约翰慕理《罗马人书注释》卷一_15b (罗4:13-25)上
主讲：林慈信牧师_校对：刘加立弟兄_英文：Cherry姐妹_文字：兰月姐妹
Romans 4:16 罗马书4:16 ：For this cause it is of faith，that it may be according to Grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not only to that which is of the law，but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham，who is the father of us all我读和合本：所以人得为后嗣，是本乎信，因此就属乎恩，叫应许定然归给一切后裔，不但归给那属乎律法的，也归给那效法亚伯拉罕之信的。
16 This interpretation of verse 15 lays the proper basis for verse 16：就照慕理前面怎么样来解释第15节，这个的解释就为第16节奠定正确的基础：“Therefore it is of faith in order that it may be according to Grace”. “是本乎信，因此就属乎恩”。(新译本：是因着信，为的是要按着恩典。）Since law works wrath in view of transgression ，law knows no grace. 既然律法是因过犯惹动了愤怒，所以在律法里面是没有恩典的。Therefore the inheritance cannot be of law因此，承受产业不可能是借着律法and those who are of law cannot be the heirs. 那些属于律法、属于这个系统里面的人，就不可能是后嗣。The only alternative is the principle of faith唯一的可能是借着信心这个原则and so the inheritance is of faith因此作为后嗣、承受产业是借着信心in order that it might be by Grace. 好叫它是本乎恩的。Faith and Grace cohere；信心和恩典是相符合的；law and the promised inheritance are contradictory. 律法和上帝所应许的产业是彼此矛盾的。 (这个靠守律法的这个系统和上帝应许的产业这个白白的恩赐呢，是彼此矛盾的。)
The latter part of verse 16 expresses the design that is promoted by the fact that the inheritance is of faith and therefore by Grace–16节的下半节，表达出上帝的计划。因为承受产业是本乎信，因此属乎恩，因为这个事实，是为了达到什么的目标的呢？–“to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed，叫应许定然归给所有的后裔，not only to that which is of the law，“不单单是给那些属乎律法的人，but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham”. 也是那些属乎或者效法亚伯拉罕的信心的那些人”。
The parallelism to the design stated in the second half of verse 11 and in verse 12 is too clear to be called in question. 在这里，第16节下和第11节下跟12节那里所指的目标，两者之间是有了一个平衡、相应的，这个是太清楚了，这个平衡性是不容置疑的。But here in verse 16但是在这里，在第16节this design is stated in relation to the promise，在这里的目的是与应许有关的目的，whereas in verses 11，12 it is stated in reference to the import and purpose of circumcision. 而在第11节下跟12节那里，那边的目的是与割礼的意义和割礼的目的有关的。Here in verse 16 the principle of faith and Grace is said to be the guarantee在这里16节，信心和恩典的原则是一种的保证 guarantee that the promise comprises all the seed，保证者上帝的应许是包含了所有的后裔的，that is to say，all who believe，就是说，应许是包含着所有相信的人，whether they be Jews or Gentiles. 不论是犹太人或者外邦人。(cf. Vs. 13请参考第13节。)
The designation “of the law” in verse 16 must have a different reference here from the expressions “through law” in verses 13 and “of law” in verse 14. 这里第16节这个属乎律法的人，肯定是与13节的借着律法、14节的属乎律法所指的是不同的。For in these latter instances因为在13、14节 “through law” and “of law” are antithetical to and exclusive of faith; 在第13，14节“借着律法”和“属乎律法”是与信心相反的，是排除信心的、信心以外的；the promise is not “through law”(vs. 13)(13节)应许不是 “借着律法”而来的and those who are “of law” (vs. 14) are not heirs; (14节) 那些 “属律法的人”就不是后嗣; faith and promise are negated if law is in operation. 假如这个律法、这个系统的原则是运行的话，信心就废除了，应许就废除了。But in verse 16但是到了第16节the seed which is “of the law” is not excluded; 但是这里 “属乎律法的后裔”没有被排除在应许的范围以外; the promise is said to be sure to them provided they have faith. 这里说，上帝的应许也是向他们是定然的，当然条件是他们要有信心就是了。
Consequently，结果是，their being “of the law” does not place them outside the category of faith，在这里第16节这些属乎律法的人，他们属乎律法，并不马上就让他们排除在信心的范围以外，或者有信心的人的范围以外，whereas in verses 13，14 但是在13节、14节 “through law” and “of law”借着律法、属乎律法are in the sharpest opposition to faith. 是完完全全与信心相反的。We shall have to conclude 因此我们必须做这个结论（in so far as we see漏） that of the law verse 16 is equivalent in meaning to of the circumcision in verse 12. 在这里16节属乎律法的意思就等于12节的属乎割礼或者受了割礼的意思是一样的。（12节是这样说的：又做受割礼之人的父，就是又做那些属乎割礼的人的父。）
The parallelism and the identical purport “of the father of the circumcision to those who are not of the circumcision only but also walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision”(vs. 12)，on the one hand，and “not to that which is of the law only but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham”( vs. 16)，on the other，(the parallelism and identical meaning) are apparent. 12节跟16节有着平衡相应性，而它们的意思完全是一样的。这两点是很明显的。(第12节说:又做属乎割礼之人的父，就是那些不但受割礼，并且按照我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕未受割礼的时候而信的踪迹去行的人。16节是说人：得为后嗣是本乎信，因此就属乎恩，叫应许定然归给一切后裔，不但归给那些属乎律法的，也归给那些属乎亚伯拉罕的信心的。平衡相应、意义是一样的。）
So （vs. 16) “of the law” must mean “of the Mosaic law”所以这里第16节“属乎律法”的意思，肯定就是“属乎摩西的律法”的人and refers to those who had the advantage of being under the Mosaic economy. 这里16节属乎律法是指那些有福分、活在摩西的体制之下的人。This illustrates again the flexibility there is in Paul’s use of this word “law”这里再次指出保罗用“律法”这个词，是有怎么样的弹性and the different shades of meaning that must be discovered if we are to do justice to his thought. 假如我们要充分理解保罗的思想的话，就必须看到这些很微妙的意义，在不同章节是不一样的。
Those who are “of law” are excluded from the seed; 那些属乎律法的人，不在亚伯拉罕的后裔的范围之内; those who are of the Mosaic law，considered as an economy，are not excluded. 但是那些属乎摩西的律法的体制，是没有被排除的。But Paul is insistent that the latter that is those of the Mosaic law must also be “of the faith of Abraham” if they are to be his seed. 但是保罗坚持说，这些属乎摩西的律法的人，若要做亚伯拉罕的后裔的话，必须要必须是属乎亚伯拉罕的信心的。（就是必须有或者效仿亚伯拉罕的信心的。）
Romans 4:17 罗马书4:17：（as it is written，A father of many nations have I made thee ） before him whom he believed even God who giveth life to the dead，and calleth the things that are not as though they were.
我们要16跟17节一起来读：不但归给那属乎律法的，也归给那效法亚伯拉罕之信的。亚伯拉罕所信的是那叫死人复活、使无变为有的上帝。他在主面前做我们世人的父，如经上所记，我已经立你做多国的父。
17 The appeal to Scripture at the beginning of verse 17– “as it is written，a father of many nations have I made thee”– must be regarded in the syntax of the sentence as parenthetical. 保罗在第17节一开始是诉诸旧约圣经–“如经上所记，我已经立你做万国的父”–假如从这个句子的构造 syntax 来看，这个引用旧约的这句话，是一个括弧、一个插句。
But we may not think that it is an aside in the apostle’s argument.但是虽然是插句，在保罗整个的论证方面不是离题，不是无关的。This appeal to Scripture is in corroboration of the preceding clause，“ who is the father of us all”，这里保罗诉诸于旧约圣经，是增加了一个的证据来证明前面的从句，就是说“亚伯拉罕是我们众人之父”，and both clauses taken together reiterate the thought of verses 11 and 12. 这里这两个从句，一个是“做我们众人之父”，另外是“我要叫你成为多国之父”这两个从句一起，是重复了第11节和第12节所说的。
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Here，however，但是到了这里17节the stress is laid upon the community of right and privilege in the fatherhood of Abraham on the part of all believers– “who is the father of us all”– and upon the ethnic universality of this relationship– “a father of many nations have I made thee”– in a way that surpasses the forms of expression in verses 11 and 12.但在这里，使徒保罗要强调的是所有信徒都有亚伯拉罕作为他们的父。这里有着一个群体性的、一个的特权。另外就是这个关系是遍及全世界所有的民族的。“我是你成为多国的父”我这样的表述是超过了、超越了第11节和第12节的表述。
In the earlier instance因为在第11、12节the terms of the argument required Paul to say，“the father of all who believed though uncircumcised” and “the father of circumcision”，因为当时保罗的论证、在论证什么事情的缘故呢?保罗必须说“所有未受割礼而信的人之父，”还有“受了割礼之人的父”，thus indicating this kind of distinction. 因此指出，这里两种人是有区别的。
But now但是现在到了17节he dispenses with even that distinction他连那个区别都不需要提了and says expressly without any discrimination，“who is the father of us all” and “a father of many nations have I made thee”.他直截了当地明说，不需要区别地说“是我们众人之父”，“我必是你成为多国之父”。
The parenthetical nature of the clauses pertaining to the appeal to Scripture （vs. 17a) helps us to understand the connection of the latter part of verse 17，“before him whom he believed etc.保罗在这里诉诸于圣经（就是17节上那些从句）是一个括弧、是一个插句，这样就让我们看清楚第17节下半的，就是“他在所信的上帝面前等等”的连接是什么。
This is to be taken with the clause，“who is the father of us all”，17节下面这段是要与做我们众人之父一起来读的，and means that Abraham is the father of us all before God. 意思就是说，亚伯拉罕在上帝面前做我们多人或者众人之父。The fatherhood of Abraham partakes of all the felicity and sanction derived from divine recognition and institution. 亚伯拉罕做众人之父这个身份，是因为有上帝的承认，是因为上帝所设立的，所以有了充分的从神而来的合法性。
Or it may reflect on the fact that the faith of Abraham in which his fatherhood resides was a faith exercised and maintained in the presence of God. 另外一个可能是，这里反映出一件事，亚伯拉罕作为信心之父，他的信心是在上帝面前表达出、他是在上帝面前信、他是在上帝面前继续信的。(cf. Genesis 17:1：参考创世记17:1; II Corinthians 2:17还有哥林多后书2:17.)
The clauses which follow，接下来的几个从句，“who giveth life to the dead，and calleth the things that are not，as though they were”，(现在我直接翻译了)，后面这个从句是，上帝是把生命赐给死人的，上帝也称呼或者呼召那些不存在的事好像它们存在一样，are descriptive of the aspects of God’s character which are peculiarly appropriate to the faith exercised; 这里在描述上帝的属性的一些的层面，这些上帝的属性是特别与信心相关的；they point to those attributes of God which are the specific basis of Abraham’s faith这里就指出，亚伯拉罕的信心，它是特别的，这个信心是特别根据上帝哪一些的属性or，at least，to the attributes which were in the forefront of Abraham’s apprehension when he believed the promises and put his trust in the Lord. 至少，亚伯拉罕相信这些应许，亚伯拉罕信靠上帝的时候，他在他心目中最专注于、最想到的是上帝的哪一些的属性。
The first of these，首先所提到的属性是 “who giveth life to the dead”，“叫死人得生命的”，has in view the life-giving power of God by which he can raise the dead to life. 这里就是指上帝赐生命的能力，借着这个能力，上帝可以使死人复活。（中文把这个翻译跟解释全部都通通的都讲出来了。）
In Scripture this is regarded as the peculiar index to God’s omnipotence，圣经里面，这个上帝能叫死人复活的这个属性是特别是指上帝的无所不能，and Paul elsewhere indicates this. 保罗在其他经文，是指出这一点的。(cf. Ephesians 1:19-20：参考以弗所书1:19-20节。我从第18节开始读和合本：并且照明你们心中的眼睛，使你们知道他的恩召有何等指望，他在圣徒中所得的基业有何等丰盛的荣耀。19并知道他向我们这信的人所显的能力是何等浩大，20就是照他在基督身上所运行的大能大力，使他从死里复活，叫他在天上坐在自己的右边。)
It is only as Abraham had respect to such an attribute of God as exemplified in raising the dead that he could have believed the promise that he would be the father of many nations. 唯有是因为亚伯拉罕相信上帝这方面的属性，就是上帝是能够叫死人复活的，因为亚伯拉罕信上帝这个属性，他才能够相信上帝的应许，说他必做多国之父。And the reason for this （as shown later in subsequent verses）（在下面几节就指出，为什么是如此）原因就是is that the fulfillment was as naturally and humanly impossible as raising the dead. 是因为上帝要实现这个应许的话，就与叫死人复活一样的，从天然的角度、从人的角度来看是不可能的。
The second clause，第二个从句，“who calleth the things that are not，as though they were”，上帝呼召那些不存在的事物好像它们存在一般，presents more difficulty.就比较难解释了。It has been variously interpreted. 解经家有不同的理解。
第一个观点：It has been regarded as referring to the creative activity of God有解经家认为，这里是在讲上帝创造的事工by which he calls into being things which had no existence prior to his fiat，上帝叫一些祂讲话、祂晓谕之前不存在的事情，上帝说到它们存在 call into being，an aspect of God’s character appropriate to the faith of Abraham是的，这种的上帝的属性是与亚伯拉罕的信心是有相关的、是恰当的but hardly that expressed by the formula Paul uses. 但是保罗所讲的不是这个。He does not say “who calleth into being things that are not”保罗没有说上帝叫那些不存在的说到它们存在，不是的，but “calleth the things that are not as though they were(原文being)”. 保罗说的是，上帝叫那些不存在的东西呼叫它们好像它们存在一样。And the things in view are things that are not rather than things which are brought into being. 这些是不存在的事，而不是说 brought into being 创造出来的事，不是的，不是那些不存在而被创造出来的，就是不存在的事。
第二个观点： A view that has received wide acceptance is that the formula has reference to God’s disposing decree and control over all things actual and possible，第二个观点是很多解经家广泛的接受的，就是这里所指的是上帝指挥、掌控万物的永恒的旨意，不论是具体存在的事，或者可能存在的事，具体发生的事，或者可能发生的事，that “the things which are not”所以“不存在的事”are the possible就是有可能存在的事and “the things which are” are the actual. 那“存在的事”就是指那些具体存在的事。(慕理的批判) But again the formula is not adapted to such an interpretation. 但是保罗不是这样说的，保罗所说的不容许我们做这个解释的。It is gratuitous to assume that “the things which are not” are the things possible. 假如说“那个无有那个无的事情”是有可能存在的事，这样的假设是无用的、是多余的。And，besides，the things possible，and merely possible，cannot be regarded even by God as being，不但如此，那些可能存在的、仅仅可能存在的就不可能被上帝看为是存在的。But this is the import of the formula但是保罗讲的这个方程式的意思就是这个that the non-existent things are regarded as being. 那些不存在的事，上帝看它们是存在的。
第三个观点，慕理的观点：The interpretation that appears to do justice to the formula第三个解释正是保罗的用词and which is eminently appropriate to the faith of Abraham而且第三个观点，是特别适合用在亚伯拉罕信心上的is that which regards “the things that are not” as referring to the things determined by God to come to pass but which have not yet been fulfilled. 这个无的事情、还没有存在、不存在的事情，是指那些上帝已经决定要发生的事，但是还没有实现的事。These things do not yet exist，这些事情还没有存在、还没有发生，but since determined by God但是既然这些事上帝所决定要发生的they are “called” by him as having existence. 上帝就“称”它们、“呼召”它们好像已经存在、好像发生了一样。The certainty of the future realization is just as secure as if they had come to pass. 这些事情还没有发生，但是它们将来必定发生这个必然性，就等于好像它们已经发生了那么的坚固、那么的确实的。
And the word “call”“呼召、称呼”这个字is used of God’s effectual word and determination. 这个“召”这个字是指上帝大能有效的话和大能有效的预定。The promises given to Abraham were in that category；上帝给亚伯拉罕的应许，是属于这个范围的，就是有着大能有效的预定和大能有效的话语、有这些性质的，the things promised have not yet come into being，上帝所应许的事还没有发生、还不存在，they were non-existent as respect realization. 从这些事情实现的角度来看，这些事情还没有存在。But，because God promised them那是因为上帝应许了这些事情要发生and therefore determined that they should come to pass，而上帝也因此呢就决定必然会发生的，the certainty of the realization was secure. 因此这些事情必然发生，这个必然性、决定性、坚固性是牢固的。
It was to this truth，namely，that what God has determined and promised though not fulfilled，is spoken of as if it had been fulfilled and therefore as being in his determinate purpose，that Abraham’s faith was directed，亚伯拉罕的信心的对象就是指向这个真理，就是上帝所预定的、上帝所应许的，虽然还没有实现，但是上帝说这些事情好像是已经实现一样，因此在上帝预定的计划里面是存在的，亚伯拉罕是朝着这个真理来相信上帝的，and it was in God as possessing this character that Abraham rested. 亚伯拉罕信靠的是有着这个属性的上帝。God’s promise was for Abraham as good as fulfillment. 对亚伯拉罕来说，上帝的应许就好像已经实现了一样。The things that were not yet did not belong to a category of the possible but to that of determinate certainty and Abraham possessed the promises in God. 这些还不存在、还是无的事情，不是那些可能会发生的事，不是的，是那些上帝坚决预定必定发生的，而亚伯拉罕在上帝那边的时候，已经拥有这些应许了。(cf. Hebrews 11:1：参考希伯来书第11:1：信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。新译本：信就是对所盼望的事的把握，是还没有看见的事的明证。）
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