42 耶稣是教师——耶稣基督宣告了神的国与神的家Teacher - Jesus Christproclaimed God's kingdom and family
《简明神学》Concise Theology: A Guide to
Historic Christian Beliefs,巴刻(J. I. Packer)著/張麟至译,更新传道会,2007年。
42 耶稣是教师——耶稣基督宣告了神的国与神的家
Teacher - Jesus Christ proclaimed God's kingdom and family
耶稣讲完了这些话,众人都稀奇祂的教训;因为祂教训他们,正像有权柄的人,不像他们的文士。(太7:28-29)
耶稣是成为肉身的神子,祂的训词由祂的父而来(约7:16-18;12:49-51),且要存留到永远(可13:31),最后祂还要按这些教训审判祂的听众(约12:48;太7:24-27)。因此之故,我们无论多强调人应留心听祂的教训,都不为过。耶稣教训人时,就像当时的犹太拉比一样,是这里一点、那里一点,而非长篇大论;而且祂许多有力的表达都是籍用比喻、箴言,和针对问题、反应处境而发的单独宣告。
祂所有公开的教训都带着叫人惊奇的权柄,这是祂的标记(太7:28-29;可1:27;约7:46),但也有些教训的表达却像迷一样,想要明白,就需要人深思并有属灵的洞见([耳],太11:15;13:9,43;路14:35),而那些自满的、不经心的人,往往就大惑不解。譬如,耶稣对于祂自己有关弥赛亚的角色、救赎、复活和未来的掌权这些道理,就只给些不明显的暗示,其原因有二:第一,这些事件,只有籍着事实本身的发生,才能把道理显明清楚;第二,耶稣最关心得是透过祂个人对人们的影响力,呼召他们作门徒,从而在那里关系之内教导他们明白祂是谁;而非为了给那些不肯向他委身的人详细的神学指引。不过,一般来说耶稣的叙述通常都很清楚,而在许多使徒书信里,因有更完全的阐释,我们最好把它们当做耶稣所说过的话的的诠腳来读。
耶稣的教训一定涉及三个对象:第一,是涉及曾差遣祂、今又引导祂的父神(太11:25-27;16:13-17,27;21:37;26:29,53;路2:49;22:29;约3:35;5:18-23,26-27,36-37;8:26-29;10:25-30,36-38);祂的门徒也要学习把祂的父神当做他们在天上的父(太5:43-6:14,25-33;7:11)。第二,是涉及那些落在失丧光景中的个人和群众(太9:36;可10:21),祂持续多方地呼召祂的听众悔改,好得着新的生命(太4:17;11:20-24;可1:15;路5:32;13:3-5;15:7;24:47)。第三,是涉及祂人子这个弥赛亚的称号(太16:13-16)。[有一位像人子]得着了但以理书7:13-14节的国度。有关耶稣自己使用这个称号,见马可福音8:38、13:26、14:62(回应但以理书),马太福音12:40、马可福音8:31,9:31,10:33,45、14:21,41,路加福音18:31-33(预言祂的死亡与复活),约翰福音3:13-15,6:27(宣告祂的拯救职事)。
从耶稣对父神的见证、对人们需要的关切和对祂自己角色的认知看来,它们所形成的三种神学主题如下:
(1)神的国:这是一个与神关系的属灵实际,旧约先知常常提到这国(赛2:1-4;9:6-7;11:1-12:6;42:1-9;49:1-7;耶23:5-6),它与耶稣同来,成为神对历史计划的实现。这国与耶稣同在,祂所行的神迹是这国度的记号(太11:12;12:28;路16:16;17:20-21)。当一个人因顺服基督,以祂为主时,这将是一种极其重要的委身,能为他带来救恩与永生;当人肯这样委身时,神的国在他的生命里,才变得实际极具关键性(可10:17-27;约5:24)。这国度要被传讲,它会成长(太24:14;13:31-33),直到今天在天上掌权的人子,为审判以及为祂中心仆人的喜乐再临为止(太13:24-43,47-50)。
(2)耶稣拯救的工作:耶稣照着父神的旨意从天而降,好将祂所拣选的罪人带回到荣耀里去,祂为他们而死,呼召并吸引他们到祂自己那里去,祂赦免他们的罪,保守他们平安,直到他们将来复活、得荣、进入天上喜乐的那日子(路5:20,23;7:48;约6:37-40,44-45;10:14-18,27-29;12:32;17:1-26)。
(3)神家的伦理:神将白白恩典为礼物赐给罪人,人才得到新生命,这新生命必须要用新的生活形态来表现。人既靠神恩典而活,就必须常常感恩;既蒙神厚爱,就必须大方地爱人;既因神的赦免而活,自己也就应当赦免别人;既认识神为慈爱的天父,就应当了无苦毒地接受神的天命,时时刻刻籍投靠祂的保护来尊荣祂。一言以蔽之,神的儿女必须像他们的父神和他们的救主,也就是说,十分不像这世界(太5:43-48;6:12-15;18:21-35;20:26-28;22:35-40)。
TEACHER
JESUS CHRIST PROCLAIMED GOD’S
KINGDOM AND FAMILY
When
Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the
law. MATTHEW 7:28-29
Jesus
was Son of God incarnate, and his teaching, given him by his Father (John
7:16-18; 12:49-50), will stand forever (Mark 13:31) and finally judge its
hearers (John 12:48; Matt. 7:24-27). The importance of paying attention to it
cannot, therefore, be overstressed. Jesus taught as Jewish rabbis generally
did, by bits and pieces rather than in flowing discourses, and many of his most
vital utterances are in parables, proverbs, and isolated pronouncements
responding to questions and reacting to situations.
All
his public teaching was marked by an authority that brought amazement (Matt.
7:28-29; Mark 1:27; John 7:46), but some of the teaching was enigmatically
expressed, requiring thought and spiritual insight (“ears,” Matt. 11:15; 13:9,
43; Luke 14:35) and baffling the complacent and casual. Jesus’ reason for only
dropping dark hints about (for instance) his messianic role, atonement,
resurrection, and forthcoming reign, was twofold: first, only events could make
these things clear in any case; and second, Jesus’ concern was to call people
into discipleship through his personal impact on them, and then teach them
about himself within that relationship, rather than to offer detailed
theological instruction to the uncommitted. Nonetheless, Jesus’ statements
often are clear, and many of the fuller presentations in the epistles are best
read as so many footnotes to what Jesus said.
Jesus’
teaching had three regular points of reference. The first was to his divine
Father, who had sent and was now directing him (Matt. 11:25-27; 16:13-17, 27;
21:37; 26:29, 53; Luke 2:49; 22:29; John 3:35; 5:18-23, 26-27, 36-37; 8:26-29;
10:25-30, 36-38), and to whom his disciples must learn to relate as their
Father in heaven (Matt. 5:43-6:14, 25-33; 7:11). The second was to people, both
individuals and crowds in their lostness (Matt. 9:36; Mark 10:21), the
addressees of his constant and many-faceted calls to repentance and a new life
(Matt. 4:17; 11:20-24; Mark 1:15; Luke 5:32; 13:3-5; 15:7; 24:47). The third
was to himself, as Son of Man, a messianic title (Matt. 16:13-16). “One like a
son of man” takes the kingdom in Daniel 7:13-14. For Jesus’ own use of this
title, see Mark 8:38; 13:26; 14:62 (echoing Daniel); Matthew 12:40; Mark 8:31;
9:31; 10:33, 45; 14:21, 41; Luke 18:31-33 (predicting his death and
resurrection); John 3:13-15; 6:27 (declaring his saving ministry).
Out
of Jesus’ witness to his Father, to people’s need, and to his own role, three
theological themes take form:
1.
The kingdom of God. This is a relational reality that came with Jesus as the
fulfillment of God’s plan for history, of which Old Testament prophets had
constantly spoken (Isa. 2:1-4; 9:6-7; 11:1-12:6; 42:1-9; 49:1-7; Jer. 23:5-6).
The kingdom is present with Jesus; his miracles are signs of it (Matt. 11:12;
12:28; Luke 16:16; 17:20-21). The kingdom becomes real and crucial in a
person’s life when he or she submits in faith to the lordship of Christ, a
momentous commitment that brings salvation and eternal life (Mark 10:17-27;
John 5:24). The kingdom will be preached and will grow (Matt. 24:14; 13:31-33)
until the Son of Man, now reigning in heaven, reappears for judgment and, in
the case of his faithful servants, for joy (Matt. 13:24-43, 47-50).
2.
The saving work of Jesus. Having come down from heaven at the Father’s will to
bring chosen sinners to glory, Jesus died for them, calls and draws them to
himself, forgives their sins, and keeps them safe till the day of their
resurrection, glorification, and introduction into heaven’s happiness (Luke
5:20, 23; 7:48; John 6:37-40, 44-45; 10:14-18, 27-29; 12:32; 17:1-26).
3.
The ethics of God’s family. The new life, which comes to sinners as a gift of
God’s free grace, must be expressed in a new life-style. Those who live by
grace must practice gratitude; those who have been greatly loved must show
great love to others; those who live by being forgiven must themselves forgive;
those who know God as their loving heavenly Father must accept his providences
without bitterness, honoring him at all times by trusting in his protecting
care. In a word, God’s children must be like their Father and their Savior,
which means being utterly unlike the world (Matt. 5:43-48; 6:12-15; 18:21-35;
20:26-28; 22:35-40).