撒母耳记生命读经 · 第1篇

介言

An Introductory Word

1读经：撒母耳记上一章。我们读圣经这本书中之书时，需要清楚看见，牠不是一本道理的书。严格说来，圣经甚至也不是一本真理的书。那么，圣经到底是甚么？圣经乃是神圣的启示。希腊文里的『启示』一辞，原文意揭开遮盖、隐藏的事物。圣经完全是神对于祂自己、宇宙和人类的启示。我越研读圣经，就越深信圣经不是人写的，乃是神写的。圣经里有许多话，只有神才说得出来。

1Scripture Reading: 1 Sam. 1 In studying the Bible, the book of books, we need to be clear that the Bible is not a book of doctrine. Strictly speaking, the Bible is not even a book of truths. What, then, is the Bible? The Bible is the divine revelation. The Greek word for revelation means to uncover something that has been hidden or concealed. The Bible is totally God'sr evelation concerning Himself, the universe, and humanity. The more I study the Bible, the more I am convinced that it is not by man but by God. There are a great many sentences in the Scriptures that could have been uttered only by God

2要明白圣经这神圣的启示，我们需要智慧的灵，使我们能认识；也需要启示的灵，使我们能看见。这就是为甚么保罗祷告，求『我们主耶稣基督的神，荣耀的父』，赐给我们『智慧和启示的灵』。（弗一17。）这指明我们需要神圣的智慧，以明白神圣的启示。天然人的头脑和一般人类的知识，无法领略神的启示。为这缘故，我们需要灵。感谢神，祂为我们造了这样一个器官！约伯记三十二章八节上半说，『在人里面有灵。』神特别为我们造了灵，使我们能彀认识祂。今天我们需要智慧和启示的灵，好认识并看见遮盖、隐藏的事物。我们必须承认，我们不认识圣经。惟有经过过程并终极完成的三一神认识圣经。我们越看见这个，就越会祷告：『主阿，我们需要你，我们需要你的怜悯和祝福。主，我们需要你这灵和这话，否则我们可能一再读圣经，却仍一无所知。』

2To understand the Bible as the divine revelation, we need a spirit of wisdom to know and a spirit of revelation to see. This was the reason Paul prayed that "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory," would give to us "a spirit of wisdom and revelation" (Eph. 1:17). This indicates that we need divine wisdom to understand the divine revelation. The natural human mind and the common human knowledge cannot apprehend the revelation of God. For this we need a spirit. Thank God that He has created us with such an organ! As Job 32:8a says, "There is a spirit in man." God has created for us a spirit particularly that we may know Him. Today we need a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know and to see the things which are covered, hidden, concealed. We must admit that we do not know the Bible. Only the processed and consummated Triune God knows the Bible. The more we realize this, the more we will pray, "Lord, we need You. We need Your mercy and Your blessing. Lord, we need You as the Spirit and as the Word. Otherwise, we may read the Bible again and again and still not know anything

3圣经作为神圣的启示，是启示神永远的经纶，这个经纶乃是为著一个特别的人位－基督。基督从永远里就是神自己，但有一天祂成为人。祂是完整的神，也是完全的人；因此祂称为神人。我们只能在基督里看见神，离了基督或在基督之外就看不见神。同样的，只有在基督里才有真正的人性。离了基督，我们看不见真实、实在、真正的人。

3The Bible as the divine revelation reveals God's eternal economy, which is for a particular person—Christ. Christ is God Himself from eternity, but one day He became a man. He is the complete God and a perfect man; hence, He is called the God-man. We can see God only in Christ. Apart from Christ, or outside of Christ, we cannot see God. Likewise, the real humanity is only in Christ. Apart from Him, we cannot see a true, real, and genuine man

4基督来是遵行父的旨意，（约六38，四34，五30，）以完成神的经纶。祂在地上生活，尝尽了人生的各方面。然后祂上到十字架，完成了包罗万有的死。三天后，祂在人性里复活；藉著复活，祂把祂的人性带到神性里，使祂的人性成为神儿子的一部分。（罗一3～4。）这样，祂成了神的长子，并且重生我们作神的众子。（罗八29，彼前一3。）

4Christ came to do the will of the Father (John 6:38; 4:34; 5:30), to carry out God'secon o my. He lived on earth and tasted all aspects of human life. He then went to the cross and died an all - inclusive death. Three days later He rose in His humanity, and by resurrection He brought His humanity into divinity, making His humanity a part of the Son of God (Rom. 1:3-4). In this way He became the firstborn Son of God, regenerating us as the many sons of God (Rom. 8:29; 1 Pet. 1:3).

5祂是神成为人；我们是人，要在生命和性情上（不是在神格上）成为神。祂是源头，我们是产品；产品必须和源头一模一样。因此，我们这些神的儿女，（约一12，）乃是在生命和性情上（但不是在神格、神位上）与神一样。整体而言，我们乃是基督的身体。基督作头，我们作身体，就形成一个新人。（弗四24，西三～11。）作为在基督里的信徒，我们都是这新人的一部分。这是关于神经纶之神圣启示大略的轮廓。我们若没有看见这个神经纶的管治原则，就无法明白圣经。我们读圣经时，若没有这样的看见，就会误解圣经。这是为甚么我在约书亚记、士师记、路得记的信息中指出，我们最重要的一件事，就是看见神的经纶。这三卷书不仅仅是历史书，更是关于神经纶之神圣启示的一部分。不仅如此，在这几卷书中有许多的豫表（即图画、描绘），给我们看见我们如何能有分于神的经纶。这个原则与撒母耳记上、下的原则是一样的。以上这几卷书都是关于神经纶之启示的一部分，包含我们如何有分于神经纶的图画。们需要有智慧和启示的灵，来看见这两卷书所启示的。在撒母耳记上、下有四个主要人物－以利、撒母耳、扫罗和大卫。在这里我要简短的说到他们这几个人。关于这几个人，最重要的点可用下面四句话来表达，这也是撒母耳记上、下的摘要：一以利在百姓堕落中的失败，带

5He as God became a man, and we as man are becoming God in life and in nature but not in His Godhead. He is the source, and we are the produce. The produce must be the same as the source. Thus, we, the children of God (John 1:12), are the same as God in life and nature but not in the Godhead, in the person of God. As a whole, we are the Body of Christ. Christ as the Head and we as the Body form the new man (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10-11). As believers in Christ, we all are parts of this new man. This is 10 a brief sketch of the divine revelation concerning God'secon o my. Without this governing view of God ' secon o my, we cannot understand the Bible. If we do not have such a view as we read the Bible, we will wrongly understand the Bible. This is the reason I pointed out in the messages on Joshua, Judges, and Ruth that the most important thing for us to see is God'secon o my. These three books are not merely books of history; they are a part of the divine revelation concerning God'secon o my. Furthermore, in these books are a number of types, which are pictures, portraits, showing us how we can participate in God'secon o my. The principle is exactly the same with the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. These books are part of the revelation concerning God ' secon o my and contain pictures related to our participation in God'secon o my. of wisdom and revelation to see what is revealed in these two books. In 1 and 2 Samuel there are four main persons—Eli, Samuel, Saul, and David—and at this point I would like to say a brief word about each of them. The crucial matters regarding these persons may be expressed in the following four statements, which are extracts of 1 and 2 Samuel: 1.Eli's failure in the people's degradation brought

6进了那陈腐之祭司职分的衰微。

6in the waning of the stale priesthood

7二撒母耳在拿细耳愿中的职事，

72.Samuel's ministry in the Nazarite vow ended

8结束了士师的职分；而带进了那作神出口的申言者职分，并那为著神行政的君王职分。

8the judgeship and brought in the priesthood for God's oracle and the kingship for God ' sad ministration.

9三扫罗肉体的生活，侮辱了在神行政

93.Saul's fleshly life insulted the kingship in the

10中的君王职分，而使他失去这职分。

10divine government and caused him to lose it

11四大卫敬虔的生活，使他获得了那在

114.David's godly life secured the kingship in God's

12神经纶中的君王职分，而他的放纵，却玷污了神那圣别的君王职分。

12economy, and his indulgence contaminated the kingship of God's holiness

13在撒母耳记上一开始，就有一幅以利失败的图画。这失败是在以色列人堕落时发生的。以利是带进那陈腐之祭司职分之衰微的祭司。

13At the beginning of 1 Samuel, there is a picture of Eli's failure. This failure took place in the degradation of the people of Israel. Eli was a priest who brought in the waning of the stale priesthood

14撒母耳的职事带进了那作神出口的申言者职分，并那为著神行政的君王职分。神所命定的祭司职分该作两件事：说神的话，以及执行神的行政，就是神对祂子民行政的对付。因此，祭司一面是神的代言人，另一面是神的代表。他们说神的事，也在神的行政中代表神。因著祭司职分在以利的时代已经变得陈腐、衰微，撒母耳就被兴起，顶替了那陈腐、衰微的祭司职分。撒母耳没有失败；相反的，他在拿细耳愿中的职事，结束了士师职分，而带进那为神说话、作神出口的申言者职分，以及那为著神行政的君王职分。我们要了解撒母耳可能有点困难，但要了解扫罗很容易，因为他和我们都犯同样的毛病。扫罗的生活是肉体的生活，我们的生活也是如此。不论我们是那一国人，我们都是扫罗。扫罗肉体的生活，侮辱、得罪了在神圣行政中的君王职分，而使他失去这职分；他使神圣行政中神的君王职分蒙羞。就某种意义说，许多信徒也作同样的事，以致失去他们的君王职分。大卫与扫罗是一个对比。扫罗的生活是肉体的生活，但大卫的生活是敬虔的生活。『肉体』一辞指堕落的人，而『敬虔』一辞指与神是一的人。扫罗肉体的生活，使他失去君王职分，但大卫敬虔的生活，使他获得了那在神经纶中的君王职分。然而，大卫的放纵情欲，却玷污、破坏了神那圣别的君王职分。虽然大卫没有完全失去君王职分，他却失去了其中的大部分；神只留给他一个犹大支派。

14Samuel's ministry brought in the prophethood for God's oracle and the kingship for God'sad ministration. The priesthood ordained by God was supposed to do two things: to speak the word of God and to carry out God'sad ministration, His governmental dealing with His people. Thus, on the one hand, the priests were God's spokesmen and, on the other hand, they were God's representatives. They spoke the things of God, and they represented God in His administration. Because the priesthood at the time of Eli was stale and was waning, Samuel was raised up to replace the stale and waning priesthood. Samuel did not have a failure. Rather, he had a ministry in the Nazarite vow that ended the judgeship and brought in the prophethood for God's speaking, for God's oracle, and also brought in the kingship for God'sad ministration. Although it may be difficult for us to understand Samuel, it is easy for us to understand Saul because he and we are sick with the same disease. Saul's life was fleshly, and our life also is fleshly. No matter what our nationality may be, we all are Sauls. Saul's fleshly life insulted, offended, the kingship in the divine government and caused him to lose it. He brought shame upon God's kingship in the divine government. In a sense, many believers have done the same thing and have lost their kingship. David is a contrast to Saul. Whereas Saul's life was fleshly, David's life was godly. The word fleshly denotes the fallen man, and the word godly refers to one who is with God. Saul's fleshly life caused him to lose the kingship, but David's godly life secured the kingship in the divine economy. However, David's indulgence in lust contaminated and damaged the kingship of God's holiness. Although David did not lose the kingship wholly, he lost a very large part of it. Only one tribe, Judah, was left for him.

15现在我们继续来看介言的其他内容。

15Let us now go on to consider several other introductory matters

壹撒母耳记上、下，

I. FIRST AND SECOND SAMUEL

在希伯来文圣经中原是一卷

BEING ONE BOOK IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES

16在希伯来文圣经中，撒母耳记上、下原是一卷。

16In the Hebrew Scriptures 1 and 2 Samuel are one book

贰作者

II. THE WRITERS

17撒母耳记上一至二十四章是撒母耳写的；撒母耳记上、下两书其余的部分是申言者拿单和先见迦得写的。

17First Samuel 1 through 24 was written by Samuel. The remainder of 1 Samuel and all of 2 Samuel were written by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer

参时间

III. THE TIME

18撒母耳记上、下写作的时间约在主前一一七一年至主前一○一七年。

18The time of the writing of 1 and 2 Samuel was about 1171—1017 B.C

肆地点

IV. THE PLACE

19本书写作的地点是在以法莲和犹大。

19The place of writing was Ephraim and Judah

伍内容

V. THE CONTENT

20撒母耳记上、下的内容乃是撒母耳、扫罗、和大卫的历史；这是接续士师的历史，是以色列历史中心路线的重要部分。撒母耳生为利未人，分别出来为拿细耳人，作祭司、申言者和士师。他引进申言者的职分，在为神说话上，取代衰微的祭司职分；他也了结士师的职分，而带进君王职分。就消极的意义说，扫罗是以色列中的第一个王；就积极的意义说，大卫是合乎神心的王。

20The content of 1 and 2 Samuel is the history of Samuel, Saul, and David, which continues the history of the judges and which is a crucial part of the central line of Israel's history. Samuel was a Levite by birth and a Nazarite by consecration, to be a priest, a prophet, and a judge. He initiated the prophethood to replace the waning priesthood in the speaking for God, terminated the judgeship, and brought in the kingship. Saul was the first king among Israel in the negative sense. David was the king in the positive sense according to the heart of God

21神的心意是要完成祂的经纶。祂的心不是要我们一直取悦祂，使祂快乐，也不是要我们作个良善、属灵、圣别或得胜的人。祂渴望得著的不是好人或坏人，乃是神人。神照著祂的形像造了我们，要我们接受祂的生命，这生命由生命树所表征。因著我们堕落了，神就成为人来拯救我们、救赎我们。祂为我们完成了包罗万有的死，并且复活，重生了我们，将神的生命和性情分赐到我们里面，使我们在生命和性情上（但不是在神格上）成为神。

21God'she art is to carry out His economy. His heart is not that we always please Him and make Him happy, nor that we should be good, spiritual, holy, or victorious. He desires neither a good man nor a bad man but a God-man. God created us according to His image and wanted us to take His life, signified by the tree of life. Because we became fallen, God became a man to save us, to redeem us. He died an all-inclusive death for us, and He resurrected to beget us by imparting God's life and nature into us, making us God in life and in nature but not in the Godhead

22我们不该认为圣经是一本教导我们作好人或作属灵人的书。圣经启示神要我们作『基督人』。作基督徒就是作基督人，作属基督的人。

22We should not regard the Bible as a book that teaches us to be a good man or a spiritual man. The Bible reveals that God wants us to be a "Christ-man." To be a Christian is to be a Christ-man, a man of Christ.

23也许有人听到这里就会争辩，并指出圣经有些地方劝勉我们要忍耐、谦卑、完全。箴言和保罗的书信中有许多这样的劝勉。但要明白这些经节，我们必须有整本圣经的观点。箴言是一卷智慧的书；智慧就是基督。（林前一30。）基督在我们的日常生活中是我们的智慧。不仅如此，保罗的书信也一再强调，凡我们所是、所作的，都必须在基督里。

23When some hear this, they may argue, pointing out that different portions of the Bible exhort us to be patient, humble, and perfect. There are many such exhortations in the book of Proverbs and in the Epistles of Paul. In understanding these portions we must take the Bible as a whole. The book of Proverbs is a book of wisdom. Wisdom is Christ (1 Cor. 1:30). Christ is our wisdom in our daily living. Furthermore, the Epistles of Paul stress repeatedly that whatever we are and do must be in Christ

陆中心思想

VI. THE CENTRAL THOUGHT

24撒母耳记上、下的中心思想，是神经纶的成就需要人的合作，如撒母耳的母亲哈拿、撒母耳、和大卫在积极一面的历史，以及以利和扫罗在消极一面的历史所例证的。这样的合作与个人对美地的享受有关；美地乃是豫表包罗万有并延展无限2的基督。因此，撒母耳记上、下乃是接续约书亚记、士师记、路得记，告诉我们关于享受神所赐美地的细节。与神合作的人所享受的美地，成了神的国，他们在其中作王掌权。这是豫表新约信徒对基督的享受，其结果乃是他们在永远的生命中作王。（罗五17，21。）我们需要对一件事有深刻的印象，就是神经纶的成就需要我们的合作。与神合作，意思就是与神绑在一起。我们可用二人三足的比赛来加以说明：参赛者必须两人一组，一个人把他的一只脚和另一个人的一只脚绑在一起；两个人要一同跑，彼此必须合作，不能单独行动。这是正当基督徒生活的一幅图画。作基督徒就是与基督绑在一起，凭同一个生命，与祂过同一个生活。

24The central thought of 1 and 2 Samuel is that the fulfillment of God'secon o my needs man's cooperation, as illustrated by the history of Samuel ' smother Hannah, Samuel, and David, in the positive sense, and by the history of Eli and Saul, in the negative sense. Such a cooperation is related to the personal enjoyment of the good land, which typifies the all - inclusive and all - extensive Christ. Hence, 1 and Samuel are a continuation of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, giving us the details concerning the enjoyment of the God-given good land. The good land enjoyed by the cooperators with God became the kingdom of God, in which they reigned as kings. This is a type of the New Testament believers' enjoyment of Christ, which issues in their reign in the eternal life (Rom. 5:21). We need to be impressed with the fact that the fulfillment of God'secon o my requires our cooperation. To cooperate with God means to be bound together with God. We may use a three - legged race as an illustration. The runners in such a race must run in pairs, with each partner having one leg bound to one of his partner's legs. In order for the partners to run, they must cooperate with each other and not move independently. This is a picture of the proper Christian life. To be a Christian is to be bound together with Christ and to have one living with Him by one life.

25撒母耳的出生，跟哈拿与神合作有关。老旧的祭司职分变得陈腐、衰微，所以神要有另一个新的起头。为著撒母耳的出生，神在幕后发起了一些事情。一面，祂使哈拿不生育；另一面，祂又豫备一个人来激动她。（撒上一5～7。）这就逼得哈拿祷告，求主给她一个男孩子。她在祷告中向神许愿说，『万军之耶和华阿，你若垂顾婢女的困苦，眷念不忘婢女，赐我一个男孩子，我必使他终身归与耶和华，不用剃头刀剃他的头。』（11。）这个祷告不是哈拿发起的，乃是神发起的。神拣选哈拿，因为她愿意与神合作。神答应她的祷告，使她生育。于是哈拿就怀孕，生了一个儿子。（20。）然后哈拿照著她所许的愿，将她的儿子献给耶和华，交在以利的监护之下。从这里我们看见，撒母耳的母亲哈拿是一个非常与神合作的人。她的例子给我们看见，今天神所期望要得著的是那一种人。

25The birth of Samuel involved Hannah's cooperation with God. The old priesthood had become stale and waning, and God wanted to have another beginning. For Samuel's birth, God initiated things behind the scenes. On the one hand, He shut up Hannah's womb; on the other hand, He prepared a provoker (1 Sam. 1:5-7). This forced Hannah to pray that the Lord would give her a male child. In her prayer she made a vow and said, "O Jehovah of hosts, if You will indeed look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me and not forget Your maidservant, but give to Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to Jehovah for all the days of his life, and no razor will come upon his head" (v. 11). This prayer was initiated not by Hannah but by God. God chose Hannah because she was willing to cooperate with Him. God answered her prayer and opened her womb, and Hannah conceived and bore a son (v. 20). Then according to her vow, she offered her son to God, placing him in the custody of Eli. From this we see that Hannah, Samuel's mother, was one who cooperated very much with God. Her case shows us the kind of persons God expects to have today

26最近我思考这件事的时候，就想起中国内地会创始人戴德生的故事。中国内地会是个非常属灵的差会，曾被主大大使用。我们从戴德生媳妇所写的传记里，得知有一天戴德生在祷告中向主说，他愿意将他的性命和一切奉献给中国人。神尊重这个愿，结果就形成了中国内地会。虽然我不把自己和戴德生相比，但我能见证，我的经历和他非常相似。在我十几岁，努力要完成学业时，神抓住了我，我就得救了。在回家的路上，我在马路上抬头望天，告诉主说，我只要祂，并要服事祂，带著圣经走遍各地传扬基督。虽然我那时不明白，但事实上我是在向神许愿。神也尊重那个愿。今天各大洲和许多国家向主的恢复敞开，因此需要有人像哈拿那样许愿。我盼望有许多年轻人能许这样的愿。你们必须说，『主阿，我是属于你的，我把自己给你。』神就要接纳你的心愿；祂要完成一些事，来成就你向祂所许的愿。

26Recently, as I was considering this matter, I recalled the experience of Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, which was a very spiritual mission and was much used by God. In his biography, written by his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Howard Taylor, we are told that one day Hudson Taylor said to the Lord in prayer that he was willing to give his life and everything for the people of China. This vow was honored by God and resulted in the forming of the China Inland Mission. Although I do not compare myself with Hudson Taylor, I can testify that my experience was very similar. In the last of my teen-age years, while I was endeavoring to get my education, God caught me, and I was saved. Immediately afterward, while I was walking on the street, I looked up to the heavens and told the Lord that I wanted only Him and that I wanted to serve Him and travel from place to place bringing the Bible and preaching Christ. Although I did not realize it at the time, I was actually making a vow to the Lord. That vow has been honored by Him. Today many continents and countries are open to the Lord's recovery. There is the need for some to make a vow like Hannah. I hope that many of the young people will make such a vow. You need to say, "Lord, I am Yours. I just lend myself to You." God will take your heart and accomplish something to fulfill what you vow to Him

柒分段

VII. THE SECTIONS

27撒母耳记上、下分为三段：撒母耳的历史，（撒上一～八，）扫罗的历史，（撒上九～十五，）和大卫的历史。（撒上十六～撒下二四。）

27The books of 1 and 2 Samuel have three sections: the history concerning Samuel (1 Sam. 1—8), the history concerning Saul (1 Sam. 9—15), and the history concerning David (1 Sam. 16—2 Sam. 24

28旧约的历史书描绘神要祂的子民如何享受美地。在旧约里，神将美地分给以色列人；在新约里，神将基督分给我们作我们的分，给我们享受。（西一12。）以利的失败结束了他对美地的享受，但撒母耳享受美地到极点；他至终被立为申言者、祭司和士师。

28These books of history portray how God wants His people to enjoy the good land. In the Old Testament God allotted the good land to Israel. In the New Testament God has allotted Christ as our portion for our enjoyment (Col. 1:12). Eli's failure ended his enjoyment of the good land, but Samuel enjoyed the good land to the uttermost. Eventually, he was established to be a prophet, a priest, and a judge.

29撒母耳记上、下里的豫表是一幅图画，给我们看见我们如何能并该如何享受基督作神分给我们的美地，为著建立国度，就是召会。我们与神的关系如何，要断定我们对基督的享受。我们与神若是对的，这就叫我们有条件享受基督。我们需要享受基督到一个地步，使我们对基督的享受成为神的国，在其中我们与基督一同在生命中作王。今天国度就是正确的召会生活。（罗十四17。）在这国度里，我们与基督一同在祂永远的生命里作王。这是撒母耳记上、下的内容和中心思想。

29The types in 1 and 2 Samuel are a portrait showing us how we can and should enjoy Christ as our God- allotted land for the establishment of the kingdom, which is the church. The state of our relationship with God is a condition for our enjoyment of Christ. If we are right with God, this gives us a condition that we may enjoy Christ. We need to enjoy Christ to such an extent that our enjoyment of Christ becomes the kingdom of God in which we reign in life with Christ. The kingdom today is the proper church life (Rom. 14:17). In this kingdom we reign with Christ in His eternal life. This is the content and the central thought of 1 and 2 Samuel