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提多书生命读经 · 第2篇

对付犹太教和智慧派的影响

Dealing with the Influence of Judaism and Gnosticism
1读经：提多书一章十至十六节。照提多书一章十至十六节看，提多在革哩底的时候，犹太教和智慧派这两种教派相当盛行。在本篇信息中，我们要从这些经文看提多如何受教导，对付犹太教和智慧派的影响。
1Scripture Reading: Titus 1:10-16 According to 1:10-16, at the time Titus was in Crete two isms were quite prevailing: Judaism and Gnosticism. In this message we shall consider from these verses how Titus was instructed to deal with the influence of Judaism and Gnosticism
壹 犹太教的影响
the influence of Judaism
一 不服约束，说虚空的话，欺哄人的人
A. Unruly Men, Vain Talkers and Deceivers
2保罗在十至十一节说，『因为有许多人不服约束，说虚空的话，欺哄人，那些奉割礼的人更是这样，这些人的口必须堵住；他们为了卑鄙的利益，将不当教导的事教导人，就倾覆了人的全家。』保罗在十节所说那些奉割礼的人，以及他在十四节题到的犹太人虚构无稽之事，都指犹太教的影响。那些奉割礼的人，是指在召会中诱惑人的犹太信徒。保罗说，这种人的口必须堵住。堵住他们的口，作法是用那按照使徒教训可信靠的话，（9，）严厉的责备他们。（13。）这些人说虚空的话，欺哄人，为了卑鄙的利益，将不当教导的事教导人，就倾覆了人的全家。他们所作的，就像可弃绝的申言者巴兰所作的。（彼后二15～16，犹11。）我要请你们留意提多书一章十节开头的『因为』这小小的辞，这指明本节与前节有关。在九节保罗说，监督必须坚守『那按照使徒教训可信靠的话，好能用健康的教训劝勉人，又能使那些反对的人知罪自责』。然后保罗接著解释，有许多人不服约束，那些奉割礼的人更是这样，这些人的口必须堵住。这些经文指明，保罗嘱咐提多建立长老职分，是与犹太教的影响所引起的搅扰有关。长老职分急切需要设立，使那些教导不同之事的人能受对付。有些犹太信徒将他们的犹太教带进召会生活中，由于他们不同的教训就引起了搅扰。这里有关于长老职分的基本原则：每个长老必须是儆醒的守望者，免得某种与使徒职事的教训不同的教训被带进召会中。
2In verses 10 and 11, Paul says, “For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who overthrow whole households, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of base gain.” Both Paul’sword about “those of the circumcision” in verse 10 and his reference to “Jewish myths” in verse 14 point to the influence of Judaism. Those of the circumcision were Jewish believers who were seducers within the church. Paul says that such ones must be stopped. The way to stop them is by severe reproof (v. 13) with the faithful word according to the apostles’ teaching (v. 9). These vain talkers and deceivers overthrow whole households, “teaching things which they ought not for the sake of base gain.” What they did was similar to what was done by the reprobate prophet, Balaam (2 Pet. 2:15-16; Jude 11). I would call your attention to the little word “for,” at the beginning of verse 10, indicating that this verse is related to the foregoing verse. In verse 9 Paul says that an overseer must hold to “the faithful word which is according to the teaching that he may be able both to exhort by the healthy teaching and to convict those who contradict.” Then Paul goes on to explain that there are many unruly men, especially of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped. These verses indicate that Paul’s charge to Titus concerning the establishment of the eldership is related to the disturbances caused by the influence of Judaism. There was the urgent need for the eldership to be set in order so that those who taught differently could be dealt with. Certain Jewish believers brought their Judaism into the church life and this, with its different teachings, caused a disturbance. Here we have a basic principle related to the eldership: every elder must be a watchman who is on the alert lest some teaching different from that of the apostles’ ministry is brought into the church.
二 革哩底申言者真的见证
B. The True Testimony of a Cretan Prophet
3在十二至十三节保罗宣告：『有革哩底人中间的一位，就是他们自己的申言者，曾说，革哩底人常是说谎的，乃是恶兽，又馋又懒。这个见证是真的。』九节下半至十节所说的，都是这样的人。他们自己的申言者，是一个异教的申言者，也许是指以彼门尼德斯（Epimenides）。根据传说，他是
3In verses 12 and 13 Paul declares, “One of them, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true.” One of them refers to one of the Cretans. All those mentioned in verses 9band 10 were such Cretans. The prophet of their own was a heathen prophet, probably Epimenides, a native of Crete who lived about 600 B.C., according to legend
4主前六百年左右革哩底当地的人。
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三 使徒的嘱咐
C. The Apostle’s Charge
5在十三节保罗嘱咐提多要『严厉的责备他们，使他们在信仰上健康』。责备，原文同九节的『使…知罪自责』；意即揭露事情的真实特性，使人知罪自责，因此是藉暴露人的过错责备人。严厉的，原文也可译为厉害的。这样严厉的责备，目的是使那些接受责备的人能在信仰上健康。反驳的人
5In verse 13 Paul charges Titus to “reprove them severely, that they may be healthy in the faith.” The Greek word rendered reprove here is the same word translated convict in verse 9. It means to disclose the true character of anything so as to convict and hence reprove by exposing one’s fault. The Greek word rendered severely may also be rendered sharply. The purpose of such severe reproof was that
6（9） 和说虚空话的人，（10，）感染了道理的疾病，在信仰上变得不健
6those receiving it might be healthy in the faith. The gainsayers (v. 9) and vain talkers (v. 10) were infected
7康。他们需要健康的教训和健康的话作豫防剂；（提前一10，六3；）长老应当将这样的话供应他们，好叫他们得医治。与提前一章十九节和三章九节一样，提多书一章十三节这里的信仰是客观的，指我们所相信的事物。这是要与信心的主观意义有所区别，信心的主
7with doctrinal diseases and became unhealthy in the faith. They needed the inoculation of the healthy teaching and the healthy word (1 Tim. 1:10; 6:3), which the elders should provide for their healing. As in 1 Timothy 1:19 and 3:9, the faith here is objective. It refers to the things in which we believe. This is to be distinguished from the subjective meaning of faith, which refers to the act of believing
8观意义指信的行动。
8II. THE INFLUENCE OF GNOSTICISM
贰 智慧派的影响
一 犹太人虚构无稽之事─智慧派神话的种子
A. Jewish Myths— the Seed of Gnostic Mythologies
9提多书一章十四节说，『不注意犹太人虚构无稽之事。』虚构无稽之事，与提前一章四节，四章七节，提后四章四节者同，指涉及谣言、传闻、真实或虚假的故事、以及虚构之事等的话语、言论和谈话，可能包括犹太人的神奇事迹、拉比的传说。这些虚构无稽之事，就是世俗的言语，和老妇虚构无稽之事。这里所题犹太人虚构无稽之事，也许是产生智慧派神话的种子。
9Verse 14 says, “Not paying attention to Jewish myths.” The Greek word for myths is rendered myths here and in 1 Timothy 1:4, tales in 1 Timothy 4:7, and fables in 2 Timothy 4:4. It refers to words, speeches, and conversations concerning such things as rumors, reports, stories, and fictions. It may include Jewish stories of miracles or rabbinical fabrications. These myths were the profane and old-womanish tales. The Jewish myths mentioned here may have been the seed of the Gnostic mythologies.
二 转离真理之人的诫命
B. Commandments of Men Who Turn Away from the Truth
10在提多书一章十四节保罗也题起『转离真理之人的诫命』。照下节看，这些异端者的诫命，必是关乎禁戒吃肉，以及禁止使用其他神所命定给人使用之物的教训。（参提前四3，西二20～22。）这些是早期智慧派的诫命，并不是禁欲主义者的诫命。智慧派所采用那根据玄秘的观念，讲论到神和宇宙的通神论（通晓神灵之事的学说─以物质方法与神灵相通的哲学或神秘学），乃是来自犹太
10In verse 14 Paul also mentions “commandments of men who turn away from the truth.” According to the following verse, these commandments of the heretics must have been precepts concerning abstinence from meats and other things ordained by God for man’su se (see 1 Tim. 4:3; Col. 2:20- 22). These were the commandments of the earlier Gnostics, not the ascetics, who adopted their theosophy from Jewish sources, probably some derivation from the Mosaic law
11的源头，有些也许源自摩西的律法。
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12保罗在提多书一章十四节所指的人，也许是那些奉割礼的人。（10。）这些人转离真理。本节的真理和前节的信仰，证明这里所对付的不是不信者，乃是召会中一些转离神经纶之真理的人。他们大多是犹太基督徒，仍然坚守犹太人虚构无稽之事和传统，因此成了召会的大搅扰。他们的口必须用按照信仰之真理的话堵住，使召会的秩序，在已经建立的长老职分之下得以维持。在十五节保罗继续说，『对洁净的人，凡物都洁净；但对污秽不信的人，甚么都不洁净，反而连他们的心思和良心，也都污秽了。』对洁净的人，凡物都洁净，这话必是一句基督徒格言。使徒用以驳斥人的诫命，（14，）就是禁止某些行动，禁吃某些食物的禁戒教训。（提前四3～5，罗十四20。）保罗说，对污秽或受污染不信的人，甚么都不洁净，反而连他们的心思和良心，也都污秽了。心思是我们魂的领先部分，良心是我们灵的主要部分。我们的心思若受污染，我们的魂自然就受污染；我们的良心若污秽了，我们的灵也就无可避免的污秽了。这都是由于不信。我们的信能洁净我们。（徒十五9。）
12The men Paul refers to in this verse are probably those of the circumcision (v. 10). These men turn away from the truth. The truth here and the faith in the preceding verse prove that those who were dealt with here were not unbelievers. There were some in the church who had turned away from the truth concerning God’secon o my. Most of them might have been Jewish Christians who still held their Jewish myths and traditions and thereby became a great disturbance to the church. They had to be stopped by the word of the truth according to the faith so that the order of the church might be maintained under the established eldership. In verse 15 Paul continues, “All things are pure to the pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience have been defiled.” The statement, “All things are pure to the pure,” must have been a Christian maxim. The apostle quoted it to refute the commandments of men (v. 14), that is, the precepts of abstinence, which forbade certain actions and the eating of certain foods (1 Tim. 4:3-5; Rom. 14:20). Paul says that to those who are defiled, or polluted, and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their mind and conscience are defiled. The mind is the leading part of the soul, and the conscience is the main part of our spirit. If our mind is polluted, our soul is spontaneously polluted; and if our conscience is defiled, our spirit is unavoidably defiled. This is all due to unbelief. Our faith purifies us (Acts 15:9
13在提多书一章十六节保罗接著说，『他们自称认识神，却在行为上否认祂，本是可憎恶的、悖逆的，在各样善事上是不蒙称许的。』不蒙称许，原文也可译为可废弃的，无价值的，不合格的。原文意，经不起试验的。
13In verse 16 Paul goes on to say, “They profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and as to every good work disapproved.” The Greek word rendered disapproved can also be translated reprobate, worthless, disqualified. It means unable to stand the test.
三 使徒的嘱咐
C. The Apostle’s Charge
14保罗对提多的嘱咐，就是不要注意犹太人虚构无稽之事，和转离真理之人的诫命。（14。）
14Paul’s charge to Titus is simply not to pay attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men (v. 14
15革哩底众召会中的长老如何要谨防犹太教和智慧派的影响，不允许不同的教训偷著进入召会生活，我们也需要谨防今天的教派，如天主教和公会。我们也该谨防在许多基督徒中间所流传的假冒为善，以及肤浅、迷信的虚构无稽之事。这些事若被带进主的恢复里，就会引起难处。纯洁的召会生活只建造在使徒健康的教训上。因这缘故保罗说，长老必须坚守那按照使徒教训可信靠的话，好能用健康的教训劝勉人。九节的教训指使徒的教训；（徒二42；）这些教训至终成了新约。使徒的教训是健康的教训。众召会是按照使徒的教训建立的，并且遵守使徒的教训。不仅如此，召会的秩序，是凭著那按照使徒教训所教导可信靠的话，得以维持的。在召会生活的开始，信徒说到教训，每个人都领悟这是指使徒的教训。在耶路撒冷接受主耶稣并加给召会的人，持续在使徒的教训和交通里。在提多书一章九节，保罗不是说健全的教训，甚或纯正的教训，乃是说健康的教训。有些教训也许是健全或纯正的，却不是健康的。健康的教训总是与生命有关，能滋养我们或医治我们。惟有活的东西才能是健康的。譬如，我们不说桌子或椅子是健康的。使徒的教训不仅是健全、纯正的，也是健康的，满了生命。
15Just as the elders in the churches in Crete were to watch out for the influence of Judaism and Gnosticism and not permit different teachings to creep into the church life, we also need to watch out for isms today, such as Catholicism and denominationalism. We should also be watchful concerning the hypocrisy and the superficial and superstitious tales circulated among many Christians. If these things are brought into the Lord’s recovery, they will cause trouble. The pure church life is built only upon the healthy teaching of the apostles. This is the reason Paul says that elders must hold to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, so that they may be able to exhort by healthy teaching. The teaching in verse 9 refers to that of the apostles (Acts 2:42), which eventually became the New Testament. The apostles’ teaching was the healthy teaching. The churches were established according to the apostles’ teaching and followed their teaching. Furthermore, the order of the church was maintained by the faithful word given according to this teaching. At the beginning of the church life, when the believers spoke about the teaching, everyone realized that this meant the teaching of the apostles. In Jerusalem those who received the Lord Jesus and were added to the church continued in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles. In 1:9 Paul does not say “sound teaching” or even “pure teaching”; he speaks of “healthy teaching.” Certain teachings may be sound or pure without being healthy. Healthy teaching is always related to life and is able either to nourish us or to heal us. Only something living can be healthy. For example, we do not speak of a table or chair as being healthy. The teachings of the apostles were not only sound and pure, but were healthy, full of life
16使徒职事的健康教训，要点是关于经过过程的三一神，将祂自己这包罗万有的灵分赐到祂的选民里面，使他们被带进与祂生机的联结里，接受神圣的灌输，因此成为神的众子和基督的众肢体。结果，他们能成为身体彰显基督，就是神的丰满居住在祂里面的那一位。这一切几乎都被今天的基督徒忽略了。甚至那些真正健全的教训也多半是肤浅的。
16The crucial point of the healthy teaching of the apostolic ministry concerns the Triune God processed to dispense Himself as the all-inclusive Spirit into His chosen ones so that they may be brought into an organic union to receive the divine transfusion and thereby become sons of God and members of Christ. As a result, they can be the Body to express Christ, the One in whom the fullness of God dwells. Almost all of this is neglected by Christians today. Even those teachings which are truly sound are for the most part superficial.
17有些信徒只受教导说，他们若接受主，就会靠著恩典得救。他们甚至没有得著充分的解释，论到这恩典救他们脱离甚么。以弗所二章八节常被引用，指出得救是靠著恩典，照这节看，得救的意思不是得救脱离地狱。照上下文看，得救是得救脱离死，或脱离死的光景，使我们得复活，以活的方式坐在诸天之上。不仅如此，与一般、肤浅的领会相反的是，以弗所二章八节的恩典不仅仅是不当得的好处，乃是三一神作我们的一切，给我们享受。强调传福音的基督徒，常引用以弗所二章八节。然而，因为他们非常肤浅的领会本节，难得有人摸著其实际。在前面的信息里我们指出，保罗照著神的命令，永远生命的应许，神选民的信仰，以及真理的知识作使徒。大多数的基督教教师能诚实的说，他们有真理的知识么？当然不能。他们也许熟悉特别的道理，并认为这道理的知识是真理的知识。有些人也许认识关于七个时代的一切，却没有真理的知识。主耶稣曾宣告：『我就是…真理。』（约十四6，另译。）我们若像许多基督徒的实行，将真理解释成道理的意思，那么主耶稣就会说，『我就是道理。』这是何等荒谬！许多基督徒，甚至圣经教师，也不认识新约中真理的意义。至终，肤浅会导致假冒为善，假冒为善会导致迷信。在基督徒中间普遍持守一种道理：只要人相信主耶稣，他就必得救，主来的时候必没有问题。照这观点，信徒被提时，与主没有任何问题，并且会在国度里与祂一同作王。甚至有一种轻视被提的汽车保险杆的贴纸说，『警告：若有被提，这辆汽车就无人驾驶。』许多基督徒误信，只因为他们得救了，他们就得著许可进入诸天之国的『门票』。但潘汤（D.M.）指出，许多人会惊奇的发现，这张门票是假的，并且不会许可他们进入属天的国。今天许多基督徒也许到时候会惊讶的发现，一些牧师告诉他们那会保证进入国度的门票，在主来的时候不会被接受。因为这样肤浅甚至迷信的教导今天很盛行，我们就需要与这样的教训争战，正如保罗与犹太教和智慧派的假冒为善争战一样。
17Some believers are told nothing more than that if they receive the Lord, they will be saved by grace. They do not even receive an adequate explanation concerning what it is this grace saves them from. According to Ephesians 2:8, a verse often quoted in pointing out that salvation is by grace, to be saved does not mean to be saved from hell. According to the context, to be saved is to be saved from death, or from a deadening situation, that we may be raised up and seated in the heavens in a living way. Furthermore, contrary to the common, superficial understanding, grace in Ephesians 2:8 is not simply unmerited favor. It is the Triune God as everything to us for our enjoyment. Christians who emphasize the preaching of the gospel often quote Ephesians 2:8. However, because they understand this verse very superficially, rarely does anyone touch the reality of it. In the foregoing message we pointed out that Paul was an apostle according to the command of God, the promise of eternal life, the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the full knowledge of the truth. Can the majority of Christian teachers honestly say that they have the full knowledge of the truth? Certainly not. They may be familiar with particular doctrines and consider this doctrinal knowledge the full knowledge of the truth. Some may know all about the seven dispensations and yet not possess the full knowledge of the truth. The Lord Jesus once declared, “I am the truth” (John 14:6). If, as is the practice of many Christians, we interpret truth to mean doctrine, then the Lord Jesus would have been saying, “I am the doctrine.” How ridiculous! Many Christians, even Bible teachers, do not know the meaning of truth in the New Testament. Eventually, superficiality can lead to hypocrisy, and hypocrisy, to superstition. There is a doctrine commonly held among Christians that as long as a person believes in the Lord Jesus, he is saved and he will have no problems at the time of the Lord’s coming. According to this view, when the believers are raptured, they will not have any problems with the Lord, and all will reign with Him in the kingdom. There is even a bumper sticker which makes light of the rapture by saying: “Warning — in case of rapture, this car will be unmanned.” Many Christians mistakenly believe that simply because they are saved they have a “ticket” which will admit them into the kingdom of the heavens. But as D. M. Panton Panton has pointed out, many will be surprised to realize that this ticket is false and will not admit them into the heavenly kingdom. A great many of today’s Christians may have the shocking realization that the ticket which some minister told them would guarantee an entrance into the kingdom will not be accepted at the time of the Lord’s coming. Because such superficial and even superstitious teachings are prevalent today, we need to fight against them, just as Paul fought against the hypocrisies of Judaism and Gnosticism.
18我们必须抵挡的另一个教训是说，只要两三个人在主的名里聚集，他们就是召会。根据这错谬的教训，一个地方有许多不同的召会。何等虚假！两三个信徒可以在主的名里聚集，但那未必意指他们就是当地的召会。虽然我们需要与肤浅和迷信的教训争战，但这绝对不是说，我们故意给我们的家人、亲属、朋友、或邻居造成难处。不错，我们必须为著神的真理争战；我们也必须是世界的光，地上的盐。然而，我们绝对需要与别人维持最好的关系。青年人必须孝敬父母，我们众人需要与我们的家人、亲属和邻居有正确的关系。在主的恢复里，我们该是最好的邻居和最和睦的人。说我们没有人性，是邪恶的谣言和毁谤。我们渴望成为最有人性的人，有耶稣的人性，神圣的人性。在与别人一切的接触中，我们需要展现最高的人性和最好的举止行为。我们不是与人争战─我们是与宗教的道理争战。
18Another teaching we must oppose is the saying that as long as two or three meet in the name of the Lord, they are the church. According to this erroneous teaching, there can be many different churches in a locality. What falsehood! Two or three believers may meet in the name of the Lord, but that does not necessarily mean that they are the church in that locality. Although we need to fight against superficial and superstitious teachings, this definitely does not mean that we deliberately cause trouble to our family, relatives, friends, or neighbors. Yes, we must fight for the truth of God. We must be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. However, it is absolutely necessary that we maintain the best relationship with others. The young people must honor their parents, and we all need to have a proper relationship with our family, relatives, and neighbors. We in the Lord’s recovery should be the best neighbors and the most peaceable of people. It is an evil rumor and slander to say that we are not human. We aspire to be the most human of people, those who are Jesusly human, divinely human. In all our contact with others, we need to display the highest humanity and the best conduct and behavior. We are not fighting against persons—we are fighting against isms
19我们的负担不是要抵挡肤浅、假冒为善和迷信，乃是要供应基督与召会，以完成神的经纶。我们的父神确实有永远的定旨要完成，但撒但却带著许多打岔和虚假进来。我们的负担必须是将包罗万有的基督，以及作基督身体的召会，供应给爱神并寻求基督的人。我们需要帮助所有追求主的人完全认识真理。我们需要吹号，使寻求主耶稣的人来在一起作基督活的身体，以完成神的定旨，并催促主来。关于这点，我们众人必须不顾一切，并使自己专心祷告。一面，我们喜欢与别人维持和睦的光景。另一面，为著神定旨的缘故，我们必须站立得稳，以完全认识神的真理，并且打美好的仗，抵挡邪恶的黑暗权势。
19Our burden is not simply to oppose superficiality, hypocrisy, and superstition. It is to minister Christ and the church for the fulfillment of God’secon o my. God our Father certainly has an eternal purpose to fulfill. But Satan has come in with many distractions and falsehoods. Our burden must be to minister the all - inclusive Christ and the church as the Body of Christ to those who love God and seek Christ. We need to help all those who pursue the Lord to come to the full knowledge of the truth. We need to sound the trumpet that those who seek the Lord Jesus may come together as a living Body of Christ to fulfill God’s purpose and to hasten the coming of the Lord. Concerning this, we all must be desperate and give ourselves to prayer. On the one hand, we like to maintain a peaceful situation with others. On the other hand, for the sake of God’s purpose, we must stand firm for the full knowledge of God’st ruth and fight the good fight against the evil powers of darkness.