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哥林多后书生命读经 · 第58篇

末了的劝勉、问安与祝福(一)

Final Exhortations, Greeting, and Blessing (1)
1读经:哥林多后书十三章十一至十四节。在本篇信息中,我们要来看哥林多后书的最后四节:十三章十一至十四节。
1Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 13:11-14 In this message we shall consider the last four verses of 2 Corinthians, 13:11-14
2喜乐的生活保罗在十三章十一节说,『末了,弟兄们,要喜乐,要被成全,要受安慰,要思念相同的事,要和睦,如此那爱与和平的神,必与你们同在。』使徒既是喜乐的,(9,)就能劝勉信徒也要喜乐。这不是在他们天然的生命里,乃是在主里才作得到的。(腓三1,四
2A LIFE OF REJOICING In 13:11 Paul says, “For the rest, brothers, rejoice! Be perfected, be encouraged, think the same thing, be at peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” Since the apostles are rejoicing (v. 9), they are able to exhort the believers to rejoice too. This is not to be done in their natural life, but in the Lord (Phil. 3:1; 4:4; 1 Thes. 5:16
34,帖前五16。)
3
4照新约来看,基督徒的生活该是喜乐的生活。如果你的生活不是喜乐的,你的基督徒生活就不正常。喜乐是超过欢喜的,你可能欢喜而不喜乐。喜乐所包含的,多于欢喜。一个人可能欢喜,却不喜乐。欢喜是里面的,而喜乐乃是里面的欢喜流露出来。我信保罗会说,我们若要喜乐,就要发出声音;也就是说,我们的欢喜需要藉著声音发抒出来。因此,发声释放我们的欢喜就是喜乐。我们该藉著歌唱、赞美、呼喊、或呼求主名而喜乐。所以,喜乐就是发声释放我们内里的欢喜,用声音发抒出来。这样的喜乐是我们基督徒生活重要的特征。我们基督徒的生活若正常,就是一个喜乐的生活。
4According to the New Testament, the Christian life should be a life of rejoicing. If your life is not a rejoicing life, your Christian life is not normal. To rejoice includes more than just being joyful. It is possible to be joyful without rejoicing. Joyfulness is something inward, but rejoicing means that our inward joy is expressed outwardly. I believe that Paul would say that in order to rejoice we must use our voice; that is, we need to sound out our joy, to give it voice. Thus, to voice out our joy is to rejoice. We should rejoice either by singing, praising, shouting, or calling on the Lord. Therefore, to rejoice is to voice out our inner joy, to sound it out. This rejoicing is an important characteristic of our Christian life. If our Christian life is normal, it will be a life of rejoicing
5被成全保罗在林后十三章十一节也呼吁哥林多人要被成全。被成全,或,彻底完成;即修理或调整,整顿,修补,完美的合在一起,因此是恢复。在原文,这是九节和以弗所四章十二节『成全』的字根。被成全就是被恢复、修补、修理并调整,被带回到正确的地位上,并被带回归于正轨,使我们与别人在身体中同被建造。哥林多前后书是成全的书。这两卷书信惟一的目标是要成全在哥林多那些受破坏、被打岔、分裂的圣徒。那里的信徒已经被破坏,他们中间的光景并不健康。因此,写这两卷书乃是要执行必要的任务,就是要成全信徒,把他们带回到充满生命健康的情形,并且造就他们,装备他们,以建造基督的身体。这些都包括在保罗的嘱咐『要被成全』里。
5BEING PERFECTED In verse 11 Paul also appeals to the Corinthians to be perfected. Literally the Greek word rendered “perfected” means completed thoroughly, that is, repaired or adjusted, put in order again, mended, perfectly joined together, thus restored. In Greek it is the root of the word for perfecting in verse 9 and also the root for perfecting in Ephesians 4:12. To be perfected is to be restored, mended, repaired, and adjusted. It is to be brought back to the right position and restored to the right track so that we may be built up together with others in the Body. The books of 1 and 2 Corinthians are books of perfecting. The unique goal of these two Epistles is to perfect the damaged, distracted, and divided saints at Corinth. The believers there had been damaged, and the situation among them was unhealthy. Therefore, these two books were written to perform the necessary task of perfecting the believers, of bringing them back to a healthy condition full of life, of edifying them, and of equipping them for the building up of the Body. All this is included in Paul’s charge, “Be perfected.” ─
6我们可以把『要被成全』这个劝勉看作是『主动─被动』的语态。严格说,这是被动的;然而也带著主动的成分。因此我们说这是『主动─被动』的语态。神一直等著成全我们,然而我们要采取主动来被成全。再者,使徒也被用来成全哥林多人。这意思是说,成全的工作正在进行。但哥林多人还需要被成全。我们可以把保罗比作医生,我们可以说他已经准备好给信徒服药,然而这还需要信徒主动来吃药。医生就在这里,药也豫备好了,但是关键在这里:哥林多人愿意吃药而得医治么?为这缘故,保罗劝勉他们要被成全。
6We may regard the exhortation “be perfected” as active-passive in voice. Strictly speaking, this is passive. Nevertheless, it also contains an active element. This is the reason we speak of it as being active-passive. God is waiting to perfect us; however, we must take the initiative to be perfected. Moreover, the apostle was used to perfect the Corinthians. This means that a perfecting work was being done. But the Corinthians still had to be perfected. We may liken Paul to a physician and say that he was ready to dispense medicine into the believers, but it was still necessary for them to take the initiative to receive the medicine. The doctor was at hand and the medicine was ready, but the crucial question was this: Were the Corinthians willing to take the medicine and be healed? This was the reason Paul urged them to be perfected
受安慰
ENCOURAGED
7保罗在林后十三章十一节也告诉哥林多人要受安慰。使徒们受了赐诸般安慰之神的安慰。(一3~6。)哥林多人因使徒写给他们的第一封书信,非常沮丧。现今使徒在第二封书信里,用他们所经历神的安慰,安慰他们。(七8~13。)我们若研读整卷哥林多后书,就会晓得在这卷书信里,安慰是一件重要的事。为这缘故,保罗在十三章十一节的话『要受安慰』,是非常有意义的。受安慰的意思是说,我们首先得了安抚而平静下来,然后又得著满足、加强和加力,结果就是使我们受安慰。我们不丧胆,也不失望。保罗在这里似乎是说,『哥林多信徒阿,我在你们身上所作成全的工作不该使你们忧伤。你们反要欢喜快乐,甚至欢呼喜乐。不仅如此,你们还要受安慰。哥林多人哪,不要丧胆!』
7In verse 11 Paul also tells the Corinthians to be encouraged. The apostles are encouraged by the God of all encouragement (1:3-6). The Corinthians were much discouraged by the apostle’s first Epistle to them. Now, in the second Epistle, he encourages them with the encouragement of God (7:8-13). If we study the whole book of 2 Corinthians, we shall understand that in this Epistle encouragement is an important matter. For this reason, Paul’swords “be encouraged” in 13:11 are very meaningful. Being encouraged means that we are first comforted, then made calm, and then satisfied, strengthened, and enabled. Then as a result of all this we are encouraged. We do not lose heart, and we are not discouraged. Here Paul seems to be saying, “Believers at Corinth, the work of perfecting I have been doing on you should not cause you to be sad. Instead, you should be glad and joyful. You should even voice out your joy. Furthermore, you need to be encouraged. Corinthians, do not lose heart
8哥林多后书是一卷安慰的书。一章和七章里满了安慰。这一卷满了安慰的书信,带来了安抚、满足、加强、加力和喜乐,带给我们一切所需的。我们若得了满足、加力而得安慰,就会有力量在基督徒生活和召会生活中往前,不至丧胆。
8The book of 2 Corinthians is a book of encouragement. Chapters one and seven are both full of encouragement. As a book of encouragement, this Epistle brings comfort, satisfaction, strength, enablement, and joy. It brings us whatever we need. If we have been satisfied, strengthened, and thereby encouraged, we shall be energized to go on in the Christian life and in the church life without losing heart.
9思念相同的事保罗在十三章十一节又嘱咐哥林多人,要思念相同的事。被岔开和受迷惑的哥林多人,要得著成全、调整、整顿并恢复,首要的该是思念相同的事,正如使徒在第一卷书信里所劝勉他们的。(林前一10。)他在那里说,『弟兄们,我藉我们主耶稣基督的名,恳求你们都说一样的话,你们中间也不可有分裂,只要在一样的心思和一样的意见里,彼此和谐。』这里的和谐,在马太四章二十一节译为补网。原文意修理、恢复、调整、修补,将破裂之物完全补好,完美的合在一起。哥林多的信徒是一个整体,却分开了、破裂了。他们需要修补,完美的合在
9THINKING THE SAME THING In verse 11 Paul also charges the Corinthians to think the same thing. Thinking the same thing should be the main factor for the distracted and confused Corinthians to be perfected, adjusted, put in order, and restored. In his first Epistle (1 Cor. 1:10), Paul had already exhorted them to think the same thing: “But I beseech you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion.” The Greek word translated “attuned” in 1 Corinthians 1:10 is the same word that is translated “mending” in Matthew 4:21. It means to repair, to restore, to adjust, to mend, making a broken thing thoroughly complete, joined perfectly together. As a whole, the Corinthian believers were divided, broken. They needed mending to join them
一起,得以在和谐中有一样的心思、
perfectly together that they may be in harmony, having
10一样的意见。
10the same mind and the same opinion
11我们可以用钢琴的键盘为例来说明。每个琴键必须调整得合式,才能与其他琴键和谐。照样,保罗劝勉哥林多人要彼此和谐,有一样的心思,就是思念相同的事,而不要有奇特的思想。我们都需要靠著恩典,学习思念相同的事。
11We may take as an illustration the keyboard of a piano. Each key needs to be properly in tune in order to be in harmony with all the other keys. Likewise, Paul exhorted the Corinthians to be attuned in the same mind, that is, to think the same thing and not to have peculiar thoughts. We all need to learn by grace to think the same thing
12要和睦保罗在林后十三章十一节也劝勉哥林多人要和睦。这意思是说,要彼此相安,或许也指与神相安。保罗知道哥林多人之间有争竞与敌对的情形。林前一章十一节说,『因为,我的弟兄们,革来氏家里的人曾对我题到你们的事,说你们中间有争竞。』这清楚指明,哥林多的信徒中间不和睦。保罗在林后十三章十一节这里劝他们要和睦。基督徒的生活是喜乐的生活,也是和睦的生活。因此,与人争竞或敌对,乃是违反基督徒生活的基本原则。争竞与敌对,乃是堕落人类生活的特征。今天世界充满了争竞与敌对。在人类社会的各环中,敌对与争执是司空见惯的。但基督徒的生活却完全不同。我们这些属天的子民,彼此应当时时和睦。
12TO BE AT PEACE In 13:11 Paul also exhorts the Corinthians to be at peace. This means to be at peace with one another and probably with God as well. Paul knew that there had been strife and rivalry among the Corinthians. First Corinthians 1:11 says, “For it was made clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of the household of Chloe, that there are strifes among you.” This clearly indicates that among the believers at Corinth there was not any peace. Here in 13:11 Paul urges them to be at peace. The Christian life is a life of rejoicing and also a life of peace. Thus, to strive against others or to have rivalry with them is contrary to a basic principle of the Christian life. Strife and rivalry are characteristics of the life of fallen mankind. Today the world is full of strife and rivalry. In every aspect of human society, rivalry, and fighting are common. The Christian life is absolutely different from this. As a heavenly people, we should always be at peace with one another.
13爱与和平的神根据保罗在十一节的话,我们若喜乐、被成全、受安慰、思念相同的事、和睦,那爱与和平的神,就必与我们同在。哥林多人缺少爱,(林前八1,十三1~3,13,十四1,)并且因著打岔人的教训和迷惑人的观念,受到搅扰而失去安和。因此,使徒盼望爱与和平的神与他们同在,使他们得著调整和成全。他们需要神的爱与和平来充满,使他们照著爱而行,(罗十四15,弗五2,)且彼此相安。(罗十四19,来十二14。)
13THE GOD OF LOVE AND PEACE According to Paul’sword in verse 11, if we rejoice, are perfected, are encouraged, think the same thing, and are at peace, then the God of love and peace will be with us. The Corinthians were lacking in love (1 Cor. 8:1; 13:1-3, 13; 14:1) and short of peace through being disturbed by the distracting teachings and confusing concepts. Hence, the apostle wishes that the God of love and peace shall be with them for their adjusting and perfecting. They need the love and peace of God to fill them that they may walk according to love (Rom. 14:15; Eph. 5:2) and have peace with one another (Rom. 14:19; Heb. 12:14
14因著哥林多的信徒有争竞与敌对的情形,他们必定缺少爱。哥林多前书有一整章,就是十三章,说到爱。如今保罗在哥林多后书的结语强调爱的神,并不强调能力的神或神迹的神。保罗在这里似乎是告诉哥林多人:『你们缺少爱,所以你们需要爱的神。按你们的光景,你们不需要大能大力的神,你们所需要的乃是爱与和平的神。』许多基督徒一想到神,就想到祂是大能、大力、行神迹的一位。但是保罗在这里所强调的却是爱与和平的神。他向哥林多人指明,他们所需要的是爱与和平的神。他们重看恩赐,特别重看说方言。因此,我们可以把他们看作古代的灵恩派。我从经历中晓得,灵恩派的人特别需要爱与和平的神。他们可能今天互相拥抱,明天又分裂了。要他们晓得甚么是真实的,非常困难,因为他们缺少爱与和平的神。我们需要喜乐、被成全、受安慰并和睦。我们也需要思念相同的事。我们若有这些经历,就会享受爱与和平的神。
14Because the believers at Corinth had strife and rivalry, they certainly were short of love. The book of 1 Corinthians has an entire chapter, chapter thirteen, devoted to the subject of love. Now in his conclusion of 2 Corinthians Paul emphasizes the God of love. He does not emphasize the God of power or the God of miracles. Here Paul seems to be telling the Corinthians, “You are lacking in love, and therefore you need the God of love. Because of your situation, you do not need the God of power or the mighty God. The One you need is the God of love and peace.” When many Christians think of God, they think of Him as the powerful One, the mighty One, the One who performs miracles. But here Paul’s emphasis i son the God of love and peace. He indicates to the Corinthians that they need the God of love and peace. They emphasized the gifts, in particular, tongue-speaking. For this reason, they may be regarded as ancient Pentecostals. From experience I know that Pentecostal people especially need the God of love and peace. They may embrace each other one day and be divided the next. They have much difficulty knowing what is genuine, for they are lacking in the God of love and peace. We need to rejoice, be perfected, be encouraged, and be at peace. We also need to think the same thing. If we have all this in our experience, we shall enjoy the God of love and peace
15事实上,爱是喜乐的原动力。我们若缺少爱,就毫无欢喜,也不能喜乐。当你满怀忿恨时,你也许想要喜乐,却喜乐不起来。照样,我们若满怀嫉妒,也不能喜乐。喜乐的人乃是充满爱、恩慈与和平的人。
15Actually, love is the motivating factor of rejoicing. If we are lacking in love, we shall not have any joy, and we shall not be able to rejoice. You may try to rejoice if you have hatred in your heart, but it will not work. Likewise, we cannot rejoice if we are full of jealousy. A rejoicing one is one who is filled with love, kindness, and peace.
16把林后十三章十一节挂在家里墙壁上,固然有价值。但更重要的是,我们应当将这些话持守在我们里面。
16It certainly would be worthwhile to put 2 Corinthians 13:11 on our wall at home. But more important, we should keep these words within us
圣别的亲嘴
A HOLY KISS
17保罗在十二节说,『你们要用圣别的亲嘴彼此问安。』这是出于纯洁之爱的亲嘴,没有一点污秽的搀杂。保罗在十二节的话,含示我们基督徒的生活必须平衡。仅仅有爱与和平还不彀,我们的爱必须以圣别来平衡。保罗晓得需要有平衡,所以嘱咐哥林多人要用圣别的亲嘴彼此问安。他在十三节说,『众圣徒都问你们安。』
17In verse 12 Paul says, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” This is a kiss of pure love, without any contaminating mixture. Paul’sword in verse 12 implies that in our Christian life there should be balance. It is not sufficient simply to have love and peace. Our love needs to be balanced with holiness. Realizing the need for this balance, Paul charges the Corinthians to greet one another with a holy kiss. Then in verse 13 he says, “All the saints greet you
18恩、爱与交通圣经的六十六卷书中,哥林多后书的结语非常独特,因为是以祝福为结束的:『愿主耶稣基督的恩,神的爱,圣灵的交通,与你们众人同在。』这祝福是以三一神的属性─恩、爱、交通─所组成的。父神的爱是源头、来源,恩典是爱的流出、彰显。有了爱作源头,我们可能会为别人作一些事或给人一些东西。这就是恩典作为爱的流出、彰显。譬如,我愿意给一位弟兄一只手表。送手表是彰显我对他的爱,我里面的爱是藉著送给他手表而彰显的。我们可以用这个例子来说明神的爱与基督的恩。爱是联于作源头的父,恩典是联于作流道、流出、彰显的子。
18GRACE, LOVE, AND FELLOWSHIP Among the sixty-six books of the Bible, 2 Corinthians is unique in that it concludes with a blessing: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” This blessing is composed of attributes of the Triune God: grace, love, and fellowship. The love of God the Father is the source, the fount, and grace is the flow, the expression, of love. With love as the source, we may do something for others or give something to them. This is grace as the outflow and expression of love. For example, I may desire to give a watch to a brother. The giving of the watch is an expression of my love for him. The love within me is expressed by my giving him a watch. We may use this to illustrate the love of God and the grace of Christ. Love is with the Father as the source, and grace is with the Son as the course, the flow, the expression
19圣灵的交通是沟通、来往、传输。因此,爱是源头,恩是流出,交通乃是带著源头之流出的传输。这样,我们有爱、恩、与交通作我们的享受,我们能有分于这三种属性。林后十三章十四节清楚说出恩典是属基督的,爱是属神的,交通是属圣灵的。哥林多后书强调恩典,所以十三章十四节先题到恩典。保罗在这卷书的别处很强的说到恩典。譬如,他在一章十二节说,『我们所夸的,是我们的良心见证我们凭著神的单纯和纯诚,在世为人,不靠属肉体的智慧,乃靠神的恩典,对你们更是这样。』然后在八章一至十五节,我们看见来自四方的恩典,特别是基督的恩典。保罗在八章九节说,『你们知道我们主耶稣基督的恩典,祂本来富足,却为你们成了贫穷,叫你们因祂的贫穷,可以成为富足。』然后在十二章九节,有整卷圣经中论到恩典也许最有名的一节:『祂对我说,我的恩典彀你用的,因为我的能力,是在人的软弱上显得完全。』
19The fellowship of the Holy Spirit is a matter of communication, transportation, transmission. Therefore, love is the source, grace is the flow, and fellowship is the transmission of the flow with the source. In this way we have love, grace, and fellowship as our enjoyment, and we participate in them. Second Corinthians 13:14 clearly says that grace is of Christ, love is of God, and fellowship is of the Holy Spirit. Because the book of 2 Corinthians emphasizes grace, grace is mentioned first in 13:14. Elsewhere in this book Paul speaks strongly of grace. For example, in 1:12 he says, “For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in singleness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.” Then in 8:1-15 we see grace from four parties, in particular, the grace of Christ. In 8:9 Paul says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, being rich, for your sakes He became poor, in order that you by His poverty might become rich.” Then in 12:9 we have perhaps the most famous verse on grace in the whole Bible: “And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness
20哥林多后书所陈明的恩典,实际上就是三一神具体化在子里,并藉著灵传输到我们全人里面作我们的享受。因此,恩典乃是三一神作我们的生命、生命的供应与享受。这恩典是出于父的爱,藉著灵传输到我们全人里面。因此,我们有基督的恩、神的爱与圣灵的交通。这就是对三一神完满的享受。
20Grace as presented in 2 Corinthians is actually the Triune God embodied in the Son and transmitted into our being through the Spirit for our enjoyment. Hence, grace is the Triune God as our life, life supply, and enjoyment. This grace issues out from the Father’s love and is transmitted into our being by the Spirit. Therefore, we have the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit—the full enjoyment of the Triune God