新約如何引用舊約：以基督的降生為例
The New Testament’s Use of the Old Testament: The Birth of Christ
作者：Jeffrey A. Stivason   誠之譯自：
http://www.placefortruth.org/blog/new-testaments-use-old-testament-birth-christ
https://yimawusi.net/2021/04/14/the-new-testaments-use-of-the-old-testament-the-birth-of-christ/
 
你是否曾懷疑，馬太為什麼在他福音書的一開始就引用了以賽亞書？（註1）你也許會說，「當然不會懷疑啊！我們已經知道原由了。因這句話證實了童女懷孕和基督的誕生！」是的，但這是唯一的理由嗎？再次，你也許會說，「這理由還不夠嗎？」對此，我可能會想大喊一聲：「我認輸！」。但請容我試著把我們的理解再往前推一步。
Have you ever wondered why Matthew quotes Isaiah in the opening chapter of his Gospel?[1]  Perhaps you would say, "Of course not!  We already know why.  The quote substantiates the virgin conception and birth of Christ!"  Yes, but is that the only reason?  Again, you may claim, "Isn't that reason enough?"  To which I might be tempted to cry, "Uncle!"  But let me take a stab at pressing our understanding a bit further.
 
我們必須穿越時空，回到以賽亞時代，他在漂布者的田間（賽七3；參《新譯本》；和合本作「漂布地的大路」）和亞哈斯王對質（註2）。當那時，亞哈斯王正身陷困境。他不只拒絕加入大馬士革（亞蘭）和以色列用以對抗亞述這個新興勢力的聯軍，更糟的是他竟然妄想與亞述結盟！如今，大馬士革和以色列前來攻打他，要給他一個教訓。但先知以賽亞和亞哈斯王會面，告訴他還有別路可走。他大可不必和大馬士革和以色列聯手，也不必和亞述結盟。他是大衛的子孫。他是那位合神心意者的後裔，和他同一個血脈。上帝會保護他，保守他不受這三者所害！更有甚者，上帝會賜給他一個兆頭來證實祂的話。上帝要他求一個或顯在深處或顯在高處的兆頭；什麼都可以求！但他卻不求。亞哈斯有他自己的理由宣稱自己的敬虔：他不想試探上帝。但真正的理由並非如此。
We need to travel back in time to the day when Isaiah confronted King Ahaz on the highway to Fuller's Field.[2]  On that day, King Ahaz was in trouble.  He had not only refused to join forces with Damascus and Israel against the rising power of Assyria, it was worse, he had sought an alliance with Assyria!  Now, Damascus and Israel were coming to teach him a lesson.  But Isaiah the prophet met King Ahaz to tell him that there was another way.  He did not have to side with Damascus and Israel nor did he have to side with Assyria. He was the Son of David.  He was in the line and lineage of the man after God's own heart.  God would protect him and preserve him from all three!  What is more, God would give him a sign confirming His word.  God invited him to ask for a sign in the highest heavens or the depths of Sheol; ask anything!  But he didn't.  Ahaz claimed piety for his reason; he would not tempt God.  But the raison d'être was a bit different.
 
列王紀下十六章7節記載了這個可怕的事實，經文說：「亞哈斯差遣使者去見亞述王提革拉毗列色，說：『我是你的僕人、你的兒子。現在亞蘭王和以色列王攻擊我，求你來救我脫離他們的手。』」你看到了嗎？大衛的子孫竟然低聲下氣地說自己是亞述王提革拉毗列色的兒子！亞哈斯不需要從祂的天父而來的兆頭，因為他已經拋棄了上帝的家！他正提出申請，要成為亞述家的養子。
Second Kings 16:7 records the awful truth.  Here is the text.  “So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Peleser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am your servant and your son; come up and deliver me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me!”  Did you see that?  The Son of David postured himself as the son of Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria!  Ahaz needed no sign from his heavenly Father because he had forsaken the family of God!  He was petitioning for adoption into the family of Assyria.
 
因此，一如所料，以賽亞嚴厲地作出回應。他提醒亞哈斯不要忘了他的身份。以賽亞說到：「大衛家啊，你們當聽！你們使人厭煩豈算小事，還要使我的神厭煩嗎？ 」（賽七13）除了這個斥責之外，以賽亞也宣告上帝將要賜下祂自己的兆頭。倘若亞哈斯不願意作忠心的兒子，那麼祂就會自己差遣一位忠心的兒子。上帝會差遣祂自己的兒子，由童女所生，作為拯救的兆頭。舞台的布幕就此落下，我們直到馬太福音的第一章才又再次看見這個故事的線索。
And so, as you might expect, Isaiah responded sternly.  He reminded this man of his identity, “Listen now, O house of David!  Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?”  Along with that rebuke Isaiah announced that God would give His own sign.  If Ahaz would not be a faithful son then He would send a faithful son.  God would send His own Son born of a virgin as a sign of deliverance.  Here the curtain drops on history and we don’t pick up the thread of the story again until we open up to the first chapter of Matthew’s gospel.
 
而當我們打開馬太福音時，我們見到馬太是從一份家譜開始他的福音書的。為什麼呢？這是基於一個簡單的理由，他在聖靈引導下，提供了這份家譜，以確立耶穌就是大衛的那位後裔。請讀這份家譜，都是關於大衛的！大衛至少被提到了五次。還有，這份家譜被分成三個段落，每個段落共十四代，都是以大衛為焦點。在這份家譜中處處都看得見大衛的影子，而理由非常正當：馬太要告訴我們，耶穌就是大衛的那個後裔。
And when we turn to Matthew's Gospel we find that he begins with a genealogy.  Why?  For a very simple reason, he, under the Spirit’s superintendence, provided the genealogy in order to establish Jesus as a son of David.  Just read the genealogy.  It’s all about David!  He’s mentioned no less than five times.  What is more, the genealogy is divided up into three sections of fourteen generations each with David as the focal point.  David is everywhere present in the genealogy and for good reason.  Matthew is telling us that Jesus is the son of David.
 
但還不止如此。馬太不要我們錯過這個事實，即這位耶穌不僅僅是大衛的後裔，祂更是上帝的兒子。路加在他的宣稱裏也同樣清楚地表明了這點。在路加福音一章32節裏，天使向馬利亞宣告說，她將要懷胎生子，「祂要為大，稱為至高者的兒子；主神要把祂祖大衛的位給祂。 祂要作雅各家的王，直到永遠；祂的國也沒有窮盡。」 耶穌就是那應許之子，祂的國永無窮盡，而且祂會坐在大衛的王位上，直到永永遠遠。
But that's not all.  This Jesus is not only the Son of David, Matthew does not want us to miss the fact that He is also the Son of God.  Luke is just as pronounced in his claim.  In Luke 1:32, the angel announced this to Mary about her soon to be conceived Son, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”   Jesus is the promised Son whose kingdom would have no end and He would sit on the throne of David forever.
 
各位兄弟姐妹，亞哈斯未能明白上帝的慈愛和父親般的看顧。他拒絕被算為兒子。但我有一個好消息要報給你們。雖然亞哈斯早已過世，葬在他的墓中，但耶穌基督卻繼續坐在天上父神右邊榮耀的寶座上。祂被升高到至高之處，祂的衣裳垂下，遮滿聖殿。親愛的弟兄姐妹，這位兒子，以馬內利，有充分的能力可以搭救你脫離你的罪惡，並賜給你安慰和平安。
Brothers and sisters, Ahaz failed to see the love and fatherly care of God.  He refused to be counted as a son.  But I have good news.  Though Ahaz is long dead and buried in his tomb, Jesus Christ,  continues to sit on the throne at the right hand of the Father in glory.  He is high and lifted up and the train of His robe fills the temple.  Beloved, this Son, Immanuel, is more than able to deliver you from your sin and give you comfort and peace.
 
註：
馬太福音一章23節。
以賽亞書第七章。
Jeffrey A. Stivason 從1955年起就擔任福音執事事奉主。他曾擔任教會植堂者，現在是賓州匹茲堡郊區吉伯松尼亞市的恩典改革宗長老教會的牧師。他也從費城西敏神學院獲得系統神學的哲學博士，現任真理之地（Place for Truth）的執行編輯。
 
[1] Matthew 1:23
[2] Isaiah 7
 
Jeffrey A. Stivason has been serving the Lord as a minister of the gospel since 1995.  He was church planter and now pastor of Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church in Gibsonia, PA. He also holds a Ph.D. in systematic theology from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA.  Jeff is the Managing Editor for Place for Truth.