幫助你明白聖經難解之言的四種方法FourTools to Help You Understand the Hard Sayings of the Bible

作者: John Tweeddale   譯者: Maria Marta  

http://www.ligonier.org/blog/four-tools-help-you-understand-hard-sayings-bible/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/BhomNp3ooc7

1983年，隨著布魯斯（F.F. Bruce）著作的出版，所謂的耶穌教訓中的難解之言（hard sayings of Jesus）便成了基督教方言。但早在二十世紀英國福音派聖經學者講師完成他現在著名的著作之前，人們一直在設法弄明白耶穌教訓中的難解經文。

耶穌在約翰福音第六章論述生命的糧之後，幾個聲稱是基督的跟從者離棄耶穌的門徒隊伍，因為他們被他們所稱作的「難解之言」冒犯了。（60 – 65節）。並不是每個人都受到基督說話的攪擾。例如使徒彼得，他則以信心回應相同的「冒犯」說話，大聲說道：「你有永生之道」（68節）。我們應該怎樣回應耶穌的難解之言？

即使粗略閱讀約翰福音六章22-71節，也能看到許多具有挑戰性的解釋。耶穌的講道談及教義，涉及範圍廣泛，從三位一體、揀選與遺棄、其使命的目的、信心的本質、舊約和新約的關系，到以色列在救贖史上的位置、聖靈的工作都有涉及。正如這份清單的內容所說明的，聖經解釋中的困難不僅限於耶穌的難解之言，而且亦出現於整本聖經。

我們之所痛下功夫，準確地抓住聖經的難解之言，其中一個原因是因為我們像彼得那樣相信，它們有永生之道。從許多方面來說，與這些難解之言角力，是一項典型的福音派工作。因為我們相信聖經是上帝無誤的話語，所以我們要仔細檢查每「一點一畫」是如何解釋的。成為一個上帝話語的正確解釋者，是每一個基督徒最基本的使命。我們之所以如此關心釋經學的任務，是因為我們相信正確解釋聖經對信仰和實踐來說是絕對必要的。對聖經的默示和權威的委身，我們需要仔細研究、解釋、辯護、與應用聖經的啟示。

聖經權威與解釋之間的聯系是新教思想的標志。隨著宗教改革對聖經字面閱讀的堅持，宗教改革唯獨聖經教義的意外成果，是對諸如經文彙編（ concordance）和學習指導等資源的開發，以幫助讀者在闡釋經文時變得更加熟練。這裏有四個吸收自改教家洞見的釋經學方法，能幫助你「正確講解」聖經的難解之言（提後二15）。

首先，了解整個文脈。解釋聖經最基本的規則是聖經的類比。讓聖經解釋聖經。每一段經文都位於整個文脈當中。花時間來定義難解的字，找出不清楚的地方，並總結一段經文的要點。詢問正在考慮中的經文對該章的邏輯和該書的情節起到什麽作用。將不清晰的段落與聖經中同一相關的教導或事件的較清晰的部分進行比較。現在回到約翰福音第六章，耶穌對生命的糧的評論不僅要在餵飽五千人的背景下閱讀，而且要參照埃及記第十六章和民數記第十一章關於上帝供應嗎哪給以色列人的事件來閱讀。

第二，檢查你的神學。改教家也強調信仰的類比（analogy of faith）。任何解釋都不應與聖經的整體神學相矛盾。雖然你的歷史文法分析可能是全面的，但如果你的解釋折衷調和了基督信仰的真理，你可以肯定你對經文的解釋不正確。一個可靠的信仰告白和可信賴的系統神學，是勾畫正統範圍，其内聖經註釋正蓬勃發展的寶貴資源。

第三、聆聽聖徒的見解。雖然教會歷史和當前的聖經學者並非與生俱來就是權威的，但有時卻能反映最小的教義共識，解經不是在歷史的真空裏進行的。最好的解經者從聖徒相通中學習。升天的基督賜下教師和牧師，目的是幫助祂的子民更好地明白祂的說話。註釋書、聖經研讀本、講道是解經者其中最好的朋友。將你的解釋跟過去與現在最好的聖經解釋者核對。

最後，依靠聖靈。聖經解釋是一種屬靈活動。我們必須依靠聖靈的光照工作，以避免錯誤，并能正確地解釋上帝的聖言。耶穌宣稱「使人活的是靈，肉體是無濟於事的」（約六63新譯本）。耶穌的說話難解，並非因為它們隱晦費解，而是因為沒有聖靈，它們就無法令人相信。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌。  John W. Tweeddale博士是Reformation Bible College的教務長和神學教授。

Four Tools to Help You Understand the Hard Sayings of the Bible

FROM John Tweeddale

The so-called hard sayings of Jesus entered Christian vernacular in 1983 with the publication of F.F. Bruce’s book of the same name. But individuals have been grappling with the teachings of Jesus long before the don of twentieth century British evangelical biblical scholarship wrote his now-famous work.

After Jesus’ bread of life discourse in John 6, several professed followers of Christ abandoned His band of disciples because they were offended by what they dubbed His “hard sayings” (vv. 60–65). Not everyone was as put off by the words of Christ. The Apostle Peter responded to the very same “offensive” words with confidence, exclaiming, “You have the words of eternal life” (v. 68). How shall we respond to the hard sayings of Jesus?

Even a cursory reading of John 6:22–71 will reveal a host of interpretative challenges. Jesus’ sermon touches on doctrines as wide-ranging as the Trinity, election and reprobation, the purpose of His mission, the nature of faith, the relationship between the Old and New Testaments, the place of Israel within redemptive history, and the work of the Holy Spirit. As this list illustrates, difficulties in biblical interpretation are not limited to the hard sayings of Jesus but are present throughout the entire Bible.

One of the reasons why we sweat over getting the hard sayings of the Bible right is because we believe, like Peter, that they hold the words of eternal life. In many ways, wrestling with these hard sayings is a quintessentially evangelical occupation. Since we believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, we scrutinize over how every “jot and tittle” is interpreted. The most basic vocation for every Christian is to be a sound exegete of God’s Word. The reason why we care so much about the task of hermeneutics is that we believe correct interpretation of Sacred Writ is essential for faith and practice. Our commitment to the inspiration and authority of the Bible necessitates the careful study, explanation, defense, and application of biblical revelation.

The link between biblical authority and interpretation is a hallmark of Protestant thought. A byproduct of the Reformation’s doctrine of sola Scriptura, with its insistence on a literal reading of the Bible, was the development of resources, such as concordances and study guides, to help readers become more proficient in expounding Scripture. Drawing upon the Reformers’ insights, here are four handy hermeneutical tools to help you “rightly divide” the hard sayings of the Bible (2 Tim. 2:15).

First, know the context. The most fundamental rule in biblical interpretation is the analogy of Scripture. Let Scripture interpret Scripture. Every biblical text is situated in a biblical context. Take time to define difficult words, locate unknown places, and summarize the main point of the passage. Ask how the verse in question contributes to the logic of the chapter and the plotline of the book. Compare unclear passages with clearer portions of the Bible that refer to the same teaching or event. Returning to John 6, Jesus’ comments about the bread of life should not only be read against the backdrop of the feeding of the five thousand but also in reference to God’s providing manna for Israel in Exodus 16 and Numbers 11.

Second, check your theology. The Reformers also emphasized the analogy of faith. No interpretation should contradict the overall theology of Scripture. Although your grammatical-historical analysis may be complete, if your interpretation compromises the truths of the Christian faith, you can be sure that you have interpreted the text incorrectly. A solid confession of faith and a trusty systematic theology are invaluable resources for outlining the orthodox boundaries within which biblical exegesis flourishes.

Third, listen to the saints. While church history and current biblical scholarship are not inherently authoritative and can at times reflect minimal doctrinal consensus, exegesis does not occur in a historical vacuum. The best exegetes learn from the communion of the saints. The ascended Christ has given teachers and preachers for the purpose of helping His people understand His Word better. Commentaries, study Bibles, and sermons are among the exegete’s best friends. Check your interpretations against the findings of the very best biblical interpreters both in the past and present.

Finally, rely on the Spirit. Biblical interpretation is a spiritual exercise. We must depend upon the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit to avoid error and interpret the Word of God correctly. As Jesus states, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all” (John 6:63). Jesus’ words are hard not because they are obscure but because they are impossible to believe without the Holy Spirit.

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine. Dr. John W. Tweeddale is academic dean and professor of theology at Reformation Bible College.

什麽是愛的判斷？ WhatIs the Judgment of Charity?

作者: R.C. Sproul 譯者: Maria Marta

http://www.ligonier.org/blog/judgment-charity/

https://plus.google.com/u/1/106695469993489516884/posts/aY7Jyvm7WMu

每次我讀福音書，我都深有感觸，無論耶穌走到哪裏，祂似乎都被發現身處在爭論之中。耶穌如何處理每一次不同的爭論，給我留下了深刻的印象。耶穌並不是依照紐約巨人隊經理迪若丘（Leo “The Lip” DeRosier）那樣辦：以同樣的方式對待每一個他所遇到的人。雖然耶穌期望每個人的行動都遵守相同的規則，但祂根據他們的具體需求來牧養他們。

舊約聖經描述好牧人是一個手執杖和竿的人，因為他的責任是引導他的羊，保護他們免受餓狼的襲擊（詩廿三4）。在福音書中，我們看到耶穌行使祂的保護桿的大多數情況都是針對文士和法利賽人的。耶穌對付這些人，祂要求不讓步，絕不讓步。當祂公開宣告上帝對他們的審判時，祂使用舊約聖經先知的「禍哉神諭」（oracle of woe）：「虛偽的經學家和法利賽人哪，你們有禍了！你們走遍海洋陸地，要使一個人入教；當他入了教，你們卻使他淪為地獄之子，比你們更甚」（太廿三15新譯本）。

當日耶穌強硬對付許多宗教領袖，因為他們內心頑硬，假冒為善。而那些認識自己的罪，並為罪感到羞愧的其他人------耶穌則以愛和鼓勵來對待他們。想想打水的撒瑪利亞婦人（約翰福音第四章）。在當天，因為對婦女和撒瑪利亞人的共同偏見，耶穌坐著與撒瑪利亞婦人說話，這是猶太拉比來前所未聞的事。祂耐心地引導她認罪悔過，並向她透露祂的彌賽亞職份。耶穌把她視為壓傷的蘆葦和將殘的燈火，溫柔地與她當面對證，而不是把她壓垮（太十二15–21）。

除了其他許多的例子外，我認為基督的榜樣亦教導我們如何應對與我們意見不合的人。有時我們必須強硬，有時我們必須溫柔-------對付狼，必須強硬；對待耶稣的羊，必須溫柔。

我們不但與我們的兄弟存在分歧，而且與那些聲稱是我們的兄弟，實際上可能是披著狼皮的羊也存在分歧。這樣的狼總是對耶穌基督的羊的安全、健康、與福祉構成明顯的危險。我們對狼絕不讓步，但我們蒙吩咐要溫柔對待那些與我們意見相左的，持守正統信仰的基督徒，切勿觸動他們的心。

知道何時要溫柔，何時要強硬，這是成熟的基督徒最難辨別的問題之一。我沒有一個易於適用的公式，但我知道，我們總是蒙吩咐要在寬容，即愛的基礎上處理我們存在的糾紛和分歧。

愛德華滋（Jonathan Edwards）所著的《博愛及其果實》（Charity and Its Fruits）是我所知道的對哥林多前書第十三章最深刻的論述。我已經讀了至少6次，也許更多。愛德華茲在這本書中寫道：

「一個真謙卑的人，只為他的主和主人強硬，這是因真理和美德的緣故。在這一點上，他堅定不移，因為這是上帝和良心所要求的；但少數時候，在不涉及他作為基督追隨者的原則，和只與他個人利益有關的事宜上，他則往往讓步給其他人。」

一定要將愛德華茲在這裏所說這種謙卑，帶到突然出現在信徒之間的每一個分歧當中。這種顯著的謙卑，在教會歷史上被許多人稱之為愛的判斷。愛的判斷大致是這樣的：我們彼此看法不同，我相信身為基督徒，我們受吩咐要假定與我們意見相左的人的動機是單純的動機。那些熱愛聖經，但並沒有試圖改變聖經教導的人，在聖經的解釋上，的確與我們的看法不同，應對這種情況，我們就要采用這种方法。這些人（同样）不願意妥協基督信仰的基本真理。

現在，在基督徒的糾紛中，愛的判斷假定：與我們有分歧的兄弟或姐妹誠實、正直地表達不同的意見。這裏我想到我的朋友約翰麥克阿瑟（John.MacArthur）。如果我不同意約翰的某些看法------我不管它是什麽------我們聚在一起談論，約翰會改變他的立場------不計任何代價------如果我能說服他，聖經的教導與我的觀點而不是他的觀點一致。他改變是因為他希望忠於上帝的聖言，而且看得比其他任何事情都重要。

這就是我所指的愛的判斷的意思。我們切勿質疑他人的動機，當我們與其他人的意見相左時，切勿臆斷他們是其中最壞的人。我們區分最佳情況分析與最壞情況分析。在榮耀的一面，我們作為罪人都會出現的問題是，我們往往把自己的動機歸入最佳情況分析，將兄弟妹妹的動機列入最壞情況分析。這恰好與我們受吩咐要擁有符合聖經的謙卑的精神相反。

本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌。

What Is the Judgment of Charity?

FROM R.C. Sproul

Every time I read the Gospels, I am struck by how Jesus seems to have found Himself in the middle of controversy wherever He went. I am also struck by how Jesus handled each controversy differently. He did not follow the example of Leo “The Lip” Durocher, the former manager of the New York Giants and treat every person He encountered in the same manner. Although He expected everyone to play by the same rules, He shepherded people according to their specific needs.

The Old Testament depicts the Good Shepherd as One who carries both a staff and a rod, for His responsibility is both to guide His sheep and to protect them from ravenous wolves (Ps. 23:4). In the Gospels, we see Jesus exercise His protective rod most often against the scribes and Pharisees. When Jesus dealt with these men, He asked no quarter and gave none. When He pronounced the judgment of God on them publicly, He used the oracle of woe that was used by the Old Testament prophets: “Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte [convert], and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves” (Matt. 23:15).

Jesus dealt with many of the religious leaders of His day so forcefully because of their hard-hearted hypocrisy. Other people who were cognizant of their sin and ashamed of it—these He addressed with love and encouragement. Consider the woman at the well (John 4). Jesus sat and talked with a Samaritan woman, which was unheard of for a Jewish rabbi in those days because of common biases against women and Samaritans. He patiently drew a confession of sin out of her and revealed His Messianic office to her. Jesus treated her as a bruised reed and smoldering wick, tenderly confronting but not crushing her (Matt. 12:15–21).

Among many other things, I think Christ’s example teaches us how we are to deal with those with whom we disagree. Sometimes we must be forceful and sometimes we must be gentle—forceful with the wolves and gentle with Jesus’ lambs.

There are disagreements we have with our brothers, but also disagreements we have with those who claim to be our brothers but who may, in fact, be wolves in sheep’s clothing. Such wolves always represent a clear danger to the safety, health, and well-being of Christ’s sheep. No quarter can be given to wolves, but we are called to exercise gentleness toward those whose disagreements with us do not touch the heart of Christian orthodoxy.

To know the difference between when to be gentle and when to be forceful is one of the most difficult matters for mature Christians to discern. I don’t have a formula that is easily applied, but I do know that we are always called to deal with the disputes and disagreements we have on the basis of charity, that is, love.

Charity and Its Fruits by Jonathan Edwards is the deepest exposition of 1 Corinthians 13 that I know of. I’ve read it at least half-a-dozen times, probably more. In this work, Edwards writes:

A truly humble man, is inflexible in nothing but in the cause of his Lord and master, which is the cause of truth and virtue. In this he is inflexible because God and conscience require it; but in things of lesser moment, and which do not involve his principles as a follower of Christ, and in things that only concern his own private interests, he is apt to yield to others.

The humility of which Edwards is speaking here is a humility that must be brought to every disagreement that erupts among believers. It is a humility that brings to the fore what in church history many have called the judgment of charity. The judgment of charity works something like this: When we disagree with one another, I believe that we are called as Christians to assume the motives of the person with whom we disagree are pure motives. This is the approach we are to have with those with whom we have an honest difference in biblical interpretation but who love the Bible and aren’t trying to change what it teaches. Such people are unwilling to compromise the essential truths of the Christian faith.

Now, the judgment of charity assumes in a Christian dispute that the brother or sister with whom we are disagreeing is disagreeing honestly and with personal integrity. Here I think of my friend John MacArthur. If I disagree about something with John—I don’t care what it is—and we go to the mat and talk about it, John will change his position—no matter the cost— if I can persuade him that the Bible teaches my view and not his. That’s because what he wants more than anything else is to be faithful to the Word of God.

That’s what I mean by the judgment of charity. We don’t impugn people’s motives and don’t assume the worst of them when we disagree with them. We make a distinction between best-case and worst-case analysis. The problem we all have as sinners on this side of glory is that we tend to reserve best-case analysis to our own motives and give worst-case analysis to our brother’s and sister’s motives. That’s just the opposite of the spirit we’re called to have in terms of biblical humility.

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.

耶利米書廿九章是在呼召我們要為我們所在的城市求平安嗎？Does Jeremiah 29 call us toseek the welfare of the city?

作者：Phil Colgan  譯者：駱鴻銘

http://gotherefor.com/offer.php?intid=29593

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2017/04/01/Does_Jeremiah_29_call_us_to_seek_the-welfare_of_the_city.aspx

https://plus.google.com/u/0/105106813742373627205/posts/RG2BuiRYkKb

若我是在20年前寫有關基督徒在基督再臨之前，在世上應該如何生活，我不認為耶利米書廿九章會出現在我的雷達螢幕上。也許我會提到耶利米書廿九章11節——「我自己知道我向你們所定的計劃......這是耶和華的宣告」（《新譯本》）——這是自古以來就一直出現在基督徒海報上的經文，海報上還會有小狗和日落，等等。If I was writing 20 years ago about how Christians should live in the world this side of Christ’s return, I don’t think Jeremiah 29 would have been on the radar. Perhaps Jeremiah 29:11 might have got a mention —“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord”—which has been on Christian posters with puppies and sunsets since time immemorial.

然而，有趣的是，某些經文會在特定的時期捕捉到基督徒的時代精神，無論是好是壞。目前在改革宗福音派人士當中，是耶利米書廿九章獨領風騷的時刻。這大致要感謝凱勒（Tim Keller）在紐約非常著名和，以及總的來說令人驚喜的工作，以及他對耶利米書廿九章7節——「為那城求平安」——的應用。凱勒把這節經文當作基督徒與世界積極互動的使命宣言。對許多人來說，這節經文（或這個句子）已經成為理解基督徒和教會在現代世界所扮演的角色的關鍵經文；也是理解身為被擄之民在一個墮落世界中生存，究竟有什麼意義的關鍵經文。However, it’s funny how certain passages capture the Christian zeitgeist at a particular time, for good or for ill. Right now among Reformed evangelicals, it is Jeremiah 29’s time. This is thanks largely to Tim Keller’s very well-known and generally amazing work in New York, and his appropriation of Jeremiah 29:7—“seek the welfare of the city”—as a mission statement for Christian engagement with the world. For many people, this verse (or phrase) has become key for understanding the role of the Christian and the church in the modern world; the key verse for what it means to live as exiles in a fallen world.

我必須承認，每當我看到耶利米書廿九章7節被這樣來使用時，我總是感到坐立難安。為什麼呢？因為我是雪梨福音主義（Sydney evangelicalism）的子孫，這意味著我一直是為了明白聖經神學的重要性而受到栽培的。I have to admit that I have always felt uncomfortable when I see Jeremiah 29:7 used in that way. Why? Because I am a child of Sydney evangelicalism, and that means I have been raised to understand the importance of biblical theology.

摩爾大學（Moore College）——從諾克斯和羅賓森時期，一直到高偉勳（Graeme Goldsworthy）——都是因為它很注重根據整本聖經來考慮每一部分的經文，並且要透過上帝在基督裏為永世所定的宏偉計劃來理解每一部分的經文（這就是我所謂的「聖經神學」）而著稱的。因此，當舊約經文被抽離出來，直接應用到新約聖徒身上時，我總是感到如坐針氈，尤其是當它們被用來當作一個響亮的口號時。Moore College—from the days of Knox and Robinson through to Graeme Goldsworthy—is known for its focus on considering each part of the Scriptures in the light of the whole, and understanding each part through the lens of God’s great plans in Christ for all of history (which is what I mean by ‘biblical theology’). So I am always uncomfortable when Old Testament verses are taken and applied directly to the new covenant believer, especially when they are used as a slogan.

考慮到這點，在這篇文章裏，我要按照耶利米書廿九章7節這節經文本身的背景來查考它，而不是把它當作一個使命宣言。我想知道它實際上要教導我們什麼（以及不是要教導我們），要如何活在被擄當中。With that in mind, in this article, I want to look at Jeremiah 29:7 on its own terms, rather than as a mission statement. I want to see what it actually has to teach us—and not teach us—about living in exile.

審判、盼望、假先知Judgement, hope, and false prophets

我們首先必須記得耶利米書的主題是什麼。耶利米書有三個主題：The first thing we need to do is remember what Jeremiah as a whole is about. There are three dominant themes in Jeremiah:

首先，最重要的是耶利米書與神審判祂的子民有關：因他們背道，因為他們有假的確據；因他們不敬虔。這是以被擄的形式所表達的審判。Firstly, more than anything, Jeremiah is about God’s judgement on his people: for their apostasy; for their false assurance; for their ungodliness. It is a judgement that took the form of exile.

其次，耶利米書也和未來的盼望有關。它給我們的信息就是審判和被擄對神的百姓來說，不是事情的盡頭。Secondly, Jeremiah is also about a future hope. It is a message that judgement and exile are not the end of the matter for God’s people.

耶利米書的第三個主題是我所謂的「先知之間的戰爭」（the battle of the prophets），這最好是當作頭兩個主題的背景來考慮。耶利米書描繪出耶利米和眾多假先知之間不斷的爭戰；前者將神的信息帶給祂的子民，後者事事都要和耶利米作對，扯他的後腿。在整卷書中，耶利米都不是對著真空說出神的話：在每一點上總是伴隨著假信息所發出的雜音。The third dominant theme in the book is what I call ‘the battle of the prophets’, which is probably better thought of as the context for the first two themes. The book of Jeremiah maps out a constant battle between Jeremiah, who is bringing God’s message to his people, and false prophets, who want to contradict and undercut Jeremiah at every turn. All through the book, Jeremiah isn’t speaking the word of God into a vacuum: there are always these other voices with their false messages at every point.

對耶路撒冷來說，耶利米主要是一個只會宣告厄運的先知，而這個厄運最後是引向被擄本身。在許多方面，這個被擄前的信息，在十五、六章得到了最好的總結。Leading up to the exile itself, Jeremiah was primarily a prophet of doom to Jerusalem. In many ways, this pre-exile message is best summarized in chapters 15 and 16.

第十五章的信息是神要審判猶大的罪和背道：有必至死亡的，有必遭饑荒的，有必被擄掠奪。然而，關鍵是上帝會站在所有這些事情的背後。即將到來的大災難及其一切的後果，都是上帝的作為。In chapter 15, the message is about God’s judgement for Judah’s sin and apostasy: some will die, some will starve, some will be exiled. However, the key thing is that God will be behind it all. The impending catastrophe, and all its consequences, are God’s doing.

然而，伴隨這個厄運信息的，也有未來盼望的預言。在審判之後，會有救恩和復興：Yet alongside this message of doom, there is also a prophecy of future hope. After the judgement, there will be salvation and restoration:

耶和華說：「日子將到，人必不再指著那領以色列人從埃及地上來之永生的耶和華起誓，卻要指著那領以色列人從北方之地，並趕他們到的各國上來之永生的耶和華起誓，並且我要領他們再入我從前賜給他們列祖之地。」（耶十六14～15）Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, “As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,” but “As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.” For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers. (Jer 16:14-15)

耶利米所說的是一個新出埃及（脫離被擄，重回耶路撒冷），而這個新出埃及會讓第一次出埃及看似微不足道。這個應許在廿三章得到了重覆，但是這一次卻是在這個盼望上，加上了大衛或彌賽亞的視角。Jeremiah is speaking of a new exodus (out of exile and back to Jerusalem) which will make the first exodus seem hardly worth talking about. This promise is repeated in chapter 23, but this time with a Davidic or Messianic edge to the hope.

因此，這兩個主題——審判和復興——貫穿在耶利米的先知信息裏。So these two themes—judgement and restoration—run through Jeremiah’s prophetic messages.

不過，耶利米所分享的每個預言幾乎都遭到他對手的駁斥和否認。當耶利米說審判即將到來時，他的對手說，「別傻了，上帝不會審判祂自己的百姓啦！」當上帝透過耶利米說：「我要徹底毀滅他們——用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫」，假先知說，「你們必不看見刀劍，也不遭遇饑荒；耶和華要在這地方賜你們長久的平安。」（十四13）However, nearly every prophecy Jeremiah shared is refuted and denied by his opponents. When Jeremiah says judgement is coming, his opponents say, “Don’t be stupid, God won’t judge his own people”. When God says through Jeremiah, “I’m finishing them all off—by sword, famine and plague”, the false prophets say, “You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place” (14:13).

這些假確據持續存留到最後一刻，直到刀劍真的落下，被擄的人如浪潮般被帶離到巴比倫，而西底家被留在耶路撒冷作王，實際上只是巴比倫的傀儡。These false assurances continue right through until the sword actually falls, the wave of exiles are taken off to Babylon, and Zedekiah is left on the throne in Jerusalem, effectively a puppet of Babylon.

到這裏，你或許會以為假先知終於學乖了。但是並非如此，他們一如既往：Now by this point you would think that the false prophets would have learnt their lesson. But no, they keep at it:

萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說： ......現在我將這些地都交給我僕人巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手......無論哪一邦哪一國，不肯服事這巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒，也不把頸項放在巴比倫王的軛下，我必用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫刑罰那邦，直到我藉巴比倫王的手將他們毀滅。這是耶和華說的。至於你們，不可聽從你們的先知和占卜的、圓夢的、觀兆的，以及行邪術的；他們告訴你們說：『你們不至服事巴比倫王。』他們向你們說假預言......」（耶廿七4，6，8～10）。Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel… I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant… if any nation or kingdom will not… put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand. So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon”. For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you… (Jer 27: 4, 6, 8-10)

上帝透過耶利米告訴以色列民，祂已經讓尼布甲尼撒在這個時期統治世界，而他們必須事奉巴比倫，否則就會滅亡。但是這些假先知告訴西底家，「不，你必不可事奉巴比倫王。上帝不要我們事奉一個外邦君王！」Through Jeremiah, God has been telling them that he has put Nebuchadnezzar in place as the ruler of the world at this time, and that they must serve Babylon or die. But the false prophets tell Zedekiah, “No, you must not serve the King of Babylon. God doesn’t want us serving a foreign king!”

這一切隨著一位在耶路撒冷說預言的假先知哈拿尼雅的信息，來到了一個緊要關頭。哈拿尼雅說：All this comes to a head with the message of the false prophet Hananiah, who prophesies in Jerusalem:

「萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說：我已經折斷巴比倫王的軛。二年之內，我要將巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒從這地掠到巴比倫的器皿，就是耶和華殿中的一切器皿都帶回此地。我又要將猶大王約雅敬的兒子耶哥尼雅和被擄到巴比倫去的一切猶大人帶回此地，因為我要折斷巴比倫王的軛。這是耶和華說的。」（廿八2～4）Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. (28:2-4)

很難想像哈拿尼雅的這個「先知預言」為什麼會這麼流行，也難以想像它會造成什麼樣的傷害。當廿八章繼續往下時，耶利米詳細記錄了上帝審判哈拿尼雅的假預言。It is not hard to imagine why this ‘prophecy’ of Hananiah might have been popular, and what damage it might have done. As chapter 28 continues, Jeremiah chronicles God’s judgement on Hananiah for his false prophecy.

但是哈拿尼雅欺騙人的信息不是只有耶路撒冷聽到而已，它也散播到在巴比倫的被擄之人的耳中。我們也不難想像這些被擄的人會如何領受這個信息。如果你是那些被擄的人，被告知神要給他們的信息是：「你們在兩年內就會回到家中」，你們會如何回應呢？But Hananiah’s deceitful message wasn’t just heard in Jerusalem—it spread to the exiles who were in Babylon. And it is also not hard to imagine how those exiles would have received this message. If you were those exiles, being told that the message from God was “You’ll all be home in two years”, what would you do in response?

你會說：「好，在巴比倫定居下來是沒有用處的。我們只需要坐在河岸上，靜觀其變。我們不必在這裏營生，因為我們在這裏不會待很久。我們要等到回耶路撒冷時再娶妻生子，再去找工作。」You would say: “Well, there’s no use settling down here in Babylon. We’ll just sit here on the banks of the river and wait it out. We won’t make a life for ourselves here, because we won’t be here long enough. We’ll wait till we’re back in Jerusalem before we get married, have children, or do any work.”

更糟糕的反應或許是：「就讓我們反抗吧，讓我們挑戰尼布甲尼撒王，因為我們知道，在兩年之內，我們必然會得勝。」Or worse still, the response might have been: “Let’s fight then—let’s take on King Nebuchadnezzar—because we know that our victory is assured in two years’ time”.

在面對哈拿尼雅的謊言及其可能的後果時，在巴比倫的被擄之民需要聽見真理。必須有人告訴他們：「不要相信這些胡扯；你們實際上要留在巴比倫七十年！」In the face of Hananiah’s deception, and its likely effects, the exiles in Babylon needed to hear the truth. They needed to be told, “Don’t believe this rubbish; you’ve actually got 70 years in Babylon!”

這基本上就是耶利米在第廿九章寫給被擄之民的內容，是要駁斥這個虛構的、即將回到耶路撒冷的盼望。這不是給任何人或者所有人的、關於如何在被擄當中生活的信息；而是對這個一直在兜售給他們的特定的假預言的回應。This is essentially what Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles in chapter 29 is about. It is a refutation of the fabricated hope of an imminent return to Jerusalem. It’s not a message to anyone and everyone about how to live in exile; it’s a response to this particular false prophecy they had been peddled.

第廿九章Chapter 29

考慮到這點，我們現在可以翻到第廿九章。第1～3節解釋了這封信是誰寫的，收信人是誰，以及這封信是如何寄給他們的。接著是信息的開始：With that in mind, we can now turn to chapter 29. Verses 1-3 explain who is writing, the recipients, and how the letter reached them. Then the message gets started:

萬軍之耶和華以色列的神對一切被擄去的（就是我使他們從耶路撒冷被擄到巴比倫的人）如此說：你們要蓋造房屋，住在其中；栽種田園，吃其中所產的；娶妻生兒女，為你們的兒子娶妻，使你們的女兒嫁人，生兒養女。在那裡生養眾多，不至減少。我所使你們被擄到的那城，你們要為那城求平安，為那城禱告耶和華；因為那城得平安，你們也隨著得平安。（耶廿九4～7）Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (29:4-7)

如果不考慮我們剛才所描繪的背景，又或者我們就停在那裏，你也許會認為這段經文的重點——被擄之民的主要呼召——是尋求巴比倫城的好處。對神的子民來說，這也許是一個不受時間限制的教訓，錯誤地引用一首古老流行歌曲的話來說，就是「若你無法留在你所愛的城市，就去愛你現在所在的城市吧！」Now without the context we have sketched, and if we just stopped there, you might think that the main point of this passage—the exiles’ primary calling—was to seek the good of the city of Babylon. Perhaps this could be a timeless teaching for the people of God: to misquote an old pop song: “if you can’t be in the city you love, love the city you’re in”.

但是這封信的內容並沒有停在那裏：But it doesn’t stop there:

萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說：不要被你們中間的先知和占卜的誘惑，也不要聽信自己所做的夢；因為他們託我的名對你們說假預言，我並沒有差遣他們。這是耶和華說的。（耶廿九8～9）For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord. (29: 8-9)

這些經文把我們帶回到這封信的背景裏。這裏的論證是說，他們應該做這件事，而不是去做假先知吩咐他們去做的事。他們不應該試著去顛覆這個城市，也不要想去推翻尼布甲尼撒，想要折斷他的軛，也不要退縮到幼發拉底河河岸邊的一個寂靜主義的猶太街區。These verses bring us back to the context of the letter. The argument is that they should do this as opposed to what they would do if they listened to the false prophets. They should not be seeking the downfall of the city, nor be trying to overthrow Nebuchadnezzar and break off his yoke, nor be withdrawing into a quietist Jewish ghetto on the banks of the Euphrates.

為什麼呢？因為比起巴比倫，他們還有一個更偉大的盼望：Why? Because they have a much greater hope than the city of Babylon:

耶和華如此說：為巴比倫所定的七十年滿了以後，我要眷顧你們，向你們成就我的恩言，使你們仍回此地。耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。你們要呼求我，禱告我，我就應允你們。你們尋求我，若專心尋求我，就必尋見。耶和華說：我必被你們尋見，我也必使你們被擄的人歸回，將你們從各國中和我所趕你們到的各處招聚了來，又將你們帶回我使你們被擄掠離開的地方。這是耶和華說的。（耶廿九10～14）For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (29:10-14)

這才是耶利米書信的重點：這是對被擄的目的一種解釋。神在被擄的幕後掌管一切。是祂把他們放在巴比倫的，而不是尼布甲尼撒。而祂如此行事是要驅使他們回到祂那裏，去尋求祂，向祂禱告。事實上，他們是神百姓未來的盼望——因為他們在耶路撒冷的弟兄即將要遭罰，成為咒詛。This is the main point of Jeremiah’s letter: it is an explanation of the purpose of the exile. God is behind it. He has put them there in Babylon, not Nebuchadnezzar. And he has done it to drive them back to him, to seek him and pray to him. In fact, they are the hope for the future of God’s people—because their brothers back in Jerusalem are about to be punished and made a curse.

第廿九章提供了一個榮耀的盼望，神對祂百姓的應許會得著應驗。在七十年滿了以後，上帝會應允他們的禱告，並恢復他們，使他們回到他們真正的家鄉。上帝對他們的救恩仍然有一個長期計劃。第11節是這章的重點，而不是第7節，因為他們的盼望不是上帝會把昌盛帶到巴比倫，而是祂會使他們回到耶路撒冷。Chapter 29 holds out the glorious hope of the fulfilment of God’s promises to his people. In 70 years’ time, God will answer their prayers and restore them to their true home. God still has a long-term plan for their salvation. Verse 11 is the main point of this chapter, not verse 7, because their hope is not that God will bring prosperity to Babylon, but that he will return them to Jerusalem.

當我們明白這點，我們就會看到第3～7節是出自這個主要期盼的一個糾正。被擄之民被告知要抓住未來的盼望，不要被這個期盼所左右，使他們從他們目前的處境裏撤退出來。重要的是，這個糾正是根據以色列人的自我利益，而不是根據對巴比倫的關切。上帝要以色列民為這城的興旺禱告的一個理由，是要叫以色列人得以昌盛。When we understand that, we see that verses 3-7 are a corrective that flows from that main expectation. The exiles are being told to take hold of a future hope without letting that anticipation lead to a withdrawal from their current situation. Importantly, it is also a corrective based on self-interest for Israel, not based on concern for Babylon. The one reason that God explicitly gives to pray for the prosperity of the city is so that the Israelites will prosper.

我仔細查了耶利米書的一些註釋書，也聽了一些講道，我很驚訝人們絞盡腦汁，想方設法地去忽略上帝為什麼要被擄之民去求這個城市的平安的理由。上帝並沒有說，「因為我要你們去愛你們的仇敵，所以要求這城的平安。」上帝也沒有說，「因為我在這裏也和你們同在，如同我在耶路撒冷和你們同在一樣，所以你們要求他們的平安。」甚至不是說，「求他們的平安，好叫你們可以贏得他們，使他們敬拜耶和華。」As I have worked through commentaries on Jeremiah and listened to sermons, I have been amazed at how hard people will work to explain away this reason God gives for the exiles to seek the welfare of the city. God does not say, “Seek the welfare of the city because I want you to love your enemies”. God does not say, “Seek their welfare because I am just as much with you here as I am in Jerusalem”. It’s not even, “Seek their welfare so that you might win them to the worship of the Lord”.

所有這些說法對神和祂的性格來說也許是適宜的，但是它們通常是把新約聖經讀回到舊約的一個例子。上帝在耶利米書中所說的，會讓我們感到坐立難安。「為你們自己的好處，求這個城市的平安」，聽起來實在缺乏耶穌的風範。All those things might be true of God and his character, but they are generally an example of reading the New Testament back into the Old. What God says here in Jeremiah makes us uncomfortable. It just doesn’t sound very like Jesus to say “Seek the welfare of the city—for your own good”.

或許是出於我們太急於為上帝說抱歉，也太急於掩飾這裏所出現的看似是自私的動機，而沒有認真地問，上帝為什麼要他們為他們自己的好處來為這個城的平安禱告？我不認為耶利米的意思是要鼓勵他們內心的自私。答案在聖經神學；這和上帝盟約的應驗是結合在一起的。Perhaps because we’re too quick to apologize for God and to gloss over the seemingly selfish motivation that is given, we don’t do the hard work of asking why God wants them to do this for their own benefit. I don’t think he is meaning to encourage selfishness in them. The answer is in biblical theology; it’s all tied to the fulfilment of God’s covenant promises.

這是第3～7節的關鍵要點：Here is the key point in verses 3-7:

娶妻生兒女，為你們的兒子娶妻，使你們的女兒嫁人，生兒養女。在那裡生養眾多，不至減少。（第6節）Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. (v. 6)

在上帝帶領被擄之民回到耶路撒冷之前，上帝要他們生養眾多，因為他們是祂聖約應許的應驗的核心，而不是那些沒有被擄的人。祂要他們生養兒女，健康成長——無論是身體上還是信仰上——當祂結束這個被擄時就要帶他們回去。巴比倫的平安或昌盛，只是為達到保守上帝子民的方法。God wants the exiles to have grown in number by the time he takes them back to Jerusalem, because they are the centre of the fulfilment of his covenant promises, not those who did not go into exile. He wants them to have had children who grow up strong—physically and in faith—to take back with them when he ends this exile. The welfare or prosperity of Babylon is a means to an end of preserving God’s people.

當我們把耶利米書從頭讀到尾，我們就會把這點看得更清楚，而不是脫離上下文直接跳到這章。回到第十六章，上帝在耶路撒冷已經對耶利米說：「不可娶妻，生兒育女，因為他們都要滅亡。我的審判就要降臨了。」但是如今上帝說：「再次娶妻生兒育女，因為他們有一個未來。而且這未來是在耶路撒冷，不是在巴比倫。」We see this even more clearly when we read Jeremiah from beginning to end, rather than just jumping in at this chapter out of context. Back in chapter 16, God had said to Jeremiah in Jerusalem, “Don’t get married, and don’t have children, because they’re all just going to die. My judgement is coming.” But now God is saying, “Get married, and have children again, because there is a future for them. And that future is in Jerusalem, not Babylon.”

耶利米書第廿九章的主要信息是第11節這幅有小狗和日落的古老圖畫：「耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。」這信息是說，他們沒有被遺忘，他們會得到復興，但是他們必須等候七十年，歸回才會發生，所以他們應當用這段時間做好準備。The main message of Jeremiah 29 is in fact the old puppies-and-sunsets verse 11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”. The message is that they are not forgotten and will be restored, that they will have to wait for 70 years for that restoration to occur, and so they should be using that time to get ready.

如此，第7節這節目前非常流行的經文，就不是一個普遍性的勸勉，要上帝的子民求我們所在城市的平安，無論這個城市在哪裏。這是一個特定的對一個虛假和過度實現的盼望的糾正，這個假盼望是像哈拿尼雅這樣的假先知所兜售的。The currently very popular verse 7, then, is not a general exhortation to seek the welfare of whatever city we might find ourselves in. It is a specific corrective to a false and over-realized hope, peddled by the false prophets like Hananiah.

第廿九章在今天的應用Chapter 29 today

基督再臨之前，我們要怎樣把這些真理應用到基督徒的生活裏呢？正如所有的舊約經文，我們必須謹慎，看這段經文如何在基督裏得到應驗，並且不止考慮到這段經文和我們在救恩歷史裏的地位的相似性，也要考慮到它們之間真正的差異。How do we apply all this to ourselves, to Christians living this side of Christ? As with all Old Testament texts, we should do it carefully, looking to how this passage finds its fulfilment in Christ, and taking into account not only the similarities to our place in salvation history but also the very real differences.

在我提出三個建議，說明如何把這段經文用在我們身上之前，請容我先離題到一個次要的、有點爭議的要點，是關於如何不要應用這節經文。Before I make three suggestions about how to apply this passage to us, let me first get out of the way a secondary, slightly polemical, point about how not to apply this verse.

和今天有些人應用這節經文的方法相反的，這節經文和到城市裏傳福音，是否要比到其他地方傳福音更優先的問題，一點關係都沒有。這節經文沒有說「為眾城市求平安」，而是說「我使你們被擄到的那城，你們要為那城求平安」。他們為這個城市禱告的唯一理由是這是上帝使他們被擄所到的城市。事實上，《七十士譯本》根本沒有用「城市」這個字。它的翻譯是「地」或「國家」；要尋求我驅逐你們去的「地方」的平安。Contrary to the way it is used by some today, this verse has no relevance at all to the question of the priority of reaching cities over other places. It does not say “seek the welfare of cities”; it says “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile”. The only reason they pray for this city is that it is where God has sent them into exile. In fact, the LXX doesn’t use the word city at all. Its translation is ‘land’ or ‘country’; perhaps seek the welfare of the ‘place’ I have deported you to.

好，也許聖經其他地方有一些論證，是關於我們應該把福音使命集中在城市的經文（雖然我還沒有找到）。或許存在當代社會或策略上的理由，讓我們要把焦點放在對城市傳福音。但是用這節經文來支持或證明我們為什麼要在雪梨，而不是在「傷心嶺」（Broken Hill；譯按：澳洲南威爾斯的一座孤立的採礦城）植立一間教堂，或基督徒為什麼應該搬到城市，而不是搬到鄉間或農村——這其實是解經錯謬其中的一種，就是我們看到一個字詞，就馬上照搬到我們的工作事項裏。Now there may well be arguments in other parts of Scripture as to why we should focus on mission to cities (though I haven’t found them). There may be current sociological or strategic reasons for focusing on reaching cities. But using this verse as a support or proof text for why we should plant a church in Sydney rather than in Broken Hill, or why Christians should move to the city rather than the suburbs or rural locations—that’s really one of those exegetical fallacies where we see a word and then import our agenda.

說完了這點，讓我說明這章會如何和我們發生關聯，因為我們也同樣是生活在被擄當中的。我們在這個世上是「客旅、是寄居的」（彼前二11），我們是「天上的國民」（腓三20）。但是在評估耶利米書廿九章和今日的關聯性時，我們必須小心，要看到在我們處境中的相異點和類同處。Having said that, let me make some comments about how this chapter is relevant to us, because we too are living in exile. We are “sojourners and exiles” in this world (1 Pet 2:11), and “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20). But in assessing the relevance of Jeremiah 29, we need to carefully see the differences as well as the similarities in our situation.

 1. 我們的被擄不是對我們的審判。

1) Our exile is not a judgement on us.

上帝沒有把我們從耶路撒冷遷到巴比倫，作為對我們背道的審判。祂是把我們從巴比倫——我們出生之地——拯救出來，我們今天乃是一腳踩在兩個城市裏生活的。God has not moved us from Jerusalem to Babylon as judgement for our apostasy. He has rescued us from within Babylon—where we were born—and where we now live with a foot in two cities.

這為什麼很重要？這意味著對我們來說，我們最需要的提醒是這個城不是我們的故鄉。我們仍然缺伐對耶路撒冷的經歷，以至於不會去盼望耶路撒冷。在巴比倫我們會很自然地感到自在。我們不太需要有人鼓勵我們去蓋造房屋，變得有錢，結婚生子。Why is that important? It means that for us the biggest reminder we need is that this city is not our home. We haven’t had an experience of Jerusalem to pine for. We naturally feel very much at home in Babylon. We don’t need much encouragement to build houses, grow wealthy, get married and have children.

這就是為什麼當耶穌說要積財寶在天上時，祂沒有要我們平衡或要我們不要矯枉過正；因為祂知道我們的本性會把財寶積存在哪裏。我們不需要人鼓勵讓我們在巴比倫感到更自在。我們更需要的提醒是我們的家是在新耶路撒冷。That’s why Jesus gives no balance or corrective when he says to store up treasure in heaven; he knows where we naturally store our treasures. We don’t need any encouragement to make ourselves more at home in Babylon. We have a far greater need to be reminded that our home is in the new Jerusalem.

 2. 上帝並沒有具體告訴我們，我們的被擄會持續多久。

2) We have not had a specific word on how long our exile will last.

耶利米書廿九章7節對猶太人的呼召是根據這個事實，即上帝已經啟示出一個非常具體的長期時間表，告訴他們被擄何時會結束。但是我們卻沒有那種確據。事實上——要冒著聽起來像哈拿尼雅和假先知的口吻——新約聖經給我們的鼓勵是看這些日子是短暫的。我們應當準備好，等候基督隨時會再來；不要被基督發現我們睡著了。彼得告訴我們，主的耽延唯一的理由是要讓更多人能夠認識耶穌，不至於滅亡（彼後三9）。The call to the Jews in Jeremiah 29:7 was in light of the fact that God had revealed a very specific long-term timeframe for the end of their exile. We don’t have that certainty. In fact—at risk of sounding like Hananiah and the false prophets—the encouragement of the New Testament is to see the days as short. We should stand ready for Christ’s return at any moment; we should not be found sleeping. Peter tells us that the only reason for delay is so that more people can come to know Jesus and therefore not perish (2 Pet 3:9).

再次說，這為什麼很重要呢？因為這意味著我們實際上應該不要太快將耶利米書廿九章的糾正直接應用在我們身上。這個糾正是給那些退縮到世界之外的人的，因為他們認為耶穌會提早來，比祂所應許的更早；也是給那些正在與世界爭戰的人，因為他們相信末世比實際上更接近。Now again, why is this important? It is important because it means that we should actually be slow to apply the corrective of Jeremiah 29 to us. This corrective is aimed at people who are withdrawing from the world because they think Jesus is coming sooner than he promised, and those who are fighting with the world because they believe the eschaton is more imminent than it is.

有些基督徒也許必須聽聞耶利米書廿九章3～7節提出的新盟約的版本，若他們過於專注在基督的再來，以至於他們已經從世界撤退，進入寧靜主義裏。有些千禧年的觀點會帶領基督徒朝這個方向走。也有些基督徒會像帖撒羅尼迦人（保羅寫信給他們）一樣，似乎已經停止工作，而向其他人乞討，因為他們以為主的日子是如此第迫近（帖前五）。There may be some Christians who do need to hear a new covenant version of Jeremiah 29:3-7, if they are so focused on the return of Christ that they have stepped back from the world into quietism. Some millennial views lead Christians in this direction. There could be Christians like the Thessalonians who Paul wrote to, who seemed to have stopped working and were scrounging off others because they thought the Day of the Lord was so imminent (1 Thess 5).

若我們是這種情形，就需要得到耶利米書廿九章7節的糾正。但是我和我的教會並不是這樣，就我所遇見的西方福音派也不是如此，並且新約也暗示，這不是大多數基督徒的情況。If that is us, then we might need a corrective like Jeremiah 29:7. But that’s not me and my church, it’s no Western evangelical I’ve met, and the New Testament suggests it’s not most Christians.

我們真的需要面對哥林多前書第七章的挑戰，為了福音的緣故保持單身，而不是結婚生子。我們有必要接受這個挑戰，不要在這裏找到我們的家，反而去蓋造房屋，安居樂業。新約和我的經驗都暗示，我們大部分人的本性是會這樣生活，彷彿耶穌永遠不會再來一樣，而不是好像祂在你讀完這頁之前就會再來。We really need challenges like 1 Corinthians 7, to consider remaining single for the sake of the gospel rather than marrying and having children. We need to be challenged not to find our home here, rather than to build homes and settle. The New Testament and my experience suggests that most of us more naturally live as if Jesus will never return, rather than like he could come before you finish reading this page.

 3. 若我們要把這點應用到自己身上，我們的應用方式就必須讓新約聖經來塑造。

3) If we apply this to ourselves, we must let the application be shaped by the New Testament.

我聽說有些人是從耶利米書廿九章7節作出這種論證的，讓我非常震驚：I’ve been astonished by people I’ve heard who make an argument from Jeremiah 29:7 like this:

1)      他們提到「平安」這個詞就是希伯來文的「沙龍」（shalom），它具有非常廣泛的意思，包括身體上、情感上、靈性上、經濟上的平安和昌盛。They note that that word ‘welfare’ is the Hebrew word shalom, which has a wide possible range of meanings—it covers physical, emotional, spiritual and financial peace and prosperity.

2)      他們接著假定，這個詞具有這裏所說的全部的意思，就把它擴張到各種關於工作和金錢的應用上，甚至包括參與公民事務，並且強調為了我們所在城市的好處，去幫助公共運輸能準時的重要性。They then assume that it has all those meanings here, and so expand it into various applications about work and money and involvement in civic affairs and the importance of helping buses run on time for the good of our city.

3)      然後他們展望一種全面性的、遍及整個城市的「平安」，作為一種更大膽投入公民活動的呼召，遠遠超過耶穌和新約聖經曾經要求新約信徒的。They then cast this vision for comprehensive, city-wide shalom as a bolder call for civic engagement than Jesus or the New Testament ever makes on new covenant believers.

4)      因此這節經文就變成基督徒事工計劃的一份特許狀，這不僅忽略耶利米書中的上下文（如同我們所見），更涉足到新約聖經從來沒有涉足的領域。And so this one verse becomes a charter for a program of Christian ministry that not only ignores its context in Jeremiah (as we’ve seen) but goes places where the New Testament simply does not go.

我們必須讓新約聖經成為我們的指引，來看為我們所在的世界求平安是什麼意思，因為我們是作為寄居者活在這個世界當中的，而不是讓一種對耶利米書廿九章脫離上下文的擴張的應用，來左右我們對新約聖經的理解。We need to let the New Testament be our guide to what it means to seek the shalom of our world as we live as sojourners in it, rather than let an expansive out-of-context application of Jeremiah 29 drive our understanding of the New Testament.

耶利米書廿九章給我們的主要信息是要我們根據未來的盼望而活——作為明日世界的國民活在這個世界裏，不要停止向眾人行善，特別是信徒（加六10），或者對世界友善到一個程度，變成與神為敵（雅四4）。The primary message of Jeremiah 29 to us is to live in the light of our future hope—to live now in this world as citizens of the next world, neither ceasing to do good to all those around us now (Gal 6:10), nor becoming so friendly with our world that we find ourselves enemies of God (Jas 4:4).

我們應該容讓新約聖經給予我們所需要的矯正：不要從這個世界退縮出去，而是以善勝惡。不要恨你們的仇敵，反而要給他們飯吃。不要躲起來，而是在最廣泛的意義上去愛你們的鄰舍。不要遊手好閒等候耶穌再來，依賴他人為生，而是努力工作，好像是為主作的。We should let the New Testament give us the correctives we need: don’t withdraw from the world, but overcome evil with good. Don’t hate your enemy; feed him instead. Don’t hide away, but love your neighbour in the broadest sense of that word. Don’t stand around waiting for Jesus to return while sponging off others, but work hard as if for the Lord.

或許新約聖經中最接近耶利米書廿九章7節的信息是呼召我們不要抵擋世俗政府，而是順服掌權者，為他們禱告，好叫我們可以安靜地過敬虔的生活（羅十三1～7；提前二1～2）。不要保留你的財富不給世界：要交稅。在異教徒當中要過正直的生活，以至於他們雖然控告我們行惡，卻有一天會歸榮耀給上帝（彼前二12）。Perhaps the closest message to Jeremiah 29:7 in the New Testament is the call to not fight the secular government, but to submit and pray for those in authority so that we can quietly get on with living godly lives (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Tim 2:1-2). Don’t withhold your wealth from the world: pay your taxes. Live such good lives amongst the pagans that, though they accuse us of doing wrong, they will one day glorify God (1 Pet 2:12).

但是，最重要的是我們必須容讓我們在新盟約裏的處境強迫我們看到，我們能為這個墮落的世界所能做的最根本的事情，不是促進我們所在城市的繁榮，而是分享我們心中盼望的緣由，邀請其他罪人接受我們在耶穌基督裏所尋得的救恩。But, more than anything, we should let our new covenant situation drive us to see that the most fundamental thing we can do for the welfare of our fallen world is not to contribute to the prosperity of our cities—it’s to share the reason for our hope, to offer other sinners the salvation we have found in Christ Jesus.