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使徒行传生命读经 · 第12篇

藉著彼得一班同工的职事,在犹太地的繁殖(七)

The Propagation in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria through the Ministry of Peter’s Company (7)
1读经:使徒行传二章十四至四十七节。行传二章十四至四十七节记载彼得对犹太人的第一篇信息,他解释圣灵经纶的充溢,(徒二14~21,)见证作工、受死、复活、并升天的耶稣,(徒二22~36,)并劝导受灵感动的人。(徒二37~41。)然后,二章四十二至四十七节描述召会生活的开始。在本篇信息中,我们要来看这些经文里所陈明召会生活的开始。
1Scripture Reading: Acts 2:14-47 In 2:14-47, which records Peter’s first message to the Jews, Peter explains the economical filling of the Holy Spirit (vv. 14-21), witnesses of the Man Jesus in His work, death, resurrection, and ascension (vv. 22-36), and instructs and entreats the Spirit-moved ones (vv. 37-41). Then in 2:42-47 we have a description of the beginning of the church life. In this message we shall consider the beginning of the church life as presented in these verses
信徒坚定持续
THE BELIEVERS CONTINUING STEADFASTLY
在四件事里
IN FOUR THINGS
2行传二章四十二节说,『他们都坚定持续在使徒的教训和交通里,持续擘饼和祷告。』在这里我们看见,在五旬节那天,使徒传讲并供应基督,所产生的头一批信徒,坚定的持续在四件事里:教训、交通、擘饼和祷告。教训是揭示神关于基督与召会的新约经纶;交通是信徒在与父神并子基督的共享相交中彼此共享相交;擘饼是记念主成就了神完全的救赎;祷告是与天上的主合作,为要在地上完成神新约的经纶。前二者,教训和交通,用『和』连接成一组,是使徒的教训和交通;但擘饼和祷告却不是使徒的。这指明,除了使徒的教训和交通以外,在基督里的信徒不该有别的教训和交通。在神新约的经纶里,神所启示并承认的教训只有一种,就是使徒的教训;属乎神并蒙神悦纳的交通也只有一种,就是使徒的交通。这是与父并祂儿子耶稣基督的交通,(约壹一,)也是惟一召会-基督身体-的惟一交通。后二者,擘饼和祷告,也用『和』连接成另一组,是信徒之基督徒生活的实行,与为著保守召会-基督的身体-是一之神的经纶,没有直接的关系。所以擘饼和祷告不是使徒的;使徒是带进神新约的启示,并在基督里众信徒之间神的交通的。
2Acts 2:42 says, “And they were continuing steadfastly in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Here we see that the first group of believers produced through the apostles’ preaching and ministering of Christ on the day of Pentecost continued steadfastly in four things: teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. Teaching is the unveiling of God’s New Testament economy concerning Christ and the church. Fellowship is the communion and communication between the believers in their communion and communication with God the Father and Christ the Son. Breaking of bread is the remembrance of the Lord in His accomplishment of God’s full redemption. Prayer is cooperation with the Lord in heaven for the carrying out of God’s New Testament economy on earth. The first two matters, teaching and fellowship, conjoined by “and” to be one group, are of the apostles, but breaking of bread and prayers are not of the apostles. This indicates that besides the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, the believers in Christ should not have any other teaching and fellowship. In God’s New Testament economy there is only one kind of teaching revealed and recognized by God — the teaching of the apostles. Likewise, there is only one kind of fellowship which is of God and acceptable to Him—the fellowship of the apostles, which is with the Father and the Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3) and which is the unique3 fellowship of the unique church, the Body of Christ. The last two matters, the breaking of bread and prayer, conjoined also by “and” to be another group, are practices of the believers’ Christian life. These practices are not related directly to God’s economy for the keeping of the oneness of the church, the Body of Christ. Hence, they are not of the apostles, who brought in God’s New Testament revelation and His fellowship among all the believers in Christ.
使徒的教训
the teaching of the apostles
3我们已经看见,初信的人坚定持续在使徒的教训里。新约中惟一正确的教训乃是使徒的教训。任何有别于使徒教训的,都是不合乎圣经、不正统的。正统的教训乃是新约二十七卷书,从马太福音到启示录,所记载的使徒教训。所以,保罗对提摩太说,『我往马其顿去的时候,曾劝你仍住在以弗所,好嘱咐那几个人,不可教导与神的经纶不同的事。』(提前一3。)教导不同的事就是教导与使徒的教训不同的事。我们若有不同的教训,就要分裂为不同的团体;但我们若只有使徒的教训,就会保守一。
3We have seen that the new believers continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles. The only proper teaching in the New Testament is the apostles’ teaching. Any teaching other than the apostles’ teaching is not scriptural or orthodox. The orthodox teaching is that of the apostles recorded in the twenty-seven books of the New Testament from Matthew through Revelation. Therefore, Paul said to Timothy, “Even as I urged you, when I was going into Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach differently” (1 Tim. 1:3). To teach differently is to teach differently from the teaching of the apostles. If we have different teachings, we shall be divided into different groups. But if we have only the teaching of the apostles, we shall be one
使徒的交通
the fellowship of the apostles
4使徒的教训怎样是惟一的,使徒的交通也是惟一的。由此我们看见,所有的基督徒应当有一个交通,惟一的交通,就是使徒的交通。这交通在约壹一章三节题到:『我们将所看见并听见的,也传与你们,使你们也可以与我们有交通;而且我们的交通,又是与父并与祂儿子耶稣基督所有的。』交通,原文意一同参与,共同分享。交通乃是永远生命的流出,并且实际上,就是所有已经接受并得著神圣生命之信徒里面永远生命的流。这是新耶路撒冷生命水的流所描绘的。(启二二1。)因此,正如行传二章四十二节所指明的,所有的真信徒都在这交通里。这交通是凭著我们重生之灵里的那灵而得继续的,因此称为圣灵的交通(林后十三14)和(我们)灵的交通。(腓二1。)我们信徒乃是在这永远生命的交通里,有分于父与子所是、并为我们所作的一切;也就是说,我们是藉著那灵的交通,享受父的爱和子的恩。(林后十三14。)这样的交通首先是使徒在藉著那灵享受父与子上所得的分,因此称为使徒的交通,以及约壹一章三节所1说我们(使徒)的交通,就是与父并与祂儿子耶稣基督的交通。这交通是个神圣的奥秘。
4Just as the teaching of the apostles is unique, so the fellowship of the apostles also is unique. From this we see that all Christians should have one fellowship, the unique fellowship, which is the fellowship of the apostles. This fellowship is mentioned in 1 John 1:3: “That which we have seen and heard we report also to you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed the fellowship which is ours is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, meaning joint participation, common participation. It is the issue of eternal life, and it is actually the flow of eternal life within all the believers who have received and possess the divine life. It is illustrated by the flow of the water of life in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:1). Hence, as indicated by Acts 2:42, all genuine believers are in this fellowship. It is carried on by the Spirit in our regenerated spirit. Therefore, it is called “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (2 Cor. 13:14) and “fellowship of [our] spirit” (Phil. 2:1). It is in this fellowship of eternal life that we, the believers, participate in all that the Father and the Son are and have done for us; that is, we enjoy the love of the Father and the grace of the Son by virtue of the fellowship of the Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14). Such a fellowship was first the apostles’ portion in enjoying the Father and the Son through the Spirit. For this reason it is called the fellowship of the apostles and “the fellowship which is ours [the apostles’]” in John 1:3, a fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. This fellowship is a divine mystery.
5行传二章四十二节和约壹一章三节所用的『交通』一辞,指明把个人的利益,为著某一共同的目的,放在一边,并联于别人。因此,与使徒有交通,在使徒的交通里,并在使徒的交通里与三一神有交通,乃是放下我们个人的利益,联于使徒和三一神,为著完成神的定旨。我们有分于使徒对三一神的享受,就是联于使徒和三一神,以完成神、使徒和所有信徒所共有三一神的神圣定旨。今天基督徒中间不只有不同的教训,也有不同的交通。让我从我与南浸信会在一起的经历来说明。因著我母亲是南浸信会的教友,我就进了南浸信会的学校。每逢要举行圣餐礼拜,他们就宣布,只有南浸信会所施浸的人,才能有分于圣餐礼拜。这就是说,这公会有自己的交通,那交通不是使徒的交通。使徒的交通是敞开的,接纳各种在基督里的真信徒。比方说,这交通接纳受水浸的信徒,也接纳受点水的信徒。不仅如此,在这交通里的人,不要求信徒只由他们施浸。然而,有些宗派坚持只有他们的施浸才有效。如果一位信徒想加入他们的团体,他们可能坚持要他再次受浸。这是有别于使徒交通的一个例证。
5The word “fellowship” used in Acts 2:42 and 1 John 1:3 indicates the putting away of private interest and the joining with others for a certain common purpose. Hence, to have fellowship with the apostles, to be in the fellowship of the apostles, and to have fellowship with the Triune God in the apostles’ fellowship, is to put away our private interests and join with the apostles and the Triune God for the carrying out of God’s purpose. Our participation in the apostles’ enjoyment of the Triune God is our joining with them and with the Triune God for His divine purpose, which is common to God, the apostles, and all the believers. Among Christians today there are not only different teachings but also different fellowships. Let me illustrate from my experience with the Southern Baptist denomination. Because my mother was a Southern Baptist, I attended Southern Baptist schools. Whenever a communion service was about to beheld, the announcement was made that only those who had been baptized by that denomination could participate in the communion service. This means that this denomination had its own fellowship, and that fellowship was not the fellowship of the apostles. The fellowship of the apostles is open, receiving all kinds of genuine believers in Christ. For example, this fellowship receives believers who have been immersed and believers who have been sprinkled. Furthermore, those in this fellowship do not require that believers be immersed only by them. However, certain sects insist that only their baptism is valid. They may insist that a believer be baptized again if he wants to join their group. This is an illustration of a fellowship that is different from the fellowship of the apostles
6你知道如何断定某个基督教团体是不是宗派?有一个方法就是查看那个团体是否接纳所有在基督里的真信徒。比方说,假如一位在主里的弟兄是罗马天主教神父,来参加我们的擘饼聚会,我们当然要接纳他,因为他是我们在基督里的弟兄。任何不接纳所有真信徒的团体都是宗派,并且没有实行使徒的交通。在一些地方,某一种族的信徙不为另一种族的基督徒所接纳。那些因著种族排斥信徒的人,是在使徒的交通里么?当然不是。他们的交通是某一种族的交通,不是使徒的交通。使徒的交通必定包括每一种族、每一国籍的信徒。在行传十三章一节有这样的例证。我们在那里看见,在安提阿的召会中,有不同种族和国籍的申言者和教师。
6Do you know how to determine whether or not a particular Christian group is a sect? One way to determine this is to check whether or not that group receives all real believers in Christ. For example, suppose a brother in the Lord who is a Roman Catholic priest attends our Lord’s table meeting. We certainly would receive him because he is our brother in Christ. However, any group that does not receive all true believers is a sect and is not practicing the fellowship of the apostles. In certain places believers of one racial group are not received by Christians who are of a different race. Are those who reject believers because of their race in the fellowship of the apostles? Certainly not. Their fellowship is the fellowship of a particular race, not the fellowship of the apostles. The fellowship of the apostles surely includes believers of every race and nationality. We have an illustration of this in Acts 13:1, where we see that among the prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch were those of different races and nationalities.
7不接纳与自己国籍不同的信徒,不是实行使徒的交通。假定在美国有些弟兄不愿意接纳从德国来的弟兄。他们说,『这些德国人太强了,我们就是无法接纳他们。』如果是这样的情形,那些美国的弟兄就是宗派。他们没有使徒的交通,却有某种所谓美国式的交通。我们也假定德国弟兄回应说,『既然你们美国人不愿意接纳我们,我们也不接纳你们。』结果就有两个所谓的『交通,』德国的『交通』和美国的『交通。』然而,新约中只有一个交通-使徒的交通。信徒在他们聚会地方所立的标示,常常指明他们不在使徒的交通里。比方说,我在中国曾看见一个招牌,把那个地方标示为『美国长老教会。』不久以前,我在南加州看见一个招牌,把那个团体标示为『台湾华人教会。』真是奇怪,在中国竟有美国长老教会,在加州却有台湾华人教会。这些团体没有实行基督身体的一。按照行传二章四十二节,在初期的召会生活里只有一个交通,那交通是使徒的。使徒的交通包括所有的真信徒。在主恢复里的召会生活中,我们跟从并实行使徒的交通。
7Those who do not receive believers whose nationality differs from theirs are not practicing the fellowship of the apostles. Suppose certain brothers in the United States are not willing to receive brothers from Germany. They say, “These Germans are too strong. We simply cannot accept them.” If such were the case, those American brothers would be a sect. They would not have the fellowship of the apostles but some kind of so-called American style of fellowship. Let us also suppose that the German brothers react and say, “Since you Americans will not accept us, we will not accept you.” The result is that there are two so-called fellowships, a German fellowship and an American fellowship. The New Testament, however, knows only of one fellowship—the fellowship of the apostles. The signs believers post in front of their meeting places often indicate that they are not in the fellowship of the apostles. For instance, in China I saw a sign that identified a particular place as an “American Presbyterian Church.” Not long ago I saw a sign in southern California identifying a certain group as a “Taiwan Chinese Church.” How strange that in China there was an American Presbyterian Church, and in California, a Taiwan Chinese Church. Such groups are not practicing the oneness of the Body of Christ. According to Acts 2:42, in the first church life there was only one fellowship, and that fellowship was of the apostles. The apostles’ fellowship included all genuine believers. In the church life in the Lord’s recovery we follow and practice the fellowship of the apostles
教训和交通,擘饼和祷告
Teaching and Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayers
8二章四十二节的文法结构很有意义。我们在这里看见初信者坚定持续在两组的事里:头一组是使徒的教训和交通,第二组是擘饼和祷告。每一组都有『和』来连接二辞。『和』字把头一组使徒的教训和交通连接起来,也把第二组擘饼和祷告连接起来,但这两组却没有连接词将其连接起来。换句话说,这四件事-教训、交通、擘饼、祷告-不是联成一组。按照文法结构,教训和交通是一组,擘饼和祷告是另一组。
8The grammatical construction of 2:42 is significant. Here we see that the new believers continued steadfastly in two groups of things: first, in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles; second, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. In each group of two there is the conjunction “and.” This conjunction joins the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles; it is used again to join the breaking of bread and the prayers. However, this conjunction is not used to join these two groups. In other words, these four matters—the teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers — are not one group of four items. Rather, according to the grammatical structure, teaching and fellowship are one group, and breaking of bread and prayers are another group.
9我们可以从这节的文法结构看见,教训和交通是使徒的,但擘饼和祷告不是使徒的。教训和交通属于使徒,擘饼和祷告却不然。这含示我们能随时随地祷告,却不能有一种以上的交通。我们只有一个交通,那惟一的交通,就是使徒的交通。同样,我们能在任何时间、地点擘饼,却不能有与使徒教训不同的教训。我们信徒应当只有一种教训,那惟一的教训,就是使徒的教训。
9We can see from the grammatical construction of this verse that the teaching and the fellowship are of the apostles, but the breaking of bread and the prayers are not of the apostles. The teaching and the fellowship belonged to the apostles, but not the breaking of bread and the prayers. This implies that although we can pray at any place and at any time, we cannot have more than one kind of fellowship. There is only one fellowship, the unique fellowship, the fellowship of the apostles. Likewise, although we can break bread at any time and at any place, we cannot have a teaching different from that of the apostles. On the contrary, as believers we should have only one teaching, the unique teaching, the teaching of the apostles
奇事神迹藉著使徒行出来
WONDERS AND SIGNS TAKING PLACE through the apostles
10二章四十三节说,『众人都起了敬畏,又有许多奇事神迹,藉著使徒行出来。』成为肉体、钉十字架、复活、升天的基督乃是神中心的见证,奇事神迹并不是这见证的一部分,也不是神完全救恩的一部分,只是证实使徒所传讲、所供应以及所行的,绝对是出于神,不是出于人。(来二3~4。)
10Acts 2:43 says, “And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.” Wonders and signs are not part of God’s central testimony of the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended Christ. Neither are they part of God’s full salvation. Rather, wonders and signs are only evidences that what the apostles preached and ministered and how they acted were absolutely of God, not of man (Heb. 2:3-4
信徒凡物公用
THE BELIEVERS HAVING ALL THINGS COMMON
11四十四、四十五节接著说,『信的人都在一处,凡物公用,并且卖了田产家业,照各人所需用的分给各人。』我们在四章三十二节也读到同样的情形。凡物公用不是爱的标记,乃是基督大能的救恩拯救信徒脱离贪婪和自私的标记。凡物公用只在神新约经纶的初期,实行了很短的时间。到保罗尽职时的召会生活中,这事并没有当作规条长期持续实行,9这由保罗在林后九章和别处的话可得证明。
11Acts 2:44 and 45 go on to say, “And all those who believed were together and had all things common; and they sold their possessions and properties and divided them among all according as anyone had need.” We read of the same in 4:32. Having all things common is not a sign of love; it is a sign of Christ’s dynamic salvation that saved the believers from greediness and selfishness. This was practiced only for a short time at the initiation of God’s New Testament economy. It did not continue for the long run as a practice of legality in the church life during Paul’s ministry, as proved by his words in 2 Corinthians and other places.
12四十五节说,信徒卖了田产家业,照各人所需用的分给各人。这也证明主大能的救恩,使信徒能胜过属地的产业,这些产业霸占、篡窃了堕落的人类。(太十九21~24,路十二13~19,33~34,十四33,十六13~14,提前六17。)虽然神大能的救恩使信徒忘掉属地的产业,但凡物公用并没有成为召会生活中正式的实行。
12Acts 2:45 says that the believers sold their possessions and properties and divided them according to need. This also is an evidence of the Lord’s dynamic salvation, which caused the believers to overcome their earthly possessions, which occupy, possess, and usurp fallen mankind (Matt. 19:21-24; Luke 12:13-19, 33-34; 14:33; 16:13-14; 1 Tim. 6:17). Although the dynamic salvation of God caused the believers to forget about earthly possessions, having all things common did not become a formal practice in the church life.
信徒同心合意,
THE BELIEVERS CONTINUING
持续的在殿里,
WITH ONE ACCORD IN THE TEMPLE
并且挨家挨户擘饼
AND BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE
13四十六至四十七节上半说,『他们天天同心合意,坚定持续的在殿里,并且挨家挨户擘饼,存著欢跃单纯的心用饭,赞美神,得众民的喜爱。』在神新约经纶的开始,早期的信徒,甚至头一批使徒,并不清楚神已经弃绝犹太教与其作法,以及包括殿在内的设备。(太二三38-『你们的家,』指神所弃绝的殿。)因此,他们仍然按著传统和习惯,去殿中举行新约的聚集。
13Acts 2:46-47a says, “And day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they took their food with exultation and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.” In the initiation of God’s New Testament economy, the early believers and even the first group of apostles were not clear that God had forsaken Judaism with its practices and facilities, including the temple (Matt. 23:38—“your house,” referring to the God-forsaken temple). Hence, they still went, according to their tradition and habit, to the temple for their New Testament meeting
14按照四十六节,信徒天天挨家挨户擘饼。早期的信徒天天在家里擘饼记念主,表明他们热切爱主。挨家挨户,原文或作在家里,与在殿里相对。在家里聚会,乃是基督徒聚集的作法,符合神新约的经纶,与犹太人在会堂里聚集的作法不同。(徒六9。)这成了众召会中持续且普遍的实行。(参罗十六5,林前十六19,西四15,门2。)在四十六节,我们看见信徒『存著欢跃单纯的心用饭。』单纯,原文或作单一。这里是形容心简单、单一且坦诚,在追求主上,有单一的爱和渴慕,有单一的目标。按照四十七节上半,早期召会生活里的信徒赞美神,且得众民的喜爱。他们过一种生活,在人性的美德里彰显神的属性,和人救主耶稣一样。(路二52。)
14According to 2:46, day by day the believers broke bread from house to house. The early believers remembered the Lord by breaking bread daily in their houses. This shows their love and enthusiasm toward the Lord. The Greek words rendered “from house to house” also mean “at home,” in contrast with “in the temple.” The Christian way of meeting together is fitting to God’s New Testament economy, differing from the Judaic way of meeting in the synagogues (6:9). The Christian way of meeting in homes became a continual and general practice in the churches (cf. Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Philem. 2). In 2:46 we see that the believers “took their food with exultation and simplicity of heart.” The Greek word for “simplicity” also means singleness. Here it describes the heart being simple, single, and plain, having one love and desire and one goal in seeking the Lord. These early believers were simple, single, sincere, and pure in heart. According to 2:47a, the believers in the early church life praised God and had favor with all the people. They lived a life that expressed God’sat tribute sin human virtues, as Jesus the Man-Savior did (Luke 2:52).
主将得救的人,天天和他们加在一起
THE LORD ADDING TOGETHER those who were being saved from day to day
15四十七节下半说,『主将得救的人,天天和他们加在一起。』主将得救的人和他们加在一起,意思就是将他们一起加给召会。主将得救的人加在一起,他们在一起就是召会。这指明早期的信徒在他们基督徒生活的起头,就被带进团体的召会生活中,不是彼此分开作单独的基督徒。我们为著这幅初期召会生活的图画感谢主。
15Acts 2:47b says, “And the Lord added together those who were being saved from day to day.” For the Lord to add together those who were being saved means that He added them together to the church. The Lord added the saved ones together, and their togetherness was the church. This indicates that from the very beginning of their Christian life the early believers were brought into the corporate church life, not living individualistically as Christians separated from one another. We thank the Lord for this picture of the first church life