神学问答系列TheologicalFAQs 18-27

作者:  Monergism Ministries  译者:  诚之

转载自:  守诚阁
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/qna/FAQs.html
https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2019/01/theological-faqs-1-16-monergism.html

目录

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2019/01/theological-faqs-1-16-monergism.html

神学问答1-17

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2019/01/theologicalfaqs-1-17-ministries-httpwww.html

神学问答18-27

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2019/01/theologicalfaqs-18-27-ministries-httpwww.html

神学问答28-37

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2019/01/theologicalfaqs-28-37-ministries-httpwww.html

神学问答38-49

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2019/01/theologicalfaqs-38-49-ministries-httpwww.html

神学问答50-62

https://yibaniba.blogspot.com/2019/01/theologicalfaqs-ministries-httpwww.html

18. 什么是时代论？

What is Dispensationalism?

时代论是一个相对现代的释经法，或一种解释圣经的方式，它的根源来自约翰?达比的教导，被司考福透过他的圣经研读笔记所普及，然后由达拉斯神学院及其教授们（包括Lewis Sperry Chafer和 Charles Ryrie）所确立，影响很广，也因为 Hal Lindsey 和 Tim LaHaye的幻想小说作品（末日决战），对流行大众有轰动的影响。（译按：中国教会则是透过倪柝声地方教会系统的传播，深受影响。）今天，时代论对普世的影响是巨大的，不只是对教会的教义，也对全球政治有深刻的影响，例如时代论所驱动的基督徒锡安主义（Christian Zionist）运动（由John Hagee所倡导），多年以来塑造了美国的中东政策。

 Dispensationalism is a relatively modern hermeneutic, or way of interpreting the scriptures, that has roots in the teachings of John Darby, was greatly popularized by C. I. Scofield, through the notes in his study bible, became influential through the establishment of Dallas Theological Seminary and many of its professors, including Lewis Sperry Chafer and Charles Ryrie, and has been greatly sensationalized and made influential at a popular level through the fiction and dramatic predictions and interpretations of authors such as Hal Lindsey and Tim LaHaye. Today, Dispensationalism is hugely influential worldwide, having a significant impact not just on the doctrine of the Church, but even on global politics, as the Dispensationally-driven Christian Zionist movement, championed by such men as John Hagee, has largely shaped America's Middle Eastern policies for many years.

时代论当然不是一种单一的思想学派，它包括一些极右派的极端错误，例如教导不信基督的现代正统的犹太人，仍然可以藉著妥拉（摩西五经）而得救，到更为保守的学者式的渐进的时代论信念，例如Craig Blaising 和 Darrel Bock；但是就其本质而言，我们可以总结之为一种解释圣经的方法，认为神的子民有两个独特的群体，各自有不同的命运：以色列和教会。最常见的形式是古典（有时称为修正的）时代论，持守以下的信仰要点：

 Dispensationalism is by no means a monolithic school of thought, and ranges from some very extreme errors on the far right, such as the teaching that modern orthodox Jews who reject Christ may still be saved through the Torah, to the much more conservative and scholarly beliefs of the Progressive Dispensationalists such as Craig Blaising and Darrel Bock; but in essence, it may be summed up as the method of interpreting the scriptures which sees two distinct peoples of God, with two distinct destinies: Israel and the Church. The most common form of classic (sometimes called “revised”) Dispensationalism adheres to the following points of belief:

 1. 教会不是旧约中神的子民的延续，而是在五旬节诞生的独特群体。 1.The Church is not the continuation of God's Old Testament people, but a distinct body born on the Day of Pentecost.

2. 在新约中，教会从来不等于以色列，基督徒不是犹太人，真以色列，等等。

 2.The Church is never equated with Israel in the New Testament, and Christians are not Jews, true Israel, etc. 3. 旧约对以色列的预言并没有在教会得着应验，也永远不会。

3.The prophecies made to Israel in the Old Testament are not being fulfilled in the Church, nor will they ever be.

4. 教会并没有参与在旧约圣经所预言的新约之中；旧约的预言是给以色列民族的，要在未来千禧年国度才会被确立。

 4.The Church does not participate in the New Covenant prophesied in the Old Testament; it is for ethnic Israel, and will be established in a future millennial kingdom.

5. 旧约圣经的圣徒是因信得救，以基督在加略山的工作为唯一的基础；但是他们信心的对象不是基督，而是针对他们的时期的启示。

5.The Old Testament saints were saved by faith alone, on the basis of the Calvary-work of Christ alone; however, the object of their faith was not Christ, but rather the revelation peculiar to their dispensation. 6. 旧约圣徒不知道有将要来临的“教会时代”、基督的复活，或我们今天所谓的福音。

 6.The Old Testament saints did not know of the coming “Church Age,” of the resurrection of Christ, or basically, of what we today call the gospel.

7. 当耶稣来到世上，祂要给犹太人一个实体的王国，但是他们拒绝了。 7.When Jesus came to earth, he offered the Jews a physical kingdom, but they rejected him.

 8. 耶稣宣告的“国度福音”，是关于犹太民族进入并找到这个实体国度的奖赏，要与哥林多前书15：3-4所定义的福音区分出来，那是使徒之后对教会的宣告。

8.When Jesus proclaimed “the gospel of the Kingdom,” it was the news about how ethnic Jews might enter and find rewards in this physical kingdom, and is to be distinguished from the gospel as defined in I Corinthians 15:3-4, which the apostles later proclaimed to the church.

9. 在犹太人拒绝耶稣国度的提议后，祂建立了一个属于括号的“教会时代”，在神重新与以色列民族、国家的人民打交道之前，这个教会时代就会结束。

9.After the Jews rejected Jesus' kingdom offer, he inaugurated a parenthetical “Church Age,” which will be concluded immediately before God again takes up his dealings with his national people, ethnic Israel.

10. 在教会时代，耶稣不是在大卫的宝座上掌权；而是参与祂祭司的工作，祂君王的工作要在未来的千禧年国度实现。

10.During the “Church Age,” Jesus is not reigning from the throne of David; he is engaged instead in his priestly work, and his kingly work will take place in the future millennial kingdom.

11. 在一个未定但即将来临的时候，耶稣会再来（但不是直接来到地上，而是在空中），提取祂的教会，也呼召祂的新妇；在接下来的七年，他们会与祂一起坐在羔羊婚礼的晚餐；同时，在地上，祂会再度开始处理以色列国的人民，种族的以色列，呼召他们归向祂，在这七年中保守他们，避免大灾难；在这当中，敌基督会以自己为神，重建犹太圣殿，并要求世人的敬拜。

 11.At some unspecified but imminent time, Jesus will return (but not all the way to earth, just to the air) and rapture his Church, also called his Bride; for the following seven years, they will feast with him at the marriage supper of the Lamb; meanwhile, on earth, he will begin to deal with his national people, ethnic Israel, again, calling them to himself and preserving them in the midst of seven years of great tribulation; at the midpoint of which, the Antichrist will set himself up as god in the rebuilt Jewish temple, and demand worship from the world.

在这七年之后，基督会再临，这次会直达地面。祂会打败邪恶的势力，捆绑撒但，把牠丢入深坑，并建立实体的犹太王国，那是祂在地上时所提出的。经过大灾难仍存活的犹太人会在此黄金年代在地面繁衍众多，而基督徒会以属灵的身体在属灵上一同治理。

12.After these seven years, Christ will return, this time all the way to earth. He will defeat the forces of evil, bind Satan and cast him into a pit, and inaugurate the physical Jewish Kingdom that he had offered during his life on earth. The Jews who survived the tribulation will populate the earth during this blessed golden era, and the Christians will reign spiritually, in glorified bodies.

13. 在这千年之后，撒但会被释放，然后从大灾难中仍存活的犹太人后裔中召聚一支军队。撒但最后会被击败，丢入地狱。此时，死去的恶人会复活，受审判，死去的义人已经在一千零七年之前，在被提时复活了。然后基督会引进新天新地，而所有人的命运会得到最后的确认。时代论在这点上有分歧：在新天新地中，基督徒和犹太人是否仍然有分别。

13.After these thousand years, Satan will be released and will gather an army from the offspring of the Jews who survived the tribulation. He will be finally defeated and cast into hell. At this time, the wicked dead will be resurrected and judged, whereas the righteous dead had already been resurrected one-thousand-seven years previously, at the rapture. Christ will then usher in the New Heavens and New Earth, and the destinies of all mankind will be finalized. Dispensationalists are divided as to whether or not there will remain a distinction between Christians and Jews in the New Earth.

19. 时代论符合圣经吗？

Is Dispensationalism biblical?

根据很有影响力的作者萊里（Charles Ryrie）的看法——也许最能代表主流的时代论——时代论有三个构成要件：历史的赞美观（歷史最终的目的是荣耀神），字面释经（解释圣经的方法），以及不断把神的子民分为两群：以色列和教会。不过，全部历史都有敬拜的目的不是时代论独有的，许多非时代论的神学家也肯定这点；所以，时代论是否合乎圣经，关键在于圣经对后两者的看法：用“字面”的方式理解圣经，特别是与旧约有关的预言；以及坚持神有两群子民。

According to influential author Charles Ryrie, whose views are perhaps the most representative of popular Dispensationalism, there are three “sine qua non,” (i.e. non-negotiables) of what constitutes Dispensationalism: a doxological view of history (i.e., with the ultimate purpose of glorifying God), a literal hermeneutic (i.e. method of interpreting the bible), and an ongoing distinction between the two peoples of God, Israel and the Church. A doxological purpose for all of history is certainly not unique to Dispensationalism, however, and is affirmed by many non-Dispensational theologians; so the question of whether or not Dispensationalism is biblical must hinge on what the bible says about the latter two points: its “literal” way of understanding the bible, particularly as it relates to Old Testament prophecies; and its insistence on two peoples of God.

幸运的是，对这两个问题圣经并不缺证据：时代论教导旧约圣经对以色列所作的应许，必须以字面的方式，在以色列民族身上应验，也就是，要求旧约所有的预表（types）都要持续，不管预表所对应的实体（anti-types），或这些预表终极的应验是否已经来临了。例如，巴勒斯坦实质的土地，必须属于以色列民族，这是他们的神圣权利。以色列人在恢复的预言得到应验时，会占据所有地理的边界。然而，圣经清楚地宣告，所有的预言在基督降临时，已经为所有信靠基督的人得到了应验；应许给亚伯拉罕的土地太大了，不会只在中东那块土地上应验而已；所以罗马书4：13说，神应许亚伯拉罕，他要承受全世界；他的后裔要与他一起承受产业，不只是相信的犹太人，还包括他靠信心的外邦儿女（罗4：11-17）；事实上，所有给亚伯拉罕（和所有旧约的圣徒）的应许，已经在基督里，亚伯拉罕真正的后裔身上，终极地应验了（林后1：20；加3；16），所以这些应许是给所有在基督里的人，他们是亚伯拉罕的后裔的一部分（加3：26-29）。新约圣经解读给以色列的预言，无疑地表明这些应许在教会身上已经得到应验的其他例子，包括使徒行传15：14-17；希伯来书8章；10：14-18。

Fortunately, the biblical evidence is not lacking for either of these questions: Dispensationalism teaches that all the promises made to Israel in the Old Testament must be fulfilled to ethnic Israel, in a literal way, that is, in a way that mandates the continuation of all the Old Testament types, regardless of whether or not the anti-types, or ultimate fulfillment of those types have come: for example, the physical land of Palestine must belong by divine right to the ethnic Jews, who will one day possess all its geographical borders in fulfillment of the prophecy of Israel's restoration. However, the bible explicitly declares that all those prophecies have already been fulfilled in the coming of Christ, and are for all who believe in Christ; the land promise made to Abraham is now too great to be fulfilled in the Middle East alone, and so Romans 4:13 says that he was promised to inherit the whole world; and his offspring who inherit it with him are not just believing ethnic Jews, but also his Gentile children by faith (Romans 4:11-17); in fact, all the promises made to Abraham (and to every Old Testament saint) were ultimately fulfilled in Christ, the true Seed of Abraham (2 Cor. 1:20; Gal. 3:16), and so they belong to all who are in Christ, and therefore a part of Abraham's seed (Gal.3:26-29). Further examples of how the New Testament interprets prophecies made to Israel, showing beyond doubt that they are now being fulfilled in the Church, include Acts 15:14-17; Hebrews 8; 10:14-18.

时代论的第二个必要条件，即以色列和教会永远是分开的，整本新约也同样反对，甚至这是旧约所期待的。只引用一个例子，在以赛亚书66：18-24中，先知盼望一个时候，是上帝会从列国中拣选祂的子民，并使他们成为真正的祭司和利未人；而在新约中，我们发现这个时候已经到来。新约经文表明基督徒就是真犹太人的经节（其中有些非常明确）包括：罗马书2：28-29；4：11-17；9：6-8；加3：6-9，26-29；4：21-31；6：16；弗2：11-22；3：6；腓3：3；彼前2：9-10；启2：9。所以，时代论的这些必要条件，证明是不合圣经的，经文也明确地反对。

The second “sine qua non” of Dispensationalism, that there is an ongoing distinction between Israel and the Church, is likewise argued against throughout the New Testament, even as was anticipated in the Old Testament. To cite one of many possible examples, in Isaiah 66:18-24, the prophet looks ahead to a time when God would choose people from every nation, and make them his true priests and Levites; and in the New Testament, we find proof that this time has come. The New Testament passages that indicate that Christians are true Jews (some of them very explicitly) include these: Romans 2:28-29; 4:11-17; 9:6-8; Galatians 3:6-9, 26-29; 4:21-31; 6:16; Ephesians 2:11-22; 3:6; Phil. 3:3; 1 Pet. 2:9-10; Rev. 2:9. So then, these “sine qua non” of Dispensationalism prove to be utterly unbiblical and are explicitly argued against in the scriptures.

20. 圣经是否教导灾前被提？

Does the bible teach a pre-tribulational rapture?

圣经没有明显教导灾前被提，而是根据时代论的前提所作出的推论：首先，基督再来是立即的（就是说，在此之前不会有先知预言的事件）；第二，“教会时代”是神救赎记号中插入的部分（parenthetical part），有一天，神要重新回去处理祂在地上的百姓，犹太人。第三，祂要处理这些犹太人的时期，会是我们所知的七年“大灾难”的时期，现在尚未到来，因此如果基督会在任何时候回来，然而，世界历史中至少还有七年的灾难时期，那么，祂必定会在这七年之前回来，提取祂的教会，好让祂能再次把焦点对准以色列。

The doctrine of a pre-tribulational rapture is not clearly taught anywhere in the scriptures, but is an inference based upon several Dispensational premises: first, that the second coming of Christ is imminent (that is, that there are no prophetic events which must precede it); second, that the “Church Age” is a parenthetical part of God's redemptive sign, and that he will one day revert to dealing with his earthly people, the Jews; and third, that the time in which he will deal with these Jews will be a seven-year period known as the Great Tribulation, which is yet to come. so then, if Christ could come back at any time, and yet, there are still at least seven years of tribulation to come in world history, then he must be coming back before those seven years, to take away his Church, so that he can focus again on Israel.

这个教导有许多问题。最基本的，它是建立在一个错误的假定上：神有两群子民（见先前的问答19，时代论符合圣经吗？）；有趣的是，我们注意到，根据帖后2：1-12，教会被召聚在一起，归向基督，不会发生在“沉沦之子”被高举之前，而根据时代论的教导，沉沦之子就是敌基督；他会在犹太人新的圣殿中，在大患难的中点，高举自己；因此，如果我们接受时代论关于这些事件和七年大灾难的时间（本来就是毫无根据地）的教导，至少，“教会的被提”就不会发生在大灾难的前三年半以前。

The problems with this teaching are numerous. Most fundamentally, it is built upon the faulty supposition that there are two peoples of God (concerning which, see the previous question, “Is Dispensationalism biblical?); and it is also interesting to note that, according to 2 Thes. 2:1-12, the church's being gathered together to Christ cannot precede the exaltation of the “Son of Perdition,” who, according to Dispensational teaching is the antichrist, that will exalt himself in the new Jewish temple at the midpoint of the tribulation; so, even if one accepts the Dispensational teachings regarding all the events and timing of the seven years of tribulation (which is unwarranted anyway!), the “rapture of the church” cannot come before three and a half years of the tribulation, at least.

基本上，所有复杂精细的被提的时间表和大灾难的事件，都无法在圣经里找到，而是由教会和以色列是神两群不同的百姓的错误预设前提所规定的。而既然神在当前的时代没有应验祂对以色列的应许，祂必然是计划要在祂提取教会后作，完成这些应许。但是圣经与这个从哲学而来的计划表是抵触的。圣经经常说到基督再来是没有人知道准确时间的事件，但是我们可以知道它临近的计划iao（太24：32-42；帖前5：1-6）；这要包括恶人和罪人同时对复活与审判，新天新地的创造，等等（太24：29-31；25：31-46；约 5：25-29；帖后1：6-10；林前15：23-26, 51-58）。

Basically, all of the intricate chronologies of the rapture and events of the tribulation are not found in scriptures, but mandated by the false presupposition that the Church and Israel are two distinct peoples of God, and that, since God is not fulfilling his promises to Israel in the present age, he must be planning on doing it later, after he has removed the Church. But in contradiction to this philosophically-derived schematic, the bible often speaks of the second coming of Christ as an event that no one can know the precise timing of, but may recognize signs of its approaching (Mat. 24:32-42; 1 Thes. 5:1-6); and that will involve contemporaneously the resurrection and judging of both the wicked and righteous, the creation of the new heavens and earth, etc. (Mat. 24:29-31; 25:31-46; John 5:25-29; 2 Thes. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 15:23-26, 51-58).

21. 圣经是否教导，在末时犹太人的地位会被恢复，圣殿也会重建？

Does the bible teach that in the end times there will be a restored Jewish state and a restored temple?

在旧约中，圣经的确预言到神会恢复以色列，且一个更荣耀的圣殿会被重建（例如摩9：11-12；结40-48章）。此预言初步的应验是被掳归回，以及在尼希米与以斯拉领导下的圣殿重建；然而，这只是终极应验的预嚐或预付款。

In the Old Testament, the bible does indeed prophesy that Israel will be restored and a more glorious temple will be rebuilt (e.g. Amos 9:11-12; Ezekiel 40-48). The preliminary fulfillment of this prophecy came with the return from exile, and the rebuilding of the temple under Nehemiah and Ezra; however, this was just a taste, or down payment, of the ultimate fulfillment.

当耶稣来到世上，祂的道成肉身真正把神的同在带到世人面前，这正是会幕与圣殿的目的；因此，约翰说耶稣“住在我们中间”（约1：14，原文直译是：在我们当中“支搭会幕”）。如此，当祂洁净圣殿时，祂预言说圣殿会被拆毁，在三日内会得到重建；但是祂是在说祂的身体，那真正的圣殿（约2：13-22）。在终极的圣殿建立起来后，即耶稣复活后，由石头所建的预表性的耶路撒冷圣殿就没有必要的，所以耶稣预言发生在主后70年的圣殿被毁（太24：1-2）。今天，恢复圣殿的语言，以及恢复犹太民族的预言已经应验的，不是石头的圣殿，因为在基督身体的面前，那已经被拆毁了。基督的身体才是终极的神的圣殿，而基督属灵的身体，即教会，已经变成了“神的以色列”（见加6：16；另参考罗2：28-29；4：11-17；9：6-8；加3：6-9，26-29；4：21-31；弗2：11-22；3：6；腓3：3；彼前2：9-10；启2：9），而神今天已经使它成为一个圣洁的殿，建造在基督这块房角石上（见林前6：19-20；弗2：19-22；提前3：15；启3：12）。

When Jesus came to this earth, his incarnation truly brought the presence of God to the world of men, as the tabernacle and temple had been designed to do; and hence, John says that he “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14). Thus, when he purged the temple, he prophesied that the temple would be destroyed and rebuilt after three days; but he was speaking of his own body, which is the true temple (John 2:13-22). After this ultimate temple-rebuilding, which occurred in the resurrection of Jesus, there was no longer a need for the typological temple of stone in Jerusalem, so Jesus prophesied its destruction, which happened in 70 AD (Matthew 24:1-2). Today, the prophecy of the restored temple and the restored Jewish people is being fulfilled, not in a temple of stone, for that has been destroyed in the presence of the body of Christ, which is the ultimate Temple of God, but in the spiritual body of Christ, the Church, which has become the “Israel of God” (see Gal. 6:16; and also Romans 2:28-29; 4:11-17; 9:6-8; Galatians 3:6-9, 26-29; 4:21-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; 3:6; Phil. 3:3; 1 Pet. 2:9-10; Rev. 2:9), and which God is now making into a holy Temple, built upon Christ the Cornerstone (see 1 Cor 6:19-20; Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Tim. 3:15; Rev. 3:12).

关于会幕要得到恢复，最清楚和最具里程碑的旧约预言可以在阿摩司书9：11-12找到；而在使徒行传15：14-17，雅各清楚教导这段经文已经在福音传布给外邦人当中得到了应验；所以，总结起来，是对，圣经的确预言了犹太国家和圣殿的恢复，但是圣经也教导，这个预言在基督成为真正和最后的神的殿后，就已经应验了，接著就是神要在基督里把祂的百姓造成一座圣洁的殿，神要居住在其中，与他们同在，甚至在今日。

One of the clearest and most monumental Old Testament prophecies regarding the restoration of the tabernacle may be found in Amos 9:11-12; and in Acts 15:14-17, James clearly teaches that this passage is being fulfilled in the spreading of the gospel to the Gentiles; so in sum yes, the bible prophesies of a restored Jewish nation and temple, but then goes on to teach that this prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus' becoming the true and final Temple of God, and subsequently in his making his people a holy temple in the Lord, where God's presence might dwell among them, even today.

22. 圣经是否教导神有两群子民，以色列和教会？

Does the bible teach that there are two peoples of God, Israel and the Church?

圣经不只没有教导神有两群不同的百姓，以色列和教会，也详尽地反对这个观念。其一，教会在旧约已经存在，远在五旬节圣灵降下（见徒7：28）之前；其二，新约清楚的教导是，现代的教会只是神的百姓以色列的扩张。根据保罗的说法，成为以色列人从来就不是只根据外在的种族（罗2：28-29；9：6-8）；而是那些根据神的应许蒙召成为亚伯拉罕真正的子孙的人（罗9：8）。因此，所有有信心的人，都是亚伯拉罕的后裔，是真正的神的以色列（罗4：11-17；加3：6-9，26-29；4：21-31；6：16；腓3：3；彼前2：9-10；启2：9）。

Not only does the bible not teach that there are two distinct peoples of God, Israel and the Church, but it is very explicitly opposed to this idea. For one thing, the Church existed in the Old Testament, long before the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 7:38); and furthermore, the clear teaching of the New Testament is that the modern day Church is really just the expansion of God's people Israel. According to Paul, being an Israelite has never been based merely on outward ethnicity (Rom. 2:28-29; 9:6-8); but those who have been called according to God's promise are Abraham's true seed (Rom. 9:8). Hence, all who have faith are Abraham's children, and the true Israel of God (Rom. 4:11-17; Galatians 3:6-9, 26-29; 4:21-31; 6:16; Phil. 3:3; 1 Pet. 2:9-10; Rev. 2:9).

罗马书11章，当保罗全面地处理犹太人和外邦人作为神的子民这整个问题时，他说明只有一群子民，乃是由一棵好的橄榄树所象征；不信的犹太人会从这棵真以色列树上折下来，而相信的外邦人会被接上；但是这仍是一棵树，一个身体，一群神的子民。如此，保罗在其他地方教导，在基督里，犹太人和外邦人是没有分别的（加3：26-29；西3：11），所有的信徒都是同一个身体上的成员，以色列这个国家（the one commonwealth of Israel）的市民，要承受所有给亚伯拉罕的应许（弗2：11-22；3：6；加4：26-31；腓3：20；来12：22-23）。简言之，现在和一直以来，都只有一群神的子民，而这群子民包括了所有被接到神的“好橄榄树”的人，他们因着信成为亚伯拉罕的后裔，不分犹太人和外邦人。

When Paul deals extensively with the whole question of the place of Jews and Gentiles in the people of God, in Romans 11, he shows that there is just one people, symbolized by one good olive tree; unbelieving ethnic Jews may be broken off of that tree of true Israel and believing Gentiles may be grafted in; but there is still one tree, one body, one people of God. Thus, Paul teaches elsewhere that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in Christ (Gal. 3:26-29; Col. 3:11), but that all believers are members of the same body, citizens of the one commonwealth of Israel, inheritors of all the promises made to Abraham (Eph. 2:11-22; 3:6; Gal. 4:26-31; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 12:22-23). In short, there is and always has been one people of God, and that people includes all those who are grafted in to God's “good olive tree” to become Abraham's children by faith, whether ethnic Jews or Gentiles.

23. 什么是无千禧年论？

What is Amillennialism?

“无千禧年论”（Amillennialism）来自一个词，其字面的意思是“无一千年”。所以，基本上，这是解释启示录20章的一种方法，那里提到6次“一千年”的时期，在这段时期中，撒但被捆绑，而信徒与基督一同掌权。无千禧年论者相信，当神的国未来在世上兴旺，全地会在和平中欣欣向荣时，不会有一个千年的时期。千禧年和启示录其他地方一样，是一个比喻的说法，说到一段很长的时期，是耶稣复活后建立祂的国度之后发生的。无千禧年论者相信启示录20章只是一连串异象之一，每个异象都是在描述基督第一次来和第二次来之间的整个时期，只是用不同的方式。千禧年国度现在正在发生，因为撒但已经被基督在十字架上的工作所捆绑，所以牠无法再欺骗列国；信徒虽然看似被逼迫而受苦，其实是与基督一同掌权，使祂的国度，虽然现在还未彰显，散布到世上每个角落。在无千禧年的解释中，关于谁与基督一同掌权，是仍活着的基督徒，还是那些已经在基督里过世、与祂同在的人，仍有不同的意见。

“Amillennialism” comes from a term that means, literally, “no thousand years”. Thus, it is essentially a way of interpreting Revelation 20, which six times mentions a period of a thousand years, during which Satan is bound and believers reign with Christ. Amillennialists believe that there will be no future thousand-year period of time when the Kingdom of God will be visibly flourishing in the world, and the whole earth will be fruitful and at peace. Speaking symbollically like the rest of Revelation, the millennium is simply a figurative way of speaking of a long period of time that is taking place after Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom of God with his resurrection. Amillennialists believe Revelation 20 is one of a series of visions, each of which describes the entire period of time between Christ's first and second comings in a different manner. The millennial Kingdom is taking place now, for Satan has been bound by Christ's work on the cross, so that he can no longer hold all the nations in deception; and believers, who seem to be persecuted and afflicted, are really reigning with Christ, and causing his Kingdom, which does not now come visibly, to spread to every corner of the earth. There is a difference of opinion in amillennial interpretation over whether those who reign with Christ are believers who are still alive, or those who have died in the Lord, and are now in his presence.

有些无千禧年论者反对“无千禧年论”这个词，因为他们不是不相信没有千禧年，他们只是相信启示录20章所说的千禧年现在正在发生（象征式地），因此，未来在基督再来之前，不会有国度的黄金时期，引进永恒的国度。无千禧年论者也相信，同时读约翰福音（和启示录是同一位作者）第五章，会让我们更明白启示录20章。这段经文也提到有两个复活（在时代的末了，一个是属灵的，一个是身体的）。它揭示了当基督再来审判全地时，恶人和义人的复活会同时发生。这与前千禧年论有强烈的对比。他们主张义人和恶人的复活之间，有一千年的断裂，而约翰福音第5章排除了这种可能性。无千禧年论其实是各种末世论中最简单的一种，它确认耶稣会很快回来审判活人和死人，然后是复活，或永恒的国度，那时基督会在新天新地掌权。

Some amillennialists object to the term “amillennialism,” because they do not properly believe that there is no millenium, they just believe that the millennium spoken of in Revelation 20 is taking place now (figuratively), and thus there will be no future golden age of the Kingdom, prior to Christ's coming and ushering in the eternal state. Amillennialists also believe that Revealtion 20 is more fully understood when reading John chapter 5 (John being the same author as Revelation). Two resurrections are also spoken of in this passage (one spiritual and one physical at the end of the age). It reveals that when Christ returns to judge the earth, the resurrection of the wicked and the righteous occur simultaneously. This contrasts sharply with premillennialism which asserts that there is a one thousand year seperation between the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked, which John 5 excludes the possibility of. Amillennialism is really the most simple of the various eschatologies as it affirms that Jesus will soon return to judge the living and the dead and then comes the resurrection, or the eternal state, which Christ will reign on the new earth.

24. 什么是后千禧年论？

What is Postmillennialism?

 “后千禧年论”来自一个词，其字面的意思是“一千年后”。 所以，基本上，这是解释启示录20章的一种方法，那里提到6次“一千年”的时期，在这段时期中，撒但被捆绑，而信徒与基督一同掌权。后千禧年论者相信，基督会在未来一个全地兴旺的黄金年代之后再来，在这段时期，福音会在世上结实纍纍，为全世界带来和平和安全。后千禧年论者查考旧约中的许多预言，说到将要到来的极受祝福并昌盛的时代（例如，诗22：25-31；诗72；赛2：1-5），并且解读这段经文，认为未来必定有一段福音兴旺的时期，和目前教会历史所展现的，有极大和基本上的不同。在目前，神的国是在许多患难和逼迫当中散布。在后千禧年的解释中，启示录20章的经文，是描述这个未来祝福的时期，旧约先知所翘首期盼的。

“Postmillennialism” comes from a term that means, literally, “after the thousand years”. Thus, it is essentially a way of interpreting Revelation 20, which six times mentions a period of a thousand years, during which Satan is bound and believers reign with Christ. Postmillennialists believe that Christ will return after a future golden age of prosperity on the earth, during which time the gospel will have been fruitful in all the world, bringing peace and security to all. Postmillennialists look to the many prophecies in the Old Testament which speak of a coming time of great blessing and prosperity (e.g. Psalm 22:25-31; Psalm 72; Isaiah 2:1-5), and see those passages as demanding a future period of gospel success that will be vastly greater and fundamentally different from what Church history has displayed so far, of the Kingdom spreading in the midst of much affliction and persecution. In the Postmillennial interpretation, Revelation 20 is a

passage which describes this future period of blessing that the Old Testament prophets look ahead to.

虽然有些后千禧年论者相信未来全地的黄金年代会是字面上、准确的一千年，许多人相信“千年”是一个诗意的说法，他们只相信未来在地上会有一段很长的和平和有福的时期，不必然一定是一千年。

While some Postmillennialists believe that the future golden age of the earth will be literally and precisely one thousand years in duration, many of them see the “thousand years” as a more poetic way of speaking, and only believe that there will be a lengthy time of peace and well-being on the earth in the future, but not necessarily exactly one thousand years.

25. 什么是前千禧年论？

What is Premillennialism?

“前千禧年论”来自一个词，其字面的意思是“一千年之前”。所以，基本上，这是解释启示录20章的一种方法，那里提到6次“一千年”的时期，在这段时期中，撒但被捆绑，而信徒与基督一同掌权。前千禧年论者相信，基督会回来，在地上建立祂的国度，祂会在一千年当中被人亲眼目睹，在一个和平和昌盛的年代中掌管全地。然后，在这段可见的、基督在地上掌权一千年之后，祂会平息最后的反叛，进入最后的审判，然后引进一个永恒的国度，新天新地。

“Premillennialism comes from a term that means, literally, “before the thousand years”. Thus, it is essentially a way of interpreting Revelation 20, which six times mentions a period of a thousand years, during which Satan is bound and believers reign with Christ. Premillennialists believe that Christ will return and establish his Kingdom on earth, and that he will be visibly present for a thousand years, reigning over all the earth in an age of peace and prosperity. Then, after this thousand-year visible reign of Christ on earth, he will quell a final rebellion, enter into his last judgment, and finally usher in the eternal state, with its new heavens and new earth.

前千禧年论者通常对启示录第四章到22章，采取一种直线式的看法，不把这些篇章所有的异象和事件，视为以不同的手法描述同一段时期，而是先知预言顺序的展开。因此，既然基督一千年的掌权是在20章之前所有的事件之后才提到的，它必定发生在所有这些预言的事件之后。因此，这一千年还在未来。基督掌权一千年也被理解为是说到他在地上可见的同在，因此在未来的某段时间，祂会回到地上，但是会在一千年之前。

Premillennialists usually take a linear view of Revelation chapters 4 through 22, seeing all the visions and events spoken of in those chapters, not as different ways of describing the same period of time, but as one chronologically unfolding prophecy. Hence, since Christ's thousand-year reign is spoken of after all the events leading up to chapter 20, it must take place after all these prophesied events. Thus, it is still future. Christ's reigning for a thousand years is also understood to be speaking of his visible presence on the earth, and so he will return to the earth, sometime in the future, but before the thousand years.

26. 前千禧年论都是时代论吗？

Is Premillennialism always dispensational?

虽然前千禧年论常常被看作是一种时代论理解启示录20章的方法，而很多前千禧年论者事实上是时代论者，不过，前千禧年论本身并不一定非主张时代论不可。事实上，在早期教会历史中，在时代论神学发展出来之前的一千多年前（译注：时代论是18世纪发展出来的，而早期教父很多都是前千禧年论者），早就有一批称为“千禧年主义者”（Chiliasts）的人。（Chiliasts这个字的字根来自希腊文，意思是“千年”chilioi）。他们是对启示录20章的解释也是前千禧年式的。在最近的历史中，仍然有些前千禧年论者不是时代论的，最著名的是乔治?赖德（George Ladd）。他们有许多人宁可用“历史的前千禧年论”来与时代论神学保持距离，以与“时代论的前千禧年”有别。

Although premillennialism is often seen as a dispensational way of understanding Revelation 20, and while many premillennialists are in fact dispensationalists, there is nevertheless nothing about premillennialism in itself that demands dispensationalism. In fact, in early Church history, more than a thousand years before the development of dispensational theology, there was a group called the Chiliasts (from the Greek word for “thousand years”), which held to a premillennial interpretation of Revelation 20. In recent history, there have still been some premillennialists who are not dispensational, most notably George Ladd. Many of these prefer to distance themselves from dispensational theology by using the term “historic premillennialism,” as opposed to “dispensational premillennialism”.

历史的前千禧年和时代论的前千禧年基本的差异在于后者坚持要维持以色列国和教会的区别。根据时代论者，在千禧年这段历史中，神会回头应验祂在旧约中对种族的以色列所作的应许，之后，这个插入的“教会时代”（我们所生活的时代）就会结束。因此，在千禧年中，犹太人在全世界会居于优势地位，然后以崭新的犹太圣殿和祭司制度来结束。与基督一同掌权的基督徒，会得到永恒的、荣耀的身体，在属灵上掌权，而犹太人会拥有实体世界，并且生活、结婚、死亡（虽然会活得很长寿），正如世界历史中的人。只有在这段一千年的时期，神应验了祂对种族的以色列的应许之后，基督会平息最后的背叛，引入永恒的国度，以及新天新地。历史的前千禧年不要求把神属灵的百姓（教会）和祂实体的百姓（种族的以色列）作严格的二分；它只是期待一个当基督会在地上，在祂带来永恒国度之前，以可见的方式掌权的时候。

The basic difference between historic premillennialism and dispensational premillennialism consists in the latter's insistence on maintaining a distinction between the nation of Israel and the Church. According to dispensationalists, the millennium will be the period of history in which God reverts back to fulfilling his Old Testament promises made to ethnic Israel, after this parenthetical “Church Age” in which we live is concluded. Hence, the millennium will be a state of Jewish ascendency over all the world, complete with a renewed Jewish temple and priesthood. The Christians who reign with Christ will all have been given eternal, glorified bodies, and will reign spiritually, while the Jews will own the world physically, and will live, marry, and die (although evincing incredible longevity), just as people have throughout the history of the world. It is only after this thousand-year period, in which God fulfills his promises to ethnic Israel, that Christ will put down a final rebellion and usher in the eternal state, with its New Heavens and New Earth. Historic Premillennialism requires none of this strict dichotomy between God's spiritual people the Church, and his physical people, ethnic Israel; it merely looks ahead to a time when Christ will reign visibly on the earth, before he brings in the eternal state.

27. 圣经清楚教导前-，无-，或后千禧年吗？

Does the bible clearly teach pre-, a-, or postmillennialism?

虽然圣经清楚反对时代论的前千禧年（见以上的问答18-21），但是对历史的前千禧年、后千禧年、无千禧年却是更为开放的。前千禧年和后千禧年都期待旧约预言的、福音在地上的黄金年代（例如，诗22：25-31；诗72；赛2：1-5），并且说这些预言的本质需要这样的一个时刻，是地球不在其永恒的国度，不再有婚姻，也不再有人死亡，但远比现在要更为昌盛。目前教会正受尽苦难与逼迫。 另一方面，无千禧年论者，查看许多新约经文所暗示的，当基督再来时，祂会立刻使死去的恶人和义人复活，执行祂最后的审判，销融旧的天地，并引进全新的、永恒的国度。当祂降临时，教会仍然会有敌人与迫害者，而作恶的和迷惑人的，也越久越恶（见但12：1-2；太24：29-31；25：31-46；约5：28-29；帖后1：6-10；林前15：51-57；彼后3：3-14）。所有旧约的预言，他们会视为在属灵上正在应验，因此狮子与绵羊同卧的预言，可以由福音在两个历来彼此仇恨、相互杀戮的部落中，带来和平与爱所代表。当然，这类的事，在福音所到之处，正在全世界发生。如此，无千禧年论者就看到后千-和前千禧年论者所要求的，有一些预言要在永恒国度有一个最后应验，这事的本质。今日在教会中，我们得到这些预言的预嚐；但是在上帝创造义人所居住的新天新地之前，我们看不到它们完美的应验。

While the bible does clearly teach against the Dispensational variety of premillennialism (see questions 18-21 above), it is much more open to historic premillenialism, postmillennialism, and amillennialism. Both premillennialists and postmillennialists will look to Old Testament prophecies of a golden age of gospel success on the earth (e.g. Psalm 22:25-31; Psalm 72; Isaiah 2:1-5), and say that the nature of these prophecies requires a time in which the earth will not be in its eternal state, when no one marries or dies any more, but vastly more prosperous than it is now, when the Church is always afflicted and persecuted. Amillennialists, on the other hand, look to the many New Testament passages that suggest that, when Christ returns, he will at once raise the wicked and righteous dead, enact his final judgment, dissolve the old heavens and earth, and bring in the new, eternal state. When he comes, the Church will still have her enemies and persecutors, and evil men and imposters will be waxing worse and worse (see Dan. 12:1-2; Mat. 24:29-31; 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 2 Thes. 1:6-10; 1 Cor. 15:51-57; 2 Pet. 3:3-14). All of the Old Testament prophecies they would see as having either a spiritual fulfillment, so that the prophecy of a lion's lying down with a lamb, for instance, could be fulfilled by the gospel's bringing together in peace and love representatives of two different tribes that had historically hated and killed each other. Of course, this sort of thing is happening all over the world, wherever the gospel is going out. And then, amillennialists see the nature of some of those prophecies employed by post- and premillennialists as demanding a final fulfillment in the eternal state. Today in the Church, we receive a foretaste of those prophecies; but we will not see them perfectly fulfilled until God creates the new heavens and the new earth, where righteousness dwell.

无千禧年论者大概拥有他们对启示录20章最坚实的解读。像帖后1：6-10的经节，清楚教导基督的降临，要永恒地审判恶人，荣耀圣徒，这是将要发生在教会受到逼迫的时期。与前千禧年论的主张相反的，基督降临时，就会有立即和最后的审判，并建立永恒的国度；与后千禧年论的主张相反的， 基督的降临不是在一个黄金年代之后，而是在某种的迫害当中，甚至是帖撒罗尼迦教会正在经历的。那么，启示录20章提到的，撒但的捆绑，就符合了新约有关的教导（见太12：26-29；路10：17-18；约12：31-33；16：8-11；来2：14-15）。而使徒约翰这个高度象征性的、最可能是重复叙述的启示录异象，应该要根据新约使徒书信清楚的教导来解读，这才是合理的。然而，我们也要承认，历史性的前千禧年和后千禧年对他们的信念也有合理的论点，不应该被嘲讽。

Amillennialists probably have the most solid case for their interpretation of Revelation 20. Passages such as 2 Thes. 1:6-10, which clearly teach that Christ's coming and eternally judging the wicked, while glorifying the saints, will take place at a time when there is persecution of the Church. Against premillennialism, Christ's coming demands an immediate and final judgment and establishment of the eternal state. Against postmillennialism, his coming will not be after a golden era, but in the midst of the same sort of persecution that the Thessalonian church was even then experiencing. Then, the mention of Satan's binding, in Revelation 20, corresponds well with related New Testament teaching (see Mat. 12:26-29; Luke 10:17-18; John 12:31-33; 16:8-11; Heb. 2:14-15). And it is only reasonable that the highly symbolic, and most likely recapitulatory visions of John's Apocalypse should be interpreted in light of the clearer didactic teachings of the New Testament epistles. However, it should also be acknowledged that historic premillennialists and postmillennialists have reasonable arguments for their convictions, which should not be scoffed at.