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。对此，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（彼后三15），指因着没有为主来的日子（10）儆醒，以及没有过圣别的生活和敬虔（11）而悔改。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。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。
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？新妇惟有藉着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，又因为这豫备是藉着在生命里的长大，而这长大是需要时间的。
我们不该因着主来的耽延而作难、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？”我们不该因着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。
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Lord Not Delaying, But Longsuffering – 2 Pet. 3:9
Here Peter says that the Lord does not delay or is not tardy regarding the promise, as some count delay and tardiness. The mockers must have been those who count the Lord’s delay as tardiness. Regarding this, Peter says that the Lord is longsuffering toward us. The Lord’s heart 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.
Since “you” in verse 9 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 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). We need to realize that the Lord’s heart 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 or another period of a thousand years, to fulfill his promise. 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.
When 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? 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.
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.