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提摩太前书生命读经 · 第9篇

对各种年龄的圣徒

Dealing with the Saints of Different Ages
1读经：提摩太前书五章一至十六节。
1Scripture Reading: 1 Tim. 5:1-16
神的标准与人的水平
THE DIVINE STANDARD AND THE HUMAN LEVEL
2在提前三章末了，保罗来到神经纶的高峰。在三章十五至十六节我们看见神的标准。但在五章一至十六节，保罗降到人的水平。一面，在召会生活中我们必须有神的标准；另一面，我们必须顾到在人水平上的事。譬如，在五章八节，保罗说到供养自己的亲属。本章的一切教导都满有人性，正常而平常，没有一件是特别、神奇或超自然的。全书都是用同样原则写的。这是召会生活所必需的。陈明神的标准与人的水平这原则，不但见于提摩太前书，也见于以弗所书和歌罗西书。在以弗所书里保罗首先照著神的标准写到召会。以后，他在人的水平上写到丈夫、妻子、父母、儿女、奴仆和主人。照样，在歌罗西书里保罗首先照著神的标准写到基督。然后他在人的水平上说到家庭的1事。在提摩太前书，保罗不是直接来到人的水平。他乃是藉著教导提摩太，而来到这水平。在五章一至十六节，保罗告诉提摩太如何对各种年龄的圣徒。我在本篇信息的负担，是要从五章一至十六节说到四点。
2At the end of chapter three Paul comes to the high point of God’s economy. In 3:15 and 16 we see the divine standard. But in 5:1-16 Paul comes down to the human level. On the one hand, in the church life we must have the divine standard; on the other hand, we must care for matters on the human level. In 5:8, for example, Paul speaks of providing for our own relatives. All the instructions in this chapter are very human, normal, and ordinary. Nothing is special, miraculous, or supernatural. The whole book is written in the same principle. This is necessary for the church life. The principle of presenting both the divine standard and the human level is found not only in 1 Timothy, but also in the Epistles of Ephesians and Colossians. In Ephesians Paul first writes concerning the church according to the divine standard. Afterward, on the human level, he writes about husbands, wives, parents, children, slaves, and masters. In like manner, in Colossians Paul first writes about Christ according to the divine standard. Then he speaks on a human level about family matters. In Timothy Paul does not come to the human level directly. Rather, he comes to this level by giving instructions to Timothy. In 5:1-16 Paul tells Timothy how to deal with the saints of different ages. My burden in this message is to cover four points from 5:1-16.
过正常的为人生活
LIVING A NORMAL HUMAN LIFE
3首先，这里的一切教导都陈明得满有人性。我们绝不该以为我们若达到神的标准，就不再需要人性。有些信徒受了错误教训的影响，以为基督徒该像天使一样，不再需要过正常的为人生活。天主教里许多修士和神父过著不正常的生活。不仅如此，要求神父和修女不嫁娶，不但违反人性，也起源于鬼。照著保罗在四章一至三节的话，禁止人嫁娶是鬼的教训。
3First, all the instructions given here are presented in a very human way. We should never think that if we reach God’s standard, we no longer need to be human. Some believers have been influenced by the false teaching that Christians should be like angels, that it is no longer necessary for them to lead a normal human life. Many monks and priests in Catholicism have a living that is abnormal. Furthermore, the requirement that priests and nuns not be married not only is contrary to humanity, but has its source in demons. According to Paul’sword in 4:1-3, forbidding others to marry is a demonic teaching
4我们都必须学习有人性。事实上，我们越属灵，就越有人性。我们若要活基督，就必须学习真正的有人性。主耶稣在地上时，是满有人性的。
4We all need to learn to be human. In fact, the more spiritual we are, the more human we shall be. If we would live Christ, we must learn to be human in a genuine way. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He was very human.
5破坏人性就是毁坏神为著祂的经纶所创造的凭藉和管道。鬼和堕落的天使禁止嫁娶并吩咐人禁戒食物，原因是他们企图毁坏人类。因此，我们在召会中必须有人性，并随从正常人性生活的标准。有些人诬告我们没有人性。我们全然否认这不实的指控。在召会生活中我们明确强调正确的人性。我能见证我自己乃是过正常的为人生活。你若察验我的生活，就会发觉我满有人性。我不是『圣徒』或天使；我不过是人。不仅如此，我鼓励所有的长老要有人性。长老不该帮助当地的圣徒像天使一样。我们欣赏天使，但我们不想模倣他们。反而，我们宁愿是人。我们该是有人性的基督徒。一面，我们有神的性情；（彼后一4；）另一面，我们是正常的人。我们有神的性情和神的生命，这事实不是说我们要变成神。我们乃是要藉著神的生命和性情过真实的为人生活。这样我们就能过最高的为人生活，像主耶稣的人性生活一样。祂在地上时，藉著神的生命和神的性情过人性生活。主的人性生活是藉著神的生命。我们的为人生活也该是一样的。因此，我们都必须学习有人性。
5To damage humanity is to ruin both the means and the channel created by God for His economy. The reason demons and fallen angels forbid marriage and command people to abstain from foods is that their intention is to destroy mankind. Thus, we in the church must be human and follow the standards of normal human living. Some have falsely accused us of not being human. We utterly repudiate these allegations. In the church life we definitely emphasize the proper humanity. I can testify that I myself live in a normal human way. If you examine my living, you will find me to be very human. I am not a “saint” or an angel; I am simply a human being. Furthermore, I encourage all the elders to be human. The elders should not help the saints in their locality to be like angels. We appreciate the angels, but we do not want to imitate them. Instead, we prefer to be human. We should be human Christians. On the one hand, we have the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4); on the other hand, we are normal human beings. The fact that we have the divine nature with the divine life does not mean that we shall ever be deified. Rather, we are to live a genuinely human life by the divine life and nature. In this way we shall be able to live the highest human life, a life like that of the Lord Jesus. When He was on earth, He lived a human life by means of the divine life and the divine nature. The Lord’s human living was by the divine life. Our human living should be the same. Thus, we all must learn to be human
6在提前五章一至十六节我们看见，保罗教导他的青年同工提摩太，接触圣徒要有人性。一节说，『不可严责老年人，只要劝他如同父亲，劝青年人如同弟兄。』劝老年人如同父亲，的确是举止满有人性。年轻的弟兄对待比自己年长一辈的弟兄，该如同对待父亲一样。保罗也告诉提摩太要『劝青年人如同弟兄，劝老年妇女如同母亲，用全般的纯洁，劝青年妇女如同姊妹』。提摩太不可像主教自居崇高的地位，认为自己比别人优越。反之，他对待青年的弟兄姊妹该如同他们的弟兄，对待老年人该如同儿子对待父亲，对老年妇女该如同儿子对待母亲。在召会生活中有许多父亲、母亲、弟兄和姊妹。这样对待圣徒，就是行事为人富有人性。
6In 5:1-16 we see that Paul instructed his young co- worker Timothy to contact the saints in a human way. Verse 1 says, “Do not upbraid an elderly man, but entreat him as a father.” To entreat an elderly man as a father is surely to behave in a very human manner. In relation to brothers who are a generation older than they, the younger brothers should deal with them as fathers. Paul also tells Timothy to entreat “younger men as brothers; elderly women as mothers; younger women as sisters.” Timothy was not to assume an elevated position as a bishop, regarding himself as superior to others. On the contrary, he was to behave as a brother to younger brothers and sisters, as a son to a father, and as a son to a mother. In the church life there are many fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters. To deal with the saints as such is to behave humanly.
7我们与圣徒的接触必须在合式的气氛中，并有正确的态度和灵。在我们与别人的接触中，气氛、态度和灵非常重要。一位青年弟兄在与老年人的关系上若自居某种崇高的地位，他们之间的关系就会被破坏。但他若愿像儿子对父亲说话一样接触老年人，他们的关系就会密切、亲爱、感人、甚至激励人。假定在我与圣徒的关系上，我的举止像教师，并且对待圣徒像学生。倘若这是我的态度，我与圣徒的接触就会很差。但在我与圣徒的关系上，若满有人性，并认为自己是弟兄、姊妹、母亲和父亲中间的弟兄，我与他们的接触就会亲爱又密切。我们在与彼此的关系上真正有人性，那造成多大的不同！我再说，在召会生活中我们都必须有人性。
7Our contact with the saints must be in a proper atmosphere and with the right attitude and spirit. The atmosphere, attitude, and spirit in our contact with others mean a great deal. If a young brother assumes some kind of elevated position in relation to an elderly man, the relationship between them will be damaged. But if he would contact him as a son speaking to a father, their fellowship will be intimate, loving, touching, and even inspiring. Suppose that in my relationship with the saints I conduct myself as a teacher and treat the saints as my pupils. If this is my attitude, my contact with the saints will be quite poor. But if I am very human in my relationships with the saints and regard myself as a brother among brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, the contact will be loving and intimate. What a difference it makes when we are truly human in our relationships to one another! I repeat, in the church life we all must be human
运用智慧
EXERCISING WISDOM
8在五章一至十六节我们看见，第二，保罗教导提摩太要运用智慧。他说不可严责老年人，只要劝他如同父亲，就是智慧的话。不严厉责备老年人，是智慧的事。对各种年龄的圣徒，我们不但需要爱，也需要智慧。我们需要领悟我们在接触谁。我们在对老年的弟兄或姊妹说话么？那么我们对他们说话，就必须像儿子对父亲或母亲说话。我们在接触青年的弟兄或姊妹么？那么我们对他们说话，就必须像弟兄对弟兄或弟兄对姊妹说话。不仅如此，我们对父亲说话该是一种方式，对母亲说话该是另一种方式，对弟兄姊妹说话又该是另外的方式。譬如，在我们属人的家庭里，我们不是以同样的方式对所有的家人说话。我们对父亲谈话的方式和我们对母亲谈话的方式不同。倘若我们以同样的方式对所有的家人说话，我们必定是愚昧的。在我们与各种年龄之圣徒的关系上，我们需要智慧。我们若运用智慧，对各种年龄的圣徒说话就会不同。弟兄要以适合弟兄的方式对弟兄谈话，但他们要以适合姊妹的方式对姊妹说话。这是智慧。我们对青年姊妹说话的方式，不可与我们对老年人说话的方式相同。不仅如此，一位姊妹可以拥抱另一位姊妹，但年轻姊妹不该藉著拥抱显示她对年轻或年长弟兄的爱。不要愚昧的爱圣徒。反之，总要运用智慧，知道你在接触谁。
8In 5:1-16 we see in the second place that Paul instructed Timothy to exercise wisdom. His word not to upbraid an elderly man, but to entreat him as a father is a word of wisdom. It is a matter of wisdom not to rebuke sharply an elderly man. In dealing with saints of different ages, we need not only love, but also wisdom. We need to realize whom we are contacting. Are we speaking to an elderly brother or sister? Then we must speak to them as a son to a father or mother. Are we contacting a younger brother or sister? Then we must speak to them as a brother to a brother or a brother to a sister. Furthermore, we should speak one way to a father, another way to a mother, and in other ways to brothers and sisters. For example, in our human family we do not speak in the same way to all members of the family. We do not talk to our father in the same way as we do to our mother. If we speak the same way to all members of our family, we are indeed foolish. In all our relationships with saints of different ages we need wisdom. If we exercise wisdom, we shall speak differently to saints of different ages. The brothers will talk to brothers in a way appropriate to brothers, but they will speak to sisters in a way appropriate to sisters. This is wisdom. We must not speak to a young sister in the same way as we do to an elderly man. Furthermore, one sister may embrace another. But a young sister should not show her love for a brother, young or old, by embracing him. Do not love the saints in a foolish way. Instead, always exercise wisdom, realizing whom you are contacting.
用全般的纯洁
IN ALL PURITY
9第三，我们对各种年龄的圣徒都必须『用全般的纯洁』。（五2。）在召会生活中与弟兄姊妹一切的接触，必须在各面纯洁。我们需要在动机和存心上纯洁。
9Third, all our dealings with the saints must be “in all purity” (5:2). Every contact with the brothers and sisters in the church life must be pure in every way. We need to be pure in our motive and intention
10在弟兄和姊妹之间的接触中，尤其需要全般的纯洁。为这缘故，年龄相仿的弟兄和姊妹不该在关闭的房间里私下谈话。另一位弟兄或另一位姊妹应当在场。想想主耶稣的例子。祂夜里在屋内单独对尼哥底母说话，但祂与撒玛利亚妇人谈话却是白天在户外。这指明弟兄和姊妹之间的接触必须用全般的纯洁。在召会生活中，弟兄和姊妹之间的交通来往是免不了的。我们若不运用全般的纯洁，也许会陷入某种网罗。许多人已陷入网罗，因为他们轻率，并且在与别人的接触中没有操练纯洁。所以，我们要一再强调，在召会生活中，弟兄和姊妹之间的接触必须用全般的纯洁。我们曾指明，我们与所有圣徒的接触，无论他们是弟兄或姊妹，年长或年轻，我们都必须用全般的纯洁。对老年姊妹说话如同对母亲说话，你在动机上就需要纯洁。有不纯洁的动机是邪恶的。有不纯洁的动机，意思就是为我们自己寻求利益，寻求某种方便或提拔。在召会生活中，我们与所有圣徒的接触，应该只有一个动机–供应基督给他们，使他们在主里长大。
10In the contact between brothers and sisters there is especially the need for all purity. For this reason, a brother and sister who are close to the same age should not talk privately in a closed room. Either another brother or another sister should be present. Consider the example of the Lord Jesus. He spoke to Nicodemus in a house alone at night, but He talked to the Samaritan woman out in the open during the day. This indicates that the contact between brothers and sisters must be in all purity. In the church life the traffic in fellowship between brothers and sisters cannot be avoided. If we do not exercise all purity, we may fall into some kind of snare. Many have fallen into a snare because they were careless and failed to exercise purity in their contact with others. Therefore, we would emphasize again and again that the contact between brothers and sisters must be in all purity. As we have indicated, our contact with all the saints, brothers and sisters, elderly and young, must be pure in every way. In speaking to an elderly sister as a mother, you need to be pure in your motive. It is evil to have impure motives. To have an impure motive means to seek gain for ourselves, to seek some kind of advantage or promotion. In our contact with all the saints in the church life we should have just one motive—to minister Christ to them that they may grow in the Lord
尽我们的职责
DOING OUR DUTY
11在本篇信息中，我要题出的第四点是我们职责的事。我们需要有人性，我们需要运用智慧，我们需要有全般的纯洁，我们也需要尽我们的职责。在召会生活中，每个人都必须尽某种职责，没有人该闲懒或好管闲事。在五章四节保罗说，『若寡妇有儿女，或有孙子孙女，便叫他们先学著孝敬自己的家人，用回敬的奉养报答母亲或祖母，因为这在神面前是可悦纳的。』这里的报答指回报、酬报，对长亲表示感激。
11The fourth point I would bring out in this message is the matter of our duty. We need to be human, we need to exercise wisdom, we need to have all purity, and we need to do our duty. In the church life everyone must have certain duties to perform. No one should be idle or a busybody. In 5:4 Paul says, “But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness toward their own household and to render a return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.” Return here denotes requital, recompense. To render such a return is to show gratitude to one’spare nts.
12在十三节，保罗说到一些人『习惯懒惰，挨家闲游；不但懒惰，而且说长道短，好管闲事，说些不该说的话』。有些人懒惰，似乎无事可作。但他们的懒惰使他们成为好管闲事的人。他们挨家闲游，说长道短，『说些不该说的话。』在召会中没有人该懒惰，也没有人该说长道短，或好管闲事。反之，每个人都该有事可作，有正确的职责要尽。保罗既知道所有的圣徒都需要尽自己的职责，就告诉提摩太，不要允许少于六十岁的寡妇记在册上。（9。）然后他告诉提摩太，要拒绝年轻的寡妇，因她们废弃了当初的信誓。（11～12。）信誓，直译，信。指誓约、应许。这指明有些人曾应许、起誓守寡把自己献上，也许为专心于召会的某些服事。在十四节保罗接著说，『所以我愿意年轻的寡妇嫁人，生育儿女，治理家务，不给敌对者有辱骂的机会。』生育儿女和治理家务，对那些懒惰、好管闲事的女人，（13，）乃是拯救和保护。这是神为著约束并保护堕落的女人而有的命定。（创三16。）
12In verse 13 Paul speaks of those who “learn to be idle, going around from house to house; and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.” Some are idle, seemingly having nothing to do. But their idleness causes them to become busybodies. They go around from house to house gossiping and “speaking things which they ought not.” No one in the church should be idle, and no one should be a gossip or a busybody. Instead, everyone should have something to do, some proper duty to perform. Realizing the need for all the saints to do their duty, Paul tells Timothy not to allow a widow to be enrolled who is under sixty years old (v. 9). He then tells Timothy to refuse younger widows, for they may set aside their first pledge, or faith (vv. 11-12). Setting aside “their first pledge” means to break a pledge or promise. This indicates that some younger widows promised, pledged, to devote themselves in their widowhood to some service of the church. In verse 14 Paul goes on to say, “I will therefore that younger widows marry, bear children, rule the house, give no occasion to the opposer for reproach.” Childbearing and house affairs are a rescue and safeguard to idle busybodies. This is God’so rd i nation to restrict and protect women since the fall (Gen. 3:16
13保罗在提前五章十四节说到年轻的寡妇嫁人，与他在林前七章八节所说的多少有点不同。林前七章八节的话，是保罗早期尽职时的愿望；提前五章十四节是保罗后期尽职时，根据他对年轻寡妇的阅历而作的劝告。这里的不同指明，甚至在神所默示的教训里，保罗也不是拘泥不变的。反之，他能非常有弹性。这指明在新约里，对于一些事并非拘泥不变的。在有些事例中，我们采取的作法可照著实际的情况而变更。
13Paul’sword in verse 14 about younger widows marrying is somewhat of a contrast to what he says in 1 Corinthians 7:8. The word in 1 Corinthians was Paul’s wish in his earlier ministry. In 5:14 we have his advice in his later ministry, according to his experiences concerning young widows. The difference here indicates that even in his God-inspired teachings, Paul was not legal. On the contrary, he could be very flexible. This indicates that, in the New Testament, concerning some matters there is no legality. In certain cases, the way we take may vary according to the actual situation