作者： R. Scott Clark 翻译： 唐兴
序言 Introduction
末世论（Eschatology）这一个词的含义，远比我们所说会在最后的日子里将要发生的那些事来得多。我们在末世论中所说的我们要做的事，都源于神在历史里的作为。
There
is much more to "end-times" or ultimate things (Eschatology) than
what we say actually happens in the last days. We say what we do about
eschatology because of what we think God is doing in history.
争论的中心是关于“神的以色列”的问题（加拉太书 6：16）。当然，这不是一个新问题。主在世间的事工期间，以及在祂复活后升天前，门徒一次次问祂，“主啊，你复兴以色列国，就在这时候吗？”（使徒行传 1：6）
At
the center of the debate is the question of "the Israel of God" (Gal
6.16). Of course, this is not a new question. During our Lord's earthly
ministry and after his resurrection and before his ascension, the disciples
asked him repeatedly, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the
kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1.6).
事实上，一种广为流传的拉比式的普遍观念是：弥赛亚应该是一个强大的政治军事人物，有着大卫般的力量和才干——“大卫杀死万万” （撒母耳记上 18：7）。
Indeed,
there was a widespread rabbinic and popular notion that the Messiah should be a
powerful politico-military figure of Davidic strength and skill—"David has
slain his tens of thousands" (1 Sam 18.7). John 614-15 records,
约翰福音 6：14-15 记载着：众人看见耶稣所行的神迹，就说：“这真是那要到世上来的先知。” 耶稣知道群众要来强迫祂作王，就独自又退到山上去了。
After
the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say,
"Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Jesus,
knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again
to a mountain by himself.
而与一些人所想的不同，建立一个地上的国度是与祂到来的初衷格格不入的。而且，在祂的生命的最后时刻，在祂得胜的时刻，祂并不是要建立一个地上的王国，而是为了实现预言。 “锡安的居民哪，不要惧怕；看哪，你的王来了，祂骑着小驴来了。” （约翰福音 12：15； 以赛亚书40：9；撒迦利亚书 9：9）
It
was not, as some might have it, that the timing was off, but rather that an
earthly kingdom was contrary to his every purpose. Again, at the end of his
life, during his triumphal entry, he did not come to establish an earthly
kingdom, but rather to fulfill prophecy, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of
Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt" (John 12:15;
Isa 40.9; Zech 9.9).
耶稣教导祂的门徒等人，祂来并不是为了他们所盼望的国度，而是来拯救众人脱离罪恶。最终，当以色列民众无法再忍受祂拒绝接受他们的末世论，他们对历史的计划，他们在十字架上钉死了祂。经上说：
Jesus
had taught the disciples and others that he came not to bring an earthly
kingdom as they expected, but rather he came to bring salvation from sin. At
the end, when "the men of Israel" could no longer tolerate his
refusal to submit to their eschatology, their plan for history, they crucified
him. Scripture says,
祭司长、经学家和长老也同样讥笑他，说：“他救了别人，却不能救自己。如果他是以色列的王，现在可以从十字架上下来，我们就信他。（马太福音 27：41-42）
In
the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked
him. 42 "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save
himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we
will believe in him."(Matt 27.41-2)
令人心痛的是，很多基督徒也同意这些祭司长和经学家。传统的时代论（Dispensationalism）长期以来认为法利赛人对圣经有着正确的解释方法，只是得到了错误的结论*1。
It is
also a sad fact that many Christians have agreed with the chief priests and
teachers of the law. Classic Dispensationalism has long held that the Pharisees
had the right method of interpreting the Bible, they simply reached the wrong
conclusions.
时代论前千禧年派（Dispensational-Premillennial）相信神对亚伯拉罕起了誓（创世记15和17章），会给他地上的民。因此，在时代论中，神的本意是要建立这样的一群人。而犹太人拒绝了第一个提议（或耶稣拒绝了他们的条件！），那就一定会在千禧年时有一个地上的，犹太人的，圣地上的国度。
It is
the Dispensational-Premillennial belief that God made a promise to Abraham
(Genesis chapters 15 and 17) that he would give to him an earthly, national
people with the result that, in the Dispensational view, it has always been
God's intention to have such a people and if the Jews refused the first offer
(or Jesus refused their terms!) then there must be an earthly, Jewish,
Palestinian, kingdom in the millennium.
根据时代论，神衷心创建这样一个地上的民族，这是道成肉身，童女生子和耶稣在世上事工的重要原因。如果人们接受了神的这样的提议，那么耶稣就不会死了。在这样的主题下，他们认为耶稣在十字架上的赎罪的死只是神对以色列民族计划中的一种快乐的副产品。
According
to Dispensationalism, God was so committed to creating such an earthly,
national people that this was the primary reason for the incarnation, birth and
ministry of Christ. Had they accepted his offer of an earthly kingdom, Jesus
would not have died. In this scheme, Jesus' saving death on the cross is a
happy by-product of God's plan for national Israel.
在很多前千禧年派的信仰中，1948年在巴勒斯坦境内现代以色列国的建立是他们论点的确据。他们的论点是以色列的复国是天意*1 （providence）的认证，神不但要有地上的子民，而且更进一步地，神会继续推动历史在两条并行轨道上行进：建立实质上的犹太民族和精神上民族，基督徒。
It is
also an article of faith among many Premillennialists that the creation of a
modern Israeli state, in Palestine in 1948, is a providential confirmation of
their claim that the Jews are God's earthly, national people and that further,
God continues to work out history along two parallel tracks, with an earthly
Jewish people and a spiritual, Christian people.
这种处事方法是困难重重的。首先，这种解读时事的方法是非常可疑的。又有谁确切知道神的眷护（providence）的含义？如果心爱的人得了癌症，难道我们应该推测是什么罪造成的吗？我们的主警告我们不要企图解释神的眷护（约翰福音第9章）。如果我们连一些小事上的眷护都不能猜测出其中的道理，那我们又何从解释那些大的呢？谁又能说我们应该着眼于以色列国？也许我们更应该关心在巴勒斯坦，在犹太教徒与穆斯林手下受苦的基督徒的困境，尤其是在现代以色列建立以来。
This
way of proceeding, however, is fraught with difficulties. First, such a way of
reading contemporary events is highly dubious. Who among us knows certainly the
exact meaning of providence? If a loved one gets cancer, should we speculate
about what sin caused it? Our Lord warned against trying to interpret
providence (John 9). If we cannot even guess the meaning of relatively small
providences, how are we to interpret the meaning of rather larger providences?
Who is to say that we should focus on the Israeli state? Perhaps we should
focus on the plight of Palestinian Christians who have suffered gravely at the
hands of Jews and Muslims, especially since the formation of Modern day Israel?
虽然意识到神在我们这个时代有大作为是令人兴奋的事，我担心我们对这些兴奋事的渴望，还不如那些以色列人的“给我阿爸父”的哀号。我们见证了70年代，接着是海湾战争，然后又是近年种种事件，这些末世的疯狂是对确据的寻求。当我们的先辈不再传福音，不再举行圣餐礼，不再赞同复活，而我们还幻想着我们正在见证历史的终结。在这一幻想中，我们寻求着对我们信仰的证实。可是事实是，基督徒一直以来常常在想着同样的事，而他们一直都是错的。
Though
it might be exciting to think that God is doing something spectacular in our
times, one fears that our lust for excitement is no better than the cry of
those Israelites who said, "Give us Bar-Abbas." It may well be that
the end-times madness we have witnessed, first in the late 1970's, again during
the Gulf War and again in recent years, is really a search for certainty. Just
as earlier generations turned away from the preaching of the Gospel and the
administration of the sacraments, in favor of revivals, our age seems bent on
finding confirmation of the faith in the delusion that we are witnesses to the
end of history. The fact is that Christians have often thought the same thing,
and they have been wrong.
记得在耶稣变像的高山上（马太福音 17：1），当摩西和以利亚在主前出现。门徒们问耶稣关于世间弥赛亚王国的事，并问他是否以利亚已经来了。耶稣回答道：
Remember
that after the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt 17.1) where Moses and Elijah
appeared before their Lord, the disciples peppered Jesus with questions about
an earthly Messianic kingdom, about whether Elijah had yet to come. Jesus
replied saying,
“以利亚当然要来，并且复兴一切。但我告诉你们，以利亚已经来了，可是人们却不认识他，反而任意待他。照样，人子也要这样被他们苦待。这时门徒才领悟，耶稣是指着施洗的约翰说的。” （马太福音17：12-13）
"To
be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah
has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him
everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at
their hands."13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them
about John the Baptist."
耶稣一直都意图宣扬天国的来临（“时候到了，神的国近了，你们应当悔改，相信福音。”马可福音1：15），为罪人而死，统治祂的国，正如祂现在一样在父的右手边（使徒行传 2：36）。
It
was always Jesus' intention to preach the advent of the Kingdom ("?…the
Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel" Mark 1.15),
die for sinners, and rule his kingdom, as he is now, at the right hand of the
Father (Acts 2.36).
之后，在马太福音19：27-30，彼得再听了耶稣关于国度的真正含义的讲道后，又一次问，“你看，我们已经舍弃一切跟从了你，我们会得到什么呢？” 耶稣回答：
Later,
in Mt 19.27-30, after hearing Jesus' teaching about the true nature of the
kingdom, Peter again asked the kingdom question, "We have left everything
to follow you! What then will there be for us?" To which Jesus responded,
“我实在告诉你们，到了万物更新，人子坐在他荣耀的宝座上的时候，你们这些跟从我的人，也会坐在十二个宝座上，审判以色列的十二个支派。凡为我的名撇下房屋、兄弟、姊妹、父母、儿女或田地的，他必得着百倍，并且承受永生。然而许多在前的将要在后，在后的将要在前。”
"I
tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on
his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or
brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will
receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who
are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
我们的前千禧年派的弟兄们将这一承诺理解为对地上的犹太王国的承诺。但是耶稣却有不同的理解。后面的比喻明确教导着神并没有要建立一个地上的犹太王国。而是，“然而许多在前的将要在后，在后的将要在前。”而且，
Our
Premillennial brothers take this as a promise of an earthly Jewish kingdom, but
Jesus understood the kingdom quite differently. The parables which follow teach
precisely that God is not setting up an earthly Jewish kingdom, but rather
that, "the last will be first, and the first will be last" and that
“人子要被交给祭司长和经学家，他们要定祂死罪，把祂交给外族人凌辱、鞭打，并且钉在十字架上。然而第三天他要复活。” （马太福音 20：18）.
"the
Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.
They will condemn him to death 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be
mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to
life!" (Matt 20.18).
甚至雅各和约翰的母亲求他为她的两个儿子谋职：“求你下令，使我这两个儿子在你的国里，一个坐在你的右边，一个坐在你的左边” （马太福音 20：21）。他指责她说，他不但不会建立一个地上的王国，而且他将受难而死，而他们也将因他而受难，因他而死。因为“人子来，不是要受人的服事，而是要服事人，并且要舍命，作许多人的赎价。” （马太福音20：28）
He
was even more pointed to the mother of James and John, who was looking for work
for her boys: "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your
right and the other at your left in your kingdom" (Mt 20.21). He rebuked
her by telling her that not only is he not going to set up an earthly kingdom,
but that he is going to suffer and die and they are going to suffer and die
because of him, because "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mt 20.28).
因此，我们不同意时代论者克拉伦斯.拉金（Clarence Larkin）的对耶稣的话语的解释。耶稣说：
Therefore,
we cannot agree with the argument of the Dispensationalist Clarence Larkin,
when he interpreted Jesus' words,
“父凭着自己的权柄所定的时间或日期，你们不必知道。可是圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必领受能力，并且要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地、撒玛利亚，直到地极，作我的见证人。” （使徒行传 1：7-8）
"It
is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own
authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and
you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth" (Acts 1.7-8).
克拉伦斯并不把这解释为耶稣指责其门徒寻求地上的王国，而是认为这是对等待地上王国的一种警告。
not
as a rebuke to the disciples for seeking an earthly kingdom, but only as a
caution to wait for the earthly kingdom.
然而，耶稣来到世上并不是要在现在或是将来建立这样一个犹太国度，而是要用祂在十字架上的死，为世人赎罪，并在祂的再次到来之前，用祂的升天之铁杖来统领万国。
Rather,
Jesus came not to build an earthly Jewish kingdom now or later, but always and
only his intention was to redeem all his people by his death on the cross, and
to rule the nations with a rod of iron in his ascension until his return in
judgment.
我的观点是神在历史中的主要目的是通过对任何时代，任何地方，任何种族的子民的赎罪来荣耀自己，这种赎罪是祂在人们犯下罪后所给予的恩典。这种恩典存在于历史中，在可见的教会里，无论在亚当时代，诺亚时代，亚伯拉罕时代，摩西时代，大卫时代或者是在基督时代里。
It is
my contention that God's chief purpose in history has been to glorify himself
through the redemption of a people in all times, places and out of all races,
which grace he has administered since the fall, in history in a visible,
institutional church, under Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and now Christ.
因此，神的意图是建一个永久的，或者千禧年的犹太民族这一假设，根本无法成立。我们的时代论兄弟混淆了暂时和永恒。
Therefore,
the premise that God's intent has been to establish a permanent or millennial,
national, Jewish people has it exactly backward. Our Dispensationalist brothers
confuse what is temporary with what is permanent, and what is permanent with
what is temporary.
神的话语教导我们耶稣是以色列的真神。祂的道成肉身，顺从，死亡和复活不是以色列拒绝建立一个地上国度的副产品，而是对父神计划的永恒地履行。这是耶稣在去以马忤斯路上对他的门徒说的。其中一个说，“但我们素来盼望要救赎以色列的就是他。”我们的主回答说：
It is
the teaching of God's Word that Jesus is the true Israel of God, that his
incarnation, obedience, death and resurrection was not a by-product of Israel's
rejection of the offer of an earthly kingdom, but the fulfillment of God's plan
from all eternity. This is what Jesus told the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
One of them said, "we had hoped that he was the one who was going to
redeem Israel." In response our Lord said,
“无知的人哪，先知所说的一切话，你们心里信得太迟钝了！基督这样受害，然后进入他的荣耀，不是应当的吗？”于是祂从摩西和众先知起，把所有关于自己的经文，都给他们解释明白了。（路加福音 24：25-27）
"How
foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his
glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to
them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself (Luke 24.25-7).
使徒保罗在告诉歌林多人是有同样的训教“因为神的一切应许，在基督里都是‘是’的” （歌林多后书 1：20）。
The
Apostle Paul summarized this same teaching when he told the Corinthians that
" For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes"
in Christ" (2 Corinthians 1:20).
约的含义 COVENANT DEFINED
如果不理解经上最重要的词：约，我们就不能理解神在历史上的所为。这是经上最常用的词了（294次）。约描述了上帝与万物的关系。它是一种双方的相互盟誓，盟誓的内容有若干约定，若遵守约定的祝福和若违反约定的诅咒，当然也有盟誓标记和封印。
We
cannot understand what God is doing in history apart from understanding one of
the most important terms in Scripture: covenant. This is a very frequent word
in the Bible (294 times). Covenant describes the way God relates to creatures.
It is a mutually binding oath in which there are stipulations, blessings for
obedience and curses for disobedience as well as signs and seals of the oath.
律法与福音： 工作之约与恩典之约 （Law and Gospel： Covenants of Works and Grace）
神在人类历史上订了第一个约，祂与在园中的第一个人订了工作之约。亚当若保守这个约，其祝福是他和所有人类将进入神的荣耀（“摘取生命树上的果子吃，就永远活着”创世记3：22）；而违反这个约的诅咒将会是死（“你必要死” 创世记2：17）。契约对亚当的约定就是他要克制，不去吃知善恶树的果子（创世记2：17）。这个约的标记是知善恶树和生命树（创世记2：9）
God
made the first covenant in human history, a covenant of works with the first
man in the garden. The promised blessing for covenant keeping was that Adam and
all humanity would enter into glory ("eat?…and live forever," Gen
3.22); the threatened curse for covenant breaking was death ("you shall
surely die," Gen. 2.17). The stipulation of the covenant was that Adam
should refrain from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen
2.17). The signs of the covenant were the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil and the tree of life (Gen 2.9).
正如我们所知，亚当没有通过考验。保罗说：“正好像罪借着一个人入了世界，死又是从罪来的，所以死就临到全人类，因为人人都犯了罪。”所以，我们都出生在这样的工作之约下。
As
you know, Adam failed that test, and Paul says that "sin entered the world
through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men,
because all sinned" (Romans 5:12). So we are all now born under this
covenant of works.
在人类历史上的第二个契约，也是神与我们的先父亚当定的。然而这个约不再是律法之约，而是福音之约。在恩典契约中，神起誓要有一位救世主（“女人的后裔”）会伤蛇的头，而蛇会伤他的脚跟 （创世记3：14-16）。这个契约的祝福是永生（生命树），而诅咒依然是死亡。而在这个契约中的福音，就是将会有一位救世主来遵守工作之约中的条款，罪人们将从中获益。
The
second covenant in human history was also made by our God with our father Adam.
This covenant, however, was not a law-covenant; rather it was a gospel
covenant. In the covenant of grace, God promised on oath a coming Savior
("seed of the woman") who would crush the head of the seed of the
serpent when the serpent struck his heel (Gen. 3.14-16). The blessing of this
covenant is eternal life (the tree of life) and the curse for covenant breaking
remains death. The Gospel of this covenant is that there is a Savior who will
keep the terms of the covenant of works and sinners will benefit from it.
关于恩典之约的条件，有三点要提出：
There
are three things to be said about conditions relative to the covenant of grace.
1. 以我们称义的起因而言，恩典之约是无条件的。除了满有恩典地将耶稣基督的义归到罪人身上，神不接受其他任何的方式来接纳罪人。
1.
Relative to the cause of our justification, the covenant of grace is
unconditional. God does not accept sinners for any other reason than that he
graciously imputes to them Christ's justice.
2. 关于我们称义的方法，也就是我们得救的信心，本身乃神所赐（以弗所书 2：8-10），它是完全的，被动的（接受的），朝向基督的。这是恩典之约的方式和条件。这就是新教改革宗所指的唯独信心sola fide。
2.
Relative to the instrument of our justification, saving faith, itself God's
gift (Eph 2.8-10), is the sole, passive (receiving) Christward-looking instrument
or condition of the covenant. This is what the Protestant Reformers meant by
sola fide.
3. 关于恩典之约的执行，可以说是契约中的约定。比如说神用这样的施恩方式将罪人从死里复活：传讲福音，以及其他的神确认诺言、我们增强信心的方式：圣餐。基督徒的顺从不是我们在神前称义的基础或手段，而是基督的所为在我们身上的体现和并结出果实。
3.
Relative to the administration of the covenant of grace, there can be said to
be covenant stipulations, i.e., that means of grace by which God ordinarily
raises sinners from death to life, namely the preaching of the Holy Gospel, and
those means of grace by which he confirms his promises and strengthens our
faith: the holy sacraments. Christian obedience is neither ground nor
instrument of our justice before God, but the fruit and demonstration of
Christ's work for and in us.
在救赎的历史中，上帝与亚当所定的福音契约被重续。在上帝与亚伯拉罕的契约中，祂的应许再一次被重述，“我将是你的神，也是你子孙的神”。在创世记15章中，契约的标记是将动物对半切开，契约的约定依然是信。由此经上说，“亚伯兰信耶和华，耶和华就以此算为他的义了。” （创世记15：6）.
In
the history of salvation, this same Gospel covenant which God made with Adam
was renewed with Abraham, but the promise was re-stated, "I will be your
God, and to your children." The sign in Genesis 15 was the cutting of
animals and the stipulation remained faith. For this reason Scripture says,
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness"
(Gen 15.6).
在创世记17：10-14，割礼成为了恩典之约的起始标记。契约和其标记联系甚为紧密，主将行割礼的标记称为，“我的约”。
In
Gen 17.10-14, circumcision became the sign of initiation into the covenant of
grace. The covenant and the sign are so closely identified that the Lord calls
the sign of circumcision, "My covenant."
工作之约（Covenant of Works）并没有在救赎的历史中简单消失。反而，它重复地出现在整本圣经中。每次我们在经上各处念到律法，或是念到上帝要求来自罪人的完全的义的时候，那是工作之约被重新提及的时候。比如说，“凡不常常照着律法书上所写的一切去行的，都被咒诅。” （加拉太3：10）。还有耶稣对年轻富有的统治者说，“你这样行，就必得生命。”，祂也是在重提工作之约。
The
covenant of works did not simply disappear in the history of salvation. Rather,
the covenant of works is repeated throughout the Scriptures, every time the Law
is read and God demands perfect righteousness from sinners, e.g., "Cursed
is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the
Law" (Gal 3:10). When Jesus said to the rich young ruler, "do this
and live" (Luke 10.28) he was repeating the covenant of works.
同样的，恩典之约也在救赎的历史上被一次次重提。每次当上帝说“我要作你们的神，你们要作我的子民”，祂都是在重提祂对亚当的应许。祂对挪亚，亚伯拉罕，以撒，雅各，大卫，摩西和最终履行这一契约的基督重复这样福音的允诺，然后，神又通过使徒向我们一次次提及，正如使徒行传2章39节所写的那样。
Likewise,
the covenant of grace is repeated throughout the history of redemption,
whenever God says, "I will be your God, you will be my people" he is
repeating the promise he made to Adam. He repeated this gospel promise to Noah,
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Moses and finally fulfilled it in Christ and then
repeats it to us through the Apostles, as in Acts 2.39.
这两个契约使得整部圣经结合在一起。所有人生于罪中，因罪而死，而所有人都在恩典之约中得救。
These
two covenants unify all of Scripture. All humans are born dead in sins and
trespasses and all those who are saved are in the covenant of grace.19
旧契约*3（摩西之约）The Old （Mosaic） Covenant
很多相信圣经的人认为在救恩历史中，耶稣道成肉身和被钉死前的每件事情都属于旧约。而他们中很多人也相信，道成肉身之后，旧契约对基督徒就不再有效了。事实上，一些相信时代论的人甚至认为新约中的一些书，也不能被应用到当今的基督徒，因为他们是对那些犹太民族而言的。仅在若干年前的一个圣诞节，我听过一位时代论牧师说：“福音书的问题是福音不在福音书中。”
Many
Bible believers assume that every event which occurred in the history of
salvation before the incarnation and death of Christ belongs to the Old
Testament and many of them assume that since the incarnation, the Old Covenant
Scriptures do not speak or apply to Christians. Indeed, some Dispensationalists
even consider that some books in the NT do not apply to Christians today,
because they were intended for those who are ethnically Jewish. Only a few
years ago, I heard a Dispensationalist pastor say at Christmas, "The
problem with the Gospels is that the Gospel is not in the Gospels. "
然而，圣经本身就驳斥了这样的想法。使徒保罗在歌林多后书3：12-18把“旧契约”定义为摩西，例如，摩西五经，特别是摩西律法（14-15节）。在希伯来书7：22，耶稣是一个比给以色列人的约更美之约的中保。在8：6-13中，将新、旧契约做对比，将旧契约限制于救赎历史的摩西时代。他在九章15-20中也作了同样的区别。这样，严格地说，旧契约描述了上帝在西乃山上与以色列定的约。也就是说并不是道成肉身前的拯救史中所发生的所有事件都属于旧契约。这很重要，因为旧契约被新约描述为“有瑕疵的”（希伯来书8：7），“陈旧衰老的” （希伯来书8：13） 而且它的荣耀“快要消逝的”。
The
Scriptures themselves, however, refute such notions. The Apostle Paul in 2 Cor
3.12-18 defines the "Old Covenant" as Moses, i.e., broadly the books
of Moses and most particularly the Mosaic laws (vv.14-15). In Hebrews 7:22,
Jesus is the guarantee of a better covenant than that which was given to the
Israelites. In 8.6-13 in contrasting the New Covenant with the Old, restricts
the Old Covenant to the Mosaic epoch of salvation history. He makes the same
distinction in 9:15-20 also. Thus, speaking strictly, the Old Covenant
describes the covenant which God made with Israel at Sinai. Therefore, not
everything which occurred in the history of salvation, before the incarnation,
belongs to the Old Covenant. This is important, because the Old Covenant is
described in the New Testament as "inferior" (Hebrews 8.7),
"obsolete," "aging" (8.13) and its glory
"fading."
在这种联系下，另一个要指出的重要事实是，旧契约故意被定为暂时的和预表性的。歌罗西书2：17 描述摩西 （旧契约）的形式律法为“将来之事的影子”。希伯来书8：5 描述地上的圣殿为“天上事物的副本和影像”。而摩西律法本身只是基督将带来的应验的“影子”。
In
this connection, the other important fact to note about the Old Covenant is
that it was intentionally temporary and typical. Colossians 2:17 describes the
Mosaic (Old Covenant) ceremonial laws as a "shadow" of things to
come. Hebrews 8:5 describes the earthly Temple as a "type and shadow"
of the heavenly temple. The Mosaic Law itself, was only a "shadow" of
the fulfillment which came with Christ.
新契约 New Covenant
随着基督的死、复活和升天，神对亚当许下的、并向亚伯拉罕等重复的应许得以流传，但是情况改变了。因为我们活在应许应验的日子里，所以我们（活在十架这边的人）看待事物就不同了。用经上的话，我们活在“末世” （彼得后书 3.3； 雅各书 5.3； 希伯来书 1.2； 使徒行传 2.17）里。
旧契约的功能在于将人们的注意力指向天上的实体（出埃及记 25.9； 使徒行传 7.44； 希伯来书 8.5） 和历史上耶稣在十架上的牺牲。旧的标记，逾越节和割礼以及其它带血的献祭和仪式被取代了。我们仍然活在与上帝的盟约之下，而基督带血的画面已经被不带血的标记（提醒）和封印所取代。
With
Christ's death, resurrection and ascension the promise which God made to Adam
and repeated to Abraham remains, but the circumstances have changed. We who
live on this side of the cross view things differently because we live in the
days of fulfillment. In biblical terms, we live in the "last days" (2
Pet 3.3; James 5.3; Hebrews 1.2; Acts 2.17). The entire function of the Old
Covenant was to direct attention upward to heavenly realities (Ex 25.9; Acts
7.44; Heb 8.5) and forward in history to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
The old signs, Passover and circumcision along with the other bloody sacrifices
and ceremonies have been replaced. Yet we still live in covenantal arrangement
with God, and the bloody pictures of Christ have been replaced with unbloody signs
(reminders) and seals.
正如上帝与亚伯拉罕缔约，祂应许了一个将要来的新契约 （耶利米书 31：31）。、祂用主耶稣基督的宝血来缔约（路加福音 22：20）。主基督有意识地，并明确地制定了“新契约”。使徒保罗说他是“新约的仆役”（哥林多后书 3.6）。因此，如果说只有恩典之约而没有工作之约是讲不通的。新契约比照于摩西的约来说是新的，但是比照亚伯拉罕的约就不是新的了。
Just
as God made a covenant with Abraham, he promised a New Covenant to come later
(Jer 31.31). He made this New Covenant in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
(Lk 22.20). The Lord Jesus consciously and specifically established "the
New covenant." The Apostle Paul said he was "a servant of the New
covenant" (2 Cor 3.6) . How can this be if there is but one Covenant of
Grace? The New Covenant is new as contrasted with Moses, but not as contrasted
with Abraham.
在加拉太书 3：1-29； 4：21-31 以及哥林多后书3：7-18 中，当保罗说旧约的荣耀快要消逝但新约是永恒的之时，其中的观点就是这个。希伯来书3-10章所带出的含义是旧契约（摩西之约） 是新契约的预备。希伯来书11章的基本论调就是亚伯拉罕有了新契约的信：他期盼着一个天上的城，而且期盼着我们在基督里的赎罪（希伯来书. 11.10）。
This
is the point of Galatians 3:1-29; 4:21-31, and 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 where Paul
says that the glory of the Old Covenant was fading but the glory of the New
Covenant is permanent. The message of Hebrews chapters' 3-10 is that the Old
Covenant (under Moses) was preparatory to the New Covenant. The fundamental
theme of Hebrews 11 is that Abraham had a New Covenant faith, that is, he
anticipated a heavenly city and to the redemption which we have in Christ (Heb.
11.10).
以色列的含义 ISRAEL DEFINED
我所爱的雅各 Jacob Have I loved
在旧契约前有一个以色列。以色列是神给雅各的名字。以色列在经上第一次出现，是作为雅各摔跤比赛的结局 （创世记 32.21-30）。
There
was, therefore an Israel before the Old Covenant. Israel was the name given to
Jacob. The first time the word "Israel" appears in Scripture, as the
conclusion to the story of Jacob's wrestling match (Gen 32.21-30).
在与一个不知名的人进行了整晚的摔跤后，当“那人见自己胜不过他”（25节）， 雅各就要求他给自己祝福。接下来，摔跤者给雅各起名叫以色列，意为“与神和人较力”。
After
spending the night wrestling with an anonymous man, and "when the man saw
that he could not overpower Jacob" (v.25), Jacob demanded a blessing from
him. In turn, the wrestler renamed Jacob as Israel, which he defined as
"wrestles with God and men."
这样，在救恩历史中，那些从族长雅各中生出来的人，广义上来说就是“以色列”。在两章之后，“以色列”就被用来描述亚伯拉罕的后裔——以撒和雅各——的名字和地方（34：7）。在巴旦亚兰地，上帝又一次祝福了雅各，并称他为“以色列”（35.9-10） 。神重复了祂对亚伯拉罕的应许，成为亚伯拉罕和他的后裔的神。
Thus,
in the history of salvation, all those who stem from the Patriarch Jacob are,
in a broad sense, "Israel." Only two chapters later the term
"Israel" is used to describe the place and name of the children of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (34.7). At Paddan Aram, God again blessed him and
named Jacob, "Israel" (35.9-10) and repeated the Abrahamic promise to
be a God to Abraham and to his children.
这些都只是这样一种观点，以色列的意思是“那些从雅各降生的子孙”。不过，雅各不是故事的开始。在他之前，有一个以色列，亚伯拉罕和他神奇的孩子，以撒（罗马书9）以色列。耶稣说，在亚伯拉罕之前，“就有了我” （约翰福音 8：58）。上帝向亚伯拉罕允诺，“我要作你的神，你要作我的子民。”实际上，耶稣在约翰福音 8章教导犹太人的是，祂向亚伯拉罕作了应许（约翰福音 8：56）。我们也要记住，那第一次应许并不是“人的意愿”所带来的，却是神的至上全能所带来的。是祂让撒拉在年老时生育。这会是当我们回答保罗的问题时，需要记得的重要事实：谁是神的以色列?
All
this might seem to support the notion that, Israel means, "those
physically descended from Jacob." Except that Jacob is not the beginning
of the story. Before there was an Israel there was Abraham and his miracle son,
Isaac (Rom 9) and before Abraham, Jesus says, "I AM" (John 8.58). It
was to Abraham, that God promised, "I will be your God, and you will be my
people." Indeed, Jesus taught the Jews in John 8, that it was he who made
the promise to Abraham (John 8.56). Remember too that the first fulfillment of that
promise did not come by "the will of man" but by the sovereign power
of God when he allowed Sarah to conceive in her old age. These will be
important facts to remember when we come to Paul's answer to the question, who
is the Israel of God?
我的儿子以色列 Israel My Son
在出埃及时，上帝将雅各的子孙全体定为他的“儿子”。
In
the Exodus from Egypt, God constituted the children of Jacob collectively as
his "son."
这是主的话：以色列是我的长子。“我曾对你说，要让我的儿子离开这里，好叫事奉我。你还是拒绝让他离开，看哪！我必杀你的长子。”（出埃及记 4：23）
This
is what the LORD says: is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, "Let my son
go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill
your firstborn son' "
(Ex
4:23).
这可不是不经意的言辞，而是经过了深思熟虑后对祂的子民的描述。雅各的子孙们不是神真正的儿子，而的确是收养的儿子。摩西否认在雅各的孩子中留有任何配得被称为神的子民的性质。
This
is not just casual speech, but a very deliberate description of the national
people. The sons of Jacob are not God's Son by nature, but, as it were, by
adoption. Moses denies that there was any quality inherent in Israel which made
the sons of Jacob worthy of being called the people of God.
耶和华并不是因为你们比别人多而爱你们并拣选你们，因为你们的人数在万民中是最少的。而神爱你们，并信守祂对你先祖的盟誓，祂才用祂的大能之手将你从为奴之地带出，把你从埃及王法老的的权力下赎回。（申命记 7：7）
The
Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more
numerous than other people, for you were the fewest of all people. But it was
because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that
he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of
slavery, from the power of Pharaoh, King of Egypt (Dt 7.7)
根据这一段经文，上帝选择以色列的原因有两个，祂那无偿的爱和他对亚伯拉罕的约。
以色列离开正道 Israel Astray
然而，以色列并不是从神所生的孩子。在旷野中，以及当上帝把祂的“儿子”以色列改名为“罗.阿米（非我民）”（何西阿书 1：9-10）的最终拒绝中，我们可以找到证据。
According
to this passage, there are two reasons for God's choosing of Israel, His
undeserved love and His Covenant promise to Abraham.
神剥夺了祂抚养的孩子的继承权，那个祂暂时的“儿子”以色列民族。精确地说因为上帝从来未曾想建立一个永久的地上的国家民族。在被掳之后，他们很大程度上完成了他们在救恩历史上的角色。这一事实的标志是荣耀的圣灵离开了圣殿。这是因为，他们的主要功能是作为神的真正的儿子，耶稣救世主的前例和影子。 （希伯来书 10：1-4）
Israel
was not, however, God's natural Son. That much was evident in the wilderness,
in Canaan and finally in the ejection when God changed the name of his
"son" Israel to "Lo Ammi, not my people" (Hos 1.9-10) God
disinherited his adopted, temporary, national "son" Israel as a
national people precisely because God never intended to have a permanent
earthly, national people. After the captivity, they had largely fulfilled their
role in the history of salvation. As a sign of this fact, the Glory-Spirit
departed from the temple. This is because their chief function was to serve as
a type and shadow of God's natural Son, Jesus the Messiah (Heb 10.1-4).
耶稣，神的以色列 Jesus the Israel of God
这篇文章的论点就是耶稣基督是神真正的以色列，而那些单凭恩典与祂合一的人，因着信被称为神的以色列（因着联合的功效）。这意味着去寻找、期盼、希望或渴望一个以色列国在未来的重建是错误的。新契约中的教会不是上帝在巴勒斯坦重造一群国民后所建的一种东西。而上帝只曾暂时地拥有这样的国民（从摩西到基督），作为新契约建立的前奏和预示。在新契约中，曾经在摩西时代时存在的人种差异被终止，被废除了。 （以弗所书 2：11-22； 歌罗西书2：8-3：11）.
It is
the argument of this essay that Jesus Christ is the true Israel of God and that
everyone who is united to him by grace alone, through faith alone becomes, by
virtue of that union, the true Israel of God. This means that it is wrong
headed to look for, expect, hope for or desire a reconstitution of national
Israel in the future. The New Covenant church is not something which God
instituted until he could recreate a national people in Palestine, but rather,
God only had a national people temporarily (from Moses to Christ) as a prelude
to and foreshadowing of the creation of the New Covenant in which the ethnic
distinctions which existed under Moses were fulfilled and abolished (Ephesians
2.11-22; Col 2.8-3.11).
马太福音 2：15
希伯来书上的表述“从埃及出来”多达140多处。那是表明以色列国存在的事实之一。当神给出律法时说，“我是耶和华你的神，把你带出埃及地的神”。他们被赎的人民，属于他们的救主。
Matthew
2:15
In
the Hebrew Scriptures the expression "out of Egypt" occurs more than
140 times. It is one of the defining facts of the existence of national Israel.
When God gave the Law he said, "I am Yahweh your God who brought you out
of the land of Egypt." They were a redeemed people belonging to their
Savior.
因而，马太福音 2：15引用何西阿书11.1 是相当重要的。经上说：
约瑟就起来，连夜带着孩子和他母亲往埃及去，15住在那里，直到希律死了，为的是要应验主借先知所说的：“我从埃及召我的儿子出来。”
Thus
it most significant when Matthew 2:15 quotes Hos 11.1. Scripture says,
So he
got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,15
where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord
had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."
希律当时正要对犹太人的长子执行他血腥的狂怒。马太福音受到圣灵启示解释了希伯来书，我们对经文的解释必须以他为准。根据马太福音的解释，我主耶稣才是神真正的以色列，而不是那群暂时的国民。事实上，如果说上帝安排第一次出埃及是为了能够安排第二次出埃及，使我们得以知晓耶稣是神真正的儿子，而所有基督徒是上帝的不分种族的以色列，这样的说话也不为过。
Herod
was about to execute his bloody rage against the firstborn of the Jews.
Matthew's inspired interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures must norm our
interpretation of Scripture and according to Matthew's interpretation, it is
our Lord Jesus, not the temporary, national, people who is the true Israel of
God. Indeed it is not too much to say that the only reason God orchestrated the
first Exodus was so that he might orchestrate the second Exodus and that so we
might know that Jesus is the true Son of God and that all Christians are God's
Israel regardless of ethnicity.
正因为耶稣是上帝真正的以色列，在祂的幼年，事实上在祂整个生命中，祂重复了整个以色列的历史。那个反叛的以色列民族不能做的，耶稣做了：祂用整个身心，全部心智去爱神，并爱人如己。
It is
because Jesus is the true Israel of God that, in his infancy and indeed in his
entire life, he recapitulated the history of national Israel. What rebellious
national Israel would not do, Jesus did: He loved God with all his heart, soul,
mind and strength and his neighbor as himself (Matt 22.37-40).
加拉太书 3.16
同样，使徒保罗十分清楚地提出对亚伯拉罕的允诺是在基督中实现的。加拉太书 3：16 说,
Gal
3.16
In a
similar way, the Apostle Paul argues very clearly that the promises to Abraham
were fulfilled in Christ. Gal 3.16 says,
那些应许本来是给亚伯拉罕和他的后裔的。神并没有说“给众后裔”，好像指着多数；而是说“给你的一个后裔”，指着一个，就是基督。
The
promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say
"and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your
seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.
保罗解释了他的意思。给亚伯拉罕的允诺就是新约福音所允诺的。他们在摩西时代前就已经被定，并在基督里得到应许。耶稣是亚伯拉罕的真正的子嗣，那是应许给亚伯拉罕的“那个后裔”。
Paul
explains what he means. The promises given to Abraham were NT gospel promises.
They were given before Moses and they were fulfilled in Christ. Jesus is
Abraham's true Son, he is "the seed" promised to Abraham.
颁布摩西律法的目的，是要把我们的罪和苦难的深重，教导给以色列民族和我们（加拉太书 3：22）。通过摩西制定的律法，并没有从根本上改变应许给亚伯拉罕的福音（3：17-20）。新契约只不过是亚伯拉罕之约的应许和补充。亚伯拉罕之约只不过是亚当在堕落后所定的美约的应许和补充。
The
purpose of the Law given to Moses was to teach national Israel and us the
greatness of our sin and misery (Gal 3.22). The Law administered through Moses
did not fundamentally change the gospel promise to Abraham (3.17-20). The New
Covenant is nothing more than the fulfillment and renewal of the Abrahamic
Covenant and the Abrahamic covenant was nothing more than the fulfillment and
renewal of the gracious covenant made with Adam after the fall.
耶稣，以色列的救主 Jesus the Savior of Israel
使徒行传 13：23
上帝在历史中的计划到底是什么？围绕这个问题有一些混淆，这也是为什么基督徒们弄不清楚上帝对我们将来的计划会是什么，对耶稣到世上要为以色列人做些什么产生误解。祂不是来建立一个地上的犹太王国，而是来做他们的救主，也是所有神的子民，无论是犹太人还是外邦人的救主。
Acts
13.23
Part
of the confusion which surrounds God's plan in history, and therefore part of
the reason Christians are so confused about God's plans for the the future of
his people, is that many misunderstand what Jesus came to do for national
Israel. He did not come to set up a national, earthly Jewish kingdom, but he
did come to be their Savior and the Savior of all of God's people whether Jew
or Gentile.
我们的主，在道成肉身之前，通过先知以赛亚（以赛亚书43：3）对以色列指明祂的身份是：“以色列的圣者”， 他们的 “救主”。而使徒彼得在他的五旬节布道中也是同样的含义：大卫不是王，因为他已经死了。耶稣才是王，因为祂活着。大卫所预言的是关于耶稣，那个升天的王。（使徒行传2：19-34）。
Our
Lord, before he was incarnate, identified himself to Israel through the Prophet
Isaiah (43.3) as "the Holy One of Israel," their "Savior."
This was the same point the Apostle Peter made in his great Pentecost sermon,
that David is not the King, since he's dead. Jesus, since he lives is the King
and it was about Jesus the ascended King that David prophesied (Acts 2.19-34).
后来，在另一个布道中，彼得说神“高举”耶稣“到祂的右边，作元首作救主，把悔改的心赐给了以色列人，使他们罪得赦免。”*4
Later,
in another sermon, Peter said that God has now "exalted" Jesus
"to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance
and forgiveness of sins to Israel. "
亚伯拉罕的子孙 Abraham’s Children
在有了这样的理解之后，我们就可以回答下面的问题，“谁是亚伯拉罕的子孙”和“谁是神的以色列？”耶稣说：
Abraham's
Children
With
this background then, we are in a position to answer the questions, "Who
are Abraham's children?" and "Who is the Israel of God?" Jesus
said,
“你们举起人子以后，必知道我就是‘那一位’，并且知道我没有一件事，是凭着自己作的；我说这些话，乃是照着父所教训我的。29 那差我来的，是与我同在；他没有撇下我，独自在这里，因为我常作他喜悦的事。”（约翰福音8：28-29）
"When
you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim
to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught
me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always
do what pleases him" (John 8.28-9).
他继续说：“你们若常常遵守我的道，就真是我的门徒。32你们必晓得真理，真理必叫你们得以自由。”而他们却回答他们是亚伯拉罕肉体上生出的后裔。（33节）
He
went on to say that if they "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my
disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free." To which they respond by pointing out that they are physically
descended from Abraham (v.33).
耶稣回答说：“你们若是亚伯拉罕的子孙，就必作亚伯拉罕所作的。”（39节） 这就是我们的主关于亚伯拉罕子嗣，或犹太人，或以色列的定义：作亚伯拉罕所作的事的人。亚伯拉罕做了什么？根据耶稣所言，“亚伯拉罕因为可以看见我的日子就欢喜”（56节） 根据耶稣弥赛亚的话，一个犹太人，一个真正的以色列人，是一个在道成肉身前或后信主的人。唯一的另一种说法是耶稣是“道路、真理、生命”，而“没人能到父那里去”，除非借着他 （约翰福音 14.6）。 这句经文应用于每一个人，也应用于亚伯拉罕，以撒和雅各。
To
this Jesus responds, "If you were Abraham's children...then you would do
the things Abraham did" (v.39). This, then is our Lord's definition of a
child of Abraham, a Jew, or Israel: One who does the things Abraham did. What
did Abraham do? According to Jesus, "Abraham saw my day and rejoiced"
(v.56). According to Jesus the Messiah, a Jew, a true Israelite is a one who
has saving faith in the Lord Jesus before or after the incarnation. This only
another way of saying that Jesus is the "way, the truth and the life"
and that "no one comes to the Father" except through him (John 14.6).
This verse applies to is Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as much as it does to anyone.
所以，在使徒保罗的神学中，我们发现大量同样的教导也就不足为奇了。在罗马书4章，保罗说我们称义与亚伯拉罕称义一样，是唯独本乎恩也是单凭着我们在耶稣里的信（罗马书4：3-8）。
Thus
it should not surprise us to find substantially the same teaching in the
Apostle Paul's theology. In Romans 4, Paul says that one is justified in the
same way Abraham was justified, by grace alone, through faith in Jesus alone
(Rom 4:3-8).
那外邦人又如何呢? 保罗问“亚伯拉罕是何时称义的？在什么样的情况下？是在他受割礼以后呢，还是在他受割礼之前呢？”“ 不是在他受割礼以后，而是在他受了割礼以前。”（罗马书4.11）What of the Gentiles then? Paul asks,
"When was Abraham justified? Under what circumstances? Before or after he
was circumcised? "It was not after, but before!" (Rom 4.11).
所以，亚伯拉罕是所有没有受割礼而信之人的父，使他们也被算为义；12又作受割礼之人的父，就是作那些不仅受割礼，并且照着我们祖宗亚伯拉罕未受割礼时就信的那脚踪而行之人的父。（罗马书 4.11-12）
So
then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in
order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is also the
father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the
footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised
(Romans 4.11-12)
这两个问题是相连的。在神面前称义要“因着信”（罗马书 4.16），而不是因着守律法，不是因着你是肉身意义上的犹太民族。
Therefore,
these two questions are absolutely connected. Justice before God "comes by
faith" (Romans 4.16), not by law-keeping, not by being physically or
ethnically Jewish,
所以，成为后嗣是因着信，为的是要按着 神的恩典，使给所有后裔的应许坚定不移，不但临到那属于律法的人，也临到那效法亚伯拉罕而信的人。亚伯拉罕在 神面前作我们众人的父。（罗马书 4.16）
so
that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's
offspring&mdashlnot only to those who are of the law but also to those who
are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all (Romans 4.16)
这就是全部的含义。正如他在罗马书二章中说：
唯有在内心作犹太人的才是犹太人；割礼也是心里的，是靠着圣灵而不是靠着仪文。 （罗马书 2.29）
This
is all so because, as he said in Romans chapter 2,
No, a
man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the
heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code?…(Romans 2.29).
基督并没有来恢复或修补摩西的神权统治社会或者建立一个地上的千禧年的犹太王国，而是来挽救犹太人和外邦人的罪人，并仅靠着恩典，单凭着信，只在基督中使我们成为亚伯拉罕的子孙。
Christ
did not come to reinstate and fix the Mosaic theocracy or to establish an
earthly millennial Jewish kingdom, but to save Jewish and Gentile sinners and
to make them, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, Abraham's
children.
分隔的墙被拆毁了（以弗所书2：11-22） The Dividing Wall
Demolished
救赎历史是这样进行的：上帝的子民是从亚当到挪亚到摩西，不同国家的人。在摩西的领导下，上帝的子民暂时地成为了一群国民。神建立了一个特殊的民法（摩西律法）来区分祂的子民和外邦的异教徒。在以弗所书2：14 中，使徒保罗把这种民法称为隔在犹太人和外邦人之前的墙。因为这座分隔墙，外邦人“在基督以外，与以色列国无分，在带有应许的约上是外人，在世上没有盼望，没有神。”（2：12）.
The
Dividing Wall Demolished (Ephesians 2:11-22)
The
movement of the history of redemption is on this order. The people of God were
an international people from Adam to Noah to Moses. Under Moses, the people of
God became temporarily a national people. God instituted special civil and
ceremonial laws to separate his national people from the Gentile pagans. In
Ephesians 2:14 the Apostle Paul describes these civil and ceremonial laws as a
"dividing wall" between Jew and Gentile. Because of that dividing
wall, the Gentiles, considered as a people, were "separate from Christ,
excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the
promise, without hope and without God in the world" (2.12).
现在由于基督的死，保罗肯定地对外邦的基督徒说“你们从前远离的人，现今在基督耶稣里，靠着他的血已经可以亲近了。”（2：13）。如何做到呢？借着他的死，拆毁了隔在中间的墙，撕掉了殿中的幔子，毁掉了殿堂，并在三天内用他的复活重建了它。（约翰福音 2：19）：
Now,
however, because of Christ's death, Paul assures Gentile Christians that
"you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of
Christ" (v.13). How? Through his death, Christ has destroyed the dividing
wall, torn the temple veil, destroyed the temple and restored it three days by
his resurrection (John 2:19),
并且废掉了律法的规条，使两者在他里面成为一个新人，这样就缔造了和平。16基督既然借着十字架消灭了仇恨，就借着十字架使双方与神和好，成为一体。（以弗所书2.15-16）
by
abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His
purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,
16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the
cross?…(Eph 2.15-16).
现在，由于与基督联合，犹太的和外邦的基督徒都“与圣徒一同作国民，是神家里的人”（以弗所书2.19）；“其实我们这些靠 神的灵来敬拜，在基督耶稣里夸口而不倚靠肉体的人，才是受割礼的”（腓利比书3：3）。为什么? 因为“我们是天上的国民（腓利比书3：20）。现在你认为前千禧年论（称有两支上帝的子民）中，未重建那堵被耶稣用身体毁坏的墙的论调如何呢？
Now,
by virtue of our union with Christ, both Jewish and Gentile Christians are
"fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household"
(Eph 2.19); "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the
Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the
flesh" (Phil 3.3). Why? Because "?…our citizenship is in heaven"
(Phil 3.20). How is it that Premillennialism, by having two parallel peoples of
God, does not rebuild that very dividing wall which Jesus destroyed by his
death?
以色列不都是以色列 Not All Israel is Israel
经上最清楚地回答之一是在罗马书第9章。经文是我们正在说明的问题，以色列到底是什么，谁是神的以色列？上帝放弃了他对亚伯拉罕的允诺吗？保罗的回答是犹太人是在内心作犹太人，并且爱亚伯拉罕的救主的那些人。因为耶稣为我们在十架上受割礼（歌罗西书 2：1-12），实际的割礼在精神上和灵里是无关紧要的。
One
of the clearest places in Scripture on this question is Romans chapter 9. The
context is the very question we are addressing now, what about Israel? Who is
the Israel of God? Has God abandoned his promise to Abraham? Paul's answer is,
a Jew is one who is a Jew inwardly, who loves the Savior of Abraham. Since
Jesus was circumcised (Col 2.11-12) for us on the cross, circumcision is
morally and spiritually indifferent.
“这不是说神的话落了空” （罗马书 9：6）。只有一些犹太人相信耶稣是弥赛亚是因为不是“出自以色列的，不都是以色列人；也不因为他们是亚伯拉罕的后裔，就都成为他的儿女”。而是，只有“以撒生的”才是亚伯拉罕的子孙（9：7）。下一句又是什么意思呢？“肉身生的儿女并不是 神的儿女，只有凭着应许生的儿女才算是后裔。”（9：8） 以撒是怎么出生呢？是靠着神的大能。基督徒是怎么生的？也是靠着神的大能。每一个基督徒都以不同的方式是一个“以撒”。这又是为什么呢？因为：
Not
All Israel is Israel
It is
not as though God's Word has failed" (Romans 9:6). The reason that only
some Jews have trusted Jesus as Messiah is because not "all Israel is
Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's
children." Rather, Abraham's children are reckoned "through
Isaac" (9:7) What this means is that "it is not the natural children
who are God's, but children of the promise" (v.8). How was Isaac born? By
the sovereign power of God. How are Christians born? By the sovereign power of
God. Every Christian is an "Isaac" in his own way. Why is this so?
Because
双生子还没有生下来，善恶也没有行出来（为要坚定神拣选人的旨意，12不是由于行为，而是由于那呼召者），神就对她说：“将来大的要服事小的。” 13正如经上所记的：“我爱雅各，却恶以扫。” （玛拉基1.2； 罗马书9.11-13）
before
the twins were born or had done anything good or badmdash;in order that God's
purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who callsmdash;she
was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13 Just as it is
written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated (Mal 1.2; 9.11-13).
为何会这样呢？那是因为上帝“对摩西说：‘我要怜悯谁，就怜悯谁；我要恩待谁，就恩待谁。’”（9.15）既不是出于人意，也不是由于人为，只在于那怜悯人的 神。17经上有话对法老说：“我把你兴起来，是要借着你显出我的大能，并且使我的名传遍全地。” 18这样看来，他愿意怜悯谁就怜悯谁，愿意谁刚硬就使谁刚硬。
How
can this be? It is because God "says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom
I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion'"
(9.15). It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's
mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very
purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be
proclaimed in all the earth." 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants
to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
是上帝不公平吗？根据使徒保罗的话，作为被造物，我们在神的前面无“权”。上帝是陶匠，我们是陶土，而基督徒是被赎回的陶土，被怜悯的物，为荣耀神而预先准备的。我们必须比对神容忍那些可怒，预备遭毁灭的器皿，而重新审视自己。（罗马书 9.22-3）这些为她的荣耀而作的器皿是从犹太人和外邦人中蒙召的。（罗马书 9.24）这是他在何西阿书中的承诺，那些曾被称为“罗.阿米”，“非我民”的，比如说外邦人，现在成了“永活神的儿子” （何西阿书2：23； 1：10；
罗马书 9.25-6）.
Is
God unfair? According to the Apostle Paul, as creatures, we have no
"rights" before God. God is the potter, we are the clay, but
Christians are redeemed clay, objects of mercy, prepared in advance for glory.
We must evaluate our condition against the backdrop of God's patience with
those objects of wrath prepared for destruction (Romans 9.22-3). These vessels
prepared for glory are taken from Jews and Gentiles alike (Romans 9.24). This
is what he promised in Hosea, he has made those who were once "Lo
Ammi," "Not my people," i.e., Gentiles, to be "sons of the
living God" (Hosea 2:23; 1:10; Romans 9.25-6).
不守律法的外邦人“得到了义”，而守律法的以色列没有得到义的原因是因为我们不以行为称义，而是凭着信。 （罗马书 9.32）他们因耶稣而绊倒，耶稣是一块冒犯之石。祂不认可他们的民族主义计划，而我也不认为耶稣会认可前千禧年论的民族主义/犹太复国主义计划。
The
reason that lawless Gentiles have "obtained righteousness," and that
Israel who pursued it by law has not, is because justification is not by works,
but by grace (Romans 9.32). They stumbled over Jesus, the rock of offense. He
did not fit their nationalist plans and I submit neither does he fit the
nationalist/Zionist plans of Premillennialism.
并不是保罗不想让犹太人被救，反而，他说那些话正是因为他希望犹太人被救。让肉生的亚伯拉罕，以撒和雅各的后裔成为真正犹太人的唯一方法是凭着信来到耶稣里。“其实并不分犹太人和外邦人，因为大家同有一位主；祂厚待所有求告祂的人，13因为‘凡求告主名的，都必得救。’”（罗马书 10：12-13）
“并不是所有的有以色列人都顺从福音。”
It is
not that Paul does not want Jews to be saved, but rather he wants Jews to be
saved, and the only way for a physical descendent of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
to become a true Israelite, is to be joined to the true Israel of God, Jesus,
by faith. "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentilemdash;the
same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for,
'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'" (Romans 10.12).
"Not all of the Israelites have accepted the Gospel".
是上帝拒绝了祂的子民吗？不是，被拣选的才是祂的子民，而祂的子民必得救。也有信主的犹太人。保罗用他自己做例子（罗马书 11.1）。他是被选的民中余下的那些，没有向巴力屈膝的人中的一个。“因此，现在也是这样，按着恩典的拣选，还有剩下的余数。6既然是靠着恩典，就不再是由于行为了；不然的话，恩典就不再是恩典了”（罗马书 11.5）。以色列所热切寻求的，他得不到，只有那些被拣选的才能得到。剩下的是“刚硬的”。
Has
God rejected his people? No, the elect are his people and all the elect will be
saved. There are believing Jews. Paul uses himself as an example (Romans 11.1).
He is a part of the elect remnant who have not bowed the knee to Baal. "So
too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace,
then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace"
(Romans 11.5). What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect
did. The others were hardened
那又怎么样呢？以色列人恳切寻找的，他们没有得到，蒙拣选的人倒得着了。其余的人都成了顽固的（11.7）。
God's
election of some and reprobation of others are the twin facts of the history of
redemption which Paul brings to bear on the question of "Who is the Israel
of God?" time and again he teaches: Salvation by grace alone, through
faith alone in Christ alone; and "What Israel sought so earnestly it did
not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened?…" (11.7).
那上帝拯救犹太人的计划完成了吗? 还没有。拯救先临到了外邦人，“为了要激动以色列人发愤” （11.11）。 外邦人，受到上帝白白的眷顾，被嫁接为上帝的以色列。“以色列人中有几分是心硬的，等到外族人的数目添满了；于是全以色列全家都要得救” （11.25-6）
Is
God finished saving Jews? Not at all. Salvation has come to the Gentiles
"to make Israel envious" (11.11). Gentiles, by God's undeserved
favor, have been grafted on to the Israel of God. "Israel has experienced
a hardening until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all
Israel will be saved" (11.25-6).
基督徒是在基督里神的以色列Christians are the Israel of
God in Christ
加拉太书 6.16
有了这些认识，就不奇怪为什么使徒将犹太人和外邦人都叫做“神的以色列”。这是保罗对加拉太的有各类人的众教会说的话。
Gal
6.16
Given
this background, it should not surprise us at all when the Apostles call both
Jews and Gentiles "the Israel of God." This is Paul's language to the
mixed Galatian congregation.
彼得前书 2.9-10
使徒彼得在写给亚细亚的外邦人众教会时，用同样的语言说：“你们从前不是子民，现在却是 神的子民；从前未蒙怜恤，现在却蒙了怜恤。”
1
Peter 2.9-10
The Apostle
Peter uses the same sort of language to describe the mostly Gentile
congregations of Asia Minor to whom he wrote, saying, "Once you were not a
people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but
now you have received mercy."
希伯来书 8.8-10
根据写希伯来书的人，那些呼喊基督名的人们是“以色列家”。每个相信基督的人是新契约中那个应许的继承人。
Hebrews
8.8-10
According
to the writer to the Hebrews, those who call on the name of Christ are the
"House of Israel." Everyone who has trusted Christ is an heir of the
promises of the New Covenant.
结论 Conclusion
那位亚伯拉罕的神，以撒和雅各的神爱犹太人吗？是的。他为犹太人订了一个计划吗？是的，那个计划就是祂对亚当所应许的，对女人的后裔所应许的，也是他对亚伯拉罕所应许的相同的计划。“那个后裔”只有一个：基督。祂是以色列的圣者，祂是那个神的以色列。祂做了亚当不能做的。祂做了顽固的以色列要做却不能做的。祂用祂整个身心，全部心智来事奉。
Conclusion
Does
the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob love the Jews? Yes. Does he have a plan for
the Jews? Yes, it is the same plan he promised to Adam, the seed of the Woman,
the same plan he promised to Abraham, "the Seed." That seed is one:
Christ. He is the Holy One of Israel, he is the Israel of God. He did what Adam
would not do. He did what stubborn Israel would and could not do. He served the
Lord with all his heart, soul, mind and strength.
然而，大多数犹太人并没有在找一位救主，而是在找一位君王。耶稣是王，但他的王冠是通过他的顺从和死得到的，这却不是犹太人想要的。他们想要荣耀，权力，地上的，政治的，神统治的，属于这个世界的王国。耶稣通过福音宣讲和分发圣餐建立了祂的王国。也许，这样的王国不如耶路撒冷在他的黄金统治期间的王国那样地令人兴奋，也许耶稣不会卖很多书，或者拍一部卖座的电影，但是这个世界从未想到关于祂的经文是如此引人入胜。这就是为什祂成了那些犹太复国主义者的绊脚石，和那些希腊人认为的傻瓜。然而对于基督徒，祂是基督，祂是“神的能力，神的智慧”。（歌林多前书 1：24）
Most
of the Jews, however, were not looking for a Savior. They were looking for a
king. Jesus is King, but he earned his throne by his obedience and death, and
that is not what they wanted. They wanted glory, power and an earthly,
political, theocratic, this-worldly kingdom. Jesus has established his kingdom,
through the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments.
This kingdom may not be as exciting as ruling from Jerusalem during an earthly
golden age, it may not sell many books or fill seats in movie theaters, but the
world never has found the Jesus of Scripture very interesting, that's why he's
stumbling block to Zionist Jews and a foolishness to Greeks. To Christians,
however, he is the Christ, "the power of God and the wisdom of God"
(1 Corinthians 1.24).
译者注：
*1 其结论是耶稣不是他们等待的弥赛亚。
*2
providence也常被译为（神的）护理。在这篇文章中，被译做“天意”。
*3 本文为了区分圣经的旧/新约Old/New Testament 与这里所定义的神与人所签订的约Old/New Covenant, 将后者翻译成了旧/新契约。Old/New Covenant 通常也被译作旧/新约。
*4 使徒行传5：31