the world with its inhabitants. The earth in the preceding verse became the world in this verse, not merely the earth, but the earth with its inhabitants in a system. This refers to the world in Noah’sa ge, which was judged by God with the flood due to the sinfulness and ungodliness of that age (Gen. 6:5-7, 11-13, 17). This book is concerned mainly with the divine government and all its judgments. The first judgment on the world was the one executed by the flood in Noah’s day, which cleared up that ungodly world. This thought must have been in Peter while he was writing this verse. It implies that this age of apostasy will also be judged on the day of the Lord’s appearing, as it was judged in the day of Noah (Matt. 24:37-39). The word “then” in verse 6 refers to the age of Noah. The word “flooded” in verse 6 refers to the flood of Noah’s time, the flood that caused the earth to be destroyed. The word “perish” means destroyed, demolished, laid waste (Gen. 6:13, 17). The earth, therefore, did not remain the same, but had a change, a cataclysm, by being flooded with water, and was destroyed. Here we see Peter’s strong argument against the heretical mockers. They said that “all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” But actually a cataclysm came upon the earth because of the ungodliness of its inhabitants. This implies that the present world will not remain as it is, but will also have a cataclysm by the Lord’s coming with His judgment upon the rebellious, including the false teachers and the heretical mockers in the apostasy. In verse 7 Peter goes on to say, “But the heavens and the earth now, by the same word, have been reserved for fire, being kept unto the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” In this verse the word “now” is in contrast with “then” in verse 6. It refers to the present heavens and earth, which remain by the word of God (Gen. 8:22), not to be destroyed again by water (Gen. 9:11), but to be burned by fire on the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. In verse 7 Peter speaks of the “same word.” The false and heretical teachings in the apostasy are a deviation from the word of God spoken by the prophets in the Old Testament and the apostles in the New Testament. Hence, the antidote administered by Peter’s inoculation against the poison of the apostate teachings is the holy word with the divine revelation, which he emphasizes repeatedly. According to Peter’sword, the heavens and the earth “have been reserved for fire.” The word “reserved” means kept in store. The fire here is the fire that will burn up the heavens and the earth (v. 10) at the end of the millennium when the judgment of the great white throne is come (Rev. 20:11). God’s initial judgment upon the universe was by water (2 Pet. 3:6), but His consummate judgment will be by fire. Water only washes away the filthiness from the surface, but fire changes the nature of the entire substance. This indicates further that the heavens and the earth will not remain the same as they are, but will be cleared up by fire, and that the ungodly false teachers and mockers will be judged and destroyed under the divine government.
8七节的审判，指白色大宝座的审判，在千年国之后，新天新地之前。（启二十11～二一1。）藉著那次审判，所有不敬虔的人都要被扔在火湖里遭毁坏。这是对人和鬼末后的审判，所以与神在宇宙中的行政最有关系。
8The judgment in verse 7 denotes the judgment of the great white throne, which will follow the millennium and precede the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 20:11—21:1). Through that judgment all the ungodly will be cast into the lake of fire for destruction. Since it will be the final judgment upon men and demons, it is of the greatest concern to the government of God in the universe
千年如一日
A THOUSAND YEARS AS ONE DAY
9这里彼得越过一千年的千年国，从主的来临说到白色大宝座的审判。他和主一样，看千年如一日，（彼后三8，）不过是很短的时间。彼得在这里是说到神行政的审判。在神的经纶里，千年国并不是为著这个目的。
9Here Peter skips over the millennium, the period of time from the Lord’s coming to the judgment of the great white throne. To Peter, as to the Lord, that one thousand years will be as one day (v. 8), a short time. Peter is dealing here with God’s governmental judgment. The millennium will not be for this purpose in God’s dispensation.
10这里彼得说到主的来临和神最终审判这两个『山峰』，不是说到介于主的来临和最终审判之间的千年国这『平原』。在本书信里彼得关切的是神的审判，不是和平的千年国。为这缘故，他越过千年国的事。在八节彼得说，『亲爱的，这一件事你们却不可不理，就是在主一日如千年，千年如一日。』『不理』，原文直译是，让牠向你们隐藏；即让牠避开你们的注意。对于永远的主神，时间的感觉与人的非常不同。因此，为了应验祂的话，特别是祂应许的话，要紧的不是时间，乃是事实。无论祂应许了甚么，迟早总要成为事实。我们不该照著我们对时间的算法，感觉耽延而作难。
10Here Peter speaks concerning the “mountain peaks” of the Lord’s coming and of God’s final judgment, but not of the “plain” of the millennial kingdom that lies between the “peak” of the Lord’s coming and that of the final judgment. In this Epistle Peter is concerned with God’s judgment, not with the peaceful kingdom of the thousand years. For this reason he passes over the matter of the millennial kingdom. In verse 8 Peter says, “But do not let this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Literally, the Greek word rendered “be hidden from you” means escape you, that is, escape your notice. With the Lord God, who is eternal, the sense of time is very different from what it is with man. Hence, for the fulfillment of His word, especially the word of His promise, time is not the crucial matter. The crucial matter is the fact. Whatever God has promised will eventually become a fact. We should not be troubled by the sense of delay according to our reckoning of time
11九节说，『主所应许的，祂并不耽延，像有些人以为祂耽延一样；其实祂乃是宽容你们，不愿任何人遭毁坏，乃愿人人都趋前悔改。』这里彼得说，主所应许的，祂并不耽延，或并不迟缓，像有些人以为祂耽延、迟缓一样。好讥诮的人必是以主的耽延为迟缓的人。他们也许指控祂闲懒，因为迟缓乃是与闲懒有关的耽延。在九节彼得说，主宽容我们。主的心不在意祂的应许得应验的时间，乃在意祂所特有作为珍宝的子民，（彼前二9，多二14，）叫我们这些祂所宝贵的赎民，没有一人因祂行政的审判受刑罚，反倒有一段延长的时间让我们悔改，使我们免受祂的刑罚。既然彼后三章九节的『你们』是指在基督里的信徒，『毁坏』就不是指不信之人永远的沉沦，乃是指神对信徒行政管教的刑罚。（彼前四17～18，帖前五3，8。）同样，『人人』指信徒。不但如此，这里的『悔改』即悔改以致得救，（彼后三，）指因著没有为主来的日子（10）儆醒，以及没有过圣别的生活和敬虔（11）而悔改。
11Verse 9 says, “The Lord does not delay regarding the promise, as some count delay, but is longsuffering toward you, not intending any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” Here Peter says that the Lord does not delay, or is not tardy, regarding the promise, as some count delay, tardiness. The mockers must have been those who count the Lord’s delay as tardiness. They may have accused Him of being idle, since tardiness is a delay that is related to idleness. In verse 9 Peter says that the Lord is longsuffering toward us. The Lord’she art is set not on the time of the fulfillment of His promise, but on His people, whom He possesses peculiarly as a treasure (1 Pet. 2:9; Titus 2:14), so that none of us, His precious redeemed ones, would be punished by His governmental judgment, but have a prolonged season to repent so that we may be spared from His punishment. The words “to perish” in verse 9 mean to be destroyed. Since “you” in this verse refers to the believers in Christ, “to perish” refers not to the eternal perdition of the unbelievers, but to the punishment of God’s governmental discipline of the believers (1 Pet. 4:17-18; cf. 1 Thes. 5:3, 8). Likewise, the word “all” refers to the believers. Furthermore, “repentance” here is repentance unto salvation (2 Pet. 3:15), repentance for not being 15 watchful for the day of the Lord’s coming (v. 10) and not living a life in a holy manner and in godliness (v. 11).
12我们需要领悟，主的心不在意祂的应许得应验的时间，乃在意祂的子民。倘若需要，主能再等候一天，再一个一千年，来应验祂的应许。今天许多基督徒说，主耶稣快要回来。然而，主来也许不像人所以为的那样快。在启示录二十二章主说，『我必快来！』（20。）然而，从主说那句话以后，将近两千年过去了。对祂而言，这只是两天，因为在主千年如一日。不要听那些为主的回来定时间的人。已往有些人豫言主来的时间。上一世纪有一班人信主耶稣某一天要来。他们豫备好自己，甚至穿上白袍。当然，甚么事都没有发生。第一次世界大战以后，好些书写到关于主来的豫言。有些圣经教师宣称，照著他们对世界局势的看法，主来的日子近了。但从这些著作出版以后，五十多年过去了，主耶稣还没有回来。所以，我们需要受题醒，彼得说在主千年如一日。
12We need to realize that the Lord’she art is not set on the time of the fulfillment of His promise, but is set on His people. If necessary, the Lord can wait for another day, another period of a thousand years, to fulfill His promise. Today many Christians are saying that the Lord Jesus will come back soon. However, the Lord’s coming may not be as soon as people think. In Revelation 22 the Lord said, “I come quickly.” Nevertheless, nearly two thousand years have passed since the Lord spoke that word. To Him, this is only two days, for with the Lord a thousand years are as one day. Do not listen to those who set a time for the Lord’s coming back. In the past some predicted the time of the Lord’s coming. In the last century one group of people believed that the Lord Jesus was coming on a particular day. They made themselves ready and even put on white robes. Of course, nothing happened. After World War I, a number of books were written on the prophecies concerning the Lord’s coming. Some Bible teachers claimed that, according to their view of the world situation, the Lord’s coming was at hand. But more than fifty years have passed since those writings appeared, and the Lord Jesus still has not come. We need to be reminded, therefore, of Peter’sword concerning a thousand years being as one day to the Lord
13主耶稣回来时，不但要审判消极的事物，也要迎娶祂的新妇。这就是说，祂来是要作审判者，也要作新郎。因此，主要来作新郎，新妇就必须为祂豫备好。新妇为新郎的来临豫备好了么？今天主可能来作新郎么？因为新妇还未豫备好，我们可以说，主来可能不会像有些人所以为的那样快。新妇惟有藉著在生命里长大才能豫备好，这需要时间。较高种类的生命比较低种类的生命需要更多的时间发展。一种生命越高，需要成长的时间越长。因为新妇必须为新郎豫备好，又因为这豫备是藉著在生命里的长大，而这长大是需要时间的，所以主耶稣不可能立刻就回来。
13When the Lord Jesus comes back, He will not only judge the negative things, but will also receive His bride. This means that He will come both as the Judge and as the Bridegroom. Hence, in order for the Lord to come as the Bridegroom, the bride must be prepared for Him. Is the bride ready for the Bridegroom’s coming? Is it possible for the Lord to come today as the Bridegroom? Because the bride is not yet ready, we may say that it is possible that the Lord’s coming will not be as soon as some figure. The bride can be prepared only through growth in life, and this takes time. Higher forms of life require more time to develop than lower forms do. The higher a certain life is, the longer it will take to grow. Because the bride must be prepared for the Bridegroom and because this preparation is through the growth in life, a growth that requires time, it is not likely that the Lord Jesus will come back right now.
14我在这里的点乃是，我们不该因著主来的耽延而作难、希奇。不要责怪主说，『主，你在启示录二十二章说你必快来。那么，为甚么你这么久还没有来？』我们不该因著主耽延祂的回来就责怪祂，乃该殷勤豫备自己迎见祂。我们也该供应生命给别人，使他们长大并豫备好。这是催促主回来惟一的路。
14My point here is that we should not be bothered or surprised by any delay concerning the Lord’s coming. Do not blame the Lord and say, “Lord, You said in Revelation 22 that You were coming quickly. Why, then, has it been so long?” Instead of blaming the Lord for delaying His coming, we should be diligent to prepare ourselves to meet Him. We should also minister life to others so that they may grow and be prepared. This is the only way to hasten the Lord’s coming back.