Living in Christ’s Church Session 19

教会论与教会生活 第19讲

主讲:林慈信牧师_校对:刘加立、爱的天空&ZJY(CGY)_文字:傅昱川

我们继续讲“天国的群体”。第六章第二段,天国国民的身份。

福音本身就是一个新的社会秩序,或者是社会秩序的更新。但是,福音里本身没有社会秩序。那这两句话好像有点矛盾,意思就是说:一个新的社会秩序,当用人的方法带来社会秩序时,透过革命、透过改革,这种的新的社会是没有福音的;但是,福音本身是要更新人类的社会秩序的。

It is the King who brings the Kingdom, 带来国度的是君王自己,the Lord who will prepares the city with foundations. 是主祂会预备一座有根有基的城。As the city of God in the midst of the city of man,the church is unique in heavenly form. 身为在人的城中间的“上帝之城”,教会的形式是独特的、是属天的。

It was not flesh and blood,but the Father in heaven who gave to Simon Peter the understanding to confess Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God. 是谁给西门彼得了解,以至于他宣告耶稣是基督,是永生神的儿子呢?不是血、不是肉,乃是天上的天父。

Our heavenly Father must also open the eyes of every believer同样地,我们的天父同样要开每一位信徒心中的眼睛,to grasp the mystery of the gospel that Peter professed. 好叫信徒们能够掌握到彼得所承认、所宣告的福音的奥秘。The church cannot propagate itself,教会不能自传的, it continues only as the Lord opens blind eyes and changes stony hearts . 教会能够把真理传下去, 只是当主开我们这些弄瞎的眼睛,和改变石头一样刚硬的心,这样子教会才能够持续下去的。

第三段,The Keys of the Kingdom 国度的钥匙

The government of the church corresponds to its heavenly form. 正如教会的形式是属天的,教会的治理、制度, government,也是有属天的形式。Jesus did not give Peter the sword of military power,耶稣并没有把军事的刀剑给彼得,but the keys of spiritual discipline (Matt. 16: 19). 耶稣给彼得的,是属灵纪律的钥匙(马太福音16:19节)。They are the keys of the kingdom of heaven.这些是天国的钥匙。

Authority in the church is kingdom authority, 教会里的权柄,是国度的权柄,an authority not of man but of God。这个权柄不是人的权柄,乃是上帝的权柄。Jesus speaks of “binding” and “loosing.” 耶稣说到捆绑或者束缚,还有释放。These terms were used by the rabbis,这些是犹太拉比们所用的词汇,in the context of community discipline,这些都是在犹太教的社群里面,在执行纪律的时候,在这种处境所用的,and may be applied either to persons or actions. 所以,捆绑跟释放,可以是捆绑人、释放人或者是捆绑某一个行为,或者释放它。As applied to actions,假如捆绑和释放是指行为的话,they refer to whether a certain practice is permitted or forbidden by God’s law. 这样子,这种的捆绑、释放是指某一样行为是上帝的律法所允许的,或者是所禁止的。

Wherever there are standards of behavior,在任何的情况,若有行为的准则的话,questions of casuistry arise. 这个英文字是 casuistry, c-a-s-u-i-s-t-r-y, 在清教徒的语境里面,我翻成“良心的个案“,case of conscience,在任何的地方有行为的准则的话,就有这种”良心的个案“的问题会浮现的。

The word has bad connotations because of certain Jesuitical practices,这个casuistry 这个字在西方基督教大圈子里面,它的含意是非常地差劲的,是因为耶稣会等等、天主教他们的十诫、他们的方法。意思就是说:他们会规定人做一些守行为,以至于罪得赦免,甚至或折磨自己的身体等等,but casuistry just means the application of law to cases. 但是casuistry“良心个案“这个字只不过是指将律法应用在个别的个案上,application of law to cases,应用律法在个别的个案上。

A Christian man asks his pastor whether he is free to marry a certain young woman,一位基督徒的男子问他的牧师,他是否有自由娶某一位女子?That is, he wants to know whether it would be a sin against God’s law to do so. 意思就是说:他想要知道若娶这位女子,是否犯了上帝的律法? Given enough years in the pastorate,a minister may begin to feel,一个牧师只要有某些年日的教牧经验,他就会感觉到,there are few questions he has not been asked in the area of marriage,在婚姻的范围里面,大部分的问题他都处理过了,down to a question from a tender conscience,包括这位男子的脆弱良心所发出的问题,about marriage to a second cousin once removed,他可不可以娶这一位远亲。

To “bind” in a given case,在某一个个案上捆绑或者是束缚,is to declare that the action in view is contrary to God’s word.就是宣告所考虑到的这个行为是违背上帝的话。To “loose”,释放,is to determine that the action is consistent with a Christian profession. 意思就是判断某一项的行为,是与一个基督徒所宣告的信仰是一致的。

好,上面是讲释放或捆绑某一个行为。As applied to individuals, 若讲到释放或者是捆绑一个人的时候,binding and loosing are not concerned with possible courses of action but with actual behavior. 这里的捆绑和释放,就不是关注人有可能做出的行动,乃是具体的行为。The one who is bound is declared to have sinned. 所捆绑的人,意思就是宣告他已经犯罪了。In Matthew 18 ,在马太福音十八章,Jesus describes the procedure to be followed before one would be publicly “bound” by church discipline. 马太福音十八章,耶稣描述了一个步骤, 就是当一个人藉著教会的纪律公开地捆绑之前, 需要经过的步骤。

“Loosing”,释放,obviously has the opposite meaning, 它的意义很明显就是相反的,the declaration of God’s forgiveness of sins,就是宣告上帝赦免罪,to those who heartily repent and turn again to the Lord. 对那些诚心悔改,再一次地转回到主面前的人,上帝宣告他的罪得赦免了。

The keys of the kingdom that Jesus gives for the government of His church join a heavenly sanction to earthly ministry。主耶稣为了教会的治理所赐的天国钥匙,是将一个天上的约束,或者是制裁和地上的事工连结起来。What is declared to be bound on earth in the name of Christis in the state of having been bound in heaven, 在地上奉基督的名宣告捆绑的事,它的情况就是在天上也已经被捆绑;and the same for that which is loosed. 在地上释放的也是一样。

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Has Jesus then made Peter the gatekeeper of heaven as the legends of the Middle Ages pictured him? 那么耶稣是不是好像中世纪那些传说所描述的,耶稣是否使彼得成为“天堂的守门者“呢?We should first remember that,首先我们必须记得,the power of the keys given to Peter in Matthew 16: is extended to all the disciples  in Matthew 18: 在马太福音十六章,耶稣给彼得的钥匙的权柄,是延伸给所有的门徒的(参看马太福音十八章,马太十六和十八章,两章都要看)。

Further, 不但如此,we need to remember the context in which the words of Jesus were spoken. 我们必须要记得耶稣所讲的话的上下文,祂的那个处境,The rabbis claimed spiritual authority in binding and loosing,犹太的拉比们,他们宣称自己有释放跟捆绑的属灵的权柄,because they interpreted the Word of God. 因为他们是诠释上帝的话的人。They claimed to sit in “Moses’s seat”, 他们声称自己是坐在摩西的位子上,to judge cases according to the law of Moses. 按照摩西的律法来判断个案的。Jesus vigorously denounced their behavior, 耶稣强烈地谴责他们的行为。

yet he never invalidated the authority of God’s law when it was rightly interpreted。但是,当上帝的律法正确地被解释的时候,耶稣从来没有把上帝的律法的权柄废去。He told His disciples to do what the rabbis said but not what they did, 祂告诉祂的门徒要做拉比们所说的,不是跟着拉比们所做的而做,for their words were better than their actions. 因为拉比们所讲的话,比他们行为好得多。The rabbis added the traditions of men to the Word of God. 拉比们在上帝的话上,再加上人的传统。They bound on man’s shoulders burdens that could not be borne. 他们在人的肩膀上绑了一些人不可能承担的重担。By their interpretation of the law they closed the Kingdom of heaven against man. 因为他们这样子解释摩西的律法,他们就向人关闭了进天国的门。

Clearly Jesus is not giving to His disciples legislative powers. 很明显地,耶稣并没有将立法的权柄给祂的门徒们,They are not given license to mimic the Pharisees and scribesby adding to the Word of God. 门徒们没有可以放纵的权柄,效法法利赛人和文士们在上帝的话语上有所加添,耶稣没有给他们这个自由的。Their task is to declare what the Lord  has declared, and nothing else. 他们的任务就是宣告主所宣告的,没有别的。As emissaries of Jesus they went about two by two, teaching and healing. 他们是耶稣所差遣的使者们,两个、两个出去教导、医治。They were given authority to shake the dust off their feet against any city that would not receive their message of the Kingdom. 对于那些不愿意接受他们的天国信息的城市,他们有权柄,耶稣给他们权柄,在他们脚上跺掉尘埃。This gesture, rooted in Old Testament judicial symbolism, 这个动作是根植于旧约的法律上的象征,shows how the disciples were to use the keys of the Kingdom. 就表明门徒们应该如何使用天国的钥匙。

Those who would not receive the message of the Kingdom那些不愿意接受天国的信息的人,were to be declared under God’s judgment; 要被宣告他们在上帝的审判之下。Those who received it,那些领受天国的信息的人,received also the blessing of Kingdom peace. 同时也领受了天国平安的福份。

这段是讲”天国的钥匙”,这个是一个属灵的权柄,解释、应用上帝律法的权柄。

第四段, The Keys and the Sword 天国的钥匙和刀剑

Two great lessons are taught by Jesus as He gives the keys of the Kingdom. 当耶稣把天国的钥匙给使徒们的时候,祂教导两个很重要的教训。The first is that, 第一个教训of His heavenly Lordship and authority. 是关乎祂属天的主权和属天的权柄。Those whom He calls to minister His Word,祂所呼召的, 要传递祂的话的人,are dealing with the eternal destinies of those to whom they proclaim it. 他们在处理的是他们的听众的永恒的结局。

The one who rejects the preaching of the gospel, 若有人拒绝所宣讲的福音,who refuses to hear and repent,若有人拒绝听和悔改(“听”这个字可能要翻成“听从”,因为“听”这个字在福音一般上是指信心的,who refuses to hear and repent, 若有人拒绝听从和悔改),stands under the judgment not simply of the community but of the Lord. 他们不单单是站在社群的判断、审判之下,更是站在主的审判之下。The solemnity of the discipline of the community is tremendously heightened by Jesus’ words. 耶稣所说的话,就使社群的纪律的严肃性呢,就加强很多了。

At the same time, 与此同时,the spiritual nature of the authority Jesus gives is also evident. 很明显的是耶稣所赐的权柄的属灵的本质,Jesus gives spiritual keys, 耶稣所给的钥匙,是属灵的钥匙,keys of heavenly realities. 是属天的一些实在的钥匙。

He does not give the sword to execute God’s judgments on earth. 耶稣并没有把刀剑赐下, 来执行上帝在地上的审判。Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world,else would my servants fight”  (John 18:11, 36). 约翰福音18:11-36节,第36节耶稣回答说:“我的国不属这世界;我的国若属这世界,我的臣仆必要争战,使我不至于被交给犹太人。只是我的国不属这世界。”We need not fight to bring in the Kingdom, 我们不需要争战而带来天国,for God’s kingdom does not require our weapons. 因为上帝的国不需要我们的武器。We may not fight to bring in the Kingdom for Christ forbids it. 我们不可以打仗,来让天国降临,因为耶稣禁止。

If ever Christ’s disciples might have drawn the sword it was in the Garden of Gethsemane when an illicit paramilitary for ceseized their Master. 假如有任何的场合,耶稣的门徒们可以拔刀的话,是在客西马尼园,那里有一些不合法的人要抓住他们的主—主耶稣。But precisely in that situation,但是,恰恰就是在那一次的场合,Jesus commanded Peter to put up his sword (Matt. 26:52). 耶稣吩咐彼得把刀收起来。(马太26:52节)

Christ’s ban on physical force,耶稣基督禁止用暴力,does not remove the sword from  the state(Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-17),却没有让刀剑离开政府。罗马书13:1~7节:在上有权柄的,人人当顺服他,因为没有权柄不是出于上帝的。凡掌权的都是上帝所命的。所以,抗拒掌权的就是抗拒上帝的命;抗拒的必自取刑罚。作官的原不是叫行善的惧怕,乃是叫作恶的惧怕。你愿意不惧怕掌权的吗?你只要行善,就可得他的称赞;因为他是上帝的用人,是与你有益的。你若作恶,却当惧怕,因为他不是空空地佩剑;他是上帝的用人,是伸冤的,刑罚那作恶的。所以,你们必须顺服,不但是因为刑罚,也是因为良心。你们纳粮,也为这个缘故;因他们是上帝的差役,常常特管这事。凡人所当得的,就给他。当得粮的,给他纳粮;当得税的,给他上税;当惧怕的,惧怕他;当恭敬的,恭敬他。

彼得前书2:13~17节:你们为主的缘故,要顺服人的一切制度,或是在上的君王,或是君王所派罚恶赏善的臣宰。因为上帝的旨意原是要你们行善,可以堵住那糊涂无知人的口。你们虽是自由的,却不可藉着自由遮盖恶毒,总要作上帝的仆人。务要尊敬众人,亲爱教中的弟兄,敬畏神,尊敬君王。

Jesus told Pilate that his authority was given of God (John 19:11). 耶稣告诉彼拉多,他的权柄是上帝所赐的。约翰福音19:11节,耶稣回答说:“若不是从上头赐给你的,你就毫无权柄办我。所以,耶稣告诉彼拉多,彼拉多的权柄是上帝所赐的。But it does ban any effort to accomplish the ends of Christ’s Kingdom by using that kind of force. 虽然政府是有佩剑的权柄,但是呢,上帝禁止用任何的暴力来试图做成基督国度的事,成就基督国度的目标。

下一讲我们继续讲完这个教会不可佩剑。

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