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Additional Material Relating to Same-Sex Marriage and the Church: Scriptural, Legal, and Other Resources

This page is designed to provide additional helpful resources for Pastor's, Church leaders, and individuals relating to Same-Sex Marriage, Homosexuality, and the church.

Scriptural Resources Links:

Legal Links:

  • The Christian Legal Society has provided a free helpful white paper to give guidance to churches for same-sex issues.
  • The Christian Legal Society held a free church Guidance Webinar, co-sponsored by the National Association of Evangelicals, on July 8 [2015] for over 2000 people, giving practical advice on religious liberty guidance for churches.

The Bible and Same-Sex Marriage: 6 Common but Mistaken Claims

7/27/2015

Originally posted on the Gospel Coalition website. Reprinted with permission.

I’ve been hearing a lot in the public square about trajectories. In these conversations God’s Word is used to argue that the church needs to change its view on same-sex marriage, even though Scripture seems uniformly against it. This comes not only from newspaper columnists, such as Steve Blow in the Dallas Morning News, but also from evangelical commentators who claim the direction of the Bible takes them there. I understand this desire to love well, taken from the great commandment (Matt. 22:39), and I also see that one can ask such questions not out of a desire to rebel, clear a new path, or conform to culture, but out of sincerity.

Sincere questions deserve sincere responses. This article is designed to engage those who say the real thrust of the Bible is to joyously enter our brave new world with open arms and hearts. I’ll discuss various claims arguing that Scripture either doesn’t clearly address our specific contemporary situation or that Scripture is open and inconsistent enough to allow room for a category previously rejected.

Claim 1: Jesus didn’t speak about same-sex marriage, so he’s at least neutral if not open to it. What Jesus doesn’t condemn, we shouldn’t condemn.

This is an argument from silence, but the silence doesn’t take place in a vacuum. Jesus addresses and defines marriage in Matthew 19:4–6 and Mark 10:6–9 using both Genesis 1:26–27 and Genesis 2:24 to parse it out. Here Jesus defines and affirms marriage as between a man and a woman, a reflection of the fact that God made us male and female to care for creation together. With this definition, same-sex marriage is excluded. Had Jesus wished to extend the right of marriage beyond this definition, here was his opportunity. But he didn’t take it.

Jesus never discussed same-sex marriage because the way he defined marriage already excluded it. He was not as silent on the topic as some claim.

Claim 2: The Old Testament (OT) allows all sorts of “prohibited” marriage, including polygamy and what would today qualify as incest. If those were permitted, surely monogamous same-sex relationships should be allowed.

Here’s where a look at trajectory helps us. If we observe what Scripture actually teaches, we see that (1) such past marriages are consistently portrayed as resulting in social chaos and aren’t so much prescribed as described; and that (2) Scripture’s expansion into the New Testament (NT) narrows down the scope of options to the standard of one monogamous union between a man and woman in which the marriage bed is to be honored but porneia—sexual infidelity in all its manifestations—is to be avoided (Heb. 13:4). Additionally, elders are to show the community what it looks like to be the husband of one wife (1 Tim. 3:2, 12).

So opening up marriage to a new category actually works against Scripture’s trajectory on marriage.

Claim 3: The move to prohibit recognition of same-sex marriage is like the church’s past blindness on slavery, women’s rights, and a geocentric universe—where what was “clearly” taught in Scripture is now seen as wrong.

It’s fair to point out that some views that used to be considered clear in Scripture have actually turned out to not be so clear—and even wrong. Hermeneutical humility for all is not a bad thing. But it cuts both ways. Whereas with creation/slavery/women one can point to passages where counter-tensions existed with what was clear (such as the way Paul asks Philemon to treat Onesimus, or how Mary sat as Jesus’s disciple, or how the Spirit is said to indwell all women), no OT or NT text is even neutral on same-sex issues. Every single text that mentions the topic does so negatively.

So here also trajectory helps us, since with same-sex passages there is no trajectory. The reading is consistent. That should count for something.

Claim 4: We don’t follow all sorts of OT laws today (try laws on having sex while a woman is menstruating, or eating certain types of food), so why should we accept what the OT says about same-sex relationships?

We already set the trajectory for this answer when we noted that all the biblical texts on homosexuality, both in the OT and NT, are negative. Yet one other observation needs to be made. Some OT laws deal with the issue of uncleanness tied to the temple and worship, which aren’t categories of sin but of appropriateness tied to worship. These aren’t moral laws, but restrictions that distinguished Israel from the surrounding polytheistic nations who were morally loose and sacrificed certain types of animals (and in some cases, children) as part of their worship. This claim shows no sensitivity to these biblical distinctions. In some cases, it ends up comparing apples to oranges since issues of uncleanness were set aside in the NT when Gentiles came into the fold (Acts 10:9–29; Eph. 2:11–22; Col. 2:13–15).

We don’t read the Bible as a flat text. It progresses, even along certain trajectories, so that with the arrival of the promise certain parts of the law are set aside (Gal. 3; Heb. 8–10).

Claim 5: Same-sex marriage doesn’t harm anyone, so it’s morally acceptable and people should have the right to choose what to do.

This is one argument that’s not so much biblical as it is logical. Often the church’s response has been that human design reveals the wrongness of homosexuality because of childbearing. A same-sex couple cannot produce a child. But what does that say about singles or couples who do not or cannot bear children? That rebuttal is fair. Marriage isn’t just about providing children, nor is sex merely for procreation. The Song of Songs lifts up love in marriage as having its own merit, as do many psalms and proverbs.

But here’s another place where surfacing gender in its distinction matters. In Genesis 1 and 2, God’s creation of male and female as a complementary pair—a pairing of another person like me but not the same gender, both made in God’s image—is seen as part of God’s design. That image involves both male and female. Marriage depicts their mutual cooperation in a designed diversity to steward God’s creation. This is seen as creation’s pinnacle since it is the context in which God calls us to manage the world well. Part of that creation design is about the nurturing of future people, where respect for each gender is entailed and appreciated.

I ask a hard question now sincerely: how is respect and appreciation for both genders enhanced, affirmed, and modeled in same-sex marriage? It doesn’t even have the potential for showing it. In a somewhat ironic sense given our desire to be politically correct, same-sex marriage is discriminatory, for only one gender counts in the relationship.

Nevertheless, people do have the right to choose whom they live with and are morally responsible before God for their choices. In the end he will judge us—heterosexual or homosexual—for how we’ve lived in these areas, regardless of our national laws. The church’s plea has been motivated not by hate or fear, but out of a genuine belief that how we choose to live in this most basic of relationships affects our society for good or ill. So we should choose wisely, both individually and as a people. For those who trust Scripture, this means walking in line with the design and standards God says are best for love and flourishing.

Claim 6: The ancient world didn’t understand genuine same-sex love, so this is a new category to consider.

Apparently neither Jesus nor Paul nor even God the Father—who inspired Scripture—recognized this potential category. But this claim ignores how widespread same-sex relationships were in the ancient world. Not all of them were abusive or exercises of raw social power. This is a classic example of “chronological snobbery,” which C. S. Lewis described as “the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that account discredited” (Surprised by Joy, 206), and which his friend Owen Barfield explained as the belief that, intellectually, humanity “languished for countless generations in the most childish errors on all sorts of crucial subjects until it was redeemed by some simple scientific dictum of the last century” (History in English Words, 154).

Such a claim drastically underestimates the options ancient life presented, and it ignores the fact that ancient culture fairly uniformly rejected the idea of same-sex marriage. This point is important for understanding Paul’s inclusion of such relationships in the category of porneia (Rom. 1:26–27; see also Jesus–Matt. 15:19). The infidelity in view isn’t just to another person, but to the complementary divine design of man and woman in God’s image.

Something Sacred and Profound

Paying serious attention the trajectory of Scripture—even if it aims to be monogamous and loving—doesn’t open the door to affirming same-sex marriage. In fact, it does the opposite.

Divine revelation gives us every indication there is something sacred about God’s image being male and female, and something profound about marriage between a man and a woman (Eph. 5:32)—something that makes marriage unique among all human relationships.

Related Topics: Cultural Issues, Homosexuality, Lesbianism

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විෂ්මිත කරුණාව: දෙවියන්වහන්වහන්සේගේ ප්‍රේමය නිදහස සලස්වයි!

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එය ඉතා සරල පියවරක්- තාර්කිකව, එය අපේ පාපී ස්වභාවයේ සිට, උන්වහන්සේගේ ප්‍රකාශිත කරුණාව තුලවු දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ ප්‍රේමය වෙත ගෙනයාමයි. මක්නිසාද, උන්වහන්සේ අපට යන්තම්වත් ප්‍රේම කරන්නට නම් (ඇත්තෙන්ම ප්‍රේම කරනවා.) එය උන්වහන්සේගේ සිත්ගැනීම තුල මුල් බැසගත් ප්‍රේමයක් වියයුතුය. අපට සෑම යහපත් දෙයක්ම වගුරුවන්න කලින් අප විසින් උන්වහන්සේගේ දයාබර හදවත සිහින දුටු යම් බලාපොරොත්තු සපුරාලිය යුතු බව උන්වහන්සේ ඉල්ලා සිටින්නට තිබුනා. නමුත් කාරණය මෙයවුවා නම්, අප කිසිවිටෙක උන්වහන්සේගේ ප්‍රේමය අත්විඳින්නේ නැතිවන්නට තිබුනා. “ධර්මිෂ්ඨවු කිසිවෙක්, එක්කෙනෙක්වත් නැත.” (රෝම3 :10) නමුත් දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ ප්‍රේමය උන්වහන්සේගේ කරුණාව තුල, නොවටිනා පව්කාරයින් වෙත දීප්තිමත්ව විද්‍යාමාන වුනා. හරියටම කරුණාව කියන්නේ එයයි. එනම් දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ ප්‍රේමය උන්වහන්සේට ප්‍රේම නොවුවන් වෙත නිදහසේ ගලායාමයි.

ලේඛක හා එවැන්ජලිස්තවරයෙකුවු ලුයිස් පාලව් මෙසේ ලියයි:

දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ “සාධාරණ නොවු” කරුණාවට ස්තුතියි. මීට දෙවසරකට පෙර, මා කෙනෙත් කියා කථා කරන, මගේ බෑනා කෙනෙක් මරණාසන්නව සිටියා. ඔහුට ඒඩ්ස් රෝගය වැලඳී තිබුනා. උතුරු කැලිපෝනියාවේ පවුල් හමුවකදී මා කෙනෙත් සමග ඇවිදින්න ගියා. ඔහු හුස්ම ගැනීමට අපහසුවෙන් සිටියා. මම ඇහුවා “කෙනෙත් ඔබ දන්නවද යම් දිනයක ඔබ මැරෙන්න යනවා කියා”? , මම ඇහුවා: “ඔබට සදාකාලික ජීවනය තියෙනවද?” කියලා. මට දැනගන්න ඕනෑ ඔයාගේ දෙමව්පියන්ට ගොඩක් දුක හිතෙයිද කියලා.

ඔහු කීවා, “ලුයිස්, මම දන්නවා දෙවියන්වහන්සේ මට සමාව දීලා තියෙන්නෙ කියලා, මම ස්වර්ගයට යනවා.”

වසර කීපයක් කෙනෙත් ඔහුගේ ගැටවර වියේදී සමලිංගික හැසිරීමෙහි යෙදී තිබුනා. ඊට වඩා දෙවියන්වහන්සේටත් තම දෙමව්පියන්ටත් කැරලිකාරව සිටියා, ඔහුගේ ජීවන රටාවෙහි ඔහු සිටියේ අහංකාර හැසිරීමකය.

මම ඇහුවා: “කෙනෙත් ඔබ කොහොමද එසේ කියන්නේ”? කියලා. ඔබ දෙවියන්වහන්සේට විරුද්ධව කැරලිකාර වුනා, ඔබ බයිබලය විහිලුවක් කරගත්තා. ඔබ සාපරාධී විධියට ඔබේ පවුල රිදෙව්වා. දැන් ඔබ කියනවා ඔබට සදාකාලික ජීවිතය තියෙනවා කියලා. එයත් ඒ වගේද?

ලුයිස් මට ඒඩ්ස් තිබෙන බව ඩොක්ටර් කියන විට, මම මොඩයෙක්ව සිටි බව මා වටහාගත්තා.

අපි එය දන්නවා. මම හිතාමතාම නොසැලකිලි ලෙස කීවා. මන්ද, සමලිංගිකත්වය පාපය හැටියට බයිබලය උගන්වන බව කෙනෙත් දැන සිටියා. නමුත් ඔබ සැබෑ ලෙස පසුතැවිලි වුනාද?

“මම පසුතැවිලි වුනා, දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ දයාව මා මත තිබු බව මම දන්නවා. නමුත් මගේ තාත්තා මාව විශ්වාස කරන්නෙ නැතිවෙයි. “

ඔබේ මුලු ජීවිතේදීම ඔහුට විරැද්ධව කැරලිකාර වුනා. මම කීවා ඔබ ඔහුගේ හදවත බින්ඳා කියලා.

කෙනෙත් කෙලින්ම මාදෙස, ඇස් තුල බලාසිටියා.

“ මම දන්නවා, ස්වාමීන්වහන්සේ මට සමාව දීලා තියෙන්නෙ කියලා.”

ඔබ ඔබේ හදවත යේසුස්වහන්සේට විවෘත කළාද? “

“ඔව්, ඔව්! ලුයිස් ඔව්!”

අපි එකිනෙකා කරට අත දමා, තවත් කථාබහ කළා. යේසුස්වහන්සේ, කෙනෙත්ගේ මුලු කැරලිකාරකම කමාකර, පාපය සෝදා හැරිය බව මම ඒත්තු ගත්තා. කෙටි මාස කීපයකට පසු ඔහු ස්වාමීන්වහන්සේ සමග වීසීමට වයස අවුරුදු විසිපහේදී පිටත්ව ගියා. ලුයිස් පාලව්, මගේ බෑණා, කුරුසිය මත සිටි පසුතැවිලිවු සොරා මෙන්, දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ කරුණාව ලබන්න සුදුසුව සිටියේ නැහැ. මමත් නැහැ. අපි කවුරුත් නැහැ. එයයි කරුණව කියන්නේ! හේතුවක් නැතිව ලබන වරප්‍රසාදය!

නව ගිවිසුමේ තේමාව කරුණාවයි! පණිවිඩය වටහාගැනීමේ යතුරයි! නව ගිවිසුමේ ලේඛකයින් ගැළවීම ගැන කථාකර, හැමවිටම සම්බන්ධ වන්නේ දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ කරුණාවටයි.

අපේ පාපයෙන් හා උදහසෙන් ගැළවීම, කාලයේ ආරම්භයටත් පෙරවු දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ කාරුණික අදහස හා කැඳවීමයි. (2තිමොති1: 9) උන්වහන්සේගේ කාරුණික සැලැස්ම හා කැඳවීමට අනුව ඉතිහාසයේ අවබෝධයට ගෙන ආයේය. (රෝම8:30). අප ගැළවී ඇත්තේ ක්‍රියා මගින් 1නොව, දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ අනුග්‍රයෙන්ය. (එපීස2:8-9), දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ අනුග්‍රහය, අපේ ගැළවීම දෙවියන්වහන්සේ ඉදිරියේ අවංකව ජීවකරවීමට උගන්වයි. (තීතස්2:11-12). දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ මහිමාන්විත අනුග්‍රහයේ ප්‍රසංසාව ගැළවීමේ අවසන් ඉලක්කයයි. (එපීස1:6) කොටින්ම, එය ආරම්භයේ සිට අවසානය දක්වා අනුග්‍රහයයි. 2

අපට දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ අනුග්‍රහය තේරුම්ගත හැවන පරිදි උන්වහන්සේ අපට බයිබලයේ බොහෝ නිදසුන් දී තිබෙනවා. විශේෂයෙන්ම ප්‍රේරිතවු පාවුල් තුමා. දෙවියන්වහන්සේ සෑම කල්හි ඉතා නීතිගරුක තැනැත්තා වෙමින්, කරුණාවේ ඉහළම නිපුනත්වයකින් කටයුතු කරන්නෙකුවීම පුදුම සහගත නොවේද? මිනිසුන් තමා තුලින් ඉගෙනගත හැකිවන පරිදි දෙවියන්වහන්සේ ඔහු තෝරාගෙන ඇති බව පාවුල්තුමා කීවා. ඔහු මිනීමරන්නෙක් හා සභාවට හිංසා කළ කෙනෙක්. දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ අනුග්‍රහයේ සැබෑ අරුත එහි ඇතුලත්වනවා.

1තිමොති1:15 පව්කාරයන් ගළවන්නට ක්‍රිස්තුස් යේසුස්වහන්සේ ලෝකයට ආසේක යන කීම විශ්වාසවු සර්වප්‍රකාරයෙන් පිළිගත යුතුවු කීමක්ය, ඔවුන් අතුරෙන් මම ප්‍රධාන පව්කාරයාය.

1තිමොති1:16 එසේවී නමුත් මට කරුණාව ලැබුනේ මේ නිසාය. එනම් සදාකාල ජීවනය ලැබීම සඳහා යේසුස් ක්‍රිස්තුස්වහන්සේ කෙරෙහි අදහන්ට සිටින අයට ආදර්ශයක් කොට උන්වහන්සේ විසින් ප්‍රධාන පව්කාරයාවු මා කෙරෙහි තමන්වහන්සේගේ මුළු ඉවසිලිවන්තකම දැක්වීම පිණිසය.

දෙවියන්වහන්සේ සමග යුද්ධ කරමින් සිටිද්දී උන්වහන්සේගේ කරුණාව අප වෙත දිගුකිරීමට උන්වහන්සේ මාර්ගයක් සාදමින් සිටි බව පවුල්තුමා රෝම 5 :10 පදයෙහි පවසනවා. කෙතරම් විශ්වාස නොකළැකි ප්‍රේමයක්ද.

දෙවන ලෝක යුද්ධයේදී එක්තරා කෙනෙකු මියගිය විට ඔහුගේ මිතුරන් දෙදෙනෙකුට ගෞරවණීය ලෙස එම භූමදාන කටයුතු කරන්න වුවමනා උනා. ඔවුන් ඒ ගම අසල සුසාන භූමියක් සොයාගත්තා. මියගිය තැනැත්තා රෙපරමාදු කෙනෙක් විය. ඔවුන්ට හමුවුනේ කතෝලික සුසාන භූමියකි. මිතුරන් දෙදෙනා සුසානභූමිය භාර දේවගැතිතුමා හමුවු පසු ඔවුන්ගේ මිත්‍රයා භූමදාන කිරීමට අවසර ඉල්ලා සිටියා. නමුත් ඒ මනුෂ්‍යයා කතෝලික නොවන කෙනෙක්ව සිටි නිසා ඉල්ලීම ප්‍රතික්ෂේප විය. ඔවුන් කනස්සලට පත්ව සිටිනවා දුටු දේවගැති තුමා, සුසාන භූමියේ වැටෙන් එහා භූමදාන කිරීමට මගපෙන්නුවා. එය එසේ සිදුවිය.

පසුව, ඔවුන් සොහොන බැලීමට ආ නමුත් එය හමුවුනේ නැහැ. ඔවුන් එය සෙවීමේදී නැවත දේවගැතිවරයා වෙත පැමිණ සිදුවු දේ කීවා. දේවගැතිවරයා, තමාට පෙරදා රාත්‍රීයේ නිදාගැනීමට නොහැකිවු බව කීවා. එවිට ඔහු නැගිට මියගිය සොල්දාදුවා ඇතුලත්වන සේ වැට වෙනස් කළා.

ඉතින් එය දෙවියන්වහන්සේ සමගයි! ආදරණීය නොවන හා නොවටිනා දේ දෙවියන්වහන්සේගේ විෂ්මිත ප්‍රේමය තුලට ඇතුලත් කරගන්නා තුරු ඔහුට නිදාගත නොහැකිව සිටියා. කාරණය වන්නේ ඔහු වැට වෙනස්කළා පමණක් නොව, ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම ඔහු උන්වහන්සේගේ ශුද්ධ වැඩසිටීමට තිබු බාධකයද විනාශ කළා. නමුත් ඔහු එසේ කළේ අපගේ යේසුස් ක්‍රිස්තුස්වහන්සේගේ කරුණාව හා උන්වහන්සේගේ කුරුසිය තුලින්ය. එය කුරුසිපත්කළ, අප නොමිලේ පියාණන්වහන්සේ වෙත ලගා වෙන, ක්‍රිස්තුස්වහන්සේ තුලින් පමණක්මය. (යොහාන්4:6) ඉතිරිවන ප්‍රශ්නය වන්නේ, ඔබ එය කර තිබෙනවාද? යන්නයි. ඔබ ඔබේ පාප වලින් හැරී ඔබේ මුළු හදවතින් ක්‍රිස්තුස්වහන්සේ වැළදගත්තාද? දැන් තරම් සුදුසු වෙළාවක් නැහැ! පසුතැවිලි ඇදහිල්ලෙන් උන්වහන්සේ කරා පැමිණෙන සියලු දෙනා මත, උන්වහන්සේගේ විෂ්මිත ප්‍රේමය වැගිරවීමට උන්වහන්සේ පොරොන්දු වනවා. ඔබ ඒ ගැන අසා තිබෙනවා, දැන් එය ලබාගන්න!

එම්බා පිපාසා ඇති සියල්ලෙනි, වතුර ළගට වරෙල්ලා! මුදල් නැත්තෙනි, නුඹලාත් ඇවිත් ධාන්‍ය අරන් කාපල්ලා! එසේය, මුදල් නැතුව මුද්‍රික පානයද කිරිද ගනිල්ලා. කෑම නොවන දේට මුදල්ද තෘප්තියට නොපමුණුවන දේට නුඹලාගේ වස්තුවද වියදම් කරන්නේ මක්නිසාද? හොදාකාරයෙන් මට ඇහුම්කන් දී හොදව තිබෙන දේ කාපල්ලා, නුඹලාගේ ප්‍රානයද තරකම භුක්ති විදීවා. යෙසායා55:1-2


1 Luis Palau, “God's Ocean of Grace,” Pursuit, vol. 4, no. 11.

2 J. I. Packer, Key Bible Themes: Studies of Key Bible Themes (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981), 94-95.

Related Topics: Devotionals

Amazing Grace

Related Media

It is quite a simple step, logically, that is, to move from our sinfulness to God's love expressed in His grace. For if He is to love us at all-and He most certainly does-it must be a love rooted in His graciousness. He could have demanded that we meet certain expectations before He showered us with every good thing His benevolent heart could dream of. But, if this were the case, we would never have enjoyed His love. For "there is no one righteous, no, not even one" (Rom 3:10). But the love of God is manifested brilliantly in His grace toward undeserving sinners. And that is exactly what grace is: God's love flowing freely to the unlovely.

In Pursuit, author and evangelist Luis Palau writes:

Thank God his grace isn't "fair." A couple of years ago, one of my nephews (I'll call him Kenneth) was near death. He had AIDS. During a family reunion in the hills of northern California, Kenneth and I broke away for a short walk. He was a hollow shell, laboring for breath.

"Kenneth, you know you're going to die any day," I said. "Do you have eternal life? Your parents agonize. I must know."

"Luis, I know God has forgiven me and I'm going to heaven."

For several years, since his early teens, Kenneth had practiced homosexuality. More than that, in rebellion against God and his parents, he flaunted his lifestyle.

"Kenneth, how can you say that?" I replied. "You rebelled against God, you made fun of the Bible, you hurt your family terribly. And now you say you've got eternal life, just like that?"

"Luis, when the doctor said that I had AIDS, I realized what a fool I'd been."

"We know that," I said bluntly, but deliberately, because Kenneth knew full well that the Bible teaches that homosexual behavior is sin. "But did you really repent?"

"I did repent, and I know that God has had mercy on me. But my dad won't believe me."

"You rebelled in his face all your life," I said. "You've broken his heart."

Kenneth looked me straight in the eye. "I know the Lord has forgiven me."

"Did you open your heart to Jesus?"

"Yes. Luis! Yes!"

As we put our arms around each other and prayed and talked some more, I became convinced that Jesus had forgiven all of Kenneth's rebellion and washed away all his sin. Several short months later he went to be the Lord at age twenty-five. Says Palau, "My nephew, like the repentant thief on the cross, did not deserve God's grace. I don't either. None of us do. That's why grace is grace-unmerited favor."1

Grace is the theme of the New Testament and the key to understanding its message. For the New Testament writers speak of salvation and always connect it to the grace of God. Our salvation from sin and wrath was God's gracious idea before the beginning of time (2 Tim 1:9) and was brought to realization in history according to his gracious plan and call (Romans 8:30). We are saved by the grace of God, not by works, (Eph 2:8-9), and the grace of God teaches to live out our salvation before God in an honorable way (Titus 2:11-12). The praise of the glorious grace of God is the final goal of salvation (Eph 1:6). In short, it's grace from beginning to end.2

And just so that we would understand the extent of God's grace He gave many examples in the Bible, in particular, the example of the apostle Paul. Isn't it amazing that God should take the greatest legalist of all time and make him the greatest exponent for grace? Paul said that God had chosen him so that people might learn in him-a murderer and persecutor of the church-the true meaning and full extent of the grace of God:

1 Timothy 1:15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," and I am the worst of them. 1:16 But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.

While we were at war with God-enemies as Paul says in Romans 5:10-He was making a way to extend His grace to us. What incredible love.

During WWII a man died and his two friends desperately wanted to give him a decent burial. They found a cemetery in a nearby village. It happened to be a Roman Catholic cemetery and the dead man had been a Protestant. When the two friends found the priest in charge of the burial grounds, they requested permission to bury their friend, but the priest refused because the man had not been a Catholic. When the priest saw their disappointment, he explained that they could bury their friend immediately outside the fence. This was done.

Later, they returned to visit the grave, but couldn't find it. Their search led them back to the priest and, of course, they asked him what had happened to the grave. The priest told them that during the night he was unable to sleep. So he got up and moved the fence to include the dead soldier.

And so it is with God. He was not able to sleep until He had made a way for the unlovely and unworthy to be included in His gracious love. In point of fact, He not only moved the fence, He actually destroyed the barrier into His holy presence. But He did so through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and His cross. It is through the crucified Christ, and Him alone, that we freely approach the Father (John 14:6). The question that remains is, "Have you done that?" Have you turned from your sin and embraced Christ with your whole heart?" There's no time like the present! He promises to shower His amazing grace upon all who come to Him in repentant faith, to set His wild love upon all those who seek the Lord their Helper and Savior. God is passionate about showering His grace upon you, that is, about having you experience His abundant love firsthand. You've heard about it, now receive it!

Hey, all who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come! Buy and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk without money and without cost! Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food (Isaiah 55:1-2)!


1 Luis Palau, "God's Ocean of Grace," Pursuit, vol. 4, no. 11.

2 J. I. Packer, Key Bible Themes: Studies of Key Bible Themes (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981), 94-95.

Related Topics: Devotionals

From the series: Spurgeon on Prayer

C.H. Spurgeon’s 130 Sermons on Prayer

Note, the sermons in this series will be listed in the following canonical order.

Text

Title

Old Testament

Genesis 32:10

Humility, The Friend Of Prayer

Genesis 32:12

The Master-Key, Opening The Gate Of Heaven

Genesis 32:9-12

Jacob’s Model Prayer

Exodus 14:15

Unseasonable Prayer

Exodus 30:7,8

Incense And Light

Exodus 32:14

The Mediation Of Moses

Judges 1:12-15

Achsah’s Asking, A Pattern Of Prayer

1 Samuel 3:9

The Child Samuel’s Prayer

1 Samuel 12:23

Samuel, An Example Of Intercession

2 Samuel 7:27

Prayer Found In The Heart

2 Samuel 7:27

Where True Prayer Is Found

1 Kings 9:2,3

Essential Points In Prayer

1 Kings 17:36

Elijah’s Plea

1 Kings 18:41

God’s Answer To Persistent Prayer

2 Kings 2:14

Where Is The God Of Elijah?

2 Kings 4:3

The Filling Of Empty Vessels

2 Kings 6:17

Young Man! A Prayer For You

1 Chronicles 4:10

The Prayer Of Jabez

2 Chronicles 6:28-30

The Place Of Prayer And Pardon

Nehemiah 2:4

Ejaculatory Prayer

Nehemiah 4:9

The Two Guards, Praying And Watching

Job 13:10

Intercessory Prayer Job 13:10

Job 15:4

Restraining Prayer

Job 23:3,4

Order and Argument In Prayer

Job 27:10

The Touchstone Of Godly Sincerity

Psalm 1:15

Prayer To God In Trouble An Acceptable Sacrifice

Psalm 10:17

Thought-Reading Extraordinary

Psalm 102:17

Good News For The Destitute

Psalm 16:1

Christ’s Prayer And Plea

Psalm 22:2

Unanswered Prayer

Psalm 24:6

A Poor Man’s Cry, And What Came of It

Psalm 25:18

A Troubled Prayer

Psalm 28:9

A Prayer For The Church Militant

Psalm 32:6

Prayer, The Proof Of Godliness

Psalm 38:9

Desires Towards God: A Sermon For The Weak

Psalm 41:4

A Singular Plea In Prayer

Psalm 50:15

Robinson Crusoe’s Text

Psalm 51:11

A Most Needful Prayer Concerning The Holy Spirit

Psalm 65:11

Thanksgiving And Prayer

Psalm 70:5

Pleading

Psalm 72:10

David’s Dying Prayer

Psalm 72:15

Pray For Jesus

Psalm 73:23

Let Us Pray

Psalm 81:10

Encouragements To Prayer

Psalm 81:10

Opening The Mouth

Psalm 85:6

A Prayer For Revival

Psalm 86:6,7

Concerning Prayer

Psalm 88:13

Heman’s Sorrowful Psalm

Psalm 90:14

The Young Man’s Prayer

Psalm 106:4

A Visit From The Lord

Psalm 106:4,5

The Poor Man’s Prayer

Psalm 107:17-22

Sickness And Prayer, Healing And Praise

Psalm 109:37

My Prayer

Psalm 116:1

Prayer Answered, Love Nourished

Psalm 119:117

My Hourly Prayer

Psalm 119:133

Ordered Steps

Psalm 119:144

Alive

Psalm 119:27

The Student’s Prayer

Psalm 119:49

Pleading Prayer

Psalm 141:6

Intercessory Prayer Ps 14

Psalm 142

David’s Prayer In The Cave

Psalm 143:10

At School

Psalm 147:9

The Ravens’ Cry

Song of Solomon 8:6,7

The Shulamites Choice Prayer

Isaiah 41:17

Wordless Prayers Heard In Heaven

Isaiah 52:6,7

A Call To Prayer And Testimony

Isaiah 53:12

Jesus Interceding For Transgressors

Isaiah 64:7

Taking Hold Upon God

Jeremiah 14:7, 8, 9

Praying And Pleading

Jeremiah 33:3

The Golden Key Of Prayer

Lamentations 2:19

Watch-Night Service

Lamentations 3:56

Comfort For Those Whose Prayers Are Feeble

Ezekiel 36:37

Prayer, The Forerunner Of Mercy

Ezekiel 36:37,38

Enquire Of The Lord

Daniel 6:10

Daniel Facing The Lions’ Den

Daniel 9:17

Prayer For The Church

Daniel 9:23

The Dawn Of Revival, Or Prayer Speedily Answered

Joel 2:32

A Free Grace Promise

Micah 7:7

A Sweet Silver Bell Ringing In Each Believer’s Heart

Micah 7:7

My Own Personal Holdfast

New Testament

Matthew 14:30

Peter’s Shortest Prayer

Matthew 15:23

Prayer, Its Discouragements And Encouragements

Matthew 15:25

A Prayer For Everybody

Matthew 15:27

Pleading, Not Contradiction

Matthew 15:28

Carte-Blanche

Matthew 18:20

The Lord With Two Or Three

Mark 1:35-39

Before Day-Break With Christ

Mark 10:51

Reasons For A Singular Question

Mark 10:51

A Definite Challenge For Definite Prayer

Mark 11:24

True Prayer -- True Power!

Luke 3:21,22

The Preparatory Prayers Of Christ

Luke 5:8

Peter’s Prayer

Luke 6:12

Special Protracted Prayer

Luke 11:9-10

Prayer Certified Of Success

Luke 15:20, 21

A Programme Never Carried Out

Luke 18:1

When Should We Pray?

Luke 18:1-8

The Importunate Widow

Luke 18:7

Prayerful Importunity

Luke 22:32

Christ’s Prayer For Peter

John 12:28

A Golden Prayer

John 15:7

The Secret Of Power In Prayer

John 16:26,27

Pray, Always Pray

John 17:15

Christ’s Negative And Positive Prayer

John 17:15

Christ’s Prayer For His People

John 17:17

Our Lord’s Prayer For His People’s Sanctification

John 17:20

Christ’s Prayer For Believers

John 17:24

The Redeemer’s Prayer

John 17:9,10

Christ’s Pastoral Prayer For His People

Acts 1:14

Prayer-Meetings

Acts 9:11

Paul’s First Prayer

Acts 9:11

Behold, He Prayeth

Acts 12:12

The Special Prayer Meeting

Romans 8:26,27

The Holy Spirit’s Intercession

Romans 12:12

Constant, Instant, Expectant

Romans15:30-33

Pleading For Prayer

2 Corinthians, 1:11,12

The Power Of Prayer And The Pleasure Of Praise

Philippians 4:6

Prayer Perfumed With Praise

Philippians 4:6,7

Prayer, The Cure For Care

Colossians 1:9,10

Spiritual Knowledge And Its Practical Results

Colossians 4:2

A Sermon For The Week Of Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray Without Ceasing

Hebrews 4:16

The Throne Of Grace

James 1:6.7

A Warning To Waverers

James 4:2, 3

Ask And Have

1 Peter 3:7

Hindrances To Prayer

1 John 3:22-24

The Conditions Of Power In Prayer

1 John 5:13-15

Praying And Waiting

Jude 1:20

Praying In The Holy Ghost

Revelation 5:8

Golden Vials Full Of Odors

Revelation 8:3,4

Preparing For The Week Of Prayer

From the series: Spurgeon on Prayer

Related Topics: Prayer

8. Genuine Piety (Matthew 6:1-18)

In this section of the book we are in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount. The subject matter in these verses focuses on personal piety in the areas of giving, praying and fasting. The initial reading of the passage will show that the basic teaching of Jesus will be to avoid the ostentatious show of piety and to seek to please God.

The material is all teaching--there is no narrative story here. So the approach will require us to isolate the clear point being made in each section. The point will include first something to be avoided, then something to do, and finally the promise of reward for doing it right. This should be fairly easy to study--it is often painfully obvious what Jesus meant.

Included in the section on prayer, however, is the teaching of the “Lord’s Prayer.” This will require a good deal more attention, and in fact could be a lesson all by itself. But it is helpful to see it in the context of these teachings. Each petition in the prayer will have to be studied carefully, taking into account both its Old Testament background and its setting in the Gospel. Here the meanings of words and the grammatical constructions will require more attention.

Reading the Text

“Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2So, when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5”And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed by your name.
10
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11
Give us this day our daily bread.
12
Forgive us our debts,
as we also forgive our debtors.
13
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.

14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16”When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men that they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Observations on the Text

The first thing to observe is that this is entirely instruction. That makes the study of the passage rather straightforward: the instruction will identify a case, tell what not to do and what to do, and give reasons for compliance. The only real difficulty in studying these kinds of instructions is on the level of application, because at times (fortunately not really here) the instruction is tied immediately to a specific context (“go show yourself to the priest in the temple” for example) and has to be then paralleled to a similar situation or need in the modern culture. Here the instructions deal with personal piety and are immediately applicable.

The section is part of the context of the Sermon on the Mount, and so all that was said about the entire discourse has to be kept in mind here. The sermon has a series of instructions on various topics, so why do we pick out these three? Well, by their subject matter these three seems to fit well together. One could just as easily include some of the others, but these make a nice unit on personal piety (as opposed to, say, the “you have heard but I say to you” series back in chapter 5). But having isolated these verses we have to keep in mind that the context will help us in our interpretation. For example, when you try to sort out what Jesus meant by “your kingdom come” or by “your reward,” the context of the sermon will be of great help.

The passage can be divided easily into its three parts: giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting. The study (and any teaching of the passage too) could deal with each individually, along with a general conclusion about piety. The study procedure will still involve the analysis of the sentence structure, the meanings of the words, connections to other Scriptures, general cultural considerations, and conclusions for theology and for application.

The Subject Matter

The common theme through these paragraphs will be easy to identify--you would get the basic point even if you just heard the passage read in church. Jesus was warning people not to do righteous acts for the purpose of being seen by people. He was instructing people that if a righteous act was done for God alone, and was not tarnished by this desire for recognition and applause, it would be rewarded by God. That is genuine piety. But if it was done to be seen by other people, then that acclaim was all the reward that would be received. So His instruction was that it is best to hide any righteous acts that may lead to ostentation and thereby ensure that they will be done for God. The three samples He gave are at the heart of personal piety: giving to the poor, praying and fasting. And so the warnings also provided Jesus with the occasion to give instruction on these subjects.

Instruction about Giving to the Poor

The Text. The first four verses cover the subject of “almsgiving” (as it has been traditionally called), or giving to the poor. The structure is easy to follow: verse 1 gives the general introduction, not only for this case, but for the others to follow. The general warning is not to do acts of righteousness before other people, to be seen by them, for then there will be no reward. Of course, many good deeds that people do are out in the open necessarily. But Jesus was here speaking about intention--not to do them so that people would see and therefore think that you are spiritual. That is one form of hypocrisy, for in doing it that way you would not be seriously interested in doing the good deed, but in appearing to be doing good deeds. The motivation would be primarily self-promoting--and the Lord always looks at the motifs when He evaluates our works.

Verse 2 then gives the first case, giving to the poor, with a warning not to do it like the hypocrites do. Then verse 3 gives the positive instruction, to do it secretly, and verse 4, the reward.

The Case of Giving. The subject matter of giving to the needy really does not need a lot of study; it is self-evident what it means. But perhaps your study on the subject might be helped by looking into the Bible to see how important this matter is. There is a trend today, especially in affluent societies, to let this one go. The thinking may be that the poor are just lazy and should work harder, or that it is the government’s responsibility to help them, or that it is a never ending task and so it won’t do much good anyway . . . and so on. There are many reasons people can come up with to avoid this spiritual duty. Prosperity theology fits into the reasoning as well, teaching that if people had faith they would have wealth, because God wants His children to be rich. This is not the place to deal with this theology, other than to say it is unbalanced at best. What is most disturbing to me is to see the wealthy and the successful being paraded on Christian talk shows on television or on stage in services as if they were the spiritual ones, blessed by God. They may be, but Jesus’ warnings about ostentatious show gets lost in the presentation somewhere.

So what was Jesus talking about here in this passage? Here is where we might find a little help from the first century Jewish culture. There are a number of books on customs and manners that are worth having, but you can still start with a good Bible dictionary and read up on fasting, almsgiving, and the like. An old work, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, by Alfred Edersheim, is still to me a very helpful work. It is frequently criticized for some of its Jewish culture backgrounds, but on the whole seems to be right in its interpretations. You would have to use his Scripture index to find passages, because it goes in the order of the life of Christ and not in chapter order of the Gospels. I will put other recommendations in the bibliography later.

So Jesus said that when people try to give money to the poor they should not “sound the trumpet” as the hypocrites do in order to be recognized and honored by others (6:2-4). There are a number of ideas about the meaning of “sounding the trumpet” in the literature, none of which can be established with certainty from primary sources. But the point is clear that the hypocritical almsgiver was more concerned about being noticed for his deed than for helping the poor.

One very plausible suggestion is that this form of giving was connected with the public fasts that were proclaimed by trumpets. At such times of fasting, prayers were recited in the streets and alms were given to ensure the efficacy of the prayers and fasting.1 This would mean that such folks were choosing the most opportune moment to display their “generosity,” so that others would consider them to be truly spiritual. Such individuals were also deceiving themselves into thinking that they were acting in the best interests of God and man--the large gifts would be well received by the needy, and their praise and gratitude would feed their egos, and everyone else would see them as the “pious” in action.2 But Jesus was saying not to do this. Those who do this would receive no reward from God, because it was all hypocritical.

You might want to look up the word “hypocrite” in a word study book or a Bible dictionary, not to find out what it means--I think we all know pretty well what hypocrisy means--but to find other places that Jesus talks about hypocrites. They are essentially people who say or do one thing but mean something else. Here those who give to the poor (and they may give generously) are called hypocrites because they do it for a totally different reason. It is all a show of spirituality, but it is not genuine. Many people will give to the poor, but they thrive on the praise of people who perceive them to be generous and spiritual. Jesus was saying that if you give to the poor in order to receive this acclaim, then that is all the reward you will receive. Enjoy it.

Rewards. Sooner or later you will have to deal with the theme of “rewards” in the Bible. This is really difficult to get right. On the one hand the Bible warns people not to do these things for the praise and honor you would get from other people; and on the other hand it instructs people to run the race for the reward, like the laurels of an olympiad runner. There is nothing wrong with doing a righteous deed for the sake of receiving a reward, or praise, as long as the praise you seek is of God. On occasion people will say that true piety means doing something without any consideration of reward. That would have to be qualified, because when we are instructed in the Bible to do acts of righteousness there is always a mention of reward from the Father in heaven. There has to be a motivation for the righteous deeds, and at the bottom of all this discussion would be that our chief motivation is to please God. How will we know if we have pleased God? By His “Well done, good and faithful servant,” or what C. S. Lewis described as a divine pat on the back. Now this is very different than doing something so that others in the church will praise you or think more highly of you than they should.

In fact, in Matthew 6 right after these passages we are studying we have Jesus instruction to lay up treasures in heaven (6:19-21) because where the treasure is, there will the heart be. A study on the Bible’s teachings on rewards will lead you to think more of greater positions and responsibilities in the kingdom than simply physical possessions. In that kingdom the Lord will make everything right, and that will include revealing and rewarding all righteous acts. One gets the impression in studying all the relevant passages that in the world to come there will be a whole hierarchy of places of service and areas of responsibility based on faithfulness in this life.

So Jesus said that when you give to the poor, give to the poor. Do it in a way that is secret, without the public notice and acclaim, and without the poor knowing it was you who gave. Worry less about what people will think about you or what debt of gratitude they feel they owe you than what you should do for the poor. If you can get to the point of making your service to God the governing motivation, then earthly recognition will cease to matter. The trouble is that we are human; we all like to be thought well of, or recognized for what we do. But in the Christian world it is best to leave that recognition and reward up to God so that our giving may be righteous. And if you do something good and the church does not make a big fuss over you like they often do, do not worry, for if your work was for God it was noticed by Him and will be rewarded by Him.

Instruction about Praying

The Text. This is the longest of the three sections because it includes the Lord’s Prayer. Verses 5-8 parallel the first section in structure: the case of praying with a warning not to pray like the hypocrites do (v. 5), instruction on spiritual prayer (v. 6), a second warning not to pray like the pagans (v. 7), and an explanation of spiritual prayer (v. 8).

The next section, verses 9-15, is the Lord’s Prayer. Because it seems to be an intrusion on the pattern of the passage, many biblical scholars conclude that it has been added here (by Matthew perhaps himself) from other teachings of Jesus on the subject of prayer. That is not impossible, or that problematic, as long as the suggestions make it clear that Jesus taught this prayer. But again, as I said before, there is not a whole lot of evidence for saying things like this. Luke 11 includes parts of the prayer in Jesus’ instruction on prayer to his disciples. But a good case can be made that many of the teachings of Jesus recorded in the Sermon would have been taught again and again in other places.

The section of the Lord’s Prayer includes the address to God and then six petitions, three for God’s glory and three for our needs. Then, after the prayer is finished, there are two verses explaining the request for forgiveness further.

The Case of Praying like the Hypocrites. Jesus said that the hypocrites love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others (Matt. 6:5). Here too the Lord was describing someone who may or may not be sincerely praying, but certainly wants everyone to know he prays. Jesus was not ruling out public prayer; rather, He was criticizing the motivation of the hypocrite. Once again the King was denouncing any religious act that is inspired by the opinions of people. And in denouncing them Jesus used sarcasm again: “They have their reward.”

Prayer is a spiritual matter between the one praying and God. To do it for show is to pervert what it is all about. So in verse 6 Jesus instructed to make it private by going into your room (not on the streets), and to keep it personal by praying to your Father (not to be seen by others). A good test to use would be this: if someone prays frequently in public, on stage, in front of gatherings, but not at home in private, then there is probably something wrong with the motive.

In another place Jesus took this a step further. He spoke of the Pharisee who went up to the temple to pray. He stood up “and prayed about (or, to) himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get’” (Luke 18:11,12). This one Jesus said would not be justified by God, for whoever exalts himself will be humbled. People like this have their reward in their public show. But God does not consider this to be righteous.

The Case of Praying like the Pagans. In Matthew 6:7 Jesus also referred to the pagan babblings in prayer which people used, and still use, thinking that they would be heard for their many words, or their repeated chanting of words or even non-sense syllables. Jesus was not speaking against long prayers or repetition in prayers, both of which can be found true of His own prayers. He was talking about the pagan attitudes to prayer, that is, that God can be manipulated or induced to act through the incantations and continuous sounds (like the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18). Even today folks fall into this mentality, thinking that making long and repetitious prayers will break through to God, or making continuous, non-sensical sounds will induce speaking in tongues or some other higher level of communication with God. This is all too much like pagan manipulation of the deity.

God does not require or honor such devices to break through to Him. Nor does He need endless detailed information. Jesus said to avoid these practices, or thinking that the longer prayers or additional muttering would “work.” Jesus said, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Here you may want to correlate your study with other teachings on prayer in the New Testament. But you might decide to make it a separate study altogether, for it is huge. But start again with a Bible dictionary or a New Testament theology book (like Colin Brown) to see what passages and what discussions are involved in the subject on prayer. But one that might be germane here would be the advice to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:16-18). How would that teaching harmonize with Jesus’ warning not to think long repetitions prayers will break through to God. Well, we would have to say right off the bat that “pray without ceasing” is not meant to be taken slavishly literally--or you would do absolutely nothing in life but pray. But it is meant to be taken literally in the sense that prayer should be a continuous, never-ending discipline of the spiritual life. It should be like a natural reflex--every time the Christian encounters a need, a problem, a person in trouble, a situation in the world, prayer should be made. One preacher said it was like a hacking cough--you cough “all the time”--whenever the cough is stimulated in some way. Not a bad illustration. The point is that prayer should be the natural communication between the Christian and the Father in heaven--on every issue in life.

Instruction on Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer. It is here that we have the Lord’s prayer. The prayer has an opening address and then six requests, the first three requests are for God’s glory (primarily), and the next three for our good (and ultimately His glory).

The address, “Our Father, who art in heaven,” is clearly intended for us, the disciples and believers, for Jesus always called the Father “My Father” or “the Father” apart from this instruction on prayer. There is therefore a great difference in the use of the word “Father” for us, as opposed to the use by Jesus. When Jesus refers to “the Father,” or “My Father,” He can claim a special and unique relationship, for He shares the nature of the Father. When we use the word “Father,” it is a reminder that we have been brought into the family of God by adoption, and made joint-heirs with Christ, the true Son.

The address is interesting from a theological perspective as well. It refers to God as “Father.” And before one gets caught up in the modern attempt to make the language of the Bible unisex, one must determine what the word “father” meant in the Hebrew culture and in language in general. It clearly emphasizes the biblical teachings that God is the creator, the sovereign head of all creation, the provider of all life, the great benefactor, and the covenant-making God, to name a few of the connotations. The fact that Jesus taught us to address God this way has to be taken seriously. We all substitute words for God when we pray (Lord, Everlasting God, God of all comfort, and so on), and so that is not a problem. But some substitutions would be a problem if they give the wrong impression of God’s nature. This too is a big study, and should be worked through sometime.

But the balance with heaven and father is also interesting theologically. To address God as Father in heaven is to emphasize the transcendence of God. God is not of the earth earthly, or of our world physical. God is in heaven. Thus, “Father” is clearly an intended metaphor; God is not like any human father, but is perfect, heavenly, exalted. And yet, referring to God in heaven as “our Father” emphasizes that God is immanent as well. We are related to God; God is near and approachable. So if you wanted to study the theology that informs this prayer, you would have quite an involved (and rewarding) study.

The closing benediction used in the Lord’s prayer is generally considered a later addition to the text: “for yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, amen.” This is not merely an assessment of literary criticism--the theory that this or that part must have been added, even though there is no evidence. Here there is evidence, for the benediction is not in the earliest or best Greek manuscripts. There is really nothing wrong with using it, though, for it comes from biblical benedictions in Revelation. The early church found that in using so many benedictions in their worship that it was appropriate to use one here as well.3

The first request is Hallowed be your name.” Here you will have to study two things: the meaning “holy” and the meaning of “name.” The background certainly must be the Old Testament, since when Jesus taught this that was the background--the Bible. A study will show that the word “holy” means “set apart, unique, distinct,” and that the word “name” referring to God means His character, His attributes, and not just a personal name (e.g., “his name shall be called, wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of peace). You can read in the resources on these two ideas (see possibly the recommended work edited by van Gemeren).

This request does not mean to pray that God would become holy; rather it means that one is to pray that his nature or reputation would be treated as holy (set apart) in the world. The primary way that this would be accomplished would be when the Lord fulfills the promises He has made and shows that His word good and His character trustworthy.

The background of this request seems to be in Ezekiel 36. There the word of the LORD said that the Israelites had profaned the name of the LORD everywhere they went. Now that they were in captivity, God’s word was in question, and His ability to save challenged. So the LORD declared that He would restore them to the land--not because they deserved it, but because His reputation was at stake--it would be “for His name’s sake” (something we often say in prayer). God will fulfill His promises in order to rescue His reputation. By sin people have interfered with God’s program; and the faith has been made to look ineffectual, and God, common. But God will not leave it there. So to pray “Hallowed be your name” is to pray that God will act to fulfill all His word so that everyone will know that he is different from everyone else, that He is the holy Lord God.

The second request is “Your kingdom come.” This request logically follows the previous, for when the kingdom fully comes God will be seen as the one whose word can be trusted. So this request ultimately looks forward to the consummation of the age.

It is true that the kingdom of our Lord has begun, and that all of us who are believers are already in the kingdom, and that the Lord Christ is seated on the right hand of the Majesty on High. And so we talk of the king, and extending the kingdom, and sing about how He reigns. But all of that is but the beginning, for the kingdom has not yet fully come. The Lord is not yet ruling over the whole world in righteousness and peace. Sin still abounds. And so the writer to the Hebrews explains that the fulfillment is yet to come (Heb. 1). There will come a time when the Father will say to the Son, “Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance” (Ps. 2). Then he will bring the Messiah into the world for the second time (Heb. 1:6), not then in shame and sacrifice, but in glory. So the prayer here is actually a request for the second coming, and all that will come with it.

The third request is “your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” It is a prayer that God would bring about His righteous demands in history as fully as they are realized in heaven. The simple fact is that God’s will is not being done on earth, apart from pockets of obedience here and there from time to time. We pray for, and eagerly look forward to, the time that Christ shall put down the last of the enemies. But until then we must endure a world where sin, and disease, and death reign.

Of course, praying such a prayer would remind us that we should be doing the will of God that we are praying for--otherwise it is hypocrisy. It is true of many prayers that those who pray become part of the answer to the prayer. This principle is true of all these first three requests. As we ask for major changes in the world for God’s glory, all the requests are actually applicable in this way for us. We as God’s people are to act in such a way as to hallow His name (ensure that God’s reputation is upheld in the way we live), submit to His rule (show all allegiance to Him) , and do His will (study His word to know and do the will of God).

The fourth request is “Give us this day our daily bread.” The last three requests are for the good of the people in the meantime, that is, while they await the consummation of the ages. The first request focuses on God’s meeting our daily needs (not greeds). The use of the word “bread” is, of course, a figure of speech, a synecdoche (a part for the whole), meaning the basic food we need.

So why do we need to pray this--when we have a steady income and there is always food in the house? Well, it is a humble request, designed to ensure that an attitude of faith and reliance on God will be kept in mind day by day. It is when we gain abundance so that we have far more than we ever need that we forget about depending on God each day for our livelihood. A good chapter to read in conjunction with this petition is Deuteronomy 8; it warns the people not to forget the Lord when they are settled, comfortable, and well off.

So this request is for God to provide our daily sustenance while we travel through this temporary life.

The fifth request is “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” This and the next request are linked by conjunctions, as if to say the daily bread is not enough--after all, one does not live by bread alone. So we have connected to the fourth request the prayer “and forgive us . . . .”

This petition recognizes that everyone of us owes a debt to God for sin and its consequences, and that it is essential for all of that to be forgiven. There is not a day, or an hour, that goes by in which we do not sin in some way. And while we may claim to be redeemed and forgiven by the blood of Christ, we still must maintain a spiritual relationship with the Lord for service and for fellowship. So it is absolutely essential that we regularly pray for forgiveness.

But Jesus adds a clause to this petition that should give us all pause: “as we forgive our debtors.” We have to have an attitude that makes forgiveness possible. To forgive others is the natural response of one who knows and understands forgiveness; to refuse to forgive others does not. One who does not forgive others has an arrogant attitude, which is not representative of someone who acknowledges the need for forgiveness we all share. It is like playing God. Jesus seems to be saying that there is no forgiveness for one who is unforgiving--that person is self-righteous and apparently does not exhibit a need for forgiveness. But when we ask the Lord to forgive us, we should be so thankful for his forgiveness that we share in that spirit in our dealings with other people.

This request, then, is concerned with our inter-relationships, with our community life as confessing believers. Jesus further explains it in verses 14 and 15, which indicates how seriously He intended us to take forgiving each other. But we must admit that we surely do fail in this area. None of us would want God to forgive us the way that we in the church forgive one another. But our asking God for forgiveness should make us think again of how we forgive others.

The last request is concerned with our conflict with evil: “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” The traditional translation uses the word “temptation,” and this is still in use today in a lot of services. The idea seems not to be “temptation” in the immediate sense, for the Bible says that God does not tempt anyone to evil. So that would be an unnecessary prayer. It probably should have as its primary rendering “lead us not into testing/trial.” And yet, “temptation” is not totally unrelated to this meaning. The use here may combine the two English ideas in some way. If we pray that God lead us not into testing, we would be praying that He not do something that Scripture says that He frequently does. A good illustration (there are many in the Old Testament) is in the wilderness, such as in Exodus 15, where the LORD led the people to bitter water to test them. There they murmured against the LORD, a sin. God led them to the test; but it was their response to the test that was sinful. So there is a fine line between the two. But no one can say God made me sin, or led me into temptation; but we can say that God puts us into situations to prove our faith.

Jesus is probably intending for us to pray that God not lead us into a place of trials that would be so severe to bring about a fall into sin. The final clause shows that the ultimate desire is victory over evil in this world: “deliver us from evil,” or more likely, “the evil one.” Satan often awaits in the times of trial for his opportunity, and to fail to demonstrate faith in a time of testing would be to succumb to the evil one. But the focus of the prayer is for spiritual victory over all evil in the world.

The added benediction (not included in many modern translations) was probably based on the Trinitarian nature of these three requests: the Father provides the bread, the Son provides forgiveness through atonement, and the Spirit leads us to victory over evil.

Instruction on Fasting

The Text. The third section now concerns fasting. The pattern is picked up again with a warning first of what not to do (v. 16), then the instruction of what to do and the promised reward (v. 17).

Fasting. Jesus here criticized the hypocritical acts of disfiguring the face for a public show--to be seen by others as one who fasts and therefore who must be spiritual (6:16). This is perhaps the biggest hypocrisy, because fasting was a sign of humility before God, not an occasion for self-promotion.

Fasting had a distinct purpose in Israel. It was a way of saying “no” to the physical and material needs of the body, so that all the attention could be given to spiritual matters. It was a way of saying that this time of prayer, or this time of repentance, is the most important thing in life. The Law commanded Israel to fast at the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29-31; 23:27-32; Num. 29:7); and after the exile other fasts were added (see Zech. 7:3; 8:19). But people could fast and pray anytime there was a need (see Jon. 3, for example). Private fasting could be engaged at any time that some special petition was offered. Jesus Himself was in the wilderness for forty days, fasting and praying.

In the Old Testament the hypocritical fast was rebuked (Isa. 58:3-7; Jer. 14:12; and Zech. 7:5-6). To proclaim a fast without any concern for changing the life as a whole missed the point. People cannot think that by fasting for one day, or for one month (as in lent), they have put things back into balance. The fasting is supposed to have a lasting impact for righteousness. Fasting is not common in a lot of churches today, which is perhaps a pity, for if it were understood and done correctly it would be most beneficial spiritually. But in much common and popular thinking it is a bit of a sham. Certainly excess revelry and debauchery prior to a time of fasting is a pagan corruption of the whole idea.

Apparently from what we read from that first century setting there were Pharisees who adopted a somber, downcast disposition (Matt 6:16-18), perhaps not washing off the ashes or using cleansing oils for a time. Their purpose was to convey to others that they were deeply pious--this was worthless to God.

Jesus said that when we fast we should wash our faces and anoint with the ordinary oils we use, so that people will not see we are fasting. Only God will see, and He will reward the act as a righteous act.

Conclusion and Application

There is little reason now to reiterate all that has been said point by point. The lesson is very clear. And it is painful. How much of our religious conduct is regulated by the opinions and approval of other people? Probably the vast majority of us are influence more by what other people think than by what God Almighty thinks! And that is truly perverse thinking, even though somewhat understandable since we are more aware of what people think. But that is exactly the problem, isn’t it? We should become more and more aware of what God thinks of what we do.

It is not our task to appear to be righteous before other people. Rather, it is our task to be well pleasing to the King. That is the ethic of the sermon. But if we choose to be pleasing to people, then whatever enjoyment we derive from that will be all the reward there is. But what we do to please God, even if we go largely unknown in it, will be praised and rewarded in the courts of heaven.

This is why the Lord’s Prayer is such an important part of this passage. In praying such a prayer we are seeking to know and do the will of the Father in heaven. With that theme as our daily prayer, our understanding of and motivation for praying, and fasting, and giving to the poor, will reach a higher level. But it will be a constant struggle within ourselves, and with the expectation of the people around us whose inclination is all too human.


1 A. Buchler, “St. Matthew vi 1-6 and Other Allied Passages,” Journal of Theological Studies 10 (1909):266-270.

2 D. A. Spieler, “Hypocrisy: An Exploration of a Third Type,” Andrews University Seminary Studies 13 (1975):273-279.

3 Some might argue that if here there is manuscript evidence for a verse being added later, then theoretically it could have happened in many other places as well and that we just lack the primary evidence. That is not the way exegesis works (the study of the text that leads the interpretation out of the text rather than read ideas into it). But the fact is that there is not a shred of evidence for the major changes many critics want to make, especially in suggesting that all of the book came from a later period in the early church.

7. 八 福 (馬太福音 5:1-12)

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「八福」是福音書中最為人喜愛的篇章之一,它記錄在馬太福音5-7,這是「登山寶訓」的開始部份。這篇章可能是耶穌較後期才宣講的道,但馬太卻將它放在耶穌世上事工的開端,使它成了天國的隆重宣告。它是馬太福音所包含的五個主要宣講的第一個。

在耶穌受試探和八福之間,馬太記述因天國近了,耶穌呼喚人悔改(4:12-17)。為了要接觸更多的聽眾,耶穌從拿撒勒前往加利利海沿岸的城市迦百農,到這裡來更重要的原因是這裡是交通要道。祂在呼喚悔改後,才宣告八福將要來臨。

在耶穌受試探和登山寶訓之間,馬太記述了耶穌呼召漁夫西門彼得和他的弟兄安得烈作門徒(4:18-20),因祂開始建立祂的國度,祂承諾他們要得人如得魚。接著祂呼召那正在船上補網,同樣是漁夫的雅各和約翰(4:21-22)。這些事件充份描繪了那呼召人跟隨祂的,有君王的權柄。

馬太接著報告了耶穌初期事工的成功和祂的名聲傳揚(4:23-25)。祂走遍了那地區,宣講天國的信息,並透過醫治人來證明祂的宣告。回應祂的事工的人遠至耶路撒冷。

這將我們帶到登山寶訓的課題。耶穌看到許多的人,祂就上了山坐下來,那是拉比慣常的姿勢。傳統認為這「山」是迦百農和近岸漁村一帶的小丘。門徒到祂跟前來,祂就開始教導他們。接著的經文就是耶穌的教導。1

這是福音書裡最早有關耶穌教導的信息、也是最長的一篇。耶穌宣告天國已來臨,祂呼召人悔改。耶穌在祂的天國宣言中,揭示了天國子民的基礎和特質。在這裡,祂教導在祂國度裡的倫理指引,也有關於天國的公義素質的指引;現時這些只是局部實踐, 但將來要完全對現2

這段說話的對象是以色列,就是那來到耶穌那裡的群眾,但耶穌的門徒一聽,便明白耶穌以祂的門徒是「真以色列」(屬靈的以色列),他們已在祂的國度裡,並且已開始了生命。祂也以那在祂面前的群眾是將來的「以色列」,期待他們悔改並追隨他們的君王。換句話說,耶穌的對象是那按神旨意成為神子民的人,告訴他們,假如他們悔改進入祂的國度,他們需要展示的義,那也是門徒們已經開始實踐的。故此,整篇登山寶訓,也是給所有人的。登山寶訓的主題是義,這也是天國的標準。

故此這宣講中述說了進入天國的人當有的義、也述說了天國子民過著義的生活時,那生命會是怎樣的;但卻沒有怎樣達到這義的細節。

登山寶訓以八福來開始。這些品格描繪了神真正子民的特質,也提供了在天國有份的人可以期盼的福份。將它們合起來,可以得出一幅承繼應許完美基督徒的圖畫。耶穌在這裡並不是告訴人怎樣達到這情況,那是祂接下來的教導。

有關八福的描述中,眾多為人接納的其中一項是八福是以賽亞書61:1-3的回響,一篇以末世論 3 為重點的經文。馬太恆常地指出耶穌就是那舊約預言的應驗,在這裡也是。所以讀八福,我們也會看看以賽亞關於彌賽亞和彌賽亞國度的預言。

研讀八福和一般經文的研讀方法並不相同,每一個福都像箴言智慧語般那麼晦澀難懂、精確和意義豐富。每一福都包含一個主題,組成聖經的重要教導。故此,若你願意,每一福都值得花上許許多多的時間。但在這裡,我們只作簡潔略述,稍後再作進深研讀。

經文

5:1 當耶穌看見這許多的人,就上了山1,既已坐下,門徒到他跟前來。5:2 他就開口教訓他們說:

5:3 「靈裏貧窮2的人有福3了,因為天國是屬於4他們的。

5:4 哀慟的人有福了,因為他們必得安慰5

5:5 溫柔的人有福了,因為他們必承受地土。

5:6 飢渴慕義6的人有福了,因為他們必得飽足。

5:7 憐恤人的人有福了,因為他們必蒙憐恤。

5:8 清心的人有福了,因為他們必得見 神。

5:9 使人和睦的人有福了,因為他們必稱為 神的兒子7

5:10 為義受逼迫的人有福了,因為天國是屬於他們的。

5:11 人若因我侮辱你們、逼迫你們、揑造各樣壞話毀謗你們,你們就有福了,5:12 應當歡喜快樂,因為你們在天上的賞賜是大的。在你們以前的先知,人也是這樣逼迫他們。

經文觀察

在這裡我們沒有敘事,只有一系列的宣告。至於5:1-2的敘事只是這講章的引子,講章從宣告開始。八福中的每一個福都是宣言,但卻是含蓄的、勉勵性的,呼召人作出回應。

研讀八福和別的經文有少許分別。然而我們仍需要注意上下文和第一世紀猶太人的文化和信仰背景,也須留意八福所處的登山寶訓所宣告的天國性質。這裡會處理在這樣背景下的字義,特別是文化背景,因為從文化背景更能瞭解這些希伯來文和亞蘭文。好的工具書、經文彙編或聖經字典對處理字義,例如:「溫柔」、「貧窮」等字,都有幫助。4

當我們掌握字義後,我們便要處理句子之間的關系,「福」和應許之間的關聯。要明白耶穌的這些話,我們必須從新舊約和天國相關的教導入手。在這裡,我們看到耶穌第一次降臨標誌著國度已經開始,信徒在這國度裡;但我們在基督再來時將會看到這國度的完全實現。故此,這些經文都必須符合天國的這兩方面的觀念。

大部份有關這段經文的註釋都說是八福,但如果你加以留意,其實「福」出現了九次。最後一次「福」的出現,所用的格式和前面並不相同,它並不是以「有福了」的形式出現,卻好像是為前面的第八個「福」加以解釋和向門徒展示可以怎樣作具體應用。

也許在開始部份我們先簡略地介紹「福」這個字,這對我們理解這段經文會有幫助。現代偏向將原文的這個字譯作「快樂」,但這卻未能完全捕捉文本所包含的所有含意。主要原因是現代「快樂」這詞的用法低貶了它的價值;這詞在這經文中含有因與神有正確合宜的關係,而有的內在喜樂與和平。故此,「快樂」可以是其中的一部份,但它是超乎在我們身邊發生的事情。這「快樂」因蒙神悅納而來到我們的心靈,因此就是面對嚴峻的逼迫,仍呼召人要喜樂。主那些「福」的宣告,是給有內在屬靈品格的人獎賞承諾;從另一個角度來說,是主對與神有合宜關係的人的屬靈品格和狀況的描述。

與耶穌在馬太福音第五章所述的「福」相對的,是馬太福音第23章對文士和法利賽人宣告的「有禍了」。那是神審判那些背道、拒絕承認和遵行神的全部旨意的人。這些「禍」中,也描述了那些人邪惡和假冒為善的品格。這些禍是神誓言給那些繼續行惡的人的審判。

所以當耶穌說「有福了」的時候,並不是單單指那些在神看為正的人充滿了內在的喜樂與平安,而是因他們的品格給予讚賞,並承諾賞賜他們。

一篇有趣又和這經文相關的舊約經文是箴言6:16-19,那裡列出神所憎厭的七件事。那被認為和那些因行義而從神得福的人對立。第一樣是「高傲的眼」或高傲,這絕對和靈裏貧窮相反;最後一樣是「在弟兄中布散分爭的人」卻和使人和睦相背。在這兩者之間還包括了撒謊的舌,流無辜人血的手,圖謀惡計的心,飛跑行惡的腳,吐謊言的假見證,這些都和神所喜愛的屬靈品格有著顯著的差異。

八福的進一步分析

也許研讀八福的最佳方法是逐一從基礎開始 – 定義、背景、關連與應用。假如你要在課堂中教授八福,你如果在逐一探討它們時便討論它們的應用,比在最後才嘗試逐一提出應用,會有較理想的效果。

1. 「靈裏貧窮2的人有福3了,因為天國是屬於4他們的。」

舊約背景:要理解八福的其中一個方法是從舊約背景入手,查考有關彌賽亞國度和進入這國度的人。這些經文中,我曾提及以賽亞書61:1-3,在那篇經文中,彌賽亞被膏「傳福音給貧窮的人」(在路加福音第四章,耶穌讀這經文並說這已經應驗在他們耳中了。)那篇經文對我們理解「貧窮」有少許幫助。我們會傾向將「貧窮」朝財務和財產的方向來理解,這可以是其中的一部份,但還可以從屬靈方面去看。以賽亞用它來描述那些被擄的人,他們的土地和財產被剝奪,固然貧窮,但他們也受折磨和壓迫,無力對抗、也沒有希望,他們是絕望的,他們靈裡的貧窮,使他們的困境加劇。

經文的意義:聖經對貧窮人的描述包括幾方面:在耶穌時代的窮人,只有很少財產、常常受壓迫,沒有什麼力量和希望。他們沒有甚麼資源可依賴,他們不得不依靠他人生存。以賽亞為他那時代的人帶來好信息 – 他們將從綑綁中得釋放。耶穌是透過傳從神而來的好信息 – 福音,應驗了這好信息的應許。祂並沒有使他們在地上權力和財物上富裕,但他卻滿足了他們最大的需要。

「靈裡貧窮」的人在神前謙卑下來。他們明白到他們此生沒有甚麼貢獻可以拿來換取天國。他們在靈裡痛心疾首,意即他們虛己,並深深地悔悟;他們以無助無望的罪人身份來到王前,沒有傲氣、沒有自義、也不自滿。他們從偽裝得釋放,故此他們有空間讓神進入他們的生命。每一個希望進天國的人都必須「靈裡貧窮」,因從神而來的救恩是一份禮物。

這就是給這世上真正被壓迫的和窮人的好信息。窮人並不因為他們貧窮而被排拒,富人亦不會因他們的財富被接納。不論富或貧,都必須在主面前謙卑下來,才可成為天國的成員。低下階層往往比有財勢的人更容易進天國。

耶穌宣告的福是「天國是他們的」,這當然並不表示所有貧窮的人都是天國的一員,就如「浪子」的貧窮是自己弄成的。因為重點不在於物質上的貧窮,而是靈裡的質量,那些靈裡貧窮而謙卑自己,倚靠神的人,他們擁有天國。事實上,每一個在天國裡的人,都必須靈裡貧窮。他們都以一顆破碎的心和痛悔的靈去尋找救主。

應用:這裡有一個清晰的教導:如果要進天國,就必須靈裡貧窮。天國的信息是呼喚人悔改,人必須在神前謙卑下來,並承認他們的權勢、財富或面子不能替他贏得進入天國。那些真正謙卑下來的和表達需要主的,他們於天國有份,並且得到天國的恩澤。

人怎樣成為靈裡貧窮呢?按接下來的經文,當人聽到天國的信息,並且明白天國是怎麼樣的和怎樣進天國 – 透過悔改回轉、降服於神的旨意。第一步是承認自己不能作甚麼,接著是尋求神滿有恩慈的供應。

第二個應用,是將這態度建立成天國成員的品格。他們並不是虛己進入天國,跟著成為自足(雖然有些人嘗試這樣做),而是完完全全倚靠神供應他們所需。這開展了其他研讀的主題,例如:謙遜、信心、禱告和順服。

2. 「哀慟的人有福了,因為他們必得安慰5。」

現在我們有一個略為不同的福。上一個福給靈裡貧窮的人應許天國是他們的,原文用的是現在式;而這一個給哀慟的人必得安慰的應許,原文用的是未來式,是一個在將來才會成就的應許。

舊約背景:以賽亞亦說彌賽亞醫治心碎的人,並宣告在何時哀慟的人得安慰、華冠代替灰塵、喜樂油代替悲哀(以賽亞書61:1-3)。哀慟顯示哀痛、優傷和因失去至愛而靈裡焦慮,也可以是失去有價值的生命而哀慟,就如被擄的以色列人;也可以因失去財物、身份地位或健康而引發哀慟。人也會為天災人禍而哀慟,當哀慟時,他們尋找希望,但大多數情況,世上只有極微的希望。

意義:這裡的焦點是神的子民哀慟時,他們將會得安慰。每個人都會在人生不同階段經歷哀傷和悲慘的損失,但那在天國得安慰的哀慟是那為以色列蒙羞與及蒙羞的原因而哀慟 – 因他們的罪,國家被強橫和無情的統治者掌控。耶穌降臨並宣告天國近了,祂期待人的反應是痛哭悔悟(另參以賽亞書40:1)。彌賽亞會安慰那些哀慟的人,但得安慰是因為彌賽亞將他們從那使他們哀慟的罪中拯救出來。

故此這裡所指的是「因著信」的哀慟,這哀慟並不單純為生命中的苦楚與傷痛,而是為了那引致這境況的罪而哀傷。他們明白他們的憂傷愁歎是為了那失落敗壞的世界,那裡看不見神和祂的旨意。在哀慟中,耶穌的門徒向主打開他們沉重的心,因他們知道他們雖在哀傷中,但並非沒有盼望!他們知道他們的哭泣和哀痛只會維持一段時間,他們知道死亡不會得到終極的勝利,因為在基督裡死亡的,必會復活成不朽壞的,他們知道彌賽亞終有一日會把這些挪除,給他們帶來安慰。

故此這應許是他們必得安慰。當神擦去他們的眼淚時,他們就得安慰;不再有死亡、不再憂傷或苦難(以賽亞書25:8,啟示錄21:4)。這是天國子民所能期待的。

應用:這裡的指引是關於哀慟的焦點,而不是哀慟本身。那得安慰的哀慟是門徒的哀慟,他們明確知道哀慟的原因,有正確的信心看透事件。當人面對生命的傷痛時刻,如他們為罪而哀傷,同樣可以有盼望 – 這是信靠主的一個清晰的記號。

3. 「溫柔的人有福了,因為他們必承受地土。」

舊約背景:這「福」和詩篇37:11「受困苦的人必擁有地土」十分相似。5 假如你研讀那段經文,你將會發現那也是有關彌賽亞的詩篇,那地亦必是應許之地。

意義:在聖經裡,溫柔的人是指那些有溫柔的心和自制力的人,他們的心靈沒有惡念,也不高傲。溫柔的人也許和貧窮的人一樣沒有自己的資源,但其後可能有,就如摩西被稱為最謙和的人。6 溫柔的人不剝削和壓迫他人,他們不復仇或仇殺,不使用暴力,不試圖為自己的目的奪取政權。概括而言,他們學效基督,在生活上模仿祂。但這並不表示他們軟弱或他們的生活不濟,他們可以是柔和謙卑,但他們也可成為弱者和受壓迫者的鬥士。

這裡的應許是他們擁有地土。是甚麼地土呢?很可能是指應許之地。整本聖經都提及神給以色列人應許,賜他們應許之地。擁有土地,並非單指財物,而是含有更大的意義,那不單是一塊地,而是從神而來的產業,包含保障。但那地卻常受到襲擊,而人民被擄和被分散,在新約仍應許重新招聚到那地,那些應許現在看來要等到彌賽亞第二次降臨,出現新天新地時才會實現。這應許是給所有在新約之下的人,而應許的應驗會比任何人所能想像到的更榮美。新的創造不會被暴君或充滿陰謀的團體所操縱,而是屬於那溫柔的人。

應用:人怎能成為溫柔的人呢?如果一個人的本性並不溫柔又怎麼樣呢?答案可以在描述屬靈生活怎樣運作的經文找到。溫柔和良善都是聖靈的果子,是聖靈在信徒中所結的果子。要培養在靈裡的溫柔,便是在聖靈的指引下而活,或將生命交給神的靈管轄,以致基督的特質能在信徒中長成。單是這指引便需要好些研習,但它是聖經對溫柔的發展所作的描繪。

4. 「飢渴慕義6的人有福了,因為他們必得飽足。」

舊約背景:飢與渴被比擬為追求公義的動力,追求公義是我們深層和恆常之需要(參詩篇42:3和63:1)。飢與渴是人類的基本動力,恆常要求被滿足。這比喻用來描繪渴慕行神旨意是那麼恆常與強烈。

意義:這福要說的比我們大多數人所想的更多,它並非單單描述那些正義的人或嘗試行善的人,而是他們生命中的熱誠 – 他們為此飢與渴。就如貧窮和溫柔的人,他們將生命交在神的手中,希望祂幫助。

我們在這系列前面的文章已經思考過在聖經裡義的意義,那就是行神的旨意。在這裡,義這個字可能有兩個意思:其一肯定是在個人生活中,強烈地渴望蒙神喜悅,按神的旨意去行,將神的旨意在生活中行出來;這生出希望在地上有公義,在一個不公義、欠缺公平的世界渴望社會公義出現。個人公義的渴望與所處的世界的公義是不能分割的。

正因這是一個合理的渴望,它是會成就的;或許不是即時成就,但肯定在將來當王以公義管治時應驗。但王的應許是渴望公義的必得飽足。從神學角度來說,它分為幾個階段:最基本的渴望是與神有合宜的關係,這要透過神的恩典,那公義的禮物使我們因信稱義,在天堂的法庭被宣告為義。接著,作為主的門徒,我們渴望作正義的事,並由聖靈加給能力來完成,我們稱這階段為生活的成聖,我們會愈來愈像基督。將來,當主再來時,祂會建立宇宙性的公義,我們將被改變,我們稱這為得榮耀,我們會脫變成榮美的狀態。

應用:在這裡我們同樣會問這渴望是怎樣形成的。大部份的信徒都追求公義,但這渴望是怎樣變得那麼熱切的呢?這也是從屬靈生命的成長而來。保羅教導一個屬靈的人會將身體各部份交出來作義的工具。故此,這從委身遵行神的旨意開始,接著是由聖靈帶領走屬靈的路,祂帶領信徒走義路。當一個人愈親近主,他或她對不義和世界不公平的事就愈敏銳,一個真正屬靈的人就會開始渴慕公義。

5. 「憐恤人的人有福了,因為他們必蒙憐恤。」

意義:和靈裡貧窮、溫柔和飢渴慕義的人的共同點是他們的生命都不是自足的,都需要外來的幫助。因他們自知有所缺乏、需倚靠別人、軟弱和不完全,他們明白甚麼是憐恤。當他們從主得到滿有恩慈的禮物,他們亦知道應仁慈地對待他人。對別人表達仁慈包括寬恕有罪的人和憐憫那些受苦和需要幫助的人。

他們被稱為有福的,因為他們會以仁慈對待他人,優先於自己的權益;對有需要的人,他們不會含敵意,卻會和藹親切地對待他們,並醫治他們。仁慈並非他們的本性,只因他們被仁慈地對待,他們並且恆常地倚靠主而活。

因為他們懂得憐憫和憐恤他人,故此神說他們必蒙憐恤。最終這要等待王的到來和審判的日子,他們會得到王的憐憫、通過審判和進入天國。他們得到憐恤並非因為他們做了足夠的善行,而是因為他們知道走天路時憐恤的重要性,他們進入恩典中,並渴望與他人分享。他們學會了原諒別人,因為他們不斷地被原諒;他們學會憐恤別人,因為他們每天都在蒙憐恤。

應用:這裡的憐恤行為來自真正靈命歷程。那些得到神愈多恩典的,愈是憐恤他人。因此,在自己的生命中能好好地體會神的恩典是十分重要的。這體會是從經歷認罪和感謝神的赦免而來。但這兩方面卻常常被信徒忽視,甚而有些基督徒竟然認為那恩典是他們應得的,以致他們變得那麼不寬容別人,甚至論斷他人。我們自己的屬靈狀況和神的供應是絕不能忘記的。

6. 「清心的人有福了,因為他們必得見 神。」

意義:這福從舊約取材加以運用,在天國應驗。它同時描述了內在純淨和意念專一。「心」在聖經裡表達人的志向與選擇。故此清心指一個人所作的決定、心中的渴望、思想和意圖都沒有被罪沾染,所作的意願,以討神喜悅為依據。出自純淨清潔的心只有好東西,從純淨清潔的心而出的行為是愛與仁慈、渴慕公義與公平;從純淨清潔的心所作出的決定蒙神喜悅。

在信以外對人「心」的描述則截然不同 – 最惡劣的是時常因自私自利的行為帶來痛苦(創世記6:5)。耶穌說從心裡發出來的才污穢人,惡念、不純正的慾望、毀謗等等(馬太福音15:18-19)。人不可能在沒有改變的情況下帶來一顆純淨清潔的心,耶穌在這段經文並沒有作解釋,不過祂曾談論重生,那是在改變之初所必須的。追隨基督可以將一顆充滿肉慾的心,轉化成一顆純淨清潔的心。這並不容易,也不會迅速地改變,但進天國的人必須要有這顆新心。

聖經說從來沒有人見過神(出埃及記33:18-23;提摩太前書6:16)。給他們的應許是他們必得見神,這是何等令人驚訝的聲明!雖然有人曾見過主以不同的形態顯現:摩西在西乃山見到神的背影(出埃及記33章),以色列的長老與神一起吃喝,看到神以某種形態顯現(出埃及記24章)、以賽亞見過一次(以賽亞書6章)、約翰也曾見過基督顯現(啟示錄1章)。

這是一個憑著信在現在的、就在這裡的應許 – 他們在生活的各種場合和各事件看見神,但聖經的應許比這更多。在世上看見神被我們否定了,但有一天,天堂的門被打開,祂能被我們轉化了的眼睛看見。如約伯說:「我知道我的救贖主活着,末了必站立在地上。我這皮肉滅絕之後,我的肉體仍必見 神。我自己要見他,親眼要看他,並不像外人。我的心腸在我裏面消滅了。」(約伯記19:25-27)

應用:一個人如何能得到一顆純淨清潔的心呢?當神給我們一顆「新心」的時候,它就開始轉化,當我們追隨基督,透過屬靈成長,它會繼續轉化。行在光明中,意指學習按神的話語而活,這會改變我們的心思意念,我們的心就會愈來愈純淨。但同時神話語的亮光會將人內心的污穢顯露出來,我們必須要處理和作出改變。

7. 「使人和睦的人有福了,因為他們必稱為 神的兒子7。」

意義:神是和平之君,祂整個拯救計劃是使那些以前和祂分隔的人與祂和平共處,最終給全地帶來和平(以賽亞書 9:6-7)。這是彌賽亞的工作目標。

不過人類當中充滿紛爭和衝突,和平與團結的希望極其渺茫。神帶來的和平並不是消除敵意、容忍或退讓;世上真正的和平需要性質上完完全全的改變,而只有神才能賜下這和平,這和平是世人所不明白的(約翰福音14:27)。它的起始點是與神和好,然後延伸至與人和好。

使人和睦的人是那些首先明白什麼是真正和平的人。他們努力建立的和平是一個擁抱從神而來的和平,因他們與神和好,以至人與人之間能和諧共處。換句話說,真正締造和睦的人傳揚神的國度,他們的生命是為了宣揚神的國、與仇敵和好、平息仇恨、使分隔的人重新聯繫、促進真正的瞭解和屬靈的愛。他們這樣做是因為他們知道什麼是真正的和平。因此,這裡所描述的品格不是純粹政治性追求和平,而是屬靈的和平。

給他們的應許是他們必稱為神的兒子。這意味著他們是神真正的兒子。在天國的生活除了擁有土地、仍然飢渴、看見神,而現在更有兒子的名分。當人們因信進入天國,這一切就開始了,當神的國最終臨到時,就會完全應驗。

在舊約,「神的兒子」是用來描述天使,而不是用於救恩。但在新約裡,兒子的名份是救恩大有能力的表達,它的意思是指信徒從聖靈而生,成為神家的成員,透過神的兒子耶穌基督同為後嗣,和父神有了個人關係。這並未完全落實,但卻是確實的、肯定的承諾,所以信徒可以說:「我們被稱為神的兒女」。(參約翰福音1:12,13和約翰壹書3:1)

應用:因此,耶穌的門徒應該促進和平。他們透過傳和平的福音給全世界,並促進屬靈的家和好。簡而言之,他們應該做的就如彌賽亞的工作。

8. 「為義受逼迫的人有福了,因為天國是屬於他們的。」

意義:在這墮落的世界,當人企圖推廣和平、擁護公義或過一個柔和謙卑的生活時,他們會被敵擋。或許有人想,這樣的生活能吸引人歸向主;但事實上,它不會自然地發生。這便告訴我們這世界不單與神隔絕,並且叛逆神。他們或許希望按自己的方式去尋求公義,他們寧可得到權力、尊榮和財富。就如施洗約翰呼召人悔改歸向義,他因而早死;耶穌傳揚正確的美德,因祂呼召人進入祂的國度,祂的信息卻被敵擋。如果連他們都遇到逼迫,世人豈不也會逼迫門徒呢?

這福並不是給那單純受逼迫的人。神是地上的公義審判官,祂也會處理這些。這福是給基督的追隨者,那因義而受逼迫的人;接著的那節經文,澄清了受逼迫的人,指的是那為基督的原故而受苦的門徒。憑著信,他們被確定與王同在,他們披戴祂的名,他們傳揚福音,傳揚那屬靈的、永恆的國度,一個公義的、和平的國度;然而他們會遇到阻攔。儘管如此,他們應該歡呼,他們在天國要得到大大的賞賜,神給他們的補償會更多。

這福是給那些在這世上忍受這樣逼迫的人,他們的終局和他們現在所受的侮辱卻剛好相反 – 天國是屬於他們的。門徒知道甚麼值得他們殉道。但這並不單是將來的實況,他們現在已經擁有這國度(這福與第一個福平衡)。

應用:這教導十分簡單,人活在這世上應為主而活,如天國的成員過活,擁護公義與公平,彰顯仁慈、保持溫柔和靈裡的貧窮 – 即使有受讚許的品格,但他們應該知道真正的公義會冒犯很多的人,故此,他們要預備好遇到攔阻。

最後的兩節暗暗地宣告耶穌的神性。舊約的先知都因為他們忠於神而受逼迫。現在,耶穌說門徒因為他們忠於祂,也會受到迫害。祂是神。

Translated by: Jenny Pao 鮑婉玲譯


1如果你讀大量有關這經文的書,你會發現當中的觀點與詮釋可以有很大差異。持懷疑態度非常激進的觀點,我們不必花太多的時間在這裡討論,這可以等待更適合的時間才討論。但你應該知道一群混淆視聽的教師和作家,他們教導福音中沒有什麼是真實的,耶穌絲毫沒有做這些事情,並說只有極少部份是耶穌說的。對於他們來說,馬太並沒有寫馬太福音,這書是在較後的時期按教會教導而成的作品,其中大部分內容若非憑空捏造,便是修飾的產物,這觀點指不管你如何看待它,這幾章的經文是經過編輯。這並不是一個新的立場,只因現代有的媒體發達,就在現代出版。

一個還在幾個層次上有些問題但不太反感的看法,是登山寶訓是耶穌的教導,但不是從一篇講章而來;而是將耶穌在不同地方的講道搬到這裡結合成這講章。這觀點最少承認記載在馬太福音5-7章的經文是耶穌自己的教導。簡單來說,馬太將這些材料集合在這裡,從而組成了有關天國的一個主要講話。在理論上,如果能證明馬太確實曾經這樣做,可以接受這觀點的一部份,但要證明卻極為困難。

傳統的觀點是這信息是耶穌親自宣告的,只要平實地閱讀文本便能得到支持。這經文的開始說耶穌教訓他們說……接著的教導,主題也和天國相關,然後馬太說祂說完了。對於那些相信聖經歷史真實性的人,他們肯定馬太或別的聖經作者的著作,如果經文明言教導的地點或時間,那裡就是宣講信息的地方;若沒有著明,那材料就可能是編輯而成。若說耶穌在山上宣講這信息,這並不代表耶穌宣講時就是用這些字,馬太將耶穌的講章翻譯成希臘文,他極可能將部份內容濃縮,並用自己的措詞寫出來,又或許為部份內容加上一些澄清性的資料。若和路加福音或福音書中的其他教導相比較,這情況是會出現的。但我們也可以肯定耶穌很可能在加利利傳道時,很頻繁地宣講這些主題,所以他們的記憶會反映這些再三重複的主題。總括來說,要研讀耶穌的宣講和教導,是相當複雜和難以確定的。我們將在這系列的末端,當總結讀這卷書的各種問題時,再返回這話題(歷史評鑑)。現在,我會說我相信讀者應該有信心這些確實是耶穌的教導,當出現「耶穌說」,不論是一模一樣或是一個總結(如馬太福音4:17的處理),馬太記錄登山寶訓,是在聖靈的引導下寫成。故此,這幾章經文所寫的是真實的,也確實是耶穌宣講時的教導。

2 有大量關於登山寶訓的文獻,你可按你的時間開始閱讀,但必須留意不要過度簡化了登山寶訓的意義和性質。這篇文章只是簡略的詮釋。

3 「末世論」是關於末後的事,這部份教義會處理那將要來的事,例如基督的再來、審判和永恆狀態。它主要和彌賽亞的事情相關,那就是耶穌將要承就的所有事情。

4你可以從你手上的資源開始,或許是一本好的字典或註釋書。假如你希望研經,投資小許金錢購買神學辭典,幫助明白字詞和神學思想的意義,定能大有裨益。以下兩套書:Colin Brown’s (editor) set for the New Testament, 和 Willem van Gemeren’s (editor) for the Old Testament. 各都有數冊,可在新約和舊約字義上提供幫助。在這系列的末端還有一些工具書的介紹。

5 譯者註:馬太福音5:5 溫柔的人和詩篇37:11 受困苦的人,英文同樣是 the meek

6 譯者註:民數記12:3和馬太福音 5:5溫柔的人和謙和英文同樣是 meek

7. 八福 (马太福音5:1-12)

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「八福」是福音书中最为人喜爱的篇章之一,它记录在马太福音5-7,这是「登山宝训」的开始部份。这篇章可能是耶稣较后期才宣讲的道,但马太却将它放在耶稣世上事工的开端,使它成了天国的隆重宣告。它是马太福音所包含的五个主要宣讲的第一个。

在耶稣受试探和八福之间,马太记述因天国近了,耶稣呼唤人悔改(4:12-17)。为了要接触更多的听众,耶稣从拿撒勒前往加利利海沿岸的城市迦百农,到这里来更重要的原因是这里是交通要道。祂在呼唤悔改后,才宣告八福将要来临。

在耶稣受试探和登山宝训之间,马太记述了耶稣呼召渔夫西门彼得和他的弟兄安得烈作门徒(4:18-20),因祂开始建立祂的国度,祂承诺他们要得人如得鱼。接着祂呼召那正在船上补网,同样是渔夫的雅各和约翰(4:21-22)。这些事件充份描绘了那呼召人跟随祂的,有君王的权柄。

马太接着报告了耶稣初期事工的成功和祂的名声传扬(4:23-25)。祂走遍了那地区,宣讲天国的信息,并透过医治人来证明祂的宣告。响应祂的事工的人远至耶路撒冷。

这将我们带到登山宝训的课题。耶稣看到许多的人,祂就上了山坐下来,那是拉比惯常的姿势。传统认为这「山」是迦百农和近岸渔村一带的小丘。门徒到祂跟前来,祂就开始教导他们。接着的经文就是耶稣的教导。1

这是福音书里最早有关耶稣教导的信息、也是最长的一篇。耶稣宣告天国已来临,祂呼召人悔改。耶稣在祂的天国宣言中,揭示了天国子民的基础和特质。在这里,祂教导在祂国度里的伦理指引,也有关于天国的公义素质的指引;现时这些只是局部实践, 但将来要完全对现。2

这段说话的对象是以色列,就是那来到耶稣那里的群众,但耶稣的门徒一听,便明白耶稣以祂的门徒是「真以色列」(属灵的以色列),他们已在祂的国度里,并且已开始了生命。祂也以那在祂面前的群众是将来的「以色列」,期待他们悔改并追随他们的君王。换句话说,耶稣的对象是那按神旨意成为神子民的人,告诉他们,假如他们悔改进入祂的国度,他们需要展示的义,那也是门徒们已经开始实践的。故此,整篇登山宝训,也是给所有人。登山宝训的主题是义,这也是天国的标准。

故此这宣讲中述说了进入天国的人当有的义、也述说了天国子民过着义的生活时,那生命会是怎样的;但却没有怎样达到这义的细节。

登山宝训以八福来开始。这些品格描绘了神真正子民的特质,也提供了在天国有份的人可以期盼的福份。将它们合起来,可以得出一幅承继应许完美基督徒的图画。耶稣在这里并不是告诉人怎样达到这情况,那是祂接下来的教导。

有关八福的描述中,众多为人接纳的其中一项是八福是以赛亚书61:1-3的回响,一篇以末世论3为重点的经文。马太恒常地指出耶稣就是那旧约预言的应验,在这里也是。所以读八福,我们也会看看以赛亚关于弥赛亚和弥赛亚国度的预言。

研读八福和一般经文的研读方法并不相同,每一个福都像箴言智慧语般那么晦涩难懂、精确和意义丰富。每一福都包含一个主题,组成圣经的重要教导。故此,若你愿意,每一福都值得花上许许多多的时间。但在这里,我们只作简洁略述,稍后再作进深研读。

經文

5:1 当耶稣看见这许多的人,就上了山1,既已坐下,门徒到他跟前来。 2 他就开口教训他们说:

5:3 「灵里贫穷2的人有福3了,因为天国是属于4他们的。

5:4哀恸的人有福了,因为他们必得安慰5

5:5温柔的人有福了,因为他们必承受地土。

5:6饥渴慕义6的人有福了,因为他们必得饱足。

5:7怜恤人的人有福了,因为他们必蒙怜恤。

5:8清心的人有福了,因为他们必得见 神。

5:9使人和睦的人有福了,因为他们必称为 神的儿子7

5:10为义受逼迫的人有福了,因为天国是属于他们的。

5:11人若因我侮辱你们、逼迫你们、揑造各样坏话毁谤你们,你们就有福了,5:12应当欢喜快乐,因为你们在天上的赏赐是大的。在你们以前的先知,人也是这样逼迫他们。

经文观察

在这里我们没有叙事,只有一系列的宣告。至于5:1-2的叙事只是这讲章的引子,讲章从宣告开始。八福中的每一个福都是宣言,但却是含蓄的、勉励性的,呼召人作出响应。

研读八福和别的经文有少许分别。然而我们仍需要注意上下文和第一世纪犹太人的文化和信仰背景,也须留意八福所处的登山宝训所宣告的天国性质。这里会处理在这样背景下的字义,特别是文化背景,因为从文化背景更能了解这些希伯来文和亚兰文。好的工具书、经文汇编或圣经字典对处理字义,例如:「温柔」、「贫穷」等字,都有帮助。4

当我们掌握字义后,我们便要处理句子之间的关系,「福」和应许之间的关联。要明白耶稣的这些话,我们必须从新旧约和天国相关的教导入手。在这里,我们看到耶稣第一次降临标志着国度已经开始,信徒在这国度里;但我们在基督再来时将会看到这国度的完全实现。故此,这些经文都必须符合天国度的这两方面的观念。

大部份有关这段经文的注释都说是八福,但如果你加以留意,其实「福」出现了九次。最后一次「福」的出现,所用的格式和前面并不相同,它并不是以「有福了」的形式出现,却好像是为前面的第八个「福」加以解释和向门徒展示可以怎样作具体应用。

也许在开始部份我们先简略地介绍「福」这个字,这对我们理解这段经文会有帮助。现代偏向将原文的这个字译作「快乐」,但这却未能完全捕捉文本所包含的所有含意。主要原因是现代「快乐」这词的用法低贬了它的价值;这词在这经文中含有因与神有正确合宜的关系,而有的内在喜乐与和平。故此,「快乐」可以是其中的一部份,但它是超乎在我们身边发生的事情。这「快乐」因蒙神悦纳而来到我们的心灵,因此就是面对严峻的逼迫,仍呼召人要喜乐。主那些「福」的宣告,是给有内在属灵品格的人奖赏承诺;从另一个角度来说,是主对与神有合宜关系的人的属灵品格和状况的描述。

与耶稣在马太福音第五章所述的「福」相对的,是马太福音第23章对文士和法利赛人宣告的「有祸了」。那是神审判那些背道、拒绝承认和遵行神的全部旨意的人。这些「祸」中,也描述了那些人邪恶和假冒为善的品格。这些祸是神誓言给那些继续行恶的人的审判。

所以当耶稣说「有福了」的时候,并不是单单指那些在神看为正的人充满了内在的喜乐与平安,而是因他们的品格给予赞赏,并承诺赏赐他们。

一篇有趣又和这经文相关的旧约经文是箴言6:16-19,那里列出神所憎厌的七件事。那被认为和那些因行义而从神得福的人对立。第一样是「高傲的眼」或高傲,这绝对和灵里贫穷相反;最后一样是「在弟兄中布散分争的人」却和使人和睦相背。在这两者之间还包括了撒谎的舌,流无辜人血的手,图谋恶计的心,飞跑行恶的脚,吐谎言的假见证,这些都和神所喜爱的属灵品格有着显著的差异。

八福的进一步分析

也许研读八福的最佳方法是逐一从基础开始 – 定义、背景、关连与应用。假如你要在课堂中教授八福,你如果在逐一探讨它们时便讨论它们的应用,比在最后才尝试逐一提出应用,会有较理想的效果。

1. 「灵里贫穷2的人有福3了,因为天国是属于4他们的。

背景 :要理解八福的其中一个方法是从旧约背景入手,查考有关弥赛亚国度和进入这国度的人。这些经文中,我曾提及以赛亚书61:1-3,在那篇经文中,弥赛亚被膏「传福音给贫穷的人」(在路加福音第四章,耶稣读这经文并说这已经应验在他们耳中了。)那篇经文对我们理解「贫穷」有少许帮助。我们会倾向将「贫穷」朝财务和财产的方向来理解,这可以是其中的一部份,但还可以从属灵方面去看。以赛亚用它来描述那些被掳的人,他们的土地和财产被剥夺,固然贫穷,但他们也受折磨和压迫,无力对抗、也没有希望,他们是绝望的,他们灵里的贫穷,使他们的困境加剧。

文的意 :圣经对贫穷人的描述包括几方面:在耶稣时代的穷人,只有很少财产、常常受压迫,没有什么力量和希望。他们没有甚么资源可依赖,他们不得不依靠他人生存。以赛亚为他那时代的人带来好信息 – 他们将从捆绑中得释放。耶稣是透过传从神而来的好信息 – 福音,应验了这好信息的应许。祂并没有使他们在地上权力和财物上富裕,但他却满足了他们最大的需要。

「灵里贫穷」的人在神前谦卑下来。他们明白到他们此生没有甚么贡献可以拿来换取天国。他们在灵里痛心疾首,意即他们虚己,并深深地悔悟;他们以无助无望的罪人身份来到王前,没有骄傲、没有自义、也不自满。他们从伪装得释放,故此他们有空间让神进入他们的生命。每一个希望进天国的人都必须「灵里贫穷」,因从神而来的救恩是一份礼物。

这就是给这世上真正被压迫的和穷人的好信息。穷人并不因为他们贫穷而被排拒,富人亦不会因他们的财富被接纳。不论富或贫,都必须在主面前谦卑下来,才可成为天国的成员。低下阶层往往比有财势的人更容易进天国。

耶稣宣告的福是「天国是他们的」,这当然并不表示所有贫穷的人都是天国的一员,就如「浪子」的贫穷是自己弄成的。因为重点不在于物质上的贫穷,而是灵里的质量,那些灵里贫穷而谦卑自己,倚靠神的人,他们拥有天国。事实上,每一个在天国里的人,都必须灵里贫穷。他们都以一颗破碎的心和痛悔的灵去寻找救主。

应用 :这里有一个清晰的教导:如果要进天国,就必须灵里贫穷。天国的信息是呼唤人悔改,人必须在神前谦卑下来,并承认他们的权势、财富或面子不能替他赢得进入天国。那些真正谦卑下来的和表达需要主的,他们于天国有份,并且得到天国的恩泽。

人怎样成为灵里贫穷呢?按接下来的经文,当人听到天国的信息,并且明白天国是怎么样的和怎样进天国 – 透过悔改回转、降服于神的旨意。第一步是承认自己不能作甚么,接着是寻求神满有恩慈的供应。

第二个应用,是将这态度建立成天国成员的品格。他们并不是虚己进入天国,跟着成为自足(虽然有些人尝试这样做),而是完完全全倚靠神供应他们所需。这开展了其他研读的主题,例如:谦逊、信心、祷告和顺服。

2. 哀恸的人有福了,因为他们必得安慰5。」

现在我们有一个略为不同的福。上一个福给灵里贫穷的人应许天国是他们的,原文用的是现在式;而这一个给哀恸的人必得安慰的应许,原文用的是未来式,是一个在将来才会成就的应许。

约背景 :以赛亚亦说弥赛亚医治心碎的人,并宣告在何时哀恸的人得安慰、华冠代替灰尘、喜乐油代替悲哀(以赛亚书61:1-3)。哀恸显示哀痛、优伤和因失去至爱而灵里焦虑,也可以是失去有价值的生命而哀恸,就如被掳的以色列人;也可以因失去财物、身份地位或健康而引发哀恸。人也会为天灾人祸而哀恸,当哀恸时,他们寻找希望,但大多数情况,世上只有极微的希望。

:这里的焦点是神的子民哀恸时,他们将会得安慰。每个人都会在人生不同阶段经历哀伤和悲惨的损失,但那在天国得安慰的哀恸是那为以色列蒙羞与及蒙羞的原因而哀恸 – 因他们的罪,国家被强横和无情的统治者掌控。耶稣降临并宣告天国近了,祂期待人的反应是痛哭悔悟(另参以赛亚书40:1)。弥赛亚会安慰那些哀恸的人,但得安慰是因为弥赛亚将他们从那使他们哀恸的罪中拯救出来。

故此这里所指的是「因着信」的哀恸,这哀恸并不单纯为生命中的苦楚与伤痛,而是为了那引致这境况的罪而哀伤。他们明白他们的忧伤愁叹是为了那失落败坏的世界,那里看不见神和祂的旨意。在哀恸中,耶稣的门徒向主打开他们沉重的心,因他们知道他们虽在哀伤中,但并非没有盼望!他们知道他们的哭泣和哀痛只会维持一段时间,他们知道死亡不会得到终极的胜利,因为在基督里死亡的,必会复活成不朽坏的,他们知道弥赛亚终有一日会把这些挪除,给他们带来安慰。

故此这应许是他们必得安慰。当神擦去他们的眼泪时,他们就得安慰;不再有死亡、不再忧伤或苦难(以赛亚书25:8,启示录21:4)。这是天国子民所能期待的。

应用 :这里的指引是关于哀恸的焦点,而不是哀恸本身。那得安慰的哀恸是门徒的哀恸,他们明确知道哀恸的原因,有正确的信心看透事件。当人面对生命的伤痛时刻,如他们为罪而哀伤,同样可以有盼望 – 这是信靠主的一个清晰的记号。

3. 「溫柔的人有福了,因为他们必承受地土。」

约背景 :这「福」和诗篇37:11「受困苦的人必拥有地土」十分相似。5 假如你研读那段经文,你将会发现那也是有关弥赛亚的诗篇,那地亦必是应许之地。

:在圣经里,温柔的人是指那些有温柔的心和自制力的人,他们的心灵没有恶念,也不高傲。温柔的人也许和贫穷的人一样没有自己的资源,但其后可能有,就如摩西被称为最谦和的人。6 温柔的人不剥削和压迫他人,他们不复仇或仇杀,不使用暴力,不试图为自己的目的夺取政权。概括而言,他们学效基督,在生活上模仿祂。但这并不表示他们软弱或他们的生活不济,他们可以是柔和谦卑,但他们也可成为弱者和受压迫者的斗士。

这里的应许是他们拥有地土。是甚么地土呢?很可能是指应许之地。整本圣经都提及神给以色列人应许,赐他们应许之地。拥有土地,并非单指财物,而是含有更大的意义,那不单是一块地,而是从神而来的产业,包含保障。但那地却常受到袭击,而人民被掳和被分散,在新约仍应许重新招聚到那地,那些应许现在看来要等到弥赛亚第二次降临,出现新天新地时才会实现。这应许是给所有在新约之下的人,而应许的应验会比任何人所能想象到的更荣美。新的创造不会被暴君或充满阴谋的团体所操纵,而是属于那温柔的人。

应用 :人怎能成为温柔的人呢?如果一个人的本性并不温柔又怎么样呢?答案可以在描述属灵生活怎样运作的经文找到。温柔和良善都是圣灵的果子,是圣灵在信徒中所结的果子。要培养在灵里的温柔,便是在圣灵的指引下而活,或将生命交给神的灵管辖,以致基督的特质能在信徒中长成。单是这指引便需要好些研习,但它是圣经对温柔的发展所作的描绘。

4. 「饥渴慕义6的人有福了,因为他们必得饱足。」

约背景 :饥与渴被比拟为追求公义的动力,追求公义是我们深层和恒常之需要(参诗篇42:3和63:1)。饥与渴是人类的基本动力,恒常要求被满足。这比喻用来描绘渴慕行神旨意是那么恒常与强烈。

:这福要说的比我们大多数人所想的更多,它并非单单描述那些正义的人或尝试行善的人,而是他们生命中的热诚 – 他们为此饥与渴。就如贫穷和温柔的人,他们将生命交在神的手中,希望祂帮助。

我们在这系列前面的文章已经思考过在圣经里义的意义,那就是行神的旨意。在这里,义这个字可能有两个意思:其一肯定是在个人生活中,强烈地渴望蒙神喜悦,按神的旨意去行,将神的旨意在生活中行出来;这生出希望在地上有公义,在一个不公义、欠缺公平的世界渴望社会公义出现。个人公义的渴望与所处的世界的公义是不能分割的。

正因这是一个合理的渴望,它是会成就的;或许不是即时成就,但肯定在将来当王以公义管治时应验。但王的应许是渴望公义的必得饱足。从神学角度来说,它分为几个阶段:最基本的渴望是与神有合宜的关系,这要透过神的恩典,那公义的礼物使我们因信称义,在天堂的法庭被宣告为义。接着,作为主的门徒,我们渴望作正义的事,并由圣灵加给能力来完成,我们称这阶段为生活的成圣,我们会愈来愈像基督。将来,当主再来时,祂会建立宇宙性的公义,我们将被改变,我们称这为得荣耀,我们会脱变成荣美的状态。

应用 :在这里我们同样会问这渴望是怎样形成的。大部份的信徒都追求公义,但这渴望是怎样变得那么热切的呢?这也是从属灵生命的成长而来。保罗教导一个属灵的人会将身体各部份交出来作义的工具。故此,这从委身遵行神的旨意开始,接着是由圣灵带领走属灵的路,祂带领信徒走义路。当一个人愈亲近主,他或她对不义和世界不公平的事就愈敏锐,一个真正属灵的人就会开始渴慕公义。

5. 「怜恤人的人有福了,因为他们必蒙怜恤。」

:和灵里贫穷、温柔和饥渴慕义的人的共同点是他们的生命都不是自足的,都需要外来的帮助。因他们自知有所缺乏、需倚靠别人、软弱和不完全,他们明白甚么是怜恤。当他们从主得到满有恩慈的礼物,他们亦知道应仁慈地对待他人。对别人表达仁慈包括宽恕有罪的人和怜悯那些受苦和需要帮助的人。

他们被称为有福的,因为他们会以仁慈对待他人,优先于自己的权益;对有需要的人,他们不会含敌意,却会和蔼亲切地对待他们,并医治他们。仁慈并非他们的本性,只因他们被仁慈地对待,他们并且恒常地倚靠主而活。

因为他们懂得怜悯和怜恤他人,故此神说他们必蒙怜恤。最终这要等待王的到来和审判的日子,他们会得到王的怜悯、通过审判和进入天国。他们得到怜恤并非因为他们做了足够的善行,而是因为他们知道走天路时怜恤的重要性,他们进入恩典中,并渴望与他人分享。他们学会了原谅别人,因为他们不断地被原谅;他们学会怜恤别人,因为他们每天都在蒙怜恤。

应用 :这里的怜恤行为来自真正灵命历程。那些得到神愈多恩典的,愈是怜恤他人。因此,在自己的生命中能好好地体会神的恩典是十分重要的。这体会是从经历认罪和感谢神的赦免而来。但这两方面却常常被信徒忽视,甚而有些基督徒竟然认为那恩典是他们应得的,以致他们变得那么不宽容别人,甚至论断他人。我们自己的属灵状况和神的供应是绝不能忘记的。

6. 「清心的人有福了,因为他们必得见 神。」

:这福从旧约取材加以运用,在天国应验。它同时描述了内在纯净和意念专一。「心」在圣经里表达人的志向与选择。故此清心指一个人所作的决定、心中的渴望、思想和意图都没有被罪沾染,所作的意愿,以讨神喜悦为依据。出自纯净清洁的心只有好东西,从纯净清洁的心而出的行为是爱与仁慈、渴慕公义与公平;从纯净清洁的心所作出的决定蒙神喜悦。

在信以外对人「心」的描述则截然不同 – 最恶劣的是时常因自私自利的行为带来痛苦(创世记6:5)。耶稣说从心里发出来的才污秽人,恶念、不纯正的欲望、毁谤等等(马太福音15:18-19)。人不可能在没有改变的情况下带来一颗纯净清洁的心,耶稣在这段经文并没有作解释,不过祂曾谈论重生,那是在改变之初所必须的。追随基督可以将一颗充满肉欲的心,转化成一颗纯净清洁的心。这并不容易,也不会迅速地改变,但进天国的人必须要有这颗新心。

圣经说从来没有人见过神(出埃及记33:18-23;提摩太前书6:16)。给他们的应许是他们必得见神,这是何等令人惊讶的声明!虽然有人曾见过主以不同的形态显现:摩西在西乃山见到神的背影(出埃及记33章),以色列的长老与神一起吃喝,看到神以某种形态显现(出埃及记24章)、以赛亚见过一次(以赛亚书6章)、约翰也曾见过基督显现(启示录1章)。

这是一个凭着信在现在的、就在这里的应许 – 他们在生活的各种场合和各事件看见神,但圣经的应许比这更多。在世上看见神被我们否定了,但有一天,天堂的门被打开,祂能被我们转化了的眼睛看见。如约伯说:「我知道我的救赎主活着,末了必站立在地上。我这皮肉灭绝之后,我的肉体仍必见 神。我自己要见他,亲眼要看他,并不像外人。我的心肠在我里面消灭了。」(约伯记19:25-27)

:一个人如何能得到一颗纯净清洁的心呢?当神给我们一颗「新心」的时候,它就开始转化,当我们追随基督,透过属灵成长,它会继续转化。行在光明中,意指学习按神的话语而活,这会改变我们的心思意念,我们的心就会愈来愈纯净。但同时神话语的亮光会将人内心的污秽显露出来,我们必须要处理和作出改变。

7. 「使人和睦的人有福了,因为他们必称为 神的儿子7。」

:神是和平之君,祂整个拯救计划是使那些以前和祂分隔的人与祂和平共处,最终给全地带来和平(以赛亚书9:6-7)。这是弥赛亚的工作目标。

不过人类当中充满纷争和冲突,和平与团结的希望极其渺茫。神带来的和平并不是消除敌意、容忍或退让;世上真正的和平需要性质上完完全全的改变,而只有神才能赐下这和平,这和平是世人所不明白的(约翰福音14:27)。它的起始点是与神和好,然后延伸至与人和好。

使人和睦的人是那些首先明白什么是真正和平的人。他们努力建立的和平是一个拥抱从神而来的和平,因他们与神和好,以至人与人之间能和谐共处。换句话说,真正缔造和睦的人传扬神的国度,他们的生命是为了宣扬神的国、与仇敌和好、平息仇恨、使分隔的人重新联系、促进真正的了解和属灵的爱。他们这样做是因为他们知道什么是真正的和平。因此,这里所描述的品格不是纯粹政治性追求和平,而是属灵的和平。

给他们的应许是他们必称为神的儿子。这意味着他们是神真正的儿子。在天国的生活除了拥有土地、仍然饥渴、看见神,而现在更有儿子的名分。当人们因信进入天国,这一切就开始了,当神的国最终临到时,就会完全应验。

在旧约,「神的儿子」是用来描述天使,而不是用于救恩。但在新约里,儿子的名份是救恩大有能力的表达,它的意思是指信徒从圣灵而生,成为神家的成员,透过神的儿子耶稣基督同为后嗣,和父神有了个人关系。这并未完全落实,但却是确实的、肯定的承诺,所以信徒可以说:「我们被称为神的儿女」。(参约翰福音1:12,13和约翰壹书3:1)

应用 :因此,耶稣的门徒应该促进和平。他们透过传和平的福音给全世界,并促进属灵的家和好。简而言之,他们应该做的就如弥赛亚的工作。

8. 「为义受逼迫的人有福了,因为天国是属于他们的。」

:在这堕落的世界,当人企图推广和平、拥护公义或过一个柔和谦卑的生活时,他们会被敌挡。或许有人想,这样的生活能吸引人归向主;但事实上,它不会自然地发生。这便告诉我们这世界不单与神隔绝,并且叛逆神。他们或许希望按自己的方式去寻求公义,他们宁可得到权力、尊荣和财富。就如施洗约翰呼召人悔改归向义,他因而早死;耶稣传扬正确的美德,因祂呼召人进入祂的国度,祂的信息却被敌挡。如果连他们都遇到逼迫,世人岂不也会逼迫门徒呢?

这福并不是给那单纯受逼迫的人。神是地上的公义审判官,祂也会处理这些。这福是给基督的追随者,那因义而受逼迫的人;接着的那节经文,澄清了受逼迫的人,指的是那为基督的原故而受苦的门徒。凭着信,他们被确定与王同在,他们披戴祂的名,他们传扬福音,传扬那属灵的、永恒的国度,一个公义的、和平的国度;然而他们会遇到阻拦。尽管如此,他们应该欢呼,他们在天国要得到大大的赏赐,神给他们的补偿会更多。

这福是给那些在这世上忍受这样逼迫的人,他们的终局和他们现在所受的侮辱却刚好相反 – 天国是属于他们的。门徒知道甚么值得他们殉道。但这并不单是将来的实况,他们现在已经拥有这国度(这福与第一个福平衡)。

应用 :这教导十分简单,人活在这世上应为主而活,如天国的成员过活,拥护公义与公平,彰显仁慈、保持温柔和灵里的贫穷 – 即使有受赞许的品格,但他们应该知道真正的公义会冒犯很多的人,故此,他们要预备好遇到拦阻。

最后的两节暗暗地宣告耶稣的神性。旧约的先知都因为他们忠于神而受逼迫。现在,耶稣说门徒因为他们忠于祂,也会受到迫害。祂是神。

Translated by: Jenny Pao 鲍婉玲译


1如果你读大量有关这经文的书,你会发现当中的观点与诠释可以有很大差异。持怀疑态度非常激进的观点,我们不必花太多的时间在这里讨论,这可以等待更适合的时间才讨论。但你应该知道一群混淆视听的教师和作家,他们教导福音中没有什么是真实的,耶稣丝毫没有做这些事情,并说只有极少部份是耶稣说的。对于他们来说,马太并没有写马太福音,这书是在较后的时期按教会教导而成的作品,其中大部分内容若非凭空捏造,便是修饰的产物,这观点指不管你如何看待它,这几章的经文是经过编辑。这并不是一个新的立场,只因现代有的媒体发达,就在现代出版。

一个还在几个层次上有些问题但不太反感的看法,是登山宝训是耶稣的教导,但不是从一篇讲章而来;而是将耶稣在不同地方的讲道搬到这里结合成这讲章。这观点最少承认记载在马太福音5-7章的经文是耶稣自己的教导。简单来说,马太将这些材料集合在这里,从而组成了有关天国的一个主要讲话。在理论上,如果能证明马太确实曾经这样做,可以接受这观点的一部份,但要证明却极为困难。

传统的观点是这信息是耶稣亲自宣告的,只要平实地阅读文本便能得到支持。这经文的开始说耶稣教训他们说......接着的教导,主题也和天国相关,然后马太说祂说完了。对于那些相信圣经历史真实性的人,他们肯定马太或别的圣经作者的著作,如果经文明言教导的地点或时间,那里就是宣讲信息的地方;若没有着明,那材料就可能是编辑而成。若说耶稣在山上宣讲这信息,这并不代表耶稣宣讲时就是用这些字,马太将耶稣的讲章翻译成希腊文,他极可能将部份内容浓缩,并用自己的措词写出来,又或许为部份内容加上一些澄清性的数据。若和路加福音或福音书中的其他教导相比较,这情况是会出现的。但我们也可以肯定耶稣很可能在加利利传道时,很频繁地宣讲这些主题,所以他们的记忆会反映这些再三重复的主题。总括来说,要研读耶稣的宣讲和教导,是相当复杂和难以确定的。我们将在这系列的末端,当总结读这卷书的各种问题时,再返回这话题(历史评鉴)。现在,我会说我相信读者应该有信心这些确实是耶稣的教导,当出现「耶稣说」,不论是一模一样或是一个总结(如马太福音4:17的处理),马太记录登山宝训,是在圣灵的引导下写成。故此,这几章经文所写的是真实的,也确实是耶稣宣讲时的教导。

2有大量关于登山宝训的文献,你可按你的时间开始阅读,但必须留意不要过度简化了登山宝训的意义和性质。这篇文章只是简略的诠释。

3 「末世论」是关于末后的事,这部份教义会处理那将要来的事,例如基督的再来、审判和永恒状态。它主要和弥赛亚的事情相关,那就是耶稣将要承就的所有事情。

4你可以从你手上的资源开始,或许是一本好的字典或注释书。假如你希望研经,投资小许金钱购买神学辞典,帮助明白字词和神学思想的意义,定能大有裨益。以下两套书:Colin Brown’s (editor) set for the New Testament, 和 Willem van Gemeren’s (editor) for the Old Testament.各都有数册,可在新约和旧约字义上提供帮助。在这系列的末端还有一些工具书的介绍。

5 译者注:马太福音5:5 温柔的人和诗篇37:11 受困苦的人,英文同样是 the meek

6 译者注:民数记12:3和马太福音 5:5温柔的人和谦和英文同样是 meek

8. 真正的虔诚 (马太福音 6:1-18)

Related Media

这课的经文在登山宝训的中央,主题侧重个人的虔诚,包括施舍、祈祷和禁食等领域。 初读这经文给人的感觉是耶稣基本的教导是避免以宗教行为作为炫耀,而是讨神喜悦。

这段经文并没有叙述故事,全是教导,故此研读经文的途径是将各部分的重点辨晰,包括甚么要避免的、甚么是应该做的、...、最后是做对了的奖赏承诺。 耶稣的意思非常明显,应该很容易学习

这经文因在祷告的教导中包含「主祷文」,故此需要多加注意。 「主祷文」本身可以是独立的一课,但参考上下文的教导来研读却很有帮助。 在主祷文中,每一项祈求都要按福音书的处境和旧约背景小心解读。 在这里,字义和语法结构都需要多加注意。

阅读经文

6:1 「小心,不可展示你们的善行,为了让人看见;若是这样,就不能得你们天父的赏赐了。

2 所以,你们施舍的时候,不可大吹大擂,像那些伪君子在会堂里和街道上所行的,故意要得人的赞许。 我实在告诉你们,他们已经得了他们的赏赐。 3 你们施舍的时候,不要叫左手知道右手所作的, 4 要叫你施舍的事行在隐密中,你父在隐密中察看,必然赏赐你。

5 「你们祷告的时候,不可像那些伪君子,因为他们爱站在会堂里和街角上祷告,故意叫人看见。 我实在告诉你们,他们已经得了他们的赏赐。 6 你祷告的时候,要进你的内室,关上门,在隐密中祷告你们的父。 你父在隐密中察看,必然赏赐你。 7 当你们祷告的时候,不可像外邦人一样唠唠叨叨,他们以为话多了必蒙垂听。 8 你们不可效法他们,因为你们没有祈求以先,你们的父早已知道你们所需用的。 9 所以你们要这样祷告:

『我们在天上的父,愿人都尊你的名为圣,

10 愿你的国降临。

愿你的旨意行在地上,如同行在天上。

11 我们日用的饮食,今日赐给我们,

12 免我们的债,如同我们免了人的债。

13 不叫我们遇见试探,救我们脱离那恶者。 』

14 「你们若饶恕人的过犯,你们的天父也必饶恕你们; 15 你们若不饶恕别人,你们的天父也必不饶恕你们的过犯。

16 「你们禁食的时候,不可愁眉不展,像那些伪君子,因为他们把脸弄得难看,故意叫人看出他们在禁食。 我实在告诉你们,他们已经得了他们的赏赐。 17 你们禁食的时候,要梳头洗脸, 18 不叫人轻易看出你们在禁食,只叫你们在隐密中的父看见。 你们的父在暗中察看,必然赏赐你。

观察经文

首先,我们可观察到这经文全是命令和指示,故此研读这篇章相当简单直接,课题清晰:我们该做甚么和不该做甚么,并给出遵从命令的理由。 研读这些命令困难的地方是如何应用,因为很多时命令被特定的上下文束缚(例:「去把身体给祭司察看」,幸而这里没有这样的束缚)、近似情况的平行经文、现代文化的需要。 这些命令是处理个人虔诚,可以直接应用。

这是登山宝训的一部分,故此,我们必须牢记整个登山宝训的讲话。 登山宝训包含多个教导,那为何我们在这里选取这三项呢? 按其主题,这三项似乎十分契合,若要多加一些其它部分十分容易,但这三项可以很好地结合起来成为个人敬虔的单元(相对于第五章的「你们听见有话说」并不相同)。 当我们抽出这部分来研读时,我们必须紧记上下文可以帮助我们诠释经文的意义。 例如:如果你试着了解耶稣所说的「您的国降临」或「赏赐你」,若以登山宝训作为上下文来理解,十分有帮助。

这篇章很容易分为三部分:施舍、祷告和禁食。 这次的研读(或篇章的其他教导)可以逐个部分独立处理,最后以敬虔作一个整体性的结论。 研读过程包括分析句子结构、字义、和其它经文的关联、考虑一般性的文化背景,并作出神学结论和应用。

主题

这几段经文的共同题材很容易就被识别出来 – 你就是只在教会里听这几段经文颂读出来,你也会得到那些基本要点。 耶稣警告群众不要把义行刻意让别人看见;祂的指示是义行若单单为神而作,不为渴求别人的认同和赏识而受污染,神会给予奖赏,这是真正的敬虔。 若刻意把义行做在人前,便已经得到了所有的奖赏。 因此,耶稣的指示是不要夸耀,把好行为暗地里做,以确保为神而作。 祂的三个例子是个人敬虔的核心:施舍、祷告和禁食。 就是警告,也给予耶稣为这三个课题给予指示。

施舍的指示

文本: 首四节 涵盖了施舍或周济穷人这主题。 这几节经文的结构很简单:第一节是总引言,不单为这施舍部份的引言,也是下文的引子。 基本的警告是不要将义行在人前行,让人看到,否则,你将得不到赏赐。 当然很多好行为都有需要公开,耶稣在这里所说的是行善的动机,不要把善行做在别人的跟前,让别人认为你是属灵的。 这是虚伪的其中一种形式,这动机表示你对行善并不是真的感到兴趣,你只是看似做善事,作自我推销。 神察看我们的心思意念来评价我们手所作的工。

第二节是警告施舍时,不要像假冒为善的人一般。 第三节是正面的教导,施舍的行为要在暗中做,而第四节是赏赐。

施舍 :施舍这主题实在不需要太多的研读,它本身的含意不言而喻。 但透过读经能帮助我们认识这课题的重要性。 今天,尤其是富裕社会,有一种要放弃施舍的趋势,因他们认为那些贫穷的人只是过于懒惰,他们应该勤力些;又或许施舍是政府的责任;也有人认为施舍是一个永无止境的事情,不管怎么做,也没有甚么帮助等等。 人总能找到不同的借口来避免实践这属灵责任。 成功神学也为这想法提供理由,它教导人若有信心,便会富裕,因神希望祂的儿女富足。 我们不在这里处理这个神学问题,只想说它并不平行。 最使我困扰的,是那些基督徒富人和成功人士列队在电视清谈节目中示众,好像他们是属灵的一群,得到神的祝福。 也许他们是蒙福的,但耶稣警告这类炫耀展示,它使人迷失。

那么在这段经文耶稣要说甚么呢? 我们可能从第一世纪犹太文化找到一点点帮助。 有好些关于风俗习惯和礼仪的书籍是值得拥有,但你仍然可以从一本好的圣经字典开始,阅读有关禁食和施舍等等。 一本古老著作:犹太史学家艾得闪的弥赛亚耶稣基督的生平与时代》(The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim )对我来说,仍然非常有用。 虽然一些犹太文化背景常被批评,但整体上它的解释似乎正确。 你需要使用它的圣经索引来查考段落,因为它的编排是按照耶稣生平事件的先后次序,而不是按福音书的章节作排列。 稍后,我在参考书目将加上其他建议。

所以耶稣说,当人们把钱捐给穷人时,他们不应该「大吹大擂」,就如那些为了要得到别人表扬的假冒为善的人( 6:2-4 )。 翻译作「大吹大擂」的原文用语,在文献中可找到多重意义,但没有可从主要来源中被肯定的。 能够肯定的一点是那些假冒为善的慈善家,他们的着眼点是让人知道他们的义行过于帮助穷人。

一个非常合理的建议是这种形式的施予,与使用吹号宣告的公开斋戒连在一起,在那禁食的时候,祷文在大街上诵读,施舍是为了确保祷告和禁食的功效。1 这意味着这种人选择最适当的时机,以显示他们的「慷慨」,让人认为他们真的很属灵。 这种人也欺骗了自己,自以为他们所行的是为了神和人的最大利益,他们的巨大捐献会到达有需要的人的手中,而他们得到的表扬和感激,使他们的自尊心感到满足,别人会因他们的行动视他们为「虔诚」。 2 但耶稣却命令我们不要这样做,这样做的人是虚伪的,他们不会从神得到奖赏。

你或许希望在词典或圣经字典查「伪君子」,不是为了查它的意义  我认为我们都相当清楚伪君子的意义  而是查看耶稣在哪些地方谈论伪君子。 他们基本上是说的、做的是一套,但心中另有盘算。 在这里,那些施舍给穷人的人(他们可能很慷慨)被称为伪君子,因为他们的施予别有目的。 他们并不真诚,只是一场属灵表演。 有很多人对穷人的施予,只因他们热衷于得到别人的赞许和被他人认为他们是慷慨的和属灵的。 耶稣说,如果你的施予是为了这些赞誉,那便是你所得到的所有奖赏了。 享受它。

奖赏 :早晚你也需要处理圣经里「奖赏」这课题。 这是一个不容易处理的难题。 一方面圣经告诫人不要为了称赞和表扬而行这些事,但另一方面它又教导人为奖赏而作,就如奥运选手摘桂冠。 为了得奖赏或赞许而行义并没有毛病,只是你要寻求从神而来的奖赏。 有人说真正的虔诚是指做事时,不考虑任何奖赏,这说法值得商榷,因为当圣经指示我们行义时,总提及从天父而来的奖赏。 义行需要一些激励,我们的底线是我们的动机主要是为了蒙神喜悦。 我们怎知道我们已经蒙神喜悦呢? 透过神说:「良善忠心的仆人,做得好。 」或如鲁益司(C. S. Lewis)的描述:神拍拍你的肩头。 这便和教会其他人给你的称颂和把你看为高于你所当看的很不一样了。

事实上,在马太福音第六章那紧接着我们研读的经文,耶稣命令我们把财宝积存在天上( 6:19-21 )因为财宝在那里,心也在那里。 研读圣经关于奖赏的教导,会帮助你多从天国这国度里更大的位份和责任去思想,而不是单单看物质上的拥有。 在那国度,神使一切都恰当,这包括彰显和赏赐公义的行为。 相关的经文给人的印象是那将要来的世界,有一个按人在这生基于忠信而服侍和责任范畴的等级制度。

因此,耶稣说当你们周济穷人时,就周济穷人,要暗中做,不要让大众知道和为你喝采,就连那穷人都无需知道帮助从你而来。 少担心别人怎样看你,或看重穷人心中有多少感激之情,过于你要为穷人作些甚么。 假如为神的缘故成了你施舍的动力,世人怎么看便不再重要了。 麻烦的地方只因我们是人,我们都希望得到别人的正面评价,或因我们所做的得到别人的认同。 但在基督教世界中,我们最好还是将评价和奖赏留给神处置,以至我们的施舍成为义行。 假如你作了一些好的事情而教会并没一如既往地吹嘘,不用担心,假如你是为神而作的,祂已看见,并将会赐下奖赏。

关于祈祷的指示

文本。 这是三个部分中最长的部分,因为它包含了主祷文。 5-8节与第一部份结构平行:祷告部份中包含警告,不要像假冒为善的人一般(第5节);属灵祷告的指示(第6节);第二个警告,不要像外邦异教徒般祷告(第7 节);解释怎样才算属灵的祷告(第8节)。

接着的部份,第 9-15 节是主祷文。 因这几节经文的格式和这个段落的其他经文截然不同,所以很多圣经学者得出的结论是:这几节经文是从耶稣有关祷告的教导取材,在后期才加上去的(也许是马太自己加的)。 这不是不可能,只要弄清楚这是耶稣的教导,便不是问题。 但如我在以前提及,这种说法并没有全然的证据。 耶稣给门徒祷告的指示,在路加福音第十一章也记载了一部份,显然登山宝训的教导,耶稣一次又一次在其它地方作教导,这便是一个很好的例子。

主祷文以对神的称谓作开端,接着是六项请求,其中三项是为神的荣耀而求,而另三项则是为了我们的需要。 在祷文后的两节经文,是为祈求宽恕作进一步的解释。

像伪君子的祷告 。 耶稣说伪君子爱站在会堂和街角让人看到他祷告(马太福音6:5)。 在这里耶稣也形容有人刻意让其他人知道他祷告,他或许真诚地祷告、或许不是。 耶稣并非要禁止公祷,他只是批评那些伪善者的祷告动机。 君王在这里再次谴责任何为了别人的看法而进行的宗教行为。 在谴责中,耶稣再次嘲讽他们「已得到了他们的奖赏。 」

祈祷是祷告者和神之间的属灵行为。 滥用祷告作为一场表演,使祷告失去了意义。 所以在第六节,耶稣命令祷告者要走进房内(不在街上),让祷告成为你和神之间私下的事情(不让他人看到)。 一个好的测试是:如果有人经常在公开场合、在台上、在人群前祷告,但私下在家里却不祷告,那么,这人的祷告动机便可能出错了。

在别的地方耶稣再进一步,祂说法利赛人到殿里祷告,他站立「为自己祷告:『神阿,我感谢你,我不像别人、勒索、不义、奸淫、也不像这个税吏。 我一个礼拜禁食两次,凡我所得的,都捐上十分之一。 』」(路加福音18:11-12)。 耶稣说这人不会被神称为义,因为凡自高的,必降为低。 这样的人,在他们的公开表演中已获得他的赏赐。 神并不认为这等行为是义行。

像外邦人的祷告 。 在马太福音6:7,耶稣还提及有人祷告时,仍像外邦人一样唠唠叨叨,以为他们多说了、重复一些字或空洞的声音,便会得到垂听。 耶稣并非斥责很长的祷告或重复的祷告,两者在耶稣的祷告中都能找到,祂所批评的,是祷告的态度像外邦人,以为透过一些如念咒般或重复的声音(像列王纪上十八章的巴力的先知),神便被他们操纵或诱使成就他们所祈求的。 就是现今世代,也有人陷入这种心态,认为冗长和重复的祈祷便能上达于神;又或使用连续、空洞的声音促使他们能说方言或更高层次地与神交通。 这些都太像异教徒操纵他们的神祇。

祷告上达于神不需要这些,神并不表扬这些行径,亦不 需要无休止的详细数据。 耶稣说这一切都要避免,也不要想冗长的祈祷或加添空洞的话是「可行」的。 耶稣说:「因为你们没有祈求以先,你们的父早已知道你们所需用的。 」

或许你希望在这里将新约与祷告相关的教导加入你的研习中,或许你会决定作另一个研习,因为这课题太阔了。 不管怎么样,都可从新约神学词典(例如白高伦Colin Brown著作)看看祷告这课题所包含的篇章与讨论。 然而有一项和这经文相关的忠告:「不住的祷告」(帖撒罗尼迦前书5:16-18),它怎样和耶稣的警告「不要尝试以又长又重复的祷告来上达于神」得以协调呢? 好吧,我们会马上说「不住的祷告」并不可盲目地按字面解释,否则你将会一生除了祷告便不作甚么了。 但它亦可按字面解作要有连续性的祷告,这是属灵生活中不止息的操练。 每当基督徒遇到需要、问题、困境或世局的问题,就该祷告,这是自然反应。 曾有一位牧者说它就像干咳,只要受到某种刺激,就会咳起来。 这并非一个不好的例子。 祷告的重点是基督徒和天父在生活各个环节的自然沟通。

祷告的指引:主祷文 。 在这段经文中,我们有主祷文。 祷文以对神的称谓作开始,并且有六项请求:三项是为神了的荣耀(基本的),另三项是为了我们自己的好处(最终使神得荣耀)。

称谓 。 「我们在天上的父」对我们这些门徒或信徒来说,意思十分明显,因在这段经文以外,耶稣经常使用「我的父」或「父」来称呼神。 相对于耶稣,我们使用「父」一词时存在极大差异。 当耶稣使用「父」或「我的父」时,祂宣称祂和父的独特关系,祂享有父相同的本质。 当我们使用「父」时,我们被提醒我们已过继到天父的大家庭,与基督 – 那真正的儿子–同作后嗣。

从神学的角度而言,把「神」称为「父」,这称谓也很有趣。 在我们被卷入现代试图把圣经语言「中性化」的旋涡之前,必须确定在一般情况下希伯来文化和希伯来文中「父」的意义。 它清楚表明神是创造主,是所有受造物的掌权者,生命的供应者、赋予者,立约的神... 在这里仅举几个隐含的意义。 我们必须以严肃的态度来面对耶稣教导我们这样称呼神。 当我们祷告时,我们都代入了别的称谓,例如:主、永恒的神、满有安慰的神等等,这些都不是问题,但假如我们对神的称谓让人对神的本质产生错误印象,便有问题了。 这也是一个很大的课题,应另觅时间处理。

然而天上和父的平行,也是有趣的神学。 称神为天上的父是强调神的超越性;神并非地上泥土造的,或出于这世界的物质;神在天上,故此「父」明显是比喻;神和地上的父亲并不一样,祂是完美的、属天的、崇高的。 另外,把天上的神称为「我们的父」也强调神是无处不在,神和我们相关连,就在近处、和蔼可亲。 所以如果你想学习这个祷告所含的神学,你会涉及一个相当广阔(和有收获的)研究。

在主祷文中最后的颂荣,通常被认为是后来加到文本:「因为国度、权柄、荣耀,全是你的,直到永远。 阿们。 」这并非单纯文学批判的评审,这理论就是在没有证据的情况下,也把这里或那里也被说成必然是加添上去的。 在这里虽然在最早的希腊文手抄本中并没有颂荣部分,但实质上使用颂荣并没有什么毛病,因为这颂荣部分来自圣经启示录。 早期教会在他们的崇拜常使用很多不同的颂荣,在这里也使用颂荣亦很恰当。 3

第一个请求 是「愿人都尊你的名为圣。 」在这里你要研读两个课题:「圣」的意义和「名」的意义。 这当然不能离开旧约的背景,因耶稣教导主祷文时,是以圣经为背景。 你会发现「圣」的字义是「分别出来,独一无二、独特」,而「名」若指向神时,是指祂的特征和属性,而不是人名(例如:他的名称为奇妙策士、全能的神、永在我父、和平的君)。 你可以透过资源来阅读这两个概念(可参尹格文尼van Gemeren 编辑的书)。

这请求并不是请求神成为圣,而是请求祂的本质和声誉在世上被视为神圣(被分别出来)。 从基本来说,当祂成就祂的应许、祂显示祂的道是好的和祂是可信的,祂的名便应被称颂。

这请求的背景可能是来自以西结书36章。 在那里主说以色列人所到之处都玷污主的名;当时他们被掳,神的应许成疑,祂拯救的能力被挑战。 故此,主宣告引领他们归回本地,并不是因为他们配得的,而是因主的名受损–「为了祂的名的缘故」(我们在祷告时的常用语)。 神会成就祂的应许来挽救祂的声誉。 人的罪干扰了神的计划,信心看似无能为力,也使神看似平凡,但神不会置之不理。 所以祷告时请求「愿人都尊你的名为圣」是请求成就祂所有的话,以致人人都知道祂与别不同,祂是圣洁的主、圣洁的神。

第二个请求 是「愿你的国降临」。 这请求接着上一个请求是很合理的,当神的国度完全降临时,神就会被人看到祂所说的全都可信,因此这请求的终极期望是这世代臻至完满。

诚然,我们主的国度已然开始了,所有信的人已经在这个国度里,主基督已坐在至高者的右边;我们亦谈及我们的君王 、扩展国度和高歌祂的统治。 但这只是一个开始,因为神的国度并未完全降临。 主并未完全以公义与和平统治全世界,罪仍然比比皆是。 因此希伯来书的作者解释应许的完全应验尚未来临(希伯来书第一章)。 终有一天,父将会对子说:「你求我,我就将列国赐你为基业」(诗篇第二篇)。 那时祂会带同弥赛亚第二次来到世上(希伯来书1:6),但不再是羞辱与牺牲,而是在荣耀中降临。 所以这祷告实质上是请求基督的第二次降临,而一切亦随之而来。

第三个请求 是「愿你的旨意行在地上,如同行在天上。 」这是请求神带来祂在历史中对公义的要求,完完全全如在天上的公义。 事实上,除了从这时到那时,从这里到那里的一点点顺服,神的旨意并未在世上被执行。 我们祈求,也衷心地期盼基督把最后的敌人都歼灭。 但在那时之前,我们必须忍受这个世界仍由罪、疾病和死亡掌管。

当然,这祈求提醒我们要如我们所求,行神的旨意,否则,便是伪君子。 确实有很多祷告,祈祷者成了祷告应验的一部份。 这原理在头三项请求都是真实的,当我们为神的荣耀而请求世上重大改变,这些请求也确实如许地应用在我们身上。 作为神的子民,我们要如此行来荣耀祂的名(确保神的声誉在我们的生活方式被维护),顺服祂的管治(显示对祂效忠),行神的旨意(研读圣经,明白和行神的旨意)。

第四个请求 是「我们日用的饮食,今日赐给我们」。 最后三个请求是当人们等待那完美的世代来临前,为人们的好处而求。 后三个请求的第一个请求,焦点是求神供应我们每日所需(不是为了贪心)。 原文所用的字是「面包」,当然是修辞技巧–提喻法(synecdoche,以部份代表全部),即我们基本所需的食物。

那么,当我们有稳定的收入,家中常常有粮时,我们为何要这样请求? 嗯,这是一个卑微的请求,旨在确保我们每一天都铭记着我们的信和对神信赖的态度。 当我们富足,有远远超过我们所需时,我们会忘记在生活上每日倚靠神。 另一相关的经文,应与这请求一起读的,是申命记第8章,它警告我们在我们安定、舒适、富裕的日子,不要把神遗忘。

所以,这项请求是求神在我们在世上作客旅时,提供我们每日的生计。

第五个请求 是「免我们的债,如同我们免了人的债。 」在原文这个请求与上一个和下一个请求有连接词把它们连接在一起,好像说单求日用的饮食并不足够,毕竟,人活着不是单靠食物,所以我们把它们联合起来。

此项请求承认我们每个人都因为罪和罪的后果亏欠神,而至重要的是一切都被原谅。 没有一日、一小时或光阴流逝中,我们能够不犯罪。 当我们宣告透过基督的宝血,我们被买赎和罪得赦免,我们仍必须与主维持属灵关系,服侍祂、与祂团契。 故此恒常在祷告中求赦免是绝对必须的。

但耶稣在这请求加上了条件:「 如同我们免了人的债。 」,这却叫我们停下来。 我们必须拥有一种使罪可以得到赦免的态度:对那些明白罪被赦免的人的自然反应是宽恕他人;拒绝宽恕他人的人并不明白。 不肯宽恕他人的人态度傲慢,他们并不代表我们这些共同承认需要宽恕的。 他们像扮演神的角色。 耶稣在这里似乎说不肯饶恕他人的,不被饶恕,他们自义和摆出不需要被赦免的姿态。 但当我们求主宽恕我们,我们应为赦宥感恩,我们和他人相交时,分享这精神。

这请求,关乎我们这些悔罪并宣认信仰的信徒相互之间的关系和群体生活。 耶稣进一步在第14至15节解释,这显示祂多认真地要我们互相宽恕。 但我们得承认,在这范畴上,我们跌倒。 没有任何一个人希望神给我们的宽恕如我们在教会对他人的宽恕一般。 当我们祈求神的宽恕时,让我们反省我们怎样宽恕他人。

最后一个请求 是关于我们和邪恶之间的冲突:「 不叫我们遇见试探,救我们脱离那恶者。 」传统的翻译是「试探」,在今天的敬拜中仍常被使用。 第一印象觉得不应是「试探」,因为圣经说神不能被恶试探,祂也不试探人,故此不需要这祈求。 也许应按最基本的字义译作「不叫我们遇见测试∕考验」,然而「试探」亦非在意义上全无关连。 在这里可以某程度上结合两个概念,如果我们祈求神使我们不遇见考验,我们祈求的便是希望神不作一些经文说祂经常有的作为。 其中一个很好的例子(在旧约中有很多例子)记载在出埃及记第十五章,在旷野,神把子民引领到水苦之处考验他们,他们发怨言,他们犯罪。 神引领他们接受考验,但他们面对考验时,他们的的反应含罪性,故此两者之间有微细的分别。 但没有人可以说是神使我犯罪,或把我带进试探中;但我们却可以说神把我们放在一些处境来证明我们的信。

耶稣教导我们祈求神不要引领我们到太严峻的处境接受测试,以致我们跌倒,落入罪的网罗。 接着的祈求:「救我们脱离那恶者」,是希望得最终胜过世上的罪恶、或更正确地「胜过那恶者」。 撒旦时常在人面对考验时等待他的机会,若在测试中表现出失去信心,就是向那恶者屈服。 这祷告的焦点是属灵的胜利,胜过世上的罪恶。

附加荣颂 (很多现代的译本没有这部份)很可能是基于神三位一体的特性。 所以有三个请求,求天父赐粮,求基督透过赎罪祭赐宽恕和求圣灵引领胜过罪恶。

关于禁食的指 示

文本 。 第三部份是关于禁食。 这里再使用相同的格式:首先是警告,不应该做甚么(第16节),接着是该怎样做和赏赐(第17)。

禁食 。 耶稣在这里批评的伪善行径是伪装的脸容作为一场公开表演,让人看到一副禁食者的脸容而认为这人很属灵(6:16)。 这或许是最严重的虚伪行为,因为禁食是在神面前谦卑的象征,而不是自我吹嘘的机会。

禁食在以色列有特别的目的 ,是对肉身和物质需要说「不」,以达至将一切聚焦在属灵的事情上。 这种形式用来表达这是生命中最重要的祷告或悔改。 律法要求以色列人在赎罪日禁食(利未记16:29-31,23:27-32,民数记29:7);被掳回归后,还加添了一些禁食的日期(参撒迦利亚书7:3; 8:19)。 但人民可在任何有需要的时候禁食和祷告(参约拿书3)。 私下禁食可在任何有特别的请求时进行。 耶稣自己在野外禁食和祷告四十昼夜。

在旧约,虚伪的禁食被指摘(以赛亚书 58:3-7耶利米书 14:12 和撒迦利亚书 7:5-6 )。 宣布禁食却不是为了生命的改变,便错过了重点。 人们不可以为禁食一日或一个月(如大斋期),便能把一切回复平行。 禁食应该产生追求公义的持久影响。 今天的教会并不常禁食,这有点可惜。 假如禁食的意义被真正理解和正确地进行,对灵性有益处;但禁食普遍被看为假装。 当然在禁食前狂欢与淫荡,则绝对是腐败的异教行为,把禁食的意义完全摧毁。

明显地,从我们所读到第一世纪的背景,法利赛人中确有装扮成忧郁、沮丧,一段时间内不洗去身上的灰或不抹油。 他们的目的是要告诉别人他们十分敬虔,但在神眼中这些却没有价值。

耶稣说,当我们禁食的时候如平时一般要洗脸和抹油, 这样别人就不会看到我们正在禁食,只有天父看见,祂会奖赏义行。

结论及其应 用

在这里无须再逐点重申,因这课的教导十分清晰,也是痛苦的一课。 我们的宗教行为到底有多少是基于别人的观点与影响? 也许我们当中绝大部份重视别人怎样看过于全能的神的观点! 尽管某程度上我们可以理解为何我们更留意别人的看法,这想法绝对过份。 这不正是问题所在吗? 我们应该愈来愈注重神怎样看我们手所作的工。

在人前表现出正义并不是我们的工作,相反,我们的任务是要讨王喜悦,这是登山宝训的伦理。 假如我们选择讨人喜悦,我们从中所享受的,便是所有的赏赐;但如果我们选择讨神喜悦,就是别人一无所知,我们将在天堂的审判桌前得到赞赏与赏赐。

这正是主祷文在这段经文中这么重要的缘故。 当我们按这经文祈祷时,我们是寻求神的旨意和按天父旨意而行。 我们每日按这主题祷告,我们对祈祷、禁食和施予给穷人的理解和动机,将达到一个更高的层次。 可是在我们内心仍会不停挣扎,也和环绕我们的人的期望挣扎,毕竟我们是人。


1 A. Buchler, “St. Matthew vi 1-6 and Other Allied Passages,” Journal of Theological Studies 10 (1909):266-270.

2 D. A. Spieler, “Hypocrisy: An Exploration of a Third Type,” Andrews University Seminary Studies 13 (1975):273-279.

3 有人争论有手抄本证明,有一节经文是后来才加上去的。 故此理论上,在其他地方亦可能有这种情况发生,但我们却缺乏这说法的最基本证据。 这并不是正确的释经方法(研读经文,从经文中得出解释,而不是把读者的想法加诸经文)。 事实上,有不少证据显示批评者希望在没有丝毫支持的证据,作出的重大修改,特别是关于他们所提出各书卷都是较后期的早期教会作品。

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