作者: Sam Storms 譯者/校對者: Maria Marta/駱鴻銘
大多數基督徒都至少有一節他們最喜愛的經文，這毫不令人奇怪。但令人吃驚的是大多數非基督徒也同樣有一節他們最喜愛的經文。非基督徒對聖經的認識可能不多，但是他們必定會引用馬太福音七章1節，一如夜晚會緊隨著白天一樣：「你們不要論斷人，免得你們被論斷。」 而具有諷刺意味的是，對這節他們所最愛的經文，他們卻了解得最少。Whereas it comes as
no surprise that most Christians have at least one favorite verse of Scripture,
it is somewhat startling to learn that most non-Christians have one as well.
Non-Christians may know little of the Bible, but as certainly as night follows
day, they can quote for you Matthew 7:1: “Judge not, that you be not judged.”
And, ironically, this verse, which they love most, they understand least.
一節被濫用的經文
從來沒有一節聖經經文像這節經文那樣被徹底地濫用、誤解和誤用。非基督徒（也有不少被誤導的信徒）使用這這節經文來譴責任何所有敢於批評或揭露罪、缺點、或偏差教義的人。人們不敢說同性戀、奸淫、搬弄是非、逃稅、淫亂、墮胎、其它宗教，等等的不是，因為那會招致公眾的憤怒，而公眾確信他們所鄙視和拒絕的耶穌曾經說過我們不應該彼此論斷！Never has a passage
of Scripture been so utterly abused, misunderstood, and misapplied as this one.
Non-Christians (and not a few misguided believers as well) use this text to
denounce any and all who venture to criticize or expose the sins, shortcomings,
or doctrinal aberrations of others. One dare not speak ill of homosexuality,
adultery, gossip, cheating on your income tax, fornication, abortion,
non-Christian religions, and so on without incurring the wrath of multitudes
who are convinced that Jesus, whom they despise and reject, said that we
shouldn’t judge one another
這個問題在很大程度上是由於人們討厭絕對真理，特別是關乎道德方面的絕對真理。當我們指出在善與惡、真與假之間存在著絕對的區別時，總要冒被貼上守舊或封閉頭腦標簽的風險。簡單地說，對今日許多（如果不是大多數）學生來說，「食古不化是我們唯一的敵人！」（參見Closing of the
American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the
Souls of Today's Students）This problem is due
in large measure to the fact that people hate absolutes, especially moral ones.
To suggest that there really is an absolute difference between good and evil,
truth and falsity, is to risk being labeled as medieval and closed-minded. In
brief, for many (if not most) people today, “There is no enemy other than the
man who is not open to everything" (Allan Bloom, The Closing of the
American Mind, 27).
當然，具諷刺意味的是，當他們指責我們論斷他人的時候，就是在違反這個誡命，而他們卻要我們對這個誡命負責。堅持說我們的宣判（指責某些信仰是錯誤的和某些行為是不道德的）是錯誤的同時，這種堅持本身就是一種道德倫理的標準與立場。堅持要別人不加批判地寬容各種觀點，就是在對持不同觀點的人表現出極度的不寬容。The irony, of
course, is that in judging us for judging others they are themselves violating
the very commandment to which they want to hold us accountable! To insist that
it is wrong to pronounce others wrong for embracing a particular belief or
moral practice is itself an ethical position, a moral stand. To insist on
uncritical tolerance of all views is extremely intolerant of those who embrace
a different perspective.
耶穌的意思不是什麽
從兩個因素，即緊鄰的前後文，以及新約聖經的其它經文，對「判斷」的教導可以證明，耶穌並未禁止??我們針對是與非、善與惡、真與假等表達意見。That Jesus is not
forbidding us from expressing our opinion on right and wrong, good and evil,
truth and falsity, can be demonstrated by noting two factors: the immediate
context and the rest of the New Testament teaching on judging.
幾乎整篇登山寶訓，包括之前和之後的經文，都是基於一個假設：我們要（而且應該）使用我們的判斷力作出倫理和邏輯上的判斷。耶穌告訴基督徒，我們要與周圍的世界有所不同，要追求勝過法利賽人的義，要比非信徒作「更多」的工，當我們在施舍、祈禱、禁食時，要避免假冒為善。Virtually all of
the Sermon on the Mount, both preceding and following this text, is based on
the assumption that we will (and should) use our critical powers in making
ethical and logical judgments. Jesus has told Christians to be different from
the world around us, to pursue a righteousness that exceeds that of the
Pharisees, to do “more” than what unbelievers would do, to avoid being like the
hypocrites when we give, pray, fast, and so on.
「在所有批評之前，必須先有懺悔」
不但如此，緊隨著馬太福音七章1節的敦促，耶穌另外宣布了兩個命令：不要把聖物給狗和豬，並且要提防假先知。 「要服從這兩個命令，就不可能不作出批判性的判斷」 ，斯托德（Stott） 說：「為了確定我們的行動是針對『狗、豬、假先知』，我們必須首先能夠認識他們，而要認識他們，我們必須進行批判性的辨識。」Not only this, but
immediately following this word of exhortation in Matthew 7:1 Jesus issues two
more commands: don’t give what is holy to dogs or pearls to pigs, and beware of
false prophets. “It would be impossible to obey either of these commands
without using our critical judgment,” says Stott. “For in order to determine
our behavior toward ‘dogs,’ ‘pigs’ and ‘false prophets’ we must first be able
to recognize them, and in order to do that we must exercise some critical
discernment” (Christian Counter Culture, 176).
與此教導相關的經文有：太十八15-17；羅十六17-18；林前五3；加一8；腓三2；提多三10-11；約壹四1 - 4；約貳9-11；約叁9-10；特別是約七24，主耶穌說，「不可按外貌斷定是非，總要按公平斷定是非。」( 黑體字的強調是我加的 ) In addition to Matthew 7, I
also direct your attention to such texts as Matthew 18:15–17; Romans 16:17–18; 1 Corinthians 5:3; Galatians 1:8; Philippians 3:2;
Titus 3:10–11; 1 John 4:1–4; 2 John 9–11; 3 John 9–10; and especially John
7:24, where Jesus himself says, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with
right judgment,” (emphasis mine).
耶穌所指的是什麽意思？What, then, does
Jesus mean in Matthew 7:1–6?
那麽，在馬太福音七章1-6節中，耶穌所指的是什麽意思呢？
耶穌禁止那種自以為義、吹毛求疵、破壞性的論斷。這種論斷，不是以關心他人的屬靈健康和福利為出發點，而是只顧在人前炫耀自己所謂的義。It would appear
that Jesus is prohibiting the sort of judgmental criticism that is
self-righteous, hypercritical, and destructive. He is prohibiting the kind of
judgment we pass on others not out of concern for their spiritual health and
welfare but solely to parade our alleged righteousness before men.
耶穌並未禁止有愛心的斥責和建設性的批評，而是那種自私而尖酸刻薄的批評。斯托德對這種尖酸刻薄的批評的解釋是：Jesus is
prohibiting not loving rebuke and constructive criticism, but rather
self-serving censoriousness. To be censorious, Stott explains,
…不是批判性的評估，而是嚴苛的論斷。尖酸刻薄的批評者是一個對別人造成消極和破壞影響的「找茬者」，他以發掘別人的錯誤為樂。他以最惡毒的手段來建構別人的動機，對別人的計劃潑冷水，對別人的錯誤吹毛求疵。“does not mean to
assess people critically, but to judge them harshly. The censorious critic is a
fault-finder who is negative and destructive towards other people and enjoys
actively seeking out their failings. He puts the worst possible construction on
their motives, pours cold water on their schemes and is ungenerous towards
their mistakes” (176).
總而言之（見斯托德著：The Message of the Sermon on
the Mount[Matthew 5-7 : Christian Counter-Culture]）：「『不要論斷』的命令不是要人變得盲目，而是呼籲人要寬宏大量。耶??穌沒有告訴我們，不要停止作一個人（暫停我們批判的能力，此能力能使我們與動物有別），而是宣布放棄妄自尊大要成為神（自己作為審判官）的野心。To sum up, says
Stott, “the command to
judge not is not a requirement to be blind, but rather a plea to be generous.
Jesus does not tell us to cease to be men (by suspending our critical powers
which help to distinguish us from animals) but to renounce the presumptuous
ambition to be God (by setting ourselves up as judges)” (177).
等等---還有更多的意思But we must not stop with verse 7:1, for Jesus has
much more to say on this subject in the verses that follow.
但我們絕不能停留在七章1節這節經句上，耶穌在接下來的經文中，對這個問題有更多解釋。耶穌要求我們不能自以為義、嚴厲苛刻地論斷人的原因是：「你們怎樣論斷人，也必怎樣被論斷；你們用什麽量器量給人，也必用什麽量器量給你們。」（2節）這裏的問題是要決定，這種論斷是指我們從人或是從上帝的手中所經歷到的論斷。The reason he gives
for not judging others in a self-righteous and censorious manner is that “with the judgment you pronounce you will be
judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you” (v. 2). The
problem here is determining whether this refers to the judgment we experience
at the hands of men or of God. I'm convinced it is the latter.
當我們設立一個他人必須遵守??的標準時，我們首先要比別人更能遵守。這就是為什麽謙卑和愛，必須支配我們的判斷。在所有批評之前，必須先有懺悔。在我們指出在其他人的錯誤之前，讓我們首先承認這個錯誤也存在我們自己的生活當中。When we set up a
standard to which others must conform, we are no less obliged to keep it than
they are. That is why humility and love must govern our judgments. All
criticism must be preceded by confession. Before we point out a fault in
others, let us first confess its presence in our own lives.
你的眼裏有什麽？
馬太福音七章3-5節說明這一原則。耶穌問到：「為什麽看見你弟兄眼中有刺，卻不想自己眼中有梁木呢？你自己眼中有梁木，怎能對你弟兄說：『容我去掉你眼中的刺』呢？你這假冒為善的人！先去掉自己眼中的梁木，然後才能看得清楚，去掉你弟兄眼中的刺。」An illustration of
this principle is given in Matthew 7:3–5:
“Why do you see the speck that is in your
brother’s eye,” asks Jesus, “but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or
how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when
there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your
own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s
eye.”
這一原則適用於無數的情況，例如譴責外部可見肉體的罪，像奸淫、偷盜、兇殺等，以便遮蓋或減少內部不太明顯的內心的罪惡，像嫉妒、苦毒、貪婪或欲望等。與此相關的還有，偏好指出別人的錯誤，這恰恰是把他們自己的罪顯露出來。這種論斷的形式無非是自我審判。我們以為，我們只要讓別人知道他們的罪的嚴重性，那麽比較起來，我們聞起來倒像一朵玫瑰。This principle
applies to any number of situations, such as denouncing the external, visible sins
of the flesh, like adultery, theft, murder, in order to excuse or minimize the
internal, less visible sins of the heart, such as jealousy, bitterness, greed,
or lust. Related to this is the tendency to point out the faults of others
precisely to throw them off the scent of our own sin. This form of judgment is
nothing more than self-justification. We think that if we can just make known
to others the gravity of their sins, we will by comparison come out smelling
like a rose.
「聖徒並非是不知分辨的傻瓜！」
還有一種相反而同樣危險的情況。在馬太福音七章6節，耶穌說，「不要把聖物給狗，也不要把你們的珍珠丟在豬前，恐怕它踐踏了珍珠，轉過來咬你們。」耶穌在這裏點出過份縱容和不加分辨的危險。在愛我們敵人的同時，要加倍努力，作出公正的判斷，在對與錯、真理和謬誤之間，存在著一種使人變得軟弱無力，無法做出必要區分的危險。盡管聖徒不是法官，但他們也不是不知分辨的傻瓜！There is also an
opposite and equal danger. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus says, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your
pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”
Here Jesus points out the danger of being overindulgent and undiscerning. In
loving our enemies, going the extra mile, and not judging unjustly, there is
the peril of becoming wishy-washy and of failing to make essential distinctions
between right and wrong and truth and falsehood. Whereas the saints are not to
be judges, neither are they to be simpletons!
耶穌不是說我們應該向某些我們認為不值得的人隱瞞福音，但是耶穌是個實在主義者，祂知道在經歷多次拒絕和對福音的嘲弄之後，就是轉移到別人身上的時候了。總是會有一些人固執地心懷惡意，對福音麻木不仁，他們不喜歡聖經的真理，只顧著嘲笑它。Jesus is not saying
that we should withhold the gospel from certain people we regard as unworthy of
it, but he is a realist and acknowledges that after multiple rejections and
mockery of the gospel, the time may come to move on to others. There are those
who are persistently vicious and calloused, who delight not in the truth of
Scripture but only in mocking it.
高於一切，在背景之中的福音In conclusion, then, several
points should be made.
總之，我們應該總結出以下的幾個要點。首先，重要的是要註意耶穌說的是「珍珠」，而不是「砂石」 。我們必須始終牢記，福音訊息是無價之寶和無法估量的榮耀訊息。First, it’s important to note that Jesus speaks of “pearls”
and not “gravel.” We must always keep in mind the priceless
treasure and incalculable value and glory of the gospel message.
其次，我們將對不同類型的人作見證，我們必須學會如何區別對待他們。（見徒十七32-34）。Second, there are going to be
different sorts of people to whom we witness, and we must learn to discriminate
among them (see Acts 17:32–34).
第三，在不同時侯對不同的人傳講福音時，要強調不同的側重點，不能用一成不變和機械的方式。有些人已經因為罪惡感和罪咎感而感到灰心，他們已經因著聖靈的工作而紮心知罪，因此需要聽聞上帝在基督裏的愛。有些人需要聽到上帝的聖潔和憤怒。有些人需要著手處理他們心中的墮落，還有一些人需要面對上帝的憐憫和寬恕。請記住，此命令是在愛我們敵人的背景下所設置的。雖然我們不可將我們的珍珠投放在豬前，但我們也不該令人討厭，心懷惡意，和冷漠不關心他人。Third, we need not
present the gospel of Jesus with the same emphasis at all times in an
unthinking and mechanical way. Some are already weighed down with sin and guilt
and conviction of the Holy Spirit and thus need to hear of God’s love in
Christ. Others need to hear of the holiness and wrath of God. Others need to
come to grips with the depravity of their hearts, while still others need to be
confronted with divine mercy and forgiveness. Remember that this instruction is
set in the context of loving our enemies. Whereas we are not to cast our pearls
before swine, neither are we to be nasty and vicious and uncaring.
「此命令是在愛我們敵人的背景下所設置的。」
最後，在某些教會裏，或者對於某些基督徒，可能並不需要教導馬太福音七章6節這節經文。他們的問題不是沒有能力分辨，常常將珍珠放在豬前。他們的問題是，他們根本沒有向人拋灑珍珠！這節經文是寫給那些熱心傳福音，卻沒有從饑餓的靈魂中辨別出褻慢人的人。最有可能的是，我們首要的問題是沒有傳福音的熱心。Finally, Matthew
7:6 probably does not need to be taught in certain churches or to certain
Christians. Their problem is not that they are inclined to be undiscerning and
often cast their pearls before swine. Their problem is that they aren’t casting
their pearls at all! This verse is addressed to those who are so zealous for
evangelism that they fail to discern the scoffer from the hungry soul. Most
likely, our problem is that we have no such zeal to evangelize in the first
place.