慕理，《恩典之约》摘录
JOHN MURRAY, THE COVENANT OF GRACE – Digest
上帝救赎的启示 = 约的启示。
God’s redemptive revelation = covenant revelation.
自宗教改革以来，一般对「约」的定义﹕
Usual definition of the term “covenant” (Since Protestant Reformation):
协同，两个人之间的合同﹕其中有应许，有条件。
A compact, an agreement between two parties: promise, conditions.
I．圣经中「约」的用法﹕The use of the term in Scripture: (pp. 8-12)
强调「上帝的恩典」，和「上帝的应许」﹕这两点完全符合圣经。
Emphasis on grace and promise of God is thoroughly in accord with biblical data.
[a] 人与人之间的约Covenants between men
创Gen. 21:27, 32 – 亚伯拉罕与亚比米勒Abraham and Abimelech
创Gen. 26:28 – 亚比米勒与艾萨克Abimelech to Isaac
创Gen. 31:44 – 拉班与雅各布Laban to Jacob
书Josh. 9:6, 11, 15 – 基便人与乔舒亚Gibeonites to Joshua
撒上I Sam. 18:3 – 戴维与乔纳单David and Jonathan
撒下2 Sam. 3:12 – 戴维与押尼珥David and Abner
撒下2 Sam. 13:21
撒下2 Sam. 5:3 – 戴维与以色列众长老，在希伯仑
David with all elders of Israel at Hebron
王上I Kings 5:12 – 所罗门与希兰Solomon and Hiram
{1}就算在这些约中，「彼此订合同」的观念是至要的，这不等于说，上帝与人所立的约中，「合同」观念是最重要的。 “Even should it be true that in these covenants the idea of mutual compact is central, it does not follow that the idea of compact is central in or essential to the covenant relation which God constitutes with man.”
{2}七十士本将 berith 译为 diatheke。 Suntheke 是「合同」的更好译法。
我怀疑，七十士本译者的思想，不完全被「合同」观念左右。
（慕理在这点上不同意 Geerhardus Vos。）
LXX renders berith diatheke. Suntheke = better translation for “compact.” We suspect: LXX translators not governed by “mutual agreement.” =>Vos.
{3}「合同」的观念并不显著。这里有「个人亲自参与」，和「委身」的观念。双方彼此「发誓忠诚」，比「合同」与合同中的条件更显著。当「发誓忠诚」最显著时，协议订下的条件甚至不出现。所强调的是，一方立约委身于另一方；至于这次委身是基于哪些条件，却没有说出。（页10）
“Pact” or contract not in foreground. “There is engagement or commitment indeed.” But “the notion of sworn fidelity is thrust into prominence… rather than that of contract. It is not the contractual terms that are in prominence so much as the solemn engagement of one person to another. To such an extent is this the case that stipulated terms of agreement need not be present at all. It is the giving of oneself over in the commitment of troth that is emphasized and the specified conditions as those upon which the engagement or commitment is contingent are not mentioned.” (p. 10)
[b] 人与上帝立的约Covenants made by man with God
书Josh. 24:24, 25 – Joshua with the people
王下2 Kings 11:17 – Jehoiada – between the Lord, king, and people
王下2 Kings 23:3 – Josiah before the Lord
拉Ezra 10:3 – Ezra – people with the Lord
在这些经文我们看见﹕立约者严肃的委身，应许忠诚。他们借着结盟「自我束缚」 (bind themselves)，要按照上帝启示的旨意向祂忠诚。立约就是严肃的发誓，奉献自己给上帝，无条件地、毫无保留地委身服事祂。（页11）
“What we find in these instances is solemn, promissory commitment to faith or troth on the part of the people concerned. They bind themselves in bond to be faithful to the Lord in accordance with His revealed will. The covenant is solemn pledging of devotion to God, unreserved and unconditional commitment to His service.” (p. 11)
[c] 上帝的约。创造，护理。
Divine covenants. Creation and providence.
耶Jer. 33:20-25 –日、夜的约。 the covenant of the day and of the night.
创Gen. 8:22 –
上帝是信实的，祂的典章不改变，祂的应许不改变。上帝的典章坚定不移。
Faithfulness of God to His providential ordinances, and to His promise.
Ordinances of God immovably established.
II．洪水之后上帝与挪亚立的约。Post-diluvian Noahic Covenant. (pp. 12-15)
创Gen. 9:9-17
[1] 「由上帝自己构思、设计、决定、成立、确定、安排。」
“Conceived, devised, determined, established, confirmed, dispensed by God Himself.” 创Gen. 9:9, 11, 12, 13, 17
[2] 范围﹕涉及人类。（9，10）约运行在不认识这约的人身上；福份临到他们。
Universal in scope (vv. 9, 10). Operates on behalf of, and dispenses blessings to those who have no intelligent apprehension of it.
[3] 无条件的。并没有吩咐。「背约」是不可能的。
Unconditional. No commandment. Breaking covenant is inconceivable.
[4] 强烈的「单方面」性质。人完全没有参与。（16节）
Intensely, pervasively monergistic. No human agency whatever. Unilateral (v 16).
[5] 永远的约（11节）。永久性 = 与上帝单方面立约有密切的关系。
Everlasting. (v. 11) Perpetuity = bound up with its divinely unilateral, monergistic character.
上帝主权的恩典﹕不是「合同」。
Sovereign grace – not “agreement.”
III. 上帝与亚伯拉罕立的约 The Abrahamic Covenant. (pp. 16-20)
[1] 应许﹕自我咒诅的誓约。
Promise: self-maledictory oath.
创Gen. 15:8-18
[A] 由上帝执行。上帝经过祭物。
Divine administration: God passes through the meat.
[B] 福份的内涵。我要作你们的上帝，你们要作我的子民。
Essence of blessing: I will be your God, you shall be my people.
[2] 守约与背约。Keeping/breaking covenant.
创Gen. 17:9, 10, 14.
守约 = 必须的，基于信仰关系的亲密性和属灵性。
Keeping = necessary, arising out of intimacy and spirituality of religious relation.
上帝主权地施行恩典。
Sovereign dispensation of grace.
有背约的可能性。那么，约的永久性是否有条件？
Does the possibility of breaking the covenant imply a conditional perpetuity?
创Gen. 17:14
不错﹕约，必须有人的响应。
There must be response.
创Gen. 18:17-19
创Gen. 22:16-18
可是，这些条件不是约的条件。
But these conditions are not conditions of the covenant.
不是说﹕除非人符合这些条件，不然约不施行。
It is NOT true that, only if conditions are fulfilled, then the covenant would be dispensed.
不错﹕「除非人成就这些条件，不然上帝所施的恩典，和祂所设立的关系是没有意义的。」
“Apart from the fulfillment of these conditions the grace bestowed and the relation established are meaningless.”
人守约，是因为上帝设立了约的关系。约本身的存在是守约的前提，人守约不是约存在的条件。
“Keeping the covenant presupposes the covenant relation is established / rather than the condition upon which its establishment is contingent.”
一个无条件施恩的约，不是一个能守，能背负的约。
A covenant which yields its blessing indiscriminately is not one that can be kept or broken.
约有独特性（上帝向某些人立约），因此守约是必需的。
Particularism necessitates keeping covenant.
IV．上帝与摩西立的约。The Mosaic Covenant. (pp. 20-22)
[1] 有守约，成全约的条件﹕摩西之约不是惟一，独特的。
Conditional fulfillment = not peculiar to Mosaic covenant.
[2] 上帝拯救﹕应验了亚伯拉罕之约。
Deliverance = in fulfillment of Abrahamic covenant.
出Ex. 2:24
出Ex. 3:16, 17
出Ex. 6:4-8
诗Ps. 40:8-12
诗Ps. 40:42-45
诗Ps. 41:45
[3] 约是属灵的﹕中心思想。
Spirituality = central.
出Ex. 6:7
申Dt. 29:13
头一次提到「约」字，就提到守约。
Keeping covenant = first reference to covenant.
出Ex. 19:5, 6
第二次清楚提到「约」﹕在以色列民应许之后。
Next explicit reference – sequel to promise of people.
出Ex. 24:7-8
* 出19﹕5 – 这节并不证明，人守约，是立约的条件。
* Ex. 19:5 does not prove conditional fulfillment.
* 其实，人守约的时候，约已经存在；约的存在是守约的前提。
* “The covenant is actually presupposed in the keeping of it.”
* 约中的条件是﹕人若遵守约，顺服上帝的吩咐，就能享受约中提到的福份。
* “What is conditional upon obedience and keeping of the covenant is the enjoyment of the blessing which the covenant contemplates.”
上帝主权地执行这约。
Sovereign administration.
出Ex. 36:27, 28
利Lev. 24:8
民Num. 18:19
民Num. 25:13
尼Neh. 13:29
亚伯拉罕之约，和摩西之约﹕「重点是﹕顺服上帝的声音，遵守祂的约。」
Both Abraham and Moses: “The keynotes are obeying God’s voice and keeping the covenant.”
创Gen. 18:17-19
出Ex. 19:5-6
因此﹕摩西之约不是一种新的约。
Therefore: Mosaic covenant = NOT new kind of covenant.
V．上帝与戴维立的约。The Davidic Covenant. (pp. 22-25)
撒下2 Sam. 7:12-17
诗Ps. 89:3-4, 26ff, 34
诗Ps. 132:11ff
最显著的特性﹕坚定，稳固，上帝应许不改变。
Most striking feature – security, determinateness, immutability of divine promise.
撒下2 Sa. 23:5
上帝的应许都集中在弥赛亚身上，耶稣基督成全这些应许。
Promises = Messianic, fulfilled in Christ.
赛Isa. 42:1, 6
赛Isa. 49:8
赛Isa. 55:3-4
上帝赐祂的仆人，作为「约」（中文圣经译作﹕「约的中保」）
God gives the servant as a covenant of the people.
玛Mal. 3:1 约的使者。Angel of the covenant
赛Isa. 54:9-10
赛Isa. 59:21
挪亚之约 = 基本模式。
Noahic covenant = the pattern.
结论Conclusion:
「从上帝起初向人启示祂所立的约的时候，我们就发现一个贯彻的观念，就是﹕上帝的约，乃是祂主权的施行祂的恩典与应许。「约」不是「合同」，合同并不是约里最重要的观念；最重要的是立约者的心意 (disposition)，和立约者施行 (dispensation) 祂的心意。」（页31）
“From the beginning of God’s disclosures to men in terms of covenant we find a unity of conception which is to the effect that a divine covenant is a sovereign administration of grace and of promise. It is not compact or contract agreement that provides the constitutive or governing idea but that of dispensation in the sense of disposition. …” (p. 31)
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