從頭開始Starting at the Beginning
[每日靈修] 2/5/2019, 駱鴻銘編譯
英文的「哲學」（philosophy）這個詞，源於兩個希臘詞的組合：phileo（「愛」）和sophia（「智慧」）。因此，從字面上看，「哲學」的意思是「對智慧的熱愛。」哲學這門科學的發展，通常被歸功於古代希臘人。他們也關注抽象的形而上學（metaphysics；譯按：指對存在和事物本質的研究）和認識論。然而，倫理學的問題對蘇格拉底、柏拉圖和亞里士多德來說都是至關重要的。蘇格拉底試圖將美德或道德縮減為「正確的知識」。柏拉圖則尋求善的最終標準。
舊約聖經的猶太思想家在形而上學的思辨方面做得很少。聖經以對上帝的肯定開始，這種知識不是通過理性的推想得來的，而是靠上帝的自我啟示——祂把自己揭示出來——得來的。
猶太哲學的首要關注確實是對智慧的熱愛。然而，這裏的智慧不是推測性的，而是實踐性的。希伯來智慧關注生命，關注活出討上帝喜悅的生活。猶太思想家問道：「順服包括什麼？上帝如何在我的行為中得到榮耀？」因著這個焦點，舊約聖經宣稱「敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端」（箴言九10）。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
反思這些問題：順服包括什麼？上帝如何在你的行為上得到榮耀？
進一步研讀：
詩五一6 你所喜愛的是內裏誠實；你在我隱密處，必使我得智慧。
詩九十12 求你指教我們怎樣數算自己的日子，好叫我們得著智慧的心。
箴八12 我智慧以靈明為居所，又尋得知識和謀略。
箴九10 敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端；認識至聖者便是聰明。
Starting
at the Beginning
The
word philosophy derives from a combination of two Greek words: phileo (“to
love”) and sophia (“wisdom”). Literally, philosophy means “love of wisdom.” The
ancient Greeks, who are usually credited with developing the science of
philosophy, were also concerned with abstract metaphysics and epistemology.
However, the question of ethics was of paramount importance to Socrates, Plato,
and Aristotle. Socrates sought to reduce virtue or ethics to “right knowledge.”
Plato sought the ultimate standard of the good.
The
Jewish thinkers of the Old Testament did little in the area of metaphysical
speculation. The Scriptures begin with the affirmation of God, known not via
intellectual speculation but by His own revelatory self-disclosure.
The
overarching concern of Jewish philosophy was indeed a love of wisdom. The
wisdom in view, however, was not speculative but practical. Hebrew wisdom was
concerned with life, with living a life pleasing to God. The Jewish thinker
asked: “What does obedience involve? How is God glorified in my behavior?” Because
of this focus, the Old Testament declared that “the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10).
Coram
Deo
Reflect
on these questions: What does obedience involve? How is God glorified in your
behavior?
Passages
for Further Study
Psalm
51:6
Psalm
90:12
Proverbs
8:12