作者: Tony Reinke 诚之翻译
Too often we don’t equate the gospel and
justification with the theme of eschatology. These themes can get separated in
our minds, and each individual doctrine suffers for the disconnect, and our
souls suffer from malnourishment. The fact is that these themes are inseparable—the
death and resurrection of Christ mark the inbreaking of the eschatological age
and the inauguration of the new creation.
我们很少把福音和称义,以及末世的主题放在等号的两边。在我们的脑袋中,这些主题常常被分开,以至於个别的教义之间缺乏联繫,我们的灵魂也因此无法得到滋养。事实是,这些主题是分不开的——基督的死与復活标志出末世的横空而降,以及新的创造的开始。
Yesterday
I read what may be the best summary of these interwoven themes in the back of
Thomas Schreiner’s new commentary on Galatians (Zondervan, 2010), pages
394–395.
Thomas Schreiner在他的加拉太书注释(Zondervan,
2010, p. 394-5)中这样写到:称义是末世的判决,在末后的日子之前被提早宣告出来。这不等於说现在就被公布的这个判决,只是指向一个未来的事实。信徒今天就已经被称义了!不过,与此同时,他们仍然在等候那在审判之日的最后宣告,到那时,神所已经宣告的判决就会昭示天下。
Notice
how he draws the themes together:
Justification
is an eschatological verdict that has been declared in advance of the last day.
This is not to say that the verdict announced now only refers to a future
reality. Believers are already justified, and yet at the same time they await
the final declaration on the day of judgment when the verdict that God has
already announced becomes public (5:5).
In
the same way, the cross of Jesus Christ has launched believers into the age to
come, even though they live in the present evil age (1:4). In other words, the
new exodus promised in the OT has become a reality through Jesus as the
crucified and risen Lord (Isa 40:3?–11; 42:16; 43:2, 5–7, 16–19; 48:20-21;
49:8–11; 51:10–11).
同样地,耶穌基督的十架已经把信徒投送到未来的世代,虽然他们仍然活在这个邪恶的世代(1:4)。换句话说,旧约所应许的出埃及,因為耶穌的被钉十架、成為復活的主,已经成為事实(赛40:3-11;42:16;43:2,5-7,16-19;48:20-21;48:8-11;51:10-11)。
The
resurrection in Jewish thought also signals the end of the old evil age and the
coming of the new age of peace and plenty (cf. Isa 26:19; Ezek 37:1–14; Dan
12:2–3).
在犹太思想中,復活也标志著这个邪恶世代的终结,以及新时代的平安与丰饶的到来(参赛26:19;结37:1-4;但12:2-3)。
The
resurrection is not a prominent theme in Galatians, and yet it appears in the
first verse of the letter (1:1), signifying that the age to come has invaded
the present age. The old evil cosmos has lost its hold over believers through
the cross of Jesus Christ (6:14). Therefore, believers now belong to the new
creation (6:15). The new creation has not been consummated (Isa 65:17; 66:22),
but it has been inaugurated through the work of Jesus Christ. The gift of the
Holy Spirit represents the arrival of the new creation (Isa 32:15; 44:3; Ezek
11:18–19; 36:26–27; Joel 2:28). The Spirit is a gift of the last days, and his
presence and indwelling among the Galatians shows that the final days have
begun.
復活不是加拉太书的明显主题,但是它出现在这封书信的第一节,说明将要到来的世代已经侵入这个世代。藉著耶穌基督的十字架,旧的、邪恶的世界已然失去其据点(6:14)。因此,信徒现在属於一个新的创造(6:15)。新的创造虽然还没有达到其完满(赛65:17;66:22),但是藉著耶穌基督的工作,它已经正式展开。圣灵的恩赐代表新的创造的到来(赛32:15;44:3;结11:18-19;36:26-27;珥2:28)。圣灵是末日的恩赐,祂的同在,住在加拉太人当中,说明末后的日子已经开始。
Eschatological
contrasts dominate Galatians, so that we have a contrast between the old age of
the flesh and the new age of the Spirit. The flesh in Paul represents the old
age and who human beings are in Adam, whereas the Spirit signifies the
inbreaking of the age to come.
加拉太书充满了末世的对比,我们看到属肉体的旧世代与属灵的新世代的对比。保罗所谓的肉体代表旧的世代,那些在亚当裡的人,而圣灵则标示出那将要到来的世代的闯入。
We
see the same eschatological contrast between the law and the gospel. The Mosaic
law belongs to the former era and believers are no longer under the law (see
esp. 3:15–4:7). To be under the law is to be enslaved to the power of sin
(3:10, 22, 23, 25; 4:3, 21–31; 5:18). Such slavery belongs to the former age.
Now that the gospel of Christ (a fulfillment of the promise of the new exodus!
Isa 40:9; 52:7) is proclaimed, the age of the law is obsolete. Believers live
in the era of the cross, the resurrection, and the gift of the Spirit.
我们同样看到律法与福音的末世对比。摩西的律法属於前一个世代,信徒今天不再在律法之下(特别参见3:15-17)。在律法之下,就是罪的权势的奴僕(3:10,22,23,25;4:3,21-31;5:18)。这种奴役属於前一个世代。当基督的福音(新的出埃及的应许得到了应验!赛40:9;52:7)被宣告出来,律法的世代就被废止了。信徒如今生活在十字架、復活与圣灵恩赐的时代。
Second
Corinthians 5:17 rightly summarizes Galatians: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation. The old has gone; the new has come!”
林后5:17很正确的这样总结加拉太书:若有人在基督裡,他就是新造的人。旧事已过,都变成新的了。
这个总结把加拉太书以及旧约和新约的许多主题编织在一起。它值得我们把它打印出来,仔细研读,并且在灵修时认真默想。(如果你有兴趣,他写的这本註释书当然也值回票价!)