Books
雅各书生命读经 · 第13篇

一种不是完全照著并为著神新约经纶的生活（一）

A Life not Fully According to and for God’s New Testament Economy (1
1读经：雅各书1:1,17-18,21,25;2:2,。我们在马可福音看见一种生活，就是主耶稣的生活，是完全照著并为著神新约的经纶。相反的，我们在雅各书看见一种生活，不是完全照著并为著神新约的经纶。在本篇和下一篇信息中，我们要来看雅各书中的几个点，指明一种新约经纶与旧约时代的混杂。
1Scripture Reading: James 1:1, 17-18, 21, 25; 2:2, 9-10; 3:13, 17; 4:4-5 9-10; 3:13, 17; 4:4-5 In the Gospel of Mark we see a life — the life of the Lord Jesus—that is fully according to and for God’s New Testament economy. By contrast, in the Epistle of James we see a life that is not fully according to and for God’s New Testament economy. In this message and in the message following we shall consider a number of points in the book of James that indicate a mixture of the New Testament economy with the Old Testament dispensation.
2雅各是一个非常敬虔的人，以人来说，他非常有智慧。但我们在一个个的事例中，看见雅各太被旧约的事充满了。没有疑问，他被旧约的感觉、口味与气氛所饱和、浸透。我们在雅各身上找不出一个强而有力的指标，显示他已经完全从旧约时代，进入新约的经纶里。雅各可能已经受浸，然而照著他的写作来看，我不相信他经历过将自己同已往一切好坏的事物，彻底的了结和埋葬。
2James was a very godly man, and, humanly speaking, he was quite wise. But in instance after instance we see that James was occupied too much with Old Testament matters. No doubt, he was saturated, soaked, with the feeling, flavor, and atmosphere of the Old Testament. We cannot find a strong indication with James that he passed through the Old Testament dispensation fully into the New Testament economy. Probably James had been baptized. However, according to his writings, I do not believe that he ever experienced a thorough termination and burial of himself along with all the things of the past, both good and bad
仍然保持旧约时代的
STILL KEEPING THE TWELVE TRIBES
十二个支派
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT DISPENSATION
3雅各在他的书信中仍然保持旧约时代的十二个支派。这可由雅各在本卷书开头的话看出来：『神和主耶稣基督的奴仆雅各，写信给散居的十二个支派：愿你们喜乐。』（一。）雅各写信给散居的十二个支派，这也许指明他没有清楚看见基督徒与犹太人的分别，以及神新约的经纶与旧约时代的分别。雅各也许不清楚，神在新约里已经将基督里的犹太信徒，从犹太民族中拯救、分别了出来。因此，一章一节『十二个支派』的说法太老旧了，是属于旧约时代的东西。
3In his Epistle James still keeps the twelve tribes of the Old Testament dispensation. This is indicated by the way James begins this book: “James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion (1:1).” The fact that James addresses his Epistle to the twelve tribes in the dispersion1 may 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. James may not have been clear that God in the New Testament has delivered and separated the Jewish believers in Christ from the Jewish nation. Therefore, the expression “twelve tribes” in 1:1 is too old; it is something of the Old Testament dispensation.
4照著保罗的著作看，在基督里的犹太信徒已经蒙神呼召，脱离了旧时代。保罗在加拉太书甚至把犹太教看作现今邪恶的世代：『基督照著我们神与父的旨意，为我们的罪舍了自己，要把我们从现今这邪恶的世代救出来。』（一4。）按整卷加拉太书的内容看，这里所说现今邪恶的世代，是指宗教世界，世界的宗教系，犹太宗教。这由加拉太六章十四至十五节得著证实。那里把割礼看作世界（宗教世界）的一部分。对使徒保罗，这世界已经钉了十字架。因此，保罗在加拉太书指明，基督为我们的罪舍了自己，目的是要把我们从犹太宗教，就是现今这邪恶的世代救出来。
4According to Paul’s writings, the Jewish believers in Christ have been called by God out of the old dispensation. In the book of Galatians Paul even regards Judaism as the present evil age: “Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might rescue us out of the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father (1:4).” According to the context of the entire book of Galatians, the present evil age in Galatians 1:4 refers to the religious world, the religious course of the world, the Jewish religion. This is confirmed by Galatians 6:14-15, where circumcision is considered a part of the world, the religious world, which is crucified to the Apostle Paul. There fore, Paul indicates in the book of Galatians that Christ gave Himself for our sins in order to rescue us out of the Jewish religious world, the present evil age.
5加拉太一章四节现今邪恶的世代，等于行传二章四十节『弯曲的世代』。彼得在五旬节告诉人要得救，脱离这弯曲的世代。雅各这么一位敬虔的人，怎能在他写给犹太基督徒的书信里，称他们为散居的十二个支派？这的确违反了神新约的经纶。
5The present evil age in Galatians 1:4 is equal to the “perverse generation” in Acts 2:40. On the day of Pentecost Peter told the people to be saved from this perverse generation. How, then, could such a godly person as James address his Epistle, which was written to Christian Jews, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion? This certainly was contrary to God’s New Testament economy
藉著神圣的出生
POSSESSING THE DIVINE LIFE
得著神圣的生命
THROUGH THE DIVINE BIRTH
6雅各在雅各书一章十七至十八节说，『一切美善的赐与、和各样完备的恩赐，都是从上头，从众光之父降下来的，在祂并没变动，或转动的影儿。祂照自己的定意，用真理的话生了我们，叫我们在祂所造的万物中，成为初熟的果子。』这几节指明众光之父生了我们，叫我们在祂所造的万物中，成为初熟的果子。这是指神圣的出生，就是我们的重生，（约三5～6，）是照著神永远的定旨完成在我们身上的。神用真理的话生了我们，这个事实意思是说，这话乃是生命的种子，藉此我们蒙了重生。（彼前一23。）因此，雅各指明我们藉著神圣
6In 1:17 and 18 James says, “All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variableness or shadow cast by turning. Having purposed, He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a certain firstfruit of His creatures.” These verses indicate that the Father of lights brought us forth to be the firstfruit of His creatures. This refers to the divine birth, our regeneration (John 3:5-6), which is carried out according to God’s eternal purpose. The fact that we have been brought forth by the word of truth means that the word is the seed of life, by which we have been regenerated (1 Pet. 1:23). Therefore, James indicates that we possess the divine life through the divine birth
7的出生，得著神圣的生命。
7
8雅各一方面写信给十二个支派；另一方面说到藉著神圣的出生所得著的神圣生命。十二个支派完全是属于旧约，而藉著神圣出生所得的神圣生命，必然是新约的事。雅各的著作何等混杂！他把旧约与新约混杂在一起。那一班由神重生，由祂所生的人，怎么可以仍然称为十二个支派？雅各怎么可以向十二个支派说话，然后又说神生了他们，叫他们在祂所造的万物中，成为初熟的果子？然而，雅各却在这卷书中这么作了。神怎么能生了十二个支派，叫他们成为初熟的果子？我们把雅各书一章一节与十七至十八节比较，就看见这卷书所指明，雅各身上阴霾笼罩的光景。
8On the one hand, James addresses his Epistle to the twelve tribes. On the other hand, he speaks regarding the divine life received through the divine birth. The twelve tribes are something altogether of the Old Testament, whereas the divine life received through the divine birth is certainly a matter of the New Testament. What a mixture there is in the writing of James! He mixes the Old Testament with the New Testament. How could those regenerated by God, begotten of Him, still be addressed as the twelve tribes? How could James speak to the twelve tribes and then say that God has brought them forth to be a certain firstfruit of His creatures? Nevertheless, this is what James did in this book. How could the twelve tribes be brought forth by God to be a certain firstfruit? When we compare 1:1 with 1:17 and 18, we see how cloudy was the situation with James, as indicated by this Epistle.
9我在这里要说，我们不应该单单因著一个人的敬虔而受他吸引。历代以来，许多敬虔的人糢糊不清，不彀认识神的经纶。他们在阴霾笼罩之下，为自己的敬虔所蒙蔽。我们可能受敬虔的人所误导，正如保罗在行传二十一章受敬虔的雅各误导一样。要避开属灵阴霾光景的影响，并不容易。保罗在行传二十一章接受雅各的建议，带了几个有愿在身的人，进入圣殿，替他们缴费。我们会以为保罗这样作是宽宏大量，并且是照著他向哥林多人说的话而行：『向犹太人，我就作犹太人，为要得犹太人；向律法之下的人，我就作律法之下的人，（虽然我自己不在律法之下，）为要得律法之下的人。』（林前九20。）但主在行传二十一章并不像保罗看起来那么宽大。在还愿的最后一天，就是第七天，发生了扰乱，保罗就被捕了。如果我们仔细读行传二十一章，就会看见主并不赞同在耶路撒冷所发生的，于是祂进来对付这事。
9At this point I wish to say that we should not be attracted to a person simply because he is godly. Throughout the centuries, many godly people have been in a cloudy condition with respect to God’secon o my. They were under a cloud, veiled by their godliness. It is possible for us to be misled by a godly person just as Paul was misled by the godly James in Acts 21. It is not easy to avoid the influence of a situation that is spiritually cloudy. In Acts 21 Paul took James’ suggestion to go to the temple with certain ones who had a vow and to pay the charge for them. We may think that in doing this Paul was broad and acting according to his word to the Corinthians: “To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order that I might gain Jews; to those under law, as under law (not being myself under law), that I might gain those under law” (1 Cor. 9:20). But in Acts 21 the Lord was not as broad as Paul supposedly was. On the last day of the vow, the seventh day, a disturbance took place, and Paul was arrested. If we read Acts 21 carefully, we shall see that the Lord did not agree with what was happening in Jerusalem, and He came in to deal with it
领受那栽种的话
RECEIVING THE IMPLANTED WORD
10雅各在雅各书一章二十一节说，『所以你们既脱去一切的污秽，和盈余的恶毒，就该用温柔领受那栽种的话，就是能救你们魂的话。』雅各在这一节将神的话比作有生命的植物，栽种到我们里面，并在我们里面长大、结果，使我们的魂得救。这件事的确非常奇妙。然而在雅各的著作里，这些也与旧约的事项混杂在一起了。
10In 1:21 James says, “Wherefore, putting away all filthiness and abundance of malice, receive in meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” In this verse James likens the word of God to a plant of life planted into our being and growing in us to bring forth fruit for the salvation of our souls. This surely is a wonderful matter. However, this also is mixed with Old Testament matters in James’ writing
按著旧约的作法
KEEPING THE PERFECT LAW OF FREEDOM
遵守完备自由的律法
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PRACTICE
11雅各在一章二十五节说，『惟有详细察看那完备自由的律法，并且时常如此的，他不是听了就忘，乃是实在行出来，就在他所行的事上必然得福。』完备自由的律法绝佳非凡。这乃是写在我们心上生命的律法，（来八10，）其道德标准符合主在山上所颁布诸天之国的宪法。（太五～七。）虽然遵守完备自由的律法是一件很积极的事，但雅各却按著旧约的作法说到遵守这律法。这从他在雅各书一章二十六至二十七节所说的话表明出来：『若有人自以为是虔敬的，却不勒住他的舌头，反欺骗自己的心，这人的虔敬是虚空的。在神与父面前，那清洁没有玷污的虔敬，就是看顾在患难中的孤儿寡妇，保守自己不受世界玷污。』我们在这里看见，雅各嘱咐信徒遵守完备自由的律法，是与三件事有关：勒住舌头，看顾孤儿寡妇，以及保守自己不受世界玷污。这些都不是神新约经纶的要项。我们藉此看见，雅各并没有告诉我们要按著新约的作法遵守那完备自由的律法。反之，他嘱咐我们要勒住舌头，看顾孤儿寡妇，并保守自己不受世界玷污；他所说的这些都是旧约的作法。我们读雅各书一章时，看见雅各持有遵守完备律法的观念。他在一章二十二节说，我们要作行道者，不要单作听道者。他在一章二十五节说，惟有详细察看那完备的律法，并且时常如此的，他乃是实在行出来，就在他所行的事上得福。雅各清楚的说，我们必须行律法。照他看来，行律法的人就是遵守律法的人。然而，他并没有告诉我们，新约中遵守完备自由律法的路。新约教导我们，要照著灵生活行动，而遵守自由的律法。整本新约不是要我们凭自己去遵守，而是要我们凭著灵而活，好叫我们能遵守。仅仅说到遵守，是指我们凭自己去行；但说到活，则是凭著在我们重生之灵里的内住之灵而活。如今我们不必想凭自己遵守律法，也不必凭著自己的努力行律法；我们所需要的，乃是照著灵而行。这意思是说，我们不该凭著自己去作，乃该凭著灵而活。凭自己遵守律法与照著灵生活，二者之间有极大的差别。
11In 1:2 5 James says, “But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues in it, not having become a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in his doing.” The perfect law, the law of freedom, is an excellent thing. This is the law of life inscribed on our hearts (Heb. 8:10), the moral standard of which corresponds to that of the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens decreed by the Lord on the mount (Matt. 5 — 7). Although the keeping of the perfect law of freedom is a very positive thing, James speaks of keeping this law in the Old Testament practice. This is indicated by what he says in 1:26 and 27: “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this one’s religion is vain. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Here we see that James charges the believers to keep the perfect law of freedom in relation to three things: bridling the tongue, visiting orphans and widows, and keeping oneself unspotted from the world. None of these is a crucial item in God’s New Testament economy. By this we see that James does not tell us to keep the perfect law of freedom in the New Testament practice. Rather, by charging us to bridle our tongue, visit orphans and widows, and keep ourselves unspotted from the world, he is speaking of Old Testament practices. As we read chapter one of his Epistle, we see that James held to the concept of keeping the perfect law. In 1:22 he says that we should become doers of the word and not hearers only. Then in 1:25 he says that the one who looks into the perfect law and continues in it, being a doer of the work, will be blessed in his doing. James is clearly saying that we must be doers of the law. A doer of the law, according to James, is one who keeps the law. However, he does not tell us the New Testament way to keep the perfect law of freedom. The New Testament teaches that we keep the law of freedom by living and walking according to the Spirit. The entire New Testament is not for us to keep by ourselves; it is for us to live by the Spirit so that we may keep it. Merely keeping is a matter of doing by ourselves, whereas living is by the indwelling Spirit who is in our regenerated spirit. Now we do not need to try to keep the law by ourselves, and we do not need to be its doers by our own effort. What we need is a walk according to the Spirit. This means that instead of being those who do by ourselves we should be those who live by the Spirit. There is a great difference between one who keeps the law by himself and one who lives according to the Spirit.
12雅各书里并没有多少事是照著新约的观念，反而大部分都是旧约的观念。雅各固然说到自由的律法，但他是以旧约遵守字句律法的方式说的。雅各可能认为，摩西的律法不完整、不完备，新约的教训才是完备的。他可能晓得，新约的教训是完备的，并且给我们自由。因此，照雅各的看法，我们必须遵守律法，必须行律法。他成全律法的观念并不是清清楚楚照著新约。他对待律法，是照著旧约的方式，凭著自己遵行律法，而不是照著新约的方式，凭著灵生活行动，并行事为人。有些读雅各书的人可能认为，行完备的律法并没有甚么不对。他们会说，『雅各说我们应该行律法，这是对的。我们实在应该行出那完备自由的律法。』如果我们这样读圣经，便是照著天然的领会，而不是照著那灵的光照。实际上，所有新约的教训都是说明我们里面包罗万有之灵的生活和内住。我们的需要不是尽力遵守这些教训，或是凭自己把这些教训行出来；我们的需要乃是照著并凭著内住的灵而行。当我们照著并凭著灵而行时，我们就活出那完备自由的律法，活出整个新约。我们不是凭自己的努力遵守新约，而是凭著那灵生活行动，好叫我们能持守新约。作是出于我们自己，活才是凭著圣灵。因这缘故，保罗在加拉太二章二十节说，『我已经与基督同钉十字架；现在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活著。』新约的观念是这样：不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活著。雅各书在这件事上并不清楚。雅各晓得我们是从神而生的，神用真理的话生了我们；然而，论到神子民的生活，特别是关于基督徒实行的完全，他的观念似乎是根据旧约的观念。
12In the Epistle of James there is not much that is according to the concept of the New Testament. Instead, to a large extent, the concept in this Epistle is that of the Old Testament. Yes, James speaks of the law of freedom, but he speaks of it in the Old Testament way of keeping the law of letters. James may have thought that the Mosaic law was not complete, not perfect, but that the New Testament teaching is perfect. James may have realized that the New Testament teaching is perfect and gives us freedom. Thus, according to James, we need to keep it; we need to be its doers. His concept of how to fulfill the law is not clearly according to the New Testament. His way of handling the law was according to the Old Testament way of keeping and doing by ourselves, not according to the New Testament way of living, walking, behaving, and having our being according to the Spirit. Some readers of the Epistle of James may think that there is nothing wrong with being a doer of the perfect law. They may say, “James is right in saying that we should be doers of the law. Surely, we all must be doers of the perfect law of freedom.” If we read the Bible this way, we read it according to the natural understanding, not according to the enlightenment of the Spirit. Actually, all the New Testament teachings are definitions of the living and the indwelling of the all - inclusive Spirit within us. To try to keep these teachings or to do them by ourselves is not our need; our need is to walk according to and by the indwelling Spirit. When we walk according to and by the Spirit, we live the perfect law, the law of freedom; we live the entire New Testament. We do not keep the New Testament by our own effort; we live by the Spirit that we may keep it. Doing is something that is of ourselves, but living is by the Holy Spirit. This is the reason Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” The New Testament concept is this: no longer I, but Christ lives in me. The Epistle of James is not clear in this matter. James knew that we have been born of God, that God has brought us forth by the word of truth. Nevertheless, his concept concerning the living of God’sp eople, and in particular concerning practical Christian perfection, seems to be based on the concept of the Old Testament.
13将新约的经纶与恢复之旧约时代的作法混杂
13MIXING THE NEW TESTAMENT ECONOMY WITH THE PRACTICE OF THE RECOVERED OLD
Testament dispensation
14雅各将新约经纶的实行与恢复之旧约时代的作法混杂了。这可从他在雅各书二章二节使用『会堂』一辞看出来。我们已经看见，会堂的原文是由『一起』和『带来』组成的。因此是集合、聚集、会众；转意为聚集的地方。本辞在新约用以指犹太人的聚集（徒十三43，九2，路十二11）和聚集的地方。（路七5。）在耶路撒冷，有好些各类犹太人的会堂。（徒六9。）
14James mixed the practice of the New Testament economy with that of the recovered Old Testament dispensation. This is indicated by his use of the word “synagogue” in 2:2. We have seen that the Greek word sunagogeis composed of two words: sun, together and ago, to bring; hence, a collecting, gathering, congregation, assembly. It came to denote the place of gathering and was used in the New Testament to denote the congregation (Acts 13:43; 9:2; Luke 12:11) and congregating place (Luke 7:5) of the Jews. In Jerusalem there were quite a few synagogues of various kinds of Jews (Acts 6:9).
15以色列人被掳到巴比伦以前，并没有会堂。圣殿被毁以后，才有会堂的成立。犹太人到会堂去，藉著研读圣经，寻求关乎神的知识。（路四16～17，徒十三14～。）当犹太人被掳归回，他们把在会堂聚集的作法，带回自己的国家，这是犹太人从巴比伦归回以后，恢复之旧约时代的一种作法。耶路撒冷有犹太人的各会堂，这些犹太人从各地归回，说不同的语言，有不同的习俗；他们返回耶路撒冷以后，就照著自己的语言和习俗，设立自己的会堂。因此在耶路撒冷的犹太人中间，有了不同的会堂。雅各在雅各书二章一节和二节上半说，『我的弟兄们，你们既相信我们荣耀的主耶稣基督，便不可按著外貌待人。若有一个人…进你们的会堂去…。』雅各在二章一节说到相信我们的主耶稣基督，在二节说到会堂。这清楚指明，神新约的经纶，和从巴比伦归回后的旧约时代作法混杂了。对于基督徒和犹太人之间的分别，雅各显然没有甚么概念。雅各使用会堂一辞，也许指明他把犹太信徒的聚集和聚集的地方，当作犹太人中的一个会堂，可能也当作一个基督徒的会堂。这也许指明，他认为犹太基督徒仍是犹太民族的一部分，是按照旧约作神选民的。若是这样，这指明他对于旧约神的选民和新约在基督里信徒的分别，缺少清楚的异象。这是何等严重的混杂！
15Synagogues did not exist before the Babylonian captivity of the children of Israel. After the temple was destroyed, the synagogues were formed. The Jews came to the synagogue seeking the knowledge of God by studying the Holy Scriptures (Luke 4:16-17; Acts 13:14-15). When the Jews returned from captivity, 15 they brought back to their own country this practice of meeting in synagogues. This was a practice of the recovered Old Testament dispensation after the Jews had been recovered from Babylon. In Jerusalem there were synagogues for Jews who had returned from different areas and had their own languages and customs. After they came back to Jerusalem, they established synagogues according to these languages and customs. This was the reason there were different synagogues among the Jews in Jerusalem. In 2:1 and 2a James says, “My brothers, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with respect of persons. For if there comes into your synagogue....” In 2:1 James speaks of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in verse 2, of the synagogue. This clearly indicates a mixture of God’s New Testament economy with the practice of the Old Testament dispensation after the recovery from Babylon. Apparently, James did not have any concept concerning the distinction between Christians and Jews. As used by James, the word synagogue may indicate that he regarded the assembly and assembling place of the Jewish believers as one of the synagogues among the Jews, perhaps a Christian synagogue. This may indicate that he considered the Jewish Christians still as a part of the Jewish nation, as the chosen people of God according to the Old Testament. If so, this indicates that he lacked a clear vision concerning the distinction between God’s chosen people of the Old Testament and the believers in Christ of the New Testament. What a serious mixture this is!
仍然遵守旧约字句的律法
STILL KEEPING the Old Testament law of letters
16我们在雅各书二章和四章看见，雅各仍然遵守旧约字句的律法。例如，他在二章九至十节说，『但你们若按外貌待人，便是犯罪，给律法定为犯法的。因为凡遵守全律法，却在一条上失脚的，他就是犯了众条。』这话指明雅各仍然遵守旧约的律法。这符合雅各和耶路撒冷的众长老，在行传二十一章二十节对保罗所说的话。成万的犹太信徒，仍留在基督徒信仰与摩西律法的混杂里。雅各和其余的人甚至劝保罗实行这种半犹太教的混杂作法。（二一17～26。）雅各在行传二十一章鼓励保罗守律法，不知道律法时代已经完全过去，恩典时代该受完全的尊重；凡不顾这两个时代之分别的，就是抵挡神时代的行政，就是严重破坏神建造召会作基督彰显的经纶计画。这样看来，雅各书是在半犹太教混杂的乌云，糢糊不清的背景下写的。
16In chapters two and four of his Epistle we see that James still kept the Old Testament law of letters. For example in 2:9 and 10 he says, “But if you respect persons, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law, yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” This word indicates that James still practiced the keeping of the Old Testament law. This corresponds to the word in Acts 21:20 spoken by James and the elders in Jerusalem to Paul. Many thousands of Jewish believers still remained in a mixture of the Christian faith and the Mosaic law. James and the others even advised Paul to practice such a semi-Judaic mixture (Acts 21:17-26). In Acts 21 James encouraged Paul to keep the law. He was not aware that the dispensation of law was over and the dispensation of grace should be fully honored, and that any disregard of the distinction between these dispensations was against God’s dispensational administration and would be a great damage to God’s economical plan for the building up of the church as the expression of Christ. Thus, James’ Epistle was written under the cloud of a semi-Judaic mixture.
凭著带有旧约味道的智慧行事
BEHAVING BY THE WISDOM WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT FLAVOR
17雅各在他的书信中强调智慧的重要。他在一章五节说，『你们中间若有缺少智慧的，就当求那厚赐众人，也不斥责人的神，就必有赐给他的。』雅各晓得神的智慧是基督徒实行的完全所必需的。他在三章十三节说到智慧的温柔：『你们中间谁是有智慧有见识的？他就当用智慧的温柔，凭他美好的品行，显出他所作所为的。』照三章的上下文看，智慧的温柔在此该是指在说话上有节制。雅各在三章十七节接著说到从上头来的智慧：『惟独从上头来的智慧，先是纯洁的，后是和平的、和蔼的、柔顺的，满有怜悯和善果，没有偏见，没有假冒。』这智慧包括十三节的温柔，以及十七节所题人性的美德；按雅各的观点，这些都是基督徒实行之完全的特征。雅各所说的智慧，带有旧约的味道。按他的领会，从上头来的智慧也许与神赐给所罗门的智慧非常相似。所罗门的智慧不是从下头、从世界、从埃及来的；他的智慧是从上头、从神来的。
17In his Epistle James emphasizes the importance of wisdom. In 1:5 he says, “But if anyone of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and does not reproach, and it will be given to him.” James realized that the wisdom of God is needed for practical Christian perfection. In 3:13 James speaks concerning the meekness of wisdom: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good manner of life his works in meekness of wisdom.” According to the context of chapter three, meekness of wisdom refers to restraint in speaking. In 3:17 James goes on to talk of the wisdom from above, saying, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, forbearing, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, unfeigned.” This wisdom includes the meekness in verse 13 and the human virtues mentioned in verse 17, all of which are characteristics of practical Christian perfection according to James’ view. What James says about wisdom has an Old Testament flavor. According to James’ understanding, the wisdom that is from above may have been much like the wisdom given by God to Solomon. Solomon’s wisdom did not come from below, from the world, from Egypt; his wisdom came from above, from God.
18雅各所说的那种智慧，是行事为人的智慧。这种智慧带有旧约的味道，与新约的智慧无关。在新约里，神的智慧乃在于活基督，以基督作一切。保罗在林前一章三十节说，基督成了从神给我们的智慧。况且，神新约的智慧并不是为著建立我们的性格或基督徒的完全，而是为著建造召会，就是基督的身体。你若读林前一章和二章，以弗所一章和三章，与歌罗西二章，就会看见这两种智慧─旧约里行事为人的智慧，和新约里以基督作一切为著建造召会的智慧─是迥然不同的。许多基督徒欣赏雅各书所说的这种智慧。他们欣赏这种智慧，原因在于他们并没有看见基督作生命与召会的建造等关键的事。今天在基督徒中间所讲的信息，很少说到享受基督作一切，好叫召会─基督的身体─能建造起来。信徒们反倒重视雅各书。然而，我们能看见雅各书的智慧，和保罗书信所启示神的智慧，有极大的差异。
18The kind of wisdom James talks about is wisdom for human behavior. This wisdom has an Old Testament flavor, and it has nothing to do with New Testament wisdom. In the New Testament the wisdom of God is a matter of living Christ, of having Christ as everything. In 1 Corinthians 1:30 Paul says that Christ has been made wisdom to us from God. Furthermore, the New Testament wisdom of God is not for the building up of our character or Christian perfection; it is for the building up of the church, the Body of Christ. If you read 1 Corinthians 1 and 2, Ephesians 1 and 3, and Colossians 2, you will see what a great difference there is between these two categories of wisdom—the wisdom of the Old Testament for human behavior and the wisdom of the New Testament for having Christ as everything so that the church may be built up. Many Christians appreciate the type of wisdom found in the book of James. The reason they appreciate this kind of wisdom is that they do not see the crucial matters of Christ as life and the building up of the church. Among today’s Christians, few messages are given concerning enjoying Christ as everything so that the church, the Body of Christ, may be built up. Instead, believers have a high regard for the Epistle of James. However, we can see that there is a great discrepancy between the wisdom in the Epistle of James and the wisdom of God revealed in the Epistles of Paul
有内住的灵
HAVING THE INDWELLING SPIRIT
仅仅为著对付世界
ONLY FOR THE DEALING WITH THE WORLD
19雅各在四章四至五节说，『你们这些淫乱的人，岂不知与世界为友，就是与神为敌么？所以凡想要与世界为友的，就成了神的仇敌。经上说，「祂使其居住在我们里面的那灵，恋慕以至于嫉妒。」你们想，这话是徒然的么？』雅各只此一次题到神内住之灵，且是消极的说到不要与世界为友，不是积极的说到活基督，为著基督身体的建造。因此，雅各也题起内住的灵，只是他说到那灵时，只与对付世界有关。雅各书与保罗的书信说到那灵时，有极大的不同。保罗讲到内住之灵时，有许多可说的。例如，罗马八章所说内住的灵，使我们的灵、心思、以及最终甚至必死的身体，都有了生命。内住的灵藉此使我们这三部分的人，完全被神圣的生命浸透。当然，在加拉太五章，保罗也论到那灵抵抗肉体：『因为肉体纵任贪欲，抵抗那灵，那灵也抵抗肉体。』（17。）在加拉太书别处，保罗说到儿子的灵：『因你们是儿子，神就差出祂儿子的灵，进入我们的心，呼叫：阿爸，父！』（四6。）我们已经接受了儿子的灵，好叫基督成形在我们里面。（19。）基督在我们里面成形，这是何等大的一件事！因此，儿子的灵不仅是为著使我们胜过肉体、对付世界，也是为著使基督成形在我们里面。我们看见这里积极的强调那灵，是在雅各书里找不到的。
19In 4:4 and 5 James says, “Adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever determines to be a friend of the world is constituted an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain: The Spirit who dwells in us longs to envy?” This is the only time James mentions God’s in dwelling Spirit, and this negatively, concerning the abolishing of the friendship of the world, not positively, concerning the living of Christ for the building up of the Body of Christ. Therefore, James does speak of the indwelling Spirit, but he speaks of the Spirit only in relation to dealing with the world. Concerning the Spirit, there is a great difference between the book of James and the Epistles of Paul. Paul has much to say concerning the indwelling Spirit. For example, in Romans 8 the indwelling Spirit causes us to have life in our spirit, in our mind, and eventually even in our mortal body. In this way the indwelling Spirit causes our tripartite being to be fully saturated with the divine life. Of course, in Galatians 5 Paul also speaks of the striving of the Spirit against the flesh: “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh” (v. 17). Elsewhere in Galatians Paul speaks of the Spirit of the Son: “Because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father!” (4:6). We have received the Spirit of the Son so that Christ may be formed within us (Gal. 4:19). What a great matter it is to have Christ formed in us! Therefore, the Spirit of the Son is not merely for us to overcome the flesh and deal with the world, but is for Christ to be formed within us. Here we see a positive emphasis concerning the Spirit that is not found in the book of James.