甚麼是手足之愛？What Is Brotherly Love?
作者：Nicholas T. Batzig 翻譯：駱鴻銘
有多個孩子的父母在聽見孩子爭吵或互相爭鬥時會特別感到挫折，因為他們理所當然地期望他們彼此相愛。如果你是我們家裏牆上的一隻蒼蠅，你經常會聽見我要求我的三個兒子當中的一個，「當你說這些話或做了這些事情時，你是在愛你的兄弟嗎？」上帝吩咐我們愛我們的鄰舍——即使我們的鄰居成了我們的敵人。那麼，兄弟姐妹們不是更應該對彼此有深刻而持久的愛嗎？ 雖然我們生活在一個充滿著我們幾乎不會碰面的連男帶女的世界裏，但是兄弟姐妹乃是來自同一個子宮，並由同一個家庭的同一個父母撫養長大的。 地上的兄弟之間所存在的聯繫，形塑了聖經的樣式和形式，在那裏上帝命令信徒「要以手足之愛（brotherly affection）彼此相親」（羅十二10；新譯本）。
Parents
of multiple children experience a heightened sense of frustration when they
hear their children arguing or fighting with one another, because they rightly
expect them to love each other. If you were a fly on the wall in our house, you
would—on a somewhat frequent basis—hear me asking one of my three sons, “Were
you loving your brother when you said or did such and such a thing?” God has
commanded us to love our neighbor—even when our neighbor becomes our enemy. How
much more, then, should brothers and sisters have deep and lasting love for one
another? Though we live in a world full of men and women whom we will almost
certainly never meet, brothers and sisters come from the same womb and are
brought up by the same parents in the same house. The bond that exists between
earthly siblings gives shape and form to the language of Scripture, where God
commands believers to “love one another with brotherly affection” (Rom. 12:10).
新約充滿了提到「手足之愛」的經文。在使徒闡述基督徒在教會中的生活的許多地方，都會出現這個典型的短語。使徒保羅在寫給帖撒羅尼迦教會的成員時，解釋了手足之愛出於天性的本質：「論到弟兄相愛（brotherly love），用不著人寫什麼給你們，因為你們自己受了 神的教導，要彼此相愛。」（帖前四9；新譯本）。希伯來書的作者給了他讀者以下的警告：「你們務要常存弟兄相愛（brotherly love）的心。」（來十三1）。西門彼得解釋了手足之愛在我們基督徒經歷中所具有的重要地位，他寫道：「你們既因順從真理，潔淨了自己的心靈，以致能真誠地愛弟兄（sincere brotherly love），就應當從清潔的心裏彼此切實相愛。」（彼前一22；新譯本）。然後他給教會成員（這封書信的對象）以下的任務：「總括來說，你們要彼此同心，互相體恤，親愛像弟兄，滿有溫柔，存心謙卑。」（彼前三8；新譯本）；和「有了信心，又要增添美德……有了敬虔，又要增添弟兄的愛（brotherly affection）」（彼後一5～7；新譯本）。
The
New Testament is full of references to “brotherly love.” In many places in
which the Apostles expound on Christian living in the church, this paradigmatic
phrase surfaces. The Apostle Paul explained the instinctive nature of brotherly
love when he wrote to the members of the church in Thessalonica: “Concerning brotherly
love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been
taught by God to love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9, emphasis added). The writer
of Hebrews gave his readers the following admonition: “Let brotherly love
continue” (Heb. 13:1). Simon Peter explained the significant place brotherly
love holds in our Christian experience when he wrote, “Having purified your
souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one
another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22, emphasis added). He then
gave the following charges to the members of the churches to which he wrote:
“Have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble
mind” (1 Peter 3:8, emphasis added); and “Supplement your faith . . . with
brotherly affection” (2 Peter 1:5–7, emphasis added).
新約聖經中多處提到「手足之愛」，是在教導我們一個關於基督徒群體中的成員資格的重要真理，即信徒已經憑信心被納入上帝的家庭中，成為上帝的兒女，並在上帝家中一起生活（來三）。使徒約翰強調單憑信靠基督被納入上帝家庭的特權，他寫道：「凡接待祂的，就是信祂名的人，祂就賜他們權柄，作上帝的兒女。」（約一12）。上帝通過他永恆的獨生子收納我們，使我們與教會中其他兒女並肩站在一起。上帝的兒子通過為我們的救恩而活、而死並復活，成為我們的長兄。
The
multiplicity of references to “brotherly love” in the New Testament teaches us
a supremely important truth about our membership in the Christian community,
namely, that believers have been adopted into God’s family by faith in God’s
Son and live together in the house of God (Heb. 3). The Apostle John
highlighted the privilege of adoption into God’s family by faith alone in
Christ when he wrote, “To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). God adopted us through
His eternal and only begotten Son to stand side by side with other sons and
daughters in the church. The Son of God has become our elder brother by living,
dying, and rising for our salvation.
我們大多數人傾向於認為耶穌是我們的先知、祭司、君王、主、救主、牧羊人、中保、保惠師、審判官；然而，我們有時（可能經常）沒有把耶穌視為我們的長兄。希伯來書作者引用詩篇二十二篇22節時，留意到基督向祂父親宣告祂與祂子民的家庭關係：「我要向我的弟兄宣揚你的名，我要在聚會中歌頌你。」（來二12）。希伯來書作者從法庭的遺棄開始——引用詩篇二十二篇，這篇詩篇以耶穌被遺棄的吶喊開始：「我的神，我的神，你為什麼離棄我？」，然後進行到復活的讚美——以賽亞書八18 的吶喊：「看哪，我與耶和華所給我的兒女。」基督在十字架上的受難確保我們被收養進入上帝的家；耶穌復活的結果是祂要帶領祂的子民敬拜上帝。
Most
of us tend to think about Jesus as our Prophet, Priest, King, Lord, Savior,
Shepherd, Mediator, Advocate, and Judge; however, we sometimes (perhaps often)
fail to think of Jesus as our Elder Brother. Citing Psalm 22:22, the writer of
Hebrews took note of Christ’s declaration to His Father about His family tie to
His people: “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the
congregation I will sing your praise” (Heb. 2:12). The author of Hebrews moves
from judicial abandonment—citing Psalm 22, which opens with Jesus’ cry of
dereliction, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”— to resurrection
praise—with Jesus’ cry of Isaiah 8:18: “Behold, I and the children God has
given me.” The sufferings of Christ on the cross secured our adoption into
God’s family; the resurrection of Jesus resulted in His leading His people into
the worship of God.
看到我的三個兒子在公眾崇拜中向上帝唱詩篇和讚美詩是我作為父母所經歷過的最大樂趣之一。當我的大兒子在敬拜中大聲歌唱時，他的弟弟們往往會跟隨他的榜樣。如果我的一個兒子看到他的哥哥唱歌讚美上帝，他也會得到鼓舞去這樣做。在神的家庭裏，事情就是這樣運作的。耶穌帶領祂的弟兄們歌頌讚美上帝，激勵他們讚美祂的救贖憐憫和恩典。埃德蒙•克羅尼（Edmund Clowney）抓到了耶穌帶領我們敬拜的本質，他這樣寫道：
Seeing
my three sons sing psalms and hymns to God in corporate worship is among the
greatest joys that I have experienced as a parent. When my oldest son sings out
loudly in worship, his brothers tend to follow his lead. If one of my sons sees
his older brother singing God’s praises, he is encouraged to do so as well.
This is precisely how things work in the divine family. Jesus leads His
brethren in singing the praises of God, stirring them up to praise Him for His
redemptive mercy and grace. Edmund Clowney captured the essence of Jesus
leading us in worship when he wrote:
耶穌是以色列的美歌者，祂帶領著天上的詩班。祂不以為恥地稱我們為弟兄，反而在天上的錫安，和在地上聚集的聖徒中間歌唱，在那裏有兩三個人奉祂的名聚會……基督唱的是哪幾首痛苦的歌——祂受難的詩篇，封印了救恩！聆聽並了解那些知道祂受苦的團契的讚美詩，那些來自十字架的讚美詩，或者在午夜時從監獄牢房中揚起的讚美詩。高歌的救主並沒有帶領我們唱一些模仿包著糖衣的商業廣告的歌曲……祂的歌曲更加堅定、更穩健、更深刻，背負我們穿越死蔭的幽谷。
Jesus
is the sweet singer of Israel, the choirmaster of heaven. He is not ashamed to
call us brethren, but sings in the midst of His assembled saints in the
heavenly Zion and on earth where two or three are gathered in His name. . . .
What songs of agony Christ sings—the psalms of His suffering that sealed
salvation! Listen, and learn of Him hymns that know the fellowship of His
sufferings, hymns that can come from a cross, or rise from a prison cell at
midnight. The singing Savior does not lead songs modeled on sugary commercials
. . . sterner, stronger, deeper, His songs carry us through the valley of the
shadow of death.
身為我們的長兄，耶穌是一個新的、得贖群體的領袖，這個群體是有男人、女人、男孩、女孩組成的，他們藉著信心與祂聯合。由於我們與基督的聯合是不可分割，我們現在也不可分割地彼此團結在一起。我們與聖子有怎樣的關係，對我們與其他信徒的關係會有無可比擬的影響。我們與其他信徒共同生活是因為我們都是被認養的。基督在屬的靈崇拜中帶領我們前進的方式，構成了我們幫助彼此敬拜的方式。我們的長兄愛我們，並為我們捨了自己。反過來，這也使我們作為祂身體的成員彼此相愛的方式變得栩栩如生。
As
our Elder Brother, Jesus stands as the head of a new, redeemed community of men
and women, boys and girls who are united to Him by faith alone. Because of our
inseparable union with Christ, we are now inseparably united to one another.
What is true of our relationship with the Son has an unequaled bearing on our
relationship with other believers. We live together with other believers in
light of our mutual adoption. The way in which Christ leads us forward in
spiritual worship structures the way in which we help one another worship. Our
Elder Brother has loved us and has given Himself for us. This, in turn,
animates the way in which we are to love one another as members of His body.
我們用手足之愛來愛其他信徒的關鍵，是訓練自己正確地思考上帝家中的其他成員。上帝呼召我們將每一位信徒視為「基督已經替他死」的人（羅十四15；林前八11）。在基督裏，上帝為弟兄們捨命；我們也要彼此捨命。耶穌耐心地寬容我們；我們也要用愛心互相寬容。耶穌已經為赦免我們的罪而死；我們也要彼此饒恕。耶穌繼續在真理中建立我們；我們也要在真理中彼此建立。耶穌長遠活著為我們代求；我們也要為彼此代求。耶穌已經為我們在今世和來世的生命，賜下一切所需；我們也要分享生活中的一切供應，並在現在和永恆中彼此同住。
The
key to our loving other believers with brotherly love is to train ourselves to
think properly about the other members of the family of God. God calls us to
view each and every believer as one “for whom Christ died” (Rom. 14:15; 1 Cor.
8:11). In Christ, God has laid down His life for the brethren. We, too, are to
lay down our lives for one another. Jesus has patiently born with us. We, too,
are to bear with one another in love. Jesus has died to forgive us of our sins.
We, too, are to forgive one another. Jesus continues to build us up in the
truth. We, too, are to build one another up in the truth. Jesus ever lives to
make intercession for us. We, too, are to intercede for one another. Jesus has
given us every provision for our lives in this world and in the world to come.
We, too, are to share our provisions and lives with one another both now and
for all of eternity.
可悲的是，我們與其他信徒的關係並不能總是看到這點。我們經常傾向於用這樣的態度對待其他信徒：從帶著罪性的偏心和偏袒，到刻薄的冷漠和吹毛求疵。就像在這個墮落的世界中，沒有甚麼會比兄弟們以鄙視或漠不關心的態度對待彼此會更加令人心碎了那樣，也沒有什麼比看到教會中的弟兄們以缺乏愛心的冷漠態度對待彼此更加不合宜的了。
Sadly,
this is not always witnessed in our relationships with other believers. All too
often, we tend to treat other believers with everything from sinful partiality
and favoritism to bitter coldness and censoriousness. Just as there is nothing
so heartbreaking in this fallen world as brothers treating one another with
disdain or indifference, there is nothing so unfitting as seeing brethren in
the church treat one another with loveless indifference.
在〈極重無比的榮耀〉（ The Weight of
Glory）中，魯益士（C. S. Lewis）收錄了一段最深刻的默想，思考我們應該如何看待教會中最軟弱的信徒，因著他們已經被收養進入上帝的家庭。他寫道：「你曾和他談過話的最無聊、最無趣的人，有一天可能會成為這樣的一個受造物，如果你現在就看到他的話，你會受到極大的試探想要去敬拜他。」（The Weight of Glory ,New York, 2001, pages 45-46；征求更好的翻譯！）由於耶穌復活的榮耀，有一種榮耀正等候著上帝的每個兒女（羅八19）。我們彼此對看時，我們現在所看到的，遠遠比不上我們在榮耀中彼此對看時的樣子。
In
The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis included a profound meditation on how we should
view the weakest believers in the church on account of their adoption into
God’s family. He wrote, “The dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to
may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly
tempted to worship.” Because of the resurrection glory of Jesus, there is a
glory awaiting every son and daughter of God (Rom. 8:19). What we now see when
we look at one another is far from what we will see when we behold each other
in glory.
這些真理應該對我們在今生與其他信徒的互動，產生最大的影響。要是我們通過與我們得榮耀的長兄聯合的鏡片來學習看待彼此，那會有多大的不同！要是我們按照這些真理採取行動，我們會避免多少爭吵？要是我們訓練自己以這種方式來想對方，我們會摒棄多少充滿罪性的野心？要是我們不斷尋求將這個原則應用到我們與所有其他信徒的一切互動中，我們會在身體中體現多少愛和關懷？要是我們接受這個原則，比較剛強的兄弟會向比較較弱的兄弟表現出多大的耐心和敬重？要是我們採用這種心態，我們會為彼此向上帝作出多少相互代禱？要是我們真的相信這些事情，我們會多麼經常乞求饒恕，並給予饒恕？
These
truths ought to have the greatest impact on our interactions with other
believers in this life. What a difference it would make if we would learn to
view one another through the lens of our union with our glorified Elder
Brother. How many arguments would we avoid if we acted in accord with these
truths? How much sinful ambition would we put at bay if we trained ourselves to
think this way about one another? How much love and care would we manifest
among those in the body if we consistently sought to apply this principle to
all of our interactions with all other believers? How much patience and
deference would stronger brothers show to weaker brothers if we imbibed this
principle? How much mutual prayer would we offer to God for one another if we
adopted this mind-set? How often would we ask for and extend forgiveness to one
another if we truly believed these things?