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雅各书生命读经 · 第1篇

引言和基督徒之完全的实行美德（一）

Introduction and Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (1)
1读经：雅各书一章一至十二节。我们的生命读经，除了雅各书、马可福音、路加福音、和使徒行传以外，新约圣经的各卷书都已经查读过了。我们所看过的二十三卷书中，有十卷书尤其重要，就是马太福音、约翰福音、罗马书、加拉太书、以弗所书、腓立比书、歌罗西书、希伯来书、约翰一书和启示录。我们也可以把哥林多前后书看作新约重要的书。这样，重要的书共有十二卷。
1Scripture Reading: James 1:1-12 In our Life-study of the Bible we have covered all the books of the New Testament except the books of James, Mark, Luke, and Acts. Of the twenty-three books we have covered thus far, ten are especially strategic: Matthew, John, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Hebrews, 1 John, and Revelation. We may also regard 1 and 2 Corinthians among the strategic New Testament books, bringing the number of these books to twelve
2我鼓励所有的圣徒回头彻底复习新约中已有生命读经的二十三卷书。我鼓励你们要读每一卷书的恢复本、带著注解和串珠，也要读生命读经的信息。你如果这样研读，就会使自己丰富起来，也会使主的恢复增添丰富。我们若被这些丰富浸透，就能以传扬福音、陈明真理、并供应生命这三种方式，与别人分享这些丰富。你若遇见反对主恢复的人，你也不必表白或争辩，只要作这三件事：传扬福音、陈明真理、并供应生命。然而，为了要作这些事，我们自己需要先得著装备。
2I would encourage all the saints to have a thorough review of the twenty-three New Testament books we have covered in our Life-study. I would encourage you to read the Recovery Versions with the notes and cross- references and also to read the Life-study Messages on each book. If you do this, you will enrich yourselves and you will also enrich the Lord’s recovery. If we are saturated with these riches, we shall be able to share these riches with others in three ways: by preaching the gospel, by presenting the truth, and by ministering life. Then if you meet someone who opposes the Lord’s recovery, you will not need to vindicate or argue. Instead, do these three things: preach the gospel, present the truth, and minister life. But in order to do these things, we ourselves must first be equipped
3毫无疑问，在主恢复中的圣徒都爱主。但是，你虽然爱主耶稣，却可能还没有属灵的技巧或属灵的资本来传扬福音、陈明真理、并供应生命。因此，我鼓励你们要得著属灵的教育，并被我们所讲过新约各卷书信息所含的丰富浸透。你越被这些丰富浸透，就越得著装备，能向各式各样的人，以不同的方式传扬福音。你也能向其他的基督徒陈明真理。每一个真基督徒都爱慕真理。如果你向另一位信徒陈明真理，他会受真理的吸引。我们许多人进到主的恢复，是因著受到真理的吸引。此外，你不仅晓得怎样传扬福音、陈明真理，你还能藉著向别人见证，你如何经历基督这包罗万有的一位，作你的生命和生命的供应，而将生命供应给人。
3There is no doubt that the saints in the recovery love the Lord. But even though you love the Lord Jesus, you may not yet have the spiritual skill or the spiritual capital with which to preach the gospel, to present the truth, and to minister life. This is the reason I encourage you to gain the spiritual education and become saturated with all the riches contained in the messages on the various New Testament books we have covered. The more you are saturated with these riches, the more you will be equipped to preach the gospel in different ways to different people. You will also be able to present the truth to other Christians. Every genuine Christian loves the truth. If you present the truth to a fellow believer, he will be attracted by it. Many of us came into the Lord’s recovery because we were attracted by the truth. Furthermore, in addition to knowing how to preach the gospel and present the truth, you will be able to minister life by testifying to others how you have experienced Christ, the all - inclusive One, as your life and life supply.
4在美国主恢复中的圣徒还不多，只有八千人左右。但是恢复中所有的圣徒如果都被主话的丰富浸透，他们就会成为活的见证人。这样，主的恢复会有成千上万的宣报者，会有成千上万的圣徒传扬福音、陈明真理、并供应生命。想想看，如果我们都这样得著装备，将会完成何等的事工！然而，好多圣徒还没有得著装备来传扬福音、陈明真理、或供应生命。所以当这些圣徒接触人的时候，他们好像无话可说，虽然心有余，但是话不足；甚至有更多的人不能供应生命给人。为此我鼓励圣徒，要被主历年来所赐给我们的丰富浸透，这些丰富我
4The number of the saints in the Lord’s recovery in the United States is still small, only about eight thousand. But if all the saints in the recovery would be saturated with the riches of the Word, they would become living witnesses. Then the Lord’s recovery would have thousands of reporters, thousands of saints preaching the gospel, presenting the truth, and ministering life. Imagine what kind of work could be accomplished if we all were equipped in this way! However, a good number of saints have not yet been equipped to preach the gospel, present the truth, or minister life. When these saints come in contact with others, it seems that they do not have the word to present to them, although they have the heart to do this. Even more are not able to minister life to others. This is the reason I encourage the saints to become saturated with the riches the Lord has given to us through the years. These
DIFFERENT ATTITUDES
对雅各书不同的态度
TOWARD THE BOOK OF JAMES
5我们从本篇信息开始雅各书的生命读经。信徒对于这卷书持有不同的态度。为主所用的著名改教家路德马丁说，雅各书是一封『稻草书信』。然而，有些基督徒（特别是华人基督徒）却很欣赏这卷书，因为与他们的道德伦理背景吻合，这种背景乃是强调伦理和道德的完全。这等基督徒特别欣赏新约的雅各书和旧约的箴言。在西方，新约圣经与旧约圣经分开出版时，新约通常附带诗篇。但在东方，出版新约圣经时，通常附带箴言。西方的基督徒似乎喜欢诗篇，而东方的基督徒则喜欢箴言。有人以为雅各书与箴言类似。相似之处可以从雅各在他的书信中所用的例证看出来：海中的波浪，（一6，）草上的花，（10，）太阳升起，热气薰烤。（11。）当我们来到第三章，就会看见雅各论到舌头的难处时，用了二十个项目作例证。（3～12。）雅各在四章十四节，用雾气来比喻人的生命；在五章七节，他用农夫等候作物成熟作例证。这种种的例证使雅各书蒙上箴言的色彩。因此，欣赏箴言的人也会欣赏这卷书信。我们在这次生命读经会看见，我也欣赏这卷书，只是我的欣赏是别有原因的。
5With this message we begin the Life - study of the Epistle of James. Believers have held different attitudes toward this book. Martin Luther, the great reformer used by the Lord to begin the recovery, said that the Epistle of James was an “epistle of straw.” However, certain Christians, especially some Chinese Christians, appreciate this book because it fits in with their ethical background, a background that emphasizes ethical and moral perfection. These Christians especially appreciate the book of James in the New Testament and the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament. In the West, when the New Testament is printed separately from the Old Testament, it is often printed with the book of Psalms. But in the Orient, when the New Testament is printed separately, it often includes the book of Proverbs. It seems that Christians in the West like the Psalms, whereas Christians in the Orient like Proverbs. According to the concept of some, the book of James is similar to the book of Proverbs. This similarity can be seen in the illustrations James uses in his Epistle: the surge of the sea (1:6), the flower of the grass (1:10), the sun with scorching heat (1:11). As we shall see when we come to chapter three, in dealing with the problem of the tongue, James uses twenty different items for his illustrations (3:3-12). In 4:14 James uses vapor as an illustration of human life, and in 5:7 he uses the illustration of a farmer waiting for his crop to ripen. These illustrations give the Epistle of James a proverbial character. Therefore, those who especially appreciate the book of Proverbs also appreciate this Epistle. As we shall see later in this Life-study, I also appreciate this Epistle, but I appreciate it for a very different reason.
6神和主耶稣基督的奴仆雅各书是这样起头的：『神和主耶稣基督的奴仆雅各。』雅各是主耶稣（太十三55）和犹大（犹1）肉身的兄弟。他不是主在地上时所拣选的十二使徒之一，但在主复活后成了一位使徒，（加一19，）并且是在耶路撒冷的召会中领头的长老；（徒十二17，十五2，13，二一18；）他与彼得、约翰同被称为召会的柱石，且被保罗题为三柱石之首。（加二9。）
6A SLAVE OF GOD AND OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST The Epistle of James opens like this: “James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” James was a flesh brother of the Lord Jesus (Matt. 13:55) and of Jude (Jude 1). He was not one of the twelve Apostles chosen by the Lord while He was on earth, but he became one of the apostles after the Lord’s resurrection (Gal. 1:19) and the leading elder in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; 15:2, 13; 21:18), reputed with Peter and John to be a pillar of the church, and mentioned by Paul as the first among the three pillars (Gal. 2:9
7雅各在雅各书一章一节称自己是『神和主耶稣基督的奴仆』。在此雅各将主耶稣与神列为同等，这与不承认主神格的犹太教（约五18）相反。当主耶稣还在肉身时，雅各和祂在一起，可能不听从祂，也许多少还藐视祂。我们在约翰七章可以找到实例。但是主被钉十字架、复活并升天之后，这个主耶稣肉身的兄弟却成了祂的信徒，并且将祂的长兄与神列为同等。因此，雅各说到他自己是神和主耶稣基督的奴仆。雅各明白的承认主耶稣的神格。我欣赏雅各承认他肉身的兄弟耶稣是神，并且说他是神和这位主的奴仆。雅各这段话实在美妙。
7In 1:1 James refers to himself as “a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here James ranks the Lord Jesus equally with God. This was contrary to Judaism, which did not recognize the deity of the Lord (John 5:18). When James was with the Lord Jesus in the flesh, he probably did not listen to Him, and at least to some extent he may have despised Him. We find an example of this in John 7. But after the Lord’s crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, this flesh brother of the Lord Jesus became such a believer in Him that he regarded his elder brother as having the same rank as God. This was the reason James could speak of himself as a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. James clearly recognized the deity of the Lord Jesus. I admire James for recognizing that Jesus, his brother in the flesh, is God and for saying that he was a slave of God and of this One who is the Lord. This part of James’ writing is wonderful
十二个支派
THE TWELVE TRIBES
8雅各在雅各书一章一节接著说，『写信给散居的十二个支派：愿你们喜乐。』这里的十二个支派是指以色列的众支派。这指明本书信是写给犹太的基督徒，他们相信我们荣耀的主耶稣基督，（二1，）本于信得称义，（24，）因真理的话得了重生，（一，）为神的灵所内住；（四5；）他们也是召会的肢体，（五14，）等候主的回来。（7～8。）然而，本书信称这些在基督里的信徒为十二个支派，如同神旧约经纶里的选民，也可能指明作者雅各对基督徒与犹太人，神新约经纶与旧约安排的分别，以及神在新约里已经将在基督里的犹太信徒，从神所看为弯曲世代（徒二40）的犹太人中拯救、圣别出来，缺少清楚的看见。神在祂新约的经纶里，看犹太信徒不再是为著犹太教的犹太人，乃是为著召会的基督徒。他们是神的召会，应当与犹太人不同，从犹太人中分别出来，就像他们应当与外邦人不同，从外邦人中分别出来一样。（林前十32。）然而，作召会柱石的雅各，在他写给基督徒弟兄的书信里，仍然称他们为十二个支派。（这也许是他向犹太人中间一般富有的阶层，说了雅各书五章一至六节那段话的原因。）这违反了神新约的经纶。
8In 1:1 James goes on to say, “To the twelve tribes in the dispersion: rejoice!” The twelve tribes here refer to the tribes of Israel. This indicates that this Epistle was written to Christian Jews, who had the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory (2:1) and were justified by faith (2:24), regenerated by the word of truth (1:18), and indwelt by the Spirit of God (4:5), and who were members of the church 18 (5:14), awaiting the Lord’s coming back (5:7-8). However, to call these believers in Christ the twelve tribes, as God’s chosen people in His Old Testament economy, may also indicate the lack of a clear view concerning the distinction between Christians and Jews, between God’s New Testament economy and the Old Testament dispensation, that God in the New Testament has delivered and separated the Jewish believers in Christ from the Jewish nation, which was then considered by God as a “perverse generation” (Acts 2:40). In His New Testament economy God no longer considers the Jewish believers as Jews for Judaism but as Christians for the church. They, as the church of God, should be as distinct and separate from the Jews as from the Gentiles (1 Cor. 10:32). Yet, James, as a pillar of the church, in his Epistle to the Christian brothers, still called them the twelve tribes. (This may be the reason that he addressed the word in 5:1-6 to the rich class among the Jews in general.) This was contrary to God’s New Testament economy.
9雅各在一章一节并不是说，写信给十二个支派中的信徒，而是说，写信给十二个支派。十二个支派是犹太民族，但是彼得在五旬节那天称犹太民族为『弯曲的世代』：『彼得还用许多别的话郑重的作见证，劝勉他们说，你们要得救，脱离这弯曲的世代。』（徒二40。）这弯曲的世代是由以色列十二个支派所组成。但是也许有人会指出，雅各在雅各书一章一节是说，写信给散居的十二个支派。这里的散居定规包括在五旬节后，由于逼迫而从耶路撒冷分散出去的犹太信徒。（徒八1，4。）但分散在各地的，不一定都是犹太基督徒。因此，无论如何，雅各事实上是使用了在旧约经纶里神给祂选民的称呼。在旧约时代，神把犹太人看作十二个支派。但是彼得在五旬节那天藉著圣灵说话，把他们看作弯曲的世代，并嘱咐他们要得救。雅各写信给散居的十二个支派，这种写法错了么？他的确不认为这有甚么不对。但我们已经指出，这种称呼可能指明雅各对于基督徒与犹太人的分别，以及神新约经纶与旧约安排的分别，还不清楚。
9In 1:1 James did not address the believers among the twelve tribes; he simply addressed the twelve tribes. These twelve tribes are the Jewish nation. But on the day of Pentecost Peter called the Jewish nation a “perverse generation”: “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation” (Acts 2:40, lit.). This perverse generation was composed of the twelve tribes of Israel. Some, however, may point out that in 1:1 James addresses the twelve tribes in the dispersion. This dispersion must have included the scattering of the Jewish believers from Jerusalem by the persecution after Pentecost (Acts 8:1, 4). But surely not all those in the dispersion were Christian Jews. Therefore, it is nonetheless a fact that James uses a term given by God to His chosen people in the Old Testament economy. In the Old Testament dispensation God considered the Jews the twelve tribes. But on the day of Pentecost Peter, speaking through the Holy Spirit, considered them a perverse generation and charged them to be saved. Was James wrong in addressing his Epistle to the twelve tribes in the dispersion? To be sure, he did not think this was wrong. However, as we have pointed out, this form of address may indicate that James was not clear concerning the distinction between Christians and Jews and the distinction between God’s New Testament economy and the Old Testament dispensation
10我们在林前十章三十二节看见三种人：『不拘对犹太人，对希利尼人，对神的召会，你们都不要成为绊脚石。』在这里我们看见，在新约时代，人分为三类：（一）犹太人─神的选民；
10In 1 Corinthians 10:32 we see three categories of people: “Give no occasion of stumbling both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God.” Here we see that in New Testament times people were of three classes: the Jews — God’s chosen people; the Greeks — the
11（二） 希利尼人─不信的外邦人；以及（三）召会─在基督里之信徒的组
11unbelieving Gentiles; and the church—a composition of the believers in Christ. This indicates that Jewish
12合。这指明犹太信徒应该视为一班为著召会的基督徒，和犹太人、外邦人有所分别。因此，犹太基督徒既是在基督里的信徒，就是召会的一部分，不应该与犹太人列为同类，因犹太人还是弯曲世代的一部分。雅各在他的书信最后一章，把受信者看作召会的肢体。那么，他怎么会将召会的肢体与是弯曲世代的犹太人列为同类呢？这明确指明，他没有清楚看见神的时代经纶。
12believers should be regarded as Christians for the church, which is distinct and separate both from the Jews and the Gentiles. Therefore, the Jews who were believers in Christ were part of the church and should not be classified with those Jews who were still part of the perverse generation. In the last chapter of his Epistle, James considered the recipients as members of the church. How, then, could he classify the members of the church with the Jews who were the perverse generation? This certainly indicates the lack of a clear view concerning God’s dispensational economy
基督徒实行的完全
PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN PERFECTION
13雅各在雅各书一章一节的结尾，告诉受信者要喜乐。『愿你们喜乐，』原文意要快乐、欢喜、欢呼，用于问安或告别。
13At the end of 1:1 James tells the recipients of his Epistle to rejoice. The word “rejoice” is a translation of the Greek word chairein, which means to be happy, rejoice, hail; it was a word used for greeting or farewell
14雅各书的主题是基督徒实行的完全。雅各不只论到基督徒的完全，更是论到基督徒实行的完全；这种完全在我们日常生活中，不是理论的，乃是实际的。雅各所教导基督徒实行的完全，是本书一个很著重的点。他在这卷书题到许多美德，都与这种完全有关系。雅各在一章二节开始向我们陈明这些美德。
14The subject of the Epistle of James is practical Christian perfection. James writes not merely concerning Christian perfection, but concerning practical Christian perfection, that is, a perfection that is not theoretical but practical in our daily living. It is a strong point of this Epistle that James teaches regarding this practical Christian perfection. The many virtues he covers in this book are related to this perfection. In 1:2 James begins to present these virtues to us
藉信忍受试炼
ENDURING TRIALS BY FAITH
15雅各在一章二节说，『我的弟兄们，无论何时你们落在诸般的试炼中，都要以为大喜乐。』在此我们看见，头一个与雅各所论到基督徒实行的完全有关的美德，就是藉信忍受试炼。
15In 1:2 James says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials.” Here we see that the first virtue related to practical Christian perfection covered by James is that of enduring trials by faith
16整个世界都卧在那恶者撒但里面。（约壹五9。）撒但尽其所能，不断的反对神。每当人转向神，撒但就不愉快，他也不会容忍。一旦有人转向神，撒但就会挑动别人来逼迫他。保罗曾说，我们这班基督徒命定要受逼迫。（腓一29。）因此，逼迫乃是我们在基督里的信徒命定要得的分。所以，基督徒实行的完全，第一方面就是忍受试炼，这试炼也包含逼迫。
16The entire world lies in the evil one, Satan (1 John 5:19). Satan opposes God continually in every possible way. Satan is displeased whenever people turn to God, and he will not tolerate this. Once a person turns to God, Satan will instigate others to persecute that one. Paul once said that we Christians are appointed to suffer persecution (Phil. 1:29). Persecution, therefore, is the portion appointed to us as believers in Christ. Hence, the first aspect of practical Christian perfection is to endure trials, a word that includes persecution
17逼迫是一种受苦。然而试炼不仅仅是受苦，更是一种为著要试验、察验我们而临到我们的苦难。我们可以用学校的期末考来说明。作学生的都知道，期末考实在是一种苦难、试炼，但是这种试炼实际上对学生是有帮助的。学校若没有期末考，那么学生在课业方面可能会掉以轻心。但是当他们知道期末考将到，就会极其殷勤、聚精会神来读书。因此，期末考会帮助学生学习必要的课业。基于这个原因，学生的父母应当为著期末考而感谢，因为晓得这能让他们的儿女得益处。『属灵教育的学校』也有『期末考』和各种『考试』。这所学校的『校长』是我们的天父，祂为我们安排了各种试炼、各种考试。所有试炼都对我们有益。正如考试对学生有益，我们这些基督徒所面临的诸般试炼，对我们也都是有益的。可能你相信主耶稣以后，认为基督徒的生活中应当没有苦难或试炼。你可能告诉自己：『我敬畏神，也爱主耶稣，我是神的儿女。神的确爱我，不会容许任何不好的事临到我。』这是许多信徒的观念。但是试炼终究会来到。家人和朋友的反对是一种试炼，这种试炼甚于单纯的逼迫。逼迫是完成逼迫者的目的，而试炼却为神所用，来达到祂的目的。人也许会逼迫你，但神却使用那种逼迫作为试炼来试验你、察验你。
17Persecution is a suffering. However, trials are not merely a suffering, for trials are a suffering that serves the purpose of trying or proving us. We may use final examinations in school as an illustration. Students know that final examinations can be a real suffering and trial. But such a trial is actually a help to the students. If there were no final examinations in school, the students would probably be careless concerning their studies. But when they know that a final examination is coming, they concentrate on their studies with much diligence. Therefore, a final examination helps a student learn the necessary material. For this reason, the parents of those who are students should be grateful for the final examinations, knowing that this helps their children to profit from their education. There are also “finals” and other kinds of “examinations” in the “school of spiritual education.” The “principal” of this school is our heavenly Father. He has arranged different trials for us, different examinations. All these trials are good for us. Just as examinations are good for students, so the various trials we face as Christians are a profit to us. Perhaps after you believed in the Lord Jesus, you thought that in the Christian life there would be no sufferings or trials. You may have said to yourself, I fear God, I love the Lord Jesus, and I am a child of God. Surely God loves me, and He will not allow anything bad to happen to me.” This is the concept of many believers. But eventually trials come. One kind of trial is opposition from family and friends. Such a trial is more than mere persecution. Persecution accomplishes the purpose of the persecutor, but trials are used by God to accomplish His purpose. Someone may persecute you, but God uses that persecution as a trial to test you, to prove you
18期末考有三重目的：试炼、试验并察验学生。同样的，我们这些信徒必须经过的种种试炼，也有试炼、试验并察验我们的目的。这等试炼对我们基督徒实行的完全，的确是一种帮助，因为神使用这些来成全我们。
18A final examination serves the threefold purpose of trying, testing, and proving a student. Likewise, the various trials through which we must pass as believers serve the purpose of trying, testing, and proving us. These trials are surely a help in our practical Christian perfection, for God uses them to perfect us
藉著试炼受成全
PERFECTED THROUGH TRIALS
19神乃是使用试炼来成全我们。我们若看见这点，就会感谢神藉著试炼来成全我们。试炼不仅对我们属灵的教育与生命的经历有所帮助，对我们的性格和日常生活的行为也有帮助。你在信主以前，可能像狮子一样凶猛，但是经过一段时间的试炼后，『狮子』就被驯服了。我能见证，神用试炼『驯服』我，因而在我的基督徒生活中，实际的成全我。
19God uses trials to perfect us. If we see this, we shall thank God for perfecting us through trials. Trials not only help us in the matters of our spiritual education and the experience of life, but also help us with our character and our behavior in our daily living. Before you believed in the Lord, you may have been like a wild lion. But after a period of time of trial, the “lion” has been tamed. I can testify that God has used trials to “tame” me and thereby to perfect me in a practical way in my Christian life.
20雅各甚至在雅各书一章二节鼓励我们，落在诸般的试炼中，都要『以为大喜乐』。我们落在试炼中，还能以为大喜乐，原因在于这等试炼成全我们。请注意，雅各在二节不仅题到试炼，更是说『诸般的试炼』。这指明我们应当以各种试炼为大喜乐，而不只是当作某种试炼而已。一方面，我们不喜欢试炼、反对和逼迫；但是另一方面，我们经历这些事时，应当以为大喜乐，因为神乃
20In 1:2 James even encourages us to “count it all joy” whenever we fall into various trials. The reason we can count it a joy when we fall into trials is that these trials perfect us. Notice that in 1:2 James speaks not only of trials but of “various trials.” This indicates that we should count all trials a joy, not just certain trials. On the one hand, we do not like trials, opposition, and persecution. But on the other hand we should count it all joy when we experience such things because God uses them to perfect us
21是使用诸般的试炼来成全我们。
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