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彼得前书生命读经 · 第24篇

基督徒的生活及其苦难（六）

Christian Life and its Sufferings (6)
1读经：彼得前书三章十四至二十二节。在本篇信息中，我们来到彼前三章十四至二十二节，说到因神旨为义受苦，如基督所行。本段虽然包括在基督徒的生活及其苦难这一大段之内，实际上却是说到基督的死、复活和升天。这些经文包含多年来一直引起争辩的两个主要问题，一个问题与基督的死有关，另一个问题是关于受浸，与祂的复活和升天有关。
1Scripture Reading: 1 Pet. 3:14-22 In this message we come to 3:14-22, a section that speaks of suffering for righteousness by the will of God, as Christ suffered. Although this portion is included in the section on Christian life and its sufferings, it actually speaks concerning Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension. These verses involve two major problems that have been debated over the years, one problem related to Christ’s death and the other regarding baptism in relation to His resurrection and ascension
心里尊主为圣
SANCTIFYING THE LORD IN OUR HEARTS
2十四至十五节说，『你们就是因义受苦，也是有福的；不要怕人的威吓，也不要惊慌；只要心里尊基督为圣，以祂为主，常作准备，好对每一个问你们里面盼望因由的人有所答辩。』尊基督为圣，直译，将基督圣别为主。我们若因逼迫者而害怕惊慌，就显得心里好像没有主一样。所以我们遭受逼迫时，该向别人表明我们里面有基督为主。这就是尊祂为圣，将祂从别的神圣别出来，不把祂降低像无命的偶像一样。
2Verses 14 and 15 say, “But even if you suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed; and do not be afraid with fear from them, nor be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, being always ready for a defense to everyone who asks of you an account concerning the hope in you, but with meekness and fear.” If we are terrified and troubled by persecutors, it will appear that we do not have the Lord in our hearts. Therefore, in suffering persecution we should show others that we have Christ within us as Lord. This is to sanctify Him, to separate Him, from the false gods, not degrading Him to be as the lifeless idols
3十五节所说的盼望，指对承受永远生命的活盼望。这指我们今天寄居时对将来的盼望；不是客观事物的盼望，乃是生命的盼望，就是永远生命连同一切无穷尽神圣福分的盼望。彼得在十六节所题的敬畏是虔诚的畏惧，圣别的敬畏。彼得在本书信里好几次说到敬畏，因为本书的教训是关乎神的行政。在来自反对和逼迫的苦难中，我们心里该尊基督为圣，以祂为主。『尊…为圣，』原文意从凡俗的事物分别，圣别出来。这是使某样事物显为特殊，甚至成为杰出的。在遭受逼迫时，我们该使基督显为特殊；我们该表明祂是显赫的，与偶像绝对不同。心里尊基督为圣，以祂为主，不是以外面的活动将祂从凡俗的分别出来。这是里面的事。心里尊基督为圣，以祂为主，意思是当我们在逼迫之下，有主在我们心里。我们遭受逼迫时，若让主在我们心里作主，我们就会彰显祂。这彰显自然而然会使基督被尊为圣，并将祂从偶像分别出来。
3The hope spoken of in verse 15 is the living hope of the inheritance of eternal life. This is a hope in our pilgrimage today for the future, not a hope of objective things, but a hope of life, even eternal life, with all the endless divine blessings. The fear mentioned by Peter in verse 15 is a pious fear, a holy fear. Peter speaks of fear a number of times in this Epistle because the teaching of this book concerns the government of God. In sufferings that come from opposition and persecution, we should sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts. The word “sanctify” in Greek means to set apart, to separate from things that are common. This is to make something particular and even outstanding. In our suffering of persecution, we should make Christ particular; we should show that He is magnificent, absolutely different from idols. Sanctifying Christ as Lord in our hearts is not a matter of outward activity to set Him apart from what is common. It is an inward matter. To sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts means that when we are under persecution, we have the Lord in our hearts. If we allow the Lord to be the Lord in our hearts when we suffer persecution, we shall express Him. This expression spontaneously will sanctify Christ and set Him apart from idols.
4我们遭受逼迫时，若胆怯、畏惧，主就不会在我们里面被尊为圣。那对祂会是何等的羞耻！这会显得我们心里好像没有主一样。每当我们遭受逼迫时，别人必须领悟，我们里面有基督作主。但我们若胆怯、畏惧，别人就会以为我们里面没有甚么。他们会有一个印象，我们里面没有活的主。但我们若放胆，心里尊主为圣，并在我们脸上彰显主，别人就会领悟，我们里面的确有些东西。这就是心里尊基督为圣，以祂为主。我以前曾告诉你们一个我听见的故事，说到一个青年女子在中国拳匪之乱期间殉道。这事件发生在北京。因著拳匪运动，城里所有作生意的都关门。有一个年轻人，是个学徒，他不敢打开所在之建筑物的门。他从门缝偷看，看见拳匪在街上游行。他听见呼喊、叫嚣；又看见一些拳匪，手持刀剑，威吓一个青年女子。她是基督徒，坐在一辆车里，被载到将要殉道之地。虽然拳匪围绕她，叫嚣、呼喊、并威吓她，她却不畏惧。她的脸在发光，她在主里欢乐并赞美主。那年轻人因著所看见的，有深刻的印象。那时他这不信主的人，就定意要研究基督徒的信仰。他自己思想：『倘若这不过是洋教，为甚么这青年女子不因威吓、叫嚣而受惊？为甚么她不怕死？为甚么她的脸在发光？为甚么她在欢乐？』这年轻人不知道她在赞美主。后来他相信了主，并成了传道人。许久以后，他年老时，我在我的家乡遇见他，我们谈得很愉快。他告诉我那天他在北京所经历的故事。那在拳匪之乱期间殉道的青年女子，真正心里尊基督为圣，以祂为主。她脸上的光辉、她的欢乐、她的赞美─这一切都是主在她心里的彰显。自然而然，她尊基督为圣，以祂为主。她这样尊基督为圣，影响了那位年轻人，使他相信主。
4If we are timid and fearful when suffering persecution, the Lord will not be sanctified in us. What a shame that would be to Him! It will appear as if we do not have the Lord in our hearts. Whenever we suffer persecution, others must realize that we have Christ within us as Lord. But if we are timid and fearful, others will think that we do not have anything within us. They will have the impression that we do not have the living Lord in us. But if we are bold, sanctifying the Lord in our hearts and expressing Him in our faces, others will realize that we do have something within us. This is to sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts. I have told you before of a story I heard concerning a young woman who was martyred during the Boxer Rebellion in China. This particular incident took place in Peking. Because of the Boxer movement, all the businesses in the city were closed. A young man who was learning a certain business did not dare to open the door of the building where he was. Peeking through a crack in the door, he saw the Boxers parading down the street. He heard the crying and shouting. He saw some of the Boxers, with swords in their hands, threatening a young woman. She was a Christian. She was sitting in a wagon that was carrying her to the place where she would be martyred. Although the Boxers surrounded her, shouting, crying, and threatening, she was not afraid. Her face was glowing, and she was rejoicing in the Lord and praising Him. That young man was deeply impressed by what he saw. An unbeliever at the time, he decided then that he would learn about the Christian faith. He thought to himself, “If this is nothing more than a Western religion, why is this young woman not frightened by the threatening and the shouting? Why is she not afraid of death? Why is her face glowing, and why is she rejoicing?” This young man did not then realize that she was praising the Lord. Later he believed in the Lord and became a preacher. Long after that, when he became old, I met him in my home town, and we enjoyed a pleasant conversation. He told me the story of what he experienced that day in Peking. That young woman who was martyred during the Boxer Rebellion truly sanctified Christ as Lord in her heart. The glow on her face, the rejoicing, the praising—all this was an expression that the Lord was in her heart. Spontaneously, she sanctified Christ as Lord. Her sanctifying Christ in this way influenced that young man to believe in the Lord.
顾到我们的良心
CARING FOR OUR CONSCIENCE
5在十六节彼得接著说，『存著无亏的良心，叫你们在何事上被毁谤，就在何事上，可以叫那诬赖你们的人，因你们在基督里的好品行，感到羞愧。』良心既然是我们人灵的一部分，（罗九1，八16，）顾到我们的良心就是在神面前顾到我们的灵。
5In verse 16 Peter goes on to say, “Having a good conscience, that wherein you are spoken against as evil-doers, those who revile your good manner of life in Christ may be put to shame.” Since the conscience is a part of our human spirit (Rom. 9:1; 8:16), to care for our conscience is to care for our spirit before God
6基督徒的好品行该是在基督里的。这是一种在那灵里的日常生活，高过仅仅合乎伦常道德的。我们若要有好品行，并在日常生活中尊主为圣，就必须顾到我们的良心。我们被别人称义并不彀。我们需要被自己的良心称义。我们不该满意于被社会、弟兄们、甚或全召会所称义。没有人像我们的良心这样透彻的认识我们。重生之灵蒙光照的良心，更是如此。由内住之灵光照之更新的良心，在其见证上是可靠的，在其判断上是准确的。我们蒙光照之良心的判断，比别人对我们的判断更准确。我们重生之灵蒙光照的良心，是内里的审判者。这内里的审判者，我们的良心，与内住的神合作。重生之灵蒙光照的良心能作内里的审判者，是因牠与内住的神合作。为这缘故，蒙光照之良心的判断是透彻、准确的。所以，我们必须顾到良心。
6The Christian good manner of life should be one that is in Christ. It is a living, a daily life, in our spirit. This is higher than a life which is merely ethical and moral. If we would have a good manner of life and sanctify the Lord in our daily life, we must take care of our conscience. It is not sufficient for us to be justified by others. We need to be justified by our own conscience. We should not be satisfied that we are justified by the community, by the brothers, or even by the entire church. No one knows us as thoroughly as our conscience does. This is especially true of the enlightened conscience of the regenerated spirit. A renewed conscience enlightened by the indwelling Spirit is trustworthy in its testimony and accurate in its judgment. The judgment of our enlightened conscience is more accurate than someone else’s judgment of us. The enlightened conscience of our regenerated spirit is an inner judge. This inner judge, our conscience, cooperates with the indwelling God. The reason the enlightened conscience of the regenerated spirit can be an inner judge is that it cooperates with the indwelling God. For this reason, the judgment of the enlightened conscience is thorough and accurate. Therefore, we must take care of our conscience
7例如，弟兄在与妻子的关系上应当顾到良心。在人看来，似乎他没有亏负妻子。但他蒙光照的良心也许告诉他，他在许多方面亏负了妻子。同样的，在召会生活中，表面看来我们也许诚实、忠信。然而，我们的良心会知道，在某些事上，我们对召会并不全然诚实、忠信。所以，顾到我们的良心是非常重要的。
7A brother, for example, should take care of his conscience in his relationship with his wife. In the sight of man, it may appear that he is not wrong with his wife in any way. But his enlightened conscience may tell him that he has been wrong with her in many ways. Likewise, in the church life apparently we may be honest and faithful. However, our conscience may know that in certain things we have not been altogether honest and faithful to the church. Therefore, it is very important that we take care of our conscience
因行善受苦
SUFFERING FOR DOING GOOD
8在彼前三章十七节彼得继续说，『如果神的旨意要你们因行善受苦，总强如因行恶受苦。』彼得再一次说到不公正的受苦。他稍早在二章十八至二十一节曾说到这点，那里他说，基督是我们的榜样，祂受冤屈之苦，我们该跟随祂的脚踪行。
8In verse 17 Peter continues, “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if the will of God should will it, than for doing evil.” Again Peter speaks concerning unjust suffering. He covered this point earlier in 2:18-21, where he says that Christ is a model to us of One who suffered unjustly and that we should follow in His steps.
基督受死，为要引我们到神面前
CHRIST DYING TO BRING US TO GOD
9三章十八节说，『因基督也曾一次为罪受死，就是义的代替不义的，为要引你们到神面前；在肉体里祂被治死，在灵里祂却活著。』基督是义的，我们是不义的，但祂为我们的罪受死。基督为我们的罪受死，为要引我们到神面前。祂的死除去所有的障碍，尤其是我们的罪和不义的障碍。因为祂的死除去了罪和不义的障碍，我们就有路达到神面前。基督受死，为要引我们到神面前。
9Verse 18 says, “Because Christ also has once died concerning sins, the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in flesh, but made alive in spirit.” Christ is the righteous One, and we are the unrighteous ones, yet He died for our sins. Christ died concerning our sins so that He might bring us to God. His death removed all the barriers, in particular the barriers of our sins and unrighteousness. Because His death has removed the barriers of sins and unrighteousness, we have a way to reach God. Christ died in order to bring us to God
10彼前三章十八节和二章二十四节，林前十五章三节，希伯来九章二十八节的罪（复数），都是指我们在外面行为上所犯的罪；而林后五章二十一节，希伯来九章二十六节的罪（单数），是指我们性情里生来的罪。基督在十字架上担当我们的罪（复数），为我们的罪（复数）死了，使我们的罪（复数）蒙神赦免。然而祂还成为罪（单数），使我们罪（单数）的难处得著解决。彼得不是先对付我们性情里的罪，乃是先对付我们行为、品行上的罪。本书著重基督的死救赎我们脱离我们所承
10Sins in verse 18 and in 2:24, 1 Corinthians 15:3, and Hebrews 9:28 refer to sins we commit in our outward conduct. But sin in 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 1:29, and Hebrews 9:26 refers to sin by birth in our nature. Christ died for our sins, carrying up our sins on the cross, that our sins might be forgiven by God. But He became sin and took away the sin of the world that the problem of our sin might be solved. Peter does not deal first with sin in our nature, but with sins in our conduct, in our manner of life. In this book Christ’s death redeemed us from our inherited vain manner of life (1:18-19
11受虚妄的生活。（彼前一18～19。）
11
12基督是义的，祂『代替不义的』受死，这事实指明祂的死不是为殉道，乃是为救赎。祂在十字架上作我们的代替，担当我们的罪，就是义的代替我们这些不义的，为公义的神按祂的公义所审判，好除去我们罪的拦阻，引我们到神面前。这是要救赎我们脱离罪，归向神，脱离我们不义的品行，归向公义的神。
12The fact that Christ, the righteous One, died “on behalf of the unrighteous” indicates that His death was for redemption, not for martyrdom. On the cross Christ was our Substitute, bearing our sins, the righteous One judged on behalf of us, the unrighteous, by the righteous God according to His righteousness, that He might remove the barrier of our sins and bring us to God. This was to redeem us from our sins back to God, from our unrighteous manner of life back to the righteous God
在灵里祂却活著
made alive in spirit
13照著三章十八节，基督『在肉体里…被治死，在灵里…却活著』。这不是指圣灵，乃是指那作基督神性素质的灵。（罗一4，参约四24上。）钉十字架不是在那作基督神性的灵里把祂治死，只是在祂成肉体时所得著的肉体里（约一14）把祂治死。在十字架上，祂的肉体死了，但那作祂神性的灵却没有死，反倒因著生命的新能力得以活泼的活著，以致在祂肉体死后并祂复活以前，祂在这得了加力作祂神性的灵里，传道给堕落的天使听。
13According to verse 18, Christ was “put to death in flesh, but made alive in spirit.” This is not the Holy Spirit, but the spirit which is Christ’s spiritual nature (Mark 2:8; Luke 23:46). The crucifixion only put Christ to death in His flesh, which He received through His incarnation (John 1:14), not in His spirit. His spirit did not die at the cross when His flesh did. His spirit was rather made alive, enlivened, with new power of life, so that in this empowered spirit He made a proclamation to the fallen angels after His death in the flesh and before His resurrection.
14在十字架上，基督在肉体里被治死，在灵里却活著。我们不该将这里『在灵里祂却活著』，解释为指基督的复活。如我们所指出的，虽然基督的身体在十字架上被杀，祂的灵却活著。所以，如彼前三章十九节开头『在这灵里』所指明的，在基督这活著的灵里，祂向那些在监狱里的灵宣扬。这指明并证实基督在肉体受死之后，在这灵里仍是活动的。在十八节我们看见基督的死，但本节没有题起复活。基督埋在坟墓里，在复活以前，祂在祂得了加力的灵里去无底坑，向悖逆的天使宣扬神的得胜。
14On the cross Christ was put to death in flesh, but was made alive in spirit. We should not interpret “made alive in spirit” here as referring to Christ’s resurrection. As we have pointed out, although Christ’s body was slain on the cross, His spirit was enlivened. Therefore, as the phrase “in which” at the beginning of verse 19 indicates, it was in His enlivened spirit that Christ made a proclamation to the spirits in prison. This indicates and proves that in this spirit Christ, after dying in His flesh, was still active. In verse 18 we see Christ’s death, but there is no mention of resurrection in this verse. When Christ was buried in the tomb, in His empowered spirit He went, before His resurrection, to the abyss to proclaim God’s victory to the rebellious angels
基督向那些在监狱里的灵宣扬
CHRIST’S PROCLAMATION to the spirits in prison
15十九节至二十节上半说，『在这灵里，祂也曾去向那些在监狱里的灵，就是向…那些悖逆者宣扬。』历代以来，各派的教师对于在监狱里的灵，有种种不同的解释。照圣经看，最可接受的解释如下：这里的灵不是指留在阴间里死人的脱体之灵，乃是指挪亚时代因悖逆而堕落，（20，创世记生命读经第二十七篇，）并且被拘留在幽暗坑中，等候大日审判（彼后二4～5，犹6）的天使。（天使是灵─来一14。）基督在肉体里受死以后，在那作祂神性活的灵里到这些背叛的天使那里，（可能是到无底坑─罗十7，）也许是去宣扬神的得胜，就是神藉著祂在基督里的成为肉体，以及基督在肉体里的死，胜过了撒但阻挠神圣计画的诡计。彼前三章十九节的监狱，指他他拉，幽暗的深坑，（彼后二4，犹6，）拘留堕落天使的地方。宣扬这辞不是指传扬福音，乃是指宣扬神所成功的得胜，就是神藉著基督十字架的死毁坏了撒但，和他黑暗的权势。（来二14，西二15。）这宣扬是向『那些悖逆者』。这些不是指人类，乃是指天使；所以与彼前三章二十节里所说那八个人不同。因此，那些在监狱里的灵不是指留在阴间里死人的脱体之灵，乃是指挪亚时代因悖逆而堕落的天使。但许多解经的人说，十九节的灵指明不听从挪亚传讲之人的灵。跟从这种解释的人宣称，在挪亚时代，基督藉著祂的灵向挪亚那一代的人传福音。不但如此，他们教导说，十八节的『在灵里…活著』指圣灵；他们认为在挪亚时代，基督在这圣灵里传福音。
15Verse 19 and the first part of verse 20 say, “In which also having gone to the spirits in prison, He proclaimed to those once disobedient....” Throughout the centuries great teachers of different schools have had varying interpretations concerning “the spirits in prison.” The most acceptable according to the Scriptures is as follows: the spirits here do not refer to the disembodied spirits of dead human beings being held in Hades, but to the angels (angels are spirits— Heb. 1:14) who fell through disobedience at Noah’st i me (v. 20 and Life-study of Genesis Message 27, pp. 363-364) and are imprisoned in pits of gloom for the judgment of the great day (2 Pet. 2:4-5; Jude 6). After His death in the flesh, Christ in His living spirit went (probably to the abyss—Rom. 10:7) to these rebellious angels to proclaim, perhaps, God’s victory through His incarnation in Christ and Christ’s death in the flesh, over Satan’s scheme to derange the divine plan. The “prison” in verse 19 refers to Tartarus, the deep and gloomy pits (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6) where the fallen angels are kept. The word “proclaim” does not indicate the preaching of good news, but the proclaiming of the triumphant victory. This proclamation was made to “those once disobedient.” These are angelic beings, not human beings, and therefore are different from the “eight souls” spoken of in verse 20. So, the spirits in prison do not refer to the disembodied spirits of dead human beings held in Hades, but to angels who fell through disobedience at the time of Noah. But many interpreters say that the spirits in verse 19 denote the spirits of certain human beings who disobeyed Noah’sp reaching. Those who follow this interpretation claim that, at Noah’st i me, Christ through His Spirit preached the gospel to the people of Noah’s generation. Furthermore, they teach that made alive in spirit” in verse 18 refers to the Holy Spirit. Supposedly in this Holy Spirit Christ at Noah’st i me preached the gospel
16另一种解释是基督死后向死人的灵传福音。这是何等错误的解释！照著这种解释，人死后到阴间去，仍有福音在阴间那里向他们传讲。基督并不是向那些在监狱里的灵传福音；祂乃是向他们有所宣扬。祂向那些悖逆的天使宣扬，神藉著基督的成为肉体和受死，胜过了撒但。那时，基督还没有复活。乃是在祂死后，祂往那特别的地方去，在祂得了加力的灵里，宣扬基督的得胜。可能祂说，『你们天使跟从撒但背叛神。但藉著我的成为肉体和受死，你们的首领撒但被征服了。』这宣扬对撒但和他的跟从者是羞耻，对神却是荣耀。我要劝你们研读创世记生命读经第二十七篇。那篇信息解释在挪亚时代，所谓神的众子，就是天使，如何堕落。他们离开自己的本位，降到地上，并用人的身体与人的女儿行淫。那玷污人类，并产生伟人。神发觉那个情况无法容忍，就不再容许人类存在，因为人类被撒但的使者玷污了。所以，神用洪水毁灭全人类，只有挪亚和他的家人例外。再者，神差遣以色列人进迦南击杀迦南人时，迦南人中间就有同样的伟人，由天使和人类女子之间淫乱所生的伟人。
16Another interpretation is that Christ, after He died, preached the gospel to the spirits of human beings who had died. What a mistaken interpretation this is! According to this interpretation, after people die and go to Hades, the gospel may still be preached to them there in Hades. Christ did not preach the gospel to the spirits in prison; He made a proclamation to them. He proclaimed to those rebellious angels God’s victory over Satan through Christ’sin carnation and death. At that time, Christ had not yet been resurrected. It was after His death that He went to that particular place, in His empowered spirit, to proclaim Christ’s victory. Perhaps He said, “You angels followed Satan to rebel against God. But through My incarnation and death, your leader, Satan, has been conquered.” This proclamation is a shame to Satan and his followers, but it is a glory to God. I would urge you to study message twenty-seven of the Life-study of Genesis. That message explains how at Noah’st i me the so-called sons of God, who are angels, became fallen. They left their own place, came down to earth, and used human bodies to commit fornication with the daughters of men. That polluted the human race and produced giants. Finding that situation intolerable, God would no longer allow the human race to exist, because mankind had been polluted by Satan’s angels. Therefore, except for Noah and his family God destroyed the entire human race with the flood. Also, when God sent the children of Israel into Canaan to slaughter the Canaanites, there were the same kind of giants among the Canaanites, giants born of fornication between angels and human females
17不仅我们这样解释圣经的记载；好些圣经学者，包括彭伯（Pember）和郭维德（Govett），也赞同对这段话的这种领会。
17We are not the only ones who interpret the Bible record in this way. A number of Bible scholars, including Pember and Govett, agree with this understanding of this part of the Word.
18基督为著救赎我们死在十字架上。然而祂虽在身体里被治死，但祂甚至在复活以前，就在灵里活著并得了加力。祂在这活著并得了加力的灵里，向悖逆的天使宣扬基督胜过他们的首领撒但。彼得在这些经文里的话非常有意义。彼得揭示与基督之死有关特别的事。他给我们看见，基督的死不但为我们完成救赎，也胜过撒但及其跟从者。所以，在基督受死以后，复活以前，祂向撒但的跟从者宣扬，神藉著基督的钉十字架胜过了魔鬼。
18Christ died on the cross for our redemption. But although He was put to death in His body, He was enlivened and empowered in His spirit even before the resurrection. In this enlivened and empowered spirit He went to proclaim to the rebellious angels God’s victory over Satan, their leader. Peter’sword in these verses is very meaningful. Peter unveils something extraordinary related to Christ’s death. He shows us that Christ’s death not only accomplished redemption for us, but also gained the victory over Satan and his followers. Therefore, after His death and before His resurrection, Christ proclaimed to Satan’s followers God’s victory over the Devil through the crucifixion of Christ