哥林多后书生命读经 · 第33篇

耶稣的治死

The Putting to Death of Jesus

1与里面之人的更新（一）读经：哥林多后书四章十至十八节。

1and the Renewing of the Inward Man (1) Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 4:10-18

22我们已经看过，林后四章作为三章的延续，陈明一幅图画，给我们看见一种生命，能使新约的众执事与他们的职事成为一。使徒们如何证明他们是新约的执事？他们藉著活出四章所描述的那种生活，就能证明这事。乃是藉著这种生活，他们就与他们的职事是一。

2We have seen that, as the continuation of Corinthians 3, chapter four presents a picture of a life that enables the ministers of the new covenant to be one with their ministry. How could the apostles prove that they were ministers of the new covenant? They could prove it by living the kind of life described in chapter four. It is by this life that they are one with their ministry.

3保罗在林后四章没有说到他的工作。他没有题到他所作、或完成的，反而题到一种生活，就是他和他同工们所活出的那种生活。根据这章圣经来看，保罗和他的同工们过这样一种生活，使他们的生活成为他们的职事。

3In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul does not speak of his work. He does not refer to what he has done or accomplished. Instead, he speaks of a life, the kind of life lived by him and his co-workers. According to this chapter, Paul and his co-workers lived in such a way that their life became their ministry

耶稣的名

THE NAME OF JESUS

4当保罗摆出他所过新约执事的生活，他以很特别的方式用到耶稣这名。除了林后四章以外，保罗在他的著作里2没有一处是这样用到耶稣的名。保罗在十节说，『身体上常带著耶稣的治死，使耶稣的生命也显明在我们的身体上。』保罗在这里题到耶稣的治死和耶稣的生命。他在十一节接著说，『因为我们这活著的人，是常为耶稣被交于死，使耶稣的生命，也在我们这必死的肉身上显明出来。』保罗在十四节也用到耶稣的名：『知道那叫主耶稣复活的，也必叫我们与耶稣一同复活，并且叫我们与你们一同站在祂面前。』保罗在这几节圣经里，一再用到耶稣这名。我们要找出来，保罗在这章圣经里为甚么以这样特别的方式用到耶稣这名，这是很重要的。要解释这个原因并不容易。事实上，原因可能不只一个。我们在本篇信息中要开始来看，保罗为甚么在林后四章以那样的方式

4In presenting the life he lived as a minister of the new covenant, Paul uses the name Jesus in a very particular way. In no other place in his writings does Paul use the name Jesus the way he does in Corinthians 4. In verse 10 Paul says, “Always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body.” Here Paul refers to the death of Jesus and to the life of Jesus. In verse 11 he goes on to say, “For we who live are always being delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our mortal flesh.” Paul also uses the name Jesus in verse 14: “Knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.” In these verses Paul again and again uses the name Jesus. It is important to find out why in this chapter Paul uses the name of Jesus in such a particular way. It is not easy to explain the reason. Actually, there may be more than one reason. In this message we shall begin to consider why Paul uses the name Jesus the way he does in 2 Corinthians 4.

5用到耶稣的名。

生活的记载

A RECORD OF LIFE

6我们已经指出，保罗在四章描绘了他自己和他同工们所过的生活。这种生活使他们与他们的职事成为一。这种生活与今天基督徒中间所强调的工作形成对比。

6We have pointed out that in chapter four Paul portrays the life lived by himself and his co-workers. This is the life which made them one with their ministry. This life is in contrast to the works emphasized among Christians today.

7基督教已经成了宗教。每个宗教都要依赖一些工作，因为没有工作，宗教就无法维持。宗教之所以能生存，就在于其拥护者执行一些工作。结果，在宗教里，就有许许多多的工作。要指出宗教里的工作很容易，但要找到一些出乎生命的事却很难。因此，宗教的一个基本原则乃是：宗教满了工作，惟独缺少生命。基督教的原则是这样，其他宗教的原则也是这样。每个宗教都满了工作、活动和事工，但在宗教里没有生命。我们对宗教有这种领会之后，就要再来看耶稣的历史。当我们来看主在地上生活的记载，就会看见其中所强调的不是工作。四福音并不强调主作了甚么，成就了甚么工作。四福音记载主耶稣，主要的是记载祂的生活。四福音所强调的不是工作或活动，乃是生活。福音书乃是传记，将一个生活非常独特的人摆给我们看。因此，福音书主要的不是叙述主的神奇工作，乃是描述主2耶稣在地上的生活。这是保罗在林后四章常用到耶稣这名的一个原因。四章用到这名，把我们带回到主这个生活与职事是一的人身上。主是这样生活的，祂这个人与祂的职事乃是一。严格说来，主没有成就一项工作；祂乃是活出一种生活。有些人听到福音书是强调主的生活而不是主的工作，也许会辩驳说，『李弟兄，福音书岂不也叙述主耶稣的工作么？』不错，的确是这样。我并不否认，四福音描述主的工作。但你若仔细读福音书，就会看见福音书里的那幅图画，不是用来叙述主的工作。相反的，福音书里所描绘的图画，是要给我们看见主的生活。至少在这样的描绘中，强调主耶稣的生活过于强调祂的工作。福音书给我们看见主的生活多于主的工作。不错，福音书的确描述主的工作，但是福音书更给我们看见耶稣所过的生活，以及祂的生活方式。

7Christianity has become a religion. Every religion is dependent on certain works, for without works a religion cannot survive. A religion cannot exist unless its adherents carry on certain works. As a result, in religion we have works of many kinds. But although it is easy to point out the works in religion, it is very difficult to find anything of life. Thus, a basic principle of religion is that it is full of works but lacking in life. This is true not only of the Christian religion; it is true of any religion. Every religion is full of work, activity, and doings. But in religion there is no life. Having this understanding of religion, let us once again look at the history of Jesus. When we consider the record of the Lord’s life on earth, we see that the emphasis is not on works. The four Gospels do not stress what the Lord did, what works He accomplished. The record concerning the Lord Jesus in the Gospels is mainly a record of life. In the Gospels the emphasis is on life, not on works or activities. The Gospels are biographies presenting a person living in a particular way. Therefore, the Gospels are not primarily an account of the Lord’s marvelous works; they are a description of the life the Lord Jesus lived on earth. This is one reason Paul in Corinthians 4 uses the name Jesus so often. The use of this name in chapter four brings us back to the Lord as a man whose life was one with His ministry. The Lord lived in such a way that His person was one with His ministry. Strictly speaking, the Lord did not accomplish a work. Instead, He simply lived a certain kind of life. When some hear that the Gospels emphasize the Lord’s life and not His works, they may want to argue, “Brother Lee, don’tt he Gospels also give us an account of the works of the Lord Jesus?” Yes, they certainly do. I do not deny that the Gospels describe the Lord’s work. However, if you read the Gospels carefully, you will see that the picture in them was not painted as an account of the Lord’s works. On the contrary, the portrait in the Gospels was painted in such a way as to show forth the Lord’s life. At least, in this portrait the life of the Lord Jesus is presented in a more emphatic way than His works. The Gospels show us more of the Lord’s life than of His work. Yes, the Gospels do describe the Lord’s works, but much more they present the life Jesus lived and show us by what way He lived.

8福音书多次指明，主耶稣并不在意成就伟大的工作。我们都知道，主在尽职期间，行了许多神迹。其中一个神迹就是用五饼二鱼食饱五千以上的群众。主耶稣用五饼二鱼给这样一大群人吃饱，这岂不是一个奇妙的神迹么？这当然是个伟大的神迹。约翰六章十四节描述众人对这神迹的反应：『众人看见耶稣所行的神迹，就说，这真是那要到世上来的申言者。』下一节经文描述主耶稣的反应：『耶稣既知道众人要来强逼祂作王，就独自又退到山上去了。』这指明主耶稣并不在意有许多人跟从祂。祂不在意群众，反而迳自走开了。但是我们若与主一同在那里，当我们看见一大群人跟随主，也许会很兴奋。我们可能会赞美神祝福了这个工作，为著这么多人跟随主而感谢神。然而，主耶稣并不兴奋。祂不让人拥护祂作王。主离开了群众，退到山上去祷告。十二章又有一个例子，给我们看见主所注重的是生活，而不是工作。在耶路撒冷有大批群众热烈欢迎主耶稣。他们拿著棕树枝，出去迎接祂，喊著说，『和散那，在主名里来的以色列王，是当受颂赞的！』（13。）甚至法利赛人也承认，世人都跟随祂去了。（19。）不仅如此，当安得烈同腓力去告诉主，希利尼人在找祂的时候，祂回答说，『人子得荣耀的时候到了。我实实在在的告诉你们，一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。』（23～。）这清楚指明，主耶稣所在意的不是工作，乃是生活。四福音里有许多这样的例证。每当众人照著他们天然的观念，以为时机到了，主可以成就一项伟大的工作时，主从来没有利用那种时机，反而离开了。祂不是来作伟大工作的，祂所关心的乃是生活。

8There are a number of indications in the Gospels that the Lord Jesus did not care for the accomplishing of a great work. We know that during His ministry the Lord performed many miracles. One of these miracles was that of feeding a crowd of more than five thousand with five loaves and two fishes. Was it not a wonderful miracle for the Lord Jesus to feed such a multitude with five loaves and two fishes? It certainly was a great miracle. John 6:14 describes the response of the people to this miracle: “The people therefore, seeing the sign which He did, said, This is truly the prophet who is to come into the world.” The next verse describes the response of the Lord Jesus: “Then Jesus, knowing that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain, Himself alone.” This indicates that the Lord Jesus did not care to have a large following. Instead of caring for the crowd, He went away. But if we had been there with the Lord, we probably would have been excited to see the multitude following Him. We might have praised God for His blessing on this work, thanking Him for this great following. The Lord Jesus, however, was not excited. He would not allow the people to make Him their king. The Lord left the crowd and went to the mountain to pray. Another example of the Lord’scar ing for life and not for a work is found in John 12. In Jerusalem a great crowd gave a warm welcome to the Lord Jesus. They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, crying, “Hosanna, blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13). Even the Pharisees admitted that the world had gone after Him (v. 19). Furthermore, when Andrew and Philip told the Lord that the Greeks were seeking Him, He answered, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (vv. 23-24). This indicates clearly that what the Lord Jesus cared for was life, not work. 24 In the four Gospels there are many illustrations of this. Whenever people, according to their concept, thought that the opportunity was right for the Lord to accomplish a great work, He never took advantage of that opportunity. Instead, He departed. He had not come to do a great work. His concern was life.

因著生活而彀资格

QUALIFIED BY LIFE

9那位上十字架成功救赎，为要完成神永远定旨的主，不是一位伟大的作工者。主耶稣不是因著杰出的工作，才彀资格成为救赎主。使祂有资格成为救赎主的，乃是祂所活出的生活。我们从福音书中可以知道，耶稣不是一个住在大城内华厦里有名的人。不，祂乃是在人所藐视的加利利地，人所藐视的拿撒勒城中，一个木匠家里长大的人。但是祂所活出的生活却使祂彀资格成为救赎主，好完成神永远的定旨。

9The One who went to the cross to accomplish redemption for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose was not a great worker. It was not an outstanding work that qualified the Lord Jesus to be the Redeemer. What qualified Him was the life He lived. We know from the Gospels that Jesus was not a famous person living in a mansion in a large city. No, He was a man raised in the home of a carpenter from Nazareth, a despised town from the despised district of Galilee. But the life He lived qualified Him to be the Redeemer for the accomplishment of God’s eternal purpose.

10我们要看见，主耶稣彀资格是因著生活，而不是因著工作，这是很要紧的。生活比工作优先，这在今天主的恢复里是非常重要的一面。主想要恢复一种生活；祂所寻求的不是要成就复兴的工作。

10It is crucial for us to see that the Lord Jesus was qualified by life, not by work. This matter of the priority of life over work is a very important aspect of the Lord’s recovery today. The Lord wants to recover a life; He is not seeking to accomplish a work of revival

生活的耶稣

A JESUS OF LIFE

11从宗教改革以来，基督徒常常为著复兴祷告。有些人为著大复兴祷告，以激励所有的信徒。但是根据历史来看，从来没有过这样的复兴。当然，八十年前左右，在威尔斯有过一次复兴。当时一些基督徒领袖很兴奋，盼望复兴能扩展到各大洲；但那一次复兴并没有扩展到世界各地。事实上，几年以后复兴就渐渐消退，连威尔斯当地也不例外。一九五八年，我应邀到伦敦一个地方去。有一天，接待我的主人开车带我经过英格兰与苏格兰的乡间。他开车的时候，指著窗外说，那些在苏格兰乡间的人，其中有许多从来没有听过耶稣的名。他接著告诉我，苏格兰很像一个信奉异教的国家。然而，苏格兰离开当初有过一次大复兴的威尔斯并不远。这指明复兴的路是行不通的。只有一件事行得通，那就是生活。这就是耶稣来不是要成就伟大工作的原因。祂来乃是要活出一种生活。现今祂的生命已经扩展到地球的每一个角落。祂不是一位作工的耶稣，祂乃是一位生活的耶稣。我必须向主恢复中的圣徒指出，甚至我们中间有许多人，长幼都有，仍旧关心工作。我们下意识里、或不知不觉中，仍然对为主作工感兴趣。譬如，有些人羡慕作伟大的传福音者。在你心里，在你下意识中，可能还有推行伟大工作的想法。我鼓励你把这种想法放下。神不在意任何工作。基督徒中间许多的破坏，都是人工作的结果。我们越努力为主作工，就造成越多的难处，导致越多的破坏。我相信这就是保罗在证实他职事时，用到耶稣这名的原因。他不是说，『主耶稣基督，万王之王，万主之主。』他乃是简单的说到耶稣，说到耶稣的治死、耶稣的生命、以及为耶稣的缘故。在保罗身上显明出来的生命，不是一个伟人的生命，乃是耶稣的生命，祂出自人所藐视的地区，是一个默默无闻的人。

11Since the Reformation Christians have often prayed for revival. Some have prayed for a great revival to stir up all the believers. But according to history, there has never been such a revival. Of course, about eighty years ago, there was a revival in Wales. Some Christian leaders were excited and expected that revival to spread to every continent. But it did not spread worldwide. In fact, after some years, it eventually died out, even in Wales. In 1958 I was invited to a certain place in London. One day my host drove me through the countryside of England and Scotland. As he was driving, he pointed out the window and said of the people in the Scottish countryside that many of them had never heard of Jesus. He went on to tell me that Scotland was much like a heathen country. Nevertheless, Scotland is not far from Wales, where a great revival had taken place. This indicates that the way of revival does not work. Only one thing works, and that is life. This was the reason the Lord Jesus did not come to accomplish a great work. Rather, He came to live a life. Now His life has been spread to every corner of the earth. He is not a Jesus of work; He is a Jesus of life. I need to point out to the saints in the Lord’s recovery that even many of us, young and old alike, still care for a work. Subconsciously or unconsciously our interest is related to a work for the Lord. Some, for example, may aspire to be great evangelists. The thought of carrying out a great work may still be in your heart, in your subconsciousness. I would encourage you to lay aside this thought. God does not respect any work. Much of the damage among Christians has been the result of human works. The more we try to work for the Lord, the more trouble we shall create and the more damage we shall cause. I believe this is the reason that Paul, when presenting the confirmation of his ministry, uses the name Jesus. He does not say, “The Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Instead, he speaks simply of Jesus: the putting to death of Jesus, the life of Jesus, and Jesus’ sake. The life that was manifested in Paul’s body was not the life of a great man. It was the life of Jesus, a little- known man from a despised region.

12生命在必死的肉身上显明出来保罗在林后四章并没有夸耀他的工作。他没有说，『哥林多人哪，你们必须知道，我是头号使徒。我从居比路到哥林多，一路建立召会。我准备再往前，到罗马，到西班牙，直到地极。这就证实主把职事托付给我。』

12LIFE MANIFESTED IN MORTAL FLESH In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul does not boast of his work. He does not say, “Corinthians, you must realize that I am the foremost apostle. I have established churches all the way from Cyprus to Corinth. I am ready to go further: to Rome, to Spain, and then to the uttermost part of the earth. This is the confirmation of the ministry which the Lord has committed to me

13保罗没有谈论他的工作和成就，他乃是说到苦难。他在八节说，『我们四面受压。』我们若是保罗，也许会说，『哥林多人哪，我们各面都蒙祝福。你们难道不知道，我们的工作一直蒙主祝福么？我们的工作这样蒙祝福，就证明我们的职事是出于主的，我们的工作也是出于主的。』保罗告诉哥林多人，他和他的同工们四面受压。属世的人会认为这是被咒诅的表记，而不是蒙祝福的表记。他们会问：『你们这样受苦，怎么会是蒙神祝福？你们为甚么四面受压？』但是保罗接著又说到出路绝了，遭逼迫并被打倒。有些人会因保罗受逼迫而赞赏他，因为那指明他作工作得不错。但他们不会因著保罗受压，出路绝了，被打倒，而赞赏他。保罗的描述没有停在八至九节，在十节他接著说，『身体上常带著耶稣的治死，使耶稣的生命也显明在我们的身体上。』保罗在这节经文里并没有说，『身体上常带著大能之神的大祝福。』他乃是说，身体上常带著耶稣的治死。表面看来，保罗是个处境悲惨的可怜使徒。保罗在十一节接著说，『因为我们这活著的人，是常为耶稣被交于死，使耶稣的生命，也在我们这必死的肉身上显明出来。』我们也许以为保罗会说，『蒙拯救脱离死，』而不会说被交于死。然而，保罗常被交于死，使耶稣的生命在他必死的肉身上显明出来。

13Instead of talking about his work and accomplishments, Paul speaks of affliction. In verse 8 he says, “We are afflicted in every way.” If we had been Paul, we probably would have said, “Corinthians, we are blessed in every way. Don’ty ou realize that our work has been blessed by the Lord? This blessing on our work proves that our ministry is of the Lord and that our work is of Him.” Paul told the Corinthians that he and his co-workers were afflicted in every way. Worldly people would regard this as a sign of being cursed, not of being blessed. They would ask, “How could you be blessed by God if you are afflicted? Why are you being afflicted from every side?” But Paul went on to speak about being perplexed, persecuted, and cast down. Some would give Paul credit for being persecuted, for that may indicate that he was doing a good work. But they would not give him credit for afflictions, perplexity, and being cast down. Paul does not stop with the description recorded in verses 8 and 9. In verse 10 he continues, “Always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body.” In this verse Paul does not say, “Always bearing about in the body the great blessing of the mighty God.” Instead, he speaks of bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus. Seemingly Paul was a pitiful apostle in a pitiful situation. In verse 11 Paul goes on to say, “For we who live are always being delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our mortal flesh.” Perhaps we would expect Paul to say, “being rescued from death,” instead of being delivered unto death. Paul, however, was always being delivered unto death so that the life of Jesus might be manifested in his mortal flesh

14我们要注意保罗在这里并不是说必死的身体，乃是说必死的肉身（原文即肉体）。身体这个辞是积极、正面的，而肉身（肉体）这个辞是消极、反面的。必死的含示肉身渐渐死去。如果有人说我们的身体是必死的肉身，我想我们一定不高兴。但保罗用这样的话，说到他自己。保罗不喜欢夸耀。他喜欢微小，喜欢保持在低微的光景里。事实上，保罗这个名字的意思就是微小。保罗在这几节经文里的意思是说，『我宁可保持微小。在我身上所显出来的生命，乃是一个拿撒勒人的生命，而不是世上伟人的生命。不仅如此，耶稣的生命也在我这必死的肉身上显明出来。我不是甚么大人物，我也没有甚么了不起的情形显在一个绝佳的身体上。不，我是个微小的人，在我必死

14Notice that here Paul does not speak of mortal body, but of mortal flesh. The word body is positive, but the word flesh is negative. Mortal implies that the flesh is dying. I do not think we would be happy if someone referred to our body as mortal flesh. Nevertheless, Paul adopted such an expression in speaking of himself. Paul did not like to boast. He preferred to be small and to remain in a lowly state. In fact, the name Paul means little. In these verses Paul seems to be saying, I prefer to stay in my smallness. The life manifested in me is the life of a Nazarene, not the life of a great man in the world. Moreover, the life of Jesus is manifested in my mortal flesh. I am not a great person manifesting something marvelous in a splendid body. No, I am a small person manifesting the life of Jesus, a man from Nazareth, in my mortal flesh

15的肉身上显出拿撒勒人耶稣的生命。』

藉著死供应生命

MINISTERING LIFE BY DYING

16保罗在十二节说，『这样，死是在我们身上发动，生命却在你们身上发动。』在这节经文里，保罗的确题到他的工作。他的工作乃是死在他身上发动。使徒们的工作是甚么？使徒们的工作乃是死在他们身上发动，使生命在信徒身上发动。

16In verse 12 Paul says, “So then death operates in us, but life in you.” In this verse Paul does refer to his work. His work was a work of death operating in him. What is the work of the apostles? The work of the apostles is the work of death operating in them so that life may operate in the believers

17死在使徒们身上发动，这句话可能不太好听。但是死发动的结果却是美妙的，就是生命在别人身上发动。这是新约职事的真实工作。这不是工作的问题，乃是死的问题。在主的恢复里，我们需要死，好叫生命在别人身上发动。因此，我们死就是我们作工。主不需要你为祂完成甚么工作。祂需要你死。如果你死了，生命就会在别人身上作工。藉著死，你就把生命供应人。因此，我们的工作乃是被治死。我们在这篇信息里所看的这些经节乃是一扇窗户，我们能藉此看见保罗的经历。现在我们能明白，使徒们不是跟从一个大人物，乃是跟从拿撒勒人耶稣这个微小的人。不仅如此，他们没有被高举，反而常常被治死，好叫耶稣的生命能在他们必死的肉身上显明出来。死在他们身上发动，生命就在信徒身上发动。

17It may not sound pleasant to us to hear of death operating in the apostles. But the issue, the result, of this operation of death is wonderful — it is life in others. This is the real work of the new covenant ministry. It is not a matter of working; it is a matter of dying. In the Lord’s recovery we need to die so that life may work in others. Hence, our dying is our working. The Lord does not need you to accomplish a work for Him. He needs you to die. If you die, life will work in others. You will minister life to others by dying. Therefore, our work is to be put to death. The verses we have considered in this message are a window through which we can see into Paul’s experience. Now we can understand that the apostles were not followers of a great person, but of a small man, Jesus of Nazareth. Furthermore, instead of being exalted, they were always being put to death so that the life of Jesus could be manifested in their mortal flesh. Death operated in them so that life might operate in the believers.