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使徒行传生命读经 · 第36篇

藉著保罗一班同工的职事，在外邦地的繁殖 ( 二 )

The Propagation in Asia Minor and Europe through the Ministry of Paul’s Company (2)
1读经：使徒行传十三章一至十二节。在本篇信息中，我们要继续来看十三章一至十二节。在十三章一至四节上半，我们看见巴拿巴和保罗被圣灵分别并差遣。十三章四节下半至十二节，
1Scripture Reading: Acts 13:1-12 In this message we shall continue to consider 13:1- 12. In 13:1-4a we see that Barnabas and Paul were set apart and sent by the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:4b-12 describes their journey to Paphos of Cyprus
2描述他们到居比路的帕弗的行程。
2set apart and sent by the Holy Spirit
3被圣灵分别并差遣
3Ministering to the Lord
事奉主
4十三章一至二节说，『在安提阿当地的召会中，有几位申言者和教师，就是巴拿巴和称呼尼结的西面，古利奈人路求，与分封王希律同养的马念，并扫罗。他们事奉主，禁食的时候，圣灵说，要为我分别巴拿巴和扫罗，去作我召他们所作的工。』在这里我们看见，这些申言者和教师不是与人商量，也不是在组织甚么，他们乃是在事奉主并禁食。这五位是在直接事奉主。这意思是，就属灵一面说，他们不是在外院的祭坛那里，乃是在圣所的香坛那里。旧约的祭司在两个地方事奉。他们服事百姓时，是在外院的祭坛事奉，为百姓向神献上祭牲。但是他们直接事奉主的时候，乃是在另一个地方，在圣所的祭坛那里烧香。安提阿这五位弟兄是在圣所的香坛那里，藉著他们的祷告直接事奉主。
4Acts 13:1 and 2 say, “Now there were in Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen, foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for Me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Here we see that these prophets and teachers were not conferring with men and organizing; rather, they were ministering to the Lord and fasting. These five were ministering to the Lord directly. This means that, spiritually speaking, they were not at the altar in the outer court, but were at the incense altar in the Holy Place. In the Old Testament the priests ministered at two places. When they served the people, they ministered at the altar in the outer court, offering sacrifices to God for the people. But when they served the Lord directly, they were at another place—at the altar in the Holy Place burning incense. These five brothers in Antioch were at the incense altar in the Holy Place ministering directly to the Lord through their prayers
那是灵之主的说话
The Speaking of the Lord as the Spirit
5他们这样事奉主的时候，那是灵的主来对他们说话：『要为我分别巴拿巴和扫罗。』这指明在这里圣灵就是主。
5As they were ministering to the Lord in this way, He as the Spirit came in and spoke to them, saying, “Set apart for Me now Barnabas and Saul.” This indicates that here the Holy Spirit is the Lord
6许多基督徒认为那灵与主是分开的。有些人甚至说，那灵是主的代理者或代表。如果那灵只是主的代表，那么在十三章二节，圣灵就不该说，『要为我分别巴拿巴和扫罗。』反之，那灵该说，『我，那灵，是主的代理者。我代表主且为主作工。所以，我不说你们要分别巴拿巴和扫罗归于我，我吩咐你们要分别巴拿巴和扫罗归于主，我是为祂作工的。』
6However, many Christians think that the Spirit is separate from the Lord. Some even say that the Spirit is the agent or representative of the Lord. If the Spirit is merely the Lord’s representative, then in 13:2 the Holy Spirit should not have said, “Set apart for Me now Barnabas and Saul.” Instead, the Spirit should have said, “I, the Spirit, am an agent of the Lord. I represent the Lord and work for Him. Therefore, I do not say that you should set apart Barnabas and Saul unto Me. I tell you to separate Barnabas and Saul unto the Lord, for whom I am working.”
7十三章二节有主、圣灵和『我。』这个我是谁？仅仅是圣灵而不是主么？这一节的我当然是主。那五位申言者和教师是在事奉主。当他们事奉的时候，那是圣灵的主对他们说话。这符合保罗的话：『而且主就是那灵。』（林后三17。）因此，那灵可以吩咐他们，要『为我』分别巴拿巴和扫罗。这个我是主，也是圣灵。所以，我们不该认为圣灵与主是分开的。圣灵就是我们所事奉的主。我们事奉的时候乃是事奉主，但主向我们回应时乃是圣灵。因为圣灵就是主，所以祂能说，『为我分别巴拿巴和扫罗。』
7In 13:2 we have the Lord, the Holy Spirit, and “Me.” Who is this Me? Is this Me only the Holy Spirit and not the Lord? Surely the Me in this verse is the Lord. The five prophets and teachers were ministering to the Lord. As they were ministering, the Lord as the Holy Spirit spoke to them. This corresponds to Paul’sword: “And the Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17). Hence, the Spirit could tell them to separate Barnabas and Saul “for Me.” This Me is both the Lord and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we should not think that the Holy Spirit is separate from the Lord. No, the Holy Spirit is the Lord to whom we minister. When we minister, we minister to the Lord. But when the Lord responds to us, He responds as the Holy Spirit. Because He is the Lord, He could say as the Holy Spirit, “Set apart for Me now Barnabas and Saul
主将福音开展到外邦世界所采取的一大步
A Great Step Taken by the Lord for the Spread of the Gospel to the Gentile World
8十三章二节的圣灵，『是灵的基督，』身体的头，吩咐从那五个人中分别巴拿巴和扫罗，去作祂召他们所作的工。这是主将祂国度的福音，开展到外邦世界所采取的一大步。这是从叙利亚一个外邦的中心安提阿开始的；没有组织差会，没有募集基金，没有人的任命，也没有人的计画和方法。这是由基督身体上五个忠信寻求主的肢体发起的，他们藉著事奉和禁食，给身体的元首一个机会，使元首，就是那灵，能将他们分别出来，完成祂伟大的使命，开展祂的国度，好藉著祂福音的传扬，在外邦世界建立祂的召会。这主要的一步，与耶路撒冷召会毫无组织上的关系，也不在彼得和耶路撒冷其余十一位使徒的权柄和指挥之下。这纯粹是从一个外邦中心开始的，远离犹太教一切背景与实行的气氛和影响，甚至也远离耶路撒冷召会的实行和影响。这完全是藉著基督身体上那些忠信并寻求主的肢体，在地上与诸天之上的元首配合，凭著那灵、在那灵里并同著那灵的行动。因此，这不是人所安排的宗教运动。从安提阿开始，主在地上为著神新约经纶的行动，有了全新的起头。虽然主行动的流是在五旬节从耶路撒冷开始的，以后流到安提阿，再从安提阿继续流到外邦世界，但这流在安提阿转弯时，凭著那灵有了炼净的起头。
8In 13:2 the Holy Spirit as the pneumatic Christ, the Head of the Body, told the five to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which He had called them. This was a giant step taken by the Lord for the spread of the gospel of His kingdom to the Gentile world. It was begun from Antioch, a Gentile center in Syria, without organizing a mission, without raising funds, without human ordination, and without any human plan and method. It was initiated by five faithful and seeking members of the Body, who afforded an opportunity, through their ministering and fasting, to the Head of the Body that He, as the Spirit, might set them apart to carry out His great commission to spread His kingdom for the establishment of His church in the Gentile world through the preaching of His gospel. This major step had nothing to do with the church in Jerusalem organizationally, and it was not under the authority and direction of Peter and the other eleven apostles in Jerusalem. It was begun solely and purely from a Gentile center, far away from the atmosphere and influence of any Judaic background and practice, and even from the practice and influence of the church in Jerusalem. It was absolutely a move by the Spirit, in the Spirit, and with the Spirit through the coordination of the faithful and seeking members of the Body on earth with the Head in the heavens. This was not a religious movement with a human schedule. From Antioch the Lord’s move on the earth for God’s New Testament economy had an entirely new start. Although the flow of the Lord’s move began from Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, and later came to Antioch and went on from Antioch to the Gentile world, it had a purified start by the Spirit at its turn in Antioch.
按手
The Laying On of Hands
9十三章三节继续说，『于是禁食祷告，按手在他们身上，就打发他们去了。』在这里我们看见，他们禁食祷告，而不是讨论决定。
9Acts 13:3 continues, “Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Here we see that they fasted and prayed; we are not told that they discussed and decided
10十三章三节的按手是指联合，表征按手的人与接受按手的人是一。藉此他们同众人宣告，当受差遣的人出去完成主伟大的使命时，他们与受差遣的人是一。四节上半说，『他们既被圣灵差遣。』在三节，巴拿巴和扫罗是其他三位弟兄所打发的，但这里说他们被圣灵差遣。这证明那三位弟兄在主的行动上与那灵是一，那灵承认他们的打发，就是他的差遣。
10In 13:3 the laying on of hands denotes identification. It signifies that they who laid their hands were one with those on whom they laid their hands. By this they declared to all that they were one with the sent ones in their going to carry out the Lord’s great commission. The first part of 13:4 says, “They therefore, having been sent out by the Holy Spirit.” In verse 3 Barnabas and Saul were sent by the other three. But here it says that they were sent out by the Spirit. This proves that the three were one with the Spirit in the Lord’s move, and the Spirit honored their sending as His
11三节的按手与任命无关，按手在巴拿巴和扫罗身上的那三位，不是差会理事会或宗教组织的成员，他们并没有向受差遣的人保证给他们财物资助。那是今天许多基督教团体的作法。被差遣出去传道的人也许认为，除非理事会的成员按手在他身上，否则他没有把握得著他们财物的资助。如果他们按手在他身上，他就知道他必得著所需的金钱。这样的情形在今天很普遍。倘若我们按手在受差遣的人身上，这绝不该是财物资助的担保。反之，我们在按手时，乃该与三一神是一，不是任命受差遣者，而是使自己与他们联合。所以，按手表征我们的灵、我们的祷告、以及我们里面的一切所是，与受差遣者同去。这不是任命，乃是联合。
11The laying on of hands in 13:3 has nothing to do with ordination. The three who laid hands on Barnabas and Saul were not members of a mission board or religious organization who were assuring the sent ones of their financial support. That is the practice in many Christian groups today. Someone who is being sent out to the mission field may think that unless the members of the board lay hands on him, he will not be assured of their financial support. But if they lay hands on him, he will know that he will have the money he needs. Such a situation is common today. If we lay our hands upon the sent ones, it should never be as a pledge of financial support. Rather, in the laying on of hands we should be one with the Triune God not to ordain the sent ones but to identify ourselves with them. Therefore, the laying on of hands signifies that our spirit, our prayers, and all that is within us go out with the sent ones. This is not ordination—it is identification
12每逢我们按手在主恢复中受主差遣的人身上时，我们必须这样作。否则，我们就不该实行按手。按手不是仪式或一种与任命有关的事。按手是一件在那灵里生命的事。在行传十三章里，那三位有负担参与巴拿巴和扫罗的使命，这是他们按手在巴拿巴和扫罗身上的原因。他们藉著按手指明，他们要在祷告和那灵里，与巴拿巴和扫罗同去。他们要与奉差遣者是一，并且不计任何代价与他们同去。因著宗教背景的影响，以及形式化按手所造成的破坏，我们一直不愿意实行按手。有时候我有负担为某人按手。然而，我迟疑不作，因为许多人认为这是仪式，或是一种任命。我们不该有任命或任何仪式，我们所需要的是真正且正确的联合。按手确有需要，但我们绝不该将这个作成仪式。如果我们实行按手，这应当是照著里面的引导，而且有那灵里真实的负担。我们的实行应当与传统基督教不同，那与行传十三章所陈明的榜样相去甚远。
12Whenever we lay our hands upon someone in the Lord’s recovery who is being sent out by the Lord, we must do it in this way. Otherwise, we should not practice the laying on of hands. The laying on of hands is not a ritual or a matter related to ordination. The laying on of hands is a matter of life in the Spirit. In Acts 13 the three were burdened to share in the commission of Barnabas and Saul. This was the reason they laid their hands upon them. Through the laying on of hands they indicated that they would go with Barnabas and Saul in their prayers and in the Spirit. They would be one with them and go with them at any cost. Because of the influence of the religious background and because of the damage caused by the laying on of hands in the way of ritual, we have been reluctant to practice the laying on of hands. Sometimes I have had the burden to lay hands on a particular one. However, I hesitated to do this because many regard this as a ritual or as something related to ordination. We should not have ordination or any rituals. What we need is the genuine and proper identification. There is the need of the laying on of hands. But we should never do this ritualistically. If we practice the laying on of hands, it should be according to the inner leading and with a genuine burden in the Spirit. Our practice should be different from that of traditional Christianity, which is far off from the pattern presented in Acts 13.
一个绝佳的榜样
An Excellent Pattern
13我们在行传十三章看见一个绝佳的榜样。在耶路撒冷没有这样的榜样，因为那里的召会是在起初的阶段。主在耶路撒冷所作的，实际上开始于祂呼召门徒。主耶稣在加利利海边行走的时候，看见西门和安得烈两兄弟，就呼召他们跟从祂。（太四18～19。）祂从那里往前，看见了另外两兄弟，雅各和约翰，也呼召了他们。（太四21～22。）主呼召了这四位和其他的门徒以后，就带著他们与祂同在三年半。祂带他们经过祂的钉十字架，并进入祂的复活。然后祂在复活里四十天之久向他们显现。之后主将他们带到橄榄山，在他们眼前升上诸天。门徒带著这样的背景和属灵的教育祷告了十天。然后在五旬节那天，彼得的职事开始了。
13In Acts 13 we see an excellent pattern. We do not have such a pattern in Jerusalem because the church there was in the initial stage. What the Lord did in Jerusalem actually began with His calling of the disciples. As He walked beside the sea of Galilee, the Lord Jesus saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, and He called them to follow Him (Matt. 4:18-19). As He went on from there, He saw two other brothers, James and John, and He also called them (Matt. 4:21- 22). After calling these four and the other disciples, the Lord brought them with Him for three and a half years. He brought them through His crucifixion and into His resurrection. Then in resurrection He appeared to them during a period of forty days. Following that, the Lord brought them all to the Mount of Olives and in their sight visibly ascended to the heavens. With such a background and spiritual education, the disciples prayed for ten days. Then on the day of Pentecost Peter’s ministry began
14主在福音书与行传头二章对门徒所行的，无法重复；今天主不会呼召跟从者像祂呼召彼得、安得烈、雅各、约翰那样。所以，在耶路撒冷的门徒身上，我们找不到一个能在我们中间重复的榜样。然而，行传十三章的榜样可以重复。
14What the Lord did with the disciples in the Gospels and in the first two chapters of Acts cannot be repeated. The Lord will not call followers today as He called Peter, Andrew, James, and John. Therefore, with the disciples in Jerusalem we do not have a pattern that can be repeated among us today. However, the pattern in Acts 13 can be repeated.
15主耶稣呼召彼得和安得烈时，对他们说，『来跟从我，我要使你们作得人的渔夫。』（太四19。）但主呼召大数的扫罗时，藉著亚拿尼亚向他指明，祂要使他成为器皿，而不是得人的渔夫。在行传九章十五节，主对亚拿尼亚论到扫罗说，『这人是我所拣选的器皿，要在外邦人和君主并以色列子孙面前，宣扬我的名。』彼得成了得人的渔夫，保罗却成了器皿。渔夫与器皿相当不同。行传十三章里新的转弯不是在渔夫身上，乃是在器皿身上。保罗受差遣是作器皿。这就是说，他受差遣是作盛装基督的器皿，带著祂到外邦世界。不论保罗去那里，他的职事就是将他所盛装的基督分赐给人。他是盛装基督的器皿，他将这基督服事给人。在安提阿的起头与在耶路撒冷的大不相同。在耶路撒冷的起头不是我们今天的榜样，但在安提阿的起头，转弯，实在是我们的榜样，我们需要跟从。
15When the Lord Jesus called Peter and Andrew, He said to them, “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). But when He called Saul of Tarsus, the Lord indicated to him through Ananias that He would make him not a fisher of men but a vessel. In Acts 9:15 the Lord said to Ananias concerning Saul, “This man is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before both the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.” Peter was made a fisher of men, but Paul was made a vessel. There is quite a difference between a fisherman and a vessel. The new turn in Acts 13 is not a turn with fishermen but with vessels. When Paul was sent out, he was sent out as a vessel. This means that he was sent to be a vessel containing Christ and bearing Him to the Gentile world. Wherever Paul went his ministry was to impart to others the very Christ he contained. He was a vessel containing Christ, and he ministered this Christ to others. The start in Antioch is very different from that in Jerusalem. The start in Jerusalem is not a pattern for us today. But the start, the turn, in Antioch surely is our pattern, and we need to follow it
到居比路的帕弗的行程
THE JOURNEY TO PAPHOS OF CYPRUS
16十三章四节下半告诉我们，巴拿巴和保罗『下到西流基，从那里坐船往居比路去。』保罗第一次出外尽职的旅程，开始于此，结束于十四章二十七节。
16Acts 13:4b tells us that Barnabas and Paul “went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed away to Cyprus.” This was the start of Paul’s first ministry journey, which ended in 14:27
在会堂里宣传神的话
Announcing the Word of God in the Synagogues
17十三章五节上半说，『到了撒拉米，就在犹太人的各会堂里宣传神的话。』巴拿巴和扫罗不是去参加犹太会堂的聚集，乃是利用他们的聚集宣传神的话，正如主在地上尽职时所行的。(太四23，路四16。)就如在十四节，他们到会堂去的目的是要抓住机会传福音。
17Acts 13:5a says, “Having come to Salamis, they announced the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.” Barnabas and Paul did not go to attend the Jewish synagogue gathering, but to take advantage of their gathering to announce the word of God, just as the Lord did in His ministry on earth (Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:16). As in Acts 13:14, their purpose in going to the synagogue was to grasp the opportunity to preach the gospel
18我们已经看过，会堂一辞在原文是由『一起』和『带来』组成的。因此是集合、聚集、会众；转意为聚集的地方。本辞在新约用以指犹太人的聚集（徒十三43，九2，路十二11）和聚集的地方，（路七5，）在那里他们研读圣经，寻求关乎神的知识。（路四16～17，徒十三14～15。）
18We have seen that the word “synagogue” is an anglicized form of the Greek word sunagoge. This Greek word is composed of sun, together, and ago, to bring. Hence, it denotes a collecting, gathering, congregation, assembly. By transition it came to mean the place of gathering. It is used in the New Testament to denote the congregation (Acts 13:43; 9:2; Luke 12:11) and the congregating place (Luke 7:5) of the Jews, where they sought the knowledge of God by studying the holy Scriptures (Luke 4:16-17; Acts 13:14-15
有约翰作他们的帮手
Having John as Their Attendant
19按照五节下半，巴拿巴和保罗有约翰作他们的帮手，这实在是这榜样的缺点，是因缺少经历而引起的。巴拿巴和保罗不该带约翰与他们同行。末了，约翰离开他们，回耶路撒冷去。（徒十三13。）约翰离去的原因也许是承受不了旅程的艰难。
19According to 13:5b, Barnabas and Paul had John as their attendant. This is actually a defect in the pattern caused by the lack of experience. Barnabas and Paul should not have brought John with them. Eventually he left them and returned to Jerusalem (v. 13). The reason for John’s leaving may have been his inability to bear the hardships of the journey
20巴拿巴和保罗第二次要出外时，『巴拿巴定意也带著称呼马可的约翰同去。』（徒十五37。）但是『保罗以为不带他同去是适宜的，因为马可从前曾在旁非利亚离开他们，不和他们同去作工。』（徒十五38。）巴拿巴和保罗为此起了剧烈的争执。因为约翰是巴拿巴的表弟，所以巴拿巴想要带他同去，但保罗不同意。我们这里的点乃是，问题开始于头一次带马可同行的错误。全时间事奉主的人在带人同行的事上应当谨慎。不是每一个人都能忍受全时间事奉的一切艰难。你若轻率的带人与你同行，将来可能会有麻烦。巴拿巴和保罗在第一次行程带马可同行所犯的错误，至终使保罗和巴拿巴分开。他们犯这样的错误是一件严重的事。
20When Barnabas and Paul were about to go on their second journey, “Barnabas intended to take John, who is called Mark, along with them also” (15:37). However, “Paul did not consider it suitable to take with them this one who withdrew from them in Pamphylia and did not go with them to the work” (v. 38). As we shall see, there was a sharp contention between Barnabas and Paul concerning this. Because John was Barnabas’ cousin, he wanted to bring him along with them, but Paul did not agree. The point we would make here is that the problem began with the mistake in taking Mark along with them the first time. Those who serve the Lord full time should be careful in bringing someone else along with them. Not everyone is able to endure all the hardships of serving full time. If you lightly take someone along with you, there may be trouble. The mistake made by Barnabas and Paul in taking Mark with them on their first journey eventually led to the separation between Paul and Barnabas. It was a serious matter for them to make such a mistake.
巴拿巴和保罗在居比路岛上
Barnabas and Paul on the Island of Cyprus
21十三章六、七节说，『他们经过全岛，到了帕弗，遇见一个犹太人，是个行法术的假申言者，名叫巴耶稣，他常和省长士求保罗同在，士求保罗是个通达人，他请了巴拿巴和扫罗来，切求要听神的话。』当时居比路是罗马帝国的一个议院辖省，地方政府的首长该是省长。
21Acts 13:6 and 7 say, “And having passed through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called Barnabas and Saul to him and sought to hear the word of God.” This proconsul was the governor of a local government in the Roman Empire
22八节说，『只是那行法术的以吕马（他的名字繙出来就是行法术的）抵挡使徒，想要叫省长转离这信仰。』这是客观的信仰，指在基督里的信徒所信福音的内容。
22Verse 8 continues, “But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.” This is the objective faith, referring to the contents of the gospel in which the believers in Christ believed.
23九节接著说，『扫罗，又名保罗，被圣灵充溢，定睛看他。』名字的改变可指明生命的改变。无论如何，保罗自从在这里被圣灵充溢以后，在使徒的职事上就一路领头。这里圣灵的充溢是指在外面为著能力的充溢，如在二章四节，四章八节、三十一节，以及九章十七节。按照十节，保罗对行法术的以吕马说，『你这满了各样诡诈和奸恶，魔鬼的儿子，众义的仇敌，你歪曲主的正路，还不止住么？』正路就是真理的路和义路。（彼后二2，15，21。）十一、十二节总结说，『看哪，现在主的手临到你，你要瞎眼，暂时不见日光。立刻就有雾气和黑暗落在他身上，他就四下找人牵手领他。省长看见所发生的事，因惊讶主的教训，就信了。』行法术的以吕马受到惩罚而蒙羞。然后主向省长显示祂的正路，省长相信就得救了。结果那地方就兴起了见证。
23Acts 13:9 goes on to say, “But Saul, who is also Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him.” The change of name may indicate the change in life. In any case, from this point on Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, took the lead in the apostolic ministry all the way. The filling with the Holy Spirit here is the outward filling for power, as in 2:4; 4:8, 31; and 9:17. According to 13:10, Paul said to Elymas the magician, “O son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all villainy, enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” The straight way is the way of truth and the way of righteousness (2 Pet. 2:2,15,21). Acts 13:11 and 12 conclude, “And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And instantly a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul, when he saw what took place, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.” Elymas the magician was punished and put to shame. Then the Lord showed His straight way to the proconsul, and the proconsul believed and was saved. As a result, a testimony was raised up in that locality