约翰慕理《罗马人书注释》卷2_28 罗11:3-7
Epistle to the Romans volume 2 session 28 《罗马人书注释》卷二第28讲
主讲:林慈信牧师_校对:刘加立弟兄_英文:Cherry姐妹_文字:丽燕姐妹
Romans 11:3-4 罗马书11:3-4 3 “主啊,他们杀了你的先知,拆了你的祭坛,只剩下我一个人,他们还要寻索我的命。”4 上帝的回话是怎么说的呢?他说:“我为自己留下七千人,是未曾向巴力屈膝的。”3,4 Apart from inversion of order and some abridgment the quotation in verse 3 follows the Hebrew Greek of the passage concerned. 除了这个字的次序的倒置和一些的浓缩,这里第三节的引文是忠于希伯来文圣经和希腊文的译本的(就是列王纪上19)。The particular interest of these verses is focused in the reply to Elijah’s complaint and the relation of this answer to the apostle’s theme. 这几节特别关注上帝对以利亚的控告的回应,和这个回应与使徒保罗这里的主题的关系。
The answer (vs. 4) is taken from I Kings 19:18. (第4节)上帝的回应是引用了王上19:18。The reproduction, though conveying the thought, is modified from both the Hebrew and the Greek in accord with the freedom the apostle applies in other cases. 保罗的引文修改了希伯来文和希腊文翻译本,根据保罗多次所使用的自由,他这样做了。The oracle is not merely that there were seven thousand left who had not bowed to Baal. 上帝的晓谕不仅仅是以色列中还留了七千人没有向巴力屈膝的,不仅是如此。Emphasis is placed upon God’s action; 重点是放在上帝的作为; he had reserved these. 他,耶和华,保留了这些人。And Paul introduces the thought that God had kept for himself the seven thousand. 而且保罗引进这个概念,就是上帝是为自己的缘故保留了这七千人的。There is the note of efficacious grace and differentiation. 这里带着有效的恩典和分别出来的语气。The effectiveness of the discrimination is indicated by the way in which the result of God’s preserving grace is stated: 上帝把这些人分辨出来的有效性是借着保罗指出上帝保存的恩典的结果的说法而显出的: they are men of such sort that they did not bow the knee to Baal. 他们是这一类品格的人,就是他们未曾向巴力屈膝。
Though the number corrects Elijah’s mistaken estimate of the situation and is far in excess of what his complaint would imply, yet it should be noted that there were only a remnant. 虽然七千这个人数这个数目纠正了以利亚对事情的估计,远远超过他的控告所暗示的,可是注意就算是七千仍然是余数或者余民而已。This fact underscores the widespread apostasy in Israel at that time and points to the parallel between Elijah’s time and the apostle’s. 这个事实就强调当时以色列民普遍的悖逆,指出以利亚的处境和保罗的处境的平衡性。This is a consideration basic to the apostle’s use of the Old Testament passage. 这方面的考虑对保罗如何使用这段旧约的经文是基本的一个因素。
Notwithstanding the apostasy of Israel as a whole, yet there was a remnant, though only a remnant, whom God had kept for himself and preserved from the idolatry of Baal’s worship. 虽然以色列广泛地背叛上帝,但是仍然是有余民,虽然仅仅是余民,上帝为祂自己保留了他们,也保守他们没有敬拜偶像和没有敬拜巴力神。This example is adduced to prove that God had not cast off Israel as his chosen and beloved people. 保罗提出这个例子用来证明上帝并没有弃绝以色列祂所爱的选民。The import, therefore, is,因此这里的意思是,that the salvation of a small remnant from the total mass is sufficient proof that the people as a nation had not been cast off. 从整群中拯救了少数的余民,是足够的证据,证明整个以色列民并没有被弃绝。
现在来到罗马书11:5-6。如今也是这样,照着拣选的恩典,还有所留的余数。既是出于恩典,就不在乎行为;不然,恩典就不是恩典了。5,6 From the parallel situation in the days of Elijah Paul makes the application to his own time保罗把以利亚时期的平衡处境应用在他的时代的处境and concludes that there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 他的结论就是根据上帝恩典的拣选,仍然有一个余民的。According to the argument there is a necessity for the remnant,根据保罗的论证余民的存在是必须的, however widespread may be Israel’s unbelieving apostasy. 无论以色列的不信和背叛是多么的广泛。The necessity resides in the fact that Israel God had loved and elected. 这个必须性是在于一件事实,就是,上帝已经爱了、拣选了以色列。For that reason they are “his people which he foreknew”. 因此他们是他所预知的子民。
That he should utterly cast them off is incompatible with electing love. 上帝若全然地弃绝他们,乃是与祂拣选的爱是不一致的。The guaranteed that this abandonment had not occurred uh is not denial of the widespread apostasy with its resultant rejection on God’s part but the existence of a remnant. 对上帝没有弃绝以色列的保证,并不等于否认以色列普遍性的背叛,结果被上帝拒绝,乃是保证仍然是有选民的、有余民的。Therefore,因此,since God’s “foreknowledge” cannot fail of its purpose, there is always a remnant. 上帝的预知既然不可能不成就祂的计划,因此无论在哪一个时代必然会有余民的存在。The seven thousand in Elijah’s day exemplified the operation of this principle because it was a time of patent and aggravated apostasy in Israel. 以利亚时期的七千人指出这个原则是在运作的,因为当时的以色列人是明目张胆的、严重的离经叛道。But as it was in Elijah’s day so also is it now. 但是以利亚的时代如何,现今也如何。
The idea of a remnant is present in verse 4. 第四节有余民的概念。In 9:27 this notion appears in the quotation from Isaiah 10:22. 在罗马书9:27这概念从引用以赛亚书10:22节是可以看出的。(9:27,以赛亚指着以色列人喊着说,以色列人虽多如海沙,得救的不过是剩下的余数)。
Now, however, the term is used expressly to designate the distinctive segment of Israel defined by the election of grace.它的现在的用词是要明文指出以色列民众特殊的群体,就是根据恩典的拣选的群体。The precise form of expression is that there has come to be a remnant according to the election of grace保罗的说法是根据恩典的拣选有了一个余民and this means that the distinguishing identity of those thus categorized proceed from God’s gracious election. 的意思就是说这些特定的人的独特的身份是源自上帝恩典的拣选。
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This description of the source shows of itself that the differentiation finds its whole explanation in the sovereign will of God and not in any determination proceeding from the will of man. 保罗这样子来描述他们身份的来源,本身就显明这些人被分别出来唯一的解释是上帝主权的旨意,并不因为源自人的意志的任何的决定因素的。Either the term bears this implication 这两个词汇(就是恩典和拣选)都带着这个的含义的and the combination “the election of grace” makes the emphasis cumulative. 两个结合起来就加强了保罗的重点。
In verse 6 到了第六节the apostle adds further definition of what is implicit in the expression “election of grace”,保罗进一步为恩典的拣选作出定义, and he does so by setting up the antithesis between grace and human performance. 他把恩典和人的表现对立起来,这样子来为恩典的拣选做定义。If grace is conditioned in any way by human performance or by the will of men impelling the action, and then grace ceases to be grace. 恩典若受到人的表现或者受到人的意志而意志引发出的行动所影响,恩典就不是恩典了。This verse is as specifying the true character of grace in contrast with works serves the same purpose at this point as does “not of works but of him that calleth” in 9: 11(cf. Eph. 2:8). 这节经文指出恩典与行为两者的性质,在这里的目的是和第九章11节不是出于人的行为,乃是出于那召他们的目的是一样的(参考以弗所书第二章第八节)。
现在来到罗马书11:7-10。这是怎么样呢?以色列人所求的,他们没有得着,惟有蒙拣选的人得着了,其余的就成了顽梗不化的。如经上所记:“ 神给他们昏迷的心,眼睛不能看见,耳朵不能听见,直到今日。”大卫也说:“愿他们的筵席变为网罗,变为机槛,变为绊脚石,作他们的报应;愿他们的眼睛昏蒙,不得看见;愿你时常弯下他们的腰。”
7-10 “What then?”“这是怎么样呢?或者是这又如何呢?”is the way of asking: what is the conclusion to be drawn from what precedes? 意思就是说从上文应该做怎么样的结论呢? The situation in view with respect to which a question is asked is not dealt with in the six verses preceding. 这里问题所面对的情况就是罗马书第11:1-6所讨论的。The apostle’s concerned with the apostasy of Israel as a whole. 保罗这里所关注的是以色列全民的悖逆。This constrains the question: 这个就引发出这个问题: has God therefore cast off his chosen people? 因此上帝是否弃绝了祂所拣选的选民呢?The answer is negative答案是否定的,没有弃绝but not negative in such a way as to deny the empirical fact of Israel’s apostasy. 但这个否定的答案没有否认以色列的背叛、叛逆这个事实的。
The answer finds its validation in the fact that there is still a remnant of Israel whom God has elected and reserved for himself. 保罗指出一个事实来证明他的答案,就是以色列民中仍然有余民是上帝为自己拣选的、为自己保留的。This is just saying that the negative answer is demanded because of the differentiation between the mass and the remnant. 换言之答案必然是否定的,上帝没有弃绝祂的子民,因为全民和余民之间是有所区别的。
The answer to “what then?” is, therefore, a summary assessment of the total situation unfolded in verses 1-6 and viewed from the perspective of Israel’s failure as the way of interpreting the unbelief with which the whole passage is concerned. 因此保罗这样子来回答“这又如何呢?”“这又怎么样说呢?”这个问题,保罗从以色列的失败的角度总结了对第一节到第六节展示的情况的评估,他这样子来诠释以色列的不信,和以色列的不信是整段经文所关注的主题。The way of stating Israel’s failure–保罗将说出以色列的失败– “that which Israel seeketh for, that he obtain not”– 以色列所求的他没有得到–is similar to, and substantially to the same effect as, what we found already in 9:31,32; 10:2,3. 这个与我们上文读过的意思是类似的,本质上是一样的, 9:31,32; 10:2,3就是第九章31—32节和第十章第二、第三节这些经文的意思本质上是相同的。
It is reasonable to infer that what Israel is represented as seeking for, though not stated in this verse, is the righteousness mentioned in 9:31 and 10:3. 因此我们有理由做出这个推论,以色列所追求的、所求的虽然这里没有明说,就是第9章31节和第10章第3节所提的义。This righteousness Israel did not obtain and the reason is given in 9:31; 10:3. 这个义以色列没有得到,原因在第9章32节和第10章第3节已说出。(我们来看第九章31和32节,但以色列人追求律法的义,反得不着律法的义。这是什么缘故呢?是因为他们不凭着信心求,只凭着行为求,他们正跌在那绊脚石上。第十章第三节,因为不知道上帝的义,想要立自己的义,就不服上帝的义了。)
When Paul says “the election obtained it” he means the elect. 当保罗说“拣选就得到了”,英文是一个名词the election拣选却得到了,它是指选民的意思。But he uses the abstract noun不过保罗所用的是抽象名词in order to lay stress on “the idea rather than on the individuals”要强调拣选这个概念而不是强调那些被拣选的人and thus accentuates the action of God as the reason. 以此凸显出上帝作为是拣选的原因。“The election”, in the evaluation of the situation given in this verse, is parallel to “I have left for myself seven thousand men” in verse 4 and “a remnant according to election of grace” in verse 5当我们评估这节经文所面对的处境的时候,就看到拣选the election是与第四节的我为自己留下七千人,和第五节的根据恩典的拣选的余民或者余数是平衡相应的and fulfills the same purpose in pointing to the act of God’s grace by which it’s obviated the inference that God has cast off his people. 他们扮演同样的功能,指出上帝恩典的作为,以此驳斥上帝已经弃绝了祂子民的这个推论。What the elect have obtained is the righteousness of God and with it God’s favor and acceptance. 选民所得到的是上帝的义,同时得到上帝的恩宠和接纳。
“The election of grace” and “the election” of verses 5 and 7 must refer to the particular election of individuals“恩典的拣选”和第五节第七节的“拣选”必定是指个别的个人的拣选in distinction from the national election referred to in “his people”(vs. 1 ) and “his people which he foreknew”(vs. 2). 而不是指上帝拣选以色列做一个神制的国家,就是第一节所讲的“祂的子民”,和第二节“祂所预知的子民或者百姓”。This distinction we found earlier in the exposition of 9:10—13. 我们在罗马书上文第9章10—13节的注释已经看到这方面的区别的。But the reasons for the same conclusion in this context are to be noted. 必须要注意到保罗在这段经文当他做同样的结论时候所提出的理由是什么。
(1) 第一个理由,There is sustained differentiation in the whole passage, in verse 4 between the mass of Israel and the seven thousand, in verse 5 between the mass and the remnant, in verse 7 between the hardened and the election. 这段经文不断做出区别的,第四节是以色列全民和七千人,第五节是全民和余数,第七节是心里刚硬的、顽梗的人,和选民。We are compelled to inquire as to the source, implications, and consequences of this distinction. 我们就必须要询问这些的区别源自什么,有什么含义,有什么后果。
(2)第二个理由,The election is said to be “of grace”(vs. 5)拣选是“根据恩典的of grace”第5节and the passage verse six is careful to define the true character of grace in contrast with works. 而保罗在第6节很谨慎地指出恩典真正的性质和与行为的对照。When Paul emphasizes grace in this way当保罗这样子强调恩典的时候it is the grace unto salvation that is in view. 所指的是使人得救的恩典的。
我们来看一系列的经文。Romans 3:24罗马书3:24,如今却蒙上帝的恩典,因基督耶稣的救赎,就白白地称义。Romans 4:16罗马书第四章16节,所以人得为后嗣是本乎信,因此就属乎信,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。Romans 5 :20-21罗马书第五章20和21节,律法本是外添的,叫过犯显多,只是罪在哪里显多,恩典就更显多了。就如罪作王叫人死,照样恩典也借着义作王,叫人因我们的主耶稣基督得永生。Galatians 2:21,加拉太书第二章21节,我不废掉上帝的恩,义若是借着律法得的,基督就是徒然死了。Eph. 2:5,8 以弗所书第二章第五节跟第八节,当我们死在过犯中的时候,便叫我们与基督一同活过来,你们得救是本乎恩。第8节,你们得救本乎恩,也因着信,这并不是出于自己,乃是上帝所赐的。I Timothy 1:14,提摩太前书第一章第14节,并且我主的恩是格外丰盛,使我在基督耶稣里有信心和爱心。And finally II Timothy 1:9,最后是提摩太后书第一章第九节,上帝救了我们,以圣召召我们,不是按我们的行为,乃是按他的旨意和恩典,这恩典是万古之先在基督耶稣里赐给我们的。这里慕理要讲的是当保罗用grace恩典这个词的时候,一般都是指使人得救的恩典。
还有第三个理由和第四个理由我们下次继续。
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