作者：Danny Hyde 譯者：駱鴻銘
對我們這些多年來活在其他宗派傳統裏，然後發現到改革宗對基督信仰的表達的人來說，「聖約神學」是最讓我們大開眼界的層面之一。不過，聖約神學不僅僅是神學的另一個分支而已，而是有如戴上一副新的眼鏡。我們以往看待聖經和舊約中的以色列，與新約中的教會的方法，就像一副老舊的、磨損的眼鏡，上面有很多的刮痕和磨損的痕跡。這副新眼鏡讓我們清楚看到我們這本聖經有兩個互補的「約」（testaments）。For many of us who have
discovered the Reformed expression of the Christian faith after years in other
traditions, “covenant theology” was one of the most eye-opening facets of it.
It was more than just another part of theology, though. It was like getting a
new pair of glasses. The old way we saw the Bible with Israel in the Old
Testament and the Church in the New Testament was like an old, worn out pair of
glasses with scratches and lots of scuff marks. This new pair allowed us to see
clearly that our one Bible has two complementary testaments.
當然，有許多人會說，這是我們強加在聖經之上的一個神學框架。不過，我們可以滿懷信心，因為走在我們前面的古代教父，例如殉道者游斯丁（Justin Martyr）和巴拿巴書（Epistle of Barnabus），他們都認為在聖經的統一性中有它自己的多樣性。在宗教改革時期，如布靈格和加爾文，都是用這種方法來閱讀聖經，來解釋舊約聖徒是如何得救的，以及我們為什麼要為兒童施洗；他們都說到只有一個恩典之約，但是在不同的時期和地方，這個約會有不同的表達方式。Of course many will
say that this is a theological grid that we’ve imposed upon the Bible. We can
take heart, though, that our ancient forefathers such as Justin Martyr and the
Epistle of Barnabus viewed the scriptural understanding of its own diversity
within unity. During the Reformation men such as Heinrich Bullinger and John
Calvin read the Bible in this way to explain how Old Testament saints were
saved and why we baptize children, speaking of the one covenant of grace
despite varied times and places in which that covenant was expressed.
威斯敏斯特大要理問答追隨這個古代基督徒和古典的抗議宗閱讀聖經的方法，在上帝各色各樣的行動中看到上帝完整的故事。他們的意思就是，我們所擁有的是一本聖經，卻有兩個約。The Westminster
Larger Catechism follows this ancient Christian and classic Protestant way of
reading the Bible, of seeing God’s one story with its various acts. What it
says is that we have One Bible, Two Testaments.
聖經的統一性Its Unity
首先，當你讀聖經時，要認識其統一性。只有一個恩典之約，即一個計劃，一個故事，上帝這位造物主要成為充滿罪惡的人類的救贖主。
First,
when you read your Bible, recognize its unity. There is one covenant of grace,
that is, one plan and story of God the Creator becoming the Redeemer of sinful
humanity.
其中一個例子是羅馬書十一章。它是企圖要解答這個難題，即因為大多數猶太人拒絕了耶穌，是否表明上帝的應許失敗了？保羅給了我們兩幅圖畫來描繪上帝古時對以色列人的應許，以及這些應許如何應驗在外邦人身上：「所獻的新麵若是聖潔，全團也就聖潔了；樹根若是聖潔，樹枝也就聖潔了。」（羅十一16）這兩幅圖畫都是為了讓我們在腦海裏留下深刻印象，看到上帝從古至今的工作所具有的統一性。One example of this
is in Romans 11. In seeking to answer the conundrum that because most Jews
rejected Jesus this meant God’s promises failed, Paul gives two images to
describe God’s ancient promises to the Israelites and the fulfillment of them
to the Gentiles: “If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole
lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches” (Rom. 11:16). These images
both are meant to impress upon us the unity of God’s work from ancient times
through the present.
第一幅圖畫是麵團的圖案。若第一團麵團是聖潔的，那麼這一整批麵包也是聖潔的。我們只有一個麵團。上帝就像麵包師傅，切下一部分來製作一條麵包；如果這條新麵包是可以被悅納的，那麼整批麵包就都是可悅納的。這是要說明上帝只有一個救恩計劃。祂所呼召要成為祂聖潔百姓的人，即從亞伯蘭開始，以及所有接下來的人，都分享同一個呼召，得到同一個救恩。The
first image is that of bread. If the firstfruits of the dough is holy, then the
entire batch of bread is holy. There is one batch of dough. Like a baker, God
cuts off the first portion to make a loaf; if it is acceptable, then the entire
batch will be acceptable. This is his way of saying that God has one plan of
salvation. Those whom he called to be his holy people, beginning with Abram,
and all those to follow partake of the same calling, the same salvation.
第二幅圖畫是樹的圖案。若一棵樹的樹根是聖潔的，那麼整個樹幹和樹枝就都是聖潔的。如果樹根是以色列的族長，樹枝就是一切從他們吸收營養的人。保羅接著在17～24節更詳細地解釋這幅圖畫。儘管有兩種樹枝，一種是天然的（猶太人），一種是野生的（外邦人），野生的枝子被嫁接到這棵樹上，取代了那些因為不信而被修剪下來、有分於相同樹根的天然枝子。The second image is
that of a tree. If the roots of a tree are holy, then the entire trunk and
branches are holy. The roots are the patriarchs; the branches are all who draw
nourishment from them. Paul goes on to explain in more detail this image in
verses 17–24. Despite the fact that there are two kinds of branches, natural
(Jew) and wild (Gentile), the wild branches that are grafted onto the tree in
place of those natural branches pruned off because of unbelief partake of the
same roots.
這裏所呈現出來的神學真理是：當我們讀聖經，從舊約讀到新約，我們所讀到的是一神、一主、一信的得救之路，因此是同一群子民，儘管他們在時間順序上、地理上、種族上是有差異的。The theological
truth of this is that when we read our Bibles from Old through the New
Testaments, we are reading the story of one God, one Savior, one means of
salvation through faith, and therefore one people despite their chronological,
geographical, and racial differences.
聖經的多樣性Its
Diversity
只有一個恩典之約不是為了要貶低聖經的多樣性。這個恩典之約是由上帝所施行的，也是由祂的子民在整個聖經故事裏以一種獨特的方式所活出的。如同威斯敏斯特大要理問答所說的，「恩典之約並非都是以相同方式來施行，它在舊約時代的施行方式，與在新約時代的施行方式，是不同的。」（問答33）Its Diversity
This
is not to diminish diversity. This one covenant of grace is administered by God
and lived by his people in distinct ways throughout the story of the Bible. As
the Catechism says, “The covenant of grace was not always administered after
the same manner, but the administrations of it under the Old Testament were
different from those under the New” (Q&A 33).
在舊約裏
當要理問答說到「舊約」時，是指發生在基督降生之前的故事裏的一切事，從創世記三章15節上帝的第一次應許，一直到宣講將要來的救主的眾先知為止。In the Old
Testament
When
the Catechism speaks of “the Old Testament” it is speaking of everything in the
story prior to the coming of Christ, from God’s first promise in Genesis 3:15
through the prophets who preached of the coming Savior.
「恩典之約在舊約時代中是如何施行的？」（問答34）它是藉著「應許」施行的。譬如說，那將要來的女人的後裔（創三15）給我們恢復的盼望；萬國都要藉著亞伯拉罕的後裔得福的應許（創十二）給全世界帶來有份於救恩的盼望。它是藉著「先知的話」施行的。以賽亞預言一位將要來的救主，祂是以馬內利，神與我們同在（賽七14）；耶利米預言一位將要來的救主，祂會成為百姓的義（耶廿三6）；以西結預言一位將要來的救主，祂會成為百姓的君王和牧人（結卅七24）。它是藉著「獻祭」施行的，例如頭生子的祭（出十二），早晨和黃昏的祭（民廿八），百姓為他們的罪所獻的持續不斷的祭（利一～七），以及每年的贖罪祭（利十六）。它是藉著「割禮」施行的。這是上帝吩咐亞伯拉罕的儀式，也一直持續到以色列人所有的世代，作為他們從列國被分別出來的途徑（創十七）。它是藉由「逾越節」施行的。這是他們在離開埃及之前所獻的祭和筵席，是所有以色列人每年都要記念的（出十二）。“How was the
covenant of grace administered under the Old Testament?” (Q&A 34) It was
administered “by promises.” For example, the promise of the seed of the woman
to come (Gen. 3:15) gave hope of restoration; the promise that all the nations
would be blessed through Abram’s seed (Gen. 12) gave hope for all the world to
partake of salvation. It was administered “by prophecies.” Isaiah prophesied a
Savior to come who would be God with us (Isa. 7:14). Jeremiah prophesied a Savior
to come who would be his people’s righteousness (Jer. 23:6). Ezekiel prophesied
a Savior to come who would be his people’s king and shepherd (Ezek. 37:24). It
was administered “by sacrifices,” such as the offering of the firstborn (Ex.
12), the daily morning and evening sacrifice (Num. 28), the ongoing sacrifices
by the people for their sins (Lev. 1–7), and the annual Day of Atonement (Lev.
16). It was administered “by circumcision.” This was the ritual that the Lord
prescribed to Abraham and continued throughout the generations of the
Israelites as the means by which his people was distinguished from the nations
(Gen. 17). It was administered “by the Passover.” This was the sacrifice and
meal before the exodus from Egypt that was remembered yearly by all Israelites
(Ex. 12).
主耶和華對祂古時的子民所施行的恩典之約的方式，「都是預先指明那將要來的基督」。而所有這些，「對於舊約當時來說，足以造就選民，信靠所應許的彌賽亞；使他們藉著祂能得著完全的赦罪，與永遠的救恩。」All of these means
of the Lord administering his covenant of grace with his ancient people
“fore-signif[ied] Christ . . . to come.” And all of these “were for that time
sufficient to build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they
then had full remission of sin, and eternal salvation.”
在新約裏In the New Testament
在新約當中，當「舊約預表的實體，即基督，已經展示出來」（問答35），我們就擁有一切關於彌賽亞的應許的實際。先知關於祂的降生的一切話都應驗了。一次而永遠的獻祭也成全了。割禮終止了。在耶穌基督裏我們擁有了那完美的逾越節羔羊。In the New
Testament, “when Christ the substance was exhibited” (Q&A 35), we have the
reality of all the promises concerning the Messiah. We have the fulfillment of
the prophecies concerning his coming. We have the accomplishment of the once
for all sacrifice. We have the end of circumcision. And we have the perfect
Passover lamb in Jesus Christ.
恩典之約的內容在新舊兩約裏是相同的，但是這個統一的恩典之約現在是如何施行的呢？它是通過兩個基本的、普通的、簡單的、樸素的方式來施行的：聖道的宣講，以及洗禮和聖餐這兩個聖禮。The substance of
the covenant of grace is the same in both Testaments, but how is the one
covenant of grace now administered? It is administered in two basic, ordinary,
simple, and unadorned ways: preaching of the Word and the sacraments of baptism
and the Lord’s Supper.
這就涉及到基督徒會經歷到的掙扎的核心了。當我們閱讀舊約時，我們也許會問自己：「上帝今天為什麼不像在舊約時期一樣來顯明自己，讓人可以看見？祂為什麼不從天上發出祂閃電般的聲音？祂為什麼不再向我們彰顯極富戲劇性的神蹟奇事？」我們必須一再重覆、不斷學習的是這個反諷，即儘管聖道和聖禮是平凡、普通的管道（媒介），如同要理問答所說，但是在它們裏面，「恩典與拯救是以更加豐盛、更多證據、更加有效的方式，表明給萬國萬民。」（問答35）我們不再需要戲劇性的行動；這齣戲劇已經在我們救主耶穌基督的一生中完成了。當我們明白這點，我們就用上帝所賜給我們的這副新眼睛，藉著所有迂迴曲折的情節，看見這個完整的故事。我們為如今生活在這個應驗的世代而感謝祂。要善用你的處境。閱讀這個完整的故事，在其中默想救主的行動，並且以參與者的身份找到你在這個故事裏的位置。This gets to the heart
of a struggle we may have as Christians. When we read our Old Testament, we may
ask ourselves, “Why doesn’t God show himself visibly like he did then? Why
doesn’t he just thunder his voice from heaven? Why doesn’t he show us dramatic
signs and wonders anymore?” What we need to learn again and again is the irony
that although the Word and sacraments are ordinary means, as the Catechism
says, in them “grace and salvation are held forth in more fulness, evidence,
and efficacy, to all nations” (Q&A 35). We no longer need the dramatic; the
drama has been performed in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we come to
that realization, we use the new pair of glasses God has given us in seeing the
one story through all the twists and turns. Thank him that you now live in this
age of fulfillment. Take advantage of your situation. Read the one story,
meditate upon the one Savior’s action in it, and find your place in the story
as a participant.