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腓立门书生命读经 · 第1篇

奴仆重生为弟兄

A Slave Reborn to Be a Brother
1读经：腓利门书一至十六节。
1Scripture Reading: Philem. 1-16
壹 本书主题
I. THE SUBJECT OF THE BOOK
2腓利门书的主题是在新人里信徒身分平等的例证。在新人里，所有的信徒，无论像腓利门这样的主人，或像欧尼西母这样的奴仆，都有同样的身分。
2The subject of the book of Philemon is an illustration of the believers’ equal status in the new man. In the new man all the believers, whether masters such as Philemon or slaves such as Onesimus, have the same status
贰 引言
II. INTRODUCTION
3腓利门书开头说，『基督耶稣的囚犯保罗，和弟兄提摩太，写信给所爱的并我们的同工腓利门。』在二节保罗题到姊妹亚腓亚，并亚基布，以及在腓利门家中的召会。照本书信家庭的性质看，亚腓亚必是腓利门的妻子，亚基布必是他的儿子。腓利门住在歌罗西。（2比西四17，门10比西一2，四9。）根据历史，他是当地召会的长老。在歌罗西的召会必是在他家里聚会，因此是在他家中的召会。腓利门书的引言结束于保罗在三节的话：『愿恩典与平安，从神我们的父，并主耶稣基督归与你们。』
3The book of Philemon opens with the words, “Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy the brother, to Philemon the beloved and our fellow-worker.” In verse 2 Paul refers to Apphia the sister and to Archippus and to the church in Philemon’sho use. According to the family nature of this Epistle, Apphia must be Philemon’s wife, and Archippus, his son. Philemon lived in Colosse (v. 2, see Col. 4:17; v. 10, see Col. 1:2; 4:9). According to history, he was an elder of the church in Colosse. It should be that the church in Colosse met in his house. Hence, it was the church in his house. The introduction to this Epistle concludes with Paul’sword in verse 3: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
参 奴仆重生为弟兄
III. A SLAVE REBORN TO BE A BROTHER
4在四至五节保罗接著说，『我祷告的时候题到你，常常感谢我的神，因听见你对主耶稣，并对众圣徒的爱与信。』请注意在五节保罗先说到爱，然后说到信。信徒的生活，开始先有信，然后由信产生爱。（加五6，弗一15，西一4。）但这里先题爱，再题信，因为本书信所论关于信徒身分的平等，乃是一件爱的事，这爱是从信来的。在新人里，众肢体因信彼此相爱。（多三15。）他们的关系是出于爱、藉著信的。使徒珍赏腓利门信的交通，（门6，）并因他的爱得到鼓励，（7，）因此恳求他因这爱（9）接纳欧尼西母。使徒把爱与信这两种美德题在一起；腓利门兼有这二者，不仅向著主，也向著众圣徒。
4In verses 4 and 5 Paul goes on to say, “I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, hearing of your love and the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and to all the saints.” Notice that in verse 5 Paul speaks first of love and then of faith. In the initial stage faith came first, and then love was produced by faith (Gal. 5:6; Eph. 1:15; Col. 1:4). But here love is referred to first and then faith, because what is dealt with in this Epistle concerning the equal status of believers is a matter of love, which comes out of faith. In the new man the members love one another in faith (Titus 3:15). The relationship is of love through faith. The apostle appreciates the fellowship of Philemon’s faith (v. 6) and is encouraged by his love (v. 7); thus he entreats him to receive Onesimus because of this love (v. 9). These two virtues are referred to in a combined way. Philemon has both of them, not only toward the Lord, but also toward all the saints
5在六节保罗继续说，『愿你信的交通显出功效，使人充分认识你们里面为著基督的各样善事。』本节实际上是四节的延续。这里的充分认识，即充分承认、珍赏并经历上的体认。保罗所说的各样善事，不是指天然的事，（参罗七18，）乃是指属灵、神圣的善事，就如腓利门里面对主耶稣的爱与信等，这些都是在我们重生的信徒里面，不是在天然的人里面。
5In verse 6 Paul continues, “That the fellowship of your faith may become operative in the full knowledge of every good thing which is in us for Christ.” This verse is actually the continuation of verse 4. Full knowledge here means full acknowledgment, entire appreciation, and experiential recognition. By “every good thing” Paul does not mean natural things (see Rom. 7:18), but spiritual and divinely good things, such as eternal life, the divine nature, and spiritual gifts, which are in us, the regenerated believers, not in natural men.
6『为著基督』这辞的『为著』，直译，归于，向著。我们里面一切属灵、神圣的善事，都是归于基督，向著基督，为著基督的。使徒祷告，愿腓利门向著众圣徒之信的交通、往来、分享，在对我们信徒里面一切为著基督善事之充分认识、充分领悟的元素和范围里，能在他们里面显出功效，使他们承认、珍赏并体认信徒里面为著基督的各样属灵、神圣的善事。在腓利门七节保罗说，『因为弟兄阿，我因你的爱，大大喜乐，满受鼓励，因为众圣徒的心肠藉著你得了舒畅。』『因为』引出使徒为著腓利门的信，能在众圣徒里面显出功效而祷告的原因。（6。）这是因为腓利门的爱，使众圣徒的心肠得了舒畅，因此叫使徒大大喜乐，满受鼓励。得了舒畅，原文也是得了抚慰、感到畅快的意思。八至九节继续说，『为此，我虽然在基督里能大有胆量吩咐你合宜的事，然而像我这有年纪的保罗，现在又是基督耶稣的囚犯，宁可因著爱恳求你。』这里有年纪的，原文也可译为作大使的。（弗六20。）这里的『囚犯』与腓利门二十三节『坐监的』，以及十三节的『捆锁』，指明本书信是使徒第一次被囚于罗马时写的。
6The Greek word rendered “for” in the phrase “for Christ” literally means unto, toward. All the spiritual and divinely good things in us are unto Christ, toward Christ, for Christ. The apostle prays that the fellowship, the communication, the sharing, of Philemon’s faith toward all the saints may operate in them in the element and sphere of the full knowledge, the full realization, of all the good things in us for Christ, causing them to acknowledge, appreciate, and recognize all the spiritual and divinely good things which are in the believers for Christ. In verse 7 Paul says, “For I had much joy and encouragement over your love, because the inward parts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” The word “for” introduces the reason the apostle prays for Philemon’s faith to operate in the saints (v. 6). It is because his love has refreshed the inward parts of the saints and has hence rendered the apostle much joy and encouragement. The Greek word rendered refreshed also means soothed, cheered. Verses 8 and 9 continue, “Wherefore, having much boldness in Christ to charge you what is fitting, because of love I rather entreat, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.” The Greek word for aged here may also be translated an ambassador (Eph. 6:20). Prisoner here and in verse 23, and bonds in verse 13, indicate that this Epistle was written during imprisonment, the apostle’s first imprisonment in Rome
7保罗在十至十一节说，『就是为我在捆锁中所生的孩子欧尼西母恳求你；他从前对你没有益处，但如今对你我都有益处。』保罗在被囚期间，藉著那灵用神永远的生命生了欧尼西母。（约三3，一13。）欧尼西母这名，原文意有益处的、有用的、有帮助的，是奴仆常用的名字。他是腓利门所买来的奴仆，根据罗马律法，是没有人权的。他从主人那里逃走，犯了该死的罪。当他与使徒同在罗马监狱时，藉著使徒得救了。现今使徒打发他带著这封书信，回到他主人那里。
7In verses 10 and 11 Paul says, “I entreat you concerning my child whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus, who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.” During his imprisonment, Paul begot Onesimus through the Spirit with the eternal life of God (John 3:3; 1:13). In Greek the name Onesimus means profitable, useful, helpful; it was a common name for slaves. He was Philemon’s purchased bondslave, who, according to Roman law, had no human rights. He ran away from his master, committing a crime which could bring the death penalty. While he was in prison at Rome with the apostle, he was saved through him. Now the apostle sends him back with this Epistle to his master.
8腓利门十一节的没有益处，也是没有用处的意思。这是指欧尼西母从腓利门那里逃走。有益处，也是有用处的意思。欧尼西母有用处，因为他已经悔改信主，并且愿意回到腓利门那里。十二节继续说，『我现在打发他回你那里去，他乃是我心上的人。』心，直译，心肠。如在七节、二十节，腓立比一章八节，二章一节（慈心），歌罗西三章十二节者，表征内在的情爱、慈心、怜恤。保罗内在的情爱和怜恤，随同欧尼西母到腓利门那里去。十三至十四节说，『我本有意将他留在身边，使他在我为福音所受的捆锁中，替你服事我。但未得知你的意见，我就不愿作甚么，好叫你的善行不像是出于勉强，乃是出于甘心。』正如主没有我们的同意，就不愿作甚么，保罗没有腓利门的同意，就不愿将欧尼西母留在身边。在十五至十六节保罗说，『因为他暂时离开你，或者是叫你可以永远完全得著他，不再是奴仆，乃是高过奴仆，是亲爱的弟兄，对我固然是如此，对你，不拘在肉身上，或在主里，岂不都更是这样。』十五节的『因为』引出十二节打发他回去的原因。『或者』，不仅显示谦卑，也显示没有成见。这封简短书信专一的目的，是要给我们看见，基督身体所有的肢体，在神永远的生命和神圣的爱里都是平等的。在保罗那半野蛮的时代，基督的生命在信徒中间废除了牢固的奴隶制度。在基督徒的交通里，爱的情操既是这样有力且得胜，就自然忽视堕落人类中间邪恶的社会等次，也无需任何制度上的解放。因著神圣的出生，以及凭著神圣生命而有的生活，所有在基督里的信徒，在召会中都有平等的身分；召会乃是在基督里的新人，没有为奴和自主的区别。（西三10～。）这是根据三个事实；（一）基督在十字架上的死已经废掉不同生活方式的规条，为著创造一个新人；（弗二15；）（二）我们已经浸入基督，在祂里面成为一，不再有任何差异；（加三27～28；）（三）在新人里，基督是一切，又在一切之内。（西三。）这样的生命，同著这样在平等交通里的爱，足能在召会中维持良好的秩序（提多书），完成神对召会的经纶（提摩太前书），并对抗召会败落的潮流（提摩太后书）。腓利门书在新约的排列上，位于前三卷之后，乃是出于神主宰的权柄。
8The word useless in verse 11 also means not of service, profitless. This refers to Onesimus’ s running away from Philemon. The word useful also means of service, profitable. Onesimus became of service because he had been converted and was willing to return to Philemon. Verse 12 continues, “Whom I have sent back to you— him, that is, my very heart.” Literally, the Greek word for heart means bowels, as in verses 7 and 20; Philippians 1:8; 2:1; and Colossians 3:12. It signifies inward affection, tenderheartedness, compassions. Paul’s in ward affection and compassions went with Onesimus to Philemon. Verses 13 and 14 say, “Whom I resolved to keep with myself, that on your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel, but without your mind I did not want to do anything, that your goodness should not be as of necessity, but voluntary.” Just as the Lord would not do anything without our consent, Paul would not keep Onesimus with him without Philemon’s consent. In verses 15 and 16 Paul says, “For perhaps therefore he was separated from you for an hour that you might fully have him forever, no longer as a slave, but above a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, and how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.” The word “for” in verse 15 introduces the reason for the sending in verse 12. The word perhaps here is not only an expression of humility, but also one which shows no prejudice. This short Epistle serves the special purpose of showing us the equality in eternal life and divine love of all the members in the Body of Christ. In the age of Paul the life of Christ had annulled, among the believers, the strong institution of slavery. Since the sentiment of the love of the Christian fellowship was so powerful and prevailing that the evil social order among fallen mankind was spontaneously ignored, any need for institutional emancipation was obviated. Because of the divine birth and living by the divine life, all the believers in Christ had equal status in the church, which was the new man in Christ, with no discrimination between free and bond (Col. 3:10-11). This is based on three facts. First, Christ’s death on 11 the cross has abolished the ordinances of the different ways of life for the creation of the one new man (Eph. 2:15). Second, we all have been baptized into Christ and made one in Him without any difference (Gal. 3:27-28). Third, in the new man Christ is all and in all (Col. 3:11). Such a life with such a love in equal fellowship is well able to maintain good order in the 11 church (in Titus), carry out God’secon o my concerning the church (in 1 Timothy), and stand against the tide of the church’s decline (in 2 Timothy). It is of the Lord’s sovereignty that this Epistle was positioned after the three preceding books in the arrangement of the New Testament.
9照著保罗在十六节的话，欧尼西母高过奴仆，或超过奴仆。他甚至超过自由的人，他乃是亲爱的弟兄。本书信里有好些亲密的称呼：亲爱的弟兄、姊妹、（2、）所爱的并我们的同工、（1、）与我们一同当兵的、（2、）我的同工、（24、）与我一同坐监的（23）以及同伙，（17，）这些称呼指明使徒论到他与在新人里众肢体的关系时，里面亲密的情操。
9According to Paul’sword in verse 16, Onesimus was above a slave, or more than a slave. He was even more than a free man; he was a beloved brother. There are a number of intimate terms in this Epistle: a beloved brother, the sister (v. 2), the beloved and our fellow-worker (v. 1), our fellow-soldier (v. 2), my fellow-workers (v. 24), my fellow-prisoner (v. 23), and a partner (v. 17). These terms indicate the intimate sentiment in the apostle concerning his relationship with the fellow members in the new man
10『不拘在肉身上，或在主里，』这话意即在肉身上是奴仆，在主里是弟兄。在肉身上，是弟兄作了奴仆；在主里，是奴仆作了弟兄。本篇信息的题目是『奴仆重生为弟兄』。惟有藉著福音的传扬，像欧尼西母这样的奴仆才能重生为弟兄。保罗不是平常或轻率、肤浅的传福音给欧尼西母。保罗在罗马坐监的时候传福音给他。这指明保罗无论在怎样的情况里，总是操练传福音。他说，『弟兄们，我愿意你们知道，我所遭遇的事，更是为著福音的进展，以致我的捆锁，在御营全军，和所有其余的人中，已经显明是为基督的缘故。』（腓一12～13。）尼罗的皇家侍卫听见保罗传福音，甚至看见他传福音。腓立比四章二十二节指明，该撒家里有些人得救了：『众圣徒，尤其是该撒家里的人，都问你们安。』现在我们从腓利门书知道，奴仆欧尼西母乃是藉著保罗得救了。保罗不是以今天大多数基督徒所实行的方法，传福音给欧尼西母。保罗认为他传福音是生育的行为。为这缘故，保罗说欧尼西母是他在捆锁中所生的孩子。保罗的传扬包含生育和生产的过程。这指明保罗传福音时，将神圣的生命供应到别人里面。神分赐到欧尼西母里面的永远生命，使他重生为保罗属灵的孩子，以及在基督里的弟兄。今天我们传福音时，也必须以生育的方式来传，将基督这神圣的生命分赐到我们传福音的对象里面。
10The expression “both in the flesh and in the Lord” means in the flesh as a slave and in the Lord as a brother; in the flesh a brother for a slave, and in the Lord a slave for a brother. The title of this message is “A Slave Reborn to Be a Brother.” Only through the preaching of the gospel could a slave like Onesimus be reborn to be a brother. Paul did not preach the gospel to Onesimus in an ordinary way or in a careless, superficial way. Paul preached the gospel to him while he was a prisoner in Rome. This indicates that no matter what kind of situation Paul was in, he was always exercised to carry on the preaching of the gospel. He says, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that the things concerning me have turned out rather to the advancement of the gospel, so that my bonds have become manifest in Christ in the whole praetorium and to all the rest.” Nero’s royal guard heard Paul preaching the gospel and even saw him preaching the gospel. Philippians 4:22 indicates that certain members of Caesar’sho use hold were saved: “All the saints greet you, and especially those of Caesar’sho use hold.” Now we know from the Epistle to Philemon that the slave Onesimus was saved through Paul. Paul did not preach the gospel to Onesimus in the way practiced by most Christians today. Paul regarded his gospel preaching as an act of begetting. For this reason, Paul refers to Onesimus as his child begotten in his bonds. Paul’sp reaching involved a process of begetting and giving birth to a child. This indicates that in his preaching of the gospel Paul ministered the divine life into others. The eternal life of God imparted into Onesimus caused him to be reborn as Paul’s spiritual child and brother in Christ. When we preach the gospel today, we also must preach in the way of begetting, in the way of imparting Christ as the divine life into those to whom we preach the gospel.
11不仅如此，保罗生了这孩子以后，没有疏忽他，或撇下他为孤儿，给别人照顾。因为这孩子对保罗这样亲爱，他就保守他并爱他，甚至说他是『我心上的人』。母亲对孩子常有这样的感觉。孩子若从她们被取去，就好像母亲的心被夺去了一样。你对你所带到主面前的人有这样的感觉么？可能我们没有多少这样的感觉。然而，保罗认为欧尼西母不仅是他的孩子，也是他心上的人。保罗打发自己的孩子到腓利门那里去，意思是他也打发自己的心到他那里去。在这里我们看见了何等的关切！有些父母没有把肉身的孩子看作自己心上的人。他们里面也许说，『神把这孩子赐给了我，照顾他是我的责任。在这事上我别无选择。』把别人带到主面前的基督徒，常有类似的态度。他们和保罗成对比，对于藉他们得救的人缺少作父母那样深刻的关切。
11Furthermore, after begetting this child, Paul did not neglect him or leave him as an orphan in the care of others. Because this child was so dear to him, Paul kept him and loved him. He even referred to him as “my very heart.” Mothers often feel this way toward their child. If the child were taken away from them, it would seem as if the mother’she art had been snatched away. Do you have this kind of feeling concerning one whom you have brought to the Lord? Probably we do not have much of this kind of feeling. However, Paul considered Onesimus not only his child, but also his heart. For Paul to send his child to Philemon meant that he also sent his heart to him. What concern we see here! There are some parents who do not regard their children in the flesh as their own heart. They may say within themselves, “God has given me this child, and it is my duty to take care of him. In this matter I have no choice.” Often Christians who bring others to the Lord have a similar attitude. In contrast to Paul, they lack a deep parental concern for the one saved through them
12虽然保罗对他的孩子有爱的关切，但他知道自己不是留住他的适当人选。因为欧尼西母是逃离主人的奴仆，他必须回去。可能欧尼西母偷了腓利门的东西。腓利门十八节也许指明这点：『他若亏负你，或欠你甚么，这都归在我的账上。』欧尼西母也许不仅仅偷了腓利门的东西；他也许偷了贵重的东西。这里我们看见，保罗关切欧尼西母和腓利门之间的人际关系要得纠正。我们把罪人带到主面前以后，首先该把他看作我们属灵的孩子，然后帮助他纠正他的关系。譬如，人若亏负了父母，我们就该帮助他与父母和好。妻子若亏负丈夫，或者丈夫亏负妻子，我们就该帮助妻子或丈夫恢复与配偶的正确关系。这是重要的原则。
12Although Paul had such a loving concern for his child, he realized that he was not the right person to keep him. Because Onesimus was a slave who had escaped from his master, he had to return. It is possible that Onesimus had stolen something from Philemon. Verse 18 may indicate this: “And if he has wronged you in anything or owes anything, charge that to my account.” Onesimus may not merely have pilfered things from Philemon; he may have stolen something precious. Here we see that Paul’s concern was that the human relationship between Onesimus and Philemon would be rectified. After we have brought a sinner to the Lord, we should first regard him as our spiritual child and then help him to rectify his relationships. For example, if one has wronged his parents, we should help him to be reconciled to his parents. If a wife is wrong with her husband, or a husband with his wife, we should help the wife or husband to restore the proper relationship with the spouse. This is an important principle
13保罗这优秀的作者，打发这逃走的奴仆回到他主人那里去时，恳求腓利门的爱。在五至六节保罗说，『因听见你对主耶稣，并对众圣徒的爱与信；愿你信的交通显出功效，使人充分认识你们里面为著基督的各样善事。』因为在本书信中保罗恳求腓利门的爱，他在五节就把爱放在信前面。六节很难领会。这里保罗似乎在说，『在不同地方的弟兄们听见你在爱里藉著信所作的，并且交通到你的信，你的信就会在他们里面作工。这信会在他们里面显出功效，使他们充分认识我们里面为著基督的各样善事，因为所有的信徒里面都有同样的善事。』这些善事包括神圣的生命、神圣的性情、和神圣的恩赐。这些事的全部记载，见于提摩太前后书和提多书这三卷。我们里面各样的善事都是为著基督的。腓利门信的交通可比喻为扇子，我们可用来为著基督将我们里面各样的善事挑旺起来。（提后一6。）圣徒听见腓利门在爱中所作的，他们里面美好的托付就会被挑旺起来。这是一位圣徒藉著在信徒中间的交通而有之信的功效。腓利门书有绝佳的榜样和例子，就是藉著用神圣的生命生育罪人，而将他带到主面前；将他看作孩子，甚至看作我们心上的人；并帮助他纠正一切的人际关系。在主恢复里的众召会中，我们的实行是将逃走的人，以及离婚或分居的妻子或丈夫送回。我们要帮助人纠正一切的人际关系。我们这样作，必须有爱的关切，并恳求另一方的爱。最终，我们遵循保罗在本书信里的榜样，必须帮助新得救的人进入召会生活。保罗的愿望是将欧尼西母带进召会生活。欧尼西母已由保罗所生，现今是奴仆重生为弟兄。保罗是生了欧尼西母的人，有责任将他带进召会生活，带进身体众肢体之间的交通。
13In sending back this escaped slave to his master, Paul, an excellent writer, appealed to Philemon’s love. In verses 5 and 6 Paul says, “Hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and to all the saints, that the fellowship of your faith may become operative in the full knowledge of every good thing which is in us for Christ.” Because in this Epistle Paul is appealing to Philemon’s love, he puts love before faith in verse 5. Verse 6 is difficult to understand. Here Paul seems to be saying, “When the brothers in different localities learn of what you did in love through faith and have fellowship regarding your faith, your faith will work in them. It will become operative in them in the full knowledge of every good thing which is in us for Christ, because all believers have the same good things within them.” These good things include the divine life, the divine nature, and the divine gifts. A full record of these things is found in the three books of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. All these good things in us are for Christ. The fellowship of Philemon’s faith may be likened to a fan with which we fan into flame for Christ all the good things within us (2 Tim. 1:6). When the saints hear what Philemon did in love, the good deposit within them will be stirred up. This is the operation of the faith of a certain saint through the fellowship among the believers. In the book of Philemon we have an excellent pattern and example of bringing a sinner to the Lord through begetting him with the divine life; regarding him as a child, even as our heart; and helping him to rectify all the human relationships. In the churches in the Lord’s recovery it is our practice to send back the escaped one and the divorced or separated wife or husband. We want to help rectify all human relationships. In doing this, we must have a loving concern and appeal to the love of the other party. Finally, in keeping with Paul’sex ample in this Epistle, we must help the newly saved one to come into the church life. Paul’s desire was to bring Onesimus into the church life. Having been begotten by Paul, Onesimus was now a slave reborn to be a brother. As the one who had begotten him, Paul bore the responsibility to bring Onesimus into the church life, into the fellowship among the members of the Body