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歌罗西书生命读经 · 第2篇

引言

INTRODUCTION
1歌罗西一章一至八节是本卷书信的引言。这些经节作为引言，揭示这卷书信的目的和主题。保罗没有很明显的把目的和主题说出来，而是间接的透过标示表达出来。
1Colossians 1:1-8 is the introduction to this Epistle. As the introduction, these verses disclose the purpose and subject of the book. Paul’s purpose and subject are not stated explicitly, but rather indirectly through various indications to be found in these verses
三个标示
THREE INDICATIONS
2第一个标示是在『那给你们存在诸天之上的盼望』（5上）这句话里。另一个标示见于『福音真理的话』（5下）一辞。请注意保罗在这里所说的，乃是福音真理的话，而不仅仅是福音的话。第三个标示可见于『在真实中认识神恩典』（6）这句话。『在真实中』这辞是形容甚么？根据许多译本，这辞是形容『恩典』。还有人认为牠是副词，形容『认识』。假如我们明白这里的『真实』是指实际，而不仅是『真诚』，这样，把『在真实中』当作形容『认识』这个述词，就不会错了。按照这种领会，保罗的意思是说，我们必须在实际中认识神的恩典。
2The first of these indications is the phrase “the hope which is being laid up for you in the heavens” (v. 5). Another indication is found in the words “the word of the truth of the gospel” (v. 5). Notice that here Paul says the word of the truth of the gospel, not simply the word of the gospel. A third indication is seen in the words “fully knew the grace of God in truth” (v. 6). The word fully is an adverb that modifies the verb knew. What do the words “in truth” modify? According to many versions, this phrase modifies the word grace. Others regard it as an adverb modifying the predicate knew. If we understand truth here as reality, not just as sincerity, then it is correct to regard the words “in truth” as modifying the predicate knew. According to this understanding, Paul is saying that we must know the grace of God in its reality
给我们所存的盼望
THE HOPE BEING LAID UP FOR US
3现在我们来看五节所题的盼望。四至五节的盼望、信和爱，是使徒在林前十三章十三节所强调的三件事。哥林多前书著重爱，是因哥林多人的情况；这里著重盼望─严格的说，这盼望就是基督自己（西一27）─是为著启示基督对我们是一切。
3Let us now consider the hope mentioned in verse 5. Hope, faith, and love in verses 4 and 5 are the three things which the apostle stressed in 1 Corinthians 13:13. The emphasis there was on love because of the Corinthian situation. The emphasis here is on hope, which, strictly speaking, is Christ Himself (v. 27), for the revelation of Christ as everything to us
4有些人认为，那给我们存在诸天之上的盼望，是指某种特别的祝福，或某种荣耀的享受。我年轻时听人说，按照约翰十四章，主耶稣正在天上为我们豫备美妙的天堂，那就是给我们所存的盼望。何等的错误！我们的盼望乃是基督自己。根据歌罗西一章二十七节，基督在我们里面成了荣耀的盼望。一面，祂是在诸天之上；另一面，祂在我们里面，成了我们的盼望。
4Some think that the hope that is being laid up for us in the heavens refers to a particular blessing or some kind of glorious enjoyment. When I was young, I was told that, according to John 14, the Lord Jesus is preparing a wonderful mansion for us in heaven and that this is the hope laid up for us. What a mistake! Our hope is Christ Himself. According to verse 27, Christ in us is the hope of glory. On the one hand, He is in the heavens, but, on the other hand, He is in us to be our hope
信和爱
faith, and love
5我们若要充分明白这事，就需要来看四节所说的信和爱。保罗说，『因听见你们对基督耶稣的信，并对众圣徒的爱。』信是质实并接受在基督里的一切，爱是经历并享受我们从基督所接受的，盼望是期待并等候在基督里的得荣。每一位真基督徒都有对主耶稣的信，并对众圣徒的爱。这两者证明我们乃是真基督徒。假如我遇到某人，告诉他说，我相信主耶稣。他若不在爱里回应我，他可能就不是一个真信主的人。对众圣徒的爱和对主耶稣的信必定是并行的。这两样绝不可分开。
5If we would understand this fully, we need to consider the faith and love spoken of in verse 4. Paul says, “Having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and the love which you have unto all the saints.” Faith is to realize and receive what is in Christ, love is to experience and enjoy what we have received of Christ, and hope is to expect and wait for the glorification in Christ. Every genuine Christian has faith in the Lord Jesus and love toward all the saints. These two things prove that we are real Christians. Suppose I contact a certain person and tell him that I am one who believes in the Lord Jesus. If he does not respond to me in love, he himself may not be a genuine believer in the Lord. Love for the saints must always go along with faith in the Lord Jesus. They cannot be divorced.
6从我们开始相信基督的时候起，不论别的信徒是甚么国籍，我们自然而然就会爱他们。按我的天性与背景，我绝不会爱日本人。我年轻时，因著日本对中国所造成的伤害，我实在是恨日本人的。但我得救并开始服事主之后，曾应邀去中国东北访问一些日本籍的信徒，并在一位日本信徒的家中参加小型聚会。我一踏进那个房间，我里面自然而然涌出了对那些弟兄们的爱。我对日本人的恨意消失了。那些弟兄们相信主耶稣，我也相信祂。因此，我们既同为相信基督的人，就能彼此相爱。这爱不是天然的爱，乃是出自我们对主耶稣的信。我们必须爱所有的圣徒，正如歌罗西人爱众圣徒一般；不管他们是甚么国籍，也不管他们是犹太人还是外邦人，我们都爱。在主的恢复中，有许多不同国籍的人。按人来说，我们不可能成为一。但赞美主，不论我们是甚么国籍，因著我们都有对主耶稣的信，我们就能彼此相爱。当我接触从日本来的弟兄们时，我一点也不觉得他们是日本弟兄，而我是中国弟兄；反之，我只觉得我们都是在基督里圣别的弟兄。
6From the time we first believe in Christ , we spontaneously have love for other believers, no matter what their nationality may be. According to my nature and my background, I could never love the Japanese. When I was a youth, I actually hated them because of the damage Japan had caused to China. But after I had been saved and had entered into the Lord’s ministry, I was invited to visit some Japanese brothers in Manchuria. I attended a small gathering held in the home of a Japanese believer. As soon as I entered into the room, spontaneously a love for those brothers welled up within me. My hatred for the Japanese vanished. Those brothers believed in the Lord Jesus, and I believed in Him also. Therefore, we could love one another as fellow believers in Christ. This love is not a natural love, but a love that comes out of our faith in the Lord Jesus. We have to love all the saints, just as the Colossians loved all the saints, regardless of their nationality and regardless of whether they were Jew or Gentile. In the Lord’s recovery there are many nationalities. Humanly speaking, it is impossible for us to be one. However, we praise the Lord that no matter what our nationality may be, we love one another because we all have faith in the Lord Jesus. When I contact brothers from Japan, I do not have any consciousness that they are Japanese brothers and that I am a Chinese brother. On the contrary, I simply have the sense that we are all holy brothers in Christ
活基督并积存盼望
LIVING CHRIST AND LAYING UP HOPE
7我们所以能爱那些我们天然爱不来的人，乃是因著那给我们存在诸天之上的盼望。假如我是歌罗西书的著者，我会说，『因著那在诸天之上的盼望。』但保罗插入『给你们存』这个辞。事实上，给我们存在诸天之上的盼望这件事，是非常主观的。这和我们每天的生活息息相关。按照上下文，存在诸天之上的盼望与我们今天如何生活有绝大的关系。我们越爱圣徒，就越有盼望给我们存在诸天之上；然而，我们若不爱圣徒，就没有多少盼望给我们存留。
7The reason we can love those whom we could never love naturally is that hope is being laid up for us in the heavens. If I had been the writer of Colossians, I would have said “because of the hope in the heavens.” Paul, however, inserted the words “being laid up for you.” This matter of hope being laid up for us in the heavens is actually very subjective. It has very much to do with our daily living. According to the context, the laying up of hope in the heavens has a great deal to do with how we live today. The more we love the saints, the more hope is laid up for us in the heavens. However, if we do not love the saints, there will be very little hope laid up for us.
8假设有一位弟兄爱所有的圣徒，不管对方的国籍或文化背景如何；相反的，另一位弟兄依他的口味和爱好，有选择的爱圣徒。这一位弟兄爱所有相信基督的人，另一位只爱一部分选择过的圣徒。当主耶稣来的时候，那一位弟兄的盼望更大？当然是爱所有圣徒的那一位。这指明基督对我们是多大的盼望，在于我们今天是否活基督。我们现今越活基督，就越有给我们存在诸天之上的盼望，使我们得荣耀。若是一天过一天，我们不活基督，那么，基督虽在诸天之上，却不是为给我们存留，作我们的荣耀。比方，你将一笔赚来的钱存在银行，在你的银行户头里就有一笔存款为你存留。但假如你没有赚钱，也没有甚么存在银行里，就没有存款为你存留。同样的原则，为我们存留在诸天之上的盼望有多少，乃在于我们活基督有多少。因著那一位是我们的盼望，我们就必须是那些爱圣徒而不偏颇的人。这样的生活就是给我们自己在诸天之上积存盼望。在这一卷书信里，保罗似乎是说，『亲爱的歌罗西人阿！如果你们跟从犹太人的仪式或外邦人的规条，就没有给自己在诸天之上存甚么作为盼望。你们需要凭基督而活。有一天，那是我们生命的基督要显现在荣耀里。现今，你们和基督都藏在神里面。祂是你们内里的生命。但祂要显现在荣耀里，你们也要与祂一同显现。然而，我必须警告你们今天凭基督而活的重要性。』不错，保罗在三章四节说，基督是我们的生命，祂显现的时候，我们也要与祂一同显现在荣耀里。但假定我们不凭祂而活，反倒凭自己并我们的喜好而活，只爱那些合我们口味的人；这样有选择的爱圣徒，就是凭自己而活，不凭基督而活。如果我们这样活著，当主耶稣基督显现在荣耀里时，我们就不会喜乐。我再说，我们将来享受基督作我们荣耀的盼望有多少，乃在于我们今天活出基督有多少。因此，在诸天之上所存的盼望，乃在于我们的生活。
8Suppose a certain brother loves all the saints, no matter what their nationality or cultural background may be. Another brother, on the contrary, loves the saints selectively, according to his taste and preference. The one loves all who have faith in Christ, whereas the other loves only a select number of the saints. When the Lord Jesus comes, which brother will have the greater hope? Certainly it will be the one who loves all the saints. This indicates that how much hope Christ will be to us depends on our living Christ today. The more we live Christ now, the more hope will be laid up for us in the heavens for our glorification. However, if day by day we do not live Christ, Christ will be there in the heavens, but He will not be laid up as a glory for us. For example, if you deposit a certain amount of the money you earn in the bank, some savings will be laid up for you in your bank account. But if you fail to earn money and have nothing to deposit in the bank, there will be no savings laid up for you. In the same principle, the amount of hope that is being laid up for us in the heavens depends on how much we are living Christ. We need to be those who love the saints without partiality because of the One who is our hope. Such a living is the laying up for ourselves of hope in the heavens. In this Epistle Paul seemed to be saying, “Dear Colossians, if you follow the Jewish observances or the Gentile ordinances, you will not lay up anything for yourselves in the heavens as a hope. You need to live by Christ. One day, Christ who is our life will appear in glory. At present, both you and Christ are hidden in God. He is your inner life. But He will appear in glory, and you will appear with Him. However, I must warn you of the importance of living by Christ today.” Yes, in 3:4 Paul says that Christ is our life and that when Christ is manifested, we shall be manifested with Him in glory. But suppose we do not live by Him; instead we live by the self and by our preferences, loving only those saints who match our taste. To love the saints selectively is to live by the self, not by Christ. If we have this kind of living, we shall not be happy when the Lord Jesus Christ appears in glory. Once again I say that how much we shall enjoy Christ as our hope of glory depends on how much we live Him out today. There fore, the laying up of the hope in the heavens depends on our living.
9如果我们活基督，并与祂是一，我们就能说，『主耶稣，我爱你，我接受你作我的生命，并作我的人位。主，我要在你的荣耀里与你同在，并且面对面的看见你。我要享受你的同在，甚至实际的享受你亲身的同在。主阿，我等候这个同在，并期待这个同在。』倘若你日复一日与主这样的接触，祂再来的时候，你会非常的喜乐。然而，你若不在意主，也不接触祂。你也许不犯罪，不落入世界中，但你一直凭自己而活。你尊敬主耶稣是救主，是主。你虽然尊崇祂，但祂对你并不亲切，也不宝贵，你和祂没有亲密的交通。你既不活祂，也不以祂为人位。假如你每天生活中与主耶稣的关系是这样，你想祂再来的时候，你会兴奋得欢呼赞美么？当然不会！相反的，你会羞羞惭惭的从祂面前退去。基督的再来对你是不是荣耀，就在于你今天藉著活基督，而在诸天之上积存的盼望有多少。
9If we live Christ and are one with Him, we should be able to say, “Lord Jesus, I love You, and I take You as my life and as my person. Lord, I want to be with You in Your glory and see You face to face. I want to enjoy Your presence, even Your physical presence, in a practical way. Lord, I’m waiting for this and I’m expecting this.” If you contact the Lord in this way day by day, you will be very happy at His coming. Suppose, however, that you do not care for the Lord or contact Him. You may not sin or go into the world, but you continually live by the self. You respect the Lord Jesus as the Savior and as the Lord. But although you honor Him, He is not dear or precious to you, and you do not have intimate fellowship with Him. You neither live Him nor take Him as your person. Do you think that, if this is your daily living with respect to the Lord Jesus, you will be excited and shout praises at His coming? Certainly not! Rather, you will withdraw from Him in shame. Whether or not Christ’s coming back will be glory to you depends on how much hope you have laid up in the heavens by living Christ today
基督是我们的生命
CHRIST OUR LIFE
10在诸天之上积存盼望，乃是活基督，并以祂作我们的人位。在圣经中，惟有歌罗西三章四节说到基督是我们的生命。主耶稣在约翰十四章六节说，『我就是…生命。』但保罗在歌罗西三章四节说，基督是我们的生命，这种说法非常主观。既然基督是我们的生命，我们就必须凭祂活著，藉此为我们自己在诸天之上积存盼望。这就是因那给我们存在诸天之上的盼望，而爱众圣徒的意义。
10To lay up hope in the heavens is to live Christ and to take Him as our person. Colossians 3:4 is the only verse in the Bible which says that Christ is our life. In John 14:6 the Lord Jesus says, “I am the life.” But in 3:4 Paul says that Christ is our life, an expression which is very subjective. Since Christ is our life, we must live by Him and thereby lay up hope for ourselves in the heavens. This is what it means to love all the saints because of the hope which is laid up for us in the heavens
福音的真理
the truth of the gospel
11保罗在一章五节继续说，『〔这盼望〕就是你们从前在福音真理的话上所听见的。』福音的真理是福音的实际，福音的真事实，并不是福音的道理。『话』可视为福音的道理，『真理』却必定是指实际。我们传福音的时候，绝不能只有福音的话，也必须有福音的真理，就是基督自己。基督包罗万有的身位和祂多面救赎的工作，就是福音的实
11In 1:5 Paul goes on to say “of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel.” The truth of the gospel is the reality, the real facts, not the doctrine of the gospel. The word, not the truth, may be considered the doctrine of the gospel. In our preaching of the gospel there must be not only the word of the gospel, but also the truth of the gospel, which is Christ Himself. Christ, the reality of the gospel, must be the reality in our preaching.
12际。这位基督必须是我们传讲的实际。
12
13然而，许多福音的传讲只有话，也许是委婉动听的话，却没有实际。这意思是说，没有把基督当作实际供应给听的人。我们的传福音必须不一样。尽管我们可能拙口笨舌，但听的人必须能感到基督的实际正注入他们里面。那些听见这种福音的人，会浸透在作他们实际的基督里面。我们需要在祷告中告诉主，我们所渴望的不是字句的知识，乃是祂的同在并祂的自己灌注到我们里面，以及我们被祂浸透。我们要在祂属天的光照之下。我们留在祂的光照中越久，就会有越多的实际浸透我们，充满我们。这就是真理，也就是基督自己。
13However, in much gospel preaching there is only the word, perhaps the eloquent or persuasive word, but no reality. This means that Christ is not ministered as reality to those who hear. Our gospel preaching must be different. Although we may be slow in speech, the listeners must be able to sense that the reality of Christ is being infused into them. Those under such a preaching of the gospel will soak in Christ as their reality. We need to tell the Lord in prayer that what we desire is not knowledge in letters, but His presence with Himself being infused into us and ourselves being saturated with Him. We want to be under His heavenly shining. The longer we stay under His shining, the more reality will saturate and pervade us. This is the truth which is Christ Himself
14因著歌罗西人听见了福音真理的话，就是福音实际的话，他们就能爱众圣徒，藉著活基督而为自己在诸天之上积存盼望。他们以基督作生命，就能爱那些在人的一面爱不来的人。他们能藉著吸取基督作福音的实际，而享受基督作生命。这样，他们就能经历基督作他们的盼望。因此，在这些经节中，盼望和真理都是我们主观经历的基督。
14Because the Colossians had heard the word of the truth, the reality, of the gospel, they could lay up for themselves a hope in the heavens by living Christ in loving the saints. By taking Christ as their life, they could love those whom it was humanly impossible for them to love. They could enjoy Christ as life by soaking Him in as the truth of the gospel. In this way, they could experience Christ as their hope. Therefore, in these verses both the hope and the truth are the Christ we experience subjectively
福音的果子
THE FRUIT OF THE GOSPEL
15六节接著说，『这福音传到你们那里，也传到全世界，一直结果增长，正如在你们中间，自从你们听见，并在真实中认识神恩典的日子一样。』对众圣徒的爱乃是福音所结出的果子。福音在实际中传扬出去，就结出果子来，在接受福音的人里面，产生对众信徒的爱。
15Verse 6 continues, “Which is come to you, as also in all the world it is bearing fruit and growing, as also in you, since the day you heard and fully knew the grace of God in truth.” The love for the saints is the fruit borne by the gospel. When the gospel is preached in reality, it bears fruit. In those who receive it, it produces love for all believers
16在歌罗西的召会是由犹太人和外邦人组成的。照人来说，犹太人和外邦人是彼此相轻、相恨的；但歌罗西人相信主耶稣之后，犹太信徒和外邦信徒就彼此相爱了。这样的爱在人说来虽是不可能的，却是福音的果子。这结果增长的福音，也是基督自己。自从歌罗西人听见福音真理的话以来，那在他们里面增长的乃是基督。
16The church in Colosse was composed of both Jews and Gentiles. Humanly speaking, the Jews and the Gentiles despised and hated each other. But after the Colossians had believed in the Lord Jesus, the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers came to love one another. Although such a love is a human impossibility, it is a fruit of the gospel. This gospel which grows and bears fruit is also Christ Himself. It was Christ who was growing in the Colossians from the day they first heard the word of the truth of the gospel
在真实中认识神的恩典
FULLY KNOWING THE GRACE OF GOD IN TRUTH
17在这一节保罗说，歌罗西人『在真实中认识神〔的〕恩典』。这里所说认识神的恩典，乃是完满的认识，而不是部分的认识而已。神的恩典乃是神之于我们的所是，以及神在基督里所赐给我们的一切。（约一17，林前十五10。）事实上，恩典就是基督自己。约翰一章告诉我们，话与神同在，话就是神，这话成了肉体，支搭帐幕在我们中间，丰丰满满的有恩典，有实际。（1，14。）不仅如此，从祂的丰满里，我们都领受了，而且恩上加恩。（16。）真实在这里意即实际。在真实中认识神的恩典，就是在经历上实际认识神的恩典，并不是只在头脑里认识一些虚空的字句或道理。真实就是基督作实际，恩典乃是基督作我们的享受。当我们经历基督，并享受基督时，基督这实际就成了我们的恩典。福音在我们里面增长并结果的路，乃是藉著我们享受基督，并且经历基督作我们的恩典。在这几节经文中，我们看见基督对我们是何等的丰富：祂是我们的盼望、我们的真理、我们的实际、和我们的恩典。只有当基督成为我们的恩典时，我们才能享受祂并经历祂。我们越享受并经历基督，我们就越增长、结果、凭祂而活，并且给自己在诸天之上积存盼望。『在真实中』这辞，可以当作副词，形容述词『认识』，或当作形容词，形容名词『恩典』。神的恩典是在真实中，在实际里，不只是在道理或知识中。当我们聆听在主恢复中所释放的信息，我们常常享受在实际中的恩典。藉著这样的话语职事，在实际中的恩典就注入我们里面。因为这恩典是实在且具体的，我们就能尝到、享受这恩典，并凭这恩典而活。
17In this verse Paul says that the Colossians “fully knew the grace of God in truth.” To know the grace of God fully is to know it in full, not in part. The grace of God is what God is to us and what God gives to us in Christ (John 1:17; 1 Cor. 15:10). Actually, grace is Christ Himself. In the first chapter of the Gospel of John we are told that the Word which was with God and which was God became flesh and tabernacled among us, full of grace and truth (v v. 1, 14). Furthermore, of His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace (v. 16). Truth here means reality. To know the grace of God in truth is to know it in its reality experientially, not just in word or in doctrine mentally. Truth is Christ as reality, and grace is Christ as our enjoyment. As we experience Christ and enjoy Him, Christ as the truth becomes our grace. The way the gospel grows in us and bears fruit is through our enjoying Christ and experiencing Him as our grace. In these few verses we see that Christ is so much to us: our hope, our truth, our reality, and our grace. Only when Christ becomes grace to us can we enjoy Him and experience Him. The more we enjoy and experience Christ, the more we grow, bear fruit, live by Him, and lay up hope for ourselves in the heavens. The words “in truth” may be regarded either as an adverb modifying the predicate knew or as an adjective modifying the noun grace. The grace of God is in truth, in reality, not in mere doctrine or knowledge. As we listen to messages given in the Lord’s recovery, we often enjoy grace in reality. Through such a ministry of the Word, grace in reality is infused into us. Because this grace is solid and substantial, we can taste it, enjoy it, and live by it.
18如果我们把『在真实中』当作副词，形容『认识』，我们就看见，对恩典的认识不该在道理上，乃该在实际中。这意思是说，我们认识基督作恩典，必须是在实际里。在福音中，基督传输给我们，并注入我们里面，既是实际，又是恩典。我们有基督作我们的实际，这实际就是我们的享受。当我们凭我们所经历这位作实际和恩典的基督而活，我们就为自己在诸天之上积存盼望。
18If we take the words “in truth” as an adverb modifying knew, we see that our knowledge of grace should not be in doctrine, but in reality. This means that our knowing Christ as grace must be in reality. In the gospel Christ is conveyed to us and infused into us both as truth and as grace. We have Christ as our reality, and this reality is our enjoyment. As we live by the Christ whom we experience as truth and grace, we lay up for ourselves hope in the heavens
基督的执事
a minister of Christ
19在歌罗西一章七节保罗说，『正如你们从我们所亲爱，一同作奴仆的以巴弗所学的，他为你们作了基督忠信的执事。』在这里，保罗指出以巴弗是基督的执事。基督的执事不仅服事基督，是基督的仆人；也供应基督，是用基督服事别人的人。
19In verse 7 Paul says, “As you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-slave, who is a minister of Christ faithful for you.” Here Paul points out that Epaphras was a minister of Christ. A minister of Christ is not only a servant of Christ who serves Christ, but a serving one who serves others with Christ by ministering Christ to them.