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歌罗西书生命读经 · 第24篇

基督─一切影儿的实体

CHRIST—THE BODY OF ALL THE SHADOWS
1读经：歌罗西书2:16-18，20-22。在前一篇信息里，我们指出在神救恩的经纶中，神点活了我们，并把律法钉在十字架上，还把一切执政的、掌权的脱下。照保罗在歌罗西二章十四节的话来看，规条上所写，攻击我们、反对我们的字据，已被撤去。律法有一段时期是挡路的。虽然神使用过律法，但因著律法的阻碍，神要继续实行祂的经纶却很困难。因此，当基督被钉十字架时，神就来将律法钉在十字架上，而把牠撤去了。
1Scripture Reading: Col. 2:16-18, 20-22 In the foregoing message we pointed out that in the economy of His salvation God has enlivened us, has nailed the law to the cross, and has stripped off the rulers and authorities. According to Paul’sword in 2:14, the handwriting in ordinances, which was against us and contrary to us, has been taken out of the way. For a certain period of time, the law was in the way. Although God made use of the law, it was rather difficult for Him to move on to carry out His economy with the law in the way. Hence, when Christ was crucified, God came in to take the law out of the way by nailing it to the cross
新造的记念
A MEMORIAL OF THE NEW CREATION
2我盼望许多坚守安息日的安息日会信徒，能看见神的经纶与守安息日之间的不同。照旧约来看，安息日乃是神创造的表号。神作工六日之后，在第七日安息了；第七日就成了安息日。所以，第七日乃是旧造的一个见证，见证创造是出于神的手。人既是旧造的一部分，就有必要守这第七日。不过，新造却是在七日的第一日，就是主耶稣从死人中复活的那一日产生的。因著基督的复活，新造，包括在基督里重生的信徒所构成的召会，就产生了。因此，第七日是旧造的表号，第八日，就是七日的第一日，却是新造的表号。为这缘故，新约从来没有告诉我们，基督徒是在第七日聚集敬拜。但至少有两节圣经告诉20:7我们，圣徒在七日的第一日聚集。行传二十章七节说，『七日的第一日，我们聚集擘饼。』这说出在使徒保罗时代，圣徒在七日的第一日聚集记念主。这给我们看见，这一天乃是神新造的记念。我们既是新造里的信徒，就不再需要守第七日，而是在七日的第一日聚集记念主耶稣。保罗在林前十六章二节说，『每逢七日的第一日，你们各人要照所得的昌盛，拿出来储存著，免得我来的时候才收集。』这一节很强的印证，早期的基督徒在七日的第一日，而不是在第七日聚集。因为他们在这一天来在一起，这聚集就成了将他们给主的奉献收集在一起最好的时间。
2I hope that many Seventh - Day Adventists, who insist on the observance of the seventh - day Sabbath, will come to see the difference between God’s economy and the keeping of the Sabbath. According to the Old Testament, the Sabbath was a token of God’s creation. After laboring for six days, God rested on the seventh day, which became the Sabbath. Hence, the seventh day became a testimony of the old creation. It testified that creation came from God’s hand. As part of the old creation, man is obligated to keep the seventh day. However, the new creation came into existence on the first day of the week, on the day the Lord Jesus was resurrected from among the dead. Through Christ’s resurrection, the new creation, including the church constituted of the regenerated believers in Christ, was produced. Therefore, as the seventh day was a token of the old creation, the eighth day, the first day of the week, is a token of the new creation. For this reason, nowhere in the New Testament are we told that Christians met together to worship on the seventh day. But at least two verses indicate that the saints met on the first day of the week. Acts says that on “the first day of the week...the disciples came together to break bread.” This indicates that during the time of the Apostle Paul the saints gathered to remember the Lord on the first day of the week. This shows that this day is a memorial of God’s new creation. Because as believers we are in the new creation, we no longer are obligated to observe the seventh day. Instead, we come together on the first day of the week to remember the Lord Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 16:2 Paul says, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.” This verse also strongly confirms the fact that the early Christians met on the first day of the week, not on the seventh day. Because they came together on this day, that was the best time to gather together their offerings to the Lord.
3有些安息日会的信徒说，保罗也在安息日进会堂。不错，保罗的确这么作，但他的目的不是守安息日或敬拜神，他乃是藉此机会向犹太人传福音。新约中还有一处说到七日第一日的重要，那是在启示录一章十节。那里使徒约翰告诉我们，当主日他在灵里。主日乃是一周的第一日，就是主复活的日子。我们已经指出，早期的召会在这一天聚集。当主日，就是神新造的一个见证，约翰在灵里看见了神经纶的异象。连利未记二十三章中的各种豫表，也显示出七日之第一日的重要性。以色列百姓要将初熟的庄稼一捆，带给祭司，在耶和华面前摇一摇。（10～。）经上特特说到『祭司要在安息日的次日，把这捆摇一摇』。『安息日的次日』，当然就是第八日，也就是七日的第一日。同时利未记二十三章十六节说到七个安息日的次日，这日乃是五旬节，也是在七日的第一日。这些经节进一步指明第八日在神经纶中的地位。
3Some Seventh-Day Adventists point out that it was Paul’s practice to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Yes, this was Paul’s practice, but his purpose was not to keep the Sabbath or to worship God. It was to take advantage of the opportunity to preach the gospel to the Jews. Another indication of the importance of the first day of the week in the New Testament is found in Revelation 1:10. Here the Apostle John tells us that he was “in spirit on the Lord’s day.” The Lord’s Day is the first day of the week, the day the Lord was resurrected. As we have pointed out, the early church met on this day. On the Lord’s Day, a testimony of God’s new creation, John was in spirit to see visions related to God’secon o my. Even the types in Leviticus 23 show the importance of the first day of the week. The children of Israel were to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest to the priest to be waved before the Lord (v v. 10-11). We are told specifically that “on the morrow after the sabbath the 11 priest shall wave it.” The “morrow after the sabbath” is, of course, the eighth day, or, the first day of the week. Furthermore, Leviticus 23:16 speaks of “the morrow after the seventh sabbath.” This day was the day of Pentecost, which was also on the first day of the week. These verses are a further indication of the place of the eighth day in God’secon o my.
4我们已经看到，在神的经纶中，第七日是旧造的记念，而第八日乃是新造的记念。犹太人仍然在神的旧造中，所以他们还守第七日。但我们，就是召会，是在新造中，不再在旧造里，所以我们不需要守第七日。相反的，我们乃是在七日的第一日聚集，这日表明了复活的新起头。因此在基督里的信徒若仍主张守安息日，就是对圣经缺少正确的认识。对于在基督里的信徒，当记念的日子不再是安息日，而是七日的第一日，就是主耶稣从死里复活的日子。藉著祂在七日的第一日复活，我们蒙了重生。（彼前一3。）现今我们不再在旧造中，乃在新造里。
4We have seen that in God’secon o my the seventh day is a memorial of the old creation, whereas the eighth day is a memorial of the new creation. Because the Jews are still in God’sold creation, they continue to keep the seventh day. But because we, the church, are in the new creation and no longer in the old creation, we are not required to keep the seventh day. Instead, we gather together on the first day of the week, the day which marks a new beginning in resurrection. Hence, those believers in Christ who advocate the observance of a seventh-day Sabbath are short of the proper knowledge of the Bible. For believers in Christ, the memorial day should no longer be the Sabbath; it should be the first day of the week, the day the Lord Jesus was resurrected from among the dead. Through His resurrection on the first day of the week, we were regenerated (1 Pet. 1:3). Now we are no longer in the old creation, but in the new creation
属灵之事的影儿
SHADOWS OF SPIRITUAL THINGS
5在本篇信息中，我们要来看基督如何是一切影儿的实体。保罗在歌罗西二章十六至十七节说，『所以不拘在饮食上、或在节期、月朔、或安息日方面，都不可让人论断你们，这些原是要来之事的影儿，那实体却属于基督。』『在饮食上』按原文也可译作『在食物和饮料上』。食物和饮料表征满足和加力。节期指犹太人每年的节期，表征喜乐和享受。月朔表征在黑暗中因著光而有新的开始。安息日表征完成和安息。节期是每年的，月朔是每月的，安息日是每周的，饮食是每日的。所有这些礼仪律法的各项，都是在基督里要来之属灵事物的影儿。十七节的实体，就如人的身体，乃是实质。在律法里的仪式，是福音里真实事物的影儿，就如身体的影儿。基督是福音的实际。在福音里一切美好的事物都属于祂，都是祂。歌罗西书揭示这样一位包罗万有的基督，乃是神经纶的中心。
5In this message we need to consider how Christ is the body of all the shadows. In 2:16 and 17 Paul says, “Let no one therefore judge you in eating and in drinking or in respect of a feast or of a new moon or of Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.” The Greek words rendered “in eating and in drinking” may also be translated “in food and in drink.” Food and drink signify satisfaction and strengthening. The feasts denote the annual Jewish festivals, which signify joy and enjoyment, and the new moons signify a new beginning with light in darkness. Furthermore, the Sabbaths signify completion and rest. Feasts are yearly, new moons monthly, Sabbaths weekly, and eating and drinking daily. All these items of the ceremonial law are a shadow of the spiritual things in Christ, which are the things to come. The body in verse 17, like a man’s physical body, is the substance. The rituals in the law are a shadow of the real things in the gospel, like the shadow of a man’s body. Christ is the reality of the gospel. All the good things in the gospel belong to Him. The book of Colossians unveils such an all - inclusive Christ as the focus of God’secon o my.
6我作了基督徒多年，才完全领会二章十六至十七节的意义。保罗的观念乃是，律法仪式的各项，都是在基督里要来之属灵事物的影儿，就如影子像人身体的样子一般。节期、月朔、安息日、饮食的条例都是影儿；那实体，就是实在的实质，乃是基督。
6I was a Christian for years before I gained a proper understanding of 2:16 and 17. Paul’s concept is that the various aspects of the ceremonial law are a shadow of things to come, of the spiritual things in Christ, just as a shadow is a figure of a person’s body. The festivals, the new moons, the Sabbaths, and the regulations concerning eating and drinking all were shadows. The body, the solid substance, of the shadows is Christ
一切正面事物的实际
THE REALITY OF ALL POSITIVE THINGS
7在我们日常生活的环境中，许多事物都是基督的影儿。譬如我们吃的食物是影儿，不是真食物；真食物乃是基督。基督也是真饮料。我们所穿，遮盖我们、美化我们、使我们保暖的衣服，也是基督的影儿。基督乃是真正遮盖我们赤身、使我们温暖、并美化我们的那位。基督也是我们的真住处、真安息。我们所住的房子，也是基督作我们居所的影儿。我们夜里所享受的安息，也是基督作我们安息的影儿。我们在享受美味后的满足也不是真满足，乃是基督作我们满足之实际的影儿。
7Many things in our environment of daily living are also shadows of Christ. For example, the food we eat is a shadow, not the real food. The real food is Christ. Christ is also the real drink. The clothing we wear to cover us, to beautify us, and to keep us warm is also a shadow of Christ. Christ is the One who truly covers our nakedness, who keeps us warm, and who imparts beauty to us. Christ is also our true dwelling place and real rest. The houses in which we live are a shadow of Christ as our dwelling place. The rest we enjoy at night is also a figure of Christ as our rest. Even the satisfaction we enjoy after a good meal is not the real satisfaction but a shadow of Christ as the reality of satisfaction
8在十六节，保罗说到与每日生活、每周生活、每月生活、和每年生活有关的事。我们已经指出，饮食是每日的，安息日是每周的，月朔是每月的，节期是每年的。我们生活的各面都是基督的影儿。吃喝表征每日的满足和加力。安息日表征每周的完成和安息；没有完成，我们就无法享受安息。安息来自完成和满足；你完成一件事并因此而满足时，你就能有安息。神在第六日完成了祂创造的工作之后，就在第七日享受安息。我也能见证，我完成我的工作，并因此而满意之后，我才享受安息。因此，安息日是表征每周的完成和安息。
8In verse 16 Paul covers matters related to daily life, weekly life, monthly life, and yearly life. As we have pointed out, eating and drinking are daily, the Sabbaths weekly, the new moons monthly, and the feasts yearly. All the aspects of our living are shadows of Christ. Eating and drinking signify daily satisfaction and strengthening, and the Sabbath signifies weekly completion and rest. Without completion, we cannot enjoy rest. Rest always comes from completion and satisfaction. When you have finished a certain matter and are satisfied with it, you are then able to be at rest. After God completed His work of creation on the sixth day, He enjoyed rest on the seventh day. I can testify that I can enjoy rest only when my work has been completed and I am satisfied with it. Hence, the Sabbath signifies completion and rest on a weekly basis.
9月朔表征每月在黑暗中因著光而有新的开始。旧约时代月朔如何表征新的开始，今天基督就是这样使我们在黑暗中因著光而有新的开始。最近我听到一位犹太籍弟兄几个月前得救的见证。他到主这里来以前，乃是在黑暗中，就像今天所有不信主的犹太人一样。但现在基督是他的月朔，使他在黑暗中有了光。节期表征每年的享受和喜乐。神的选民要一年三次聚集，过每年的节期；那时是他们在主面前一同享受、一同喜乐的时光。节期虽然是叫人享受的，但只是基督的影儿。祂才是真食物、真饮料、真完成，祂也是真月朔、真节期。我们每日吃喝基督，每周在祂里面有完成和安息，每月在祂里面经历新的开始，并且终年经历祂作我们的喜乐和享受。因此，基督日日、周周、月月、年年对我们都是每一正面事物的实际，含示这位包罗万有的基督宇宙性的广阔。保罗在第一章告诉我们，基督是众圣徒的分，是不能看见之神的像，是一切受造之物的首生者，是身体的头，是从死人中复活的首生者，是一切的丰满乐意居住在祂里面的一位，是那位在我们里面荣耀的盼望。保罗在第二章继续说到，基督是神的奥秘，一切智慧和知识的宝藏，都藏在祂里面。说了这些之后，保罗就说到我们实际的生活，关乎我们日日、周周、月月、年年的事。保罗在二章十六节所题到的事，乃是与地球的自转，或绕著太阳的公转有关。没有这样的自转和公转，我们就无法维持肉身的生命。因著地球的自转和公转，我们才有了日、周、月和年。我们已经一再的指出，所有这些日、周、月和年之事的实际乃是基督。
9A new moon signifies a monthly new beginning with light in darkness. Just as the new moon marked a new beginning in Old Testament times, so Christ affords us a new beginning with light in darkness today. Recently I heard the testimony of a Jewish brother who was saved a few months ago. Be fore he came to the Lord, he was in darkness, like all unbelieving Jews today. But now Christ is his new moon with light in darkness. The feasts signify yearly enjoyment and joy. Three times a year, God’s chosen people came together for the annual feasts, which were times of enjoyment, of rejoicing together before the Lord. Although the feasts were enjoyable, they were simply shadows of Christ. He is the real food, drink, completion, rest, new moon, and feast. Daily we eat and drink Him, weekly we have completion and rest in Him, monthly we experience a new beginning in Him, and throughout the year He is our joy and enjoyment. Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly Christ is to us the reality of every positive thing. In chapter one Paul shows us that Christ is the portion of the saints, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, the Head of the Body, the firstborn from among the dead, the One in whom all the fullness is pleased to dwell, and our indwelling hope of glory. In chapter two he goes on to say that Christ is the mystery of God and the One in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. After all this, Paul comes to our practical living, which involves daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly matters. The items covered by Paul in 2:16 are related either to the rotation of the earth on its axis, or to the revolution of the earth in its orbit around the sun. Without this rotation and revolution, we would have no way to maintain our physical life. Because of the earth’sr o tation and revolution, we have days, weeks, months, and years. As we have pointed out again and again, the reality of all these daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly things is Christ.
10保罗在十七节说，基督是一切影儿的实体。这指明祂是我们食物和饮料的实际，是我们完成和安息的实际，是我们在黑暗中因著光而有新开始的实际，也是我们享受和喜乐的实际。我们每天、每周、每月、每年都需要基督。我们日日、周周、月月、年年的生活中，所有正面的事物都必须是基督。祂不只在道理上成为我们的一切，更在我们的经历中成为我们的一切。我能见证基督是我的完成、我的安息、我的新开始、我的享受、我的喜乐、我的食物、我的饮料、和我的满足。虽然基督是宇宙性的广阔，祂也是我们每天实际生活的每一细节。日复一日，祂是我们的气息，也是我们的一切。不需要发表意见保罗在二章十六节说，『都不可让人论断你们。』在十八节，他继续说，『不可让人凭故意卑微…骗取你们的奖赏。』从二十至二十二节来看，我们不必遵守规条。基督既是一切影儿的实体，我们就能脱离那些主张智慧派和禁欲主义人士的论断或意见。
10In verse 17 Paul says that Christ is the body of all the shadows. This means that He is the reality of our food and drink, of our completion and rest, of our new beginning with light in darkness, and of our enjoyment and joy. Every day, week, month, and year we need Christ. All the positive things in our daily life, weekly life, monthly life, and yearly life must be Christ. Christ must become everything to us not merely in a doctrinal way, but in the way of experience. I can testify that Christ is my completion, my rest, my new beginning, my enjoyment, my joy, my food, my drink, and my satisfaction. Although Christ is universally vast, He is also all the detailed aspects of our practical daily living. Day by day, He is our breath and everything to us. NO NEED FOR THE EXPRESSION OF OPINION In 2:16 Paul says, “Let no one therefore judge you.” In verse 18 he goes on to say, “Let no one purposely defraud you of your prize.” According to verses 20 through 22, there is no need for us to subject ourselves to ordinances. Since Christ is the body of all shadows, we can be free from the judgment or opinion of those who advocate Gnosticism and asceticism
11从我来到美国，开始在这里尽职事以来，我一再告诉人，要忘掉他们的道理和意见。照神的算法，只有基督才有价值。道理和意见都无关紧要；重要的乃是基督，为著我们日日、周周、月月、并年年的生活。这些年来，我已经学会不再坚持自己的意见，也不发表意见。可是有的人却可能对一些诸如买那一种吸尘器来打扫会所的事，很强的发表自己的意见。辩论这些琐碎的事毫无价值。我可能对这样的事有意见，但我学会不去发表。为自己的意见争辩，完全是浪费时间。在召会生活中，我们应该只有一个因素、一个理由、一个元素、一个源头，就是基督。基督既是我们的因素、理由、元素和源头，我们就不需要发表我们的意见，或争辩甚么。我们可能有许多意见，但我们需要学习靠著主的怜悯，不去发表意见。有的人比较喜欢用筷子吃东西，有的人喜欢用刀叉，甚至用手吃东西，但只要他们把食物吃进去，用甚么吃又有何妨？根本不需要为著吃东西用的餐具发表意见。
11From the time I came to this country and began the ministry here, I have told people to forget their doctrines and opinions. According to God’s mathematics, only Christ has value. Doctrines and opinions do not matter. What matters is the Christ who is for our daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly life. Throughout the years, I have learned not to hold to my opinions or to express them. Others, however, may strongly express their opinions even over things such as the kind of vacuum cleaner to purchase for use in the meeting hall. There is no value in arguing about such trivial things. I may have opinions about such matters, but I have learned not to express them. To argue on behalf of our opinions is altogether a waste of time. In the church life we should have just one factor, one reason, one element, one source: Christ. Because Christ is our factor, reason, element, and source, there is no need for us to express our opinions or to argue. Although we may have many opinions, we need to learn, by the Lord’s mercy, not to express our opinion. Some people may prefer to eat with chopsticks, whereas others may prefer a knife and fork or even their fingers. What difference does it make as long as they take the food into them? There is no need to express an opinion regarding utensils used in eating
12意见是己的堡垒。也许我们的意见非常强，但在召会生活中，我们可以学习不发表意见。这并不是说我们容许拜偶像之类的事，我们绝对反对这类的事。但还有太多的事情，不需要我们发表意见。基督若真是我们日日、周周、月月、年年生活中的一切，我们就不必发表自己的意见了。我们有基督作我们独一的因素、理由、元素和源头。
12Opinion is the stronghold of the self. Although our opinions may be extremely strong, we can learn in the church life not to express them. This does not mean, however, that we agree with things such as idolatry. We must be strong to oppose that kind of thing. But regarding so many other matters, we need not express our opinion. If Christ is truly everything to us in our daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly life, there will be no need for us to express our opinion. We have Christ as our unique factor, reason, element, and source