摘錄自《羅馬書註釋》The Epistle to the Romans, 約翰慕理（John Murray）著/林慈信譯
Excerpt from: John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans,
3:25-26
羅馬書三章25-26節 ：
25 上帝設立耶穌作挽回祭，是憑著耶穌帝血，藉著人的信，要顯明上帝的義。因為祂用忍耐的心，寬容人先時所犯的罪。
26
好在今時顯明祂的義，使人知道祂自己為義，也稱信耶穌的人為義。
在25節中，上帝為我們預備的「稱義」，可從另一個角度理解，就是「挽回祭」的觀念。「贖罪」解決「捆綁」的問題，是上帝提供的恩典，釋放我們脫離捆綁。而「挽回祭」要解決的乃是我們面對上帝忿怒的問題；是上帝提供的恩典，使我們從祂的忿怒下釋放。保羅用這個觀念來說明上帝為使我們稱義所提供的恩典，完全與整本《羅馬書》的教導相符合。因為他開始確詮釋救恩時，就宣告全人類都服在罪之下﹕「原來上帝的忿怒，從天上顯明在一切不虔不義的人身上…。」（1﹕18）因此，我們不應被這個「挽回」的觀念絆倒；其實我們應該預期，保羅就是要用這個最適合解決人服在上帝忿怒之下的觀念，來形容上帝提供的恩典，和為此恩典訂出定義。
In verse 25 we have another category in terms
of which the provision which God has made for our justification is viewed. It is that of propitiation. Redemption contemplates our bondage and is
the provision of grace to release us from that bondage. Propitiation contemplates our liability to
the wrath of God and is the provision of grace whereby we may be freed form
that wrath. It is wholly consonant with
Paul’s teaching in this epistle that he should enunciate the provision of God’s
grace unto our justification in this way.
For he had begun his demonstration that the whole human race is under
sin with the affirmation that “the wrath of God is revealed form heaven upon
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (1:18). And instead of stumbling at this concept of
propitiation we should rather anticipate that the precise category suited to
the need and liability created by the wrath of God would be enlisted to
describe or define the provision of God’s grace.
雖然這個字在《新約聖經》只出現過兩次，另外一次（來9﹕5）明顯是指施恩座（即至聖所裏約櫃的上蓋），可是我們有足夠的理由相信，在這處是指「挽回祭」，按照約壹2﹕2；4﹕10；來2﹕17的用法（參﹕路18﹕13；來8﹕12）。保羅說，基督做了「挽回祭」。
Although the word used here by the
apostle occurs only twice in the New Testament and in the other instance (Heb.
9:5) plainly means the mercy-seat, the covering of the ark of the covenant in
the most holy place, yet there is good reason for believing that in this case
it means “propitiatory offering” and is to be interpreted after the analogy of
I John 2:2; 4:10; Heb. 2:17 (cf. Luke 18:13; Heb. 8:12). Christ is therefore said to have been a
propitiatory sacrifice.
我們必須謹慎留意經文的用詞。這裏不是說，基督把自己獻上作為挽回祭，雖然這說法符合《聖經》的教導。我們注意到，是上帝設立祂作挽回祭，而既然說到「上帝」與「基督」兩個位格，設立基督作挽回祭的就是父上帝（參﹕5﹕8，10；8﹕3；林前8﹕6；林後5﹕18，19；弗4﹕4-6；來2﹕10-13）。忽略父上帝在提供救贖的角色，乃違背《聖經》的原則；而若認為基督介入神人之間，成就了挽回祭，因而感動父上帝施行恩典憐憫的話，更是扭曲真理。保羅這裏表明父上帝主動採取了這項行動。挽回祭所成就的恩典，是父提供的。
The precise language of the text is
to be carefully observed. It is not said
here that Christ gave himself a propitiatory sacrifice, though such language
would have been in accord with the teaching of Scripture. Our attention is drawn to the fact that God
set him forth a propitiatory sacrifice, and since the person in view is thus
distinguished from Christ it is God the Father who is represented as setting
him forth (cf. 5:8, 10; 8:3; I Cor. 8:6; II Cor. 5:18, 19; Eph. 4:4-6; Heb.
2:10-13). It is quite alien to biblical
thought to overlook the agency of God the father in the provisions of
redemption and it is perversion to represent the Father as won over to the
exercise of grace and mercy by the intervention of Christ’s propitiatory
accomplishment. Paul here represents the
Father as taking the initiative in this action and as making the provision by
which propitiation was wrought.
「設立」這個字，最適合表達這一點；它的意思可能是「定意」，如在羅1﹕13；弗1﹕9的用法。但是本段的上下文和其他希臘文文獻指出，這裏的意思是「公開設立」。動詞是反身式的，因此暗示保羅在強調，上帝為自己設立了挽回祭。這完全符合整段經文的意思，並符合保羅書信其他地方的教導。這提醒我們，上帝藉提供挽回祭來滿足自己的條件和要求。就算我們不在動詞的反身式上大作文章，我們也能看出，父上帝設立基督作挽回祭，以顯明祂的義，就說明了同一個道理。挽回祭，是指向上帝的。當然，人獲得了最高的益處；可是在滿足人的好處之同時，上帝成就了祂自己的需求。我們並不需要猜測這需求是什麼﹕上帝設立挽回祭，是為了顯明自己的義。
The term rendered “set forth” may most
properly bear this signification. It
could mean “purposed” as in 1:13; Ephesians 1:9. But the context and the usage in other Greek
sources would indicate that the thought is that of public setting forth. The form suggests that there may be the
reflexive idea and in that event some emphasis would fall upon the fact that
God set forth for himself a propitiation.
This thought is admirably in accord with the total purport of the
passage and of the apostle’s teaching elsewhere; it would be a reminder to us
that divine interests or exigencies are fulfilled by the propitiatory
provision. While, however, we may not
press this significance of the verb itself, the same thought is conveyed by the
fact that God the Father set forth Christ a propitiation to show forth his
righteousness. The propitiation has a
Godward reference. The interests of men
are, of course, promoted to the highest degree, but in realizing these
interests exigencies of divine import are conserved. We are not left to surmise what these are –
the setting forth was to the end of demonstrating God’s righteousness.
若認為25節這裏的「上帝的義」，就是構成我們「稱義」的義（參﹕21，
22節；1﹕17），是符合這段經文的思路的。因為事實上，上帝藉這挽回祭公開顯明了祂的義；因此可以說，挽回祭是為了我們稱義。挽回祭成就了使我們稱義的義；因此，可以視挽回祭是為了顯明我們的義。可是有其他令人信服的理由，叫我們相信這裏「上帝的義」是指上帝自己正直公義的屬性，如本章5節。
It would not be incongruous with
the thought of this passage if we regarded “the righteousness of God” referred
to here in verse 25 as the righteousness of God that is constitutive of our
justification, as in verses 21, 22 and 1:17.
For it is true that this righteousness is openly set forth in the
propitiation and the propitiation could be viewed as directed to that end. The propitiation effects our justifying
righteousness and therefore may be construed as our righteousness
exhibited. But there are compelling
reasons for thinking that the righteousness of God in this case is the attribute
of justice, as in verse 5.
（一）在26節，保羅回到這節的考慮；他告訴我們，上帝顯明自己的義是為了什麼目的﹕是為叫「他自己為義，也稱信耶穌的人為義。」這裏暗示著這兩節所指的需求，即﹕上帝在稱罪人為義這事上，自己同時是公義的。在上帝設立挽回祭這件事上，兩件事結合起來﹕上帝的公義，和罪人被稱為義。「好叫上帝自己為義」所暗示的公義，不可能是指﹕成就我們稱義的「義」，即我們稱義的本質的「義」。這裏的用詞說明，「上帝的義」是指上帝本性中的公義，它在任何條件下都不可違背；在稱罪人為義這事上，它必須被保存，必須被證明是正義的。這就說明，25節說，被顯明的公義，和26節說的，就是上帝本性中的公義。
(1) In verse 26 Paul returns to this same
consideration and informs us specifically of the end to which this
demonstration of righteousness is directed; it is to the end “that he may be
just and the justifier of him who is of the faith of Jesus.” This intimates that the exigency in view is
the justice of God in the justification of sinners. In the provisions of propitiation two things
cohere and coalesce, the justice of God and the justification of the
ungodly. This justice of God implied in
the expression, “that he might be just” cannot be the righteousness of God that
is operative unto and constitutive of our justification. The form of the expression shows that it is
the inherent righteousness of God that cannot be violated on any account and
must be vindicated and conserved in the justification of sinners. This shows that the righteousness
contemplated in the demonstration in verse 25, as well as in verse 26, is the
inherent justice of God.
（二）我們不僅在26節知道，上帝顯明這公義是為了什麼目的；25節也告訴我們，公義的顯明為什麼是必需的﹕「因為祂用忍耐的心，寬容人先時所犯的罪。」《使徒行傳》兩處記載了保羅的講道（14﹕16；17﹕30），指出「上帝的忍耐」是什麼意思。他是指上帝「在從前的世代，任憑萬國各行其道」（14﹕16），和「世人蒙昧無知的時候」（17﹕30）；這與「如今卻吩咐各處的人都要悔改」成了對照；後者是指上帝恩典計劃成就時所發生的改變。在先前的世代，上帝沒有帶著與人所的犯罪相稱的忿怒臨到他們。從這意義來看，上帝「任憑」或「越過」他們。這樣的「任憑」，並不等同罪的赦免！
(2) We are not only informed in verse 26 of
the end to which this demonstration of
righteousness was directed but also
in verse 25 of a reason for which the demonstration was necessary. It is “on account of the passing over of the
sins committed before hand in the forbearance of God.” Two passages in Paul’s speeches as reported
in Acts (14:16; 17:30) illumine for us what he means by “the forbearance of
God;” he is referring to the generations gone by when God “suffered all the
nations to walk in their own ways,” “the times of ignorance” in contrast with
the change which occurred in God’s economy of grace when “now he commands men
that they should all everywhere repent” (Acts 17:30). In these generations gone by God did not
visit men with wrath commensurate with their sins. In this sense there was a by-passing or
overlooking of their sins. This
by-passing is not to be equated with remission.
暫時延遲審判，並不等於罪得赦免。保羅在這裏考慮到﹕在先前的世代，上帝沒有向人類完全執行祂的不悅，而施行寬容；這就是上帝在基督作為挽回祭的時候顯明祂的公義的原因。上帝在先前世代向人施行寬容，而人則似乎沒有領會，上帝的公義是不可違背的。寬容可能被誤解為罪的消除與赦免。因此如今在基督裏，透過祂成就的挽回祭，上帝公開地向人類顯明，若要消除祂的忿怒，審判與懲罰，必須提供挽回祭。「越過」（任憑）不等於稱義；稱義必須有完全滿足、證明上帝公義的挽回祭。
Suspension is not equivalent to
forgiveness. It is this consideration –
in the ages gone by God did not execute upon men the full measure of his
displeasure but exercised forbearance – that the apostle adduces here as one
reason why God exhibited his righteousness in Christ as the propitiation. The forbearance exercised in past ages tended
to obscure in the apprehension of men the inviolability of God’s justice. Forbearance was liable to be interpreted as
revocation and remission of the same. Hence now in Christ and in his
propitiation God gave open demonstration that in order to the revocation of his
wrath and punitive judgment it was necessary to provide a propitiation.
“Passing over” is not justification and justification requires a propitiation
that fully satisfied and vindicates God’s justice.
因此我們可以明顯看出，上帝寬容、越過（任憑）人犯罪，並不意味上帝必須顯明祂在稱義上的「義」。事實上，上帝的寬容意味著，祂必須顯明祂本性裏的「義」，這樣就顯明（在宣講福音時向全世界人類顯明）人若要稱義，耶穌寶血所成就的挽回祭是不可或缺的。
It can readily be seen therefore
that the passing over of sins in the forbearance of God did not make it
necessary for God to demonstrate his justifying righteousness, but that the passing over did make it necessary for
him to demonstrate his inherent justice and that by showing (to all men in the
worldwide proclamation of the gospel) that justification demands nothing less
than the propitiation made in Jesus’ blood.
因此我們的結論是﹕在25，26節裏，上帝所顯明的「義」，乃是祂本性裏的公義。這對我們如何解釋保羅的教導是基要的。這裏指出，滿足、證明上帝公義的要求，是保羅的救贖論與挽回祭教義的核心意義。上帝提供挽回祭，好叫罪人得稱為義。我們可以說﹕上帝這樣「顯明」祂的義，須從上帝「統治」世人的角度去理解。上帝顯明祂的義，對祂統治罪人、關心罪人的稱義、記錄罪人被稱義，是不可或缺的。
We conclude therefore that the righteousness
of God, referred to in verses 25, 26 as demonstrated, is the inherent justice
of God. This is of basic relevance in
our interpretation of Paul’s teaching.
It indicates that the vindication and satisfaction of the dictates of
justice lie at the heart of his doctrine of redemption and propitiation as the
provisions of God’s grace in order to the justification of sinners. We may say, if we will, that the
demonstration is governmental or rectoral.
The demonstration is necessary to that government of God that is
concerned with and is registered in the justification of sinners.
但我們不能說，在挽回祭上顯明的義，只不過是上帝統治上的公義；挽回祭（就是滿足上帝的忿怒，平息祂的忿怒與審判的挽回祭）顯明的義，乃是上帝本性裏的公義。《羅馬書》3﹕24-26提出的，是這一連串的教義。這段經文清楚說明，使徒保羅能夠串聯「救贖」，「挽回祭」，和「公義的證明」，因為它們僅是上帝為救贖人所預備的恩典的不同層面。它們是「上帝稱信耶穌的人為義的時候自己是絕對公義的」這過程的不同層面。
But we cannot say that the justice
demonstrated in the propitiation is merely governmental; it is the inherent
justice of God that is demonstrated in a propitiation which meets and removes
the judgment of his wrath. It is this
complex of thought that is to be elicited from Romans 3:24-26. And this passage exemplifies how the apostle
can interweave such categories as redemption, propitiation, and the vindication
of justice because they are but different aspects from which the provisions of
his grace for the salvation of men may be viewed and different facets of that
process by which he is just when he justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
25，26節還有一些問題需要注釋。
There are a few additional
questions pertinent to verses 25 and 26 that call for comment.
我們如何理解「挽回祭，是憑著耶穌的血，藉著人的信」這句話的各部分？在這問題上我們難以武斷。有人解釋「憑著耶穌的血」是指信心的對象；另有人認為「憑祂的血」是與挽回祭直接有關連的；至於信心的定義，在上下文中明顯可看出是信靠基督(faith in Christ)。
How are we to construe the relation to one
another of the component parts of “a propitiation through faith in his
blood”? It is difficult to be dogmatic. Some construe “in his blood” as the object of
faith; others connect “in his blood” directly with the propitiation, and faith
is regarded as sufficiently defined by the context to be faith in Christ.
我們若以22節「上帝的義，因信耶穌基督，加給一切相信的人」為標準，
第二種解釋較為可信。無疑地，挽回祭就是基督耶穌的血所成就的，這也符合保羅
的思想﹕（一）保羅認為基督的血就是挽回祭的核心定義， （二）就是基督的血
讓挽回祭公開被顯明（參﹕加3﹕1）。再者，在這些上下文中出現「信心」而不說明信心的對象，也符合保羅一貫的作法（參﹕22節下；1﹕17）。信心乃是工具，我們藉信心在客觀的恩賜上有份﹕而本段所指的恩賜，就是耶穌寶血成就的挽回祭。
If we are guided by the analogy of
the expression in verse 22, “a righteousness of God through faith of Jesus
Christ,” this latter alternative seems preferable. The propitiation is undoubtedly that which is
made in the blood of Christ Jesus and it is in accord with Paul’s thought both
to regard the blood of Christ as defining that in which the propitiatory
sacrifice consisted and as that which served to set forth openly the
propitiation (cf. Gal. 3:1).
Furthermore, it is in accord with Paul’s pattern to refer to faith in
such connections, without necessarily defining its object (cf. vs. 22b; 1:17),
as the instrumentality by which we become the actual partakers of the objective
gift in view, in this case propitiation in Jesus’ blood.
最後，若認為基督的寶血乃是信心的對象，則偏離保羅用詞的精確﹕保羅的意思是，基督自己乃是信心的對象，特別從本段的上下文來看（按﹕22節上，26節下）。
Finally, it might be a deviation
from the precision of Paul’s usage in representing Christ himself as the object
of faith, especially in this context (cf. vss. 22a, 26b), to take the blood of
Christ here as that on which faith terminates.
至於26節「在今時」確指什麼，再一次讓我們看出，上帝公開顯明祂的公義是在歷史上什麼時代，是多麼的重要。這時代與上帝先前忍耐的時代互相對照，說明，上帝為自己成就的事，是在歷史中的某一個時刻的。我們想到上帝所考慮與祂本性的需求時，不可退到一種「超歷史」的層面去。
The definite specification of time in the
expression “at this present time” (vs. 26) is another example of the
significance attached to the historical epoch in which God gave this
demonstration of his justice. It is
contrasted with the generations of the past when God’s forbearance was in
exercise, and it shows that location in history belongs to those
accomplishments which have a Godward reference at their center. We are not to relegate to the realm of the
superhistorical that which meets divine interests and exigencies.
26節末「信耶穌的人」（原文﹕「耶穌的信」）這種表達方式，沒有在《新約聖經》出現過，雖然有些平行用法（加2﹕16；3﹕22；腓3﹕9）。基於上文所看到的（見22節與注腳），若認為這短句與完全平行的「亞伯拉罕的信」（4﹕16）有關連，則完全沒有根據。
The formula at the end of verse 26, “of the
faith of Jesus,” though it has close parallels (Gal. 2:16; 3:22; Phil. 3:9), is
not used anywhere else in this precise form.
In view of what we have found above (vs. 22 and footnote thereon) it
would be totally indefensible to suppose that it is to be interpreted after the
analogy of an expression which Paul uses and which in form is identical,
namely, “of the faith of Abraham” (4:16).
無疑地，後者是指「根據亞伯拉罕信心模式的信心」。可是「耶穌的信」必須根據保羅其他的用法來解釋。對保羅來說，「耶穌基督」，或「基督耶穌」，或「基督」乃是信心的對象。可是，這裏保羅提到信「耶穌」，特別給我們一種既溫馨又威嚴的感覺。「耶穌」的名字意味著我們與救主親切的關係；耶穌曾在肉身中，在歷史上向人顯現。可是，當保羅指耶穌是信心的對象的時候，祂也在宣告「耶穌」這名字有著怎麼樣的威嚴。
This latter formula undoubtedly
means faith patterned after the faith of Abraham. But the formula “of the faith of Jesus” must
be interpreted in accord with the analogy of Paul’s usage elsewhere in which
Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus or Christ is the object of the faith referred to. There is, however, in this unique formula the
touch of tenderness, on the one hand, and of majesty, on the other. The name Jesus suggests the intimacy of
personal relationship to the Savior in that character evinced in his historical
manifestation in the days of his flesh.
But when Paul conceives of him as the object of this faith there is
intimated the majesty with which he regarded the same historical Jesus as
invested.