关于圣经的盟约你该知道的十件事10 Things You Should Knowabout the Biblical Covenants
作者：Thomas R. Schreiner 譯者：誠之
1. 盟約是聖經故事的脊柱。
彼得·金特里（Peter Gentry）和史蒂芬·韋勒姆（Stephen Wellum）在他們合著的書（暫譯：《借著聖約到來的國度：從聖經-神學的角度來認識盟約》）中主張，聖約推進了聖經的故事情節，他們說的相當準確。如果一個人明白聖約在聖經中如何運作，就會很好地掌握聖經整體是如何組合在一起的。如果我們明白聖經的整個佈局，我們就會更好地解釋其中的細節，而盟約在明白這個佈局上扮演著關鍵而不可或缺的角色。
1.
Covenants are the backbone of the biblical story.
Peter
Gentry and Stephen Wellum have argued that the covenants advance the storyline
of the Bible in their book Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological
Understanding of the Covenants, and they are on target. If one understands how
the covenants function in the Bible, one will have a good grasp of how the
Bible fits together. If we see the big picture in Scripture, we will do a
better job of interpreting the details, and the covenant plays a fundamental
role in seeing the big picture.
2. 盟約可以定義如下：盟約是一種經過挑選的關係，在這種關係中，立約的雙方對彼此許下具有約束力的應許。
盟約與合同應該區分開來，因為盟約是人自願加入的個人關係。這裏的盟約定義很寬泛，但這是因為聖經中有許多不同種類的盟約。婚姻是盟約的一個很好的例證，因為男人和女人選擇彼此建立關係並彼此許下承諾。在古代世界中，並非所有盟約都同屬一類。在某些盟約裏，擁有較多權柄的一方與那些擁有較少權柄和能力的一方立了約。例如國王與臣民所建立的關係就是如此。
2.
Covenant can be defined as follows: a covenant is a chosen relationship in which
two parties make binding promises to each other.
A
covenant should be distinguished from a contract because it is a personal
relationship which people voluntarily enter. The definition of covenant here is
rather broad, but that is because there are many different kinds of covenants
in Scripture. Marriage is a good illustration of a covenant, for a man and
woman choose to enter into a relationship with one another and make promises to
one another. Not all covenants were alike in the ancient world. In some
covenants a person with more authority made a covenant with those having less
authority and power. Such was the case when a king made a relationship with his
subjects.
3. 有些關於盟約的定義過於狹隘，並不適用於聖經中的每一個盟約。
一些學者說，盟約總是以已經存在的關係為前提。基遍人的故事表明情況並非如此，因為以色列與基遍人立約之前，彼此並沒有任何關係（書九3～27）。另外，有人說所有的盟約都是用血來制定的，但是婚約或約拿單與大衛之間的盟約卻非如此（撒上十八1～4）。耶和華與大衛立約時也沒有獻祭的證據（撒下七）。在談論盟約時，我們必須區分一般情況和必然的情況。
3.
Some definitions of covenant are too narrow and don’t fit every covenant in
Scripture.
Some
scholars have said that covenants always presuppose an already existing
relationship. The Gibeonite story shows that this is not the case, for Israel
didn’t have any relations with the Gibeonites before entering into a covenant
with them (Josh. 9:3–27). Also, some say that all covenants are enacted with
blood, but this isn’t true of the marriage covenant or the covenant between
Jonathan and David (1 Sam. 18:1–4). Nor is there evidence of a sacrifice at the
inauguration of the Lord’s covenant with David (2 Samuel 7). We need to
distinguish, when talking about covenants, about what is often true and what is
always the case.
普世祝福的應許最終在耶穌基督裏得到了完全的應驗。
The
promise of universal blessing is fully and finally fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
4. 實際上，所有盟約都既有有條件的要素，也有無條件的要素。
由於盟約夥伴有義務對彼此作出承諾，而且如果不遵守，就會自招詛咒，因此，幾乎所有盟約都有有條件的和無條件的要素，就不至於會令我們感到驚訝。上帝在西奈山上與以色列立的約中有一些明顯的條件。一些學者說，上帝與亞伯拉罕和大衛立的約是無條件的，但是當我們仔細地閱讀聖經時，一些條件顯然還是存在的（例如，創十七；撒下七14）。我們必須研究的是有條件的元素和無條件的元素彼此之間有怎樣的關聯。但是，這裏闡述的原則也有一些例外。例如，與挪亞立的約似乎就是無條件的。
4.
Virtually all the covenants have both conditional and unconditional elements.
Since
covenant partners obligate themselves to one another with promises and call
curses upon themselves if they disobey, we are not surprised to learn that
virtually all covenants have both conditional and unconditional elements. There
are clearly conditions in the covenant with Israel made at Sinai. Some scholars
say that the covenant with Abraham and David are unconditional, but when we
look at the text carefully, conditions are clearly present (e.g., Gen. 17; 2
Sam. 7:14). What needs to be investigated is how the conditional and
unconditional elements relate to one another. The principle enunciated here,
however, also has exceptions. The covenant with Noah, for instance, seems to be
unconditional.
5. 有充分的理由相信在創造時有一個盟約。
一些學者懷疑上帝與亞當是否有立約，但我們有充分的理由認為在創造時上帝就與人立了盟約。即使缺少「約」這個詞，但是盟約關係的要素也是存在的。即使沒有「盟約」這個詞，盟約關係還是可以存在，因為在開始大衛之約時並沒有出現「盟約」一詞。聖經的用詞無法證明這個宣稱：「所有的盟約都是救贖性的」。創造之初就有立約的要素，因為上帝應許，順服就會得到祝福，悖逆就會得到詛咒。
5.
There are good reasons to believe there is a covenant at creation.
Some
scholars doubt whether there was a covenant with Adam, but we have good reasons
for seeing a covenant at creation. Even though the word covenant is lacking,
the elements of a covenant relationship are present. The word covenant doesn’t
need to be present for a covenant to exist since the term covenant isn’t found
in the inauguration of the Davidic covenant. The claim that all covenants are
redemptive isn’t borne out by the use of the term in the Scriptures. The
elements of a covenant were present at creation, for blessing was promised for
obedience and cursing for disobedience.
6. 上帝與挪亞立的約不是救贖性的，但是如果要實現上帝的救贖計劃卻是必要的。
上帝與挪亞立的盟約是保存之約，標誌著人類的新起點以及地上生命的延續，直到末了。它在許多方面都重新恢復了創造之約。儘管人類邪惡到極點，但人類仍然是照著上帝的形像受造的，當他們生養眾多且遍滿地面時，上帝仍然繼續賜福給他們。洪水見證了人類因邪惡而應得的刑罰，這是將要來的末日審判的預表（太廿四36-41；彼後二5）。雲中的弓（彩虹）是盟約的記號，證明上帝已經收回了祂爭戰的武器，祂要保存世界直到救贖完成。
6.
The covenant with Noah isn’t redemptive, but it is necessary for God’s
redemptive plan to be carried out.
The
covenant with Noah is a covenant of preservation, signifying a new beginning
for human beings and the continuance of life on earth until the time of the
end. In many ways it repristinates the creation covenant. Despite the depth of
human wickedness, human beings are still made in God’s image, and God continues
to bless them as they are fruitful and multiply on the earth. The flood
testifies to what human beings deserve on account of wickedness, and it is a
type of the final judgment to come (Matt. 24:36–41; 2 Pet. 2:5). The bow in the
clouds, the sign of the covenant, testifies that God has withdrawn his weapons
of war, that he will preserve the world until redemption is accomplished.
7. 與亞伯拉罕立的約在聖經故事情節中扮演核心的角色。
上帝給亞伯拉罕三個應許：後裔、土地、普世的祝福。對亞伯拉罕所作的應許在耶穌基督成為亞伯拉罕真正的兒子上達到了高峰（加三16）。所有因信心屬於耶穌基督的人，都是亞伯拉罕的子孫。以色列在約書亞和所羅門的領導下佔領迦南地時，土地的應許得到了應驗，但以色列因犯罪而失去土地，被擄到國外。土地的應許在耶穌基督的復活中照著預期實現了，因為祂的復活代表了新創造的到來，它將在新創造中找到最終的應驗——上帝和羔羊將統治新聖殿（啟廿一1～廿二5）。普世祝福的應許最終、且完全在耶穌基督裏充分得到應驗，借著祂，萬國、萬族、萬方、萬民都會被包括在亞伯拉罕的家族裏。
7.
The covenant with Abraham plays a central role in the biblical storyline.
God
promised Abraham offspring, land, and universal blessing. The promise to
Abraham finds its culmination in Jesus Christ as the true son of Abraham (Gal.
3:16). All those who belong to Jesus Christ by faith are children of Abraham.
The promise of land was fulfilled when Israel possessed Canaan under the
leadership of Joshua and Solomon, yet Israel lost the land and went into exile
because of sin. The promise of land was realized proleptically in the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, for his resurrection represents the arrival of
the new creation, and it will find its final fulfillment in the new
creation—the new temple over which God and the Lamb will reign (Rev.
21:1–22:5). The promise of universal blessing is fully and finally fulfilled in
Jesus Christ through whom people from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation
are included in Abraham’s family.
《聖約與上帝對世界的旨意》
托馬斯·史瑞納
這本書展示了神的國度如何通過不同盟約的發展而前進，共同成為神對他的子民帶來救贖的應許的基礎。
Covenant
and God's Purpose for the World
Thomas
R. Schreiner
This
book shows how the kingdom of God has advanced through the progression of
distinct covenants, collectively serving as the foundation for God's promise to
bring redemption to his people.
8. 與以色列的約，即西奈山之約，是暫時的約。
與以色列的約是滿有恩典的，因為主救拔祂的百姓脫離了埃及的奴役。這個盟約也是仿照古代近東的宗主-藩屬條約（suzerain-vassal treaties）。上帝應許，凡順服的人就會得到祝福，悖逆的人則會受詛咒。以色列沒有遵守在十誡裏所總結的盟約規定，結果被擄去。先知在盟約訴訟中宣告審判即將來臨，這個訴訟詳細說明了以色列人如何破壞盟約。與以色列立的約是註定要廢棄的，其焦點是把以色列視為一個民族。它並沒有轉變那些聽到盟約要求的人的內心。
8.
The covenant with Israel, the covenant at Mount Sinai, is a temporary covenant.
The
covenant with Israel was gracious, for the Lord freed his people from Egyptian
slavery. The covenant was also patterned after suzerain-vassal treaties in the
ancient Near East. Blessings were promised for obedience and curses for
disobedience. Israel failed to abide by the covenant stipulations, summarized
in the Ten Commandments and as a result was sent into exile. The prophets
declared in covenant lawsuits, which detailed Israel’s violation of the
covenant, that judgment was coming. The covenant with Israel had a built-in
obsolescence and focused on Israel as a nation; it did not transform the heart
of those who heard the covenant demands.
9. 與大衛的約成全了先前的約。
與大衛立的約與先前的約是連續的。最初賜給亞當要統管全世界的應許將通過大衛式的君王實現。給亞伯拉罕關於後代、土地和祝福的應許將通過大衛式的統治者得到保證。以類似的方式，摩西之約中所應許的祝福，將在忠心的大衛式君王的治理下實現，但如果他們偏離了主，那麼詛咒就會到來。儘管有這些條件的元素，與大衛立的約最終還是無條件的。上帝保證一位大衛式君王會坐在寶座上，但這個約只能由一個順服的王來實現，新約聖經聲稱，這個人就是拿撒勒人耶穌。身為大衛的子孫，祂如今坐在上帝寶座的右邊，並將再次降臨完成祂的統治。
9.
The covenant with David fulfills previous covenants.
The
covenant with David stands in continuity with previous covenants. The rule over
the world originally given to Adam would be realized through a Davidic king.
The promises of offspring, land, and blessing given to Abraham would be secured
through the Davidic ruler. In a similar way the blessings promised in the
Mosaic covenant would come to fruition under faithful Davidic kings, but if
they strayed from the Lord, then the curses would come. Despite the conditional
elements, the covenant with David was ultimately unconditional. God guaranteed
a Davidic king on the throne but the covenant promise would only be fulfilled
by an obedient king, and the New Testament claims that this person is Jesus of
Nazareth. As David’s Son, he now reigns at God’s right hand and will come again
to consummate his reign.
10. 新約是上帝一切盟約的高潮。
新約代表了上帝在祂子民當中的拯救工作的高峰。上帝借著祂的靈使祂的子民重生，並更新他們的心，使他們能順服祂。這種更新的基礎是耶穌基督的十字架和復活，因為借著耶穌的代死贖罪和復活使完全的赦罪得以完成。因此，祂就為人獲得一條新的、在舊約裏所沒有的途徑，可以坦然無懼地來到上帝面前。與以色列立的約已經過去，現在，這個應許在由猶太人和外邦人共同組成的復興的新以色列上應驗了。對亞伯拉罕和大衛的所作的一切應許在新約裏都成全了。
10.
The new covenant is the climax of all of God’s covenants.
The
new covenant represents the culmination of God’s saving work among his people.
God regenerates his people by his Spirit and renews their hearts so that they
obey him. The basis for such renewal is the cross and resurrection of Jesus
Christ, for by his atoning death and resurrection complete forgiveness of sins
is achieved. Hence, a new and bold access to God that wasn’t available in the
old covenant is obtained. The covenant with Israel has passed away, and now the
promise is fulfilled in the restored Israel, which consists of both Jews and
Gentiles. All the promises made to Abraham and David are fulfilled in the new
covenant.
托馬斯·史瑞納（Thomas R. Schreiner）（西方保守浸信會神學院道學碩士和神學碩士；富勒神學院博士），是新約釋義學（New Testament Interpretation）的詹姆斯·布坎南·哈裏森教席教授，也是美南浸信會神學院的副院長。
Thomas
R. Schreiner (MDiv and ThM, Western Conservative Baptist Seminary; PhD, Fuller
Theological Seminary) is the James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament
Interpretation and associate dean of the school of theology at the Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary.
