使徒行传生命读经 · 第68篇

著保罗一班同工的职事，在外邦地的繁殖 ( 三十四 )

The Propagation in Asia Minor and Europe through the Ministry of Paul’s Company (34)

1读经：使徒行传二十六章一至三十二节。在本篇信息中，我们要开始看保罗在亚基帕王面前的分诉，以及亚基帕王的判断。（徒二六1～32。）

1Scripture Reading: Acts 26:1-32 In this message we shall begin to consider Paul’s defense before Agrippa and Agrippa’s judgment (26:1-32

保罗上诉于亚基帕，以及他作了法利赛人

PAUL’S APPEAL TO AGRIPPA AND HIS LIVING AS A PHARISEE

2亚基帕告诉保罗，准他为自己申诉，保罗就伸手，开始分诉说，『亚基帕王阿，犹太人控告我的一切事，今日得在你面前分诉，乃为有幸；尤其你熟悉犹太人的一切规例，和他们的问题，所以求你耐心听我。』（徒二六2～3。）我们多次指出，保罗在面对反对他的人时，必须分诉，好拯救自己的性命脱离逼迫他的人。他这样分诉来拯救自己的性命，使他能完成他尽职的路程。保罗上诉于亚基帕，认为他熟悉犹太人的一切规例，和他们的问题。『尤其你熟悉，』或作，既然你特别专精于。保罗在四、五节说，『我从起初在本国的民中，并在耶路撒冷，自幼为人如何，犹太人都知道。他们若肯作见证，他们从起初早就晓得，我是按著我们宗教最严紧的教派，作了法利赛人。』在这里保罗为自己表白说，甚至在他得救以前，他就是个正人君子，过著法利赛人严紧的生活。当然在神眼中，保罗并不正当；但就著人说，他的确过著正当的生活，人没有理由定罪他。

2After Agrippa told Paul that he was permitted to speak for himself, Paul stretched out his hand and began to make his defense, saying, “Concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today; especially since you are an expert in all the customs and questions among the Jews; wherefore I beg you to listen to me patiently” (vv. 2-3). As we have pointed out a number of times, in facing his opponents it was necessary for Paul to make a defense in order to save his life from his persecutors. By making such a defense to save his life, he would be able to fulfill the course of his ministry. Paul appealed to Agrippa as being an expert in all the customs and questions among the Jews. The Greek words rendered, “Especially since you are an expert,” may also be translated, “Since you are especially expert.” In verses 4 and 5 Paul continued, “Now, therefore, my manner of life from my youth, which from the beginning was among my nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews know, having previously known me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.” Here Paul vindicated himself by saying that, even before his conversion, he was a proper person and lived the strict life of a Pharisee. Of course, in the sight of God Paul was not proper. But humanly speaking, he did live a proper life, and there was no ground for anyone to condemn him

复活的重要

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESURRECTION

3保罗在六至八节接著说到复活：『现在我站著受审，是因为盼望神向我们祖宗所应许的；这应许，我们十二个支派昼夜切切的事奉神，都盼望得著；王阿，我被犹太人控告，就是因这盼望。神既叫死人复活，你们为甚么断为不可信的？』保罗在这些经文中指明，他和撒都该人相反，他一直相信复活。旧约里有复活的教训，特别是在但以理十二章。这件事需要我们仔细思考。

3In verses 6 through 8 Paul went on to speak of the resurrection: “And now I stand here being judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain; concerning which hope I am accused by the Jews, O king. Why is it judged incredible by you if God raises the dead?” In verse 6 the Greek word translated “for” literally means “upon,” “on the ground of.” In these verses Paul indicates that, in contrast to the Sadducees, he had always believed in the resurrection. The resurrection was taught in the Old Testament, especially in Daniel 12. It is a matter that requires our careful consideration.

4在圣经里，复活含示要来的审判，而审判含示末世论。所以，复活关系人永远的将来，到底他要在永世里享福乐还是遭沉沦。人永远的将来决定于审判，而审判需要复活。从这一点我们看见，复活在圣经里是重要的事，这与我们永远的定命有关。保罗是法利赛人，甚至在他悔改以前就相信复活。主耶稣在约翰五章二十八、二十九节清楚的说到复活：『时候将到，凡在坟墓里的，都要听见祂的声音，就出来；行善的归到生命的复活，作恶的归到审判的复活。』我们已经看见，生命的复活是千年国之前，得救信徒的复活。（启二十4，6，林前十五23，52，帖前四16。）已死的信徒要在主耶稣回来时复活，享受永远的生命。审判的复活是千年国之后，灭亡之不信者的复活。（启二十5，12。）所有已死的不信者，都要在这一千年之后复活，并在白色大宝座前受审判。（启二十11～15。）保罗甚至在得救以前，就相信生命的复活和审判的复活，如在但以理十二章二节所教导的。

4In the Bible resurrection implies the coming judgment, and judgment implies eschatology. Resurrection, therefore, is related to one’s eternal future, whether he will be happy in eternity or suffer perdition. A person’s eternal future depends upon judgment, and judgment requires resurrection. From this we see that resurrection is an important matter in the Scriptures, for it concerns our eternal destiny. Even before his conversion, Paul, as a Pharisee, believed in resurrection. The Lord Jesus spoke clearly concerning resurrection in John 5:28 and 29: “An hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth: those who have done the good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done the evil to the resurrection of judgment.” We have seen that the resurrection of life is the resurrection of the saved believers before the millennium (Rev. 20:4, 6; 1 Cor. 15:23, 52; 1 Thes. 4:16). The dead believers will be resurrected to enjoy eternal life at the coming back of the Lord Jesus. The resurrection of judgment is the resurrection of the perished unbelievers after the millennium (Rev. 20:5, 12). All the dead unbelievers will be resurrected after the thousand years to be judged at the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15). Even before he was saved, Paul believed in the resurrection of life and of judgment, as taught in Daniel 12:2

多方攻击耶稣的名

DOING MANY THINGS CONTRARY

TO THE NAME OF JESUS

5在二十六章九至十一节，保罗向亚基帕承认他曾多方攻击耶稣的名：『从前我自己也以为，应当多方攻击拿撒勒人耶稣的名。我在耶路撒冷就曾这样行了；既从祭司长得了权柄，我就把许多圣徒囚在监里，并且他们被杀，我也投票定罪。在各会堂，我屡次用刑，想强逼他们说亵渎的话，又格外恼恨他们，甚至追逼他们，直到外邦的城邑。』十一节的外邦，直译是外面。保罗不但反对拿撒勒人耶稣－他是攻击耶稣。保罗眼瞎，认为主耶稣不过是可怜的拿撒勒人。他攻击拿撒勒人耶稣的名，到一个地步，把许多圣徒囚在监里。现今他在亚基帕面前承认自己愚昧的行为。

5In 26:9 through 11 Paul admitted to Agrippa that he did many things contrary to the name of Jesus: “I therefore thought to myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene; which also I did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints I shut up in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were being done away with, I cast a vote against them. And in all the synagogues, punishing them often, I compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even as far as foreign cities.” Literally, the Greek word translated “foreign” in verse 11 means “outside.” Paul not only opposed Jesus the Nazarene— he attacked Him. In his blindness, Paul considered the Lord Jesus nothing more than a poor Nazarene. He attacked the name of Jesus the Nazarene to such an extent that he put many of the saints in prison. Now before Agrippa he confessed his foolish deeds.

主的显现

THE LORD’S APPEARING

6保罗接著告诉亚基帕，当他正去逼迫那些呼求主耶稣之名的人时，他在路上被主得著了。『那时，我领了祭司长的权柄和使命，往大马色去。王阿，正午的时候，我在路上看见一道光，比日头还亮，从天上四面照著我和与我同行的人。我们都仆倒在地上，我就听见有声音，用希伯来语向我说，扫罗，扫罗，你为甚么逼迫我？你踢犁棒是难的。我说，主阿，你是谁？主说，我就是你所逼迫的耶稣。』（徒12-二六12～15。）我们曾经著重的强调这事实：这个『我』是团体的，包括主耶稣和祂所有的信徒。我们也看过，保罗不认识主，却自然的呼喊主耶稣。

6Paul then went on to tell Agrippa that while he was on the way to persecute those who called on the name of the Lord Jesus, he himself was gained by the Lord. “Engaged in which, I journeyed to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests. And at midday, on the way, I saw, O king, a light from heaven beyond the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all fell to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. And I said, Who are You, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (vv. 15). We have strongly emphasized the fact that this “Me” is corporate, comprising Jesus the Lord and all His believers. We have also seen that spontaneously Paul called Jesus Lord, even without knowing Him.

被选定作执事和见证人

APPOINTED A MINISTER AND A WITNESS

7当主耶稣向保罗显现时，他给保罗托付，选定他作执事和见证人。论到这事，主对他说，『你起来站著，我向你显现，正是要选定你作执事和见证人，将你所看见我的事，和我将要显现给你的事，见证出来。』徒二六16。）在这里我们看见，主选定保罗作执事，也作见证人。执事是为著职事，见证人是为著见证。职事主要的与工作有关，与执事的所作有关；见证与人有关，与见证人的所是有关。我们需要对这事实有深刻的印象：升天的基督为了执行祂天上的职事，繁殖祂自己，使神的国得以建立，叫众召会得著建造，作祂的彰显，祂所要使用的，不是一班由人教导训练出来，去作传道工作的传道人。反之，主要用一班见证人，来为那成为肉体、钉十字架、复活并升天的基督作活的见证。按照使徒行传，撒但能煽动犹太宗教徒，并利用政客来捆绑使徒和他们传福音的职事，却不能捆绑基督活的见证人和他们活的见证。犹太宗教徒和外邦政客越捆绑使徒和他们传福音的职事，这些基督的见证人和他们活的见证就越刚强明亮。主在保罗往大马色的路上向他显现，清楚的告诉他，他选定他不仅作执事，也作见证人。我们已经看见，保罗这基督活的见证人，不仅在耶路撒冷为主作见证，也要在罗马为主作见证。（徒二三11。）

7When the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul, He commissioned him, appointing him a minister and a witness. Concerning this, the Lord said to him, “Rise up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things in which you have seen Me, and the things in which I will appear to you” (v. 16). Here we (see that the Lord appointed Paul both a minister and a witness. A minister is for the ministry; a witness is for the testimony. Ministry is mainly related to the work, to what the minister does. Testimony is related to the person, to what the witness is. We need to be impressed with the fact that what the ascended Christ wants to use to carry out His heavenly ministry for the propagating of Himself so that the kingdom of God might be established for the building up of the churches for His expression is not a group of preachers trained by man’ste aching to do a preaching work. Rather, the Lord wants to use a body of His witnesses, who bear a living testimony of the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended Christ. According to the book of Acts, Satan could instigate the Jewish religionists and utilize the Gentile politicians to bind the apostles and their evangelical ministry, but he could not bind Christ’s living witnesses and their living testimony. The more the Jewish religionists and the Gentile politicians bound the apostles and their evangelical ministry, the stronger and brighter these witnesses of Christ and their living testimony became. In His appearing to Paul on the way to Damascus, the Lord clearly told him that He appointed him not only a minister but also a witness. We have seen that as a living witness of Christ, Paul had testified concerning Him in Jerusalem and would testify of Him in Rome (23:11).

8主在一章八节对门徒说，『但圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必得著能力，并要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地、撒玛利亚，直到地极，作我的见证人。』见证人是在生命里为复活升天之基督作活的见证的人，不同于仅仅传讲字句道理的传道人。使徒行传记载升天的基督，在诸天之上执行祂的职事，要藉著这些在祂复活生命里，带著祂升天能力和权柄的见证人，将祂自己扩展出去，作为神国的发展，直到地极。保罗在他所经过一切的审讯中，不仅在施教或尽职，更不断在作见证。他在反对的犹太人和罗马兵丁的千夫长面前是见证，在犹太总督腓力斯和他的继任者非斯都面前也是见证。如今在行传二十六章我们看见，保罗在亚基帕面前，再次是活的见证人。保罗不是对亚基帕传讲说，『亚基帕王阿，你必须知道我是基督的见证人。』保罗没有这样说，他乃是向亚基帕见证主遇见了他，并且选定他作执事和见证人。

8In 1:8 the Lord said to the disciples, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the remotest part of the earth.” Witnesses are those who bear a living testimony of the resurrected and ascended Christ in life. They differ from preachers who merely preach doctrines in letters. As recorded in Acts, the ascended Christ carries out His ministry in the heavens through these witnesses in His resurrection life and with His ascension power and authority to spread Himself as the development of the kingdom of God unto the remotest part of the earth. In all the trials through which he passed Paul was not merely teaching or ministering; he was continually bearing a testimony. He was a testimony before the opposing Jews and before the commander of the Roman soldiers. Paul was a testimony before Felix, the governor of Judea, and before Festus, who succeeded Felix as governor. Now in Acts 26 we see that Paul is once again a living witness, this time before Agrippa. However, Paul did not preach to Agrippa saying, “King Agrippa, you must know that I am a witness of Christ.” Instead of speaking this way, Paul testified to Agrippa that the Lord had met him and appointed him a minister and a witness

见证我们所看见

A WITNESS OF THE THINGS

基督的事

IN WHICH WE SEE CHRIST

9在十六节，主耶稣对保罗说，『我向你显现，正是要选定你作执事和见证人，将你所看见我的事，和我将要显现给你的事，见证出来。』这里『你所看见我的事，』以及『我将要显现给你的事，』含『你在这些事中曾看见我，』并『我要在这些事中向你显现』的意思。在这里保罗乃是说，主选定他作执事和见证人，为要将主已经启示保罗的事，和主将要启示他的事，见证出来。虽然保罗的意思是这样，但他不是这样来陈明这事。这一节乃是说，保罗在一些事中曾看见过

9In verse 16 the Lord Jesus said to Paul, “I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things in which you have seen Me, and the things in which I will appear to you.” Notice that here the phrase “in which” is used twice. Here Paul is saying that the Lord had appointed him a minister and a witness of the things He revealed to Paul and of the things He would reveal to him. Although this is Paul’s meaning, this is not the way he presented the matter. Rather, this verse speaks of the things in which Paul had seen the Lord and of the things in which the Lord would yet appear to him.

10主，主也要在一些事中向他显现。

11行传二十六章十六节指明，保罗并非领受一些事的启示而没有看见基督；反之，他乃是在所领受的事中看见基督。换句话说，凡基督向保罗启示的事，莫不是以祂自己作那些事的内容。这就是保罗要将他所看见主的事见证出来的原因。在保罗所看见的一切异象中，他看见了基督。不仅如此，他也要将主所要显现给他的事，见证出来。这里主似乎对保罗说，『在你将要领受的一切异象和启示中，我都要向你显现。』这指明如果我们只看见异象和启示，而没有看见主，那我们所看见的就是虚空。我们不赞成仅仅用神学的方式来研读圣经。这样研读圣经的人，可能学习了神学，但他们没有看见基督。研读圣经来学习神学，与研读圣经为要看见基督大不相同。当保罗在往大马色去的路上，基督向他启示了一些事，而保罗在那些事中看见了基督。主指明祂要向保罗启示更多的事，在那些事中，主自己也要向他显现。所以，保罗所看见的不仅是事情本身，更是基督在这一切事中向他显现了。

11Acts 26:16 indicates that Paul did not receive the revelation of things without seeing Christ. Instead, he received the things in which he saw Christ. In other words, Christ did not reveal things to Paul without Himself as the content of those things. This is the reason that Paul would be a witness of the things in which he had seen the Lord. In all the visions Paul saw he saw Christ. Furthermore, he would be a witness of the things in which the Lord was yet to appear to him. Here the Lord seemed to be saying to Paul, “In all the visions and revelations you will receive, I shall appear to you.” This indicates that if we only see visions and revelations and do not see the Lord, then what we see is vanity. We do not agree with studying the Bible merely in a theological way. Those who study the Bible in this way may learn theology, but they do not see Christ. There is a great difference between studying the Bible to learn theology and studying the Bible in order to see Christ. As Paul was on the way to Damascus, Christ revealed certain things to him, and in those things Paul saw Christ. The Lord indicated that He would reveal more things to Paul, and in those things the Lord Himself would appear to him. Therefore, what Paul saw was not merely the things themselves, but Christ as the One appearing in all these things

12你在经历中可能宣称从主领受了亮光，或者看见了异象或启示。然而，你需要想想，基督有否在那亮光、异象或启示中向你显现。在你所认为的亮光、异象或启示中，你看见了基督么？有时候弟兄们到我这里来，他们领受了一些所谓的新亮光，他们非常兴奋。比方说，有一次一位弟兄说，『赞美主，今天在晨更的时候，我看见了新的亮光。』我问他看见了甚么亮光，他回答说，『我蒙光照，看见我该把头发剪短。』我问他这样的亮光有何意义，他说，把头发剪短会使他更干净。我针对这一点回答说，『你的头发稍微长一点有甚么不对？在旧约里的拿细耳人要留长头发，然后在完成他们的愿时剃头，这样他们就洁净了。你这样剪头发，似乎不如拿细耳人那样好。』我所以对那位弟兄这样说，因为在他所宣称从主领受的亮光里，没有基督。

12In your experience you may claim to receive light from the Lord or to see a vision or revelation. However, you need to consider if Christ has appeared to you in that light, vision, or revelation. In the supposed light, vision, or revelation, have you seen Christ? Sometimes brothers have come to me excited about some supposed new light they have received. For example, a brother once said, “I praise the Lord that today during morning watch I saw some new light.” When I asked concerning the light he had seen, he replied, “I have been enlightened to see that I should cut my hair short.” I asked him what the significance of such light was, and he said that cutting his hair short would make him more clean. To this I replied, “What is wrong with having your hair somewhat longer? The Nazarites in the Old Testament kept their hair long. Then at the conclusion of their vow, they shaved their heads, and in this way they were cleansed. It seems that your way of cutting your hair is not as good as that of the Nazarites.” I spoke to the brother in this way concerning the light he claimed to receive from the Lord because the so-called light was without Christ

13在我们从主领受的任何亮光中，我们都必须看见基督。凡我们所看见的，不论是光照、异象或启示，都必须有基督向我们显砚。如果我们看见一个异象而没有看见基督，那异象就没有意义。同样的，如果我们研读圣经，获得圣经知识而没有看见基督，那知识就是虚空的。我们都需要学习在所启示我们的事中看见基督。我宝贝二十六章十六节里所含『在这些事中』的意思。主先说，『你在这些事中曾看见我，』然后又说，『我要在这些事中向你显现。』这里主乃是对保罗说，『我不仅要将一些事启示给你，更要在所启示的事中亲自向你显现。』启示录是个绝佳的例证，说明主在启示使徒约翰的事中显现。约翰看见许多异象，但是在这些异象中，主亲自向他显现。想想看启示录的第一个异象，就是金灯台的异象。约翰论到这异象说，『我转过身来，要看是谁发声与我说话；既转过来，就看见七个金灯台；灯台中间，有一位好像人子…。』（启一12～13上）在这灯台的异象中，约翰看见主在灯台中间行走，祂是大祭司在料理灯。在另一个异象中，主给约翰看见神宇宙的行政。约翰论到这个说，『这些事以后，我观看，看哪，天上有门开了，我初次所听见那如吹号的声音，对我说，你上到这里来，我要将这些事以后必发生的事指示你。我立刻就在灵里；看哪，有一个宝座安置在天上，又有一位坐在宝座上。』（启四1～2。）约翰接著说，他在这异象中『看见宝座与四活物中间，并众长老中间，有羔羊站立，像是刚被杀过的，有七角和七眼，就是神的七灵，奉差遣往全地去的。』（启五6。）约翰再次在所启示他的事中看见主。

13In any light we receive of the Lord we must see Christ. Christ must appear to us in whatever we see in the way of enlightenment, vision, or revelation. If we see a vision without seeing Christ, that vision means nothing. Likewise, if we study the Bible and gain knowledge of the Scriptures without seeing Christ, that knowledge is vanity. We all need to learn to see Christ in the things that are revealed to us. I appreciate the phrase “in which” that is used twice in 26:16. The Lord first spoke of “the things in which you have seen Me.” Then He went on to speak of “the things in which I will appear to you.” Here the Lord was saying to Paul, “I will not merely reveal certain things to you, but in the things revealed I Myself will appear to you.” The book of Revelation is an excellent illustration of the Lord appearing in the things revealed to the apostle John. John saw a number of visions, but in these visions the Lord Himself appeared to him. Consider the first vision in Revelation, the vision of the golden lampstands. Concerning this vision, John says, “I turned to see the voice that spoke with me; and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands One like the Son of Man...” (Rev. 1:12-13a). In this vision of the lampstands John saw the Lord walking among the lampstands as the High Priest dressing the lamps. In another vision the Lord showed John God’s universal administration. Regarding this, John says, “After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. Immediately I was in spirit; and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and One sitting upon the throne” (Rev. 4:1-2). John went on to say that in this vision he “saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing as having been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth” (Rev. 5:6). Once again, in the things that were revealed to John he saw the Lord.

14原则上，我们今天的经历应当与保罗和约翰的一样。假设你研读新约，宣称对以弗所五章有一些领会；但重要的问题乃是：你在以弗所五章看见基督么？如果你只看见丈夫爱妻子，妻子服从丈夫这件事，却没有看见基督，那么你对以弗所五章的领会就非常贫穷，甚至是徒然的。你可能知道圣经里的一些教训，但在那些教训中你没有看见基督。你也许学习了圣经的道理，但在那些事物中，基督并没有向你显现。但愿我们都学知，在我们所宣称在主话中看见并认识的事里看见基督，乃是很重要的。我们思想行传二十六章十六节『在这些事中』的含意，可能会帮助我们看见研读圣经的路。我们读圣经时，需要深深思想这类的事。我们若花时间思想二十六章十六节『在这些事中』的含意，就会领悟主对保罗说这话是何等奇妙，就是主已经选定他作执事和见证人，他要将所看见主的事，和主将要显现给他的事，见证出来。

14In principle, our experience today should be the same as that of Paul and John. Suppose that in your study of the New Testament you claim to have some understanding of Ephesians 5. However, the crucial question is this: Do you see Christ in Ephesians 5? If you see only the matter of husbands loving their wives and wives submitting to their husbands but do not see Christ, then your understanding of Ephesians 5 is very poor, even vain. You may know certain teachings in the Bible, but in those teachings you do not see Christ. You may learn the doctrines of the Scriptures, but in those things Christ has not appeared to you. May we all learn the importance of seeing Christ in the things that we claim to see and know in the Word. Our consideration of the phrase “in which” in Acts 26:16 may be helpful in showing us the way to study the Bible. In our reading of the Scriptures, we need to dwell on matters such as this. If we spend time to consider the phrase “in which” used twice in 26:16, we shall realize how marvelous it was for the Lord to say to Paul that He had appointed him a minister and a witness both of the things in which he had seen the Lord and of the things in which the Lord would appear to him