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哥林多后书生命读经 · 第4篇

引言（四）

INTRODUCTION (4)
1读经：哥林多后书1:23—2:11。在本篇信息中，我们要来看林后一章二十三节至二章十一节。在这些经文里，保罗说出他耽延去哥林多的原因。
1Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 1:23—2:11 In this message we shall consider 1:23—2:11. In these verses Paul gives the reasons for his delay in coming to Corinth
二 耽延的原因
B. The Reasons for Delay
1 宽容哥林多人
1. To Spare the Corinthians
2保罗在一章二十三节说，『我呼求神给我作见证，我还未往哥林多去，是为要宽容你们。』对保罗而言，宽容哥林多人就是容忍哥林多人。使徒不愿带著刑杖去管教哥林多的信徒，乃愿在爱和温柔的灵里建造他们。（林前四21。）他为了避免不愉快的感觉，所以不去。他宽宏的对待他们，不愿带著忧愁到他们那里去。（林后二。）他不喜欢作主管辖他们的信心，乃要与他们同工，使他们喜乐。（一。）这是真实的。他呼求神为他作这见证。ａ呼求神在他的魂上作证人根据二十三节，保罗呼求神在他的魂上（意即反对他的魂）作证人。（直译。）使徒呼求神在他的魂上作证人，也就是说，使徒呼求神，倘若他所说的是虚假
2In 1:23 Paul says, “But I call on God as a witness against my soul, that to spare you I have not yet come to Corinth.” For Paul to spare the Corinthians was to forbear. The apostle would not come to visit the Corinthian believers with a rod for discipline, but would come in love and a spirit of meekness for building (1 Cor. 4:21). In order to avoid any unpleasant feeling, he refrained from coming. He treated them leniently and would not come to them in sorrow (2 Cor. 2:1). He did not like to lord it1 over their faith, but longed to be a fellow-worker of their joy (1:24). This is the truth. He calls on God to 24 witness this for him. a. Calling on God as a Witness against His Soul According to verse 23, Paul called upon God against his soul. The apostle called on God to be a witness against his soul, that is, against himself, if he was speaking falsely.
3的，就作证反对他的魂，就是反对他自己。
3
4呼求神不仅是祷告神，或是求祂为我们作甚么事。说『神阿』或『父阿』，不仅是祷告神，更是呼求神。今天许多基督徒没有呼求的灵，也就是没有一个呼求神的刚强的灵。如果环境或情况许可，我愿不断的呼求：『哦，我的父阿！哦，主耶稣阿！』呼求和祷告不同。譬如，有人也许这样祷告：『父神，你是信实的，你永不改变。求你帮助我也成为信实的，绝不改变。我这样祈求是奉主耶稣的名，阿们。』虽然这样祷告很好，却不太活。我们祷告的态度也可能不很活。我们也许说，『主耶稣，我感谢你，你爱我。主阿，我也爱你，但你知道我是软弱的。主阿，求你在我的软弱上帮助我。』许多基督徒这么祷告，但他们没有心，也不运用灵。他们甚至不懂在祷告中运用灵是甚么意思。主耶稣在约翰四章二十四节说，『神是灵；敬拜祂的，必须在灵和真实里敬拜。』敬拜神包含了向神祷告。既然祷告就是敬拜，并且主耶稣说，我们必须在灵里敬拜神，所以我们的祷告也必须在灵里。我们在祷告中用来表达自己的话语还在其次，运用我们的灵接触神才是首要的事。我们祷告的时候，必须呼求神，运用我们的灵，说，『父阿！我的神，我的父阿！』这就是呼求神。
4To call on God is not only to pray to God or ask Him to do something for us. To say, “O God,” or, “O Father,” is not just to pray; it is to call upon God. Many Christians today do not have a calling spirit, a strong spirit in which to call upon God. If the circumstances or situation allowed it, I would like to call, “O my Father,” or, “O Lord Jesus,” continually. There is a difference between calling and praying. For example, someone may pray like this: “Father God, You are faithful. You never change. Help me to be faithful and unchanging also. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.” Although this is a good prayer, it may not be very living. We may also pray to the Lord Jesus in a manner that is not so living. We may say, “Lord Jesus, I thank You that You love me. Lord, I also love You. But, Lord, You know that I am weak. Lord, please help me in my weakness.” Many Christians pray like this, but they may pray with little heart and with no exercise of the spirit. They may not even understand what it means to exercise the spirit in prayer. In John 4:24 the Lord Jesus said, “God is Spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and reality.” Worshipping God includes praying to Him. Since to pray is to worship, and since the Lord Jesus says that our worship of God must be in spirit, then our prayer must be in spirit also. The words we use to express ourselves in prayer are secondary. The primary matter is that we exercise our spirit to contact God. When we pray, we need to call on God, exercise our spirit, and say, “O Father, O my God, my Father.” This is to call upon God.
5父神喜欢听见我们呼求祂。根据主在约翰四章的话，今天父一直寻找在灵里敬拜祂的人。我不知道还有甚么方法比呼求神更能操练灵。呼求不需要大声。大声呼求通常既不方便，也不恰当。譬如，别人也许正在工作或睡觉，你大声呼求就会打扰他们。甚至很低声的呼求，也可以操练我们的灵。保罗写每一卷书信时，遣辞用字都非常谨慎，考虑也很周详。在林后一章二十三节他不是说，『我求神；』也不是说，『我祷告神。』他乃是说，『我呼求神。』这样呼求神含示操练灵。保罗是个活在灵里，在灵里敬拜神的人。倘若我们不活在灵里，的确很难在灵里敬拜神。
5God the Father is happy to hear us calling on Him. According to the Lord’sword in John 4, the Father today is seeking those who worship Him in spirit. I do not know of a better way to exercise the spirit than to call upon God. It is not necessary to call aloud. Often it is not convenient or suitable to call aloud. For example, others may be working or sleeping, and your calling in a loud way would disturb them. Even by calling in a very quiet way, our spirit is exercised. Paul wrote all his Epistles in a careful manner and with much consideration regarding the use of words. In 1:23 he did not say, “I ask God”; neither did he say, “I pray to God.” Instead, Paul said, “I call on God.” This calling upon God implies the exercise of the spirit. Paul was a person who lived in spirit and who worshipped God in spirit. If we do not live in spirit, it certainly will be difficult for us to worship God in spirit
6保罗在二十三节呼求神作证反对他的魂。（另译。）这意思是说，他呼求神从反面来为他作见证。这里保罗似乎是说，『哥林多的弟兄们，我不是在魂里行事。如果我这样行，神会作证反对我。我不是一个活在魂里，在魂里行事的人。我没有在魂里定意要到你们那里去。如果我的光景是这样的话，神会作证反对我。』有趣的是，保罗不是说，『我呼求神为我的灵作证人，证实我是在灵里定意到你们那里去。』反之，他呼求神从反面作证反对他的魂。他呼求神证实他不是在魂里凭著己定规事情。神会作证反对这种在魂里的定意。这种反面的作证，有时候比正面的作证还要强。
6In verse 23 Paul called upon God as a witness against his soul. This means that he called upon God to witness for him in a negative way. Here Paul seems to be saying, “Brothers in Corinth, I did not behave in the soul. If I had done this, God would witness against me. I am not a person living in the soul and behaving in the soul. I did not resolve in the soul to come to you. If this had been my situation, God would be a witness against me.” It is interesting that Paul did not say, “I call on God as a witness for my spirit to testify that I resolve in my spirit to come to you.” On the contrary, he called on God to witness in a negative way against his soul. He called upon Him to testify that he did not resolve anything in the soul, that is, in the self. God would witness against such a resolving in the soul. This kind of negative witness is sometimes stronger than a testimony from the positive side.
7保罗没有到哥林多去的原因，乃是要宽容哥林多人，而不是因为他反覆不定，忽是忽非。保罗不愿带著刑杖到哥林多去管教他们；反之，他要宽容他们，并在爱里到他们那里去。他呼求神在这件事上给他作见证。保罗给了我们效法的好榜样。靠主的怜悯，我们都必须向他学习，跟随他。保罗是个奇妙的人；他很属灵，由基督所构成；他也很老练，在基督的丰富上很成熟。身为这样一个人，保罗要宽容哥林多人，并且因这缘故，他没有到哥林多去。ｂ不是作主管辖信徒的信心，
7The reason Paul did not come to Corinth was that he wanted to spare the Corinthians. It was not because he was fickle and was saying yes and no at the same time. Paul did not want to come to Corinth with a rod to discipline them; rather, he wanted to spare them and come to them in love. He called upon God to witness of this concerning him. Paul is a good example for us to follow. By the Lord’s mercy, we all need to learn of him and follow him. Paul was a wonderful person. He was spiritual, he was constituted of Christ, he was experienced, and he was mature in the riches of Christ. As such a person, he wanted to spare the Corinthians and for this reason had not yet come to Corinth. b. Not Lording It Over the Believers’ Faith,
乃是与他们同工，使他们喜乐
but Being Fellow-workers of Their Joy
8保罗在二十四节继续说，『我们并不是作主管辖你们的信心，乃是与你们同工，使你们喜乐，因为你们是凭信而立。』信徒要在客观的信仰上站立得住，（林前十六13，）就需要主观的信心。作主管辖他们主观的信心，叫他们的信心软弱；而与他们同工，
8In verse 24 Paul goes on to say, “Not that we lord it over your faith, but are fellow-workers of your joy; for in faith you stand.” For the believers to stand in the objective faith (1 Cor. 16:13), subjective faith is needed. To lord it over their subjective faith weakens it, but to be a fellow- worker of their joy strengthens it
9使他们喜乐，叫他们的信心刚强。
9
2 不带忧而来
2. Not to Come in Sorrow
10保罗在林后二章一节说，『但为了我自己，我已经这样断定，不再带著忧愁到你们那里去。』一面，保罗呼求神在他的魂上作证人；另一面，他告诉我们，他自己已经作了断定。这不是在魂里么？在二章一节，保罗的己是属灵的己，属灵的魂，在灵的控制和指引之下的魂。保罗按著属人的方式，为了他自己，已经这样断定，不再带著忧愁到哥林多人那里去。这个断定不是那灵所感动的，乃是一件属人的事，是保罗为了自己而断定的。不过我们必须记得，这是在灵的控制和指引之下的人所断定的。这是另一个例子，说出神成肉体的原则。这个原则可见于加拉太二章二十节。神成肉体的原则总是这样运用的。主耶稣作为一个人，行了神迹，但行这些神迹的不是主耶稣自己，而是神。这就是我们所说神成肉体的原则。
10In 2:1 Paul says, “But I determined this in myself, not to come again to you in sorrow.” On the one hand, Paul called on God as a witness against his soul; on the other hand, he tells us that he determined something in himself. Is this not a matter in the soul? In 2:1 Paul’s self is a spiritual self, a spiritual soul, a soul under the control and direction of the spirit. In a human way, Paul determined in himself not to come again to the Corinthians in sorrow. This determination was not inspired by the Spirit; it was a human matter determined by Paul in himself. We need to remember, however, that this was determined by one who was under the control and direction of the spirit. This is another example of the principle of incarnation. This principle is found in Galatians 2:20. The principle of incarnation always operates in this way. The Lord Jesus, as a man, performed miracles, but it was God who did these miracles and not the Lord Jesus Himself. This is what we mean by the principle of incarnation
11保罗在林后二章二节问说，『因为我若叫你们忧愁，这样，除了我叫他忧愁的那人以外，谁能叫我快乐？』这句话富于哲理，合乎逻辑，也很属灵。
11In verse 2 Paul asks, “For if I cause you sorrow, who then is the one that makes me glad, except the one who was made sorrowful by me?” This sentence is very philosophical, logical, and spiritual.
12保罗在三节继续说，『我曾把这事写给你们，免得我来的时候，那些应该叫我喜乐的人，反倒叫我忧愁；我深信你们众人，都以我的喜乐为你们众人的喜乐。』这里的『曾…写』，是指保罗在前书里所写给哥林多人的话。保罗在四节说，『我先前由于许多的患难，和心中的困苦，多多的流泪，写信给你们，不是要叫你们忧愁，乃是要叫你们知道，我对你们的爱是格外充盈的。』保罗在这里说到他自己。有些所谓的属灵人坚持说，我们绝不该谈论自己。我在弟兄会的那些年间，受到教导说，信徒绝不该谈论他们自己的事。我多年采取这种作法，后来我看见这种作法未必正确。我们是否谈论自己，在于我们的动机。保罗在哥林多后书说了许多自己的事。在这段引言里，他不但谈到自己，也为自己辩护，为自己表白。有时候我们必须谈到自己。基督需要见证人。基督是实际，而我们就是这实际的见证人。身为见证人，我们不该骄傲，也不该谦卑。时候到了，我们就必须诚实而放胆的为主作见证。这正是保罗在这里所作的，他告诉哥林多人，他先前由于许多的患难，和心中的困苦，多多的流泪，写了前书给他们。他这样写信给哥林多人，不是要叫他们忧愁，乃是要叫他们知道，他对他们的爱。五节说，『只是若有叫人忧愁的，他不是叫我忧愁，乃是有几分叫你们众人忧愁。「我说几分，免得我说得太重。」』保罗很谨慎、不夸张。他写信很慎重，用『有几分』这个辞。这里的太重就是压得太重、说得太过。保罗说，犯罪的人有几分叫全召会忧愁。他说有几分，免得压得太重、说得太过。这指明他是个柔细、谨慎、体贴的人。
12In verse 3 Paul continues, “And I have written this very thing, that coming I should not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.” The word “written” refers to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians in the first Epistle. In verse 4 Paul says, “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not that you should be made sorrowful, but that you should know the love which I have more abundantly to you.” Here Paul refers to himself. Some so-called spiritual people insist that we should never talk about ourselves. During my years with the Brethren, I was told that the believers should never say anything about themselves. I adopted this practice for a number of years. Later I learned that this is not always right. Whether or not we speak about ourselves depends on our motive. In 2 Corinthians Paul had much to say concerning himself. In this introductory section he not only speaks about himself—he also argues on his behalf and vindicates himself. Sometimes we need to speak about ourselves. Christ needs witnesses. Christ is the reality, and we are witnesses of this reality. As witnesses, we should be neither proud nor humble. When the time comes, we need to testify for the Lord honestly and boldly. This is exactly what Paul was doing here when he told the Corinthians that in the first Epistle he wrote to them out of much affliction and anguish of heart, and that he wrote through many tears. He wrote to the Corinthians in this way, not that they should be made sorrowful, but that they should know the love which he had toward them. Verse 5 says, “But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not caused me sorrow, but in part (lest I be burdensome) all of you.” Paul was careful not to exaggerate. He wrote in a cautious way, using the phrase “in part.” To be burdensome here is to press too heavily, to say too much. Paul says that the offender in part caused all of the church to have sorrow. He says in part, lest he press too heavily, or say too much. This indicates that he was a tender, cautious, and considerate person
13保罗在六节说，『这样的人，受了多数人的责罚，也就彀了。』这指明哥林多的信徒读了保罗的前书以后，多数人都责备并惩罚那乱伦的人。这里保罗指出，这样受了多数人的责罚，也就彀了。因此，他在七节继续说，『你们倒不如饶恕他，安慰他，免得这样的人或者忧愁太过，就被吞灭了。』这里的饶恕也是待他以恩慈的意思。现在需要的不是指责，而是鼓励和饶恕，抚慰并裹伤。因此，保罗在八节说，『所以我劝你们，要向他证实你们的爱。』
13In verse 6 Paul says, “Sufficient to such a one is this punishment by the majority.” This indicates that, after reading Paul’s first Epistle, the majority of the believers in Corinth rebuked and punished the one who had committed incest. Here Paul points out that this punishment by the majority has been sufficient. Therefore, in verse 7 he goes on to say, “So that on the contrary you should rather forgive and encourage him, lest somehow such a one should be swallowed up with excessive sorrow.” To forgive here also means to deal graciously. Instead of rebuking, there is now the need for encouragement and forgiveness, also for soothing and the binding up of the wounds. Therefore, in verse 8 Paul says, “Wherefore I beseech you to confirm your love to him.”
14九节继续说，『为此我也曾写信给你们，要知道你们经过试验的品德，看你们是否在凡事上都顺从。』经过试验的品德，或，蒙称许的品德。蒙称许就是经过试验的品质，蒙称许的品格。保罗写前书给哥林多人的目的，是要知道他们是否蒙称许。他写信是要试验他们是否顺从。现在保罗知道哥林多人是顺从的，也是蒙称许的。他们对前书的顺从，向保罗证实了他们是蒙称许的。十节说，『你们饶恕谁甚么，我也饶恕；我若曾有所饶恕，我所已经饶恕的，是在基督的面前，为你们饶恕的。』有些人以为，在基督的面前饶恕，意思就是代表基督20:23饶恕。持这种观点的人会引用约翰二十章二十三节的话，论到门徒有赦罪的权柄。根据这种解释，饶恕一位犯罪的弟兄，意思就是代表主饶恕他。这种领会虽然没有错，但不是保罗在林后二章十节所说之话的正确解释。『面』与四章六节者同；指眼睛周围的部分，其神色乃是内在思想和感觉的标示，将全人表明并陈明出来。这指明使徒是照著基督眼中所表露祂全人的标示，在祂面前生活行动的人。使徒给在哥林多混乱的信徒写了前书，接著又写了后书；头一段，一章一节至二章十一节，是后书的长篇引言。他得到他们接受他在前书的责备而悔改的消息，（七6～13，）就得了安慰和鼓励。因此他非常切身、柔细且热切的写了后书，安慰并鼓励他们，甚至后书可视为他的自传。在后书，我们看见一个活基督的人，照著他在前书所论到的基督，与祂有最亲近、最密切的接触，按著祂眼睛的标示而行动；也看见一个与基督是一，满有基督，并给基督浸透的人；他天然的生命被破碎，甚至被了结，他的意志柔软有弹性，情感热切而受约束，心思周到顾人，清明自守，并且他的灵向著信徒纯洁真实，叫他们得益处，使他们像他一样经历并享受基督，好建造基督的身体，完成神永远的定旨。
14Verse 9 continues, “For to this end also I have written, that I might know your approvedness, if in all things you are obedient.” To “know your approvedness” means to “put you to the test.” Approvedness is a tried quality, an approved character. Paul’s goal in writing the first Epistle to the Corinthians was to know their approvedness. He wrote that he might test them to see whether or not they would be obedient. Now Paul realizes that the Corinthians were obedient and approved. Their obedience to the first Epistle approved them to Paul. Verse 10 says, “But whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, it is for your sake in the person of Christ.” Some may think that to forgive in the person of Christ means to forgive on behalf of Christ. Those who hold this view may refer to the Lord’sword in John about the disciples having authority to forgive sins. According to this interpretation, to forgive a sinful brother means to forgive him on behalf of the Lord and as the Lord’s representative. This understanding is not wrong, but neither is it an accurate interpretation of what Paul says in verse 10. Literally, the Greek word rendered person means face, as in 4:6. It is the part around the eyes, the look as being the index of the inward thoughts and feelings to signify the presentation of the whole person. This indicates that the apostle is one who lives and acts in the presence of Christ, according to the index of His whole person expressed in His eyes. Second Corinthians 1:1 through 2:11, as the first section, is a long introduction to this Epistle, which follows his first Epistle to the disorderly believers in Corinth. Paul received information (7:6-13) that they had accepted his rebukes in the first Epistle, and that they had repented. This information caused him to be comforted and encouraged. Thus, he writes this Epistle to comfort and encourage them in a very personal, tender, and affectionate way, so much so that this Epistle may be considered to some extent his autobiography. In it we see a person who lives Christ, according to what he wrote concerning Him in his first Epistle, in the closest and most intimate contact with Him, acting according to the index of His eyes; a person who is one with Christ, full of Christ, and is saturated with Christ; one who is broken and even terminated in his natural life, softened and flexible in his will, affectionate yet restricted in his emotion, considerate and sober in his mind, and pure and genuine in his spirit toward the believers for their benefit, that they may experience and enjoy Christ as he does for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose in the building up of Christ’s Body.
15我们已经指出，这里的『面』是指眼睛周围的部分，这一部分乃是人的思想和感觉的标示，所以是全人的表征。你若要知道某人对你的感觉如何，他快乐不快乐，满意不满意，你不需要看他的整个面孔，只要看他眼睛周围的部分就彀了，这部分是人的思想和感觉的标示。保罗注视主耶稣眼睛的标示，饶恕了那位犯罪的弟兄。如果主眼睛的标示指明祂不喜悦保罗饶恕那位弟兄，保罗就不会饶恕他。他会知道主不欢喜他所作的。保罗饶恕那位弟兄时，他是在注视主耶稣，晓得主在鼓励他。因此保罗能说，他是在基督的面前饶恕的。这指明保罗乃是在基督面前生活行动的人。一九四○年倪弟兄指出，申命记可以当作摩西的自传，而哥林多后书可以2视为保罗的自传。在哥林多后书里，保罗说了许多自己的事。事实上，他谈论自己比谈论基督还要多。在这本自传里，保罗为基督作见证。我们在这卷书里看见，保罗是一个照著他在前书所论到的基督，而活基督的人；他与基督有最亲近、最亲密的接触，照著祂眼睛的标示来行动。他真是一个与基督是一，满有基督，并给基督浸透的人。
15We have pointed out that the word “person” here denotes that part of the face around the eyes, that part which is the index of a person’s thoughts and feelings and which thereby signifies the presentation of the whole person. If you want to know how someone feels toward you, whether he is happy or sad, satisfied or dissatisfied, you do not look at his face in a general way, but at that part around the eyes, which is the index of the person’s thoughts and feelings. When Paul forgave that sinful brother, he did so by looking at the index of the eyes of the Lord Jesus. If the index of the Lord’se yes indicated that He was not pleased with Paul’s forgiving that brother, Paul would not have forgiven him. He would have realized that the Lord was not happy with what he was doing. As Paul was forgiving the brother, he was looking at the Lord Jesus and realized that the Lord was encouraging him. Therefore, Paul could say that he forgave in the person of Christ. This indicates that Paul was one who lived and acted in the presence of Christ. In 1940 Brother Nee pointed out that Deuteronomy may be considered the autobiography of Moses and 2 Corinthians, the autobiography of Paul. In Corinthians Paul speaks a great deal about himself. In fact, he talks more about himself than about Christ. In this autobiographical writing Paul witnesses of Christ. In this book we see a person who lives Christ according to what he wrote concerning Him in 1 Corinthians. Paul lived in the closest and most intimate contact with Christ, acting according to the index of His eyes. He was truly a person who was one with Christ, full of Christ, and saturated with Christ.
16保罗在二章十一节说，『免得我们给撒但占了便宜，因我们并非不晓得他的阴谋。』本节揭露出那恶者撒但，在每件事的幕后藏著，在每件事的里面作祟。这里的『阴谋』一辞，原文的意思是计画、策略、企图、设想、计谋、打算、目的。甚至在召会生活里，撒但也会在幕后藏著。不要以为饶恕弟兄单单是召会的事，不会涉及撒但的阴谋。甚至在这件事背后，撒但也会蹲伏著，要寻找一条路来执行他邪恶的计画，吞吃软弱的人。
16In verse 11 Paul says, “That we may not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his thoughts.” This verse discloses that the evil one, Satan, is behind the scenes in everything and works in everything. The Greek word translated thoughts here means plans, plots, devices, schemes, designs, wiles, intentions, purposes. Even in the church life, Satan may be behind the scenes. Do not think that the matter of forgiving a brother involves only the church and does not involve the devices of Satan. Even behind such a matter as this, Satan may be crouching, looking for a way to execute his evil plans and devour the weak ones.
17在这些经文里，我们看见保罗很亲切，很属灵，也很警觉。他亲密的照顾圣徒，活在基督所是的标示里，并留心仇敌在召会生活里幕后的阴谋。我们都该学习保罗这样照顾圣徒，活基督，并留心仇敌的阴谋。
17In these verses we see that Paul was personal, spiritual, and alert. He took care of the saints in an intimate way, he lived in the index of Christ’s being, and he was on the alert regarding the enemy’s subtle plots behind the scenes in the church life. We all should learn of Paul to care for the saints, to live Christ, and to be aware of the subtlety of the enemy