如何从神学角度读出埃及记How to Read ExodusTheologically

作者：T. Desmond Alexander  译者：诚之

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《出埃及记》记录了旧约中最伟大的救赎事件。神拯救以色列人，并且在西奈山上与以色列人相会，这个记载具有丰富的神学意义。它是整本圣经救赎故事的典范，因为上帝救赎以色列民脱离邪恶的控制，把他们从死亡的权势中赎出来，洁净他们脱离罪恶的污秽，并将他们分别为圣，过圣洁的生活，以至于他们可以与神建立友好的盟约，有可能「作祭司的国度，为圣洁的国民」（出十九6）。出埃及记启示出一个民族如何亲自认识上帝，部分扭转了亚当和夏娃在伊甸园背叛上帝所造成的疏离（创三1-24）。上帝对以色列人的拯救预示着更有效、更普遍的神圣拯救，因为出埃及记的故事预示了耶稣基督的到来，祂要赎回、洁净万国万民，使他们成圣，他们最终会在新天新地，在新的、更好的盟约下，与上帝至圣的同在同住。

he book of Exodus records the greatest salvation event in the Old Testament. The record of God’s rescue and rendezvous with the Israelites at Mount Sinai is theologically rich. It models the salvation story of the whole Bible, as God redeems the Israelites from the grip of evil, ransoms them from the power of death, cleanses them from the defilement of sin and consecrates them for holy living so that they may enter into a friendship treaty with God, with the possibility of becoming a ‘kingdom of priests and holy nation’ (Exod. 19:6 NIV). Exodus reveals how one nation comes to know God personally, reversing in part the alienation created by Adam and Eve’s betrayal of God in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-24). God’s rescue of the Israelites foreshadows a more effective and more universal divine rescue, for the Exodus story pre-figures the coming of Jesus Christ to redeem, ransom, cleanse and sanctify people from every nation, who under a new and better covenant with ultimately dwell in God’s holy presence on a renewed earth.

认识神

Knowing God

认识上帝的主题贯穿整个出埃及记，因上帝乃是藉着话语和作为来启示自己。从本来是高高在上的神明，上帝如今降临、住在以色列民当中。法老对摩西说：「耶和华是谁，使我必须听祂的话，让以色列人离开呢？我不认识耶和华，此外，我也不让以色列人离开！」（出五2；作者的翻译）透过这番话，认识上帝的概念就得到了强调。接下来的叙事充满了各种指涉，说明上帝如何藉着神迹和奇事，使埃及人和以色列人认识祂（出六3-7，七5、17，八10、22，九4、16、29，十1-2，十一7，十四4、18）。

The theme of knowing God relationally runs throughout Exodus, as God reveals himself through word and action. From being a distant deity, God comes to live among the Israelites. The concept of knowing God is highlighted when Pharaoh says to Moses: ‘Who is Yahweh that I should heed him by releasing Israel? I do not know Yahweh and moreover I will not release Israel’ (Exod. 5:2; author’s translation). The continuing narrative abounds with references to how God makes himself known to both Egyptians and Israelites through signs and wonders (Exod. 6:3–7; 7:5, 17; 8:10, 22; 9:4, 16, 29; 10:1–2; 11:7; 14:4; 18).

对于以色列人来说，认识神的过程涉及到神学上各个重要的阶段。以色列人从在一个恶毒的、仇外的独裁者统治下（这个独裁者被自己的人民视为神明），过渡到成为一位满有恩典怜悯的上帝的「宝贵产业」。他们用一位君王代替了另一位君王，但是两位君王是截然不同的。从出埃及记的一开始，法老就被描绘成是反对上帝的，而且本质上是邪魔。他预表了钳制和剥削人民的邪恶力量。在这个背景下，上帝前来解救以色列民，这一动机反映在出埃及记六章6节和十五章13节所使用的希伯来语动词ga’al ，即「赎回」。出埃及记一到十五章有力地说明了神的救赎如何使那些被奴役的人民得到释放。

For the Israelites the process of coming to a personal knowledge of God involves various stages that are theologically significant. The Israelites transition from being under the control of a vicious, xenophobic dictator, who is considered a deity by his own people, to becoming the ‘treasured possession’ of a gracious and merciful God. They exchange one king for another, but the two kings are diametrically opposite. From the outset of Exodus, Pharaoh is portrayed as being anti-God and demonic in nature. He typifies the powers of evil that incarcerate and exploit people. Against this background, God comes to free the Israelites, a motif that is reflected in the use of the Hebrew verb ga’al ‘to redeem’ in Exodus 6:6 and 15:13. Exodus 1-15 illustrates powerfully how divine salvation involves setting free those who are enslaved to the evil one.

但是，从邪恶中赎回只是亲密认识上帝过程的第一步。百姓要活在圣洁的上帝面前，就必须克服其他障碍。唯有圣洁的人才能认识上帝，与祂建立关系。

Redemption from evil is, however, only the first stage in the process of coming to a personal knowledge of God. Other barriers need to be overcome before people can live in the presence of a holy God. Only those who are holy may know God relationally.

圣洁

Holiness

出埃及记为了强调神的圣洁本质（例如，出三4-5，十九10-25），记录了三种奉献礼，阐明了有罪的人成为圣洁的过程。为了拯救以色列人的长子脱离死亡，逾越节的仪式使他们成圣，使他们归属上帝（民三13，八17；出十三1）。出埃及记十二到十三章暗示长子是透过逾越节的祭物而从死亡中赎回（反映在出埃及记十三章13、15节中使用的动词padah，意思是「赎回」），并藉着洒血的仪式得到洁净，也藉着食用无酵饼和献祭的肉成为圣洁。后来，利未人要把长子赎出来（民三12-13、45-51，八：16-18），使利未人在可移动的圣所服侍上帝。逾越节说明了与救赎有关的重要神学概念。

Emphasizing God’s holy nature (e.g. Exod. 3:4-5; 19:10-25), Exodus records three consecration rituals that shed light on the process by which sinful people may become holy. To deliver the Israelite firstborn males from death, the Passover ritual sanctifies them so that they belong to God (Num. 3:13; 8:17; cf. Exod. 13:1). Exodus 12-13 implies that the firstborn males are ransomed from death through the sacrifice of the Passover animals (reflected in the use of the verb padah ‘to ransom’ in Exod. 13:13, 15), ritually cleansed through the sprinkling of blood, and made holy through eating sacrificial meat with unleavened bread. Later, the firstborn males are ransomed by the Levites (Num. 3:12-13, 45-51; 8:16-18), enabling the Levites to serve God at the portable sanctuary. Passover illustrates important theological concepts associated with salvation.

当以色列人在西奈山与上帝立约时，第二种奉献礼就出现了，这包括献祭和洒血（出廿四3-8）。因此，一些以色列长老和其他人上到了西奈山山麓，看见以色列的上帝（出廿四9-11）。出埃及记廿九章1-46节则记载了另一种奉献礼的指示。这与亚伦作大祭司，他的两个儿子作祭司有关。亚伦的奉献礼与以前的奉献礼平行并存，但却是最复杂的，因为大祭司在每天与上帝的会面中扮演着重要角色。以色列人想要亲切地认识上帝，就首先要被上帝分别为圣（参出卅一13；利廿8，廿一15、23，廿二9、16、32）。

A second consecration ritual, involving sacrifices and the sprinkling of blood, occurs when the Israelites seal the covenant with God at Mount Sinai (Exod. 24:3-8). Consequently, some of the Israelite elders and others ascend the lower slopes of Mount Sinai and see God (Exod. 24:9-11). Instructions for another consecration ritual are recorded in Exodus 29:1-46; this concerns Aaron as high priest and his sons as priests. Parallels exist with the previous consecration rituals, but Aaron’s consecration ritual is the most complex because of the high priest’s role in meeting daily with God. The process of knowing God relationally requires the Israelites to be made holy by God (cf. Exod. 31:13; Lev. 20:8; Lev. 21:15, 23; 22:9, 16, 32).

在上帝与以色列人同住之前，他们必须庄严地承诺单单效忠于祂（出廿四3、7；约十九8）。当法老违背以色列人的意愿、奴役他们时，耶和华却邀请他们自愿顺服在祂的统治之下。为了确认这一承诺，以色列人与上帝立下圣约或友好条约。由于神的圣洁反映在祂的全德上，所以约中的义务对以色列人作出了重要的伦理要求。这些都包含在十诫之中（参：出廿2-17）。盟约的封印使以色列人建造了一个特殊的可移动的圣所，好叫上帝可以住在以色列民当中，反映出这种已经在西奈山建立的新关系。

Before God comes to dwell with the Israelites, they must solemnly promise him their exclusive allegiance (Exod. 24:3, 7; cf. 19:8). While Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites against their will, Yahweh invites them to submit voluntarily to his rule over them. To confirm this commitment, the Israelites seal a covenant or friendship treaty with God. Since God’s holiness is reflected in his moral perfection, the covenant obligations place important ethical demands upon the Israelites. These are encapsulated in the Ten Commandments (cf. Exod. 20:2-17). The sealing of the covenant leads to the construction of a special portable sanctuary so that God can reside among the Israelites, reflecting this new relationship that has been established at Mount Sinai.

出埃及记：救赎的典范

Exodus: Paradigm of Salvation

尽管出埃及记说明了与神疏离的人如何与上帝和好，但西奈之约并没有消除使人们与上帝隔绝的一切障碍。连摩西也看不到上帝的面（出卅三18-23）。百姓期盼会有另一次更伟大的出埃及。

Although Exodus illustrates how alienated humans are reconciled to God, the Sinai covenant does not remove all the barriers that separate the people from God. Even Moses cannot see God’s face (Exod.  33:18-23). The expectation develops that there will be another and greater exodus.

旧约对以色列的记载证明了百姓无力履行西奈之约的义务。从埃及获救之后的几个世纪，许多先知宣告上帝将与祂的子民立一个新的约（例如以赛亚书五四10，五五3，六一8；耶卅一31-34，卅二40；结卅四25，卅七26-27）。后来，这一新约由耶稣基督开启（路廿二20；林前十一25；林后三6），希伯来书的作者大胆地宣称它比旧的西奈之约更美（来八8，九15，十二24）。

The OT account of Israel testifies to the inability of the people to keep the obligations of the Sinai covenant. Centuries after their rescue from Egypt, various prophets announce that God will establish a new covenant with his people (e.g. Isa. 54:10; 55:3; 61:8; Jer. 31:31–34; 32:40; Ezek. 34:25; 37:26-27). This new covenant is later initiated by Jesus Christ (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25; 2 Cor. 3:6), with the author of Hebrews boldly asserting its superiority over the older Sinai covenant (Heb. 8:8; 9:15; 12:24).

重要的是，新约作家接受出埃及记的救赎典范来解释耶稣基督的一生、死亡、复活和升天。使徒保罗写道：「因为我们逾越节的[羔羊]基督已经被杀献祭了」（林前五7）。使徒彼得形容耶稣基督为「无瑕疵、无玷污的羔羊」（彼前一19），说那些蒙基督的血救赎的人（彼前一18）是「君尊的祭司，圣洁的国民上帝特殊的产业」（彼前二9；参见KJV），与出埃及记十九章6节遥相呼应。福音书的所有作者都把耶稣的死放在逾越节当天，约翰观察到耶稣的骨头一根也没有折断，就像逾越节的羔羊那般（约十九31-37；参见出十二46；民九12 ）。希伯来书的作者反映逾越节的奉献，称耶稣是「使人成圣的」（来二11）。后来，他写道：「我们凭这旨意，靠耶稣基督，只一次献上祂的身体，就得以成圣」（来十10；参见十三12）。主的晚餐借鉴了旧约逾越节的图象和西奈之约的印记（太廿六26-29；可十四22-25；路廿二19-20；林前十一23-26；参见约六53-58）。

Importantly, NT writers embrace the Exodus paradigm of salvation to explain the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul encapsulates this when he writes, ‘For Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed’ (1 Cor. 5:7; ESV). Describing Jesus Christ as ‘a lamb without blemish or defect’ (1 Pet. 1:19), the apostle Peter states that those who are ransomed by Christ’s blood (1 Pet. 1:18) become ‘a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession’ (1 Pet. 2:9), echoing Exodus 19:6. All the Gospel writers place the death of Jesus at Passover, with John observing that Jesus’ bones were not broken, like those of the Passover sacrifice (John 19:31–37; cf. Exod. 12:46; Num. 9:12). Reflecting the consecration dimension of Passover, the author of Hebrews states that Jesus is ‘the one who makes people holy’ (Heb. 2:11). Later, he writes, ‘We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all’ (Heb. 10:10; cf. 13:12). The Lord’s Supper draws on the OT image of Passover and the sealing of the covenant at Mount Sinai (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; cf. John 6:53–58).

在西奈山，上帝在祂一切的荣耀中降临，藉着帐幕住在百姓中间，约翰记载到：「道成了肉身，住在我们中间，充充满满的有恩典有真理。我们也见过他的荣光，正是父独生子的荣光。」（约一14）随后，由于圣灵的内住，耶稣的信徒成为一个有机的圣殿（弗二19-20），取代了会幕/旧约的圣殿。同时，随着耶稣在天上的圣殿成为大祭司，旧约的祭司制度和习俗就显得多余了（来七12）。当神赐恩赐给以色列人，藉着神的灵建造会幕时，圣灵就赋予信徒恩典的恩赐，来建造神的灵宫。就像比撒列监督会幕的制造一样，使徒保罗也将他的使徒职事描述为一个工头，立好根基，让其他人在上面建造（林前三10；参见出卅一2-5，卅五30-35）。

Whereas at Mount Sinai, God comes in all his glory to dwell among the people in a tent, John records how ‘the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14). Subsequently, due to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ followers become an organic temple (Eph. 2:19-20), replacing the tabernacle/temple of the old covenant. Concurrently, the priesthood and practices of the old covenant are made redundant as Jesus becomes high priest in the heavenly temple (Heb. 7:12). As God empowered Israelites with gifts to construct the tabernacle through the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit endows believers with grace-gifts to build God’s organic temple. Like Bezalel, who oversaw the manufacture of the tabernacle, the apostle Paul describes his apostolic ministry as being that of a master builder who lays a foundation on which others can build (1 Cor. 3:10; cf. Exod. 31:2-5; 35:30-35).

这些粗略的描绘让我们大致意识到出埃及记有何等丰富的神学内涵，但这些描绘仍未充分道尽出埃及的故事会如何增进我们对上帝为我们所作的救赎作为的理解。

These broad-brush strokes give a general sense of how the book of Exodus is theologically rich, but they do not exhaust all the ways in which the Exodus story enhances our understanding of God’s redemptive activity on our behalf.

T. Desmond Alexander (PhD, Queen’s University, Belfast) is Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Director of Postgraduate Studies at Union Theological College, Belfast. He is the author of numerous books including Apollos Old Testament Commentary: Exodus, From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch, From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology；中译本：《圣经神学导论》，麦种） and The City of God and the Goal of Creation.