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使徒行传生命读经 · 第39篇

藉著保罗一班同工的职事，在外邦地的繁殖 ( 五 )

The Propagation in Asia Minor and Europe through the Ministry of Paul’s Company (5)
1读经：使徒行传十四章一至二十八节。
1Scripture Reading: Acts 14:1-28
一卷神经纶的书
A BOOK OF GOD’SECON O MY
2我在使徒行传这本生命读经里的负担，不是要说到这一卷很长的书中所包含一切的小点。比方说，我没有负担讲大卫是合乎神心的人这样乃是要说到关于神新约的经纶一切紧要的点。换句话说，我关心的是使徒行传里一切有时代意义的事。我用『时代的』（dispensational）一辞，不是指世代或神在某段时期对待人的方式。在这些信息里，『时代』这辞乃指神永远经纶里的神圣安排。关于这神圣的安排，在使徒行传里可以看到很多。所以，使徒行传是一卷神经纶的书。许多基督徒对使徒行传没有这种领会。使徒行传不仅论到一些行动；这卷书乃是给我们看见神的时代安排，神的经纶，神在祂永远经纶里的安排。我在这些生命读经信息里的负担，是要说到使徒行传里神经纶的事。
2It is not my burden in this Life-study of Acts to cover all the minor points contained in this long book. For example, I am not burdened to speak on such a matter as David being a man according to God’she art. the crucial points regarding God’s New Testament economy. In other words, I am concerned with all the things in Acts that bear a dispensational significance. I do not use the word “dispensational” to refer to an age or to God’sway of dealing with people during a certain period of time. Rather, in these messages the word “dispensation” denotes the divine arrangement in God’s eternal economy. In the book of Acts there is much to see concerning this divine arrangement. Acts, therefore, is a book of God’s economy. Many Christians do not have this understanding of Acts. Acts is not merely concerned with acts. This is a book showing us God’s dispensation, God’secon o my, God’s arrangement in His eternal economy. My burden in these Life - study Messages is to cover the matter of God’secon o my in the book of Acts.
3当我来看使徒行传中特定的一章时，我的目标是要看见那一章里神经纶的神圣安排。当我们来看十四章，我的目标就是这个。我们在这一章似乎看不见任何关于神经纶里神圣安排的事。但我们若仔细研读这一章，就能看出与这神圣安排有关的一些事。
3As I come to a particular chapter in Acts, my goal is to see something concerning the divine arrangement of God’secon o my in that chapter. This is my goal as we come to chapter fourteen. It may seem that in this chapter we cannot see anything concerning the divine arrangement in God’secon o my. But if we study this chapter carefully, we shall be able to see some matters related to this divine arrangement
到以哥念
TO ICONIUM
4十四章一节说，『二人在以哥念同进犹太人的会堂，在那里讲论，叫一大群犹太人和希利尼人都信了。』就如十三章五节和十四节，他们不是去参加犹太会堂的聚集，而是利用那聚集宣传神恩典的话。二节继续说，『但那些不信从的犹太人，耸动并毒化外邦人的心意，使他们反对弟兄们。』这里的心意，直译是魂。
4Acts 14:1 says, “Now it came about in Iconium that they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a way that a great multitude believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.” As in 13:5 and 14, they did not go to attend the Jewish synagogue gathering, but to take advantage of that gathering to announce the word of God’s grace. Verse 2 continues, “But the Jews who disobeyed stirred up and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against the brothers.” Here the Greek word rendered “minds” literally means “souls.”
神恩典的话
the word of God’s grace
5三节接著说，『二人住了多日，靠著主放胆讲论，主藉著他们的手，施行神迹奇事，见证祂恩典的话。』我们已经指出，主的恩典乃是三一神自己，为信徒所得著且享受，并彰显于他们的得救、生命的改变、和圣别的生活。
5Acts 14:3 goes on to say, “Therefore they stayed a considerable time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done through their hands.” As we have pointed out, the Lord’s grace is the Triune God received and enjoyed by the believers and expressed in their salvation, change in life, and holy living
6主藉著保罗和巴拿巴的手，施行神迹奇事，见证祂恩典的话。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。『祂恩典的话』一辞指明一些时代的点。在会堂里，犹太人读旧约不是要认识主恩典的话。他们读圣经乃是要认识神律法的话，这话属于旧的时代安排，属于神经纶早先的神圣安排。但主恩典的话顶替了律法。在会堂里的犹太人，他们的心思为律法所霸占；但保罗向他们传讲基督作恩典。他们藉著见证生命的话和主恩典的话，造就初信的人。三节的『见证』一辞，含示恩典的话已经存在，并且已经被传讲。因为恩典的话已经被传讲，所以使徒为牠作见证。
6As the Lord testified to the word of His grace, He granted signs and wonders to be done through the hands of Paul and Barnabas. Wonders and signs are not part of God’s central testimony of the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended Christ; neither are they part of His full salvation. Rather, signs and wonders are only evidences that what the apostles preached and ministered was absolutely of God, not of man. The phrase “the word of His grace” denotes certain dispensational points. In the synagogues the Jewish people did not read the Old Testament in order to know the word of the Lord’s grace. Rather, they read the Scriptures in order to know the word of God’s law, a word belonging to the old dispensation, to the former divine arrangement of God’secon o my. But the word of the Lord’s grace replaces the law. The minds of the Jewish people in the synagogues were occupied with the law. But Paul preached Christ as grace to them. They edified the new believers by testifying the word of life and the word of the Lord’s grace. The word “testified” in verse 3 implies that the word of grace already existed and that it had already been preached. Because the word of grace had been preached, testimony was borne to it
旧约里恩典的话
The Word of Grace in the Old Testament
7尽管使徒只有旧约，但他们能彀见证主恩典的话。我们在旧约能找到恩典的话么？犹太人没有找恩典的话，反而注意律法的话连同一切诫命。他们所有的是神律法的话，不是主恩典的话。但是主恩典的话已经存在旧约里，这叫使徒可以为牠作见证。我们来看在旧约里所看到主恩典的话的例子。创世记三章十五节：『我又要叫你和女人彼此为仇，你的后裔和女人的后裔，也彼此为仇；女人的后裔要伤你的头，你要伤他的脚跟。』在这里我们看见，女人的后裔要伤蛇的头。这岂不是主恩典的话么？当然是。亚当和夏娃吃了善恶知识树的果子，就想要躲避神的面。耶和华的声音呼唤亚当说，『你在那里？』（创三9。）亚当和夏娃害怕，也许以为神要将他们处死。但耶和华没有说定罪或审判的话，反而说了恩典的话。在创世记三章十五节，祂定罪蛇，却对亚当和夏娃说了恩典的话。亚当和夏娃听到创世记三章十五节耶和华的话，必定非常喜乐。他们必定恨恶那蛇；现今耶和华告诉他们，女人的后裔要伤蛇的头。这必然是恩典的话。
7The apostles could testify of the word of the Lord’s grace even though they had only the Old Testament. Can we find the word of grace in the Old Testament? Instead of finding the word of grace, the Jewish people paid attention to the word of the law with all the commandments. What they had was the word of God’s law, not the word of the Lord’s grace. Nevertheless, the word of the Lord’s grace existed already in the Old Testament. This made it possible for the apostles to testify concerning it. Let us consider some examples of the word of the Lord’s grace found in the Old Testament. Consider Genesis 3:15: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Here we see that the seed of the woman will bruise the serpent’she ad. Is this not a word of the Lord’s grace? Certainly it is. After Adam and Eve had eaten of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they tried to hide from God. The voice of the Lord sounded out to Adam and said, “Where art thou?” (Gen. 3:9). Adam and Eve were frightened, perhaps thinking that God would sentence them to death. But instead of speaking a word of condemnation or judgment, the Lord spoke a word of grace. In Genesis 3:15 He condemned the serpent and gave Adam and Evea word of grace. Adam and Eve must have been very happy when they heard the Lord’sword in Genesis 3:15. They must have hated the serpent, and now the Lord was telling them that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent. This surely is a word of grace.
8旧约恩典的话另一个例子就是创世记十二章二、三节，那里神对亚伯拉罕说，『我必叫你成为大国；我必赐福给你，叫你的名为大，你也要叫别人得福…地上的万族都要因你得福。』这必然不是律法的话，乃是恩典的话。会堂里的犹太人在属灵上瞎眼，看不见旧约里主恩典的话。在以赛亚书里也有主恩典的话的例子。请看以赛亚七章十四节：『必有童女怀孕生子，给祂起名叫以马内利。』这是恩典的话。另一句恩典的话是在以赛亚九章六节：『有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们；政权必担在祂的肩头上；祂名称为奇妙、策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。』旧约中有主许多恩典的话，这也是其中的一个例子。
8Another example of a word of grace found in the Old Testament is Genesis 12:2 and 3, where God says to Abraham, “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing...and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” This certainly is not a word of law; it is a word of grace. The Jews in the synagogues were spiritually blind and could not see the word of the Lord’s grace in the Old Testament. Other examples of the word of the Lord’s grace are found in the book of Isaiah. Consider Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This is a word of grace. Another word of grace is in Isaiah 9:6: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” This also is an example of the many words of the Lord’s grace in the Old Testament
彼得与保罗的传讲
The Preaching of Peter and Paul
9我们已经看见，保罗在行传十三章把『大卫那圣的，那可靠的』应用到复活的基督身上。（徒十三33～35。）保罗晓得这是指在复活里的基督。除了保罗以外，谁晓得大卫那圣的，那可靠的是指复活的基督？保罗实在是最好的『采矿者，』最能挖掘旧约的深奥，为要找出主恩典之话的丰富。
9We have seen that in chapter thirteen of Acts Paul applied the “holy and faithful things of David” to the resurrected Christ (vv. 33-35). Paul understood these as referring to Christ in resurrection. Who other than Paul would be able to understand that the holy and faithful things of David refer to the resurrected Christ? To be sure, Paul was the best “miner,” the one most able to dig into the depths of the Old Testament in order to find the riches of the word of the Lord’s grace
10在行传二章，彼得释放一篇论到复活基督的绝佳信息。你读行传二章时，可能对彼得的信息印象十分深刻。但你以前对保罗在行传十三章的传讲有充分的赏识么？许多读行传的人没有正确的赏识这篇信息，因为他们没有看见这篇信息里关于复活基督的启示。不错，彼得在二章的传讲非常好，却比较肤浅。但保罗在行传十三章的传讲却非常深刻且奇妙。
10In Acts 2 Peter gave an excellent message concerning the resurrected Christ. When you read chapter two of Acts, you may be quite impressed with Peter’s message. But have you previously had an adequate appreciation of Paul’sp reaching in Acts 13? Many readers of Acts do not appreciate this message properly because they have not seen what is revealed in it concerning Christ in resurrection. Yes, Peter’sp reaching in chapter two is excellent but it is somewhat superficial. But Paul’sp reaching in Acts 13 is very deep and marvelous.
11保罗在行传十三章的传讲指明，基督在复活里成为神的长子。他将诗篇二篇七节应用到复活的基督身上，指明复活对于基督乃是出生。我们也许没有看见基督的复活是祂的出生。你曾经听说这事么？按照圣经，基督在复活里，是在祂的人性里从神生为神的长子。神的独生子是为著神圣生命的具体表现，神的长子是为著这神圣生命的繁殖。实际上。我们是在基督的复活里与祂一同出生。所以，就这意义说，基督的复活是一个宇宙的出生。这里我们所强调的点乃是，保罗从旧约发掘出这个真理；基督在祂的复活里生为神圣生命的繁殖因素。祂在复活里生为神的长子，为著神圣生命的繁殖生产。保罗在对主话的『开采』中也发现，基督在祂的复活里，成为大卫那圣的，那可靠的，就是一切信实、确定之物。保罗看见『应许大卫那可靠的怜悯，』（赛五五3，另译，）乃是指在复活里的基督。今天有些人喜欢唱诗篇八十九篇一节：『我要歌唱耶和华的怜悯，直到永远。我要用口将你的信实传与万代。』（另译。）但唱这诗篇的人可能没有充分领会怜悯是甚么。他们也许认为怜悯只是神对我们一种怜惜的感觉。但按照保罗的领会，主的怜悯乃是在第二次出生里的基督，也就是在复活里的基督。保罗对主话的挖掘实在是好，我们欣赏他对圣经的研读。在挖掘主话这件事上，无人能与他相比。在行传十三章，保罗传讲包罗万有的基督。历世历代以来，犹太人都在会堂里读旧约，但他们所听到的是神诫命的话，不是主恩典的话。然而，当主耶稣在路加四章宣扬新约的禧年时，祂从以赛亚书选了一段恩典的话
11In his preaching in Acts 13 Paul indicates that in resurrection Christ became the firstborn Son of God. He applies Psalm 2:7 to the resurrected Christ to indicate that to Christ resurrection was a birth. We may not realize that Christ’s resurrection was His birth. Have you ever heard this? According to the Bible, in resurrection Christ in His humanity was begotten of God to be His firstborn Son. Whereas the only begotten Son of God is for the embodiment of the divine life, the firstborn Son of God is for the propagation of this divine life. Actually, we were born with Christ in His resurrection. In this sense, therefore, Christ’s resurrection was a universal birth. The point we are emphasizing here is that Paul dug out from the Old Testament the truth that Christ in His resurrection was born to be the propagating factor of the divine life. In resurrection He was born to be the firstborn Son of God for the propagating reproduction of the divine life. In his “mining” of the Word Paul also found that Christ in His resurrection became all the holy and faithful things, the trustworthy and sure things, of David. Paul realized that “the sure mercies of David” (Isa. 55:3) refer to the Christ in His resurrection. Today some enjoy singing Psalm 89:1: “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.” However, those who sing this psalm may not have an adequate understanding of what mercy is. They may think that mercy is simply a feeling of pity that God has towards us. But according to Paul’s understanding, the mercies of the Lord are Christ in His second birth, that is, Christ in His resurrection. Paul’s digging into the Word is marvelous, and we admire his study of the Scriptures. In digging into the Word no one can compare with him. In Acts 13 Paul preached the all- inclusive Christ. For generations the Jews read the Old Testament in the synagogues. But what they heard was the word of God’s commandment, not the word of the Lord’s grace. However, when the Lord Jesus proclaimed the New Testament jubilee in Luke 4, He selected a word of grace from the book of Isaiah.
12我们需要看见行传十四章三节『他恩典的话』一辞的意义。这辞有力的指明时代的改变，神在祂经纶里之安排的改变。保罗在十三章对犹太人的传讲，主要的是根据旧约里关于基督的启示。然而，他在十四章的传讲是向著外邦人。我们思想这一章，会看见保罗向外邦人传福音的智慧。他在这一章向外邦人传讲，不是根据旧约里关于基督的启示，而是根据神的创造。
12We need to see the significance of the expression “the word of His grace” in Acts 14:3. This phrase is a strong indication of a change of dispensation, of a change of God’s arrangement in His economy. In chapter thirteen Paul’sp reaching to the Jews was mainly based on the revelation in the Old Testament concerning Christ. His preaching in chapter fourteen however, is to the Gentiles. As we consider this chapter, we shall see Paul’s wisdom in preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. His preaching to the Gentiles in this chapter is based not on the revelation of the Old Testament concerning Christ; it is based on God’s creation
到吕高尼的路司得和特庇群众的反应
TO LYSTRA AND DERBE OF LYCAONIA The Reaction of the Crowds
13当使徒知道『外邦人和犹太人连同他们的官长，都在冲动，想要凌辱使徒，用石头打他们，』（徒十四，）他们『就逃往吕高尼的路司得和特庇二城，以及周围的地方去，在那里传福音。』（徒十四6～7。）保罗看见一个瘸腿的人，对他说，『你起来，两脚站直。那人就跳起来，而且行走。』（徒十四10。）按照十一、十二节：『群众看见保罗所作的事，就用吕高尼的话高声说，有神成了人形，降到我们这里来了。于是称巴拿巴为丢斯，称保罗为希耳米，因为他是带头说话的。』丢斯的拉丁文是Juppiter，朱比特，是希腊神话里领头的神;希耳米的拉丁文是Mercurius，麦丘里，是诸神的使者。十三节告诉我们：『有城外丢斯庙的祭司，带著牛和花圈，来到门口，想要和群众一同献祭。』
13When the apostles became aware of a “hostile intention of both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers to treat them outrageously and to stone them” (v. 5), they “fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and 5 Derbe, and the surrounding country; and there they were bringing the good news” (vv. 6-7). Paul saw a certain lame man and said to him, “Stand upright on your feet! And he leaped up and walked” (v. 10). According to verses 11 and 12, “when the crowds saw what Paul did, they lifted up their voice in Lycaonian, saying, The gods have become like men and have come down to us! And they called Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, since he was the leading speaker.” The Latin equivalent of Zeus, the leading god in Greek mythology, and Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is Jupiter and Mercury respectively. In verse 12 the Greek words rendered “the leading speaker” literally mean “the leader of the discourse.” In verse 13 we are told that “the priest of Zeus, whose temple was before the city, brought bulls and garlands to the gates, and wanted to sacrifice with the crowds.”
使徒的反应
The Reaction of the Apostles
14巴拿巴和保罗听见，『就撕开衣服，冲进群众中间，喊著说，诸位，为甚么作这事？我们也是人，性情和你们一样，我们传福音给你们，是叫你们离弃这些虚妄，转向那创造天、地、海和其中万物的活神。』（徒十四14-14～15。）这里的『虚妄，』是指偶像与拜偶像的事。这里保罗和巴拿巴是说，『不要把我们看作神而敬拜我们！我们是人，与你们一样。你们应当离弃这些虚妄，这些偶像，转向那创造天、地、海和其中万物的活神。』这里我们看见，保罗向这些外邦人的传讲，乃是根据神的创造。
14When Barnabas and Paul heard this, “they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out and saying, Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like feeling with you, and bring good news to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all the things in them” (vv. 15). The “vain things” here refer to idols and idolatry. Here Paul and Barnabas were saying, “Do not regard us as gods and worship us! We are men like you. You should turn from these vain things, these idols, to the living God, who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all things in them.” Here we see that Paul’sp reaching to these Gentiles is based on God’s creation.
保罗向外邦人传讲福音，与向犹大人的传讲不同
The Difference in Paul’sP reaching of the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles
15保罗和巴拿巴在十六节接著说，神『在已过的世代，容让万国各行其道。』然后他们在十七节说了很摸人的话，摸著听众的心：『然而为自己未尝不显出证据来，就如常施恩惠，从天降雨，赏赐丰年，叫你们饮食饱足，满心快乐。』这是非常好的福音传扬，所根据的是神的创造，至终摸著听者的心。这话虽然简短，却富有启示，很摸著人。我们都需要在传福音的事上向保罗学习。在这一章里他没有讲故事，乃是说了一篇简短的信息，揭示神是全宇宙的创造主。他也说了感动人的话，摸著人的心。保罗似乎说，『历世历代以来，神容让你们各行其道。祂没有惩罚你们，却为你们常施恩惠，从天降雨，赏赐丰年，叫你们饮食饱足，满心快乐。』我们都要向保罗学习，跟从他传福音的作法。保罗在行传十三章是照著犹太人历世历代所认识的旧约来传讲。他没有指出神的创造，以及神为他们所施的恩惠，他乃是对他们说到在复活里的基督。从这点我们看见，我们若向那些认识旧约的人传福音，我们不需要告诉他们神是创造主。如果我们这样说，他们可能回答：『我们已经知道神是创造主。我们能彀教导你这事。』我们要看见保罗在十四章和十三章的传福音不同，这是非常重要的。他在十三章是向犹太人讲说，但在十四章是向外邦人传讲。保罗向他们传讲时，告诉他们神是创造主，对他们常施恩惠，降雨使他们丰收，叫他们满心喜乐。这里我们看见，保罗传福音的作法很有智慧，非常了不起。
15In verse 16 Paul and Barnabas went on to say that God “in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to go their ways.” Then in verse 17 they uttered a touching word, a word to touch the hearts of the listeners: “And yet He did not leave Himself without witness, doing good, giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.” This was very good gospel preaching. It was based on God’s creation, and eventually it touched the hearts of the hearers. This word is brief, but it is revealing and touching. We all need to learn of Paul in the preaching of the gospel. In this chapter he did not tell stories. Rather, he gave a brief message that unveiled God as the creator of the entire universe. He also spoke an inspiring word that touched the heart of the people. Paul seemed to be saying, “Throughout the generations, God allowed you to go your own way. He did not punish you, but He did many good things for you. He gave you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and He filled your hearts with food and gladness.” Let us all learn of Paul and follow his way of preaching the gospel. In chapter thirteen of Acts Paul preached according to the Old Testament known for generations by the Jewish people. Instead of pointing out God’s creation and the good things God did for them, he spoke to them concerning Christ in resurrection. From this we see that if we are preaching the gospel to those who know the Old Testament, there is no need for us to tell them that God is the Creator. If we say this, they may reply, “We already know that God is the Creator. We are able to teach you concerning this.” It is very important for us to see that Paul’sp reaching of the gospel in chapter fourteen is different from his preaching in chapter thirteen. Whereas he was speaking to Jews in chapter thirteen, he was preaching to Gentiles in chapter fourteen. In preaching to them, he told them that God is the Creator and that He has always been good to them, giving them rain and harvests so that their hearts might be filled with joy. Here we see that Paul preached the gospel in a wise and excellent way.