耶穌與在東門發火焰的劍Jesusand the Flaming Sword at the East Gate

作者：Nicholas T. Batzig   譯者: 駱鴻銘

http://feedingonchrist.com/jesus-and-the-flaming-sword-at-the-east-gate/

http://www.crtsbooks.net/blog/post/2015/03/16/%E8%80%B6%E7%A9%8C%E8%88%87%E5%9C%A8%E6%9D%B1%E9%96%80%E7%99%BC%E7%81%AB%E7%84%B0%E7%9A%84%E5%8A%8D.aspx

關於記錄在聖經裡的上帝偉大的工作，其細節完全不是隨意編造的。從最早記錄在救贖歷史裡的啟示開始，耶和華在救贖歷史的範圍裡、就埋下了許多將來要作為「定時炸彈」的細節。在一個細節被深深扎在讀者心中之後，當我們在閱讀這個榮耀的救贖啟示展開的書頁時，就必定會觸發另一個相關的定時炸彈。這些定時炸彈中最早的幾個之一，是被放置在伊甸園東邊入口的，在基路伯手中的發火焰的劍。正如之前幾個帖子所提到的，伊甸園是上帝與持有祂形象的人共同居住的花園-聖殿。就最完整和最真實的意義來說，它是上帝在地上的居所。當亞當和夏娃悖逆上帝，其中的一個後果就是他們從伊甸園被放逐出去（創三20-24）。墮落的意思是，這個世界的花園-聖殿必須被潔淨。聖經其餘的部分就是在教導我們，人如何能再次獲得進入這個天上聖殿的通道，好住在上帝的同在之中。當然，這只有在我們的罪被歸到基督身上，而且祂身體的殿，藉著在十字架上落在祂身上的流血審判得到潔淨後，才會發生。（關於被釘十字架是聖殿被潔淨，請看這裡，這裡，和這裡。）有趣的是，關於這把發火焰的劍的聖經神學，以及救贖歷史裡提到的東邊，會幫助我們更明白要回到上帝身邊所必須發生的事。以下是一些有關發火焰的劍，以及這個東邊的門，在上帝為人類打開回到祂的同在中的道路，並且永遠與祂同住的工作中，其意義的聖經神學發展。

There is absolutely nothing arbitrary about the details pertaining to the great works of God recorded in Scripture. From the earliest recorded revelation in the history of redemption, the Lord gave tiny details that were meant to serve as “time-bombs” planted into the field of redemptive history. After one detail was firmly fixed in the mind of the reader, it was meant to trigger other related time bombs as we read through the pages of the unfolding of this glorious redemptive revelation. One of the earliest of these time bombs was the allusion to the flaming sword in the hand of the cherubim placed at the East gate of Eden. As has been noted in previous posts here, Eden was the Garden-Temple where God dwelt with His image bearers. It was, in the fullest and truest sense, the dwelling place of God on earth. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God, one of the consequences was that they were exiled from the Garden (Genesis 3:20-24). The fall meant that the Garden-Temple of this world had to be cleansed. The rest of the Scriptures are teaching us how man will again be given access to enter into the Heavenly Temple to dwell in the presence of God. This, of course, will only happen definitely when our sin was imputed to Christ and the Temple of His body was cleansed through the blood judgment that fell on Him at the cross. (For a fuller development of the crucifixion being Temple cleansing see this, this and this). Interestingly, the biblical-theology of the flaming sword and references to the east in redemptive history help us better understand how the way back to God must occur. Here are some of the biblical-theological developments regarding the significance of the flaming sword and the East Gate in God’s work of opening the way for man to come back into His presence to dwell with him forever:

發火焰的公義之劍

The Flaming Sword of Justice

亞當和夏娃犯罪之後，上帝「在伊甸園的東邊安設基路伯和四面轉動發火焰的劍，要把守生命樹的道路」。這把劍是代表所有亞當的後裔，當他們企圖藉著他們自己的努力，尋找一條歸回上帝、歸回生命之路時，將要落在他們身上的上帝的公義。愛德華滋（Jonathan Edwards）闡釋了這點。他寫道：

After Adam and Eve sinned, God “placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” The sword represented the justice of God that would fall on any of Adam’s descendants who sought to find their way back to God and to life by their own efforts. Jonathan Edwards expounded on this when he wrote:

因此，當他們企圖要靠自己得著永生，是多麼地虛空和危險的事。有許多人，不顧上帝公義和伸冤的怒氣所發動的四面轉動的發火焰的劍，努力想要尋找一條來到生命樹面前的道路。許多人很勇敢，想要靠他們自己的名，靠他們自己的公義。對那些靠基督的名前來的人而言，劍已經不復存在；但是對那些靠自己的名前來的，一把發火焰的劍仍然在等候著他們。（註1）

Hence how vain and dangerous are their attempts that are attempting to get eternal life themselves. There are many that, notwithstanding the flaming sword of God’s justice and vindictive wrath that turns every [way], are endeavoring to find out ways to come at the tree of life. Many are bold to come in their own names and in their own righteousness. [There is] no sword for them that come in Christ’s name, but a flaming sword still for them that come in their own names.1

在摩西之歌裡，我們再次學到上帝的公義之劍。這次，它提到了上帝會如何對待那些恨祂和反對祂的人。就在帶領他們前進，去得迦南地為業之際，耶和華告訴以色列人：「我憑我的永生起誓：我若磨我閃亮的刀，手掌審判之權，就必報復我的敵人，報應恨我的人。」（申三十二40-41）

In Moses’ song, we learn again of the sword of the Lord’s justice. This time, it is in reference to what the Lord will do to those who hate and oppose Him. Just before leading them forward to take possession of the Land, the Lord told Israel, “As I live forever, If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, and repay those who hate Me” (Deut. 32:40-41).

羅伯森（O. Palmer Robertson）根據後來在漸進啟示的展開裡所提到的，解釋這裡提及的「耶和華的刀」的象徵性意義。他寫到：

O. Palmer Robertson explains the symbolic significance of this reference to “the sword of the Lord” in light of subsequent references to it in the unfolding of progressive revelation when he writes:

受到了盟約誓言的約束，耶和華必須用祂的劍來擊殺所有的惡人。當約書亞正在盤算他如何進攻耶利哥城之際，耶和華的這把刀，在耶和華軍隊的元帥手中已經預備好了（書五13）。這把刀也成為基甸喊叫攻打米甸人的戰役的主要特色（士七20）。在約翰啟示錄的天啟異象中，那位名為上帝之道的，揮舞著兩刄的劍，攻擊列國（啟一16，二12、16，十九15、21）。這把末世性的劍，和彌賽亞君王的「鐵杖」結合在一起，成為制服列國的工具（啟十九15；參：詩二9）。（註2）

Bound by the oath of the covenant, the Lord must employ his sword to slay all the wicked. This sword of the Lord appears readied in the hand of the captain of the Lord’s host as Joshua contemplates his attack on Jericho (Josh. 5:13). It became the central feature of Gideon’s battle cry against the Midianites (Judg. 7:20). In the apocalyptic visions of the Revelation of John, the one whose name is the Word of God brandishes a sharp double-edged sword that strikes the nations (Rev. 1:16; 2:12, 16; 19:15, 21). This eschatological sword joins the “iron scepter” of the messianic king as an instrument for subduing the nations (Rev. 19:15; cf. Ps. 2:9).2

儘管有這些提到耶和華要在祂的仇敵身上執行祂審判的地方，在先知文學裡有一個重要的地方，提到上帝公義的劍會落在彌賽亞身上，好拯救上帝的百姓。既然我們都配得上帝的審判，我們找到一處經文，說到基督所要扮演的代替性角色，為我們擔當上帝的審判——被丟在「刀劍」這個圖像之下——就是很合適的。在撒迦利亞書十三章7裡，我們讀到：

While in all of these places to the Lord executing His judgment on His enemies, there is one significant place in the prophetic literature in which the sword of God’s justice will fall on the Messiah for the salvation of God’s people. Since we all deserve the judgment of God it is only fitting that we would find a passage that speaks of the substitutionary role that Christ would play in taking the judgment of God for us–thrown under the figure of the “sword.” In Zechariah 13:7 we read:

萬軍之耶和華說：

刀劍哪，應當興起，

攻擊我的牧人和我的同伴。

擊打牧人，羊就分散；

 Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,

Against the Man who is My Companion,

Says the Lord of hosts.

Strike the Shepherd,

And the sheep will be scattered;

耶穌在祂被賣、帶來祂的受難的時刻，明確地把這個預言指給祂的門徒看。當大祭司前來捉拿祂，耶穌告訴祂的門徒：「今夜，你們為我的緣故都要跌倒。因為經上記著說：我要擊打牧人，羊就分散了。」（太廿六31）耶和華的刀劍要落在祂的牧人/同伴身上的預言，是祂的怒氣要在十字架上傾倒在基督身上的預言。耶穌通過了上帝公義的發火焰的劍（亞十三7），這是在花園-聖殿的東邊入口，由基路伯和發火焰的劍所代表的（創三24）。它們各自在救贖歷史裡佔有一席之地，幫助我們填補上帝應許要做的事的這幅圖畫。上帝的兒子投身於這場對抗撒但、罪、死亡的戰爭中——擔當上帝審判的發火焰的劍的怒氣——好為我們打開歸回到上帝的同在的道路。

Jesus explicitly pointed His disciples to this prophecy at the hour of his betrayal leading to His sufferings. When the chief priests came to take him, Jesus told his disciples, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’ (Matthew 26:31). The prediction of the LORD’s sword falling on His Shepherd/Companion is a prediction of His wrath being poured out on Christ at the cross. Jesus passes through the flaming sword of God’s justice (Zech. 13:7) which was itself represented by the cherubim standing with flaming swords at the east entrance to the Garden-Temple (Gen. 3:24). Each of them takes their place in redemptive history to aid us in filling in the picture of what God was promising to do. The Son of God entered into the battle against Satan, sin and death–bearing the wrath of the flaming sword of God’s judgment–in order to open the way back to the presence of God for us.

愛德華滋提到透過福音的鏡片來閱讀創世記三章22-24節的意義。他寫到：

Jonathan Edwards noted the significance of reading Genesis 3:22-24 through the lens of the Gospel when he wrote:

基督保證要帶領我們回到生命樹，而且祂走在我們前面。基督自己被那發火焰的劍所擊殺；而這把劍，在擊殺了以我們的名出現的、具有無窮價值的上帝的兒子之後，讓這件事上得到了完全的執行。當它讓基督的血流出，就完成了它所有的工作，在這之後，它就被撤去了。而基督從死裡復活，祂自己是一位神而人者，就走在我們前面；而既然這把劍已經被撤去，已經完成它的工作，在擊殺了基督之後，在那裡就沒有工作要做了。如今已經沒有刀劍了，對那些在基督裡的人來說，通往永生的道路已經開通，沒有障礙了。（註3）

Christ undertook to lead us to the tree of life, and he went before us. Christ himself was slain by that flaming [sword]; and this sword, having slain the Son of God appearing in our name, who was a person of infinite worthiness, that sword did full execution in that. And when it had shed the blood of Christ, it had done all its work, and so after that was removed. And Christ arising from the dead, being a divine person himself, went before us; and now the sword is removed, having done its execution, already having nothing more to do there, having slain Christ. There is no sword now, and the way is open and clear to eternal life for those that are in Christ.3

安·可貞（Ann Cousins）精彩地捕捉到撒迦利亞的預言。在她所作的詩歌裡，她這樣寫到：

Ann Cousins captured so well what Zechariah was prophesying when she penned the words of her hymn, “O Christ What Burdens Bowed Thy Head:”

耶和華吩咐刀劍興起，

喔基督，它興起是為攻擊你；

你的血滅此火刃，

你的心是它刀鞘；

都是為我，使我平安；

為我平息此刃。

Jehovah bade His sword awake;

O Christ, it woke ’gainst Thee!

Thy blood the flaming blade must slake;

Thine heart its sheath must be;

All for my sake, my peace to make;

Now sleeps that sword for me.

（譯按：這首詩歌錄於聖徒詩歌73—哦，主，甚麼使你頭垂？O CHRIST, WHAT BURDENS BOWED THY HEAD；中文詩歌沒有選譯這段，筆者自譯）

伊甸園東

East of Eden

這裡提到東邊，和亞當夏娃被驅逐到花園-聖殿的東邊這個事實，也有聖經神學上的關聯。在這個聖經主題的發展中，我們在以色列歷史裡，有關他們在征服應許地的支派戰爭中與會幕的關係裡，發現到這些暗示。在數點各支派的人數之後，耶和華告訴摩西和亞倫，按照耶和華所決定的各支派的位置，讓各支派紮營在會幕四周。從各支派來的勇士，分別駐紮在會幕的北邊，南邊，西邊和東邊。上帝自己會住在祂百姓中間。這也是一幅基督要降臨和同在的圖畫。當耶穌降臨時，福音書作者經常記錄到祂「在他們中間」。即使當祂被釘十字架時，祂也是被掛在兩個強盜當中。使徒約翰這樣說到：「耶穌在中間」（約十九18）。約翰也在啟示錄裡告訴我們，基督（羔羊）位在天上的中央，坐在上帝的寶座上。所有得贖之人圍繞著寶座，向祂唱讚美歌。基督的會幕住在祂百姓當中。

There is also a biblical-theological correlation between the reference to the East and the fact that Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden-Temple, “east of Eden.” In the development of this theme in Scripture, we find allusive allusions in the history of Israel with relation to the Tabernacle their tribal warfare in conquering the land. After numbering each of the tribes, the Lord told Moses and Aaron to set the tribes around the Tabernacle of meeting, according to each of their respective places determined by the Lord. The men of war from each tribe would position themselves north, south, west and east of the Tabernacle. God Himself would dwell in the midst of His people. This too was a picture of the coming and presence of Christ. When Jesus came the Gospel writers frequently record that He was “in the midst.” Even when He was crucified, He was placed between two thieves. The apostle John puts it this way: “and Jesus in the center.” John also tells us, in Revelation, that Christ (the Lamb) is the center of heaven, as He sits on the throne of God. All the redeemed surround the throne and sing His praises. The Tabernacling Christ dwells in the midst of His people.

在曠野漂流時，當各支派被安排在會幕四周，猶大被吩咐要駐紮在會幕的東邊（民二3）。在朝向恢復伊甸園和上帝的同在的墊腳石中，東邊（或東門）代表回去的道路（創二8，三24）。當亞當和夏娃犯了罪，他們被逐出花園。有兩個基路伯，帶著發火焰的劍被安設在伊甸園東邊（創三24），把守回到上帝居所之路。基督，猶大支派的獅子，是再次打開這條路的那位。祂是通往上帝同在的唯一道路，因為祂就是上帝的同在。每當舊約提到聖殿東邊的門，總的來說都會提到猶大的位置。

When the tribes were positioned about the Tabernacle during Israel’s wilderness wandering, Judah was commanded to camp on the east side when the Tabernacle. In the stepping stones toward the restoration of Eden and the presence of God, the east side (or East Gate) represents the way back (see Gen.28; and 3:24). When Adam and Eve sinned, they were cast out of the Garden. Two cherubim with flaming swords were placed at the East of Eden (Gen. 3:24), guarding the way back to the dwelling place of God.  Christ, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, is the One who opens that way up again. He is the way to the presence of God, because He is the presence of God. Whenever the east gate of the Temple is mentioned in the Old Testament, it is generally mentioned with reference to Judah’s place.

在民數記二章3節，我們首先發現到上帝首次給了有關猶大支派的指示，並且給了這個支派在戰爭中的一個特殊地位：「在東邊，向日出之地，照著軍隊安營的是猶大營的纛。有亞米拿達的兒子拿順作猶大人的首領。」為了叫以色列確保回到上帝同在的道路，他們必須履行征服的使命，並確立上帝在耶路撒冷的居所（即會幕和聖殿）。為了達到這個目標，猶大是首先出戰的（士一1-3）。這是基督，猶大支派的獅子，征服上帝的敵人，確保屬靈產業的一幅圖畫。

In Numbers 2:3 we discover that God gave instruction concerning Judah first, and gave the tribe a special placement for the battle: “On the east side, toward the rising of the sun, those of the standard of the forces with Judah shall camp according to their armies; and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be the leader of the children of Judah.” In order for Israel to secure back to the presence of God, they have to fulfill the conquest and establish the dwelling place of God (i.e. the Tabernacle and then the Temple) in Jerusalem. To this end, Judah is the first to go to battle (Judges 1:1-3). This was a picture of the conquest of God’s enemies and the securing of the spiritual inheritance by Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

此外，會幕也是朝向東邊，日出之地。祭壇是會幕裡第一件神聖的陳設，這是因為要進入上帝的同在，沒有獻祭是不可能的。當祭司為了早晨的獻祭要進到會幕時，日頭應該已經照在祭壇上，祭物要被獻給上帝。這似乎有兩個理由：首先是日頭會照在打開回到上帝同在的道路的那物之上；其次，日頭本身是公義的太陽的一個預表，聖經說它的出現，「其翅膀有醫治之能」（瑪四2）。這就是為什麼會幕要面朝東邊可能的理由。

Additionally, the Tabernacle also faced toward the east, the place to the rising of the sun. The alter was the first piece of sacred furniture in the Tabernacle and it was so because the way into the presence of God was not possible without the sacrifice. When the priest came into the Tabernacle for the morning sacrifice, the sun would have shone on the alter on which the sacrifice was being offered to God. There seems to be two reasons for this: The first is that the sun would shine on the very thing that opened the way back to the presence of God; and second, the sun was itself a type of the Sun of Righteousness who is said to “rise with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2). This is probably the reason for the Tabernacle facing toward the east.

正如上帝把基路伯放在伊甸園的東門，基路伯也被繡在掛在會幕和聖殿裡，擋住進入至聖所的道路的幔子上（出廿六31）。這是要提醒他們，進入至聖所的道路還沒有完全顯明。每當以色列人讀到關於基路伯被繡在聖所的幔子上，他們就應該要記得被安設在花園-聖殿的入口，那帶著發火焰的劍的基路伯，擋住了進入上帝同在的道路。

Just as God placed cherubim at the east gate to the Garden of Eden, so cherubim were sown into the veil that hung in the Tabernacle and Temple blocking the way into the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:31). This was a reminder that they way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest. Whenever the Israelites read about the cherubim sown into the veil of the Temple, they should have remembered the cherubim with the flaming sword place at the entrance to the Garden-Temple, blocking the way back to the blessed presence of God

在舊約的先知文學裡，主要的復原暗示，也和會幕的東邊，和聖殿的「東門」有關。在以西結有關新聖殿的預言裡（結四十～四十八章），東門是這個末世性的上帝居所最突出的焦點。這門平時必須關閉，只有君王可以進入（結四十六1-8）。君王（明顯是指彌賽亞，見但九25）要帶著燔祭進入（結四十六12）。祭物一旦獻上，我們就發現到，「殿的門檻下有水往東流出（原來殿面朝東）；這水從檻下，由殿的右邊，在祭壇的南邊往下流。」（結四十七1）這水是象徵性地代表聖靈，是在整本第四福音書裡，我們的主所熟悉的（約四10，七37-39，十九34）。猶大在整個舊約中都在「東邊」，預表著救贖主，以及祂為我們打開的、通向上帝同在的道路（來六19-20）。

One of the principle restorative allusions in the OT prophetic literature also has to do with the east side of the Tabernacle and “East Gate” of the Temple. In Ezekiel’s prophecy of the New Temple (Ez. 40-48)  the “east Gate” is the prominent focus of the the eschatological dwelling place of God. It is the gate that is shut so that no one but the Prince can enter in (Ez. 46:1-8). The Prince (i.e. a clear reference to the Messiah, see Dan. 9:25) enters with the burnt offering (Ez. 46:12). Once the sacrifice was offered we find that “there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar” (Ez. 47:1). The water is a symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit, as our Lord intimates throughout the fourth Gospel (John 4:10; 7:37-39; 19:34). Judah being at the “east” throughout the OT typifies the Redeemer and His work opening the way into the presence of God (Heb. 6:19-20) for us.

第二個亞當，耶穌基督，為祂的百姓通過了上帝怒氣的發火焰的劍。當祂身體的幔子（來十10）在十字架上被審判而撕開，聖殿的幔子就從上到下被撕成兩半。祂步出墳墓，進入新生，在那裡，祂的門徒遇見天使，手中不是拿著發火焰的劍，而是說著：「祂不在這裡，照祂所說的，已經復活了。」（太廿八6）耶穌已經為所有信祂的人開了一條又新又活的，回到上帝同在的路（來十19-20）。

The second Adam, Jesus Christ, passed through the flaming sword of God’s wrath for His people. The veil was torn in two from top to bottom when the veil of His flesh (Heb. 10:10) was torn apart in judgment on the cross. He the stepped out of the tomb to newness of life where His disciples were met by Angels, not holding a flaming sword, but saying, “He is not here. He is risen, and He said.” Jesus has made a new and living way back into the presence of God for all who will believe in Him (Hebrews 10:19-20).

註：

 1. Edwards, J. (1999). East of Eden. In M. Valeri & H. S. Stout (Eds.), Sermons and Discourses, 1730–1733 (Vol. 17, p. 346). New Haven; London: Yale University Press. For a further doctrinal and pastoral treatment of the flaming sword see Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “East of Eden.”)

2. O. Palmer Robertson TNICOT: The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman’s, 1990) p. 253

3. Edwards, J. (1999). East of Eden. In M. Valeri & H. S. Stout (Eds.), Sermons and Discourses, 1730–1733 (Vol. 17, p. 347). New Haven; London: Yale University Press.