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希伯来书生命读经 · 第29篇

公义的话

The Word of Righteousness
1与基督开端的话在本篇信息中，我的负担是要说到公义的话的基本原则。希伯来五章十三节说，『凡只能享用奶的，对公义的话都是没有经验的，因为他是婴孩。』许多基督徒虽然明白恩典的话、（徒十四3，二十32、）生命的话、（腓二16、）甚至神美善的话，（来六5，）但很少人知道甚么是公义的话。为甚么神的话必须是公义的话？作者乃是在说到基督是照著麦基洗德的等次为大祭司时，题到公义的话。关于麦基洗德，他有『许多话要说』，且是『难以解明的』，因为那些受信的人『听觉迟钝』。（五11。）他们当时已经学了一段颇长的时间。作者在十二节论到他们说，『按时间说，你们该作教师；可是你们还需要有人将神谕言开端的要纲教导你们；并且成了那必须用奶，不能吃干粮的人。』他们本该作教师，但直到写这信的时候，还需要有人教导他们。他们仍然是婴孩。『凡只能享用奶的，对公义的话都是没有经验的』，（13，）可见公义的话不是为著婴孩，乃是为著长成的人。在本篇信息中我们要来看，公义的话基本上是甚么。
1And the Word of the Beginning of Christ My burden in this message is the basic principle of the word of righteousness. Hebrews 5:13 says that “everyone who partakes of milk is inexperienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.” Although many Christians understand the word of grace (Acts 14:3; 20:32), the word of life (Phil. 2:16), and even the good word of God (Heb. 6:5), not many know what the word of righteousness is. Why must the word be the word of righteousness? The writer mentioned the word of righteousness at a time when he was speaking of Christ as the High Priest according to the order of Melchisedec. Concerning Melchisedec he had “much to say” which was “ha rd to interpret” since the receivers of this epistle had “become dull of hearing” (5:11). They had been learners for quite a long time. In verses 12 and 13 the writer said of them, “For when because of the time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you what are the rudiments of the beginning of the oracles of God, and have become those who have need of milk and not of solid food.” Although they should have been teachers, at the time of the writing of this epistle, they still needed someone to teach them. They were still babes. Since “everyone who partakes of milk is in experienced in the word of righteousness” (Heb. 5:13), we see that the word of righteousness is for the mature, not for babes. Now in this message we need to see what the word of righteousness basically is.
2壹神的话作我们的滋养我们若要明白公义的话这件事，就必须先有深刻的印象，看见神的话主要的不是为著知识。但五章十一至十四节这短短的一段话，对此似乎有些矛盾。十二节用了『教师』和『教导』这两个辞，当然是指知识说的。然而，这几节经节清楚而明确的指明，神的话是为著滋养的，因为这里把神的话比作奶和干粮。奶和干粮不是为著知识；人们也不会拿来研究，而是吃喝以得滋养。
2I. THE WORD OF GOD BEING OUR NOURISHMENT If we would understand this matter of the word of righteousness, we must firstly be deeply impressed that the word of God is not mainly for knowledge. In this short portion of the Word (5:11-14), there seems to be a contradiction. Verse 12 uses the words “teachers” and “teach.” This surely refers to knowledge. However, in these verses it is clearly and definitely indicated that the word of God is for nourishment, for it likens His word to either milk or solid food. Milk and solid food are not for knowledge. People do not study them; they drink and eat of them as nourishment
3多年来我们一直说，我们所需要的不仅是教训，乃是食物。许多人与我争辩，说，『你怎么可以说我们不需要教训？难道你不信圣经是一本教训的书么？你自己不也是教导人么？』不错，圣经是一本教训的书，但不是仅仅教导我们头脑的知识；圣经的教训乃是将食物供应给我们。圣经的目标，不是为著我们得头脑的了解和知识，完全是为著我们属灵的领悟和滋养。按照主耶稣所说的，神的话是给我们吃的。我们若要活著，就必须接受神的话作食物。主受魔鬼试诱时，回答说，『人活著不是单靠食物，乃是靠神口里所出的一切话。』（太四4。）神的话应是我们的食物，我们必须天天吃这话，靠这话活著。即使在旧约时代，耶利米也曾说，『我得著你的言语，就当食物吃了。』（耶十五。）申言者耶利米知道，神的话不是为著知识，乃是为著滋养。不仅如此，新约告诉我们，要以神的话𫗪养自己，也要以神的话𫗪养别人。保罗对他话语职事的观念，乃是𫗪养的观念。他乃是用奶𫗪养哥林多人，也盼望用干粮𫗪养他们。（林前三2。）因此，按照圣经的基本原则，神的话乃是为著滋养，过于为著知识。
3For years we have been saying that our need is not mere teachings; it is food. Many have argued with me, saying, “How can you say that we don’t need teaching? Don’ty ou believe that the Bible is a book of teaching? Even you yourself teach people.” Yes, the Bible is a book of teaching, but it does not teach us merely for mental knowledge; its teaching ministers food to us. The aim of the Bible is not for our mental comprehension and knowledge; it is absolutely for our spiritual realization and nourishment. According to the word of the Lord Jesus, the words of God are for us to eat. In order to live, we must take the word of God as our food. When the Lord was tempted by the Devil, He answered him, saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). The word of God should be our food, and we must eat it daily and live by it. Even in the Old Testament times, Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them” (Jer. 15:16). The prophet realized that the word of God is for nourishment, not for knowledge. 16 Furthermore, the New Testament not only tells us that we must feed ourselves with the word of God but that we must feed others with it. Paul’s concept concerning his ministry of the word was that of feeding. He fed the Corinthians with milk and desired to feed them with the solid food (1 Cor. 3:2). Therefore, according to the basic principles of the Bible, the word of God is for nourishment rather than for knowledge.
贰 奶
II. MILK
4圣经本身把神的话分成两类：奶为著婴孩，干粮为著长成的人。（来五12～13。）保罗告诉哥林多人，他只能用奶𫗪养他们，因为他们还是婴孩。（林前三1～2。）彼得也有同样的观点，他说，『像才生的婴孩一样，切慕那纯净的话奶。』（彼前二2。）在希伯来五章十二节，奶是指『神谕言开端的要纲』。『要纲』也可译为『启蒙的原理』，指初级的东西。譬如，学习英文二十六个字母，数算一到十的数字，都属开端的要纲。我们若与孩童谈论哲学，他们必定不能明白。最近我的一个小孙子，很得意的给我看他学会写LEE这三个英文字母。他对他的初级『糖果』感到很快乐。
4The Bible itself classifies God’sword into two categories— milk for babes and solid food for the mature (5:12-13). Paul told the Corinthians that because they were babes he could only feed them with milk (1 Cor. 3:1-2), and Peter, holding the same concept, said, “ As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word” (1 Pet. 2:2). In Hebrews 5:12, milk refers to “the rudiments of the beginning of the oracles of God.” The Greek word translated “rudiments,” which also may be rendered as “primary elements,” denotes elementary things. For example, learning the twenty-six letters of the alphabet and the numbers from one to ten are the rudiments. If you were to talk with children in a philosophical way, they would be unable to understand. Recently, one of my grandchildren was pleased to show me how he could write the letters LEE. He was very happy with his elementary “candies
5基督教里有许多老小孩，只会写属灵的字母。你若与他们谈论马太二十五章，他们会说，『哦，那太难了。只要我得著救赎，死后能上天堂就彀了。』他们满足于『棒棒糖』，只能接受神谕言开端的要纲，不能接受干粮。
5In Christianity there are many old babes who can barely write the letters of the spiritual alphabet. If you were to talk with them about Matthew 25, they would say, “Oh, that is too difficult. As long as I have been redeemed and will go to heaven when I die, that is enough for me.” They are content with “candy bars.” They can only take the rudiments of the beginning of the oracles of God, not solid food.
6希伯来五章十二节『神谕言开端的要纲』，就是六章一节的『论到基督之开端的话』。这些都是希伯来书中的特别用辞。甚至论到基督，也像我们受教育一样，有一个开端。有些小孩只知道十个数字，但还不会算最简单的加法。照样，在属灵的教育上也有基督开端的话。许多基督徒只会说，『基督为我死了。我是个罪人，该下地狱；但是神爱我，打发耶稣为我的罪钉死在十字架上。现在我相信祂，我得救了。』这就是基督开端的话。今天在大多数基督徒中间的光景，是何等的可怜！他们甚至不会分辨人的灵与圣灵有甚么不同。他们一看见『灵』这个字，总以为是指圣灵。不仅如此，关于圣灵，他们也不熟悉『赐生命的灵』这样的辞。许多人甚至不愿意听到这个辞；当他们读到林前十五章四十五节，说到末后的亚当成了赐生命的灵，他们似乎就把眼睛一闭，忽略过去。你读圣经时，岂不也曾这样略过很多经节么？我肯定，你们很多人都把马太一章头十七节略而不读。你进到召会生活以前，可能从不注意这几节经文。甚至可能有人劝你，读新约的时候，要从马太一章十八节读起。然后你可能往下读二章一小段，关于星相家寻访主的事，和三章关于耶稣受浸的事。至于像十三章、二十四章、和二十五章这几章，你可能认为太难明白，就略而不读，只稍微读一下二十六章。你可能为二十七章里钉十字架的耶稣，流了一点眼泪，等读到二十八章因主复活了，又感到快乐。当你读到马太福音末了，你以为主耶稣已经升到诸天之上；其实马太福音并没有说主耶稣的升天，但是按照你传统的观念，就把基督升天这一点加进去。今天许多基督徒就是这样领会圣经。圣经虽然只有一本，但几乎每一个基督徒都各有自己的版本，那不是照著神的启示所印出来白纸黑字的圣经，而是用自己的头脑印出来的『圣经』。他们各有用自己头脑想出来的版本。很少基督徒理会神话语中的干粮，他们只接受开端的要纲，就是基督开端的话。或许有人会与我争辩，认为开端的话并没有错。开端的话当然没有错，但仅仅是ABC而已。我们必须往前去。
6The “rudiments of the beginning of the oracles of God” in 5:12 are “the word of the beginning of the Christ” in 6:1. These are special terms found in the book of Hebrews. Even Christ, like your education, has a beginning. Some little children only know the ten numbers, being unable to do even the simplest addition. Likewise, in our spiritual education we have the word of the beginning of Christ. Many Christians can only say, “Christ died for me. I am a sinner and I should go to hell, but God loves me and sent Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Now I believe in Him and I am saved.” This is the word of the beginning of Christ. How poor is the situation among most Christians today! They are even unable to discern the difference between the human spirit and the Holy Spirit. Whenever they see the word “spirit,” they take it to mean the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, regarding the Holy Spirit, they are unfamiliar with the term “life-giving Spirit.” Many of them do not even want to hear about it. It seems that when they read 1 Corinthians 15:45, which tells us that the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit, they cover their eyes and pass it by. Have you not also passed by many verses in your reading of the Scriptures? I am quite sure that many of you have skipped over the first seventeen verses of the Gospel of Matthew. Perhaps you never paid attention to these verses before coming into the church life. Others might even have advised you to begin your reading of the New Testament with Matthew 1:18. Then you might have proceeded to read a little of chapter two regarding the visit of the wise men and chapter three concerning the baptism of Jesus. Perhaps you skipped chapters like thirteen, twenty-four, and twenty-five, finding them too difficult to comprehend, and gave some attention to chapter twenty-six. May be you shed a few tears for the crucified Jesus in chapter twenty- seven and then were happy to hear that He was resurrected in chapter twenty- eight. As you came to the end of Matthew, you thought of the Lord Jesus as ascending to the heavens, although Matthew does not speak of His ascension; yet, according to your traditional mentality, you added an extra point about Christ ascending to the heavens. This is the way many Christians understand the Bible today. There is only one Bible. However, nearly every Christian has his or her own version of the Bible. It is not the Bible printed with black and white letters as God revealed; it is the “Bible” printed with their kind of mentality. They have their own mental version of the Scriptures. Very few Christians care for the solid word of God. They only take the rudiments, the word of the beginning of Christ. Perhaps some would argue with me, saying that the word of the beginning is not wrong. Of course it is not wrong, but it is simply the ABC’s. We need to go on!
7基督开端的话，就是神美善的话。（来六5。）我们都曾尝过这美善的话。约翰三章十六节和罗马六章二十三节，都说到永远的生命，这乃是美善的话的例子。但许多基督徒甚至误解这两节，把永远的生命，当作天堂里的福气和快乐。对神的话这样的领会，是何等的贫穷！对神的圣别谕言这样的看待，是何等的可怜！这就是为甚么在主的恢复里，我们有负担要释放更丰富、更高超、更深入的话。因著主的怜悯，祂一直把祂的话向我们打开。请你记得，在这段神的话中，奶是指神谕言开端的要纲，和论到基督之开端的话。盼望我们大家，特别是青年人，都能熟悉这些辞，并且能在交通时使用这些辞。我们都需要新的辞汇。我们不该停留在老宗教辞汇的范围里，乃要过河，进入新的方式，用神纯净话语里的辞句交谈。
7The word of the beginning of Christ is the good word of God (6:5). We all have tasted this good word. John 3:16 and Romans 6:23, both of which speak of eternal life, are examples of the good word. But even many Christians misinterpret these verses, taking eternal life to mean blessing and happiness in a heavenly merry land. What poverty in understanding the word of God! What a pitiful way of dealing with God’sho ly oracle! This is the reason that in the Lord’s recovery we are burdened for the release of the richer, higher, and deeper word. In His mercy, the Lord is opening His word to us. Please keep in mind that in this portion of the Word, milk refers to the rudiments of the beginning of the oracles of God and to the word of the beginning of Christ. May we all, especially the young people, become familiar with these terms and use them in our fellowship. We all need a new vocabulary. We should not stay in the region of old religious terminology, but cross the river into a new way of conversation and use the terms and phrases found in God’sp ure word
参 干粮
III. SOLID FOOD
8给长成的人所吃的干粮，是指公义的话。（来五14，林前三2。）公义的话比恩典的话和生命的话更难辨识。公义总是说到神的行政，和神行政的对付。我考量整卷希伯来书之后，发现本书不仅在较高的水平上把基督揭示出来，也论到神在祂选民中间神圣的行政。譬如，十章三十一节说，『落在活神的手里是可怕的。』不仅如此，十二章二十九节说，『我们的神乃是烈火。』十章三十节告诉我们：『主要审判祂的百姓。』诸如此类的经节，在希伯来书中随处可见。本书中的五个警告，都基于一个事实，就是希伯来书中的神不是爱的神，乃是公义的神，祂在行政上对付祂子民的时候，乃是烈火。希伯来书不是构建在神的爱上，基本上这卷书是构建在神公义的行政上。这卷书启示了神对祂的子民在经纶和行政上的对付。我们来看以色列人。神虽然爱他们，把他们从埃及拯救出来，并在旷野照顾他们，但是整个以色列人的历史，就是一幅神行政对付的图画。神在旷野是用行政的方式，对付以色列人。因此，从埃及出来的人，没有几个能进入迦南美地。譬如，我们来看神对付摩西的姊姊米利暗的方式；她批评摩西娶了古实女子为妻，（民十二1～15，）结果立即长了大痳疯，在营外关锁了七天。不仅如此，由于神行政的对付，她也倒毙在旷野，不得进入美地。（二十1。）亚伦也是如此。（22～29。）甚至摩西因著触犯了神的行政，也受到神行政的对付。（12。）虽然他切切渴望，想要进入美地，但神按照祂在摩西身上行政的对付，仍然不容许他进去。因著同情摩西，神允许他观看美地。（申三23～27，四21～22，三二48～。）从这些例子我们看见，触犯神的行政是何等严重的事。
8Solid food, which is for the mature, refers to the word of righteousness (5:14; 1 Cor. 3:2). The word of righteousness is more difficult to discriminate than the word of grace and the word of life. Righteousness always refers to God’s government and governmental dealings. After considering the whole book of Hebrews, I have found that it is not only an unveiling of Christ on a higher level but also of God’s divine government among His chosen people. For instance, 10:31 says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Furthermore, 12:29 says that “our God is a consuming fire.” In 10:30 we are told that the “Lord will judge His people.” Verses like these can be found throughout the book of Hebrews. All five warnings in this book are based upon the fact that in Hebrews God is not the God of love but the God of righteousness, a consuming fire in His governmental dealings with His people. The book of Hebrews is not constructed with God’s love; it is constructed basically with God’s righteous government. It is a revelation of God’s dispensational and governmental dealings with His people. Consider the children of Israel. Although God loved them, delivered them from Egypt, and took care of them in the wilderness, their whole history is a picture of God’s governmental dealings. In the wilderness God dealt with the Israelites in a governmental way. Because of this, not many of those who came out of Egypt during the time of the exodus entered into the good land of Canaan. Consider, for example, the way in which God dealt with Miriam, Moses’ older sister, who had criticized him for marrying an Ethiopian woman (Num. 12:1-15). As a result of her criticism, she became leprous and was shut out of the camp for seven days. Moreover, due to God’s governmental dealing, she was not allowed to enter into the good land but died in the wilderness (Num. 20:1). It was the same with Aaron (Num. 20:22-29). Even Moses touched God’s government wrongly and was governmentally dealt with by Him (Num. 20:12). He earnestly desired and longed to enter into the good land, but God, according to His governmental dealing with him, did not allow him to enter in. Sympathizing with Moses, He did allow him to look upon the good land (Deut. 3:23-27; 4:21-22; 32:48-52). By these cases we see that it is a serious 52 thing to touch God’s government.
9一般基督徒并不明白关于神行政对付的那些公义的话。这样的话如同硬骨头一样，很多人因著不明白，就把这些话丢在一边。但不论我们是否明白，我们仍在神行政的对付之下。在出埃及记、利未记、民数记和申命记中，都能看见神公义的行政对付。所有关于神行政对付的话，都不是恩典的话，也不是生命的话，乃是公义的话。你若仍不明白公义的话是甚么，就请再读希伯来三章和四章。论到不能进入神安息的话，不是恩典的话，乃是公义的话。三章十四节引自诗篇九十五篇，告诉我们：『你们今日若听见祂的声音，就不可硬著心，像惹祂发怒的时候一样。』希伯来四章十一节是另一段公义的话，说，『所以我们务必竭力进入那安息，免得有人随著那不信从的样子跌倒了。』要记住，公义的话比神谕言开端的要纲更深，因为这话具体的说出神在祂的经纶和行政上，对待祂的子民所有公正公义的更深思想。今天极少的基督徒留意这种话。四十多年前，当我们开始对人讲马太二十五章，告诉他们说，那个懒惰的奴仆会被丢在外面黑暗里时，有很多人散布关于我们的谣言。一个得救了的人，还可能被丢在外面黑暗里；将这种真理揭示出来的公义的话，有些人总不肯接受。马太二十五章不是恩典的话，也不是生命的话，乃是公义1的话。林前三章十二至十五节也是如此。那段话告诉我们，要谨慎怎样在召会生活里建造。我们若照著属人、属肉体和属地的方法建造，我们就是用木、草、禾秸建造。凡用这些材料建造的东西，都要被烧毁；凡用这些材料建造的人，也要受亏损。但这不是说，一个得救的人还会失丧，而是说他所作的一切，都要被烧毁，『自己却要得救；只是这样得救，要像从火里经过的一样。』（林前三15。）这当然是公义的话。很少基督徒留意这样的话。他们只喜欢那种像糖果一样，叫他们得安慰、舒畅的信息。若是有人站起来向他们宣告说，如果他们不听神公义的话，就会被丢在外面黑暗里，（太二五30，）或者虽然得救，乃要像从火里经过的一样，（林前三15，）他们不但不肯听从，反而会反对，并定罪这人是讲异端。虽然大部分的基督徒只肯要『糖果』，我们在这卷希伯来书粮，就是公义的话。在这事上我们必须谨慎，因为有一天主要来遇见我们。
9Christians do not understand the word of righteousness concerning God’s governmental dealings. Such words are like hard bones, and many, unable to understand them, throw them away. But whether we understand these words or not, we are still under God’s governmental dealings. In Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy we see God’s righteous governmental dealings. The word regarding God’s governmental dealings is the word of righteousness, not the word of grace nor the word of life. If you still do not understand what the word of righteousness is, read Hebrews 3 and 4 again. The word about not entering into God’s rest is a word of righteousness, not a word of grace. In 3:15, a quotation from Psalm 9 5, we are told, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the provocation.” Hebrews 4:11, another word of righteousness, says, “Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.” Keep in mind that the word of righteousness is deeper than the rudiments of the beginning of the oracles of God, because it embodies the deeper thought of God’s justice and righteousness in His dispensational and governmental dealings with His people. Very few Christians today care for this kind of word. When we began to teach people about Matthew 25 more than forty years ago, telling them that the slothful servant would be cast into outer darkness, many rumors were spread about us. Some would not take the word of righteousness which unveils the truth that a saved person can be cast into outer darkness. Matthew 25 is not a word of grace, nor a word of life; it is a word of righteousness. The same is true of Corinthians 3:12-15. In that portion of the Word we are told to take heed how we build in the church life. If we build according to the human, fleshly, and earthly way, we shall be building with wood, hay, and stubble. Everything built with these materials will be burned, and those who build with them will suffer loss. This does not mean that a saved person can be lost; it means that all he does may be burned and that “he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15). This certainly is the word of righteousness. Few Christians care for such a word. They only want “candies,” messages that comfort and soothe them. If anyone would stand up and declare to them that if they do not heed the Lord’sword of righteousness they might be cast into outer darkness (Matt. 25:30) or be “saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15), they would not listen to him, but rather would oppose and condemn him as heretical. While most Christians only want “candies,” in the solid food, the word of righteousness. We all must be careful about this, for someday the Lord will meet us.
10我已过曾多次指出，启示录是结束于一个应许和一个呼召。应许是记在二十二章十四节：『那些洗净自己袍子的有福了，可得权柄到生命树那里，也能从门进城。』呼召是记在十七节：『那灵和新妇说，来！听见的人也该说，来！口渴的人也当来；愿意的都可以白白取生命的水喝。』这两节圣经中，有恩典的话，（14，）也有生命的话。（17。）然而，我现在要指出，启示录也结束于公义的话；这记在二十二章十二节：『看哪，我必快来！赏罚在我，我要照各人所行的报应他。』对主的再来，你豫备好了么？祂的再来将不是恩典和生命的时期，乃是公义的时期。所以使徒保罗非常关心，怕他把福音传给别人，自己『反不蒙称许』；（林前九27；）但他说，『那美好的仗我已经打过了，当跑的赛程我已经跑尽了，当守的信仰我已经守住了；从此以后，有公义的冠冕为我存留，就是主，那公义的审判者，在那日要赏赐我的。』（提后四7～8。）启示录二章十节说到生命的冠冕，彼前五章四节题到荣耀的冠冕，但保罗在这里所指的，乃是公义的冠冕。许多基督徒对于主的再来都觉得好奇；他们却不知道，主乃是带著赏罚而来。祂再来不是带著一双怜悯的眼睛，乃是带著焚烧、搜寻和审判的七眼。这乃是公义的话。我们不需要『糖果』或『甜点』的话，我们需要干粮，就是公义的话。在这几篇信息中，主向我们释放了严肃的话。我们必须过河，向前迈进。我们对主必须认真，不要作糊涂的人。
10In the past, I have pointed out a number of times that the book of Revelation closes with a promise and a call. The promise is in Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have right to eat the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Gk.). The call is in verse 17: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” In these two verses we have a word of grace (v. 14) and a word of life (v. 17). However, now I wish to point out that the book of Revelation also ends with a word of righteousness. We find this in Revelation 22:12: “And, behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Are you ready for His coming? His coming will not be a time of grace nor of life; it will be a time of righteousness. This is the reason the Apostle Paul, who was very much concerned that when he had preached to others, yet he himself might be “a cast away” (1 Cor. 9:27), said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Revelation 2:10 speaks of the crown of life, and 1 Peter 5:4 mentions a crown of glory, but here Paul refers to the crown of righteousness. Many Christians are curious about the Lord’s coming, but they do not realize that He is coming with a reward. He will not come with two eyes of mercy but with seven burning and searching eyes of judgment. This is a word of righteousness. We do not need a word of “sweets,” “candies,” or “desserts.” We need solid food—the word of righteousness. In these messages the Lord has released a solemn word to us. We must cross the river and go on. Do not fool around with the Lord.
肆 官能的分辨
IV. THE DISCRIMINATING OF THE SENSES
11希伯来五章十四节说，『只有长成的人，才能吃干粮，他们的官能因习用而受了操练，就能分辨好坏了。』『官能』也可译为『知觉』，含示洞察力，这不仅在于心思的能力，也在于属灵的悟性。这些知觉（含示我们的心思和我们的灵），能分辨出神各种话语的不同。这里的好坏这两个字，是指超越与低下的对比，例如，基督的超越与天使、摩西、亚伦的低下对比；新约的超越与旧约的低下对比。照本节上下文看，这样的分辨好坏，类似辨别不同的食物，与事物的道德性质无关。我们必须能分辨神的话，如同辨别食物，要问那些话是奶，那些话是干粮。这样，我们就能分辨公义的话了。
11Hebrews 5:14 says that “solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their faculties exercised for discriminating between both good and evil.” The Greek word translated “faculties” may also be rendered “senses,” implying powers of perception, depending not only on our mental capability but also on our spiritual apprehension. These senses, implying both our mind and our spirit, discriminate the distinction between the different kinds of words of God. The words “good and evil” used here refer to what is superior in contrast to what is inferior, such as, the superiority of Christ in contrast to the inferiority of the angels, Moses, and Aaron; the superiority of the new covenant in contrast to the inferiority of the old covenant. According to the context of this verse, it is similar to the matter of discriminating between different foods, with no reference whatever to the moral nature of things. We need to discern, to discriminate, God’sword as we do food, asking whether a particular word is like milk or solid food. In this way we can discern the word of righteousness
12基督开端的话
12the Word of the Beginning of Christ
壹 基督徒生活的根基
I. THE FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIAN LIFE
13恩典的话和生命的话乃是基督之开端的话，都是好的。这些都是基督徒生活的根基。根基虽好，却不该一再的立根基。我们盖会所时，绝不会那样作。有了根基，就需要建造。
13The word of grace and the word of life, being the word of the beginning of Christ, are good. They are the foundation of our Christian life. Although the foundation is good, we should not lay it again and again. We would never do such a thing in building a meeting hall. The foundation requires the building up
14基督开端的话，包括六章一至二节所题的六项。这六项排成三组，构成了基督徒生活的根基。每组的前项是说到我们从某种消极的光景里出来，后项是说到我们进入积极的事物中。
14The word of the beginning of Christ includes the six items mentioned in 6:1 and 2. These six items, arranged in three pairs, constitute the foundation of the Christian life. The first item of each pair refers to our emergence from a negative situation, and the last speaks of our entering into the positive things
贰 第一组
II. THE FIRST PAIR
15第一组是『悔改脱开死行，信靠神』。悔改是消极的一面，信靠神是积极的一面。（可一15，徒二十21。）基督徒的生活，首先是基于我们的悔改和信心。悔改脱开死行和信靠神自己，乃是真实的回转。我们得救以前，我们的行为可能很好，却是死的。我们必须悔改脱离死行，并且信入神。
15The first pair is that of “repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” Repentance is on the negative side and faith toward God is on the positive side (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21). The Christian life is firstly based upon our repentance and faith. Repentance from dead works and faith toward God Himself are a real turn. The work we did before we were saved might have been good, but it was dead. We had to repent from our dead works and believe into God.
参 第二组
III. THE SECOND PAIR
16第二是『浸洗的教训，按手』。在消极一面，受浸是除去消极的东西，（来九10，）并了结旧事。（罗六4。）『浸洗』一辞，原文与希伯来九章十节和马可七章四节者同；指洗涤帐幕或圣殿中事奉神所用的器具和器皿，（利六28，）也可能包含祭司的洗濯。（出三十18～21，利十六。）这事当然与希伯来信徒的背景有关，不过原则上也与新约的受浸相同，就是洗去并了结消极的事物。我们受浸，就是除去并埋葬我们的旧人。在积极一面，按手乃是联合并交通于神圣的事物。古时，每一次献祭牲时，献祭的人要按手于祭牲，表征他和祭牲联合。（利一4，三2。）因此，按手乃是为著联合与联结。按手也用于把恩赐分给别人。（提前四14，提后一6。）当保罗为提摩太按手时，就把属灵的恩赐分给他。
16The second pair is “the teaching of baptisms and of the laying on of hands.” On the negative side, baptism eliminates the negative things (Heb. 9:10) and terminates the old things (Rom. 6:4). “Baptisms,” the same word as washings in 9:10 and Mark 7:4, refers to the washings of the utensils and vessels used in the tabernacle or temple for God’s service (Lev. 6:28). The washings of the priests are probably also included (Exo. 30:18-21; Lev. 16:4).This, of course, is related to the background of the Hebrew4 believers. However, it is the same in principle as the New Testament baptism, that is, the washing away and terminating of the negative things. In our baptism we eliminated our old man and buried him. On the positive side, laying on of hands is the identification and fellowship with the divine things. Whenever a sacrifice was offered in the ancient times, the offerer laid his hands upon it, signifying that he was identifying himself with it (Lev. 1:4; 3:2). Hence, laying on of hands was for identification and union. It was also used for the imparting of gifts into others (1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). When Paul laid his hands upon Timothy, a spiritual gift was imparted to him.
肆 第三组
IV. THE THIRD PAIR
17第三组包括『死人的复活，以及永远的审判』。死人的复活（太二二31，徒二三6，二四21）就是从死里、阴间里、坟墓里出来；这是消极的一面。永远的审判（罗二5，来九27，启二十11～12）乃是进入永世和永远的定命里；这是积极的一面。不论我们得救与否，这个审判都要把我们带进永世。不信的人虽然死了，但是他们的情形还没有清理。惟有当他们全都复活后，他们要受审判；经过审判以后，他们才被带进永世。以上六项，都是基督之开端的话，也是我们基督徒生活的根基。本书作者鼓励希伯来信徒，要从基督之开端的话往前，进到公义的话里。今天有许多基督徒，甚至连基督之开端的话都没有充分认识，更谈不到公义的话。虽然如此，我们必须往前。我们的根基已经立了，现在必须在其上建造。我们已经悔改并相信了。我们也已经受浸并与基督联合了，并且我们有把握，将来必有复活和审判。任何人若不信这些事，就不是真信徒。我们既然都信这些事，并立好了根基，就要往前，从启蒙的话进到公义的话；从根基的话进到完全的话、建造的话；从恩典和生命的话进到神公义行政对付的话。
17The third pair consists of “the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.” Resurrection of the dead (Matt. 22:31; Acts 23:6; 24:21) is the coming out of death, Hades, and the tomb on the negative side. Eternal judgment (Rom. 2:5; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 20:11-12) is the entry into eternity and the eternal destiny on the positive side. Whether we are saved or not, judgment will bring us into eternity. The situation with the dead unbelievers has not yet been settled. Only when they all have been resurrected will they be judged, and through that judgment they will be brought into eternity. These six items are the word of the beginning of Christ, the foundation of our Christian life. The writer of this epistle was encouraging the Hebrew believers to go on from this word to the word of righteousness. Today many Christians do not even adequately know the word of the beginning of Christ, much less the word of righteousness. Nevertheless, we must go on. Our foundation has been laid and we must go on to build upon it. We have repented and believed. We have been baptized and have been identified with Christ and we are assured that there will be resurrection and judgment to come. Anyone who does not believe this is not a genuine believer. Since we all believe this and have laid the foundation, let us go on from the elementary word to the word of righteousness; from the word of foundation to the word of perfection, the word of building up; from the words of grace and life to the word of God’s righteous governmental dealings.