雅各书生命读经 · 第10篇

引言和基督徒之完全的实行美德（十）

Introduction and Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (10)

1读经：雅各书四章六至十七节。我们在上一篇信息看过雅各书四章一至十节所说的三大难处，就是宴乐、世界和魔鬼。在本篇信息中，我们要继续来看雅各在四章六至十七节所说的话。

1Scripture Reading: James 4:6-17 In the foregoing message we considered three major problems found in 4:1-10. These problems are pleasures, the world, and the Devil. In this message we shall go on to consider what James says in 4:6-17

更大的恩典

GREATER GRACE

2雅各在六节说，『但祂赐更大的恩典；所以经上说，「神敌挡狂傲的人，赐恩给谦卑的人。」』六节的下半乃是引自七十士希腊文译本箴言三章三十四节。在七十士希腊文译本，这一节说，『神敌挡狂傲的人，赐恩给谦卑的人。』照上下文看，狂傲是指向神狂傲，因而使神敌挡我们；谦卑也是指向神谦卑，因而使神照祂所渴望的赐恩给我们。

2In verse 6 James says, “But He gives greater grace; wherefore it says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The pronoun “it” in this verse refers to the Scripture in verse 5. The latter part of verse 6 is a quotation from the Septuagint, Proverbs 3:34. This verse says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” According to the context, this means to be proud toward God. Being proud toward God causes Him to resist us. To be humble is also toward God, and this causes Him to give us grace, as He desires

3我们需要学习亲近神，（8，）以接受更大的恩典。我们不应当狂傲敌挡神，却要用温柔领受那栽种的话。狂傲的人无法领受神栽种的话。如果我们谦卑下来，就会领受那栽种的话，也会接受更大的恩典。

3We need to learn to draw near to God (v. 8) to receive greater grace. Instead of being proud and resisting God, we should receive in meekness the implanted word. Someone who is proud cannot receive God’sim planted word. If we are humble, we shall receive the implanted word, and we shall also receive greater grace

服从神

BEING SUBJECT TO GOD

4雅各在七节继续说，『所以你们要服从神，抵挡魔鬼，魔鬼就必离开你们逃跑了。』服从神就是向神谦卑。（10，彼前五6。）

4In verse 7 James continues, “Be subject therefore to God; but withstand the Devil, and he will flee from you.” To be subject to God is to be humble toward God (v. 10; 1 Pet. 5:6

5向神狂傲乃是站在神的仇敌魔鬼那边；向神谦卑，就是服从神，乃是抵挡、对抗魔鬼。这是与神的仇敌争战上好的策略，这必使魔鬼离开我们逃跑。雅各书四章一节所含示的肉体，四节的世界，以及七节的魔鬼，乃是信徒的三大仇敌。他们彼此相关：肉体抵抗那灵，（加五17，）世界抵抗神，（约壹二15，）魔鬼抵抗基督。（约壹三8。）肉体因爱世界放纵宴乐，世界就为魔鬼霸占我们。这便消除神在我们身上永远的定旨。

5To be proud toward God is to side with God’se ne my, the Devil. To be humble toward God, that is, to be subject to God, is to withstand the Devil, that is, stand against the Devil. This is the best strategy to fight God’se ne my; it always causes him to flee from us. The flesh implied in verse 1, the world in verse 4, and the Devil in verse 7 are the three major enemies of the believers. They are related one to another: the flesh is against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17), the world is against God (1 John 2:15), and the Devil is against Christ (1 John 3:8). The flesh indulges in pleasures by loving the world, and the world usurps us for the Devil. This annuls God’s eternal purpose in us.

6雅各在雅各书四章八节接著说，『你们要亲近神，神就必亲近你们。有罪的人哪，要洁净你们的手。心怀二意的人哪，要纯洁你们的心。』这里和一章八节，雅各都用了心怀二意这个说法。心怀二意，直译，双魂。在一章八节，心怀二意与在祷告中疑惑有关。神只给人造一个魂，具有一个心4:8思、一个意志。信徒在祷告中疑惑，就使自己成了双魂的人，好像船有了双舵，方向不定。在四章八节，双魂即为著神又为著世界而分心。这使人成为淫乱的人（4）和罪人。他们的心需要纯洁，他们的手需要洁净，使他们能亲近神，然后神才能亲近他们。雅各在九节说，『你们要愁苦、哀恸、哭泣；你们的喜笑要变作哀恸，欢乐要变作忧郁。』本节的话对于神淫乱的配偶，就是在魔鬼的霸占下，因爱世界而放纵肉体宴乐的人，是个严肃的警戒。雅各在十节下了结语：『你们要在主面前降卑，主就必叫你们升高。』这话是本段（1～10）的结语，乃是针对一至三节所说斗殴和纵任贪欲等事的劝勉。

6In verse 8 James goes on to say, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-souled!” Here, as in 1:8, James uses the expression “double- souled,” double-minded. In 1:8, being double-souled is related to doubting in prayer. God made man only one soul with one mind and one will. When a believer doubts in prayer, he makes himself two-souled, like a boat with two rudders, unstable in direction. In being double-souled is a matter of having the heart divided for two parties — God and the world. This makes people adulteresses (v. 4) and sinners, who need their hearts purified and their hands cleansed so that they may draw near to God and that God may draw near to them. In verse 9 James says, “Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into dejection.” This verse is a solemn admonition to God’s adulterous spouse, who, under the usurpation of the Devil, indulges herself in fleshly pleasures by loving the world. In verse 1 0 James concludes this section: “Be humbled before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” This word, as a conclusion to this section (vv. 1-10), is an exhortation against the fightings and desires mentioned in verses 1 through 3.

不批评弟兄

NOT SPEAKING AGAINST THE BROTHERS

7雅各在十一至十二节告诉我们不可批评弟兄：『弟兄们，你们不可彼此批评；那批评弟兄，或审判弟兄的，就是批评律法，审判律法。你若审判律法，就不是行律法者，乃是审判者。设立律法者和审判者只有一位，就是那能救人，也能灭人的。你这审判邻舍的，你是谁？』12请注意，雅各在这几节四次题到律法。他在十二节题到神是设立律法者。雅各在这里和二章八至十一节说到旧约律法的话，以及他在一章二十五节和二章十二节说到完备自由之律法的话，也许指明遵守旧约的律法，与凭著完备自由的律法，内里生命之律而活，并没有分别。但按照全本新约神圣的启示，二者之间有明确、清楚的分别。遵守旧约的律法，不过使我们与神、与人是对的，使我们本于律法得称义。但凭著内里生命的律法（来八10～11，罗八2）而活，乃是活基督并显大基督，（腓一20～21，）为著建造基督的身体以彰显祂，（弗一～23，）并建造神的家以满足祂。（提前三15。）这是为著按神新约的经纶，完成神永远的目标。我们即使遵守旧约的律法得以完全，还是达不到神永远的目标；惟有凭著内里生命的律法而活，才能达到。这样的生活自然而然、不知不觉的成就超过旧约律法所要求的，（罗八4，）甚至达到马太五至七章所启示国度宪法的标准。

7In verses 11 and 12 James gives us a word about not speaking against the brothers: “Do not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge. One is Lawgiver and Judge, who is able to save and destroy. But who are you who judges your neighbor?” Notice that in these verses James mentions the law four times. In verse he refers to God as the Lawgiver. James’ word here and in 2:8-11 regarding the Old Testament law and his words in 1:25 and 2:12 regarding the perfect law of freedom may indicate that in his understanding there is no distinction between keeping the Old Testament law and living by the perfect law of freedom, the inner law of life. But according to the divine revelation in the entire New Testament, there is a definite, clear distinction between the two. Keeping the Old Testament law merely makes us right with God and men so that we might be justified by the law. But living by the inner law of life (Heb. 8:10-11; Rom. 8:2) is to live and magnify Christ (Phil. 1:20-21) for the building up of His Body to express Him (Eph. 1:22-23) and for the building of God’sho use to satisfy Him (1 Tim. 3:15). This is for the accomplishment of God’s eternal goal 22 according to His New Testament economy. Though we become perfect by keeping the Old Testament law, we are still void of God’s eternal goal. Only living by the inner law of life avails for this. Such a living spontaneously and unconsciously fulfills more than what is required under the Old Testament law (Rom. 8:4), even to the standard of the constitution of the kingdom, as revealed in chapters five through seven of the Gospel of Matthew.

不信靠己意，

CONFIDING NOT IN SELF-WILL

只信靠主

BUT IN THE LORD

8到目前为止，我们已经看过基督徒的完全在实行上之美德的九方面：藉信忍受试炼；（一2～12；）神所生的，拒绝试诱；（13～18；）藉栽种的话，照完备自由的律法，过敬畏神的生活；（19～27；）在弟兄间不看外貌；（二1～13；）在信徒关系上本于行为的称义；（14～26；）勒住舌头；（三1～12；）以智慧行事；（13～18；）对付宴乐、世界与魔鬼，（四1～10，）和不批评弟兄。（11～12。）在下一段（13～17）有另一项基督徒之完全的实行美德：不信靠己意，只信靠主。雅各在十三节说，『嗐，你们说，今天或明天，我们要往某城去，在那里住一年，作买卖得利。』这一节以『嗐』字开头。雅各在五章一节第二次用这个字，是向富足人说话。『嗐』是甚么意思？可能是个惯用的语法，与『请听』差不多。我们读四章十三节时，需要注意『要』这个字。为肉体的宴乐斗殴，（1，）与世界为友，（4，）批评弟兄，（即审判律法│11，）随己意作买卖，并以张狂夸口，（16，）这些都是忘记神之人不敬虔且狂妄自信的记号。雅各将这些事教导人，也许是基于他对基督徒实行之完全的观点。

8Thus far, we have covered nine aspects of the practical virtues of Christian perfection: enduring trials by faith (1:2-12), resisting temptation as God-born ones (1:13-18), living a God-fearing life by the implanted word according to the perfect law of freedom (1:19-27), having no respect of persons among the brothers (2:1-13), being justified by works in relation to the believers (2:14-26), bridling the tongue (3:1-12), behaving in wisdom (3:13-18), dealing with pleasures, the world, and the Devil (4:1-10), and not speaking against the brothers (4:11-12). In the next section (4:13-17) we have another virtue of practical Christian perfection: confiding not in self-will but in the Lord. In verse 13 James says, “Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that city and spend a year there, and do business and make a profit.” This verse begins with the words “Come now.” James uses this expression a second time in 5:1, where he speaks to the rich. What does the expression, “come now,” mean? It may be an idiom somewhat equivalent to saying, “Listen to me.” In reading verse 13 we need to pay attention to the word “will.” Fighting for fleshly pleasures (v. 1), making friendship with the world (v. 4), speaking against a brother, that is, judging the law (v. 11), going to do business according to one’s own will, and boasting in arrogance (v. 16) are all signs of the ungodly and presumptuous confidence of a God-forgetting person. James taught all this based, probably, upon his view concerning practical Christian perfection.

9我要再一次指出，雅各强调基督徒实行的完全，与保罗书信中强调为著产生召会而经历基督，两者的对比。我们如果清楚看见这个比较，就会晓得需要从雅各书中所强调的属人水平，进到保罗书信中所强调的神圣水平。在神圣的水平上，我们认识基督，经历基督并据有基督，为著建造召会│基督的身体，作祂的彰显。盼望雅各书会帮助我们看见这个对比。雅各在十四与十五节继续说，『其实明天的事你们并不知道。你们的生命是甚么？你们原是一团雾气，出现少时，随后就不见了。你们倒应当说，主若愿意，我们就可以活著，也可以作这事，或作那事。』雅各在这里的话，听起来也有点像旧约的语调。（参诗九十3～。）但无论如何，他的话总是唤起人对己意的惧怕，和对神的信靠，如雅各

9Once again, I would like to point out the contrast between James’ emphasis on practical Christian perfection and Paul’s emphasis in his Epistles concerning the experience of Christ for the producing of the church. If we have a clear view of this comparison, we shall see the need to go on from the human level, stressed in the book of James, to the divine level, stressed in the Epistles of Paul. On the divine level we know Christ, experience Christ, and possess Christ for the building up of the church, His body, as His expression. I hope that the book of James will help us to see this contrast. In verses 14 and 15 James continues, “You who do not know what your life will be tomorrow; for you are a vapor, appearing for a little while, and then disappearing—instead of your saying, If the Lord wills, we will both live and do this or that.” James’ word here again sounds somewhat like the tone of the Old Testament (see Psa. 90:3-10). In any case, his word arouses a fear of one’s self-will and a confidence in 10 God, as expressed in verse 15.

10书四章十五节所表达的。这总是一个敬畏神的人口中所出的话。

11雅各在四章十六至十七节下了结语：『现今你们竟以张狂夸口；凡这样夸口都是恶的。因此，人若知道行善，却不去行，这对他就是罪了。』十六节的张狂，或作虚张、虚荣。十七节的因此，指明本节是前面经文一切嘱咐的结语，说到受信者若得著雅各这封信的帮助，却不照著他所写的去行，这对他们就是罪了。

11In 4:16 and 17 James concludes, “But now you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” The word “arrogance” in verse 16 also means pretentiousness, vainglory. The word “therefore” in verse 17 indicates that this verse is a concluding word to all the charges in the preceding verses. This concluding word indicates that if the recipients have been helped by James’ writing and yet will not do as he has written, to them it is sin

格言

A MAXIM

12许多基督徒宝爱四章十三至十七节，特别是雅各在十四与十五节的话。雅各在十四节说，『你们原是一团雾气，出现少时，随后就不见了。』这句话可以当作格言。接著雅各在十五节鼓励我们要说，『主若愿意，我们就可以活著，也可以作这事，或作那事。』雅各在这里的意思是说，我们不该宣告今天或明天要往某个地方去，在那里住一段时间，作买卖得利，乃该简

12Many Christians treasure 4:13-17, especially James’ word in verses 14 and 15. In verse 14 James says, “You are a vapor, appearing for a little while, and then disappearing.” This statement may be considered a proverb. Then in verse 15 James encourages us to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live and do this or that.” Here James is saying that instead of declaring that today or tomorrow we will go to a certain place, spend time there, do business, and make a profit, we should simply say, “If the Lord wills

13简单单的说，『主若愿意…。』

14雅各在十五节的话，听起来好像一句格言。我年轻时，想要作一个标语，把这句格言写在上面，好常常题醒我这样说：『主若愿意。』我虽然仍旧欣赏这句话，却晓得牠带著旧约的腔调。

14The word of James in verse 15 sounds very much like a maxim. When I was young, I had the thought of making a sign with this maxim on it to remind me always to say, “If the Lord wills.” Although I still appreciate this saying, I can recognize that it has an Old Testament tone.

15有时候基督徒写信时引用这一节，说，『主若愿意，』他们要到某个地方，或去作某件事情。我从经历中晓得，这句话是我们的保护。例如，可能有人邀请我到某地去，我也接受了邀请，但是我在回函表示接受邀请时，会加上『主若愿意』这句话。这样，我就得著保护；因为如果最后我不能按照计画成行，别人也不能定罪我不去。因此，说『主若愿意』，乃是一种保护。

15Christians sometimes use this verse in writing letters, saying that they will go to a certain place or do a particular thing “if the Lord wills.” I know from experience that this clause can be a protection to us. For example, I may be invited to a certain place and accept the invitation. But in my letter of acceptance I may add the clause “if the Lord wills.” This protects me in the sense that if eventually I am not able to go to there as planned, I cannot be condemned by others for not coming. Therefore, to say “If the Lord wills” can be a protection

受那灵引导

LED BY THE SPIRIT

16雅各在这几节所说的，与新约其他卷书的经节，特别是保罗的著作，口气不同。你也许会想起保罗所写的某些经节，与雅各在四章十五节的话类似。然而，保罗著作的基本腔调却不同，因为他嘱咐我们要照著灵而行。例如，保罗在加拉太五章十六节说，『我说，你们当凭著灵而行，就绝不会满足肉体的情欲5:25了。』保罗在加拉太五章二十五节接著说，『我们若凭著灵活著，也就当凭著灵而行。』不仅如此，保罗在罗马八章四节告诉我们：『使律法义的要求，成就在我们这不照著肉体，只照著灵而行的人身上。』我们在行传看见保罗受那灵引导，并在灵里生活行动。行传十六章六节说，『圣灵既然禁止他们在亚西亚讲道。』七节又说，耶稣的灵不许他们往庇推尼去。我们在这里看见，当保罗为著传福音旅行各地，他乃是受那灵的限制和指引。保罗在别处则灵里激愤、（十七16、）灵里迫切、（十八5、）以及灵里定意。（十九21。）说『主若愿意』是相当客观的，并且带著浓厚的旧约腔调。但受那灵的引导，在灵里生活行动，并且照著灵的催促行事，却是主观的，并且是极其符合新约的。

16What James says in these verses is different in tone from what is found elsewhere in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. Perhaps you can think of certain verses written by Paul that are similar to James’ word in 4:15. Nevertheless, the basic tone of Paul’s writing is different, for he charges us to walk according to the Spirit. For example, in Galatians 5:16 Paul says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you shall by no means fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Then in Galatians Paul goes on to say, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Furthermore, inRo mans 8:4 Paul tells us that “the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh, but according to spirit.” In the book of Acts we see that Paul was led by the Spirit and walked in spirit. Acts 16:6 says that they were “forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.” Then verse 7 says that the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go into Bithynia. Here we see that when Paul was traveling for the preaching of the gospel, he was restrained and directed by the Spirit. On other occasions Paul was stirred in his spirit (Acts 17:16), was pressed in the spirit (Acts 18:5), and purposed in spirit (Acts 19:21). To say, “If the Lord wills,” is rather objective and is quite much according to the tone of the Old Testament. But to be led of the Spirit, to walk in the Spirit, and to do what our spirit constrains us to do are subjective and are much more according to the New Testament.

17我实在无意轻看雅各或他的书信，然而我必须真实的指出，我多年研读这卷书以后，体会这卷书信带著浓厚的犹太味道。并且其旧约的色彩、腔调、口味与气氛太强烈了。我们若没有保罗的十四卷书信，可能会受雅各书的影响而返回犹太教。我们虽然欣赏并需要雅各所著重之基督徒实行的完全，我们更需要非常清楚一件事，就是他的书信，多半仍带著旧约的腔调、色彩和气氛。

17I certainly have no intention of belittling James or his Epistle. However, I must truthfully point out that after many years studying this book, I have learned that this Epistle is very Jewish and has a strong color, tone, taste, and atmosphere of the Old Testament. If we did not have the fourteen Epistles of Paul, we might be influenced by the book of James to go back to Judaism. Although we appreciate and need James’ emphasis on practical Christian perfection, we still need to be very clear that much of his Epistle has the tone, color, and atmosphere of the Old Testament