Books
歌罗西书生命读经 · 第25篇

基督与神秘主义相对

CHRIST VERSUS MYSTICISM
1读经：歌罗西书2:18-19，以弗所书4:15-16。虽然歌罗西书是一卷短的书信，但其中各部分是从不同的方向、不同的观点写的。在一章和二章前半部，保罗是从宇宙的角度来写。但从二章中间开始，他是从我们日常实际生活的角度来写。保罗从宇宙的角度转向实际生活的角度，使我们能看见神救恩的经纶。
1Scripture Reading: Col. 2:18-19; Eph. 4:15-16 Although Colossians is a short book, different parts of it are written from different directions, from different points of view. In chapter one and in the first part of chapter two, Paul writes from a universal direction. But starting from the middle of chapter two, he begins to write from the direction of our practical daily life. In turning from the universal perspective to the practical perspective, he enables us to see the economy of God’ss alvation
2神在祂的救恩里，没有意思要保存律法，也没有意思要天使占有显著的地位。在神救恩的经纶里，律法和天使都必须撤去。神在拯救祂子民的事上，不要用间接的凭藉。相反的，祂盼望直接接触祂所拣选的人。神将律法涂抹掉，并将执政和掌权的脱下，这事实说出，现今道路已经清理了，神可以直接接触祂所拣选的人，而不受任何一种居间者的干扰。律法和天使被撤去之后，所留下来的一切正面事物都是基督的影儿。诸天、太阳、月亮、星宿、食物和饮料，都是基督的影儿、表征；基督乃是这些影儿的实体、实质。我们肉身生活每天、每周、每月、每年所需的一切，都是影儿；惟有基督是实际、实体。信徒们回头遵守律法，乃是极严重的错误。不仅如此，敬拜天使对神乃是极大的侮辱。照样，我们若尊重肉身的、物质的东西过于基督，也是侮慢神；因为这一切都是基督的影儿。我再说，律法已经撤去了，天使也被脱下了，而物质的东西都是影儿。因此，我们有立场说，基督是一切，又在一切之内。祂是我们的律法、规条、仪文、天使、宇宙、日、月、星辰、天、地、食物和饮料。祂是我们每日、每周、每月、每年生活中一切正面事物的实际。保罗从宇宙的角度来写这封书信，是要给我们看见，基督乃是众圣徒的分、不能看见之神的像、一切受造之物的首生者、身体的头、从死人中复活的首生者、神的丰满居住在其中的那一位、神经纶的奥秘、内住之荣耀的盼望、神的奥秘、一切智慧和知识的宝藏都藏在其中的那一位。基督既是这样的一位，祂乃是深奥、超越、包罗万有、并普及一切的。然而，祂住在我们里面，成了我们荣耀的盼望。（一27。）保罗从宇宙的角度转到我们日常生活的角度，是要给我们看见，基督是我们每日、每周、每月、每年生活中，一切正面事物的实际。因此，基督不仅是普及一切、包罗万有的，祂也在每一细节上是实际的。
2In His salvation God has no intention to preserve the law; neither does He intend for angels to occupy a prominent position. In the economy of God’ss alvation, both the law and the angels must be taken out of the way. In the salvation of His people, God does not want to use any indirect means. Instead, He desires to have direct contact with His chosen ones. The fact that God has wiped out the law and stripped off the rulers and authorities means that the way is now clear for God to contact His people directly without interference of any kind of mediation. All the positive things that remain after the law and the angels have been taken out of the way are shadows of Christ. The heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars, food, and drink are all shadows, figures, of Christ, who is the body, the substance, of the shadows. All that we need for our physical living daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly is a shadow. Only Christ is the reality, the body. It is a serious mistake for believers to go back to the observances of the law. Furthermore, the worship of angels is a great insult to God. In like manner, we insult Him if we respect physical or material things more than Christ, for all such things are shadows of Christ. To repeat, the law has been taken away, the angels have been stripped off, and the material things are shadows. There fore, we have the ground to say that Christ is all in all. He is our law, ordinance, observance, angel, universe, sun, moon, star, heaven, earth, food, and drink. He is the reality of all positive matters in our daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly living. Writing from a universal direction, Paul shows 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 the fullness of God dwells, the mystery of God’s economy, the indwelling hope of glory, the mystery of God, and the One in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. As such a One, Christ is profound, preeminent, all - inclusive, and universal. Nevertheless, He dwells in us to be our hope of glory (1:27). Turning from the universal perspective to the perspective of our daily life, Paul shows us that Christ is the reality of all the positive things for our daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly life. Therefore, Christ is not only all-inclusive universally; He is also detailed practically.
3从宇宙的角度转到实际的角度，是记在二章十四至十五节。在这二节里，保罗很清楚的强调：在神的救恩中，神没有意思要让祂和祂所拣选的人之间有任何事物。为了清理道路，使祂所拣选的人活过来，祂将律法钉在十字架上，也将天使脱下。虽然神暂时利用律法，也命定天使作为管理者，但神不容让律法和天使挡在救恩的路上。现今律法和天使已经撤去了，神有一个清新的气氛和不受拦阻的环境，可以接触祂所拣选的人，使他们活过来。祂不只救赎了祂所拣选的人，也使他们活过来。今天这位救赎人并赐人生命的神，能直接接触祂所拣选的人。在这二节从宇宙的角度转到实际的角度之后，保罗继续说到物质的事物，我们每天的饮食，以及属于我们周周、月月、年年生活的事。在短短两节中，他论到饮食、安息日、月朔和节期。他指出，这些东西不过是影儿，而实体、实际、实质乃是基督。这意思是说，我们若没有基督，就没有实际，只有影儿。基督是实际，是一切正面事物的实体。因此，在神的经纶中，没有肉身或物质的东西，只有基督。再者，基督不仅是神的像、一切受造之物的首生者、从死人中复活的首生者、神丰满的具体化身、神经纶和神自己的奥秘；祂甚至是律法、天使、食物、饮料、月朔、安息日和节期。基于这样的启示，我们就有胆量，也有把握宣告说，基督是一切，又在一切之内。这不是我们的教训，这只是简单的承认保罗在歌罗西书所说的。我们这些在主恢复中的人，能看见基督的这些方面，这是何等的怜悯！我们有歌罗西一、二章作基础，就有信心说，我们的基督既是一切，又在一切之内，祂就是宇宙中每一样正面事物的实际。
3The turn from the universal perspective to the practical perspective is made in 2:14-15. In these verses Paul makes it emphatically clear that in God’ss alvation God has no intention to have anything between Him and His chosen people. In order to clear the way to enliven His chosen ones, He nailed the law to the cross and stripped off the angels. Although God used the law temporarily and although He ordained angels for His government, He will not allow either the law or the angels to stand in the way of His salvation. Now that the law and the angels have been taken out of the way, God has a clear atmosphere and an unhindered environment to contact the ones He has chosen and enliven them. He not only redeems His chosen ones, but also seeks to enliven them. Today the redeeming and life-giving God can have direct contact with His chosen people. After making the turn in these verses from the universal direction to the practical direction, Paul goes on to speak of the physical things, of our daily eating and drinking and of matters pertaining to our weekly, monthly, and yearly life. In just two verses he deals with eating and drinking, Sabbaths, new moons, and festivals. He points out that these things are shadows, whereas Christ is the body, the reality, the substance. This means that if we do not have Christ, we do not have reality; we have only shadows. Christ is the reality, the body of all positive things. Hence, in God’secon o my there are no physical things or material things — there is only Christ. Moreover, Christ is not only the image of God, the firstborn of all creation, the firstborn from among the dead, the embodiment of the fullness of God, the mystery both of God’secon o my and of God Himself; He is even the law, the angels, the food, the drink, the new moon, the Sabbath, and the feasts. Based upon such a revelation, we have the boldness and the assurance to declare that Christ is all in all. This is not our teaching; it is simply a recognition of what Paul says in Colossians. What a mercy that we in the Lord’s recovery can see Christ in all these aspects! With Colossians 1 and 2 as our basis, we have the confidence to say that, as the One who is all in all, our Christ is the reality of every positive thing in the universe.
4歌罗西的圣徒该领悟这件事，这是太重要了。他们不需要接受宗教的规条，或最高的文化产品，包括神秘主义、哲学和禁欲主义。在哥林多有淫乱的问题，但在歌罗西，圣徒们实行禁欲主义，为要禁戒肉体的情欲。歌罗西人没有看见基督是一切的异象。否则，他们就不会让文化侵入召会，欺骗他们，使他们离开基督。
4It was crucial for the believers in Colosse to realize this. There was no need for them to accept religious ordinances or the highest products of culture, including mysticism, philosophy, and asceticism. At Corinth there was the problem of fornication, but in Colosse the saints were practicing asceticism in order to restrict the lustful flesh. The Colossians had not seen the vision that Christ is everything. Otherwise, they would not have allowed culture to pervade the church and to defraud them of Christ
壹 不可让人骗取我们的奖赏
I. LETTING NO ONE DEFRAUD US
5在二章十八节，保罗向歌罗西的信徒发出一项警告：『不可让人凭故意卑微，并敬拜天使，所作反对你们的判断，骗取你们的奖赏；这等人留恋于所见过的，随著自己肉体的心思，徒然自高自大。』『所作反对你们的判断，骗取你们的奖赏，』这句话的原文很难繙译，也可译成『断定你们不配』，意思是论断或批评人，以欺哄人。异端的教师断定圣徒不配直接敬拜神，必须经由天使作中保才能进到神前。这就骗取了圣徒的奖赏，叫他们不能享受基督。基督是我们惟一的中保，我们在祂里面就能直接敬拜神。
5In 2:18 Paul issues a warning to the believers at Colosse: “Let no one purposely defraud you of your prize, in humility and worship of the angels, standing on things which he has seen, vainly puffed up by the mind of his flesh.” The Greek word rendered “purposely defraud” is difficult to translate. It may also be rendered “judge you unworthy.” It means to judge or criticize in such a way as to deceive. The heretical teachers judged that the saints were not worthy to worship God directly and told them that they had to worship God through the mediation of angels. This was to defraud the saints of their prize, which is Christ. In Christ, our sole Mediator, we can worship God directly
6十八节的『故意』一辞，原文是指一个人和别人接触，已经定意要得著对方。这指明有人在与人接触时，目的就是要得著对方，俘掳对方。甚至基督徒也可能被仇敌利用，这样来骗取人。他们接触人，可能是有意要捉住别人。在歌罗西，有些人来到圣徒那里，就著某些作法论断他们、批评他们。如十六节所指明的，他们论断信徒吃喝、节期、月朔、安息日等类的事。十八节继续十六节所说的观念。这里保罗叫我们不要容让人论断我们，那些人的目的是要骗取我们。凡是想要欺哄你的人，都是先带著批评的灵，指出他们以为错的事。他们也可能批评召会或职事；他们会批评聚会或是批评你所过的召会生活。这种批评的用意是要欺哄你，然后，骗取你，抓取你，使你离开基督与召会。『骗取』在这里的意思是，用论断和批评来骗取。这样骗取的目的，是要夺去你的奖赏，就是你对基督与召会生活的享受。
6The Greek expression for “purposely defraud” points to someone who contacts another with the fixed and determined intention of capturing him. It indicates someone who approaches another with the purpose of catching him and of making a prey of him. Even Christians can be used by the enemy to defraud in this way. They may contact others purposely with the intention to capture them. In Colosse certain ones came to the saints, judging them and criticizing them with respect to particular practices. As verse 1 6 indicates, they judged the believers regarding eating and drinking, feasts, new moons, and Sabbaths. Verse 18 continues the concept expressed in verse 16. Here Paul tells us that we should not allow anyone to judge us with the intention of defrauding us. All those who seek to defraud you come firstly with a critical spirit to point out things they feel are wrong or mistaken. They may criticize the church or the ministry. They may speak critically of the meetings or of your participation in the church life. The intention of such criticism is to deceive you and then to defraud you by snatching you away from Christ and the church. The meaning of defraud here is to defraud by judging and criticizing. The intention is to deprive you of your prize, which is the enjoyment of Christ and of the church life.
7如果你问那些离开召会生活的人，你会发现他们对包罗万有基督的享受，并对召会生活的享受，已经被夺去。基督与召会，头和身体，乃是我们的享受，我们的奖赏。夺去了基督与召会，就是夺去了我们的奖赏。热中犹太教者以及智慧派之人的邪恶用意，乃是要夺去歌罗西圣徒对基督与召会的享受。他们为了骗取歌罗西圣徒所用的手段，乃是批评他们有关月朔、安息日这等的事。他们也许指摘歌罗西圣徒不守安息日，指控他们忽略这事。然后他们可能会争辩说，他们有圣经的根据，可以嘱咐人遵守神所设立的安息日。不仅如此，他们也许指控歌罗西圣徒不守月朔和每年的节期。无疑的，他们的话很能说服人，也有很大的影响力。除非我们有正确的辨识，否则这种话听起来总是很吸引人。因此，我们一定要看见，二章十六节所列的项目，乃是影儿，其实际和实质乃是基督。我们既有了基督，就不需要遵守安息日、月朔和节期，也不需要遵从那些饮食的条例。我们既有了基督，为甚么还需要守安息日？我们若有保罗的眼光，任何人都很难骗取我们。虽然年轻人仍然相当容易被骗取，但我能作见证，因著我有保罗宇宙方面和实际方面的观点，所以我像水晶一样的明亮，人不能轻易骗取我的奖赏。除了要有保罗的观点之外，我们也需要有正确的认识。这认识能使我们有必需的辨识力。譬如，我们需要有辨识力，会分辨英文大写字母『Ｉ』和小写字母『ｌ』，以及阿拉伯数字『1』之间的不同。我幼年学英文时，很难分辨这三者。这指明甚至在这样小的事上，我们也需要辨识力。在属灵的事上，原则也是一样。近年来离开召会生活的人，就是缺少辨识力。他们对神的经纶没有清楚的看见，也缺少认识。因为他们盲目的跟从别人，他们就被骗取。他们被人骗取，失去了对基督与召会的享受。
7If you check with those who have left the church life, you will find that they have been deprived of the enjoyment of the all-inclusive Christ and also of the enjoyment of the church life. Christ and the church, the Head and the Body, are our enjoyment, our prize. To be deprived of Christ and the church is to be defrauded of our prize. The evil intention of the Judaizers and Gnostics was to defraud the saints in Colosse of their enjoyment of Christ and the church. The method used to defraud them was to criticize them with respect to such things as new moons and Sabbaths, perhaps criticizing them for not observing the Sabbath. They may have accused them of negligence in this matter, and then they may have argued that they had the scriptural ground to charge them to keep the Sabbath ordained by God. Furthermore, they may have accused them for not observing the new moons and the yearly festivals. No doubt, their words were very persuasive and exerted much influence. Unless we have the proper discernment, such words may sound very convincing. There fore, it is crucial to see that all the items listed in 2:16 are shadows of which Christ is the reality and substance. Because we have Christ, we do not need to observe the Sabbath, the new moons, or the festivals, and we do not need to submit to regulations concerning eating and drinking. Since we have Christ, what need is there for us to keep the Sabbath? If we have Paul’s point of view, it will be very difficult for anyone to defraud us. Although it is still rather easy for young ones to be defrauded, I can testify that, because I have Paul’sun i versa land practical perspective, I am crystal clear and cannot easily be deprived of my prize. In addition to having Paul’s view, we also need to have the proper knowledge. This knowledge will enable us to have the necessary discernment. For example, we need discernment in order to distinguish between an upper case letter I, a lower case letter l, and an Arabic numeral 1. When I was learning English as a young person, I had difficulty distinguishing between these three things. This indicates that even in small matters we need discernment. The principle is the same in spiritual matters. Those who have left the church life in recent years lacked discernment. They did not have a clear view of God’secon o my, and they were short of knowledge. Because they followed others blindly, they were defrauded. They were deprived of the enjoyment of Christ and the church.
贰 神秘主义的异端
II. THE HERESY OF MYSTICISM
一 教导自谦的卑微
A. Teaching Self-abasing Humility
8保罗在十八节说到与骗取奖赏有关的卑微。敬拜天使之异端的教师，教导圣徒表示卑微，看见自己不配直接敬拜神。他们在这样故意卑微和敬拜天使的元素和范围里，骗取圣徒在基督里的奖赏。有些智慧派的教师说，人太低下了，不能直接敬拜神。他们倡导一种自谦的卑微，一种自贬的样子，要表示自己是谦卑的。他们教导说，凡是这样卑微的人，不该自以为可以直接敬拜神。这些智慧派的人教导说，不经中保而放胆敬拜神，乃是骄傲的表示。他们题醒信徒们说，他们是犯罪堕落的人，有肉体的情欲和邪恶的意念。他们又说，那些谦卑的人，都不想直接敬拜圣别、纯洁的神。藉著这种自表卑微，他们引诱歌罗西信徒，领他们转去敬拜天使。藉此，他们夺去了歌罗西圣徒对基督的享受。这些信徒不直接享受基督作他们的中保，却转向天使，结果他们的奖赏就被骗取了。
8In verse 18 Paul speaks of humility with respect to being defrauded of the prize. The heretical teachers of angel worship taught the saints to show humility by considering themselves not worthy to worship God directly. They defrauded the saints of their prize in Christ in the element and sphere of such humility and worship of angels. Certain Gnostic teachers said that man was too low to worship God directly. They advocated a type of self- abasing humility, some form of self-depreciation which was supposed to show that a person was humble. They taught that those who have such humility will not presume to worship God directly. To be so bold as to worship God without mediation, these Gnostics taught, was a mark of pride. They reminded the believers that they were sinful, fallen beings with fleshly lusts and evil thoughts. They went on to say that those who are humble will not attempt to worship directly the holy and pure God. Through such a show of humility, they seduced the Colossian believers and led them astray to the worship of angels. By this means, they deprived the Colossian saints of their enjoyment of Christ. Instead of enjoying Christ directly as their Mediator, the believers turned to angels. As a result, they were defrauded of their prize
二 留恋于所见过的
B. Standing on Things Seen
9那些骗取歌罗西圣徒的人，留恋于所见过的；他们坚持自己看见了一些异象。异端的教师是在眼见的范围里，与十二节的信心相对。他们喜欢看见奇特的事。这样坚持眼见的经历，就产生肉体的骄傲，随著肉体的心思，徒然自高自大。今天原则也是一样，许多信徒喜欢奇特的异象。有些人甚至说他们接触过天使。今天在许多五旬节派的聚会中，有人述说他们所看见的异象。这些所谓的异象常是照著他们的私欲。坚持在异象中所以为见到的东西，真是愚昧。歌罗西的异端者就是这种异象派的人，坚持他们所见过的。结果，他们就随著自己肉体的心思，徒然自高自大。他们虽然实行自谦的卑微，实际上却骄傲无比。
9Those who were defrauding the saints in Colosse took their stand on things which they had seen; they insisted on certain visions they had supposedly seen. The heretical teachers were in the realm of sight, contrasted with the faith in verse 12. They liked to have curious visions. Such insistence on visual experience resulted in fleshly pride, the vain puffing up by the mind of the flesh. The principle is the same today. Many believers are fond of curious visions. Some even claim to have had contact with angels. In many meetings held in today’s Pentecostalism, certain ones tell of visions they have seen. These so-called visions are often according to their own lusts. It is folly to insist on things supposedly seen in visions. The heretics in Colosse were such visionaries, insisting on what they had seen. The result was that they were vainly puffed up by the mind of the flesh. Although they practiced a self-abasing humility, they actually were very proud
三 不持定元首
C. Not Holding the Head
10保罗说到二章十八节的事之后，又在十九节继续说，『不持定元首；本于祂，全身藉著节和筋，得了丰富的供应，并结合一起，就以神的增长而长大。』敬拜天使的异端使圣徒受打岔，不持定基督作元首。神的经纶是要藉著基督的身体─召会，将万有在基督里归一于一个元首之下，（弗一10，）使基督成为万有的中心。那狡猾者的诡计是要将圣徒带开，使基督的身体崩溃。在歌罗西的异端使圣徒与元首分离，这就破坏了基督的身体。保罗的启示却是高举基督，并保护、建造祂的身体。我们需要在基督里蒙保守，好过召会生活。这样，我们就被保护，脱离奇特的异象和其他不正常的事物。我们若不在基督里蒙保守，我们里面的宗教成分，就会对许多奇特的事感兴趣。我们堕落的天性以及我们堕落的心思，总是站在那恶者的一边。邪灵仍旧能接触我们堕落的心思；堕落的心思不断的与邪灵发生淫乱。这就使各样邪恶的东西传输到我们里面，这些东西会使我们行为怪诞，甚至怪异的祷告、唱歌或赞美。为这缘故，圣经说，我们需要有清明自守的心思，就是照著创造我们者的形像更新过的心思。（西三10。）我们若有这样更新的心思，就能在基督里蒙保守，并在召会生活中享受祂。保罗写歌罗西书的主要原因，乃是拯救圣徒们不被骗取，使他们在基督里蒙保守，过正当的召会生活。
10Speaking of those described in 2:18, Paul goes on to say in verse 19, “ And not holding the Head, out from whom all the Body, by means of the joints and bands being supplied and knit together, grows with the growth of God.” The heresy of angel worship distracted the saints from holding Christ as the Head. God’secon o my is to head up all things in Christ through His Body, the church, thereby to make Christ the center of all things. The device of the subtle one is to carry the saints away and to cause the Body to collapse. The heresy at Colosse caused the saints to be severed from the Head. This damaged the Body. Paul’sr evelation was to uplift Christ and to safeguard and build up the Body. We need to be preserved in Christ for the church life. Then we shall be protected from curious visions and from anything abnormal. If we are not preserved in Christ, the religious element in our being may give rise to many strange things. Our fallen nature with our reprobate mind is one with the evil one. The evil spirits can still have contact with our reprobate mind. The fallen mind is continually committing fornication with the evil spirits. This causes various kinds of evil things to be transmitted into us, things that may cause us to act in an abnormal manner, even to pray, sing, or praise in strange ways. For this reason, as the Bible says, we need a sober mind, a mind renewed according to the image of the One who created us (3:10). If we have such a renewed mind, we shall be preserved in Christ and enjoy Him in the church life. The main reason Paul wrote the book of Colossians was to rescue the saints from fraud and to preserve them in Christ for the proper church life
11在基督里蒙保守，而过召会生活，乃是持定祂作元首；本于祂，全身以神的增长而长大。长大是生命的事，生命就是神自己。召会既是基督的身体，就不该失去基督；祂乃是神这生命源头的具体化身。藉著持定基督，召会就以神的增长而长大，以神这生命的增加而长大。这样的长大乃是『藉著节和筋，得了丰富的供应，并结合一起』。节是为著身体的供应，筋是为著将身体的肢体结合一起。在召会中有的肢体是节，有的肢体是筋。藉著节和筋，身体就得以长大。这指明我们不能单独的以神的增长而长大。我们需要在召会中。故此，保罗在本书中的目的，乃是要保守我们在基督里过召会生活。
11To be preserved in Christ for the church life is to hold Him as the Head, out from whom the Body grows with the growth of God. To grow is a matter of life, which is God Himself. As the Body of Christ, the church should not be deprived of Christ, who is the embodiment of God as the source of life. By holding Christ, the church grows with the growth of God, with the increase of God as life. This growth takes place “by means of the joints and bands being supplied and knit together.” Joints are for the supply of the Body, whereas bands are for knitting together the members of the Body. In the church some members are joints and others are bands. By means of the joints and bands, the Body grows. This indicates that we cannot grow with the growth of God individualistically. We need to be in the church. Thus, Paul’s a i mint his book is to preserve us in Christ for the church life.