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雅各书生命读经 · 第7篇

引言和基督徒之完全的实行美德（七）

Introduction and Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (7)
1读经：雅各书二章一至二十六节。保罗在提后二章十五节说到正直的分解真理的话。正直的分解真理的话，意即将神话语的各部分，正确、正直、毫不曲解的揭示出来。历代以来，许多圣经教师尽力正直、正确的分解圣言。然而，许多教师无法把这件事作得尽善尽美。
1Scripture Reading: James 2:1-26 In 2 Timothy 2:15 Paul speaks about cutting straight the word of the truth. To cut straight the word of the truth means to unfold the Word of God in its various parts rightly and straightly without distortion. Throughout the centuries many teachers have tried to cut straight, or rightly divide, the holy Word. However, many Bible teachers were not able to do this very well
2改教时期，路德（Luther）率先正确的分解圣言。他看见因信称义应当与行为分开。虽然路德能彀在一些原则上概略的分解圣经，但他没有能力详细的分解。可以说，他晓得圣经中的大路，却不晓得其中的街巷。十八世纪，新生铎夫（Zinzendorf）被主兴起，分解圣经的事多少有点改进。十九世纪，英国弟兄们在达秘（JohnNelsonDarby）的带领下被主兴起，弟兄们更能正确的分解圣经。今天许多基要的神学都是跟随英国弟兄们的神学路线。到了本世纪，因著主的主宰与怜悯，祂把我们兴起来。我们站在前人的肩头上，如今不仅能按著大路分解圣经，也能按著街道、巷弄来分解圣经。我们已经指出，路德称雅各书为『稻草书信』。路德这么说，主要是因著雅各书二章中所写的话。路德这话指明他没有正确的领会这一章，也无法详细的分解主的话。他不晓得二章十四节的『救』字与永远的救恩无关。这一节说，『我的弟兄们，若有人说自己有信心，却没有行为，有甚么益处？难道这信心能救他么？』有些人错误的用这一节来教导人，说得救不是凭著信心。
2At the time of the Reformation, Luther took the lead to rightly divide the holy Word. He saw that justification by faith should be divided from works. Although Luther could divide the Word in the way of certain principles, or in the way of a sketch, he did not have the ability to divide the Word in details. We may say that he knew the main roads of the Word, but not the streets and lanes. In the eighteenth century Zinzendorf was raised up by the Lord, and to some extent he improved the dividing of the holy Word. In the nineteenth century the British brothers under the leadership of John Nelson Darby were raised up, and they were much more able to divide the Word properly. Much of today’s fundamental theology follows the line of the theology of the British brothers. In this century we were raised up by the Lord by His sovereignty and mercy. Standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, we are now able to divide the holy Word not merely according to the main roads, but also according to the streets, lanes, and alleys. We have pointed out that Luther called the Epistle of James an “epistle of straw.” Luther said this mainly because of what is written in chapter two of the book of James. This word of Luther indicates that he did not understand this chapter properly and that he was not able to divide the Word in a detailed way. He did not realize that the word “save” in 2:14 has nothing to do with eternal salvation. This verse says, “What is the profit, my brothers, if anyone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” Some have wrongly used this verse to teach that salvation is not only by faith
3十四节的『救』字与十三节所说的审判有关：『因为那不怜悯人的，也要受无怜悯的审判；怜悯原是向审判夸胜。』照上下文看，这一章的得救乃是脱离无怜悯的审判。十三节所题的审判不是白色大宝座前的审判，那个审判要断定人是得救还是灭亡。这一节的审判乃是基督再来的时候，在空中审判台前的审判。所有的圣徒被提之后，都要显在基督的审判台前。永远救恩的问题已经解决了。然而，主还要按著自由的律法，就是照著整本新约来审判圣徒，而不是按摩西的律法。这个审判不是要断定我们是否永远得救，而是断定我们要得赏赐，还是要受无怜悯的审判。
3The word “save” in verse 14 is related to the judgment spoken of in verse 13: “For the judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” According to the context, in this chapter to be saved is to be saved from judgment without mercy. The judgment mentioned in verse 13 is not the judgment at the white throne. That judgment determines whether people will be saved or perish. The judgment in this verse is the judgment by Christ at His judgment seat in the air at the time of His coming back. After all the saints have been raptured, they will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. The matter of eternal salvation will have been settled already. However, the Lord will still judge the saints according to the law of freedom, that is, according to the entire New Testament, not according to the law of Moses. This judgment will not determine our eternal salvation; rather, it will determine whether we shall be rewarded or be judged without mercy.
怜悯与爱的行为
WORKS OF MERCY AND LOVE
4我们要得救脱离无怜悯的审判，就需要有怜悯与爱的行为。这些行为证实，我们有信心的结果，不仅使我们得救免于沉沦，也使我们得救脱离基督审判台前无怜悯的审判。那些没有怜悯与爱之行为的人，就要受无怜悯的审判。这意思是说，他们要受惩治，作为基督审判台前审判的结果。已往许多圣经教师没有看见这些经文里的『巷道』，他们只看见一些大街。因著主的怜悯，并藉著我们由前人所得的帮助，在此我们就能看见分解主话的正确方法。在这一章里，有一条巷道。因著我们能彀正确的分解这一段话，我们就能看见，这里的得救不是免于沉沦，而是脱离基督审判台前无怜悯的审判。照这一章看，藐视贫穷的弟兄就是杀人。（二3，11。）这就是不怜悯弟兄。倘若我们不怜悯贫穷的弟兄，主再来的时候，就要对我们施行无怜悯的审判，结果我们就会受苦。如果我们要得救脱离这样无怜悯的审判，我们对弟兄就必须有怜悯和爱的行为。这些对贫穷弟兄的行为会证实我们的信心是活的，结果甚至能拯救我们脱离基督审判台前无怜悯的审判。这就是对这些经文的正确领会，这种领会来自详细正确的分解主的话。
4In order to be saved from judgment without mercy, we need to have the works of mercy and love. These works testify that our faith issues in being saved not only from perdition, but also from judgment without mercy at the judgment seat of Christ. Those who do not have the works of mercy and love will suffer judgment without mercy. This means that they will be disciplined as a result of judgment at the judgment seat of Christ. Many of the past teachers of the Scriptures have not seen the “lane” in these verses. They saw only certain main streets. By the Lord’s mercy and through the help we have received from those who have gone before us, we can see the proper way to divide the Word here. In this chapter we have a certain lane. Because we are able to divide this portion of the Word properly, we can see that salvation here is not salvation from perdition; instead, it is salvation from unmerciful judgment at the judgment seat of Christ. According to this chapter, to despise a poor brother is to murder him (2:3, 11). This is to fail to have mercy on the brother. If we do not show mercy to a poor brother, when the Lord comes back He will exercise unmerciful judgment upon us, and we shall suffer as a result. If we would be saved from such unmerciful judgment, we need to have works of mercy and love toward the brothers. These works toward the poor brothers will testify that our faith is living, even issuing in our being saved from unmerciful judgment at the judgment seat of Christ. This is the proper understanding of these verses, the understanding that comes from rightly dividing the Word in a detailed way.
5历代以来，对于雅各书有种种不同的见解。虽然路德说这卷书是稻草书信，但好些虔诚、敬虔的人都赞同雅各。弟兄会，尤其是达秘，从时代的观点来评论雅各书。达秘很强的指出，这卷书具有犹太的特征。然而，连达秘也没有看见雅各书真正的地位和内在的内涵。许多年前，我们讲解雅各书的方式，是将因行为称义和因信称义调和。在我们今天所得的光中，我们看见这种解释并不准确。雅各在二章说到因行为得救。已往我们对这一点的解释是说，因信称义是里面的事，因行为称义是外面的事。因信称义是里面的种子，因行为称义是外面所结的果子。这种解释相当笼统，应用也不准确。在雅各书二章里，因行为得救与我们魂的得救（一21）有关。这不是永远得救，免于沉沦；而是我们的魂得救，脱离基督审判台前无怜悯的审判。在二章九至十节雅各说，『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。』按外貌待人就是轻看贫穷的弟兄，并抬举富足的弟兄。照雅各在十一节所说的，轻看贫穷的弟兄就是杀人。
5Through the centuries there have been different opinions concerning the Epistle of James. Whereas Luther said that this book is an Epistle of straw, a number of pious and godly people have sided with James. The Brethren, especially Darby, wrote about James from the standpoint of dispensation. Darby pointed out strongly that this Epistle has a Jewish character. However, not even Darby saw the real position and intrinsic contents of this book. A number of years ago we interpreted the Epistle of James in such a way as to reconcile justification by faith with justification by works. Now we see that, under the light we have today, that interpretation was not accurate. In chapter two James speaks of being saved by works. In the past we interpreted this to mean that justification by faith is something inward and that justification by works is outward. Justification by faith is the seed inwardly, and justification by works is the fruit produced outwardly. This interpretation is rather general, and the application is not accurate. In chapter two of James, to be saved by works is related to the salvation of our soul (1:21). This is not a matter of eternal salvation from perdition; it is a matter of the salvation of our soul from unmerciful judgment at Christ’s judgment seat. In 2:9 and 10 James 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.” To respect persons is to look down on a poor brother and to uplift a rich brother. According to what James says in 2:11, to look down upon a poor brother is to commit murder.
6在十二节雅各继续说，『你们既然要按自由的律法受审判，就该照这律法说话行事。』这个审判不是白色大宝座前的审判，因为白色大宝座前的审判是审判不信的人。雅各在十二节是论到基督审判台前对信徒的审判。我们必须清楚，这个审判不是为著永远得救或永远沉沦；反之，这个审判与赏赐或惩罚有关。此外，基督审判台前的审判不是按摩西的律法，而是按自由的律法，也就是按新约。摩西的律法要用于白色大宝座前的审判，但自由的律法乃是基督审判台前审判的根据。在十三节雅各说，『因为那不怜悯人的，也要受无怜悯的审判；怜悯原是向审判夸胜。』我们若轻看贫穷的弟兄，就是不向他施怜悯。如果今天我们不怜悯弟兄，将来我们站在基督审判台前的时候，基督也不会怜悯我们。
6In verse 12 James goes on to say, “So speak and so do as those who are about to be judged by a law of freedom.” This judgment will not be that at the white throne, for the judgment at the white throne will be the judgment of unbelievers. In verse 12 James writes concerning the judgment of believers at the judgment seat of Christ. We need to be clear that this judgment is not for eternal salvation or eternal perdition; on the contrary, this judgment concerns reward or punishment. Furthermore, the judgment at the judgment seat of Christ will not be according to the Mosaic law, but will be according to the law of freedom, that is, according to the New Testament. The Mosaic law will be used for the judgment at the white throne, but the law of freedom will be the basis for the judgment at the judgment seat of Christ. In verse 13 James says that judgment will be without mercy to him who has shown no mercy, and that mercy triumphs over judgment. If we look down on a poor brother, we do not show mercy toward him. If we do not have mercy on a brother today, when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, Christ will not have mercy toward us.
7雅各在十三节告诉我们，怜悯原是向审判夸胜。怜悯是导致爱的第一步。我们若没有怜悯，就不会有爱。我们必须晓得，在基督面前我们是极其贫穷的。如果我们今天怜悯贫穷的人，到了基督审判台前审判的时候，基督也会怜悯我们。这就是怜悯向审判夸胜的意思。我们再来看十四节：『我的弟兄们，若有人说自己有信心，却没有行为，有甚么益处？难道这信心能救他么？』现在我们晓得，这一节是指得救脱离基督审判台前无怜悯的审判。我们也许会说自己有信心，却不怜悯贫穷的弟兄。这意思是说，我们宣称有信心，却不爱这位弟兄。这样的信心能救我们脱离将来基督审判台前的审判么？当然，这样的信心不能救我们脱离那审判。十五至十六节支持这种见解：『若有弟兄或姊妹经常是赤身露体的，又缺了日用的食物，而你们中间有人对他们说，平平安安的去罢，愿你们穿得暖，吃得饱；却不给他们身体所需用的，有甚么益处？』这段经文进一步指明，十三节的审判与我们怎样对待弟兄有关。这是一个强有力的证明：这里的审判不是永远得救或永远沉沦的问题。十五至十六节说到我们对弟兄的态度，和我们对待他们的方式。我们对圣徒的态度，对于我们在基督审判台前得不得赏赐，乃是一个决定性的因素。
7In verse 13 James tells us that mercy triumphs over judgment. Mercy is the first step that leads to love. If we do not have mercy, we will not have love. We need to realize that before Christ we are extremely poor. If we have mercy toward the poor ones today, then at the time of the judgment at the judgment seat of Christ, Christ will have mercy on us. This is what it means for mercy to triumph over judgment. Let us consider verse 14 again: “What is the profit, my brothers, if anyone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” Now we understand that this verse refers to being saved from unmerciful judgment at the judgment seat of Christ. We may say that we have faith and yet not have mercy upon a poor brother. This means that we claim to have faith and yet do not love this brother. Can this kind of faith save us from the coming judgment at Christ’s judgment seat? To be sure, this kind of faith cannot save us from that judgment. Verses 15 and 16 support this understanding: “If a brother or sister is without clothing and lacks daily food, and anyone of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, yet you do not give them the necessities of the body, what is the profit?” These verses are a further indication that the judgment in verse 13 is related to how we treat the brothers. This is a strong proof that the judgment here is not a matter of eternal salvation or eternal perdition. Verses 15 and 16 speak of our attitude toward the brothers and the way we treat them. Our attitude toward the saints will be a deciding factor regarding whether or not we are rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ
8在十七至十八节雅各接著说，『信心也是这样，若没有行为，就是死的。有人会说，你有信心，我有行为；你将你没有行为的信心指给我看，我便由我的行为，将我的信心指给你看。』这里的行为乃是怜悯弟兄、爱弟兄的行为。这段经文里的信心和行为也不是永远得救的问题，而是关系到得救脱离基督审判台前无怜悯的审判。
8In verses 17 and 18 James continues, “Even so faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself. But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” The works here are works of mercy and love toward the brothers. Once again, in these verses faith and works are not a matter of eternal salvation, but are related to being saved from judgment at Christ’s judgment seat
雅各和神新约的经纶
JAMES AND GOD’S NEW TESTAMENT ECONOMY
9雅各的著作与时代的问题息息相关。但就著神的经纶安排来说，他所看见的并不清楚。这里的经纶安排，意思是指神新约的经纶。经纶，原文意思是家庭安排，指神的管理。雅各是从马利亚生的，马利亚也是主耶稣的母亲。如果你读路加二章所记载马利亚的赞美，你会看见其中包含了许多引自旧约的话。这指明马利亚非常敬虔，和施浸者约翰的父母很像。马利亚是个敬虔的人，对于旧约里神的话满有认识。因此，雅各是由一位敬虔的母亲抚养长大的。没有疑问，马利亚的敬虔乃是在旧约时代，当然她也以旧约的方式教导儿女要敬虔。然而，马利亚也许从来没有看见神新约的经纶。最终，雅各相信了主耶稣。没有疑问，这是他所作的一大转变。但雅各信主以前，从旧约的角度来看，他已经是很敬虔的了。
9The writing of James is very much involved with the matter of dispensation. But his view was not clear concerning God’s dispensation. By dispensation here we mean God’s New Testament economy. “Economy” is an anglicized form of the Greek oikonomia, a word that means household arrangement and refers to God’s management. James was born of Mary, who was also the mother of the Lord Jesus. If you read Mary’sp raise recorded in chapter two of the Gospel of Luke, you will see that it contains many quotations from the Old Testament. This indicates that Mary was very godly, much like the parents of John the Baptist. As a godly person, Mary was knowledgeable concerning God’sword in the Old Testament. James, therefore, was raised by a godly mother. No doubt, Mary’s godliness was in the Old Testament dispensation, and certainly she taught her children to be godly in this Old Testament way. However, Mary may never have seen God’s New Testament economy. Eventually, James believed in the Lord Jesus. This, no doubt, was a great turn for him to make. But before James believed in the Lord, he may already have been godly in an Old Testament sense.
10我们可以将这位雅各与彼得、雅各、约翰比较。约翰和雅各是兄弟，也是这封书信的作者雅各的表兄弟，因为他们的母亲是马利亚的姊妹，而马利亚是主耶稣和这位雅各的母亲。约翰、雅各和彼得一样，同是没有受过教育的加利利渔夫。主耶稣甚至称雅各、约翰两兄弟为『雷子』。主复活后，这位写雅各书的雅各成了使徒。（加一19。）最终，他成了耶路撒冷召会中领头的长老。（徒十二17，十五2，13，二一18。）相较之下，这位雅各也许比彼得、约翰、雅各还要敬虔，还要有学问。他通晓旧约，也许特别通晓箴言。耶路撒冷的人非常尊重这位雅各，他成了当地信徒中间最有影响力的人。雅各是耶路撒冷最有影响力的信徒，这事实可由加拉太二章十一、十二节记载的事得到证明。这里我们看见，从雅各那里来的几个人，未到以先，彼得和外邦人一同吃饭。（保罗不是说他们从耶路撒冷来，而是说他们从雅各那里来。）那几个人从雅各那里来到以后，彼得害怕，就退去，隔离自己。这指明连彼得也怕雅各，并且证明雅各在耶路撒冷是最有影响力的人。行传十五章也证明雅各的影响力很大。不仅如此，行传二十一章还告诉我们，保罗末次上耶路撒冷的时候，他去见雅各。行传二十一章不是说保罗去见长老们，而是说他去见雅各；所有的长老都聚集在他那里。因此，雅各是长老职分的中心。他非常有势力，整个局面都受他的影响。
10We may compare this James with Peter, James, and John. John and James were brothers and also cousins to the James who wrote this Epistle, for their mother was a sister of Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus and this James. Like Peter, John and James were uncultured Galilean fisherman. The Lord Jesus even called the brothers James and John “sons of thunder.” After the Lord’s resurrection, this James became one of the apostles (Gal. 1:19). Eventually, he became the leading elder in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; 15:2, 13; 21:18). By comparison, James may have been more godly and cultured than Peter, John, and James. He knew the Old Testament, probably the book of Proverbs especially, very well. Those in Jerusalem regarded James highly, and he became the most influential person among the believers there. The fact that James was the most influential believer in Jerusalem is proved by what is recorded in Galatians 2:11 and 12. Here we see that before certain ones came from James, Peter ate with the Gentiles. (Paul does not say that they came from Jerusalem, but that they came from James). After the ones came from James, Peter was afraid, shrank back, and separated himself. This indicates that even Peter was afraid of James and also proves that James was the top influence in Jerusalem. Chapter fifteen of Acts also proves that the influence of James was prevailing. Furthermore, in Acts 21 we are told that when Paul went the last time to Jerusalem, he went to see James. Acts 21 does not say that Paul went to the elders, but that he went to James, where all the elders were assembled. James, therefore, was the center of the eldership. He was prevailing, and the entire situation was under his influence
11在行传二十一章，我们能看见雅各的影响力究竟如何。雅各向保罗指出，耶路撒冷信主耶稣的有好几万，并且都为律法热心。因此，雅各鼓励保罗带著几个有愿在身的人一同到圣殿去。雅各在行传二十一章里的话，使我们看见他著作内在的内涵。雅各的确相信主耶稣，他书信中有好些点证实这件事。首先雅各说，众光之父用真理的话生了我们。（一17～18。）这是新约的重生。雅各也说到用温柔领受那栽种的话。（21。）这也是新约的事。然后雅各接著说到完备自由的律法，（25，）以及内住的灵。（四5。）在五章他题起召会的长老们，这是说到召会。此外，雅各在二章一节还说到『相信我们荣耀的主耶稣基督』。然而，除了这些关于神新约经纶积极的事以外，雅各也把旧约的东西带进来了。例如，他说到会堂。他也指明，对他而言，遵守完备的律法就是看顾孤儿寡妇。这话满了旧约的味道。雅各没有说到活基督，在灵里生活行动，以及过建造基督身体的生活。反之，他的例证是来自旧约，或有旧约的味道。甚至雅各的祷告也是照著以利亚的方式。雅各嘱咐长老们，要照著以利亚在旧约里祷告的方式，为病人祷告。照样，他也嘱咐我们要按著约伯的忍耐和申言者的恒忍，等候主来。这两个例子也都是引自旧约。因此，雅各书乃是旧约的事物与神新约经纶的混杂。虽然我们有保罗著作的所有生命读经信息，也可能看见了新约里神圣启示的中心焦点，但我们可能仍在阴霾的气氛中。我们也许以为具有美好的品格就是敬虔，也可能对敬虔有天然或宗教的领会。我们对敬虔的观点也许不是照著神新约的经纶。我们又一次看见，我们对神新约的经纶需要有清楚的异象。
11In Acts 21 we can see what James’ influence was. James pointed out to Paul that in Jerusalem tens of thousands believed in the Lord Jesus and were zealous for the law. Therefore, James encouraged Paul to go to the temple with certain men who had a vow on them. James’ word in Acts 21 gives us a view of the intrinsic contents of his writing. James definitely believed in the Lord Jesus. Several points in his Epistle prove this. First, James says that we have been begotten by the Father of lights by the word of truth (1:17-18). This is New Testament regeneration. James also speaks of receiving with meekness the implanted word (1:21). This also is a New Testament matter. Then James goes on to speak of the perfect law, the law of freedom (1:25), and of the indwelling Spirit (4:5). In chapter five he refers to the church when he mentions the elders of the church. In addition, in 2:1 James speaks of “the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” However, along with these positive matters concerning God’s New Testament economy, James brings in things of the Old Testament. For example, he speaks of the synagogue. He also indicates that for him keeping the perfect law is a matter of visiting orphans and widows. This word is full of the Old Testament flavor. James does not speak of living Christ, of walking in the Spirit, or of having a life for the building up of the Body of Christ. Rather, his illustrations are from the Old Testament or have an Old Testament flavor. Even James’ way of praying is according to Elijah’sway. James charges the elders to pray for the sick according to the way Elijah prayed in the Old Testament. In a similar way, he charges us to wait for the Lord’s coming back in away that is similar to Job’s endurance and to the longsuffering of the prophets. Again, both examples are drawn from the Old Testament. Therefore, what we have in the Epistle of James is a mixture of the things of the Old Testament with God’s New Testament economy. Although we have all the Life - study messages on the writings of Paul and although we may have seen the central focus of the divine revelation in the New Testament, we still may be in a cloudy atmosphere. We may think that to have good character means that we are godly. We may also have a natural understanding or religious understanding of what godliness is. Our view of godliness may not be according to the New Testament economy of God. Once again we see the need for a clear vision of God’s New Testament economy.