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马可福音生命读经 · 第55篇

一种完全照著神新约经纶，并为著神新约经纶的生活（四）

A Life Fully According to and for God’s New Testament Economy (4
1读经：马可福音1:1,4,9-10。在本篇信息，我们要继续从马可福音来看一种完全照著神新约经纶，并为著神新约经纶的生活。
1Scripture Reading: Mark 1:1, 4, 9-10 In this message we shall continue to see from the Gospel of Mark a life that is fully according to and for the New Testament economy of God
2研读马可福音不是一件容易的事。因著我们在领会这卷书上也许被岔开，所以要研读这卷书相当困难。已往，我们中间好多人想要明白这卷福音书，却领会错了。有人只把马可福音当作主耶稣的传记。也有人认为马可福音只是耶稣的故事。当然，我们说马可福音是一卷传记或故事书并没有错。这卷书是主的传记，确实包含祂生活中的许多故事。但我们若进入马可福音的深处，就会看见这卷福音书不只是传记或故事书。马可福音所陈明的，是一种完全照著神新约经纶的生活。耶稣基督福音的开始
2It is not an easy matter to study the Gospel of Mark. Because we may be led astray in understanding this book, it is quite difficult to study it. In the past many of us were misled in our efforts to understand this Gospel. Some regard the Gospel of Mark merely as a biography of the Lord Jesus. Others consider this Gospel simply a book of stories concerning Jesus. Of course, it is not wrong to say that the Gospel of Mark is a biography or a book of stories. This book is a biography of the Lord, and it does contain many stories concerning His life. But if we get into the depths of the Gospel of Mark, we shall see that this Gospel is more than a biography or a book of stories. The Gospel of Mark presents a life that lives fully according to God’s New Testament economy. THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
3我们在本篇信息，必须特别注意一章一节：『神的儿子，耶稣基督福音的开始。』本节不是一本传记或一卷故事书的书名。这里有三个主要的名词：耶稣基督、福音与开始。在一章一节，『福音』这个辞使用得很新颖，是以前从来没有这样用过的。从亚当到耶稣基督，在人类文化、文明中，没有甚么能与新约的『福音』这个辞所表达的相称。约翰一章一节与马可一章一节，都使用『开始』（或『太初』）这辞。约翰一章一节说，『太初有话，话与神同在，话就是神。』这里的『太初』是指已过的永远，约翰使用这个辞是非常奥秘的。相反的，马可福音是论到福音的开始。在四福音中，马可福音相当独特的以『福音的开始』这种清楚的说法来开头。
3In this message we need to pay particular attention to 1:1: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This verse is not the title of a biography or of a book of stories. Here we have three main terms: the beginning, the gospel, and Jesus Christ. The word “gospel” is used in 1:1 in a new way, in a way not employed previously. From Adam until Jesus Christ there was nothing in man’s culture or civilization to correspond to what is denoted by the word “gospel” in the New Testament. Both John 1:1 and Mark 1:1 use the word “beginning.” John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Here “beginning” denotes eternity past. John’su se of this word is very mysterious. Mark, on the contrary, speaks of the beginning of the gospel. The Gospel of Mark is unique among the four Gospels in opening with the clear expression “the beginning of the gospel
4我们必须对马可福音开头的话有深刻的印象。『福音的开始』这辞指明，这卷书不仅是拿撒勒人耶稣的传记，也不只是一卷故事书。这卷书乃是论到福音的开始。我们至少在某种程度上，或在某种意义上，可以将马可福音整卷书当作福音的开始。
4We need to be deeply impressed with the opening word of the Gospel of Mark. The phrase “the beginning of the gospel” indicates that this book is not merely a biography of a Nazarene named Jesus Christ. Neither is this merely a book of stories. Rather, this book speaks concerning the beginning of the gospel. At least to a certain extent or in a certain sense, we may regard the entire book of Mark as the beginning of the gospel.
福音的延续
The Continuation of the Gospel
5如果马可福音是福音的开始，那么福音的延续在那里？在五旬节那天可以看见福音的延续，那时圣灵浇灌在一班蒙拣选并豫备好了的门徒身上。彼得、雅各、约翰、和其他门徒，是神所拣选的，也是耶稣基督亲自呼召的。他们蒙主呼召后，主就豫备他们。五旬节之前的十天，一百二十人都在祷告。你知道那几天他们在那里？他们是在天上，在主的升天里。他们已经被带进基督的死、复活与升天里。在五旬节那天，他们得到圣灵的浇灌。因此，那天就有了福音的延续。所以说，马可福音是福音的开始，使徒行传是福音的延续。这延续还没有结束。这意思是说，我们今天还在福音的延续中。
5If Mark is the beginning of the gospel, where is the continuation of the gospel? The continuation of the gospel is seen on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the chosen and prepared disciples. Peter, James, John, and the other disciples had been chosen by God and personally called by Jesus Christ. After they had been called, they were prepared by the Lord. During the ten days before Pentecost, the one hundred and twenty were praying. Do you know where they were in those days? They were in the heavens, in the Lord’s ascension. They had been brought into the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. On the day of Pentecost they received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, on that day there was the continuation of the gospel. Hence, Mark is the beginning of the gospel, and Acts is the continuation of the gospel. This continuation has not yet ended. This means that we today are still in the continuation of the gospel
了结旧的事物
The Termination of the Old Things
6马可一章一节的『开始』，含示许多事物被了结。想想看，当时一章一节四周所有的事物：文化、外邦人、神的选民、应许、律法、旧约、圣殿、祭司事奉的制度、照著神规条敬拜神的合式方法。在此我们看见了许多又美好又正面的事物，甚至有好些事物都是神命定的。神立了旧约；祂在旧约制定了各样的律法、条例、礼仪、形式、作法、规条与事奉。神的确认可圣殿、祭司体系、与礼拜的制度。如今，在这些又美好又正面的事物中，我们在一章一节读到另一件事的开始，就是耶稣基督福音的开始。
6The word “beginning” in Mark 1:1 implies the termination of many things. Consider what was present at the time of 1:1: culture, the Gentile nations, the chosen people of God, the promise, the law, the Old Testament, the temple, the system of priestly service, the proper way to worship God according to His ordinances. By this we see that there were many good, positive things, even a number of things that had been ordained by God. The Old Testament was given by God. All the laws, ordinances, rituals, forms, practices, regulations, and services in the Old Testament had been ordained by God. The temple, the priesthood, and the system of worship certainly were sanctioned by God. Now, in 1:1, among all these good, positive things, we read of the beginning of something else—the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ
7耶稣基督福音的开始，含示已存在数千年的许多事物终于了结了。实际上，这开始含示一切神之外事物的了结。有些事物已经流传几百年、几千年了。现在忽然有一个新的开始，这个开始了结了神以外的一切事物。
7The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ implies the termination of many things that had been in existence for thousands of years. In fact, this beginning implies the termination of everything other than God Himself. Certain things had been going on for hundreds, even thousands, of years. Now suddenly there was a new beginning, a beginning that terminated all things other than God.
8解经家对于福音开始的时间，众说纷云。有人说，福音开始的时间是在施浸者约翰出来尽职时。另有人说，开始的时间是在耶稣开始传道之时。还有人说，开始的时间是在五旬节那一天。要新约的读者认识，耶稣基督福音的开始包含旧事物的完全了结，实在不容易。当我们思考这事的时候，我们需要记得，马可福音启示耶稣基督是那完全、宇宙、包罗万有的顶替。让我们来看变化山上所发生的事。（九2～13。）主耶稣带著彼得、雅各和约翰，上了一座高山；然后『就在他们面前变了形像，衣服放光，白到极点，地上漂布的，没有一个能漂得那样白』。（2～3。）然后有以利亚同著摩西向他们显现。（4。）彼得非常兴奋，他甚至癫狂了，就对耶稣说，『拉比，我们在这里真好，可以搭三座帐棚，一座为你，一座为摩西，一座为以利亚。』（5。）彼得的话多少有点理由，因为主耶稣与旧约中的两位伟人同在山上。事实上，彼得是在胡言乱语。忽然『有一朵云彩来遮盖他们，又有声音从云彩里出来，说，这是我的爱子，你们要听祂』。（7。）门徒周围一看，他们『不再见一人，只见耶稣同他们在那里』。（8。）我们可以说，代表旧约律法的摩西和代表旧约申言者的以利亚，都由基督顶替了。照犹太人的习惯，神的百姓认为旧约有两大主要部分：律法和申言者。因此，摩西与以利亚－旧约的代表－被顶替，实际上是指基督顶替了一切旧约的事物。在消极一面，福音的开始是指了结，而这了结包括了我们。这包罗万有的了结包括文化、列国、以色列、律法、申言者、旧约的实行与敬拜方式、圣殿、祭坛、祭司的体系、以及献祭的制度。现在，我们读马可一章一节时，必须有一个领会：福音开始的意思乃是，老旧事物都了结了。
8There has been a difference of opinion among Bible expositors concerning the time of the beginning of the gospel. Some say that the time of the beginning of the gospel was when John the Baptist came out to minister. Others say that the time of this beginning was when Jesus began to preach. Still others claim that the time was the day of Pentecost. It is a difficult matter for readers of the New Testament to understand that the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ involves the absolute termination of the old things. As we consider this matter, we need to remember that the Gospel of Mark reveals Jesus Christ as the entire, universal, all-inclusive replacement. Consider what happened on the Mount of Transfiguration (9:2-13). The Lord Jesus took Peter, James, and John and brought them up into a high mountain. Then “He was transformed before them; and His garments became brilliant, exceedingly white, such as no fuller on earth could whiten them” (9:2-3). Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them (v. 4). Being very excited, even beside himself, Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. And let us make three tabernacles—one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (v. 5). In a way, Peter’sword was somewhat reasonable, for the Lord Jesus and two great persons from the Old Testament we represent on the mountain. Actually, what Peter spoke was nonsensical. Suddenly “a cloud came overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, This is My Son, the Beloved. Hear Him!” (v. 7). When the disciples looked around, “they no longer saw anyone with them, except Jesus only” (v. 8). We may say that both Moses, who represents the law of the Old Testament, and Elijah, who represents the Old Testament prophets, were replaced by Christ. According to Jewish custom, God’s people considered the Old Testament as having two major sections: the Law and the Prophets. Hence, for Moses and Elijah, the representatives of the Old Testament, to be replaced actually means that all Old Testament things have been replaced by Christ. On the negative side, the beginning of the gospel means a termination, and this termination includes us. This all - inclusive termination includes culture, the nations, Israel, the law, the prophets, the Old Testament practices and way of worship, the temple, the altar, the priesthood, and the system of offerings. Now when we read Mark 1:1 we need to have the understanding that the beginning of the gospel means the termination of the old things.
三一神将祂自己这生命
THE TRIUNE GOD WORKING HIMSELF
作到我们里面
INTO US AS LIFE
9马可一章指明，文化、宗教、伦理，以及人努力要有道德，要圣别，要合乎圣经，要得胜，都需要被了结。然而，从主耶稣在地上的时候，超过十九个世纪以来，基督徒中间满了文化、宗教、伦理，以及努力想要圣别、合乎圣经并得胜。事实上，圣徒的经历中很少有基督。反而论到圣洁、属灵与得胜的书，却琳瑯满目。我们不能否认雅各书是一卷好书。这封书信帮助我们恒忍与忍耐。雅各论到众申言者的恒忍与约伯的忍耐。他在书信中教导我们要如何像以利亚那样祷告。雅各的著作所题到的智慧，与所罗门的箴言所题到的智慧很类似。这些都是很好的；然而为著神新约的经纶，这些事必须了结，并由基督来顶替。正如我们在本篇信息所强调的，马可一章一节里的『开始』含示这种了结。如果今天雅各弟兄在我们中间，我们应该问他，他有否看见旧约的事物应该了结。他在耶路撒冷是领头的长老，但他的书信却不是写给召会或新约的圣徒，而是写给十二个支派。我们也不明白，雅各的书信为甚么不教导我们用新约的方式祷告。
9Chapter one of the Gospel of Mark indicates that culture, religion, ethics, and the human effort to be moral, holy, scriptural, and victorious need to be terminated. However, in the more than nineteen centuries from the time the Lord Jesus was on earth, the situation among Christians has been full of culture, religion, ethics, and the endeavor to be holy, scriptural, and victorious. Actually, in the experience of the saints there has been very little of Christ. But many books have been written on the subjects of holiness, spirituality, and victory. We cannot deny that the Epistle of James is a good book. This Epistle helps us to be long-suffering and to have endurance. James speaks of the long-suffering of the prophets and of the endurance of Job. In his Epistle he teaches us how to pray as Elijah did. James’ writing contains a wisdom similar to that found in the proverbs of Solomon. All this is very good. Nevertheless, for God’s New Testament economy all such matters need to be terminated and replaced by Christ. As we have emphasized in this message, the beginning in Mark 1:1 implies such a termination. If brother James were with us today, we should ask him if he realized that the things of the Old Testament should be terminated. As the leading elder in Jerusalem, he addressed his Epistle not to the church or the New Testament saints but to the twelve tribes. We also wonder why in his Epistle James did not teach us to pray in the New Testament way
10雅各是敬虔、虔诚、圣别、伦理、属灵与得胜的榜样。历世纪以来，许多信徒在这些事上，都以雅各为他们的榜样。我要你们考量，你们是不是还存有一种观念，以为作基督徒，就是要凭自己来改良自己，更爱神，并且举止行动能荣耀神。当我题到这些事的时候，有人也许心里会说，『努力改良自己，爱神更深，并为著祂的荣耀活著，有甚么不对？你反对修养品德么？信徒爱神并荣耀神，你不在乎么？你教导我们不要顾到伦理么？你到底在提倡甚么教训？』我们当然不否认良好的性格与行为是重要的；我们也不是说，我们不必合乎伦理，顾到道德，也不是说，我们不该爱神并荣耀祂。论到为人处世，我们都必须顾到道德、伦理、品行与性格。但是神新约的经纶比这些更高，这是关键的点。神新约的经纶乃是三一神将祂自己作到我们里面作生命，使我们活祂，因而成为基督身体的肢体来彰显祂。
10James has been a pattern of godliness, devotion, holiness, ethics, spirituality, and victory. Many believers throughout the centuries have taken James as their pattern for these things. I would ask you to consider whether you still hold the concept that, as a Christian, you need to try in yourself to improve, to love God more, and to behave in a manner that will glorify God. When I mention these things, some may say in their hearts, “What is wrong with trying to improve and seeking to love God more and to live for His glory? Are you opposed to the improvement of character? Do you not care that the believers love God and glorify Him? Are you teaching us not to care for ethics? What kind of teaching are you promoting?” Of course, we are not denying the importance of good character and behavior; neither are we saying that we should not be ethical or moral or that we should not love God and glorify Him. As far as human living in society is concerned, we all must care for morality, ethics, behavior, and character. But the crucial point is that God’s New Testament economy involves something much higher than this. God’s New Testament economy is a matter of the Triune God working Himself into us as life so that we may live Him and thereby become members of the Body of Christ for His expression.
基督徒的美德
CHRISTIAN VIRTUES
是神圣生命的产品
AS THE PRODUCT OF THE DIVINE LIFE
11我也许可以告诉你们多年前一些传教士在中国的教导，以此来说明人的伦理道德与一种照著神新约经纶的生活，是迥然不同的。一些传教士清楚说到圣经与孔子教导同样的事。他们指出，圣经与孔子都教导人要孝敬父母；妻子要服从丈夫。这些传教士又说，圣经与孔子都教导人谦卑、诚实、正直、信实、与其他的美德。当我读小学时，我头一次听见这种话。以后，我十几岁时，就对自己说，『圣经与孔子既然教导同样的事，传教士何必来到中国？圣经的教导与孔子的教导若没有差别，传教士就不必来教导我们圣经了。』因著主的怜悯，我十九岁时得救了。但我还是受这问题搅扰，到底圣经的教导与孔子的教导有没有不同？我还想知道孔子所教导的人性美德，与圣经所教导的基督徒美德有甚么不同。多年过去了，我还是不知道其中的差别。然而经过近十年研读圣经之后，我的眼睛被开启，看见了包罗万有的基督。我开始看见，基督是神新约经纶的中心与圆周。然后我开始能把孔子所教导的人性美德，与圣经所教导的基督徒美德加以区分。我知道孔子所教导的人性美德是人工努力的产品。这些美德在素质上没有出于神的任何东西。但圣经所教导的真正基督徒美德，不是人工努力的结果。相反的，基督徒的美德是神圣生命藉著信徒活出来的产品。不仅如此，基督徒的美德在素质上与神圣的性情有关。人的美德是人工努力的产品，基督徒的美德是我们里面神圣生命与性情的产品；二者有何等的不同！
11Perhaps I can illustrate the difference between human ethics and a life that is according to God’s New Testament economy by telling you about the teaching of certain missionaries in China years ago. Some missionaries clearly said that the Bible and Confucius teach the same thing. They pointed out that both the Bible and Confucius teach the honoring of parents and the submitting of wives to their husbands. These missionaries also said that both the Bible and Confucius teach humility, honesty, integrity, faithfulness, and other such virtues. I first heard this when I was in elementary school. Later, as a teen-ager, I began to say to myself, “Since the Bible and Confucius teach the same thing, why was it necessary for the missionaries to come to China? If there is no difference between the teaching of the Bible and the teaching of Confucius, then there is no need for the missionaries to teach us the Bible.” By the Lord’s mercy, I was saved at the age of nineteen. I was still bothered by the question concerning the difference, if any, between the teachings of the Bible and those of Confucius. I still wanted to know the difference between the human virtues taught by Confucius and the virtues of Christians taught in the Bible. For a number of years I did not know the difference. After nearly ten years of studying the Bible, my eyes were opened to see the all-inclusive Christ. I began to see Christ as the center and circumference of God’s New Testament economy. Then I began to differentiate between the human virtues taught by Confucius and the Christian virtues taught by the Bible. I came to realize that the human virtues taught by Confucius are the product of human effort. Those virtues do not have anything of God essentially. But the genuine Christian virtues taught by the Bible are not the result of human effort. On the contrary, Christian virtues are the product of the divine life lived out through the believers. Furthermore, the Christian virtues are related essentially to the divine nature. What a difference there is between human virtues as the product of human effort and Christian virtues as the product of the divine life and nature within us
12我们可以用砖和黄金作为比较，来说明孔夫子所教导的人性美德，与圣经所教导基督徒的美德，是完全不同的。当我们察看一块砖，也许不会察出牠有甚么不好。但我们把砖和黄金比较一下，就会看见二者的差别是何等的悬殊。照样，人性美德与神圣生命和性情所产生的基督徒美德，也有极大的不同。大多数的基督徒，包括基督教的教师在内，都没有清楚看见人性美德与真正基督徒美德的不同，这实在是可悲的。孔子与其他哲学家所教导的，不过是属人的。这些属人的美德，其中没有神圣的素质，并且与神的生命和性情也无分无关，与神自己更是毫不相干。圣经所教导的基督徒美德与仅仅人性的美德，是迥然不同的。其间的差别在于基督徒美德的性质乃是神的性情。彼得在彼得后书论到这事说，我们得有分于神圣的性情。（一。）因此，基督徒的美德不是外面努力的产品，乃是内里性情，就是我们藉重生所得之神圣性情的产品。基督徒的美德在素质上与神圣的生命、神圣的性情、和神自己有关。
12We may illustrate the difference between the human virtues taught by Confucius and the Christian virtues taught by the Bible by comparing brick with gold. As we examine brick, we may find nothing wrong with it. But if we compare brick with gold, we shall see that there is a tremendous difference between the two. In a similar way, there is a great difference between human virtues and Christian virtues produced by the divine life and nature. It is tragic that most Christians, including Christian teachers, have not had a clear view of the difference between mere human virtues and genuine Christian virtues. The virtues taught by Confucius and other philosophers are nothing more than human. Those human virtues do not have anything of the divine essence. They have nothing to do with God’s life and nature, much less with God Himself. The Christian virtues taught by the Bible are very different from mere human virtues. The difference is that the nature of Christian virtues is the nature of God. Concerning this, Peter says in his second Epistle that we have become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). Therefore, Christian virtues are the product not 4 of outward effort but of an inward nature, the divine nature that we have received through regeneration. The Christian virtues are related essentially to the divine life, the divine nature, and God Himself.
13从人的观点来说，为著社会的益处，我们都该顾到伦理、道德、行为与性格。我们为著在社会上有正当的为人生活，必须强调这些事。然而，在活神与彰显祂的一面，仅仅有属人的美德，是徒然无功的；反而会打岔我们活主并彰显主。我们若要活神并彰显神，就必须看见，甚至天然的人性美德，也必须了结。耶稣基督福音的开始需要有这种了结。福音的开始含示一切神以外的事物都了结了。
13Humanly speaking, for the good of society, we all must care for ethics, morality, behavior, and character. For the sake of a proper human living in society we must emphasize these things. Nevertheless, with respect to living God and expressing Him, mere human virtues are of no avail. Rather, they become a frustration to living and expressing the Lord. If we would live God and express Him, we need to see that it is necessary even for the natural human virtues to be terminated. This termination is necessary for the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The beginning of the gospel implies the termination of all things other than God Himself