改革宗信仰基础15：耶穌——先知、祭司和君王

Basics of the Reformed Faith:Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King

作者: Kim Riddlebarger   译者/校对者: 牛泓/王一

https://wscal.edu/blog/basics-of-the-reformed-faith-jesus-as-prophet-priest-and-king

http://www.reformedbeginner.net/basics15-jesus-prophet-priest-king/

对我们的诊断是非常不乐观的：我们是无知的、有罪的和堕落的。然而，预后却更加糟糕，我们落在了咒诅和死亡之下。作为被罪恶三重毁坏的堕落之罪人，我们的心思昏暗了（罗1:21），我们的思想也尽都是恶（创6:5）。我们的心地因着罪变得昏昧，对上帝的事情无知（弗4:17-18）。我们在自身罪孽巨大的重担下劳苦，这是我们屡次违背上帝律法的惩罚。我们可以欺骗自己说我们只得罪了邻舍，大卫却知道这不是真的。“我向你犯罪，惟独得罪了你；在你眼前行了这恶，以致你责备我的时候显为公义，判断我的时候显为清正。 (诗51:4 )”同时我们也从我们所继承的罪恶的状态那里遭受着严重的污染，从受孕的那一刻起，它就不无时无刻地影响着我们的方方面面。正如诗人所说，我们是生在罪孽中的（诗51:5），在我们里面没有良善(诗 14:1-3)。我们的身体，就是那奇妙可畏的受造（诗139:14），成了将那隐藏在我们心里的恶施行出来的器具（罗6:13）。这则坏新闻真是糟糕透顶。罪留给我们的是无知、罪疚、污染以及它们所带来的悲惨处境。

但是，此疾有一充满了神奇般地荣耀的救法：福音的好消息就是尽管“在人这是不能的”，但是在上帝“凡事都能”（太19:26）。是约翰•加尔文提出了基督的三重职分并将其发扬光大。基督的三重职分在后来的改革宗传统中被许多人使用，它把基督作为先知、祭司和君王呈现在我们眼前，而基督在祂的救赎大工中成全了在旧约出现的全部的受膏的职分。正如加尔文所指出的，基督的三重职分是解释主的救赎工作的最好的方式之一，它的提出是为了使我们克服自己的无知、罪疚和堕落，并且在现今也带给我们亮光、救赎和盼望。

我们以耶稣的先知职分开始，祂藉着此职分将上帝显现给人类。耶稣是世界的光（约1:4-5），祂来了是要将父显给我们看（约14:9）。是摩西告诉我们将有一位大先知“耶和华—你的神要从你们弟兄中间给你兴起一位先知，像我，你们要听从他。(申18:15)”是彼得，在教会刚刚建立的初期，立即将这段经文应用在了主的身上(徒3:22-23)。耶稣也说自己是这样的一位先知（路13:33），我们的主也清楚地声明只讲父要祂讲的话(约12:49-50; 14:10, 24; 15:15; 17:8, 20)。耶稣讲论未来之事(太24:3-35)，并且祂讲话不像其他人，而是有着令人惊奇的权柄(太7:29)。事实上，主的话语乃是倚靠上帝的大能，所以祂大能的工作是为了证实祂传讲的信息的真实性(太21:11, 46; 路7:16, 24:19;约3:2, 4:19, 7:40, 9:17)。约6:14告诉我们：众人看见耶稣所行的神迹，就说：“这真是那要到世间来的先知！”

基督祭司的职分占据了新约圣经大部分的内容，不仅包括对该职分的讨论，也包括基督为了将罪人从罪恶当中拯救出来而所做的牺牲性的死亡。新约圣经的钥章，来5:1及其后的经文，列举了一个真祭司的特征。首先，“凡从人间挑选的大祭司，是奉派替人办理属　神的事，为要献上礼物和赎罪祭。（1节）”；其次，这样一个祭司是由上帝所指定的（4节）；再次，大祭司献上“礼物和赎罪祭”（1节）。另外，祭司要为百姓代求（来7:25），奉上帝的名祝福他们（路9:22）。毫无疑问，耶稣基督是最卓越的大祭司。尽管《希伯来书》的作者是新约圣经作者当中唯一一位把“祭司”这个词应用在耶稣身上的，但是他却不断地重复说耶稣是一位祭司。

有关基督的君王职分，圣经说道“耶和华在天上立定宝座；他的权柄（原文是国） 统管万有。 (诗103:19 )”。不像那些认为基督在现今延迟了自己完全的掌权直到千禧年的时代，基督现今就对万有施行着完全的统治。耶稣是万王之王，祂的国度满有恩典与权能。在祂的升天中，耶稣基督升到了父神的右边，现今祂作为全权之主统管着万有（民事国度），也作为恩典之约的中保统管着教会（基督国度）。

新约圣经不断地提到基督是“教会的元首” (弗1:22, 4:15; 5:23; 西1:18; 2:19)。基督对教会的统治与二者间奥秘地联合密切相关，而圣经将教会描述为基督的身体（林前12:27）。基督国度是个属灵的国度，所以它没有旗帜，没有世界总部，也没有吸引人的口号。但现今它是基督的百姓聆听圣道并领受圣礼的地方（罗14:17）。这个国度等同于新约圣经中不断出现的“上帝的国”。这个国度是一个攻无不克的国度（太12:28），但是却不依赖于文化、经济或政治组织（约18:36）。恶人无法承受这个国度（加5:21），尽管我们的孩子被看作是“这些人中最小的”，但是他们已经藉着洗礼成为了这个国度的一员（路18:16）。这是一个荣耀的国度（帖前2:12），不论有些人怎么说，这个国度就是现今的事实（太3:2）。正如信条所宣称的，这个国度“没有穷尽（彼后1:11）”。

在祂作为先知、祭司和君王的三重职分里，耶稣医治了我们的无知，除去了我们的罪孽，并将我们从堕落当中拯救。耶稣作为恩典之约的唯一中保，直到这里，我们才明白了它的一些意义。

Basics of the Reformed Faith: Jesus as Prophet, Priest, and King

Kim Riddlebarger

The diagnosis is not very good: we are ignorant, guilty, and corrupt. But the prognosis is far worse. We are under the curse and face certain death. As fallen sinners ravaged by a threefold consequence of our sins, our hearts are darkened (Romans 1:21) and our thoughts are continually evil (Genesis 6:5). Our minds are clouded by sin and ignorant of the things of God (Ephesians 4:17-18). We labor under the tremendous weight of our guilt–the penalty for our many infractions of the law of God. We may delude ourselves into thinking that we have sinned against our neighbors only; David knew that this was not true. “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4). But we also suffer from the destructive pollution of our inherited sinful condition, which infects every part of us from the moment of conception. Born in sin as the Psalmist declares (Psalm 51:5), there is no good residing in us (Psalm 14:1-3). Our bodies, which are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), become instruments to act out the wickedness that would otherwise lie hidden in our hearts (Romans 6:13). The bad news is very bad. Sin leaves us ignorant, guilty, and polluted, and therefore miserable.

But there is a glorious and miraculous cure from this disease: The good news of the gospel is that while “this is impossible with men,” nevertheless, with God, “all things are possible!” (Matthew 19:26). It was John Calvin who brought the so-called “threefold office” of Christ into prominence. Utilized by many in the subsequent Reformed tradition, the threefold office presents Jesus Christ as prophet, priest, and king, who in his saving work fulfilled all the anointed offices of the Old Testament. As Calvin pointed out, the threefold office of Christ is one of the best ways to explain our Lord’s redemptive work, which by design overcame our ignorance, our guilt, and our corruption, and which even now provides us with illumination, redemption, and hope in the present.

We start with Jesus’ prophetic office in which he represents God to humanity. Jesus is the light of the world (John 1:4-5), who comes to show us God the Father (John 14:9). It was Moses who foretold of a great prophet that “the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen” (Deuteronomy 18:15). And it is Peter, who immediately after the birth of the church, applies this passage to our Lord (Acts 3:22-23). Jesus speaks of himself as such a prophet (Luke 13:33), and our Lord expressly claims to speak only what his father has told him to say (John 12:49-50; 14:10, 24; 15:15; 17:8, 20). Jesus speaks of the future (Matthew 24:3-35), and speaks with an amazing authority unlike all others (Matthew 7:29). Indeed, our Lord's words are backed by the power of God, for his mighty works serve to confirm the truth of his message (Matthew 21:11, 46; Luke 7:16, 24:19; John 3:2, 4:19, 7:40, 9:17). In John 6:14 we are told that “When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

The priestly office of Christ occupies a major place in the New Testament and includes not only a discussion of the office itself, but also of Christ’s sacrificial death to redeem sinners from their sin. The key passage in the New Testament, Hebrews 5:1 and following, lays out the characteristics of a true priest. First, “for every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins” (v. 1). Second, such a priest is appointed by God (v. 4). Third, the high priest offers “gifts and sacrifices for sins” (v. 1). In addition, the priest makes intercession for the people (Hebrews 7:25), blessing them in the name of God (Luke 9:22). Clearly, Jesus Christ is the high priest par excellence. Although he is the only New Testament writer who applies the term to Jesus, the author of Hebrews repeatedly speaks of Jesus as a priest.

As for the kingly office of Christ, the Scriptures declare that “the Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over it” (Psalm 103:19). Unlike those who argue that Christ delays the full manifestation of his rule in this present age until a millennial age yet to come, Jesus presently exercises full dominion over all things. Jesus is King of kings, and his kingdom is a kingdom both of grace and of power. In his ascension, Jesus Christ ascended to the right hand of his father and even now rules over all of creation as sovereign Lord (the civil kingdom) and over his church as covenant mediator (Christ’s kingdom).

The New Testament repeatedly speaks of Christ as “head of the church” (Ephesians 1:22, 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 2:19). Christ’s rule over his church is closely related to the mystical union formed between Christ and the church, which the Scriptures describe as his body (1 Corinthians 12:27). Christ’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, so it has no flag, no world headquarters, and no catchy logo. But it is present wherever Christ’s people gather to hear God’s word proclaimed and to receive the sacraments (Romans 14:17). This kingdom is identical to that which the New Testament repeatedly calls the “kingdom of God.” This kingdom is a conquering kingdom (Matthew 12:28), but is not tied to cultural, economic, or political institutions (John 18:36). The wicked will not inherit this kingdom (Galatians 5:21), though our own children, seen by the world as “the least of these,” are already members through baptism (Luke 18:16). It is a glorious kingdom (1 Thessalonians 2:12), and despite what some may say, it is a present reality (Matthew 3:2). It is a kingdom, which as the Creed declares, “has no end” (cf. 2 Peter 1:11).

In his threefold office as prophet, priest, and king, Jesus cures our ignorance, he removes our guilt, and he deliver us from our corruption. It is here that we find some of the specifics of what it means for Jesus to be the only mediator of the covenant of grace.

改革宗信仰基础14：上帝形象的承受者Basics of the Reformed Faith:Divine Image Bearers

作者: Kim Riddlebarger   译者/校对者: 牛泓/王一

https://wscal.edu/blog/basics-of-the-reformed-faith-divine-image-bearers

http://www.reformedbeginner.net/basics14-image-bearer/

因着将诗篇第8篇的经文铭记于心（诗8:5你叫他比天使微小一点，并赐他尊贵荣耀为冠冕），改革宗神学家哥尼流•范•泰尔曾宣称，亚当被造是为了在一个受造物能够像神的各个方面像神。当我们第一次听到这句话的时候一定相当吃惊。然而正如范泰尔接着所指出的，因为亚当是受造的，所以他永不可能拥有神性，他将永远是受造物。因此，基督徒在探讨人的被造之前，不能不先清楚一个事实就是，上帝与一切受造物有别，祂既不等同于世界也不等同于其中的生物。

也就是说，圣经的叙事告诉我们亚当是按照上帝的形象被造的（创1:26），意味着亚当既不具备神性，也不是一些随意的原始过程的产物。亚当是由上帝直接创造的，上帝藉着地上的尘土造了亚当的身体，又将生气吹进亚当的鼻孔造了亚当的灵魂（创2:7）。神的形象也同样延伸到了夏娃（创2:4-24）。做一个在精神（灵魂）和物质（身体）上联合的人，就是做一个男人或女人，并且在身体和灵魂上共同承受上帝的形象。做上帝形象的承受者意味着做上帝这个原型的副本。

因为所有的男人和女人都是上帝形象的承受者，所以我们真得像神，并且我们拥有所有上帝可传递的属性，尽管是在被造物的形式和程度上。这是我们称之为“人”的原因，使我们在道德和理性的能力上不同于且优于动物界。事实上，当上帝向第一个人亚当宣告“甚好”的时候，亚当和夏娃的被造将整个创造叙事推向了高潮（创1:28-31）。

我们作为神的形象的承受者这一事实的衍生意义是多重而又深刻的。首先，从创造中我们能够看出，亚当既作人类肉身的头，也作人类盟约的头。换句话说，亚当作为第一个人，全人类都是他的后裔。这就清楚解决了种族合一（不论我们的肤色和外表）和在上帝面前人人平等的问题。其次，作为全人类肉身的头，当亚当在伊甸园接受考验，被吩咐不可吃分别善恶树的果子的时候，他是在上帝面前代表全人类。

亚当被指派了代表他所有后裔的这个角色。不论亚当在伊甸园做什么，他是作为我们的代表，代替我们而做。唯独这个事实暗示我们一些其他需要注意的地方，包括亚当是公义、圣洁被造的，并且拥有关乎上帝真实的知识（弗 4:24；西3:10），也就是说，亚当被造时在上帝面前是义的。亚当在上帝面前不仅仅是无罪的，他更是圣洁和正直的，拥有遵守神的诫命和完成文化使命（创1:28）的一切天然的能力。

亚当的属灵本质（比如，正如所知道的，灵魂在身体死后仍然活着）更进一步地反映了人性拥有上帝的形象。我们的灵魂是不可见、不可分割和不朽的。另外，我们被造成具有极高智能的理性的存有，同时也拥有分别善恶的道德能力（罗2:12-16）。这也表明一切的男人和女人都有能力领受上帝通过创造次序所赐下的启示（一般启示）和通过祂话语所赐下的启示（特殊启示）。长期以来，改革宗神学家认为身体是盛装灵魂的“器官”，这些可传递的属性特别藉着身体与灵魂的联合表现出来。

作为拥有原初的公义、圣洁和知识的上帝形象的承受者，亚当作为上帝的代理人对一切被造物行使统治权。上帝不仅使万物成为美好，祂还指派自己形象的唯一承受者去治理世界和其中一切生物。上帝把一切动植物都赐给亚当作食物，并指派他去给他所统治的动物命名（创2:19）。因为亚当是上帝形象的承受者，所以他有能力也适合去承担这项使命。

这就是当诗人说你叫他比天使微小一点（诗8:5）所要表达的意思。亚当的被造是上帝所有创造活动的巅峰，而不是祂临时起意的行为。作为上帝形象的承受者，亚当要以造物主之名去治理和征服全地。他拥有真公义、真圣洁和真知识，他的使命是在伊甸园建造上帝在地上的圣殿和园子，而且在各方面来说，亚当都可以承担此项使命。

Basics of the Reformed Faith: Divine Image Bearers

Kim Riddlebarger

With the language of the eighth Psalm clearly in mind (“you have made [man] a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” v. 5), Reformed theologian Cornelius Van Til once declared that Adam was created to be like God in every way in which a creature can be like God. These words sound rather shocking when we first hear them. And yet as Van Til goes on to point out, because Adam is a creature, he will never be divine. Adam will always be a creature. Therefore, Christians cannot talk about the creation of humanity without first being clear about the fact that God is distinct from his creation, and cannot be identified either with the world around us or its creatures.

That said, the biblical account tells us that Adam was created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26), which indicates that Adam is neither divine, nor the product of some unspecified primordial process. Adam was created by a direct act of God in which Adam’s body was created by God from the dust of the earth, while his soul was created when God breathed life into the first man (Genesis 2:7). The divine image extends to Eve as well (Genesis 2:4-24). To be human then, is to be male or female and to bear God’s image in both body and soul, which exist as a unity of both spiritual (the soul) and material (the body) elements. To be a divine image bearer is to be an ectype (copy) of which God is archetype (original).

Because all men and women are divine image-bearers we are truly like God, and we possess all of the so-called communicable attributes of God–albeit in creaturely form and measure. This is what constitutes us as “human” beings, distinct from and superior in moral and rational capabilities to the animal kingdom. In fact, the creation of Adam and Eve marks the high point of the creation account (Genesis 1:28-31), as God pronounced the first man Adam to be “very good.”

The ramifications of the fact that we are divine image bearers are multifaceted and profound. First, the creation reveals that Adam is both the biological and federal head of the human race. To put it another way, Adam was the first human being, and all humans are his biological descendants. This speaks directly to the question of the unity of the race (despite our different skin colors and physical appearances), and to the equality of persons before God. Second, as the biological head of our race, Adam represented the entire human race before God during the period of probation in Eden when Adam was commanded not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Adam was assigned the role of acting for and on behalf of all those who are his descendants. What Adam did in Eden, he did on our behalf, as our representative. This fact alone implies a number of additional considerations, including the fact that Adam was created in righteousness, holiness, and possessed true knowledge of God (cf. Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10), which means that Adam was righteous before God as created. Adam was not merely innocent before God, but holy and upright, possessing the natural ability to obey all of God’s commands and to fulfill the cultural mandate (Genesis 1:28).

The spiritual nature of Adam (as seen, for example, in the fact that the soul lives on after the death of the body) further reflects this element of human nature. Our souls are invisible, indivisible, and immortal. In addition, we are created as rational beings with great intellectual abilities, as well as the moral ability to determine right from wrong (Romans 2:12-16). This also indicates that all men and women are capable of receiving the revelation that God gives through the created order (general revelation) and through his word (special revelation). Reformed theologians have long argued that our bodies are fit “organs” of the soul. And it is especially through the body-soul unity that these communicable attributes are manifest.

As the divine image-bearer possessing such original righteousness, holiness, and knowledge, Adam was given dominion over all of creation as God’s vice-regent. Not only did God make all things good, he assigned his unique divine image-bearer the role of ruling over the world and all of its creatures. Adam was given all the plants and animals for food, and was assigned the task of naming the animals over which he was given dominion (Genesis 2:19). It is because Adam was a divine image-bearer that he was fit and equipped for this task.

This is what the Psalmist means when he says that man is but a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5). The creation of Adam was the high point of all of God’s creative activities, not an after-thought. As the divine-image bearer, Adam is to rule and subdue the earth in the name of his creator. He possesses true righteousness, holiness, and knowledge, and his task is to build the temple garden of God on earth in Eden. And he is fit for the task in every way.

改革宗信仰基础17：律法与福音Basics of the Reformed Faith:The Law and the Gospel

作者：Kim Riddlebarger   译者：牛泓

https://wscal.edu/blog/basics-of-the-reformed-faith-the-law-and-the-gospel

http://www.reformedbeginner.net/basics17-law-n-gospel/

尽管经常被认为是路德宗的区分，律法与福音的区分也是改革宗的传统所坚持的。诸如路易斯·伯克富（Louis Berkhof）这样的改革宗神学家们认为圣经包含律法与福音两个部分。尽管人们通常认为这意味着圣经有两本约书（旧约被认为是“律法”，新约被认为是“福音”），然而这种认识却是大错特错。作出以上区分的改革宗神学家们是要表达律法与福音这两个不同的事物在整本新旧约两本约书当中都可以被发现。

明确一些定义有助于我们对这个问题的理解。律法是上帝对我们的要求（参考创2:17；出20:1-18），而福音是一个好消息，这个好消息乃是上帝以白白的恩典赐给我们在律法之下祂对我们所要求的一切（罗5:9，林后5:17-21）。律法的内容则是上帝首先在伊甸园里向亚当启示，并随后在西奈山上帝与以色列人所立的圣约里颁布出来，那时以色列人领受了被写在两块法板上的十诫（参考出24）。另一方面，福音的内容是上帝在耶稣基督里为将我们从罪恶当中拯救出来为我们所成就的。这福音首先在创3:15节被启示出来，那时上帝应许亚当要将他从咒诅当中解救出来，并且要以医治的救赎主这一身份击溃撒旦，从而将上帝的应许推向启22:3节所说的再也没有咒诅这一顶峰。律法是上帝对我们的要求，而福音是上帝在基督里为我们所作成的。律法对我们说“你要如此行”，而福音说“已经成了”。

律法对我们说“你要如此行”，而福音说“已经成了”。

当上帝创造亚当并将他安置在伊甸园时，亚当与上帝的关系是一种约的关系（即所谓的行为之约）。亚当的本性有能力顺服上帝一切的要求，不是所有现今向我们显明的要求（尽管我们能列出很多上帝的要求）。尽管作为上帝的形象，这些律法已经被写在了亚当所有后裔的心板上（罗2:12-16），但是直到在西奈山上，上帝的诫命才透过祂对以色列人的要求向我们颁布出来。在这个特别的约里（西奈之约），我们可以看见在旧约里律法与福音如何同时出现。

当上帝在西奈山与以色列人立约之时，那在里面的（写在人类心板上）的如今被公布出来让所有人都晓得并遵守。十诫被称为“道德律”，是因为它反映了上帝放置在每个人心里的对祂的旨意的普遍性知识。无法顺服这些诫命将会为那些不顺服之人招致约的咒诅。违背了其中一条我们就犯了违背众条之罪（雅2:10）。在颁布诫命的同时，上帝也启示了建造会幕的计划（在那里上帝将要临到祂的百姓中间, 出25:9），任命摩西作约的中保（出3:15），并赐给这个国度藉着动物献祭而完成的祭司职分，所有这一切都是恩典之约的元素并将上帝的百姓指向那将要来的耶稣基督，祂在十字架上的受难就是这些元素所预表的（来8:1-13）。

尽管十诫以应许顺服者蒙祝福，警告悖逆者遭咒诅反映了上帝的旨意，但是它是在圣约的背景之下赐给以色列人的，在此约中上帝为以色列人提供了一种赦免罪行的方法，这一切都将他们指向那将要来的耶稣基督。当我们谨慎地区别律法与福音时，就会发现它们经常同时出现。律法用来向上帝的百姓显明他们的罪（加3:10-14），同时预备他们迎接耶稣基督，那将要来的弥撒亚和救赎主。

正如保罗所说，“所以凡有血气的，没有一个因行律法能在神面前称义，因为律法本是叫人知罪”（罗3:20），而福音就是有关耶稣基督为将我们从罪恶当中拯救出来所成就的工作的信息。律法是要被顺服的，而福音则被宣扬，是个“好消息”，也就是说福音是宣告上帝为将罪人从他们的罪行和罪的后果当中拯救出来所做的一切（罗10:14-17）。律法不仅定人的罪，它也没有给人遵行其规条的能力。但福音却宣告律法不再定人的罪，并同时在人的心里赐下信心。我们不是“活出”福音，乃是“信”福音。

我们不是“活出”福音，乃是“信”福音。

此处令人感到讽刺的是因为福音产生信心，因此福音的宣讲可将上帝的百姓带入圣洁的生活（弗2:1-10，腓3:2-14）。律法的确是圣洁、公义和良善的（罗7:12），但是因着我们是罪人，所以当律法被传讲于我们的时候，我们就被挑动甚至去犯更大的罪（参考罗7:5-12）。然而当我们一旦信靠耶稣基督，并藉着信心与祂联合的时候，我们就会与罪恶征战，我们就会意识到自己无法遵守上帝的诫命，并且突然我们会发现自己渴望遵守律法（参考罗7:22-23）。律法并未因着我们被称义而发生改变，相反的，是我们与律法的关系改变了。在我们属基督之前，我们因为无法遵守律法而被它定罪。律法使我们承受它带来的咒诅。但是当我们一旦信靠基督并且向着律法和它的咒诅死去，突然间我们就会向着上帝的诫命活过来，而这诫命现在向我们启示上帝的旨意以及我们当如何讨祂的喜悦（诗1:1-2）。

这就是为何当从前那些神学家坚持律法既是教导罪的师傅也是感恩生活的准则这一观点是正确的。如果我们不明白律法与福音的区分，我们就不会明白福音，以及为将我们从罪恶当中拯救出来上帝在耶稣基督里为我们所成就一切这一事实。

改革宗信仰基础16：基督的死Basics of the Reformed Faith:The Death of Christ

作者：Kim Riddlebarger   翻译：牛泓

http://wscal.edu/blog/basics-of-the-reformed-faith-the-death-of-christ

http://www.reformedbeginner.net/basics16-christ-death/

随着救赎历史在圣经中逐渐展开，上帝拯救计划的叙事经历了令人惊奇的百转千回。新约圣经以一位天使向一位童贞女宣告在经过了漫长的等待上帝所应许的救赎主终于来到祂的百姓中来拯救他们。耶稣由马丽亚所生，并且长大成人，在由施洗约翰为他施洗（太3章）后开始了祂的公开侍奉。正如我们在《马太福音》所读到的，“耶稣走遍加利利，在各会堂里教训人，传天国的福音，医治百姓各样的病症。”（太4:23 和合本）

最终，耶稣的公开侍奉将祂带到了耶路撒冷。因为正如耶稣之前所告诉门徒的，“看哪，我们上耶路撒冷去，人子要被交给祭司长和文士。他们要定他死罪，”（太20:18）。正如施洗约翰第一次见到耶稣时论到祂所说的，“看哪，神的羔羊，除去（或译：背负）世人罪孽的！”（约1:29）。既然耶稣以以色列的弥赛亚和圣约中保的身份来到世上，并且成全了受膏的先知、祭司和君王这三重职分，那么祂受死的必要性就多少让人感到惊奇——尽管那预言上帝的弥撒亚也将是一位受苦的仆人的以赛亚先知早就清楚地预告了（赛52:13-53:12）弥撒亚的死。当耶稣在棕榈主日荣入圣城耶路撒冷之时，似乎对所有人来说祂将最终登上以色列的宝座来恢复这王国昔日的伟大荣耀。但是，在礼拜五的下午，耶稣死了，被挂在罗马人的十字架上，祂以一种十分痛苦的方式死去。为何我们的救赎故事会发生如此黑暗和不祥的逆转？耶稣为何要死？

纵观整本新约圣经，圣经的作者一直在告诉我们耶稣为何要死及其对我们的意义。首先，耶稣的死被说成是“为我们的罪”（代赎论），同时，祂的死实质上转离上帝对祂百姓的忿怒，因为耶稣亲自承担了上帝的忿怒（满足）。从根本上来说，耶稣的死因着为我们的罪付上了完全的赎价，从而满足了上帝圣洁的公义的要求。

当我们查考圣经作者用来解释耶稣的死的词汇时，祂的死亡的意义和目的就会变得非常清晰。耶稣的死被说成是为罪人作了代赎，就是说耶稣在罪人的地位上而死。在可10:45节我们读到，“因为人子来，并不是要受人的服侍，乃是要服侍人，并且要舍命作多人的赎价。”在写给以弗所教会的书信中保罗讲到，“也要凭爱心行事，正如基督爱我们，为我们舍了自己，当作馨香的供物和祭物献与神”（弗5:2）。在约10:14-18节中，耶稣用如下的话谈论自己的死：“我是好牧人，我认识我的羊，我的羊也认识我。正如父认识我，我也认识父一样，并且我为羊舍命……我父爱我，因我将命舍去，好再取回来。没有人夺我的命去，是我自己舍的。我有权柄舍了，也有权柄取回来。这是我从我父所受的命令。”耶稣描述祂的死是为了祂的羊。

在新约圣经中我们还可以找到另外一个词来说到耶稣的死，那就是为我们的罪作“挽回祭”，即一个可以有效地转离上帝对祂为之而死之人的忿怒的祭物。论到耶稣的死，保罗在罗3:25节这样说，“神设立耶稣作挽回祭，是凭着耶稣的血，藉着人的信”。使徒约翰说到耶稣的死是一个挽回祭，并且祂的死向我们显明了上帝对罪人的爱。“不是我们爱神，乃是神爱我们，差祂的儿子为我们的罪作了挽回祭，这就是爱了。”

在另外一些经文中，耶稣的死被说成是与上帝隔绝的罪人同这位圣洁的上帝和好的方法。保罗在《罗马书》告诉基督徒说，“因为我们作仇敌的时候，且藉着神儿子的死，得与神和好；既已和好，就更要因祂的生得救了。”在《哥林多后书》保罗又补充道，“一切都是出于神；他藉着基督使我们与他和好，又将劝人与他和好的职分赐给我们。 这就是神在基督里，叫世人与自己和好，不将他们的过犯归到他们身上，并且将这和好的道理托付了我们。”（林后5:18-19）

在其他地方，保罗用赎回（在罗马帝国为了给予奴隶自由而买下他们所付上的价钱）来讲论基督的死：“基督既为我们受了咒诅，就赎出我们脱离律法的咒诅，因为经上记着：‘凡挂在木头上都是被咒诅的。’”彼得也以同样的方式描述耶稣的死：“知道你们得赎，脱去你们祖宗所传流虚妄的行为，不是凭着能坏的金银等物，乃是凭着基督的宝血，如同无瑕疵、无玷污的羔羊之血。”（彼前1:18-19）

尽管当我们顺着救赎历史的进程看下去会发现耶稣的死让人感到有些意外，但是当我们仔细查考，就会发现祂的死是真正的救赎的“朱红色线”。整本旧约都在预言我们的主为我们的罪而死，并且新约圣经对基督的死作了充分的描述与详细地解释。十字架的意义再清晰不过了。“神爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。”（约3:16）

Basics of the Reformed Faith: The Death of Christ

Kim Riddlebarger

As redemptive history unfolds in the Bible, the story of God’s saving purposes takes a number of surprising twists and turns. The New Testament opens with an angel announcing to a young virgin that God’s promised Savior was at long last coming to visit his people with salvation. Jesus was born of Mary, he grows to manhood, and begins his public ministry after his baptism by John (Matthew 3). As we read in Matthew’s gospel, “and [Jesus] went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

Eventually, Jesus’ public ministry took him to Jerusalem, because as Jesus informed his disciples, “The Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death” (Matthew 20:18). As John the Baptist said of Jesus upon first encountering him, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Since Jesus came as Israel’s Messiah, the mediator of the covenant, and fulfilled the anointed offices of prophet, priest, and king, the necessity of his death comes as somewhat of a surprise–although this death was remarkably foretold by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) who predicted that God’s Messiah would also be a suffering servant. When Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph on Palm Sunday, it appeared to all as though he would at long last take his place on Israel’s throne to restore the nation to its former greatness. But by Friday afternoon, Jesus was dead, hanging on a Roman cross, having died an agonizing death. Why did the story of our redemption take such a dark and foreboding turn? Why did Jesus need to die?

Throughout the New Testament, the biblical writers tell us why Jesus died and what his death means for us. First and foremost, Jesus’ death is said to be “for our sins,” (a “substitutionary atonement”) and his death effectually and actually turns God’s wrath away from his people, because Jesus takes God’s wrath upon himself (a “satisfaction”). In a fundamental sense then, Jesus’ death satisfies the holy justice of God by making a full and complete payment for the guilt of our sins.

When we look at the terms which the biblical writers use to explain the death of Jesus, the meaning and purpose of his death becomes clear. Jesus is said to die as a substitute for the sinner, in whose place, Jesus is said to die. In Mark 10:45, we read, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” In his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul notes that “Jesus Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2). In John 10:14-18, Jesus speaks of his death in the following terms: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep....the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” Jesus describes his own death as “for his sheep.”

Another term we find in the New Testament is that Jesus’ death is said to be a “propitiation” for our sins, that is, a sacrifice which effectually turns aside the wrath of God toward those for whom he is dying. Paul speaks of the death of Christ as “a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Romans 3:25). John says of Jesus that his death is a propitiation, and that his death shows us the love of God toward sinners. “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

In yet another set of verses, Jesus’ death is set forth as the means through which sinners are reconciled to a holy God from whom they are estranged. Paul tells the Christians in Rome, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10). In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul adds, “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

Elsewhere, Paul describes Christ’s death in terms of redemption–the price paid in the Roman world to purchase slaves, granting them their freedom: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). Peter describes the death of Jesus in much the same way–“knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1Peter 1:18-19).

Although the death of Jesus comes as a bit of a surprise as we follow the curse of redemptive history, when we look carefully, we see that this death truly is the “scarlet thread” of redemption. Our Lord’s death for our sins was foretold throughout the Old Testament, and that death fully described and carefully explained in the New. The meaning of the cross is clear. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

改革宗信仰基础13：上帝的属性Basics of the Reformed Faith:God’s Attributes

作者: Kim Riddlebarger   译者: 牛泓

http://wscal.edu/blog/basics-of-the-reformed-faith-gods-attributes

http://www.reformedbeginner.net/basics13-attributes-of-god/

我们能从被造物中知道很多关于上帝的知识。我们知道上帝是永恒、全能和良善的（罗1:20）。然而，不论我们从自然中（一般启示）得到何种有关上帝的知识，都会受到这种启示（有限的被造物）的本质的限制。另外，这种启示也被人类的罪所污染了（罗1:21-25）。因此，罪人通过自然所了解的有关上帝的知识都是非常扭曲的。更具讽刺的是，这些知识都成了所有假宗教与偶像崇拜的基础，保罗在罗1:18-32就是谈论的这个主题。约翰•加尔文说罪人的心就是“偶像工厂”（基督教要义I.11.8）是完全正确的。

既然罪人的好奇心总是引导他去揣测上帝的本质，那么，提醒我们自己上帝在祂的话语（圣经）里以及在耶稣基督的位格和工作里，也藉着耶稣基督的位格和工作俯就我们，向我们启示祂自己就是非常重要的。在圣经里，我们会发现很多神圣的“属性”（或完全）被算在上帝身上。因此，与其猜测上帝隐藏的本质，我们应该敬拜和服侍这位通过祂的话语向我们启示祂自己的上帝。

长期以来，基督教神学家一直在努力解释一些神的属性如何唯独属于神，另外一些属性又如何因为我们是神的形象可以归给人性。前者我们通常称之为“不可传递的”属性，因为这些专有的属性不可由上帝传递给被造物，恰恰是因为我们是有限的。后者我们称之为“可传递的”属性，因为它们可传递给人性，尽管由于被造物的限制这样的传递是有限的，也仅仅是类比性的。当我们开始讨论神的属性时，我们必须谨记唯独上帝拥有这些属性一切的丰盛，并且这些属性也向我们启示出大量有关上帝神圣存有的知识。

当我们谈论神的属性之时，我们可能会想到诸如神的单一性（神是无限的灵，并非由诸多不同部分组成，约4:24）之类的事情。因为上帝是“单一的”，因此可以说，上帝的属性与上帝的存有是相同的。上帝也是自存的（自存性），祂的存有、荣耀和目的，在任何意义上都不依赖于祂以外的其他事物。我们也可以说上帝是“永恒的”，唯独祂没有开始也没有结束。祂现在是，一直是，并且永远都是上帝。

基督徒用来谈论这些属性的一个方法就是“否定法”。这就是说，既然我们是依赖于上帝的启示才能真正认识祂的有限又有罪的受造物，那么，谈论上帝不是什么，要远比努力去陈述一个无限永恒的上帝真得“是什么”要容易和安全得多。这些属性是每一个基督徒都非常熟悉的。

上帝被认为是“不朽的”，因为祂不像我们是“可朽坏的”。这是另一种描述上帝是永恒的的方式。祂不像我们那样会生或会死，祂就是生命本身。我们也会说上帝是“不可见的”，因为不像我们是，上帝是纯灵，我们的肉眼是看不见祂的。但这也是说上帝以祂的完全充满万有。我们说上帝是“不变的”，因为不论是祂的本质还是目的都不改变。上帝还是“不动情的”。不像祂的创造，上帝是独立于祂所创造的世界的，祂的神圣本质不受外界环境的制约（比如祂不会受苦，也没有激情），尽管神性的位格确实会受到被造物的影响。比如，我们知道上帝爱我们这个事实是因为祂的爱子耶稣为我们受苦，并为我们的罪而死（约一4:10）。

所谓可传递的也是很重要的。这些完全包括那些以“全”作前缀的属性，以使上帝对这些属性绝对丰盛的拥有区别于我们受造物对这些属性的拥有。这些属性包括全知、全能、全在，也包括那些特指的没有“全”作前缀的属性，比如良善、慈爱、怜悯、圣洁、公义和嫉妒。

尽管我们的知识是有限的（因为我们作为受造物是有限的），但上帝却是全知的，祂知晓一切。尽管我们可以行使受造物的权力和自由，然而，唯独上帝是全能并且主权掌管一切。尽管我们占有时间和空间，但是，上帝却超越时空的限制，唯独祂是全在的。作为按照上帝形象被造的人，我们可以表现出良善、慈爱和怜悯等属性，但是，与我们表现出这些属性不同，上帝则是无限无量的拥有这些属性。

既然上帝在祂的话语里向我们如此启示祂，那么，不去猜测这些神的完全并且当我们受造物的有限被显露在这些完全面前时不去无视它们就是非常重要的。相反，我们当敬拜和尊崇这位藉着这些完全启示祂自己的上帝。

Basics of the Reformed Faith: God’s Attributes

Kim Riddlebarger

Much indeed can be known about God from creation. We know that God is eternal, all-powerful, and good (cf. Romans 1:20). Yet, whatever we learn about God through nature (general revelation), will always be limited by the very nature of revelation through finite created things. In addition, such revelation is inevitably corrupted by human sinfulness (Romans 1:21-25). Therefore, whatever sinful people learn about God through nature will be grossly distorted, and ironically, ends up serving as the basis for all forms of false religion and idolatry–a theme developed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:18-32. John Calvin was absolutely right when he spoke of the minds of sinful men and women as “idol factories” (Institutes, I.11.8).

Since sinful human curiosity often leads finite men and women to speculate about God’s hidden essence, it is important to remind ourselves that God condescends to reveal himself to us in his word (i.e., Scripture), in and through the person and work of Jesus Christ. In the word of God, we find a number of divine “attributes” (or perfections) ascribed to God. So, rather than speculate about God’s hidden essence, we must worship and serve the God who reveals himself to us through his word.

Christian theologians have long struggled to explain how it is that certain of these divine perfections belong to God alone, while others are also ascribed to humanity since we are created in God’s image. The former attributes are most often identified as “incommunicable” attributes because these particular attributes cannot be “communicated” by God to his creatures, precisely because we are finite creatures. The latter are called “communicable” attributes because they are in fact communicated to humanity, though in finite measure due to creaturely limitations, and only by analogy. As we take up these divine attributes, we must keep in mind that these are perfections which God alone possesses in all their fulness, and they reveal a great deal to us about God’s divine being.

When we speak of God’s incommunicable attributes we may think of things such as divine simplicity (God is an infinite spirit and not the sum of different parts–cf. John 4:24). Because God is “simple,” his attributes can be said to be identical with his being. God is also self-existent (aseity). He is in no sense dependent upon anything outside himself for his existence, his glory, or his purposes. We can also speak of God as “eternal.” He alone is without beginning nor end. God now is. God always was. God forever will be.

One way Christians have spoken of a number of these attributes is to use the “way of negation.” That is, since we are finite and sinful creatures who depend upon God’s revelation of himself to truly know anything about him, it is much easier (and safer) for us to say what God is not, rather than struggle to state what an infinite and eternal God truly “is.” These are attributes with which every Christian is familiar.

God is said to be “immortal,” because he, unlike us, is not “mortal.” This is but another way to say that God is eternal. He does not live or die as we do–he is life itself. We may also speak of God as “invisible” because he (unlike us) is pure spirit and not visible to the human eye. But this also means that God fills all creation with his perfections. We speak of God as “immutable” because he does not change–as to his essence, or as to his purposes. And then we may speak of God as “impassable.” Unlike his creatures, God is independent from the world he has made, and his divine essence is not subject to external influences (like suffering or passions), although the persons of the Godhead are indeed affected by the actions of his creatures. Take, for example, the fact that we know that God loves us because his Son Jesus suffered and died for our sins (1 John 4:10).

The so-called communicable attributes are important to mention as well. These perfections include those attributes which begin with the prefix “omni” to distinguish the way in which we as creatures possess these attributes from the absolute fulness in which God possesses them. These include omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, as well as other attributes designated without the “omni” prefix, such as goodness, love, mercy, holiness, righteousness and jealousy.

Although our knowledge is finite and limited (because we are finite and limited creatures), God is said to be omniscient–he knows all things. Although we exercise creaturely power and freedom, God alone is properly said to be all-powerful and therefore sovereign over all things. Although we occupy both time and space, God transcends all such spatial and temporal limitations. He alone is omnipresent. Men and women can demonstrate goodness, love, mercy, etc., as a reflection of being created in the image of God, who possesses these same attributes without limits or measure, unlike the way these attributes are manifest in us.

Since this is how God has revealed himself to us in his word, it is vital that we not speculate about these divine perfections, nor attempt to ignore them when they expose our creaturely limitations. Rather, we worship and adore the God who reveals himself through such wonderful perfections.