作者： Hywel R. Jones 译者/校对者：Joshua Jin/ 骆鸿铭
祷告是世上一切宗教的特征，也是那些比较朴实的宗教的特征。因为人是按照上帝的形象被造的，并且多少意识到自己欠了那些更高存在或能力的债。旧约记载了异教徒祈求帮助，或者为得到了帮助而谢恩的例子。比如非利士人（士 16:23-24），巴力的先知（王上 18:25-26）和约拿船上的水手（拿 1:5）。我们这个社会的宗教多元化并不意味着所有的祷告都是大同小异的和正确的。并非如此！基督徒的祷告是独一无二的，基督徒应当通过他们祷告的方式阐明这点。
Prayer
is a feature of all world religions and also those of a more homespun variety.
This is because human beings are made in the image of God and have some
awareness of being indebted and accountable to some higher being or power.
Pagan petitions for aid and thanksgiving for help are recorded in the Old
Testament; for example, the Philistines (Judg. 16:23-24), the prophets of Baal
(1 Kings 18:25-26), and the sailors on Jonah’s ship (Jon. 1:5). But this does
not mean that our religiously pluralistic society is correct in regarding all
prayer as being much the same. It is not! Christian prayer is unique, and
Christians should make that clear by the manner in which they pray.
主耶稣以一种具有鉴别力和权威的方式谈到了祷告。祂劝阻跟随者不要像犹太领袖和外邦人那样祷告（太 6:5-7），因为上帝既不会被面具所蒙骗，也不会受咒语所压迫。相反，祂告诉门徒，祷告是“奉 [祂] 的名向天父祈求”，并补充说，他们当时还没有这样祈求（约 15:16，16:23-24）。这是很惊人的，因为门徒在某种程度上很熟悉旧约圣经和犹太会堂的敬拜；基督又教导他们，祷告时该说什么，以及如何说（路 11:1-13，18:1-14）。“奉[祂] 的名向天父祈求”，既和当时的宗教习俗不同，也和敬虔犹太人的祷告方式不同，比如施洗约翰的父亲和其他人那样（路 1:67-79）。祷告显然也不是向耶稣问问题而已（约 14-16章）。
The
Lord Jesus spoke about prayer in a discriminating and authoritative way. He
discouraged followers from praying as the Jewish leaders and the Gentiles did
(see Matt. 6:5-7), because God is neither deceived by masks nor pressured by
mantras. Instead, he told them that prayer was “asking the Father in [his]
name” and added that this was something they had not yet done (John 15:16;
16:23, 24). This is striking because they were to some extent familiar with the
Old Testament and synagogue worship, and he had also taught them what to say in
prayer and how to say it (Luke 11:1-13; 18:1-14). “Asking the Father in [his]
name” was neither the same as the religious practices of the day nor the
prayers of godly Jews like the father of John the Baptist and others (Luke
1:67-79). It was certainly not the same as asking him questions (John 14-16).
耶稣在马可楼（Upper Room，译者注：最后的晚餐所使用的地点）解释了祷告的特殊之处，祂用了“直到如今”，“等不多时”，“时候将到”这样的表达。这些提法指向那不可重复的时刻，就是耶稣的死和复活将标志旧约的结束和新约的开始，以及圣灵要浇灌在所有信徒的身上。“那一日”追溯到旧约先知所预言的“耶和华的日子”，祂亲自介入，审判仇敌，拯救祂的百姓。耶稣也称此为“时候将到”（约 16:25），指向祂在十字架上的死和祂的升高（约 7:30，8:20，12:23、27，13:1，17:1），或由此产生的结果（约 5:28-29）。上帝的时钟最后一刻要敲响，“末了”要开始，并且它要更新我们的祷告。
Jesus
explained what was special about it in the Upper Room, using the expressions
“until now,” “a little while,” and “that day or hour.” These references point
to that unrepeatable occasion when the death and resurrection of Jesus would
mark the end of the old covenant and the beginning of the new, and the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all believers. “In that day” harkens back to
the Old Testament prophets’ predictions of the “Day of the Lord,” of his
personal intervention to judge his foes and save his people. Jesus also
described this as “the hour” (v. 25), which refers to his death on the cross
and the exaltation as bound up with it (7:30; 8:20; 12:23, 27; 13:1; and
17:1;), or the consequences deriving from it (5:28-29). The last hour on God’s
clock would shortly strike. The “end” would begin’and it would renovate prayer.
新时期的祷告
A
New Day of Prayer
这个新时期不仅与圣子救赎的完成紧密相连，也由圣灵带来更大启示的新纪元。耶稣对门徒这样保证，说道：“到那日，你们要奉我的名祈求”，那时候祂不再用比喻对他们说话，而是“将父明明地告诉他们”（26节）。五旬节有大光照亮门徒，使他们明白耶稣过去的教导（14:26），以及之前祂没有教导他们的（16:13-15）。上帝作为父亲这一更为清楚和全面的启示，要带领他们思想在圣子耶稣里所启示出来的上帝，并在此光照下向祂祷告。圣灵会让他们悟性得以增强，忧伤得以除去，经历更深处的平安和更高的喜乐。
This
new day was not only bound up with the accomplishment of redemption by the Son,
but it also brought in an era of greater revelation by the Spirit. Jesus
guaranteed this to his disciples with the words, “You will ask in my name” on
“that day,” when he would no longer speak to them in parables but “tell them
plainly about the Father” (v. 26). At Pentecost a greater light began to shine
for the disciples on Jesus’ past teaching (see 14:26) and what he had not been
able to teach them before (see 16:13-15). This clearer and fuller revelation of
God as Father would lead them to think of God as revealed in his Son Jesus, and
to pray to him in that light. The Holy Spirit would enlarge their
understanding, remove their sadness, deepen their peace, and heighten their
joy.
因此，基督徒的祷告是奉耶稣的名向天父祈祷。“名字”(Name)等同于主上帝的同在和随时地施行拯救。父差遣耶稣，祂的基督，因为耶稣来到世上是奉父的名而不是奉自己的名（见约 5:43）。所以奉耶稣的名向天父祈求，就是在尊祂为先知、祭司、君王，且是通过尊崇（adoration）、宣信（confession）、感恩（thanksgiving）、祈求（supplication）（编按：按照头韵可缩写为ACTS）来服侍主。约翰·加尔文把祷告和在基督中保里的信心联系起来，也和在福音里应许的圣灵的帮助联系起来：
Christian
prayer is therefore praying to God as Father in the name of Jesus. “Name” is
equivalent to the Lord God being present and active to save. Jesus is the sent one
of the Father, his Christ, because he came in his Father’s name and not his own
(see John 5:43). So to pray to the Father in his name is to crown him as
Prophet, Priest, and King, and to serve him by way of adoration, confession,
thanksgiving, and supplication. John Calvin connects prayer with faith in
Christ the mediator and also the aid of the Holy Spirit as promised in the
gospel:
我们一切的需要和缺乏都在上帝里面，在主耶稣基督里，上帝乐意的一切丰盛都在我们的主耶稣基督里面（西 1:19， 约
1:16）以至于我们所有人都可以汲取，就如同泉水满溢，并且就如信心是从福音而生的，我们的心被训练呼叫主名（罗 10:14-17）。圣灵证明我们被收养作儿女，作我们心中福音的见证（罗 8:16），又举起我们的灵，敢于向上帝呼求需要，激动我们心里说不出来的叹息（罗 8:26），并且出于信心呼叫，“阿爸，父”（罗 8:15）。
Whatever
we need and whatever we lack is in God, and in our Lord Jesus Christ in whom
the Father willed all the fullness of his bounty to abide (Col. 1:19; John
1:16) so that we may all draw from it as from an overflowing spring ‘¦[and]
just as faith is born from the gospel, so through it our hearts are trained to
call upon God’s name (Rom.10:14-17). And’¦ the Spirit of adoption, who seals
the witness of the gospel in our hearts (Rom. 8:16) raises up our spirits to
dare to show forth to God their desires, to stir up unspeakable groaning (Rom.
8:26) and confidently cry, “Abba! Father!” (Rom. 8:15).
圣灵的叹息
Groaning in the Spirit
所以，基督徒的祷告，是“从基督汲取满溢的泉水”，“（我们的）灵被圣灵举起”，因为我们来到上帝面前以祂作我们的天父。这就是基督徒祷告的特点。这是两位职分迥异却互补的辩护者的职事，一位在上帝宝座前确保信徒可以达到天父面前（见约壹 2:1，2），另一位住在基督徒内里，确保他是上帝的孩子和继承产业的（罗
8:15-28）。基督的中保职分和圣灵的工作在旧约圣经中还是有幔子遮住的，但现在却是新约的标志，使门徒有勇气，使他可以藉着言语和叹息向上帝诉说万事。
Christian
prayer, then, is “draw[ing] from [Christ] an overflowing spring” and having our
“spirit raised” by the Holy Spirit as we come to God as our heavenly Father.
This is what marks out Christian prayer. It is the consequence of the distinct
but complementary ministries of two advocates, one before the throne of God in
heaven for the believer guaranteeing access to God as Father (see 1 John 2:1,
2), and the other in the believer assuring him that he is a child and heir of
God (Rom. 8:15-28). The mediation of the Son and the ministry of the Spirit
were under a veil in the Old Testament, but they are the hallmark of the new
covenant that emboldens the believer as he tells his heavenly Father everything
with words and sighs.
许多时候那些深藏心底难以言表的想法只能藉着叹息，甚至有时候是眼泪来表达，这是由当下的痛苦引起的，这些痛苦影响了信徒、教会和世界。圣灵明白这种无法言说的语言，透过子向父翻译出来。加尔文说，圣灵“唤起我们内心的确信、渴望和叹息，去思考靠着我们自己的力量很难做到的”。根据英国清教徒约翰·欧文所言，这就是新约所说“在圣灵里祷告”的意思（弗 6:18）。
There
are times when such thoughts will lie too deep for words and will only find
vent in sighs and even tears occasioned by the sufferings of this present time
as they affect the believer, the church, and the world. The Spirit understands
this nonverbal language, and he translates it to the Father through the Son.
Calvin says that the Spirit “arouses in us assurance, desires and sighs, to
conceive which our natural powers would scarcely suffice.” According to the
English Puritan John Owen, this is what is meant in the New Testament by
“praying in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18).
像上帝教导的那样祷告
Praying as He Taught Us
主祷文可被视为旧约圣经所有祷文的精华，也是新约圣经甚至主来之前所有祷文的模型。所以，谈一下该如何看待和使用主祷文是合适的。主祷文理所当然在基督教思想中占有重要地位，海德堡要理问答和威斯敏斯特信仰告白里对它的阐释也有着巨大的价值，正如改革宗作家赫尔曼·韦修斯（Herman Witsius）和汤姆·华森（Thomas Watson）所做的研究那样。关于公共崇拜中如何合适地使用主祷文的讨论无疑会继续下去，但毫无疑问的是，它应当被基督徒用来作为所有祷告的指南。加尔文的评论值得铭记：
The
Lord’s Prayer can be regarded as a distillation of all prayers in the Old
Testament and the mold for New Testament prayers’and all prayers until Christ
returns. A word, then, about how the Lord’s Prayer should be regarded and used
is appropriate. Rightfully, it has an important place in Christian thinking,
and the exposition of it in the Heidelberg and Westminster Catechisms is of
immense value, as are the studies of Reformed writers such as Herman Witsius
and Thomas Watson. Discussion about the propriety of its use in public worship
will doubtless continue, but there can be no doubt it should be used by
Christians as a guide to all their praying. Calvin’s comment is well worth
remembering:
这个祷文从各方面来看都如此完美，以至于添加任何外在或外来的、与它不相干东西，都是亵渎的，也不配得到上帝的认可。因为在这个总结中，上帝已经阐述了对于祂而言，什么是有价值和可悦纳的，对于我们而言什么是必要的（实际上是祂乐意赐给我们的）。
This
prayer is in all respects so perfect that any extraneous or alien thing added
to it, which cannot be related to it, is impious and unworthy to be approved by
God. For in this summary he has set forth what is worthy of him, acceptable to
him, necessary for us’in effect, what he would willingly grant.
然而不该忘记的是，加尔文并没有把真实可悦纳的祷文局限在主祷文的形式之内。他承认圣经里还有许多其他的祷告词，“与主祷文大不相同”，但却是由同一位圣灵所写的，使用它们对我们非常有益。”加尔文还补充说，“许多祷告词是被同一位圣灵所启发的，它们在措词上和主祷文几乎没有相似之处”。最重要的因素是，尽管“措词完全不同”，但“精意并无二致”。
It
should not be forgotten, however, that Calvin does not restrict true and
acceptable prayer to its words as a form. He acknowledges that there are many
other prayers in the Bible whose words are “far different from it ‘¦ yet
composed by the same Spirit, the use of which is very profitable to us.” What
is more, Calvin adds, “many prayers are suggested to believers by the same
Spirit, which bear little similarity [to it] in wording.” The all-important
factor is that the “sense does not vary” though “the words are utterly
different.”
在圣灵里祷告
Praying in the Spirit
最后，必须提到这个“在圣灵里的祷告”包括三个方面。很重要的是要指出，基督徒的祷告：（1）形式上体现三位一体；（2）范围上的宽广；（3）灵里像孩童般信任。尽管旧约圣经对以上几点并非完全沉默，但在新约圣经中，从《使徒行传》到《启示录》，能看得更清楚。它们在《使徒行传》4:22-30所记载的耶路撒冷教会的祷告中初现端倪，表明基督徒的祷告看起来就像旧约的祷告，只是被新约的事物和语言所过滤和填充了。
Three
areas of this “praying in the Spirit” must be mentioned in conclusion. It is
important to note that Christian prayer is: (1) Trinitarian in shape; (2)
universal in scope; and (3) childlike in spirit. While the Old Testament is not
silent on any of these, they can be seen to better advantage in the New
Testament Scriptures from Acts to Revelation. They are incipiently present in
the prayer of the church at Jerusalem recorded in Acts 4:22-30, which shows
that Christian prayer looks just like Old Testament prayer, filtered, and
filled out by new covenant realities and language.
1.
形式上体现三位一体
1.
Trinitarian in Shape
当我们说我们的祷告在形式上体现三位一体的教义，我们的意思是：新约中的颂词、祝祷、祝愿和被记载下来的祷告词都是以这种方式为结构的，也形成了后来信条的表述。在这些祷告词中，首位的是我们透过圣子所祈祷的圣父，也会提到圣灵的工作，因我们乃是藉着圣灵才有能力祷告。在使徒们，彼得、约翰尤其是保罗的著作中，这都是标准的格式。保罗一般是靠着圣灵对圣父、圣子说话，他这样表述：“我们两下（犹太人和外邦人）藉着祂（耶稣基督）被一个圣灵所感，得以进到父面前”（弗 2:18）；他也如此祝福：“愿主耶稣基督的恩惠，上帝的慈爱，圣灵的感动”（林后 13:14）。这是对“主”这个圣名的解释（祂在天上垂听祷告，祂降临世上拯救祂的子民，并带领他们挣脱捆绑到达流奶与蜜之地），但是它必须等候“那日子、那时辰”到来之后，一切才会变得清晰。
When
we say that our prayers are “Trinitarian in shape,” we mean that the
doxologies, benedictions, wishes, and recorded prayers of the New Testament are
structured in such a way as to lead to later creedal formulation. In these
prayers, primacy is given to the Father to whom we pray, through the Son, and
with mention of the Spirit’s work, because it is by him that we are empowered
to pray. This is standard in the writings of the apostles Peter, John, and
especially Paul. The latter generally addresses the Father and the Son and does
so by the Spirit, even laying down the declaration, “Through him [Jesus Christ]
we both [Jew and Gentile] have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:
18); and it announces the benediction, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the
love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (2 Cor. 13:14). This is an
explanation of the divine name “Lord” (the one who hears in heaven, comes down
to save his people, and leads out of bondage into a land flowing with milk and
honey), but it had to await the “hour and the day” before it could be made
explicit.
2.
范围上的宽广
2.
Universal in Scope
基督徒要为教会和其他基督徒祷告，这是毋庸置疑的。新约书信所记载的祷告就是明证。就连使徒约翰的话：“我不说当为这罪祈求”（约壹 5:16），也是在为犯罪的门徒祷告、激励他们的语境下出现的。但在这类的代祷中，世人也应该包括在内。旧约中并没有将上帝的良善和恩典仅仅局限在以色列人的范围之内：“耶和华善待万民，祂的慈悲覆庇祂一切所造的”（诗 145:9）。所有人都当向祂祈祷，尽管他们没有如此作，祂仍然“恩待那忘恩的和作恶的”（路 6:35）；约伯、喇合、撒勒法的寡妇和尼尼微人都是这样的例子。但是在耶稣之后的年代，就更清楚了。上帝爱祂的仇敌（太 5:44-45）。祂差遣祂的儿子，为充满了将要灭亡的罪人的邪恶世界而死（约 3:16）。祂仁慈的关切和活动并不限于教会以内。因此，保罗敦促要为各式各样的人做更多种类的祷告，这与他想要把福音传给万国的愿望是一致的。福音应当白白地传给所有的人，无远弗届，为邻舍代祷的事工就支持这样的宣称。”这是好的，在上帝我们的救主面前可蒙悦纳。祂愿意万人得救，明白真道。“（提前 2:1-7）
It
goes without saying that Christians pray for churches and fellow believers. The
prayers recorded in the New Testament Epistles are proof of this. Even John’s
words, “I do not say that one should pray for that” (see 1 John 5:16), occur in
the context of encouraging prayer for fellow Christians who sin. But the world
is also to be included in such intercession. The Old Testament does not confine
God’s goodness and grace to Israel alone: “The Lord is good to all and his
mercy is over all that he has made” (Ps. 145:9). All people should pray to him,
but even when they do not “he is kind to the unthankful and the evil” (Luke
6:35); Job and Rahab, the widow of Zarephath, and the Ninevites are all
examples of this. But in Anno Domini, this is even plainer. God loves his
enemies (Matt. 5:44-45). He sent his son to die for a bad world of perishing
human beings (John 3:16). His benevolent concern and activity are not limited
to the church. Paul therefore urges a great diversity of prayers for all sorts
of people in keeping with his desire that the gospel should be made known to
all the nations. The gospel is to be freely preached to all, far and wide, and
a ministry of “neighborly” intercession supports such proclamation. “This is
good and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior [benefactor] who desires
all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (see 1 Tim.
2:1-7).
3.
灵里像孩童一般信任
3.
Childlike in Spirit
基督徒的祷告有一个与众不同的特点，就是他们称上帝为“父”。旧约信徒有一颗谦卑、信靠的心，但上帝只是君王和国家的父（出 4:22；赛
63:16）。相比之下，耶稣赐给每个门徒称上帝为他们的父的权利（路 11:2；约
20:17），祂的灵也赐他们能力得以这样做（罗 8:15；加
4:6）。祂也给他们确实的应许，即上帝永远会垂听并回应他们的祷告！祂不会对儿女闭起耳朵，就像祂不会对那在天上坐在祂右边的、他们的长兄如此那样。圣父差遣圣子去招聚疏远的孩子们，带他们回家。因此祂会乐意听他们凭着信心和爱心呼求祂的名（无论他们用的是什么词汇、何种语言），并且积极地回应他们。
One
feature of Christian prayer that distinguishes it from all others is that God
is addressed as “Father.” Old Testament believers were humble and trusting, but
God was only “Father” to the king and to the nation (Exod. 4:22 and Isa.
63:16). By contrast Jesus gives each believer the right to call his Father theirs
(Luke 11:2 and John 20:17), and his Spirit enables them to do so (Rom. 8:15 and
Gal. 4: 6). He also gives them the sure promise that God will hear and answer
their prayers’always! He can no more turn a deaf ear to his children than he
can to their Elder Brother who is at his right hand in heaven. The Father sent
his Son to gather his estranged children and bring them home. He therefore
delights to hear them call on his name in faith and love (whatever words they
use and in whatever language) and to respond positively to them.
他们按照祂的圣言祈祷；祂则是照着自己的旨意回应。这二者没有太大的不同，因为上帝已经在祂的圣言里表达了祂的旨意，所以祂的儿女可以知道什么是祂所喜悦的。因此，他们在许多景况下可以确信，他们向上帝祈求的是祂愿意给的，且上帝也会这样做。他们知道天父已经为他们的一切需要做了充足的供应，而且祂也最知道什么时候该给什么。他们可以信靠祂，因为他们知道自己永远不会被丢弃成为孤儿，并且有一天他们要惊讶于自己不配得的祷告竟然得到了回应。
They
pray according to his Word; he replies according to his will. These two are not
diverse because he has expressed his will in his Word so his children may know
what pleases him. They can therefore in so many cases be sure that they are
asking the Father for what he wants to give them and that he will do so. They
know that he has made abundant provision for all their needs and that he knows
best what to give and when. They can trust because they know they will never be
orphaned and one day they will be amazed at how their unworthy prayers have
been answered.
