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哥林多后书生命读经 · 第54篇

保罗为他使徒权柄的表白（五）

Paul’s Vindication of His Apostolic Authority (5)
1读经：哥林多后书11:16-33。到目前为止我们已经说过保罗表白他使徒权柄的三方面：他照著灵的争战、神尺度的度量，以及他针对假使徒而为信徒所起的妒忌。我们在本篇信息中要来看第四方面：保罗被迫的夸口。在哥林多后书这一长段的话（十一章十六节至十二章十八节）里，保罗藉著被迫的夸口，表白他的权柄。他虽然不想要夸口，但他非这么作不可。
1Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 11:16-33 Thus far we have covered three aspects of Paul’s vindication of his apostolic authority: his warring according to the Spirit, the measure of God’s rule, and his jealousy for Christ over the believers against the false apostles. In this message we shall consider a fourth aspect, Paul’s compelled boasting. In a rather long section of 2 Corinthians (11:16—12:18) Paul vindicates his authority by a compelled boasting. Although he did not want to boast, it was necessary for him to do so
2似乎是愚妄的保罗在十一章十六至三十三节中，并没有用天然的聪明，也不耍手腕。他若是用聪明、耍手腕，就不会夸口。但是保罗宁愿夸口，让人把他看作愚妄的。
2APPEARING TO BE FOOLISH In 11:16-33 Paul was not wise in a natural way, and he did not play politics. If he had been wise or political, he would not have boasted. However, Paul was willing to appear foolish by boasting
3我们需要向保罗学习，就是有时候我们不该那么聪明、那样耍手腕。我们天然的客气可能是一种狡猾的聪明。我们反而需要忠信、诚实、坦率。但我们这样作时，我们在别人眼中可能
3We need to learn from Paul that there are times when we should not be so wise or political. Our natural politeness may be a kind of subtle wisdom. Instead, we need to be faithful, honest, and frank. But in so doing, we may appear foolish in the eyes of others
4显为愚妄的。保罗在这几节请求哥林多人容忍他的愚妄。他求他们容许他愚妄的自夸。他在十六节说，『我再说，人不可把我看作愚妄的；纵然如此，也要把我当作愚妄人接纳，叫我也可以略略夸口。』保罗在这里似乎是说，『容忍我的愚妄罢。我到目前为止一直是聪明的，但是如今我必须说厉害的话。我这么作以前，先求你们容忍我的愚妄。我要坦白的告诉你们一些事。』接下去保罗用了一些坦率的说法，和严厉的措辞。
4In these verses Paul begs the Corinthians to bear with him in his foolishness. He asks them for permission to exercise foolishness in boasting. In verse 16 he says, “Again I say, let no one think me to be foolish; but if otherwise, accept me even as foolish, that I also may boast a little.” Here Paul seems to be saying, “Bear with me in my foolishness. Up to this point I have been wise, but now I must speak in a strong way. Before I do this, I ask you to bear with me in my foolishness. I am about to tell you something in a very frank way.” Then Paul proceeds to use certain frank expressions and severe utterances
5一个聪明人绝不会这样说话，反倒是彬彬有礼，尽力使别人欣赏他。保罗在前几章很聪明，但他在这里却夸口并使用讽刺的话，看来好像是愚妄的。
5A person exercising wisdom would never speak in this way. Instead, he would be polite and try to cause others to appreciate him. In the foregoing chapters Paul was wise, but here he appears to be foolish, boasting and using ironic expressions
6有时候为了要说实话，我们可能需要在人前显为愚妄。路德马丁就是如此，他向堕落的基督教宣告：称义完全是因著信。当他这样作时，他是愚妄的。凡想在宗教组织里保持崇高地位的人，绝不会这么作。
6At times, in order to speak the truth, we may need to appear foolish to others. Martin Luther did this when he declared to degraded Christianity that justification is altogether by faith. When he did this, he exercised foolishness. Anyone who wants to maintain a high position in the religious hierarchy will never do this.
7我们曾经指出，十一章显示了保罗的愚妄。他用了假使徒、诡诈的工人、撒但的差役这样的辞。我们读到这些话，都会赞同保罗。但是当他写这卷书信时，他要用这些辞是不容易的。你若是保罗，你有胆量写这样一卷书信么？我们多半不会这样写。我们可能会说热中犹太教者的好话，而没有胆量使用假使徒、诡诈的工人或撒但的差役这类的辞。但是因著保罗愿意给人看为愚妄的，他就放胆这样说。你岂不会说十六节是愚妄人所写的么？保罗首先说，『人不可把我看作愚妄的。』然后他接著说，『纵然如此，也要把我当作愚妄人接纳，叫我也可以略略夸口。』若有人到你所在的地方说这样的话，你会有甚么感想？你岂不把他当作最愚妄的人么？聪明的人必定会用不同的说法。保罗在十七至十八节继续说，『我所说的，不是照著主说的，乃像在愚妄中，因自信而这样夸口。既有好些人照著肉体夸口，我也要夸口。』保罗宣告他所说的话不是照著主说的，你岂不会说他似乎癫狂了么？我们会以为保罗若不照著主说话，他就该闭口不言。使徒怎能不照著主而说话？但是保罗却说了这样的话。如果当时我们在场，我们可能会劝他不要这样写。
7As we have indicated, in chapter eleven we see Paul’s foolishness. He has already used terms such as false apostles, deceitful workers, and ministers of Satan. When we read such expressions, we all take sides with Paul. However, when he wrote this Epistle, it was not easy for him to use these terms. If you had been Paul, would you have had the boldness to write such an Epistle? Probably most of us would never write in this way. We may have spoken kindly about the Judaizers. We would not have had the boldness to use terms like false apostles, deceitful workers, or ministers of Satan. But because Paul was willing to appear foolish, he had the boldness to speak in this way. Would you not say that verse 16 is the writing of a foolish person? First Paul says, “Let no one think me to be foolish.” Then he goes on to say, “If otherwise, accept me even as foolish, that I also may boast a little.” What would you think if a person came to your locality and spoke in this way? Would you not regard him as a very foolish person? A wise man would certainly speak differently. In verses 17 and 18 Paul continues, “What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. Since many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.” Would you not say that Paul seems to be beside himself when he declares that he will speak something not according to the Lord? We may think that if Paul is not speaking according to the Lord, he should be silent. How could an apostle speak something that is not according to the Lord? Nevertheless, Paul uttered such a word. If we had been present at the time, we may have advised him not to write in that way
8保罗在十七节所用的『自信』是甚么意思？这个自信似乎与保罗成为愚妄、癫狂的人有关。他若没有自信，一定不会夸口，反而他的行事为人会像一个经过文化薰陶的人，完全不会夸口。一个自信不是癫狂的人，绝不会像保罗在林后十一章那样夸口。保罗用讽刺的语气，说哥林多人喜欢容忍愚妄人，（19，）然后就在二十节说，『若有人强制你们作奴隶，若有人侵吞你们，若有人掳掠你们，若有人高举自己，若有人打你们的脸，你们都会容忍！』保罗在这里似乎是说，『你们若欢欢喜喜的容忍这一切，岂不更能容忍我这个愚妄、癫狂的人么？』
8What does Paul mean by “this confidence” in verse 17? This confidence seems related to Paul’s being foolish, to his being beside himself. If he did not have such a confidence, he certainly could not boast. Otherwise, he would have conducted himself like a very cultured person and would not have boasted at all. A person who has the confidence that he is not beside himself will never boast in the way Paul did in 2 Corinthians 11. After speaking an ironic word to the Corinthians about bearing gladly with fools (v. 19), Paul says in verse 20, “For you bear it if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours you, if anyone takes you, if anyone lifts himself up, if anyone beats you in the face.” Here Paul seems to be saying, “If you gladly bear all this, can you not bear with me, one who is foolish and beside himself?”
保罗与热中犹太教者的比较
A COMPARISON BETWEEN
9保罗在二十一节也讽刺的说，『我自贱的说，我们从前太软弱了！然而，我愚妄的说，人在何事上勇敢，我也勇敢。』保罗在这里似乎是说，『我把我的地位、尊崇与荣耀全忘了。我乃是自贱的说。我不在乎你们把我想成怎样。我说话如同向来是软弱的一样。』保罗接著把自己与热中犹太教的人作比较，说他也是希伯来人、以色列人、亚伯拉罕的后裔、基督的执事。
9PAUL AND THE JUDAIZERS In verse 21 Paul says, also ironically, “I speak by way of dishonor, as though we have been weak; but in whatever anyone is daring, I speak in foolishness, I also am daring.” Here Paul seems to be saying, “I forget about my standing, my honor, and my glory. I speak by way of dishonor. I don’t care what you think about me. I speak as though I have been weak.” Paul then goes on to compare himself with the Judaizers, saying that he is also a Hebrew, an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, and a minister of Christ
10我们在这几节看见保罗与热中犹太教者的比较。保罗在二十三节说他更多劳苦，更多下监，受鞭打是过重的，冒死是屡次有的。保罗在二十四至二十五节说，『我给犹太人鞭打五次，每次四十，减去一下；给棍打了三次，给石头打了一次，遇著船坏三次，在深海里过了一昼一夜。』二十四节的鞭打，是从犹太人来的，二十五节的棍，是罗马人所使用的。（徒十六22～23。）保罗遇著船坏三次，而这三次，不包括在米利大（一般认为是马尔他，Malta）的船坏事件，并未记在行传里。热中犹太教的人当然没有遭遇这些事。在这些事上他们与保罗是无法相题并论的。林后十一章二十六节说，『屡次行远路，遭江河的危险、盗贼的危险、同族的危险、外邦人的危险、城里的危险、旷野的危险、海中的危险、假弟兄中的危险。』这里所说的这类江河，由于山间溪流的暴涨，或干旱河床的泛滥，容易突发剧变。这一节所题的盗贼，是指在小亚细亚高原和沿海之间的山区居住的民族，以抢劫26闻名。二十六节的假弟兄，主要指热中犹太教的基督徒。
10In these verses we have a comparison between Paul and the Judaizers. In verse 23 Paul speaks of being in labors more abundantly, in imprisonments more abundantly, in stripes excessively, and in deaths often. In verses 24 and 25 Paul says, “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked; a night and day I have spent in the deep.” The stripes in verse 24 were from the Jews, and the rods in verse 25 were used by the Romans (Acts 16:22-23; 22:25). Not including the shipwreck at Melita (universally recognized as Malta), Paul was shipwrecked three times, none of which is related in the Acts. The Judaizers, of course, did not suffer any of these things. There is no comparison between them and Paul in matters such as these. Verse 26 says, “In journeys often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my race, in dangers from the nations, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers.” The rivers here are those which were liable to violent and sudden changes from the sudden swelling of mountain streams or flooding of dry watercourses. The robbers mentioned in this verse were of tribes inhabiting the mountains between the tableland of Asia Minor and the coast, tribes notorious for robbery. The false brothers spoken of in verse refer mainly to the Judaizing Christians.
11二十七节继续说，『劳碌辛苦，论儆醒，是多次的；论饥渴、论不食，是多次的；论寒冷和赤身。』不食在这里与辛苦并列，必是指由于缺乏食物，非自愿的禁食；因此这与饥饿不同。饥饿是指无法得著食物的光景；非自愿的不食，是指贫穷的光景。寒冷是由于气候和衣著不足；赤身是指衣著不足，或由于鞭打、船坏而赤身。
11Verse 2 7 continues: “In labor and hardship, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” Since fastings are listed here with hardships, they must refer to involuntary fasting due to lack of food. Hence, they differ from hunger. Hunger may refer to a situation in which there is no way to obtain food; involuntary fasting may refer to a situation of poverty. The cold was due to the weather and in sufficient clothing; the nakedness refers to in sufficient clothing or nakedness due to scourging or shipwreck.
12保罗在二十八节说，『除了没有题起的事，还有为众召会的罣虑，天天压在我身上。』这一节的『压在我身上』，原文的意思是有许多东西压在身上，指许多挂心的事压在保罗身上。这是指为著众召会挂心的事。没有题起的事，是指二十三至二十七节所没有题起的事。二十三至二十八节所题起的事，将近三十项。其中只有两项─劳苦和监禁─是热中犹太教的人可以与保罗相比较的。热中犹太教的人劳碌，有时候也下监牢，但保罗比他们多受劳苦、多下监牢。此外，热中犹太教者并没有遭遇其他的事，他们必定没有为众召会罣虑；但是使徒们，特别是保罗，却天天为众召会罣虑。保罗在二十九节接著说，『有谁软弱，我不软弱？有谁绊跌，我不焦急？』焦急，直译，焚烧；意指对绊跌人的原因，忧急且气愤。
12In verse 28 Paul says, “Apart from the things which are not mentioned, the pressure upon me daily, the anxiety for all the churches.” In this verse the Greek word rendered pressure literally means a crowd. It denotes a crowd of cares pressing on Paul. This refers to the anxious care for all the churches. The things which are not mentioned are things not mentioned in verses 23 through 27. In verses 23 through 28 nearly thirty matters are covered. In only two is there actually a comparison between Paul and the Judaizers: labors and imprisonments. The Judaizers labored and were sometimes imprisoned. But Paul was in labors more abundantly and in imprisonments more abundantly. Furthermore, the Judaizers did not have any of the other items. It is certain that they did not have any anxiety for the churches. But the apostles, especially Paul, daily had an anxious care for all the churches. In verse 29 Paul goes on to say, “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I do not burn?” The word “burn” means to burn in sorrow and indignation over the cause of stumbling
13保罗在三十节继续说，『我若必须夸口，就要夸我软弱的事。』保罗在这里是指他的苦难和辛苦，使他在仇敌眼中显得卑下、软弱、轻贱。他得证实为真使徒，乃是藉著这些事，不是藉著他仇敌所夸耀的力量。保罗的苦难使他在别人眼中显得软弱。一个刚强的人能作许多事来消除或减轻苦难。然而，保罗对自己的苦难不能作甚么。他无法减轻自己的苦难，这事实指明他是软弱的。因此，他在反对者眼中是一个软弱、可怜的人。
13In verse 30 Paul continues, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things of my weakness.” Here Paul refers to his sufferings and hardships, which made him appear weak, mean, and contemptible in the eyes of his adversaries. He was attested as a true apostle by these things, not by the strength of which his adversaries boasted. Paul’s sufferings made him appear weak in the eyes of others. A strong man can do many things to eliminate suffering or reduce it. Paul, however, could not do anything about his sufferings. The fact that he could not reduce his sufferings indicates that he was weak. Therefore, in the eyes of the opposers, he was a weak and pitiful person
14自古以来，人有一个观念，认为蒙神祝福的人不应当有苦难。保罗的仇敌认为保罗如果是真正属神的，神必定会祝福他，他也不会受苦。他们认为保罗所受的苦难，表示他不属于神或不蒙神祝福。保罗的观念却不同。保罗在这里似乎向热中犹太教的人说，『你们若真是属神的，神会容许你们多受苦难。基督真正的执事，乃是受苦的人。』今天许多基督徒的观念以为，一个人若是富裕、亨通、并且兴盛，他必是神忠信的仆人，且蒙神祝福。他们也有一种观念，认为遭受苦难、困苦的人，是不蒙神祝福。
14In ancient times as well as today, there was the concept that a person who is blessed of God should not have suffering. Paul’s adversaries thought that if Paul were truly of God, God would bless him and he would not suffer. They regarded Paul’s suffering as a sign that he was not of God or was not under God’s blessing. Paul’s concept was different. Here Paul seems to be saying to the Judaizers, “If you were truly of God, God would allow you to suffer a great deal. A genuine minister of Christ is one who suffers.” Many Christians today have the concept that if a person is rich, prosperous, and flourishing, he is a faithful servant of God and is blessed by Him. They also have the concept that those who must endure suffering and hardship are not under the blessing of God.
15保罗在三十一至三十三节下结论说，『主耶稣的神与父，就是那当受颂赞直到永远的，知道我不说谎。在大马色，亚哩达王手下的提督，把守大马色人的城，要捉拿我，我就从窗户中，在筐子里给人从城墙上缒下去，逃脱了他的手。』你若是保罗，你岂不会因这样的逃脱感到羞耻？有人也许会问：『基督的大使为甚么还需要靠筐子逃脱？他为甚么不宣告耶稣的得胜，为甚么不宣告万王之王为首管治这个统治者？不必从窗户中，在筐子里缒下去逃脱。这个人不会是神所拣选的，因为神并不祝福他。』
15In verses 31 through 33 Paul concludes, “The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes to seize me, and I was lowered in a basket through a window, through the wall, and escaped his hands.” If you had been Paul, would you not have felt ashamed to escape in this way? Some may ask, “Why was it necessary for an ambassador of Christ to escape in a basket? Why did he not claim the victory of Jesus and the headship of the King of kings over this ethnarch? There is no need for you to escape in a basket through a window. This man cannot be God’s chosen one, for God does not bless him
神的道路
GOD’SWAY
16我们必须明白保罗为甚么这样写这几节。就著人来说，保罗毫无荣耀或尊贵可言。再者，他在本章的说话方式好像有点愚昧。保罗置身在非常艰困的处境中，历尽苦难，甚至缺乏食物。神似乎不与他同在，也不尊荣他。马可十六章所应许的神迹在那里？主好像没有供应保罗，甚至许可他遇著船难，一昼一夜在深海里。保罗为甚么强调一些既不尊贵又不荣耀的事？保罗的道路是神圣的道路。相反的，许多基督徒的观念却与神的道路相对。保罗在这一章所写的，无疑是与主耶稣的生活相符合。当主在地上时，祂遭受苦难。祂虽然是神的儿子，但祂的生活却不是凡事通达、外面满了祝福的生活。表面看来，主耶稣并不蒙神祝福。当祂被钉在十字架上时，犹太人讥诮祂说，祂若是属神的，神必定会救祂脱离十字架。但神没有差遣天使来救主耶稣，却许可祂死在十字架上。原则上，保罗的经历也是一样。
16We need to understand why Paul wrote these verses in the way he did. Humanly speaking, Paul had no glory or honor. Moreover, his way of speaking in this chapter seems to be foolish. Paul was in a very difficult environment. He suffered a great deal, and he was even short of food. It seems that God was not with him and did not honor him. Where are the miracles promised in Mark 16? It seems that the Lord did not supply Paul. He even allowed him to be shipwrecked and to spend a day and a night afloat at sea. Why did Paul emphasize things that are neither honorable nor glorious? Paul’sway is the divine way. In contrast, the concept of many Christians is versus God’sway. What Paul writes in this chapter certainly corresponds to the life of the Lord Jesus. When He was on earth, the Lord suffered affliction. Even though He was the Son of God, His life was not a life of prosperity or outward blessing. Apparently, the Lord Jesus was not blessed by God. When He was crucified, the Jews mocked Him and said that if He were of God, God would deliver Him from the cross. But instead of sending angels to rescue the Lord Jesus, God allowed Him to die on the cross. In principle, Paul’s experience was the same
17保罗这样写这章圣经，不仅向哥林多信徒，也向历世纪所有在基督里的信徒表明甚么是神的道路。在真正的使徒、真正新约的执事身上，我们看见神的道路，而在所谓超级的使徒身上却看不见。那些假使徒可能是凡事通达、兴盛的，他们不必在筐子里逃脱。但是真正的使徒却经历了逆境与困苦，因为全地都在抵挡神的经纶。再者，今世并不是我们凡事通达、兴盛的时候，乃是我们为基督身体受苦的时候。用歌罗西一章二十四节的话来说，我们是为基督的身体，就是为召会，在肉身上补满基督患难的缺欠。主耶稣在十字架上为救赎我们而受苦。但祂在地上生活时，是为身体的建造受苦。我们不能分担基督救赎的苦难。我们若说我们可以分担这种苦难，便是亵渎。然而，我们必须有分于基督为祂身体所受的苦难。这意思是说，我们必须跟随祂的道路，就是走窄路。我们必须跟随祂的脚踪，背起十字架。主耶稣过受苦的生活，我们也必须如此。这是为要补满基督患难的缺欠，以建造召会，就是祂的身体。热中犹太教的人并没有为基督的身体受苦。因此，保罗写了这样一章圣经，为要表明谁是真正新约的执事，谁不是。这不是看那一位执事得享通达而断定的，乃是看他有否受苦来断定的。
17By writing this chapter in the way he did, Paul made it clear not only to the believers at Corinth, but to all believers in Christ throughout the centuries, what God’sway is. God’sway is seen in the genuine apostles, in the genuine ministers of the new covenant, not in the so-called super-apostles. Those false apostles may be prosperous and flourishing, and they may have no need to escape in a basket. But the real apostles experience adversity and suffering because the entire earth is opposed to God’secon o my. Moreover, this present age is not the time for us to prosper and flourish. Rather, it is a time for us to suffer for the sake of the Body of Christ. In the words of Colossians 1:24, we are filling up what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ for the sake of His Body, the church. On the cross the Lord Jesus suffered for our redemption. But during His life on earth, He suffered for the building up of the Body. We cannot participate in the sufferings of Christ for redemption. It would be blasphemy to say that we can participate in such sufferings. However, we must share in Christ’s sufferings for His Body. This means that we must follow His way, the narrow way. We must walk in His footsteps and bear the cross. The Lord Jesus lived a life of suffering, and we must do the same. This is to fill up what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ for the building up of the church, His Body. The Judaizers did not suffer for the Body of Christ. Therefore, Paul wrote this chapter in such a way as to make clear who are the genuine ministers of the New Testament and who are not. This matter is not determined by the prosperity of any minister; it is determined by his suffering
18两个秘诀我们在林后十一章有分辨真假的两个秘诀：享受主作我们生命的供应，与受苦跟从主。一面，我们享受主耶稣；另一面，我们跟从祂过受苦的生活。这种享受和受苦，是我们分辨真假的决定因素。凡帮助我们享受主，加强我们在受苦中跟从主的，就是真的。凡不在这两件事上鼓励我们的，就是假的。
18TWO SECRETS In chapter eleven we have two secrets of discerning the genuine from the false: enjoying the Lord as our life supply and suffering in following the Lord. On the one hand, we enjoy the Lord Jesus; on the other hand, we follow Him to live a life of suffering. This enjoyment and suffering are determining factors by which we may discern what is genuine and what is false. Anything that helps us to enjoy the Lord and that strengthens us to follow Him in His suffering is genuine. What does not encourage us in these two matters is false
19保罗在十一章的开头，说到主是我们亲爱的丈夫。他在这一章将近末了题到众召会。第一个分辨的秘诀与享受基督作我们的丈夫有关；第二个秘诀与适当关切和照顾众召会有关，这种关切又与为著基督的身体，补满基督患难的缺欠有关。这些事在这么长的一章圣经中，多少是隐藏的。因此，我们需要仔细读这一章，否则这些重要的点向我们就是隐藏的，叫我们无法明白。感谢主给我们看见，我们需要享受祂作我们的丈夫，以纯洁并单纯的心爱祂，并且要有一个不受诱骗者败坏的心思。我们也感谢祂给我们看见，我们需要跟随祂的脚踪，愿意为著建造召会，就是祂的身体，忍受祂所受的苦难。
19At the beginning of chapter eleven Paul speaks of the Lord as our dear Husband. Toward the end of this chapter he refers to the churches. The first secret of discernment is related to the enjoyment of Christ as our Husband; the second is related to the proper concern and care for all the churches, a concern that involves filling up the lack of the sufferings of Christ for the Body. These matters are somewhat hidden in this lengthy chapter. Therefore, we need to read this chapter carefully. Otherwise, these crucial points may be concealed from our understanding. Thank the Lord for showing us that we need to enjoy Him as our Husband, loving Him with a pure and single heart and having a mind that is not corrupted by the deceiver. We also thank Him for showing us that we need to follow in His footsteps and be willing to suffer what He suffered for the building up of the church, His Body.