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彼得前书生命读经 · 第23篇

基督徒的生活及其苦难（五）

Christian Life and its Sufferings (5)
1读经：彼得前书三章七至十三节。我们在前面的信息中看过彼前三章一1至六节，彼得对作妻子的论到婚姻生活的话。在一节彼得指明，作家仆的怎样服从主人，作妻子的也该照样服从自己的丈夫。然后在三至四节彼得指出，在神面前极有价值的，乃是以温柔安静的灵，就是心中隐藏的人为妆饰。现在让我们接著看彼得对作丈夫的所说的话。
1Scripture Reading: 1 Pet. 3:7-13 In the previous message we considered 3:1-6, Peter’sword to the wives concerning married life. In verse Peter indicates that, as household servants are subject to their masters, so the wives should be subject to their own husbands. Then in verses 3 and 4 Peter points out that what is costly in the sight of God is the adornment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is the hidden man of the heart. Let us now go on to consider Peter’sword to husbands.
平衡的话
A BALANCING WORD
2七节说，『照样，作丈夫的，要按情理与妻子同住，因为她是比你软弱的器皿，是女性；又要按她应得的分敬重她，因为她是与你一同承受生命之恩的，好叫你们的祷告不受拦阻。』彼得对作丈夫的所说的话，与保罗在以弗所五章和歌罗西三章里的话相当不同。彼得用『照样』这辞，一直困扰我。这辞似乎指明，作仆人的怎样服从主人，作妻子的怎样服从丈夫，照样，作丈夫的也该服从妻子。我信彼得用这辞的意思是，不但作妻子的要服从丈夫，作丈夫的也要服从妻子。（我们会看见，彼得说到作丈夫的敬重妻子，至少含示他们对妻子要有相当的服从。）
2Verse 7 says, “The husbands, in like manner, dwelling together with them according to knowledge, assigning honor as to the weaker, female vessel, as also joint- heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” Peter’sword to husbands is quite different from Paul’sword in Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3. Peter uses the phrase “in like manner,” a phrase that has bothered me. This phrase seems to indicate that as servants are subject to their masters, and wives to their husbands, so the husbands, in like manner, should be subject to their wives. I believe that Peter intends this phrase to mean that not only are wives to be in subjection to their husbands, but also husbands to their wives. (As we shall see, Peter’sword about husbands honoring their wives implies at least a certain amount of subjection to them
3有些人也许以为，说作丈夫的要服从妻子，与作妻子的该服从丈夫这句话牴触。事实上，我们会看见，这一点不是牴触的事；这是平衡的事。彼得或保罗都没有清楚的说，作丈夫的该服从妻子。但彼得说作丈夫的应当敬重妻子，保罗说作丈夫的应当爱妻子。在以弗所五章二十一节保罗说，『凭著敬畏基督，彼此服从。』这似乎指明，丈夫和妻子该彼此服从。圣经比我们智慧多了，尤其比那些声称关心人权的人有智慧。圣经满了智慧，因为圣经始终保持事情平衡。
3Some may think that saying that husbands are to be subject to their wives contradicts the word that wives should subject themselves to their husbands. Actually, as we shall see, this is not at all a matter of contradiction; it is a matter of balance. Neither Peter nor Paul says clearly that husbands should be subject to their wives. But Peter says that husbands should honor their wives, and Paul, that husbands should love their wives. In Ephesians 5:21 Paul says, “Being subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” This seems to indicate that a husband and wife are to be subject to each other. The Bible is much wiser than we are. In particular, it is wiser than those who say they are concerned about human rights. The Bible is full of wisdom, for it always keeps things balanced.
4彼得在彼前三章七节所说的，平衡他在前六节所说的。关于婚姻生活，如果有一至六节，而没有七节，就会很可怜。那也许使一些人以为，女人该是男人的奴仆。但我们若读创世记，就会看见亚伯拉罕非常珍赏他的妻子撒拉。不错，照著彼前三章六节，撒拉的确称亚伯拉罕为主。然而，她不是直接这样对他说。这话乃是在耶和华面前说的。创世记十八章十二节说，『撒拉心里暗笑，说，我既已衰败，我主也老迈，岂能有这喜事呢？』这话不是直接对亚伯拉罕说的。创世记没有记载，撒拉曾直接称亚伯拉罕为主。丈夫和妻子之间正确的实行是，作妻子的该尊敬丈夫为主，并服从他，但作丈夫的不该以作妻子主人的地位自居。这意思就是，作丈夫的不该说，『岂不知我是你的主么？甚至你自己也承认我是主。』作丈夫的有这种态度或这样说话，乃是错误的。彼得的话是平衡的；他说到作丈夫的，用『照样』这辞来指明，作丈夫的该服从妻子。有些人读了彼得前书，也许以为三章一至七节有两个极端。他们也许以为，第一个极端是彼得说到作妻子的服从丈夫，第二个极端是指明作丈夫的该照样服从妻子。事实上，这里所说的是平衡的话。我们的婚姻生活若要平衡，就需要有两极，或者你比较喜欢这样说，有两个极端。一极该是作妻子的服从丈夫，另一极该是作丈夫的服从妻子。在我们的婚姻生活中若有这两极，我们就是平衡的，我们会在『温带』过我们的婚姻生活。我喜欢生活在气候温和的地方，既不太热，也不太冷。我们婚姻生活的『气候』也该是温和、适中的。我们要有这样的气候，就需要三章一节所清楚指明，以及七节所含示的两极。
4What Peter says in verse 7 is a balance to what he says in the preceding six verses. Regarding married life, it would be pitiful to have verses 1 through 6 without verse 7. That may cause some to think that the females should be slaves of the males. But if we read the book of Genesis, we shall see that Abraham highly appreciated his wife, Sarah. Yes, according to 3:6 Sarah did call Abraham lord. However, she did not say this directly to him. Rather, this word was uttered before the Lord. Genesis 18:12 says, “Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” This word was not spoken directly to Abraham. There is no record in Genesis that Sarah ever called Abraham lord directly. The proper practice between husbands and wives is that the wife should respect her husband as lord and subject herself to him, but the husband should not assume the position as being the lord over his wife. This means that a husband should not say, “Don’t you know that I am your lord? Even you yourself recognize me as lord.” It is wrong for a husband to have this attitude or to speak this way. Peter’sword is balanced. When he speaks concerning the husbands, he indicates by the phrase “in like manner” that the husbands should subject themselves to their wives. Some readers of this book may think that in 3:1-7 we have two extremes. They may think that the first extreme is Peter’s word about wives being in subjection to their husbands, and the second, the indication that, in like manner, the husbands should be in subjection to their wives. Actually, what we have here is a word of balance. If our married life is to be balanced, we need to have two poles, or, if you prefer to say it this way, two extremes. One pole should be the wife’s subjection to the husband, and the other pole, the husband’s subjection to the wife. If we have these two poles in our married life, we shall be balanced, and we shall live our married life in a “temperate zone.” I enjoy living in a place where the climate is temperate, neither too hot nor too cold. The “climate” of our married life should also be temperate, moderate. In order to have such a climate, we need the two poles indicated clearly in 3:1 and implied in 3:7.
按情理与妻子同住
dwelling together according to knowledge
5在七节彼得说，作丈夫的应当按情理与妻子同住。『按情理』这辞很容易被人误解。情理，直译，知识。比妻子更有知识或受更多教育的男人，也许不尊敬妻子。彼得不是指人的教育知识。作丈夫的按情理与妻子同住，即明智、合理的与妻子同住；不是由情欲和情感所管治，乃是由为人和属灵的知识所管治，认识婚姻关系的性质，以及女性的软弱。作丈夫的，你们与妻子的关系该由属灵的知识所管治，不该由你藉大学教育所得的知识来管治。属灵的知识使你认识婚姻关系的性质。在婚姻生活中，作丈夫的需要有认识女性软弱的属灵知识。我们若有这知识，就会认识神创造女人为较软弱的器皿，就是为著婚姻关系的性质。若要有正确的婚姻关系，双方就不该同样刚强。一方该比另一方刚强。所以，弟兄们不该以为妻子的软弱是可轻视的。不，我们必须领悟，我们妻子的软弱是神为著婚姻关系的目的，特别创造的。所以，我们需要领会女性软弱的原因，我们也需要领会婚姻关系的性质。这要叫我们的婚姻生活不受属人教育而来的知识管治，乃受属灵的知识管治。丈夫与妻子的关系当然不是由情欲或情感所管治。这就是说，在婚姻生活中，作丈夫的既不该由属世的知识所管治，也不该由属肉体的情感所管治。反之，他必须由属灵的知识所管治，认识女性的软弱是神所设计的，以适合婚姻关系的性质。
5In verse 7 Peter says that the husbands should dwell together with their wives according to knowledge. The phrase “according to knowledge” can easily be misinterpreted. Men who have more knowledge or education than their wives may fail to respect their wives. Peter is not referring to the knowledge of human education. For a husband to dwell together with his wife according to knowledge is to live with her in an intelligent and reasonable way. It is to be governed by spiritual knowledge that recognizes the nature of the marriage relationship and the weakness of the female, not governed by any passion or emotion. Husbands, your relationship with your wife should be governed by spiritual knowledge; it should not be governed by the knowledge you have gained through your college education. Spiritual knowledge recognizes the nature of the marriage relationship. In married life, husbands need to have a spiritual knowledge that recognizes the weakness of the female. If we have this knowledge, we shall know that God created woman the weaker vessel simply for the nature of the marriage relationship. If there is to be a proper marriage relationship, both parties should not be equally strong. One party should be stronger than the other. Therefore, the brothers should not think that the weakness of their wives is something to be despised. No, we must realize that our wives’ weakness was created by God specifically for the purpose of the marriage relationship. Therefore, we need to understand the reason for the weakness of the female, and we need to understand the nature of the marriage relationship. This is to have our married life governed not by the knowledge from human education but by spiritual knowledge. A husband’s relationship with his wife is certainly not to be governed by any passion or emotion. This means that in married life a husband should be governed neither by worldly knowledge nor by fleshly emotion. Instead, he must be governed by spiritual knowledge that recognizes that the weakness of the female was designed by God to fit in with the nature of the marriage relationship.
按妻子应得的分敬重她
assigning honor
6在七节彼得也说，作丈夫的该按妻子应得的分敬重她，妻子乃是较软弱、女性的器皿。『按她应得的分敬重她，』直译，将敬重分配与她。敬重，原文意宝贵、贵重的价值。丈夫应当珍赏妻子的宝贵、贵重的价值，将妻子应得的敬重分给她这一同承受生命之恩的。
6In verse 7 Peter also says that the husbands should assign honor to their wives as to the weaker, female vessel. The Greek word rendered “assigning,” aponemo, means to apportion, to portion out; hence, to assign to. The Greek word for honor is timeand means preciousness, valuable worth. The husbands should appreciate the preciousness, the valuable worth, of the wives, and apportion it, assign it, as honor to them duly and reasonably as to the weaker, female vessel.
7人（包括女人）是被造以盛装神的器皿，（罗九21，23，）并且在基督里的信徒又是盛装基督这宝贝的器皿。（林后四7。）照著神创造的本性，女性在生理和心理上都比男性软弱。虽然作妻子的是女性的器皿，比较软弱，但她们仍是主的器皿，能作贵重的器皿，（提后二21，）配得相当的敬重。彼得告诉作丈夫的要敬重妻子。作丈夫的至少必须有几分敬重妻子。我们若看见作丈夫的敬重妻子，就该领悟这含示某种对她的服从。服从总是随著敬重。你若不服从某人，你如何能敬重那人？这是不可能的。敬重人总是含示相当程度的服从。如我们已经指出的，这是平衡的话。作丈夫的必须敬重妻子，毫无疑问，作妻子的也必须敬重丈夫。作丈夫的不该争辩说，因为妻子是较软弱的器皿，她就不该受他这较刚强的器皿敬重。我要再说，作丈夫的需要认识，妻子的软弱是神为著婚姻关系所豫备的。即使妻子是较软弱的器皿，在许多方面她也值得丈夫的敬重。所以，作丈夫的必须按她应得的分敬重她。
7Man, including woman, was made a vessel to contain God (Rom. 9:21, 23), and believers in Christ are vessels to contain Christ as the treasure (2 Cor. 4:7). The female, according to nature in God’s creation, is weaker than the male physically and psychologically. Although the wives, as female vessels, are weaker, they are still vessels of the Lord and can be vessels unto honor (2 Tim. 2:21), deserving a certain honor. Peter tells the husbands to assign honor to their wives. A husband must give at least a certain measure of honor to his wife. If we see that a husband should honor his wife, we should realize that this implies some kind of submission to her. Submission always goes with honor. If you do not submit to a particular person, how can you honor that one? This would be impossible. Honoring someone always implies a certain degree of submission. As we have already pointed out, this is a word of balance. Husbands must honor their wives, and, no doubt, the wives must also honor their husbands. A husband should not argue that because his wife is the weaker vessel, she should not be honored by him, the stronger vessel. Once again I would say that husbands need to recognize that the weakness of their wives was prepared by God for their marriage relationship. Even though the wife is the weaker vessel, in many aspects she is worthy of her husband’sho nor. Therefore, the husband must assign honor to her.
8婚姻生活好比一家公司，一个事业，将每年利润的一部分，分配给股东或拥有者。在婚姻生活中，作丈夫的必须学知，婚姻『公司』的『利润』，有多少该归给妻子。作丈夫的需要知道多少利润属于他，多少该分配给妻子。作丈夫的不该抢夺妻子的利润，不该抢夺妻子当得的敬重。在婚姻生活中，一部分利润或敬重必须分配给妻子。丈夫对妻子的敬重，应当按情理。『按情理』这辞，和『她是比你软弱的器皿，是女性；…敬重她』有关。当然，『按情理』也和与妻子同住有关。我们与妻子同住该是按情理，也伴随著对妻子的敬重。这是在婚姻生活中得著正确平衡的路。我们的婚姻生活若缺少这种平衡，就会像天平一边在空中，另一边往下垂。那种不平衡造成非常可怜的婚姻生活。这里的点乃是，婚姻生活中的平衡，主要来自作丈夫按妻子应得的分敬重她。
8Married life can be compared to a corporation, a business, that assigns a percentage of the yearly profits to its shareholders or owners. In our married life husbands must learn what percentage of the “profit” of the marriage “corporation” should go to the wife. The husband needs to know how much of the profit belongs to him and how much should be assigned to the wife. Husbands should not rob wives of their profit, of their honor. In married life a portion of the profit or honor must be assigned to the wife. The husband’s assigning of honor to the wife should be according to knowledge. The phrase “according to knowledge” is related to “assigning honor as to the weaker, female vessel.” Of course, “according to knowledge” is also related to the matter of dwelling together with our wives. Our dwelling with our wives should be according to knowledge and also accompanied by the assigning of honor to our wives. This is the way to have a proper balance in our married life. If our married life lacks this balance, it will be like a scale with one side in the air and the other side down low. That kind of imbalance causes a very poor married life. The point here is that the balance in married life comes mainly from the husband assigning honor to the wife.
9作丈夫的常会抢夺妻子当得的敬重。他没有将一分敬重，一分婚姻公司的利润分配给妻子。这种作法是错误的。我研读彼得的著作，就非常珍赏他的话语。我特别珍赏彼得所用的特殊辞句。其中一个辞句是『按…应得的分敬重』。弟兄们，你们曾领悟，你们需要将一些敬重分配给妻子么？你的妻子也许比你软弱，不像你受过那样高的教育。然而，她配得敬重。你们婚姻生活的公司赚了大笔利润，她当得其中的一分。你这作丈夫的需要知道，有多少敬重、利润该分配给她。
9Often a husband will rob his wife of honor. He does not assign any portion of the honor, any part of the profits of the marriage corporation, to the wife. This practice is wrong. As a result of my study of Peter’s writings, I have come to appreciate them very much. I especially appreciate the particular terms used by Peter. One of these terms is “assigning honor.” Brothers, have you ever realized that you are required to assign a certain amount of honor to your wives? Your wife may be weaker than you are and not as highly educated. Nevertheless, she is worthy of honor. The corporation of your married life has earned a large profit, and she deserves a share in it. As the husband, you need to know what portion of the honor, of the profit, should be assigned to her
10作丈夫的敬重妻子时应当谨慎，不要过分敬重。我信彼得说到按应得的分敬重妻子，含示作丈夫的不该过于敬重妻子。他若过于敬重妻子，就会宠坏她。作丈夫的该给妻子合式的敬重，既不太少，也不太多。我看过一些婚姻，作丈夫的十分仁慈、善良、慷慨并谦卑，将婚姻公司的一切利润分配给妻子；那使妻子被宠坏了。弟兄们，敬重妻子不该愚昧、盲目、或无知的作。这必须按情理作。我们作丈夫的，需要决定该归给我们自己身为丈夫之敬重合式的百分比，以及该归给我们妻子之敬重合式的百分比。你若合式的按妻子应得的分敬重她，你们婚姻生活的『事业』就会健康、健全。你们的婚姻就会安全，并有和平。
10In assigning honor to the wife, the husband should be careful not to assign too much honor. I believe that Peter’sword about assigning honor implies that a husband should not give too much honor to his wife. If he honors her too much, he will spoil her. The husband should assign honor to his wife properly, giving her neither too little nor too much. I have seen marriages where the husband was so kind, good, generous, and humble that he assigned all the profit of the marriage corporation to his wife. That caused the wife to be spoiled. Brothers, assigning honor to our wives should not be done foolishly, blindly, or ignorantly. It must be done according to knowledge. As husbands, we need to determine what is the right percentage of honor that should go to ourselves as the husbands and what percentage to our wives. If you assign honor to your wife in a proper way, the “business” of your married life will be healthy and sound. Your marriage will be secure and peaceful
一同承受生命之恩的
joint- heirs of the grace of life
11在彼前三章七节彼得说，丈夫和妻子是『一同承受生命之恩的』。生命之恩就是神在祂的三一里作我们的生命和生命的供应─父是生命的源头，子是生命的流道，灵是生命的流出，同著子与父在我们里面涌流，作对我们的恩典。（约壹五11～12，约七38～39，启二二1。）所有信徒都是承受这恩典的人。
11In verse 7 Peter says that husbands and wives are “joint - heirs of the grace of life.” Grace of life is God as life and life supply to us in His Trinity—the Father as the source of life, the Son as the course of life, and the Spirit as the flow of life, flowing within us with the Son and the Father (1 John 5:11-12; John 7:38-39; Rev. 22:1). All believers are heirs of this grace.
12简单的说，生命之恩就是经过过程的三一神成为包罗万有、赐生命、内住的灵。三一神现今在我们里面作生命之恩。丈夫和妻子都是一同承受这生命之恩的。我们一同承受生命之恩。这种承受是『不能朽坏、不能玷污、不能衰残…的基业』的一部分。（彼前一4。）我们永远基业的一切项目与神圣的生命有关，这生命是我们藉著重生所得著，并在我们整个基督徒的生活中所经历并享受的。所有作丈夫、作妻子的需要看见，在他们的婚姻生活中，丈夫和妻子乃是一同承受这样的基业，特别是承受生命之恩。
12In brief, the grace of life is the Triune God processed to become the all-inclusive, life-giving, indwelling Spirit. The Triune God is now within us as the grace of life. Both husbands and wives are joint-heirs of this grace of life. We inherit the grace of life together. This inheritance is part of the “inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled and unfading” (1:4). All the items of our eternal inheritance are related to the divine life which we received through regeneration and which we are experiencing and enjoying throughout our entire Christian life. All husbands and wives need to see that in their married life the husband and wife are co-heirs of such an inheritance, in particular, of the grace of life
在一般生活中
IN COMMON LIFE
13在三章八至十三节彼得说到基督徒的生活及其苦难在一般生活这一面。八节说，『总之，你们众人都要心思一致，同情体恤，弟兄相爱，心存慈怜，心思卑微。』本节满了美好的辞句。保罗也用这样的辞句，但他不像彼得那样将这些辞句放在一起。九节继续说，『不以恶报恶，或以辱骂还辱骂，倒要祝福，因你们是为此蒙召，好叫你们承受福分。』本节上半的『祝福』，原文的时态指一直祝福。别人辱骂我们时，我们不该以辱骂还辱骂。反之，我们该祝福他们。彼得在这里的话，符合主耶稣在马太五章四十四节，以及保罗在罗马十二章十四节所说的。
13In 3:8-13 Peter speaks of the Christian life and its sufferings with respect to common life. Verse 8 says, “And finally, be all of the same mind, sympathetic, loving the brothers, tenderhearted, humbleminded.” This verse is filled with good terms. Paul also uses such terms, but he does not put them together the way Peter does. Verse 9 continues, “Not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, because to this you were called that you might inherit blessing.” In the first part of this verse “blessing” is not a noun as the object of “rendering”; instead, it is a participle, meaning “be blessing.” When others revile us, we should not revile them in return. On the contrary, we should bless them. Peter’s word here corresponds to what the Lord Jesus says in Matthew 5:44 and to what Paul says in Romans 12:14.
14彼前三章九节告诉我们，我们蒙召，好叫我们承受福分。我们蒙召是要祝福别人，所以我们这些蒙福的人该一直祝福别人，好叫我们承受福分。我们所祝福别人的，自己也要承受。（太十13。）当然，这里的祝福不是物质的。照上下文看，祝福指生命，指明我们要承受更多的生命。在彼前三章十节彼得继续说，『因为『那想要爱生命，看见好日子的，要禁止舌头不出恶言，嘴唇不说诡诈的话』。』美好的日子指福乐的日子。福乐的日子就是美好的日子，指有美好之物为福分。我们若要看见这样的好日子，就该禁止舌头不出恶言，嘴唇不说诡诈的话。关于这点，基督是给我们跟随的榜样。在二章二十二节彼得告诉我们，基督『没有犯过罪，口里也找不到诡诈』。但我们的嘴唇和舌头引起许多难处。许多消极的事是我们不当的使用舌头和嘴唇的结果。
14In verse 9 we are told that we have been called that we might inherit blessing. We have been called to bless others, so we, as a blessed people, should always bless others that we might inherit blessing. What we bless others with, we shall inherit ourselves (Matt. 10:13). Of course, the blessing here is not material. According to the context, the blessing refers to life, indicating that we shall inherit more life. In verse 10 Peter continues, “For he who is desiring to love life and see good days, let him cause his tongue to cease from evil and his lips to speak no guile.” Good days are days of good, referring to good things as blessing. If we would see such good days, we should cause our tongue to cease from evil and our lips to speak no guile. Concerning this, Christ is a pattern for us to follow. In 2:22 Peter tells us that Christ “did no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth.” But our lips and tongue cause much trouble. Many negative things have resulted from the improper use of our tongue and lips.
15在三章十一节彼得说到离恶行善，寻求和睦，竭力追逐。在十二节他说主的眼看顾义人，祂的耳垂听他们的祈求；惟有行恶的人，主向他们变脸。然后在十三节彼得说，『你们若是热心行善，有谁苦害你们？』『你们若是热心行善』，直译是『你们若成为热心行善的人』；我们不但该热心行善，更该成为热心行善的人。热心的人指一种特别的人；我们都该成为热心行善的人。
15In verse 11 Peter speaks of turning from evil, doing good, and seeking and pursuing peace. In verse 12 he says that the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are unto their petition, but His face is against those who do evil. Then in verse 13 Peter says, “And who will harm you if you become zealots of good?” According to this verse, we should not only be zealous of good; we should become zealots of good. The word “zealots” denotes a particular kind of person. We all should become zealots of good