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哥林多后书生命读经 · 第12篇

新约的执事（五）

The Ministers of the New Covenant (5)
1读经：哥林多后书五章一至八节。林后五章继续描述新约的执事。这段描述是从三章十二节开始的，先是说到他们的构成。四章接著给我们看见，这些执事怎样行事为人，（1～，）也记录了他们的生活。（7～18。）他们是由三一神所构成，他们行事为人乃为著照耀基督荣耀的福音；并且他们活出钉死的生活，彰显复活的生命。然后，五章一至八节给我们看见另一个特点：他们渴望穿上改变形状的身体。
1Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 5:1-8 Second Corinthians 5 continues the description of the New Testament ministers. This description began in 3:12 with the word concerning their constitution. In chapter four we see the way these ministers conduct themselves (4:1-6), and we have a record regarding6 their living (4:7-18). They were constituted of the Triune God, they conducted themselves in such a way as to shine out the gospel of the glory of Christ, and they lived a crucified life for the manifestation of resurrection life. In 5:1-8 we see another characteristic: their longing to be clothed upon with the transfigured body.
肆 渴望穿上改变形状的身体
IV. LONGING TO BE CLOTHED UPON with the transfigured body
2新约的执事照著他们里面的构成行事为人，活出钉死的生活，彰显复活的生命，因此他们渴望、盼望、切慕穿上改变形状的身体。这就是说，他们渴望身体得赎。他们的灵已经蒙了重生，他们的魂已经更新而变化，但是他们还有一个难处，是与他们堕落、必死的身体有关的。这身体对他们来说是个重担。他们在这重担之下叹息。他们的灵或魂都没有甚么难处。他们的魂已经由神圣的元素构成，但是他们必死的身体还是个难处。在神完满、完整的救恩里，有一件事顾到我们必死的身体，就是叫我们的身体改变形状。改变形状就是将我们必死的身体改变成为荣耀的身体，正如主耶稣复活的身体一样。神救恩的这一方面是指日可待的，这乃是荣耀的盼望。
2As the ministers of the new covenant were conducting themselves according to their inner constitution and living a crucified life for the manifestation of resurrection life, they were longing, desiring, aspiring, to be clothed upon with the transfigured body. This means that they were longing for the redemption of their body. Their spirit had been regenerated and their soul had been renewed and transformed, but there was still a problem related to the fallen, mortal body. This body was a burden to them. They sighed, groaned, under this burden. They did not have any problems in their spirit or in their soul. Their soul had been constituted of the divine element. But they still had a problem with the mortal body. In God’s full and complete salvation, there is a matter which takes care of our mortal body. This is transfiguration. Transfiguration changes our mortal body into a body of glory, just like the resurrected body of the Lord Jesus. This aspect of God’ss alvation is very promising; it is the hope of glory
3保罗先给我们清楚看见，新约的执事怎样由三一神所构成，如何行事为人，为著照耀福音，并且怎样活出钉死的生活；然后他说到，他们渴望堕落的身体得赎。然而，保罗在这卷书信里，并没有用罗马八章所用身体得赎的说法，而选了另一种说法，用了一个较深的发表。
3After giving us a clear view of how the new covenant ministers have been constituted of the Triune God and how they conduct themselves for the shining of the gospel and live a crucified life, Paul goes on to speak of their longing to have the fallen body redeemed. In this Epistle, however, Paul does not speak of the redemption of our body, a term used in Romans 8. Rather, he chooses another kind of word, a somewhat deeper expression
一 诸天之上永远的房屋顶替地上的帐幕房屋
A. An Eternal House in the Heavens to Replace Their Earthly Tabernacle-house
1 从神来的房舍
1. A Building from God
4林后五章一节说，『因为我们知道，我们这地上的帐幕房屋若拆毁了，必得著从神来的房舍，非人手所造，在诸天之上永远的房屋。』『因为』指明所要说的，乃是四章十三至十八节的解释。在五章，使徒告诉我们，他们渴望身体得赎，（1～8，罗八23，）他们怀著雄心大志，要讨主的喜悦，（林后五9～，）并且他们为著主的新造，从祂接受托付。（16～21。）他们顾念所不见的，而不是顾念所见的。
4Second Corinthians 5:1 says, “For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.” “For” indicates that what is to be mentioned is an explanation of what is spoken of in 4:13-18. In this chapter the apostle tells us of the apostles’ aspiration for the redemption of their body (Rom. 8:23), their ambition to please the Lord (2 Cor. 5:9-15), and their commission from the Lord for His 15 new creation (vv. 16-21). They cared for the things that are not seen, not for the things that are seen.
5在一节『地上的』，不是指用土造的，乃是指在地上的。『帐幕』一辞指明我们物质的身体，就是我们的人位所住在其中的，不仅是为著存活，也是为著敬拜神。（参林前六19。）房舍，指有根基的建筑，不像没有根基的帐幕。这房舍乃是从神而来的，或说是出于神的。『房屋』指我们属灵的身体。（林前十五44。）这房屋是在诸天之上的，与在地上的东西相对。『帐幕房屋』这辞很特别。我们的身体是房屋，也是帐幕。房屋一辞指明身体是我们的居所，而帐幕一辞指明这房屋是暂时的居所。这不是有根基的建筑，而是与旷野里支搭的帐幕相似。正如保罗所指明的，有一天这帐幕房屋要被拆毁。在这里保罗不仅仅是说，我们必死的身体要死。他乃是说地上的帐幕房屋要被拆毁。到那时候，我们必得著从神而来的建筑，而不是得著另一个帐幕。这建筑是坚固而有根基的。不仅如此，这房屋不是天堂，乃是在诸天之上的，与在地上的相对。这建筑乃是我们复活、改变形状的身体，就是林前十五章所说属灵的身体。今天我们的身体乃是属魂的，但有一天牠要变成属灵的身体。如今这属魂的身体，是以魂为其生命。但是当牠成了属灵的身体时，牠就要受灵的引导。那建筑要成为我们的房舍，不是人手所造的，乃是从神而来在诸天之上的房屋。
5The word “earthly” in verse 1 does not mean made of earth; it means upon the earth. The word “tabernacle” indicates that our physical body, in which our person dwells, is not only for living, but also for worshipping God (see 1 Cor. 6:19). The word “building” denotes a building with a foundation, not like a tabernacle without a foundation. This building is from, or out of, God, a “house” that is our spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:44). In contrast to something upon the earth, it is a house in the heavens. The expression “tabernacle house” is unusual. Our body is a house and also a tabernacle. The word house indicates that the body is our dwelling place, and the word tabernacle indicates that this house is a temporary dwelling place. It is not a building with a foundation, but a tabernacle similar to the one erected in the wilderness. As Paul indicates, some day this tabernacle- house will be taken down. Here Paul does not simply say that our mortal body will die. Instead, he speaks of the earthly tabernacle-house being taken down. When this happens, we shall have a building from God, not another tabernacle. This building will be solid and will have a foundation. Furthermore, this house is not heaven, but it is in the heavens in contrast to upon the earth. This building will be our resurrected, transfigured body, the spiritual body mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15. Today our body is a soulish one, but one day it will be transfigured into a spiritual body. As a soulish body, it is now animated by the soul. When it becomes a spiritual body, it will be directed by the spirit. That building will become our house, a house not made with human hands, but a house from God in the heavens
6保罗在林后五章二节说，『原来我们确是在这帐幕里叹息，深想穿上我们从天上来的住处。』『这』是指一节里的帐幕。穿上就是身体改变形状，并模成基督荣耀的身体。使徒深想这事。我们从天上来的住处，或说出于天的住处，指一节里在诸天之上的房屋。
6In verse 2 Paul says, “For indeed in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our dwelling place from heaven.” The word “this” refers to the tabernacle in verse 1. To be clothed upon is to be transfigured and conformed to the body of Christ’s glory. The apostles were longing for this. Our dwelling place from heaven, or out of heaven, refers to the house in the heavens in verse 1.
7我们在灵里就喜乐，在身体里就叹息。如果你想要喜乐，就要进到灵里。如果你想要叹息，就留在身体里。正如保罗所说的，我们在身体里叹息，深想穿上我们从天上来的住处。因为我们还没有经历这种穿上，就不能说得太多。我们知道在灵里喜乐以及在身体里叹息是甚么，但是我们不知道穿上复活、属灵、属天的身体是甚么。根据新约圣经所豫言的，我们至终要穿上这样的身体。这是在新约，就是在遗命里的一项。我深信这事必要发生，我也一直在等待这一天。
7In our spirit we rejoice and in our body we groan. If you want to rejoice, get into the spirit. But if you want to groan or sigh, remain in the body. As Paul says, in the body we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our dwelling place from heaven. Since we have not experienced this kind of clothing, we cannot say much about it. We know what it is to rejoice in the spirit and to groan in the body, but we do not know what it is to be clothed upon with the resurrected, spiritual, heavenly body. But according to what is prophesied in the New Testament, we shall eventually be clothed with such a body. This is one item in the New Testament, in the will. I have the full confidence this will happen, and I am waiting for it
2 不至于显为赤身
2. Not to Be Found Naked
8三节继续说，『若真的穿上，就不至于显为赤身了。』赤身即没有身体。死了的人，脱下了身体，乃是赤裸的，在神面前没有身体作遮盖。使徒期待他们的身体改变形状，在他们死去脱下身体以前，就穿上属灵的身体迎见主，使他们不至于显为赤身。许多基督徒以为，信基督的人死后要上天堂。如果真是这样，天堂里就有许多赤身的人，因为死了的人如今乃是脱下了身体。然而，神不许可这样赤身的人来到祂面前。旧约圣经说，穿著不合式的人不能到神面前来。特别是祭司，必须身穿长袍；这是豫表。我们若要到神的面前，就不能赤身，也就是说，不能脱下身体。保罗说，他不愿显为赤身，这意思是说，他不愿死。死去就是赤身。保罗盼望能穿上，以至于不显为赤身。当然，我们的身体改变形状时，就没有一个人会显为赤身，我们就要永远活著。这里的要点乃是：三节里赤身的意思就是死。
8Verse 3 continues, “If indeed, being clothed, we shall not be found naked.” To be naked is to be without a body. A dead person, being disembodied, is naked, without a body as a covering before God. The apostles were expecting to be transfigured in their body, to be clothed with a spiritual body to meet the Lord before they died and were disembodied, that they might not be found naked. Many Christians think that when a believer in Christ dies, he goes to heaven. If this is true, then there are a great many naked persons in heaven, for those who have died are now disembodied. God, however, will not allow such naked persons to come into His presence. In the Old Testament it says that someone who is not properly clothed cannot come into the presence of God. The priests, in particular, had to wear a long robe. This was a type. If we would be in the presence of God, we cannot be naked; that is, we cannot be disembodied. When Paul said that he did not want to be found naked, this means that he did not want to die. To die is to be naked. Paul’s desire was to be clothed and thereby not to be found naked. Of course, after our bodies are transfigured, none of us will be found naked. We shall live eternally. The point here is that in verse 3 to be naked means to die
3 负重叹息
3. Groaning, Being Burdened
9保罗在四节说，『因为我们在这帐幕里的人，负重叹息，是因不愿脱下这个，乃愿穿上那个，好叫这必死的被生命吞灭了。』负重在这里的意思是被压倒，受压，被迫。使徒叹息，不愿脱下身体，就是死去，乃愿穿上属灵的身体，就是我们的身体改变形状，（腓三21，）我们的身体得赎。（罗八23。）林后五章四节『这必死的』是指我们必死的身体。（四11，罗八11，林前十五53。）叫我们必死的身体『被生命吞灭』，就是我们必死身体中的死，被复活的生命吞灭，藉此，我们的身体就改变形状。（54。）
9In verse 4 Paul says, “For indeed, we who are in the tabernacle groan, being burdened, in that we do not desire to be unclothed, but clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” To be burdened here means to be weighed down, depressed, oppressed. The apostles groaned in the desire not to be unclothed, disembodied, that is, not to die but to be clothed upon, to put on the spiritual body. This is to have our body transfigured (Phil. 3:21), to have it redeemed (Rom. 8:23). In verse 4 “what is mortal” denotes our mortal body (2 Cor. 4:11; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:53). To have our mortal body “swallowed up by life” is to have it transfigured by resurrection life swallowing the death in our mortal body (1 Cor. 15:54).
10我们堕落、必死的身体对我们来说，是个很大的重担。我们在这重压之下叹息，是因不愿脱下身体，或显为赤身，乃愿穿上改变形状的身体。保罗不愿死去，他必定渴望被提。他愿意穿上，愿意他的身体改变形状。这样，这必死的就要被生命吞灭了。当我们被提，改变形状，而穿上属天、属灵、复活的身体时，这必死的就要被生命吞灭了。这是保罗所渴望的。我们中间大多数人在我们基督徒生活中还没有来到这个阶段。年轻人反倒想在地上多逗留一段时间，但年长的则渴望被提。
10Our fallen, mortal body is a great burden to us. Under the weight of this burden, we groan, not that we would be unclothed, or be found naked, but that we would be clothed with a transfigured body. Paul did not want to die, but he certainly did desire to be raptured. He wanted to be clothed upon, to have his body transfigured. Then what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. When we are raptured, transfigured, and clothed with the heavenly, spiritual, and resurrected body, then that which is mortal will be swallowed up by life. This was Paul’s longing. Most of us have not yet come to this stage in our Christian life. Rather, the younger ones may prefer to linger on earth. But those who are older desire to be raptured
114 神为这事培植我们林后五章五节说，『那为这事培植我们的乃是神，祂已将那灵赐给我们作质。』培植，原意或，作成，形成，备妥，使…适合。神已经培植、作成、形成、备妥我们，使我们适合这目的，就是我们必死的身体能被祂复活的生命吞灭。这样，我们全人就要被基督浸透。神已将那灵赐给我们，作祂在基督里所赐给我们完全救恩中这美妙、奇妙部分的凭质、保证、豫尝和担保。神怎样备妥我们？首先，祂将自己当作种子撒到我们里面。这是马太十三章撒种者的比喻所指明的。主耶稣是撒种者，来将祂自己撒到我们里面。我们的心是生长基督的土壤。至终，基督要在我们里面长大，并浸透我们全人。这是为著基督浸透我们身体所作的豫备。当我们改变形状时，一面，我们外面要穿上属灵的身体；另
114. God Having Wrought Us for This Verse 5 says, “Now He Who has wrought us for this very thing is God, Who has given to us the pledge of the Spirit.” The Greek word rendered “wrought” can also be translated fashioned, shaped, prepared, made fit. God has wrought us, fashioned us, shaped us, prepared us, made us fit, for the very purpose that our mortal body might be swallowed up by His resurrection life. Thus, our entire being will be saturated with Christ. God has given us the Spirit as the pledge, the earnest, the foretaste, the guarantee, of this wonderful and marvelous part of His complete salvation for us in Christ. In what way has God prepared us? First, He has sown Himself into our being. This is indicated by the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. The Lord Jesus came as a sower to sow Himself into us. Our heart is the soil for growing Christ. Eventually Christ will grow in us and saturate our entire being. This is the preparation for Christ’s saturating our body. On the one hand, when we are transfigured, we shall be clothed with a spiritual body outwardly. On the other
12一面，改变形状就是内住的基督浸透我们的身体，并且吞灭我们身体里死亡的元素。祂已经撒到我们的灵里和心里，如今祂一直在浸透我们的魂。有一天祂要从魂扩展到身体里，并要浸透身体。当我们的身体完全被浸透时，就成了我们所要穿上那新的身体，新的建筑。
12hand, transfiguration means that the indwelling Christ is saturating our body and swallowing up the element of death in it. He has been sown into our spirit and heart, and now He is saturating our soul. Then one day He will spread from the soul into the body and saturate the body. When our body has been saturated in full, it will become a new body, a new building, with which we shall be clothed
13照林后五章五节所说，那为这事培植我们的乃是神，祂已将那灵赐给我们作质。那灵是担保，保证神要完成这事。那灵就是基督，而基督是神的具体化身。因此，实际上神乃是将祂自己放到我们里面作担保，保证祂要改变我们的身体，使我们在复活里完全模成基督的形像。
13According to verse 5, as the One who has wrought us for this very thing, God has given to us the pledge of the Spirit. The Spirit is the guarantee that God will accomplish this. The Spirit is Christ, and Christ is the embodiment of God. Actually, therefore, God has put Himself into our being as the guarantee that He will change our body so that we shall be entirely conformed to Christ in resurrection
二 居家在身内
B. At Home in the Body
14保罗在六节继续说，『所以我们常是放心振作，并且晓得我们居家在身内，便是离家与主分开。』我们的身体是在物质的范围里，主是在属灵的范围里。从这一面看，我们居家在身内，便是离家与主分开。七节说，『因我们行事为人，是凭著信心，不是凭著眼见。』眼见即所见的，因此是眼见。使徒凭著信心规正他们的生活，并且行事为人不凭著眼见，乃凭著信心，如希伯来十一章所说的。这样他们才晓得，他们在物质的身体中，便是与主分开。这与林后四章十八节的话相符。今天几乎所有的人类都是凭著眼见行事为人。医生、科学家、教授带头凭著他们所见的行事为人。当我们说到诸天之上神所造永远的建筑，他们认为这是无稽之谈。但是至终要证明，他们怀疑这真理，是错的，我们相信这真理，是对的。我们会有属天的身体。我们改变形状以前，行事为人是凭著信心，不是凭著眼见，不是凭著所见的。
14In verse 6 Paul continues, “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that being at home in the body, we are away from home from the Lord.” Our body is in the material realm; the Lord is in the spiritual realm. In this sense, we are absent from the Lord when we are present in our body. Verse 7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by appearance.” Appearance refers to that which is seen; hence, to sight. The apostles regulate their life and conduct themselves by faith, as testified in Hebrews 11, not by that which is seen. It is in this way they realize that they are away from the Lord while they are in their physical body. This corresponds to the word in 4:18. Today nearly all of mankind walks by appearance. Doctors, scientists, and professors take the lead to walk by what they can see. When we speak about a building in the heavens made by God and eternal, they regard this as nonsense. But eventually it will be proved that they are wrong to doubt this truth and that we are right to believe it. We shall have a heavenly body. Until we are transfigured, we walk by faith, not by appearance, not by what we see
15保罗在五章八节说，『是的，我们是放心振作，宁愿离家出到身外，与主同在家中。』离家出到身外，与主同在家中，就是死去，脱离物质的范围，而在属灵的范围里与主同在。那常遭逼迫，被交于死的使徒，（一8～9，四11，十一23，林前十五31，）宁愿死，脱离限制他们的身体，使他们得释放，在更美好的范围里与主同在家中。（腓一23。）
15In verse 8 Paul says, “We are of good courage then, and well pleased rather to be away from home out of the body and to be at home with the Lord.” To be away from home out of the body is to die, to be out of the material realm and to be with the Lord in the spiritual realm. The apostles, who are always being persecuted unto death (1:8-9; 4:11; 11:23; 1 Cor. 15:31), are well pleased rather to die, to be out of their confining body that they may be released to be at home with the Lord in a better realm (Phil. 1:23
16使徒们照著他们属灵的构成而生活，照耀荣耀的福音，活出钉死的生活时，就不断的渴望穿上属天的身体。他们渴望被提，身体改变形状。这是对新约执事的描述。他们是一班不属于地的人。相反的，他们完全属于另一个范围，生活在那一个范围里。他们虽然在地上，却渴望在另一个范围里。他们渴望穿上另一个身体，在另一个家中与主同在。
16As the apostles lived according to their spiritual constitution to shine out the glory of the gospel, and as they were living a crucified life, they were constantly longing to be clothed with a heavenly body. Their desire was to be raptured, to be transfigured. This is a description of the ministers of the new covenant. They are people who do not belong to the earth. Rather, they belong absolutely to another realm and are living in that realm. Although they are on earth, their aspiration is to be in another realm. Their desire is to be clothed with another body and to be in another home with the Lord