如何從傳道書傳講基督How to Preach Christ fromEcclesiastes

作者：桂丹諾（Sidney Greidanus） 譯者：駱鴻銘

本文原刊於：SBJT 15.3 (2011): 56-61（https://sbts-wordpress-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/equip/uploads/2013/08/Pages-from-SBJT-V15-N3_Greidanus.pdf）

https://akowcm.wordpress.com/2019/11/27/%e5%a6%82%e4%bd%95%e5%be%9e%e5%82%b3%e9%81%93%e6%9b%b8%e5%82%b3%e8%ac%9b%e5%9f%ba%e7%9d%a3/

引言

INTRODUCTION

傳道書可以說是聖經中與今天的世俗、物質主義文化最有關聯的一卷書。它談到了一長串的問題，諸如漠視神、不敬虔的崇拜、虛空地追求快樂和財富、人的獨立自主、個人主義、生命的短暫和異常、苦難、各種誘惑、割喉式的競爭、不公不義、貧窮、壓迫，等等。它也提供我們許多講道的經文，聚焦於敬畏神、遵行祂的誡命，在祂殿中以敬畏的心敬拜祂，神的定旨、審判、照管、主權，祂的超越性，我們對神的倚靠，信靠神，苦難和死亡，如何使用智慧，婚姻，工作，知足，與他人合作，公義，施捨窮人，智慧的局限性，敢於冒險，接受真理的弔詭和人生的不確定性，以及人生的意義和享受。傳道書給我們許多材料，可以產生出許多強而有力、適合今人的講章。

Ecclesiastes is arguably the most relevant Bible book for our secular, materialistic culture. It addresses a long list of issues such as ignoring God, irreverent worship, the futility of pursuing pleasure and riches, human autonomy, individualism, the brevity of life and its anomalies, suffering, temptations, cutthroat competition, injustice, poverty, and oppression. It provides preaching texts focusing on fearing God and keeping his commandments, reverently worshiping God in his house, God’s decree, judgment, providence, sovereignty, and transcendence, our dependence on God, trusting God, suffering and death, using wisdom, marriage, and work, contentment, cooperating with each other, justice, giving to the poor, the limitations of wisdom, risk taking, living with paradoxes, living with uncertainties, and the meaning and enjoyment of life. The book of Ecclesiastes offers much material by which one may produce powerfully relevant sermons.

但是，我們如何從傳道書傳講基督呢？絕大多數福音派人士都會同意，基督教的講道必須傳講基督。當被選取的講道經文是來自舊約聖經，基督教牧者即使按照舊約聖經的語境，公平地對待這段經文，仍舊要試著傳講基督。那麼，我們如何從傳道書傳講基督呢？司布真在他《給我學生的講座》（Lectures to My Students）一書中，舉了一個異常生動的例子。他說道：

But how do we preach Christ from Ecclesiastes? Most evangelicals will agree that Christian preaching is preaching Christ. When the selected preaching text is from the Old Testament, Christian preachers will still seek to preach Christ even as they do justice to the text in its Old Testament setting. So how shall we preach Christ from the book of Ecclesiastes? In his Lectures to My Students, Spurgeon used a wonderfully vivid illustration. He said,

年輕人啊，英格蘭的每一個村莊城鎮，無論是在哪裡，總是有通往倫敦的路，難道你不知道嗎？同樣的，在聖經的每一處經文中，都有通往基督的路。我親愛的弟兄啊，當你講解一段經文時，你的責任是要說明，這節經文如何通往基督？我還從來沒有找到過一段不會通往基督的經文；而就算我找到了，我也會越過一切障礙，直到我找到我的主人為止，因為如果講章中沒有救主基督，就不會有任何益處。1

Don’t you know, young man, that from every town and every village and every hamlet in England, wherever it may be, there is a road to London? So from every text of Scripture there is a road to Christ. And my dear brother, your business is, when you get to a text, to say, now, what is the road to Christ? I have never found a text that had not got a road to Christ in it, and if ever I do find one, I will go over hedge and ditch but I would get at my Master, for the sermon cannot do any good unless there is a savor of Christ in it.1

英格蘭的每個村莊不只是有一條通往倫敦的路，通常還有很多條可以選擇。講道者同樣有很多方法，可以從聖經的邊緣講到其中心，即耶穌基督。

Not only is there a road to London from every village in England, there are usually several roads one can take. So it is with the ways in which preachers can move from the periphery of the Bible to its center, Jesus Christ.

從舊約聖經經文通向新約聖經中的基督，最普通的方法是應許—應驗，以及預表論的方式。但是，傳道書並不包含那將要來的彌賽亞的應許，而且基督的預表可能只有兩個——一章12節到二章26節的「所羅門」，和十二章11節的「牧者」。因此，我們如何從傳道書傳講基督呢？

The most common ways to move from an Old Testament text to Christ in the New Testament are the ways of promise-fulfillment and typology. But Ecclesiastes contains no promise of the coming Messiah, and it has only two possible types of Christ—the figure of “Solomon” in 1:12-2:26 and the “one shepherd” of 12:11. So how does one preach Christ from Ecclesiastes?

寓意解經（Allegorical Interpretation）

ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION

耶柔米和教會教父們（司布真有時也會這樣）會用寓意解經從傳道書傳講基督。例如，他們把「人莫強如吃喝」（傳二24）理解為，在聖餐禮中吃喝基督的身體和寶血。2 他們把「這人可以扶起他的同伴」（傳四10）解讀為，耶穌扶助其他人。他們相信，「三股合成的繩子不容易折斷」（傳四12），是指聖父、聖子、聖靈（馬太•亨利〔Matthew Henry〕的註釋書把這三股繩子應用在由基督的靈所結合起來的丈夫和妻子身上）。3 教會教父也使用更精巧的寓意解經法。例如，傳道書的作者寫道：「有一小城，其中的人數稀少，有大君王來攻擊，修築營壘，將城圍困。城中有一個貧窮的智慧人，他用智慧救了那城……」（傳九14～15）。他們把這個小城理解為教會，圍困這城的君王是魔鬼，這個貧窮的智慧人是耶穌。

Jerome and the Church Fathers (and also Spurgeon on occasion) used allegorical interpretation to preach Christ from Ecclesiastes. For example, they understood “There is nothing better than to eat and drink” (Eccl 2:24) as eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist (the Lord’s Supper).2  They interpreted the saying “One will lift the other” (Eccl 4:10) as Jesus lifting the other. They held that “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl 4:12) refers to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew Henry’s commentary applies the three-fold cord to a husband and wife who are joined by the Spirit of Christ).3 The Church Fathers also employed more elaborate allegorical interpretation. For example, the writer of Ecclesiastes wrote about a “little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it.... Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdom delivered the city” (Eccl 9:14-15). The little city was understood as the church, the king that besieged it was the devil, and the poor wise man that delivered it was Jesus.

今天我們無法昧著良心用寓意解經來傳講基督。4 寓意解經是人為武斷的、非常主觀的，把基督讀回到舊約聖經裡（這是「強解」〔eisegesis〕編按：與「解經」〔exegesis〕相反），乃是推翻了聖經作者的原意。那麼，我們如何從傳道書來傳講基督呢？

Today we cannot with integrity employ allegorical interpretation to preach Christ.4 Allegorical interpretation is arbitrary and subjective. It also reads Christ back into the Old Testament (which is eisegesis) and subverts the intention of the biblical author. How, then, shall we preach Christ from Ecclesiastes?

傳講基督的定義

DEFINITION OF PREACHING CHRIST

我在研究從舊約聖經傳講基督這個議題時，驚訝地發現，一般人把「傳講基督」定義為傳講基督的位格和／或工作；對於舊約聖經的智慧文學來說，這範圍太狹隘了。按照這種方法，我們多少會忽略掉基督的教訓。在近代，這事大概發生在十九世紀初，那時基要主義者反對那些自由派傳講社會福音的牧師們，因為那些人強調的是先知和耶穌的教導。基要主義者作出（過度）回應，強調耶穌的位格（例如：神的兒子、救主）和工作（例如：祂行的神蹟、代贖、復活）。因此，傳講基督的一般定義就變成「傳講基督的位格和／或工作」。5 特別是考慮到智慧文學，我把傳講基督的定義擴大為：「講道的講章，是真正整合經文的信息和神啟示的高潮，也就是神在新約聖經關乎耶穌基督的位格、工作和／或教導的啟示」。6

In researching the issue of preaching Christ from the Old Testament, it struck me that the common definition of “preaching Christ” as preaching the person and/or work of Christ is too narrow for Old Testament wisdom literature. Somewhere along the line we lost the teaching of Christ. In modern times this probably happened in the early 1900s when fundamentalists opposed the liberal Social Gospel preachers who emphasized the teachings of the prophets and of Jesus. In (over) reaction, the fundamentalists emphasized the fundamentals of Jesus’ person (e.g., Son of God, Savior) and work (e.g., his miracles, atonement, and resurrection). Thus the common definition of preaching Christ became “to preach the person and/or work of Christ.”5 Especially with wisdom literature in mind, I broadened the definition of preaching Christ to, “preaching sermons which authentically integrate the message of the text with the climax of God’s revelation in the person, work, and/or teaching of Jesus Christ as revealed in the New Testament.”6 

我如此擴充的理由是基於一個簡單的事實，即新約聖經突出了耶穌教訓的重要性。保羅論到耶穌時說，耶穌是「從神來的智慧」（林前一24、30），並宣稱「所積蓄的一切智慧知識，都在祂〔基督〕裡面藏著」（西二3）。耶穌自己是最優秀的教師，祂對祂的門徒說：「你們若常常遵守我的道，就真是我的門徒」（約八31）。此外，祂吩咐祂的門徒，「你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗，……凡我所吩咐你們的，都教訓他們遵守……」（太二十八19～20）。約翰寫道：「凡越過基督的教訓、不常守著的，就沒有神；常守這教訓的，就有父又有子」（約貳9）。

My justification for this expansion was the plain fact that the New Testament highlights the importance of Jesus’ teachings. Paul speaks of Jesus as “wisdom from God” (1 Cor 1:24, 30) and claims that in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). Jesus himself, the wisdom teacher par excellence, said to his disciples, “If you continue in my word [my teaching], you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31). Moreover, he commanded his disciples, “Go ... make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ..., and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20, emphasis mine). John writes, “Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9, emphasis mine).

因此，要傳講以基督為中心的講章，我們就必須試著將講道經文的信息和耶穌的位格、工作或教訓連在一起。這意思是說，傳道書的教訓和耶穌的教訓之間的類比，可以成為從傳道書傳講基督的一個主要方式。

To preach Christocentric sermons, therefore, we should seek to link the message of the preaching text to Jesus’ person, work, or teachings. This means that analogies between the teachings of Ecclesiastes and those of Jesus may become a major way for preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes.

從經文傳講基督的合法方式

LEGITIMATE WAYS TO MOVE TO CHRIST

新約聖經雖然不是一本聖經詮釋學的教科書，但是新約聖經暗示，有七種合法的方式，可以用舊約聖經的經文來傳講新約聖經的耶穌基督。這些方式包括：

Although not a textbook for biblical hermeneutics, the New Testament hints at seven legitimate ways to move from Old Testament texts to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. These ways are:

救贖歷史的進展：沿著救贖歷史的進展，就是從經文的歷史處境，進行到耶穌的第一次或第二次降臨；

(1) Redemptive-historical progression: following the progression of redemptive history as it moves forward from the text’s historical setting to Jesus’ first or second coming;

應許—應驗：說明一位將要來的彌賽亞的應許已經在耶穌的到來上應驗了；

(2) Promise-fulfillment: showing that the promise of a coming Messiah was fulfilled in Jesus’ arrival;

預表論：從舊約聖經預示耶穌的預表（type），進行到對範（antitype），即耶穌自己；

(3) Typology: moving from an Old Testament type prefiguring Jesus to the antitype, Jesus himself;

類比：留意經文的教訓和耶穌的教訓之間是否有類似的地方。

(4) Analogy: noting the similarity between the teaching of the text and that of Jesus;

縱向主題：追溯經文主題，從舊約聖經發展到新約聖經的耶穌；

(5) Longitudinal themes: tracing a theme of the text through the Old Testament to Jesus in the New Testament;

新約聖經參照點：從我們所要傳講的舊約聖經經文，講到新約聖經的引用或引喻，或講到耶穌類似的教導；

(6) New Testament references: moving to New Testament quotations of or allusions to the preaching text or to Jesus’ similar teachings; and

對比：注意經文信息和耶穌信息之間的對比。

 (7) Contrast: noting the contrast between the message of the text and that of Jesus.7

用司布真的話說，當我們從舊約聖經選擇一段經文來傳講，我們的任務是要問：有哪幾條路可以通往基督？通常我們會發現，有好幾條通往基督的路，我們可以選擇走哪一條路。讓我具體說明這是如何辦到的。8

To paraphrase Spurgeon, when we have selected a preaching text from the Old Testament, our business is to ask: Now what are the roads to Christ? Usually we will discover that there are several roads to Christ and that we have a choice of which ways to travel. Let me demonstrate concretely how this works.8

傳道書四章7～16節

Ecclesiastes 4:7-16

假定我們選擇了傳道書四章7～16節作為講道的經文。為了正確解讀作者的意圖，也為了找到與基督最強的關聯，我們必須決定經文的主題（「重點」或「要義」）。這段經文包含三小段。經文的整體結構是一個簡單的交錯配置結構：A-B-A′。

(A)   一個孤獨富翁的軼事，他的人生是虛空的（四7～8）。

(B)   箴言：「兩個人總比一個人好」（四9～12）。

(A′) 一位受歡迎的君王的軼事，他的人生是虛空的（四13～16）。

Suppose we have selected as our preaching text Ecclesiastes 4:7-16. To do justice to the author’s intention and also for the strongest link to Christ,

we need to determine the theme (the “point” or “big idea”) of the text. This preaching text contains three sub-units. The overall structure of the text is a simple chiasm, A–B–A’.

(A) Anecdote of a solitary rich person whose life is vanity (4:7-8) (B) Proverb: “Two are better than one” (4:9-12) (A’) Anecdote of a popular king whose life is vanity (4:13-16)

傳道者表明，他要強調的是B。他不只是讓B成為這個交錯配置結構的焦點，更是用至少三個例子，來支持這個「兩個人總比一個人好」的箴言。因此，我們可以這樣來表示這段經文的主題：既然孤軍奮鬥是徒勞無益的，我們就應該與其他人合作。根據支持這個主題的三個例子，傳道者的目標不僅僅是教導、更是要說服他的讀者，不要自己蠻幹，而是要與他人合作。

The Teacher (the writer of Ecclesiastes) shows that he intends to emphasize B not only by making it the focal point of the chiasm but also by supporting the proverb “two are better than one” with no less than three illustrations. Therefore we can formulate the textual theme of this text as follows: Since working alone is futile, we ought to cooperate with others. In view of the three supportive illustrations of this theme, the Teacher’s goal is not merely to teach but to persuade his readers not to go it alone but to cooperate with others.

通往新約聖經的基督的好方法是，使用新約聖經參照點所支持的縱向主題。在伊甸園裡，神宣告說：「那人獨居不好，我要為他造一個配偶幫助他」（創二18）。神把人創造成為社會性的生物。他們被造要彼此合作，互相幫助。神賜予以色列人許多必須關懷鄰舍的律法，而最高的要求就是「要愛人如己」（利十九18）。傳道者在傳道書第四章呼應了這條律法，他稱獨自生活是「虛空」、虛妄、無益的，並且用三種方式來說明「兩個人總比一個人好」。耶穌承認這個智慧，因為祂招聚門徒到祂身邊，並差遣他們「兩個兩個地出去」（可六7）。祂也說：「因為無論在哪裡有兩三個人奉我的名聚會，那裡就有我在他們中間」（太十八20）。耶穌也重述了愛的誡命，「要愛人如己」（太二十二39）。

A good way to Christ in the New Testament is to use longitudinal themes supported by New Testament references. In Eden God declared, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner” (Gen 2:18). God created humans as social beings. They are made to work together and help each other. God gave Israel many laws requiring care for the neighbor, the climax being “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18). The Teacher echoes this law in Ecclesiastes 4 by calling solitary living “vanity,” futile, useless, and by illustrating in three ways that “two are better than one.” Jesus acknowledged this wisdom by gathering disciples around him and sending them out “two by two” (Mark 6:7).  He also said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matt 18:20). Jesus also reiterated the love commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39).

我們也可以追隨新約聖經參照點所支持的類比方式。和舊約聖經的傳道者一樣，耶穌鼓勵人彼此合作。祂不止吩咐說：「要愛人如己」（太二十二39），祂也反對貪婪——一種自私的形式，把自己和他人孤立開來。耶穌警告說：「不要為自己積儹財寶在地上；地上有蟲子咬，能銹壞，也有賊挖窟窿來偷」（太六19）。祂告訴那富人，「去變賣你所有的，分給窮人，就必有財寶在天上」（可十21）。耶穌所說的無知財主的比喻，和傳道者關於有錢人的軼事（傳四7～9）是類似的。這個無知財主也「有許多財物積存，可作多年的費用」。很明顯，他也沒有同伴（「別人」）可以分享他的財富，因為神對他說：「無知的人哪，今夜必要你的靈魂；你所預備的要歸誰呢？」（路十二19～20；參：傳四8，「我勞勞碌碌，……到底是為誰呢？」）。當一位律法師問耶穌，「誰是我的鄰舍？」耶穌就說了那個幫助「落在強盜手中」的人的好撒瑪利亞人的比喻（參：傳四10）。這位鄰舍就是那「憐憫他」的人。耶穌用這些話來說明祂的重點：「你去照樣行吧。」（路十29、37）。

One can also follow the way of analogy supported by New Testament references. Like the Old Testament Teacher, Jesus urged cooperation with others. He not only commanded “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39) but also opposed greed—a form of selfishness that isolates us from one another. Jesus warned, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal” (Matt 6:19). He told the rich man, “Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Mark 10:21). Jesus’ parable of the rich fool is similar to the Teacher’s anecdote about the rich man (Eccl 4:78). The rich fool also had “ample goods laid up for many years.” Apparently, he also had no companion (“second one”) with whom to share his wealth, for God said to him, “This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Luke 12:19-20; cf. Eccl 4:8, “For whom am I toiling?”). When a lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus told the parable of the good Samaritan who helped the man who had fallen “into the hands of robbers” (cf. Eccl 4:10). The neighbor was “the one who showed him mercy.” Jesus drove his point home with the words, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:29, 37).

傳道書五章1～7節

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

假設我們要傳講的經文是傳道書五章1～7節。我們必須提出一個主題，是可以涵蓋這段經文所提出的所有重點的：謹慎腳步，聆聽，禱告，履行你的誓言，不可以說你許願是個錯誤，並且要敬畏神。所有這些部分可以用「在神的聖殿敬拜祂」這個主題連接在一起。「謹慎」、「敬畏」這兩個命令暗示對神的尊崇。因此，傳道者的主題可以這樣來表示：以敬畏之心在神的殿中敬拜祂！這兩個命令表明，傳道者的目標是鼓勵以色列人以敬畏之心在神的殿中敬拜祂。

Suppose our preaching text is Ecclesiastes 5:1-7. We must formulate a theme that covers all the points made in this passage: guarding your steps, listening, praying, fulfilling your vow, not calling your vow a mistake, and fearing God. All these components are held together by the theme of worshiping God in his temple. The imperatives “guard” and “fear” imply reverence for God. Therefore, the Teacher’s theme can be formulated: Worship God in his house with reverence! The imperatives indicate that the Teacher’s goal is to urge Israel to worship God in his house with reverence.

一個通往新約聖經中的耶穌基督的好方式，是由新約聖經參照點所支持的類比。傳道書鼓勵以色列人以敬畏之心在神的殿中敬拜祂，是因為「神在天上，你在地下」。儘管耶穌教導我們神是我們的天父，祂也教導我們記得，神在天上：「你們禱告要這樣說：我們在天上的父」（太六9）。當祂在地上事奉時，耶穌也表明祂對在聖殿中虔誠敬拜的關注。當祂發現聖殿的院子已經變成市場，祂就「趕出殿裡一切做買賣的人，……對他們說：『經上記著說：我的殿必稱為禱告的殿，你們倒使它成為賊窩了』」（太二十一12～13）。

A good way to Jesus Christ in the New Testament is analogy supported by New Testament references. The Teacher urged Israel to worship God in his house with reverence because “God is in heaven, and you on earth.” Even though Jesus taught us that God is our Father, he also taught us to remember that God is in heaven: “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven” (Matt 6:9). During his ministry on earth, Jesus also demonstrated his concern for reverent worship in the temple. When he found that the temple courts had been turned into a market place, he “drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple and said, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a den of robbers’” (Matt 21:12-13).

用這節經文，我們也可以使用傳道者的教訓細節和耶穌的教訓細節之間的類比。傳道者勸勉我們，「因為神在天上，你在地上，所以你的言語要寡少」（傳五2）。耶穌也同樣督促我們，話不要太多：「你們禱告，不可像外邦人，用許多重複話，他們以為話多了必蒙垂聽。你們不可效法他們；因為你們沒有祈求以先，你們所需用的，你們的父早已知道了」（太六7～8）。同樣，正如傳道者指示以色列人要「敬畏神」（傳五7），耶穌也說：「那殺身體，不能殺靈魂的，不要怕他們；惟有能把身體和靈魂都滅在地獄裡的，正要怕祂」（太十28）。

With this text one can also use analogies between details of the Teacher’s instructions and those of Jesus. The Teacher exhorts us, “let your words be few,” because “God is in heaven, and you upon earth” (Eccl 5:2). Jesus similarly urged us to let our words be few: “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matt 6:7-8). Also, as the Teacher instructed Israel to “fear God” (Eccl 5:7), so Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28).

我們也可以追隨新約聖經經文所支持的救贖歷史進展的方式。在舊約聖經時期，百姓被要求把他們的祭物帶到耶路撒冷的聖殿（傳五1）。但是，耶穌的降生，為動物獻祭和敬拜處所帶來重大的改變。耶穌對撒瑪利亞婦人說：「婦人，你當信我。時候將到，你們拜父，也不在這山上，也不在耶路撒冷。……時候將到，如今就是了，那真正拜父的，要用心靈和誠實拜祂，因為父要這樣的人拜祂」（約四21～23）。人們今天只要奉耶穌的名聚集，無論在哪裡都可以敬拜天父（太十八20）。當耶穌離世時，「殿裡的幔子從上到下裂為兩半」（太二十七51），通往神同在的道路被重新打開了。耶穌在十字架上的獻祭，一次永遠地終止了動物獻祭的需要。在耶穌離世四十年之內，聖殿就被摧毀了（主後七十年），在聖殿殺牲獻祭的做法也變得不可能了。

One can also follow the way of redemptive-historical progression supported by New Testament references. In Old Testament times people were required to bring their sacrifices (Eccl 5:1) to the temple in Jerusalem. But Jesus’ coming brought about a major change with respect to the animal sacrifices and the place of worship. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.... The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:21-23). People can now worship the Father wherever they are gathered in Jesus’ name (Matt 18:20). When Jesus died, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matt 27:51). The way into God’s presence was open again. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross ended the need for animal sacrifices once for all. Within forty years of Jesus’ death the temple was destroyed (A.D. 70) and the practice of sacrificing animals at the temple became impossible.

保羅也寫道，藉著耶穌，我們「被一個聖靈所感，得以進到父面前」（弗二18）。希伯來書同樣鼓勵我們：

Paul also writes that through Christ Jesus we “have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph 2:18). Hebrews encourages us similarly:

「弟兄們，我們既因耶穌的血得以坦然進入至聖所，是藉著他給我們開了一條又新又活的路，從幔子經過，這幔子就是祂的身體。又有一位大祭司治理神的家！並我們心中天良的虧欠已經灑去，身體用清水洗淨了，就當存著誠心和充足的信心來到神面前」（來十19～23）。

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb 10:19-23).

藉著這段經文，我們也可以使用對比的方式。傳道者說：「你向神許願，償還不可延遲」（傳五4）。耶穌稱文士和法利賽人是「假冒為善」和「瞎眼的人」，因為他們教導人不需要謹守一切的誓言（太二十三16～22）。耶穌說：「什麼誓都不可起。不可指著天起誓，因為天是神的座位；不可指著地起誓，因為地是祂的腳凳。……你們的話，是，就說是；不是，就說不是……」（太五33～37）。

With this passage one can also use the way of contrast. The Teacher said, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it” (Eccl 5:4). Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees “hypocrites” and “blind guides” for teaching that one need not fulfill all vows (Matt 23:16-22). Jesus said, “Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool.... Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’” (Matt 5:33-37).

傳道書六章10節～七章14節

Ecclesiastes 6:10-7:14

假設我們的講道經文是傳道書六章10節～七章14節。我們可以這樣表明這段經文的主題：既然神有主權決定時間，在困苦的時候，人們應該尋求相對而言算是好的東西。傳道者的目標是鼓勵正在受苦的人，藉著在困苦的時期尋找相對而言算是好的東西，來顯明他們信靠這位擁有至高主權的神。

Suppose our preaching text is Ecclesiastes 6:107:14. We can formulate the theme of this passage as follows: Since God has sovereignly set the times, in times of adversity people should look for what is relatively good. The Teacher’s goal is to encourage suffering people to show their trust in the sovereign God by looking for what is relatively good in times of adversity.

一條通往新約聖經中的耶穌的路，是由新約聖經參照點所支持的縱向主題。舊約聖經將受苦視為主要是神的懲罰。人類悖逆的結果是亞當夏娃被趕出伊甸園，生育兒女會有痛苦，要汗流浹背才能糊口，以及死亡（創三16～19、23）。對以色列人來說，受苦主要是負面的經歷。然而，他們受苦也有好處：神用它來帶領以色列人回到神的羊圈（見，如：士三7～30；賽四十1～2）。傳道者也論證說，人類受苦有其正面的意義：人們會在困難的時候尋找相對而言算是好的東西。新約聖經繼續這個主題。耶穌稱那些受苦的人是「有福的人」（路六20～23），但是祂提供的理由和傳道者不同。耶穌指向未來：「你們哀哭的人有福了！因為你們將要喜笑」（路六21）。彼得補充說：「倒要歡喜；因為你們是與基督一同受苦，使你們在祂榮耀顯現的時候，也可以歡喜快樂」（彼前四13）。

A good way to move to Jesus in the New Testament is longitudinal themes supported by New Testament references. The Old Testament sees suffering mostly as God’s punishment. Human disobedience resulted in Adam and Eve being driven out of Eden, pain in childbearing, toil to eke out a living, and death (Gen 3:16-19, 23). Suffering was mainly a negative experience for Israel. Yet  there was also good in their suffering: God used it to bring Israel back into God’s fold (see, e.g., Judg 3:7-30 and Isa 40:1-2). The Teacher also argues that there is a positive aspect to human suffering: people can look for what is relatively good in times of adversity. The New Testament continues this theme. Jesus calls those who suffer “blessed” (Luke 6:20-23), but he provides a different reason from that of the Teacher. Jesus points to the future that awaits: “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21, emphasis mine). Peter adds, “But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed” (1 Pet 4:13).

我們也可以藉著對比來通往基督。既然傳道者以為死亡是人生命的結局（傳二15～16，三19～21，九5），他建議人在困苦時要去尋找相對而言算是好的東西。對比之下，新約聖經強調死後還有生命：「人為人子恨惡你們，……棄掉你們的名，以為是惡，你們就有福了！當那日，你們要歡喜跳躍，因為你們在天上的賞賜是大的……」（路六22～23）。此外，傳道者教導他的讀者，要在困苦的時期尋找一些好事——部分是因為他們不知道未來會怎樣。相比之下，耶穌和新約聖經教導我們，因為我們的未來所擁有的榮耀——我們會成為神完美國度的一部分（羅八18）——所以在困難時要從好的一面來看。

One can also move to Christ by the way of contrast. Since the Teacher thought that death was the end of human life (Eccl 2:15-16; 3:19-21; 9:5), he advised people to look for what is relatively good in times of adversity. By contrast, the New Testament emphasizes that there is life beyond death: “Blessed are you when people hate you ... and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:22-23). Moreover, the Teacher instructs his readers to look for some good in times of adversity—in part because they do not know what the future holds. By contrast, Jesus and the New Testament teach us to look for the good in adversity because of what our future holds: the glory of being part of the perfect kingdom of God (Rom 8:18).

傳道書十一章1～6節

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

我們會用傳道書十一章1～6節作為最後的例子。第1節和第6節的首尾呼應（「當將你的糧食撒在水面，因為……早晨要撒你的種，因為……」）提供一個主要線索，來決定傳道者要表達的主題，我們可以這樣來表示：既然我們不知道神要興旺的是什麼，就要大膽而智慧地利用每個機會來工作。請注意傳道者的命令，他的目標是督促他的讀者不要被他們的無知所麻痺，而是利用每個機會大膽而智慧地來工作。

We shall use Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 as a final example. The inclusio of verses 1 and 6 (“Send out your bread upon the waters, for ... In the morning sow your seed, for ...”) provides a major clue for determining the Teacher’s theme which we can formulate as follows: Since we do not know what God will prosper, use every opportunity to work boldly but wisely. Noting the Teacher’s imperatives, his goal was to urge his readers not to be paralyzed by their lack of knowledge but to use every opportunity to work boldly but wisely.

從這段經文通向基督的一個好方法，是新約聖經經文所支持的類比。當傳道者敦促他的讀者使用每個機會來工作時，耶穌也敦促祂的聽眾要殷勤工作。耶穌說：「趁著白日，我們必須作那差我來者的工；黑夜將到，就沒有人能做工了」（約九4）。耶穌也講了有才幹的僕人的比喻。那兩位努力工作、敢於冒險的僕人得到了獎賞，而那個懶惰、安於現狀的僕人受到了懲罰（太二十五14～30）。同樣，保羅也代表「主」說話，他告訴以弗所人，「從前偷竊的，不要再偷；總要勞力，親手做正經事，就可有餘分給那缺少的人」（弗四17、21、28）。

A good way from this passage to Jesus Christ is analogy supported by New Testament references. As the Teacher urged his readers to use every opportunity to work, so Jesus urged his hearers to work diligently. Jesus said, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4). Jesus also told the Parable of the Talents in which the hard-working, risk-taking servants were rewarded while the lazy, play-it-safe servant was punished (Matt 25:14-30). Also, Paul speaks for “the Lord” when he tells the Ephesians: “Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy” (Eph 4:17, 21, 28).

另一個類比聚焦在第6節：正如傳道者敦促他的讀者不論早晨或晚上都要撒種，「因為你不知道哪一樣發旺」，耶穌也同樣告訴祂的聽眾撒種的比喻，撒種的人隨意撒種（撒在路旁，撒在土淺石頭地，撒在荊棘裏，撒在好土裏），不知道哪一樣會發旺（太十三3～9、18～23）。身為基督徒，我們應當慷慨地去撒「天國的道理」（太十三19），因為我們不知道神要使哪些發旺。9

Another analogy would focus on verse 6: as the Teacher urged his readers to sow their seed both morning and evening, “for you do not know which will prosper,” so Jesus told his hearers the Parable of the Sower who sowed the seed liberally (on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns, and on good soil), not knowing which would prosper (Matt 13:3-9, 18-23). As Christians we are to sow “the word of the kingdom” (Matt 13:19) extravagantly since we do not know what God will prosper.9

結論

CONCLUSION

我鼓勵牧師根據這本非常實用的書卷，傳講一個系列或多個系列的講章。總標題可以定為「傳道書的福音」。這卷神秘的書卷是許多人放棄的，因為他們認為這卷書太悲觀，其實這卷書是非常務實的。它裡面充滿了神所默示的智慧，這智慧可以藉著耶穌基督向我們這個時代的人有力地傳講。

I encourage pastors to preach one or more series of sermons on this amazingly practical book. The overall title can be “The Gospel of Ecclesiastes.” This enigmatic book, which many people write off as too pessimistic, is actually boldly realistic. It is filled with inspired wisdom which through Jesus Christ can speak powerfully to people in our day and age.

附註：

1. Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1975), 49。

2. 所有經文皆取自《新修訂標準版》（NRSV），中文則取自《和合本》。

3. 三股合成的繩子，直譯為一條繩索由三股線擰在一起。它可能間接指「古近東的一個眾所周知的格言，關乎友誼的益處」。Tremper Longman, III, Book of Ecclesiastes (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 143。

4. 這段話並不否認，寓意解經適合用於寓言，例如，傳道書十二章3～4節。

5. 雖然「基督的工作」可以包含祂的教訓，通常是將它理解為基督在十字架上為了我們的救恩說做的工作。

6. Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), p. 10＝桂丹諾著，《從舊約傳講基督》（South Pasadena：美國麥種傳道會，2015），34頁。

7. 關於這些方法的詳細描述和許多例子，見拙著 Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, 203-77＝《從舊約傳講基督》，293-390頁。

8. 關於接下來這些經文單元範圍的理據，以及這些主題和目標的表述，見拙著 Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes: Foundations for Expository Sermons (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010)＝桂丹諾著，《從傳道書傳講基督》（South Pasadena：美國麥種傳道會，2020）。

9. 必須承認這個應用的焦點比傳道者心中所想的更明確。

ENDNOTES

 1Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1975), 49.

2All biblical quotations are taken from the NRSV.

3A three-fold cord is literally a rope with three strands twisted together. It probably alludes “to a well-known ancient Near Eastern proverb concerning the benefits

of friendship.” Tremper Longman, III, Book of Ecclesiastes (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 143.

4This statement does not deny that allegorical interpretation is appropriate for allegories, e.g. Eccl 12:3-4.

5Although “the work of Christ” could include his teaching, it is usually understood as the work of Christ on the cross for our salvation.

6Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), p. 10.

7For detailed descriptions of these ways and many examples, see my Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, 203-77.

8For detailed argumentation for the parameters of the following textual units as well as the formulations of themes and goals, see my Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes: Foundations for Expository Sermons (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010).

9This is, admittedly, a more focused application than the Teacher had in mind.

桂丹諾（Sidney Greidanus），加爾文神學院（Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan）講道學榮休教授。是一位備受尊崇的作家和講道者，撰寫許多論講道與釋經學的書籍，包括《從釋經到講道》（麥種，2015）、《從舊約傳講基督》（麥種，2015）、《從創世記傳講基督》（麥種，2019）、《從詩篇傳講基督》、《從傳道書傳講基督》（麥種，2020）與《從但以理書傳講基督》（麥種，2016）。