2 peter 3:15 - Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;
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What does "2 peter 3:15" mean?
Let's break down 2 Peter 3:15: "Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;"
"Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation..."
This is the central idea. "Patience" here refers to God's longsuffering and delay in bringing final judgment and the return of Christ. Peter is urging his readers to understand this delay not as a sign that God has forgotten His promises, but as an act of grace.
"...as salvation" – This is the key point. God's patience is salvation because it provides more people with time to repent and turn to Christ. If judgment came immediately, many who would later believe would be lost. The delay is an opportunity for salvation. This doesn't mean salvation comes from God's patience itself, but rather that God's patience allows time for people to receive salvation.
The emphasis is on shifting the readers' perspective from questioning God's delay to appreciating its purpose in God's plan.
"...even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;"
Peter invokes the authority of Paul. He acknowledges Paul as a respected apostle whose writings carry weight.
"According to the wisdom given to him" highlights that Paul's insights were divinely inspired. He wasn't just offering his own opinions, but communicating truth received from God.
"Wrote to you" implies that Paul addressed similar themes of God's timing, judgment, and salvation in his letters to the same audience. This suggests that the readers may have heard or read Paul's perspective on this subject previously. The specific letters Peter is referring to are not specified, but likely include passages from Romans (e.g., Romans 2:4) or 2 Thessalonians (e.g., 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12) where Paul discusses the delay of Christ's return and the importance of remaining faithful.
In summary, the verse means:
Peter is urging his readers to understand God's delay in bringing final judgment as an expression of His patience, which offers people more time to repent and receive salvation. To reinforce this point, Peter cites the Apostle Paul, a respected authority, who wrote about similar themes in his letters, drawing from the wisdom God gave him. This is essentially Peter saying, "Don't misunderstand God's delay. It's an act of grace. Paul understood and taught this too."
The verse serves to encourage the readers to have a proper perspective on the apparent delay of the Lord's return and not to lose faith. It also connects Peter's teaching with Paul's, demonstrating unity in their message.
2 peter 3:15 - Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;
What does "2 peter 3:15" mean?
Let's break down 2 Peter 3:15: "Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;"
"Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation..."
This is the central idea. "Patience" here refers to God's longsuffering and delay in bringing final judgment and the return of Christ. Peter is urging his readers to understand this delay not as a sign that God has forgotten His promises, but as an act of grace.
"...as salvation" – This is the key point. God's patience is salvation because it provides more people with time to repent and turn to Christ. If judgment came immediately, many who would later believe would be lost. The delay is an opportunity for salvation. This doesn't mean salvation comes from God's patience itself, but rather that God's patience allows time for people to receive salvation.
The emphasis is on shifting the readers' perspective from questioning God's delay to appreciating its purpose in God's plan.
"...even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;"
Peter invokes the authority of Paul. He acknowledges Paul as a respected apostle whose writings carry weight.
"According to the wisdom given to him" highlights that Paul's insights were divinely inspired. He wasn't just offering his own opinions, but communicating truth received from God.
"Wrote to you" implies that Paul addressed similar themes of God's timing, judgment, and salvation in his letters to the same audience. This suggests that the readers may have heard or read Paul's perspective on this subject previously. The specific letters Peter is referring to are not specified, but likely include passages from Romans (e.g., Romans 2:4) or 2 Thessalonians (e.g., 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12) where Paul discusses the delay of Christ's return and the importance of remaining faithful.
In summary, the verse means:
Peter is urging his readers to understand God's delay in bringing final judgment as an expression of His patience, which offers people more time to repent and receive salvation. To reinforce this point, Peter cites the Apostle Paul, a respected authority, who wrote about similar themes in his letters, drawing from the wisdom God gave him. This is essentially Peter saying, "Don't misunderstand God's delay. It's an act of grace. Paul understood and taught this too."
The verse serves to encourage the readers to have a proper perspective on the apparent delay of the Lord's return and not to lose faith. It also connects Peter's teaching with Paul's, demonstrating unity in their message.