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使徒行传生命读经 · 第57篇

藉著保罗一班同工的职事，在外邦地的繁殖 ( 二十三 )

The Propagation in Asia Minor and Europe through the Ministry of Paul’s Company (23)
1读经：使徒行传21:18-26。在本篇信息中，我们要继续来看保罗在行传二十一章十八至二十六节的处境。
1Scripture Reading: Acts 21:18-26 In this message we shall continue to consider Paul’s situation in 21:18-26
与拿细耳人一同行洁净的礼
PURIFIED WITH THE NAZARITES
2我们已经看见，当雅各和众长老听见神藉著保罗的职事在外邦人中所行的事，一面他们荣耀神；（徒二一18～20上；）另一面他们向保罗指出，在耶路撒冷有多少万信主的犹太人，并且都为律法热心。（徒二一20。）不仅如此，这些信主的犹太人听说，保罗教训人『背弃摩西，对他们说，不要给孩子行割礼，也不要遵行规例。』（徒二一21。）雅各和众长老接著对保罗有以下的要求：『我们这里有四个人，都有愿在身；你带这些人去，与他们一同行洁净的礼，替他们缴费，叫他们得以剃头，这样，众人就可知道，先前所听说你的事都是虚的，反而你自己却是按规律而行，遵行律法。』(徒二一23～24。）我们已经看过，这里所说的愿是拿细耳人的愿。（民六2～5。）与拿细耳人一同行洁净的礼，就是与他们一同成为拿细耳人，和他们一同还愿。
2We have seen that, on the one hand, James and all the elders glorified God when they heard about the things God had done among the Gentiles through Paul’s ministry (vv. 18-20a). On the other hand, they pointed out to Paul that in Jerusalem thousands of Jews believed and were zealous for the law (v. 20). Furthermore, these believing Jews had been instructed concerning Paul that he taught “apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, nor to walk according to the customs” (v. 21). James and the elders went on to make the following requirement of Paul: “Four men are with us who have a vow on themselves; take these and be purified with them, and pay their expenses that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things of which they have been instructed concerning you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law” (vv. 23-24). As we have seen, the vow mentioned here is the Nazarite vow (Num. 6:2-5). To be purified with the Nazarites was to become a Nazarite with them, joining them in their vow
3按照二十四节，他们告诉保罗与那四个有愿在身的人一同行洁净的礼，并替他们缴费。拿细耳人必须作的头一件事就是在神面前洁净自己。按照当时的规例，富人常替拿细耳人缴纳为著完成洁净的礼所需供物的费用。有时候贫穷的拿细耳人付不起所有的供物，因此需要有人帮助他们缴费。这样帮助拿细耳人，就使自己与他们联结。在行传二十一章这里，保罗与拿细耳人一同行洁净的礼，并替他们缴费，就是与他们联结，这样，四个人就成了五个人。按照雅各和耶路撒冷众长老的话，如果保罗与拿细耳人一同行洁净的礼，并替他们缴费，所有信主的犹太人就可知道，保罗自己是按规律而行，遵行律法。但保罗是遵行律法的么？当然不是。但雅各和众长老吩咐保罗与那四个拿细耳人联结，好叫犹太信徒看见他遵行律法。这是雅各与众长老所题严重、可怕、错误的要求。
3According to verse 24, Paul was told to be purified with the four men who had a vow on themselves and to pay their expenses. The first thing a Nazarite had to do was to purify himself in the presence of God. According to the custom at the time, the rich would often pay the expenses of the offerings needed for a Nazarite to complete his purification. Sometimes the poor Nazarites could not afford to pay for all the offerings. Thus, they needed someone to help them with the expenses. Those who helped the Nazarites in this way joined themselves to them. Here in Acts 21, for Paul to be purified with the Nazarites and to pay their expenses was for him to be joined to them so that the four would then become five. In the words of James and the elders in Jerusalem, if Paul were to be purified with the Nazarites and pay their expenses, all the believing Jews would know that Paul himself also walked orderly, keeping the law. But was Paul keeping the law? He certainly was not keeping the law. Nevertheless, James and the elders told Paul to join himself to the four Nazarites so that the Jewish believers would see that he kept the law. This was a serious, terrible, and mistaken requirement made by James and the elders.
4在二十五节，雅各和众长老对保罗说，『至于信主的外邦人，我们已经写信断定，叫他们自守，远避祭偶像之物和血，并勒死的牲畜与淫乱。』他们在这里的话与十五章的话有同样老旧的语调。二十六节说，『于是第二天，保罗带著那四个人，与他们一同行了洁净的礼，进了殿，报明洁净的日期满足，只等祭司为他们各人献上供物。』这里说的满足就是完成拿细耳人的愿。（民六13。）我要请你们注意『行了洁净的礼』这句话。在这里我们看见，保罗已经与那四个拿细耳人行了洁净的礼，然后带他们进了殿，等候祭司为他们各人献上供物。这段等候的时间由『只等』一辞指明。保罗与那四个人一同行了洁净的礼，与他们一同在殿里等候第七天日期满足，祭司来为他们众人（包括保罗）献祭。
4In 21:25 James and the elders said to Paul, “But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should keep themselves from idol sacrifices and blood and anything strangled and fornication.” Their word here has the same old tone as that in chapter fifteen. Acts 21:26 says, “Then Paul took the men on the following day, and having been purified with them entered into the temple, giving notice of the completion of the days of the purification, until the offering was offered for each one of them.” The completion spoken of here is the completion of the Nazarite vow (Num. 6:13). I would call your attention to the word “having been purified.” Here we see that Paul had already been purified with the four Nazarites. He then took them into the temple and waited with them for the offering to be offered for each one. This time of waiting is indicated by the word “until.” Having been purified along with the four, Paul waited in the temple with them for the priest to come at the end of the completion on the seventh day to offer sacrifices for them all, including Paul
保罗的妥协与释放
PAUL’S COMPROMISE AND RELEASE
5我们很难相信保罗会行洁净的礼，进入殿里等候祭司献上供物。他这样作是在写加拉太书和罗马书之后，他写了这两封书信以后不久就来到耶路撒冷。虽然我们很难相信保罗照著雅各与众长老的话去作，但他使自己与拿细耳人联结，并与他们一同进殿，这乃是事实。
5It is very difficult to believe that Paul would be purified, enter into the temple, and wait for the offerings to be offered by the priest. He did this after writing the Epistles to the Galatians and the Romans, books that were written not long before he came to Jerusalem. Although it is difficult to believe that Paul carried out the word of James and the elders, it is a fact that he joined himself to the Nazarites and went with them into the temple
6我们在后一篇信息中将会看见，有一场抵挡保罗的暴动，（徒二一27～二三15，）他在耶路撒冷被犹太人捉拿。（徙二一27～30。）二十七、二十八节论到这事说，『那七日将完，从亚西亚来的犹太人，看见保罗在殿里，就耸动了所有的群众，下手拿他，喊叫著说，诸位，以色列人哪，请帮忙，这人就是那在各处教训众人反对我们的百姓、律法和这地方的；他又带著希利尼人进殿，污秽了这圣地。』这场暴动发生在『那七日将完』的时候，就是在第七日。就著人来说，保罗进殿的用意是要避免麻烦。实际上，他同那四个拿细耳人进殿，反而给他引起了很多麻烦。
6As we shall see in a later message, there was an uproar against Paul (21:27—23:15), and he was seized by the Jews in Jerusalem (21:27-30). Concerning this, 21:27 and 28 say, “Now when the seven days were about to be concluded, the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple and threw all the crowd into confusion; and they laid their hands on him, crying out, Men, Israelites, help! This is the man who is teaching all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; and besides, he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has profaned this holy place.” This uproar took place “when the seven days were about to be concluded,” that is, on the seventh day. Humanly speaking, Paul’sin tent i on in going into the temple was to avoid trouble. Actually, his going into the temple with the four Nazarites caused a great deal of trouble for him.
7假设保罗决定不去殿里，只与弟兄们留在拿孙家里（保罗和他的同伴在耶路撒冷就是与他同住）。再假设保罗对弟兄们说『我不在意殿，因为神已经与殿断绝关系了。弟兄们，主耶稣不是告诉我们，神已经弃绝殿么？我是实行主论到我们的话。祭司体系与一切祭物也都过去了。所以，我不能回殿里去，有分于供物和祭司体系。弟兄们，我喜欢留在这里与你们交通。』如果保罗决定不去殿里，只花时间与弟兄们交通，光景不就大大不同了么？光景必然非常不同。保罗在行传二十一章是在妥协。他是加拉太书和罗马书的作者，但是这两封书信写了没有多久，他就采取这章所描述的步骤。保罗采取这样的步骤，在他那面乃是一大妥协。按照二十六、二十七节，保罗在殿里等候洁净的日期满足。他要在殿里，直到祭司来为他和另外四人献上供物。保罗怎能忍受留在殿里那样一段时间？你想他喜乐么？你想他在欢乐的赞美主么？保罗在腓立比的监牢中能赞美主。（徒十六23～25。）但你想他在耶路撒冷的殿里能赞美主么?表面看来，殿对保罗来说比监牢好得多。然而，腓立比那个监牢实际上对保罗成了圣地，甚至就是天上，而耶路撒冷的殿对他乃是监牢。真正说来，保罗乃是被监禁在殿那里，不得释放。保罗被『陷』在那种处境里。
7Suppose Paul had decided not to go to the temple but simply to stay with the brothers in the house of Mnason, with whom Paul and his companions were to lodge in Jerusalem. Let us further suppose that Paul had said to the brothers, “I do not care for the temple, because God is finished with it. Brothers, did the Lord Jesus not tell us that God has forsaken the temple? I am practicing the Lord’sword concerning us. The priesthood and all the sacrifices are also over. Therefore, I cannot go back to the temple to have any share in the offerings and the priesthood. Brothers, I would like to stay here to have fellowship with you.” Would not the situation have been very different if Paul had decided not to go to the temple and instead had spent his time having fellowship with the brothers? To be sure, the situation would have been very different. In chapter twenty-one of Acts Paul was compromising. He was the writer of the Epistles to the Galatians and the Romans, yet not long after these Epistles were written, he took the step described in this chapter. For Paul to take such a step was a great compromise on his part. According to 21:26 and 27, Paul was in the temple waiting for the completion of the days of the purification. He was to be in the temple until the priest came to offer the offerings for him and the four others. How could Paul bear to stay in the temple for that period of time? Do you think he was happy? Do you think he was joyfully praising the Lord? Paul could praise the Lord when he was in prison in Philippi (16:23-25). But do you think he could praise the Lord there in the temple in Jerusalem? Apparently, the temple was a much better place for Paul than a prison. However, that prison in Philippi actually became a holy place, even the heavens, for Paul, whereas the temple in Jerusalem was a prison for him. In a very real sense, Paul was imprisoned there in the temple, unable to be released. Paul had become “trapped” in that situation
8虽然保罗被监禁在殿里，但主有方法释放他脱离这监牢。主用犹太人来完成这个释放。主特别利用犹太人所引起的暴动，将保罗从殿里带出来。一面，保罗的难处更大了；另一面，他得了释放，不仅脱离殿，也脱离在耶路撒冷那个神所定罪的新约恩典与旧约律法的混杂。主在他的主宰里，保护了祂忠信的仆人免于那可怕的混杂。
8Although Paul was imprisoned in the temple, the Lord had a way to release him from this prison. The Lord used the Jews to accomplish this release. In particular, the Lord used the uproar caused by the Jews to take Paul out of the temple. On the one hand, Paul was then in greater difficulty. On the other hand, he was released not only from the temple but also from the God-condemned mixture of the New Testament grace with the Old Testament law in Jerusalem. In His sovereignty the Lord protected His faithful servant from that terrible mixture.
耶路撒冷的毁灭
THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
9我们已经指出，保罗上次去耶路撒冷，不仅是完成他对那里贫乏圣徒之需要的爱心关切，更是要与雅各和其他使徒并耶路撒冷的长老，交通到犹太教对那里召会的影响。在行传十五章，使徒与长老的会议所作为解决割礼问题的决议，不能使他完全满意。所以，保罗去耶路撒冷，可能是想要清理犹太教对那里召会的影响。然而，神对付那种光景有祂自己的方法。在祂的主宰里，祂许可保罗被犹太人捉拿，并被罗马人监禁，然后又许可那在耶路撒冷，恩典与律法的可怕混杂继续存留，直到主后七十年提多和他的罗马军队将那城毁灭。那混杂被了结，约在行传二十一章所记之事的十年以后。
9We have pointed out that Paul went to Jerusalem the last time not only to carry out his loving concern for the need of the poor saints there, but also to have fellowship with James and the other apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning the Judaic influence upon the church there. The decision made by the conference of the apostles and elders in Acts 15 to solve the problem concerning circumcision was not fully satisfactory to him. Therefore, in going to Jerusalem, Paul might have intended to clear up the Judaic influence on the church there. However, God had His own way to deal with the situation. In His sovereignty He allowed Paul to be arrested by the Jews and imprisoned by the Romans. He then allowed the terrible mixture of the grace with the law in Jerusalem to remain until the city was destroyed by Titus with his Roman army in A.D. 70. That mixture was terminated approximately ten years after the events recorded in Acts 21
10在马太福音，主耶稣豫言到耶路撒冷要来的毁灭。比方，在马太二十一章三十三至四十六节论到神国度转迁的比喻中，主将以色列人的首领描绘为邪恶的园户，（太二一33～35，38～41）指明神要『凶恶的除灭那些恶人，将葡萄园另租给那按时候交果子的园户。』这论到毁灭的话，在提多毁灭耶路撒冷的时候应验了。在马太二十二章一至十四节的比喻里，主也豫言耶路撒冷的毁灭。祂在马太二十二章七节说，『王就动怒，发兵除灭那些凶手，烧毁他们的城。』这些『兵』就是提多手下，毁灭耶路撒冷的罗马军兵。我们在马太二十三章三十七至三十九节看见，主弃绝耶路撒冷同那里的殿。论到殿要来的毁灭，主对门徒说，『你们不是看见这一切么？我实在告诉你们，将来在这里，绝没有一块石头留在石头上，不被拆毁的。』（太二四2。）这话也应验在提多毁灭耶路撒冷的时候。按照约瑟夫（Josephus）的描述，耶路撒冷与殿的毁灭是彻底、完全的。多少万犹太人被杀，也许包括许多犹太信徒。主在怒中不仅毁灭背叛的以色列国，也了结犹太教，以及犹太教与基督教的混杂。当耶路撒冷被毁的时候，从其中所流出之『毒素』的源头也被了结。所以，主对付耶路撒冷的光景有祂奇妙的方法。
10In the Gospel of Matthew the Lord Jesus prophesied the coming destruction of Jerusalem. For example, in the parable in Matthew 21:33-46 concerning the transfer of the kingdom of God, the Lord portrayed the leaders of the Israelites as evil husbandmen (vv. 33-35, 38-41), indicating that God would “miserably destroy those evil men, and will lease the vineyard to other husbandmen, who will render the fruits to him in their seasons.” This word concerning destruction was fulfilled when Titus destroyed Jerusalem. The Lord also predicted the destruction of Jerusalem in the parable in Matthew 22:1-14. In Matthew 22:7 He says, “And the king was angry; and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” These “troops” were the Roman soldiers under Titus who destroyed Jerusalem. In Matthew 23:37-39 we see the Lord’s forsaking of Jerusalem with its temple. Concerning the coming destruction of the temple, the Lord said to His disciples, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, A stone shall by no means be left upon a stone which shall not be thrown down” (Matt. 24:2). This also was fulfilled when Titus destroyed Jerusalem. According to the description given by Josephus, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple was thorough and absolute. Thousands of Jews were killed, perhaps including many of the Jewish believers. In His anger the Lord not only destroyed a rebellious nation of Israel; He also terminated Judaism and the mixture of Judaism with Christianity. When Jerusalem was destroyed, the source of the “poison” that was flowing out of it was also terminated. Therefore, the Lord had His marvelous way to deal with the situation in Jerusalem.
主主宰的拯救保罗
THE LORD SOVEREIGNLY DELIVERING PAUL
并将他解送
AND TRANSFERRING HIM
11主知道保罗心里所存的，也知道保罗忠信，只是对当时的处境无能为力。保罗帮不上忙，反而因著妥协被陷在其中。然而，主利用二十一章二十七节至二十三章十五节所描述的暴动拯救保罗。犹太人捉拿他，想要杀他。（徒二一30～31。）但罗马军营的千夫长出来干豫，拿住保罗，吩咐用铁炼捆锁，又查问当时的情形。(徒二一31～33。）千夫长的用意不是要保护保罗，他只是履行他的职责以维持城里的秩序。他不能让这样的暴动继续下去，所以他加以干豫；藉著他的干豫，保罗蒙了拯救。实际上，千夫长的干豫保护保罗脱离了犹太人的阴谋。藉著罗马千夫长的干豫，保罗得著机会在暴动的犹太人面前为自己分诉。（徒二一40～二二21。）之后，他被罗马人捆绑，（徒二二22～29）在议会前为自己分诉。(徒二二30～二三10。）因著犹太人的阴谋，(二三12～15，）保罗被解送到该撒利亚的罗马总督那里，(徒二三16～二四27，）在那里被监禁了相当一段时间。若不是神主宰的使用罗马千夫长来保护保罗，他就会被杀。神主宰的将保罗从险恶的处境中解救出来。主在祂的主宰里使保罗有一个时代的转移。保罗赞成这样的转移。他带著积极的用意和坚决的目的，来到耶路撒冷，要帮助那里的信徒经历这时代的转移。然而，保罗没有帮上忙，反而自己最终陷在混杂与妥协的光景中。
11The Lord knew what was in Paul’she art. He also knew that Paul was faithful but was not able to help the situation. Instead of helping it, Paul was trapped in it by compromising with it. However, the Lord used the uproar described in 21:27—23:15 to rescue Paul. The Jews seized him and were seeking to kill him (21:30-31). But a commander of the Roman cohort intervened, laid hold of him, ordered him to be bound with chains, and inquired concerning the situation (21:31-33). It was not the commander’s in tent i on to protect Paul. He was simply fulfilling his duty to maintain order in the city. He could not allow such an uproar to continue. Therefore, he intervened, and through his intervention Paul was rescued. Actually, the commander’s intervention was Paul’s protection from the plot of the Jews. Through the intervention of the Roman commander, Paul was given the opportunity to defend himself before the rioting Jews (21:40—22:21). Following that, he was bound by the Romans (22:22-29) and defended himself before the Sanhedrin (22:30—23:10). Because of the plot of the Jews (23:12-15), Paul was transferred to the Roman governor in Caesare a (23:16—24:27), where he remained in custody for quite a period of time. Apart from God’s sovereignty in using the Roman commander to protect Paul, he would have been killed. God sovereignly delivered Paul out of that threatening situation. In His sovereignty the Lord caused Paul to have a dispensational transfer. Paul was in favor of such a transfer. He came to Jerusalem with the positive intention and strong purpose to help the believers there to experience this dispensational transfer. However, instead of helping them, he himself was eventually trapped in a situation of mixture and compromise.
12保罗与那四个拿细耳人在殿里的时候，一定不喜乐，因为他没有路从那个处境出来。保罗一定后悔和那些人一同还拿细耳人的愿；他可能后悔进了殿，而没有和同工们留在拿孙家里，避开犹大人的注意。保罗使自己与拿细耳人联结，并与他们一同进殿，在那里就被从亚西亚来的犹太人看见并捉拿。他们的用意是要杀他。除了主，谁能对这处境作甚么？主是主宰一切的，祂帮助保罗从耶路撒冷犹太教的混杂完全转移出来。在耶路撒冷所发生之事的结果，把保罗带到该撒利亚，也许在那里被拘留了二年。我们可以推论那二年对保罗是有益且绝佳的时间。你想保罗在该撒利亚那些年间作了甚么？当他远离他的工作，以及设阴谋之犹太人所引起的麻烦时，他作了甚么？他可能在豫备写以弗所、腓立比、歌罗西和希伯来那几卷重要的书。保罗在该撒利亚受监禁时，可能思考将那些完成他职事的材料写下来。到那时为止，保罗十四封书信只写了六卷：罗马书、2加拉太书、哥林多前后书、和帖撒罗尼迦前后书。这几卷书虽然是基本的，却不像以弗所书、腓立比书、歌罗西2书、希伯来书那样重要。这四卷重要的书都是写在提摩太前后书、提多书、腓利门书之前，是保罗在该撒利亚两年的监禁期以后写的。保罗在亚拉伯的时间如何与他早期的职事很有关系，照样，他在该撒利亚那两年与他后来完成职事的著作也大有关系。我们需要对主的主宰有深刻的印象，藉这主宰，主将保罗从旧的时代安排完全转移到新的经纶。赞美主有这样的处置！主在祂的主宰和智慧里，在保罗身上有这样完全的转移，这转移完全记载在神圣的话中。我们手中有这记载，现在就能看见从旧约经纶转移到神新约经纶，一个完全的榜样。
12Paul must have been unhappy when he was in the temple with the four Nazarites, for he did not have a way out of the situation. Paul must have regretted joining those who had the Nazarite vow. He might have regretted going to the temple instead of staying in the house of Mnason with his co-workers, keeping himself away from the attention of the Jews. Paul, however, joined himself to the Nazarites and went with them into the temple, where he was seen by Jews from Asia and seized by them. Their intention was to kill him. Who except the Lord could help the situation? The Lord was sovereign and helped Paul to have a complete transfer out of the Judaic mixture in Jerusalem. As a result of what happened in Jerusalem, Paul was taken to Caesarea and was probably kept there for two years. We may infer that those two years were a profitable and an excellent time for Paul. What do you think Paul did during those years in Caesarea? What did he do while he was being kept from both his work and from the trouble caused by the plotting Jews? He may have been preparing to write the crucial books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Hebrews. While Paul was in custody in Caesarea, he might have considered putting into writing those materials that would complete his ministry. Thus far, Paul had written only six of his fourteen Epistles: Romans, Galatians, 1 and Corinthians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Although these books are basic, they are not as crucial as Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Hebrews. Before 1 and Timothy, Titus, and Philemon were written, these four crucial books were written after Paul’st wo-year period of custody in Caesarea. Just as Paul’st i me in Arabia had much to do with the early part of his ministry, so the two years in Caesarea had a great deal to do with Paul’sup coming writings in the completion of his ministry. We need to be impressed with the Lord’s sovereignty in completing Paul’s transfer from the old dispensation to the new. Praise the Lord that such a transaction took place! In His sovereignty and wisdom, the Lord carried out such a complete transfer with Paul, and this transfer is fully recorded in the holy Word. Having this record in our hands, we can now see a full pattern concerning the complete transfer from the Old Testament economy to God’s New Testament economy.