行律法與信基督

無知的加拉太人啊!誰又迷惑了你們呢?耶穌基督被釘在十字架上的事早就像一幅畫一樣展現在你們眼前了。 我只想問,你們領受了聖靈是靠遵行律法呢,還是因為相信所聽見的福音呢? 你們既然靠聖靈開始了基督徒的生活,現在卻想靠肉體達到純全嗎?你們就這麼無知嗎? 你們受了許多苦,難道都是徒然的嗎?都白受了嗎? 上帝將聖靈賜給你們又在你們中間行神蹟,是因為你們遵行律法呢,還是因為你們相信所聽到的福音呢?

聖經上說:「亞伯拉罕信上帝,就被算為義人。」 因此,你們要明白,那些信上帝的人才是亞伯拉罕的子孫。 聖經早就指明,上帝要叫外族人因信而被稱為義人,祂預先將福音傳給亞伯拉罕,說:「萬國必因你而蒙福。」 所以那些信上帝的人必和有信心的亞伯拉罕一同得到祝福。

10 凡以遵行律法為本的人都在咒詛之下,因為聖經上說:「凡不遵行律法書上一切命令的人必受咒詛。」 11 非常明顯,沒有人能靠遵行律法在上帝面前被稱為義人,因為聖經上說:「義人必靠信心而活。」 12 律法卻不是以信心為本,而是說:「遵行的人必存活。」

13 但基督替我們受了咒詛,從而救贖我們脫離了律法的咒詛,因為聖經上說:「凡掛在木頭上的人都是受咒詛的。」 14 這樣,賜給亞伯拉罕的祝福可以藉著基督耶穌臨到外族人,使我們也可以藉著信得到上帝應許賜給我們的聖靈。

律法與應許

15 弟兄姊妹,我舉個日常生活中的例子。世人的合約一經雙方簽訂之後,就不能作廢,也不能加添。 16 上帝曾向亞伯拉罕和他的後裔賜下應許,不過這裡沒有說「後裔們」——指許多人,而是說「你的後裔」——指一個人,就是基督。 17 我的意思是:四百三十年後頒佈的律法不會廢除上帝先前立下的約,以致應許落空。 18 倘若我們是靠守律法去承受產業,我們就不是倚靠上帝的應許。但上帝是憑應許把產業賜給了亞伯拉罕。

19 那麼,為什麼會有律法呢?律法是為了使人知罪而頒佈的,等那位承受應許的後裔來到後,律法的任務就完成了。律法是通過天使交給一位中間人頒佈的。 20 中間人代表雙方,但上帝則單方面賜下應許。

21 這樣看來,上帝的律法和上帝的應許是否互相矛盾呢?當然不是!如果賜下的律法能帶給人生命,人就可以靠律法成為義人了。 22 但聖經說萬物都在罪的權勢下,爲要使那些相信的人因爲相信耶稣基督而得到應許[a]

23 信耶穌的時代[b]還沒有來臨以前,律法暫時監管我們。等到信耶穌之道顯明出來後,律法就不再監管我們。 24 因此,律法是我們的監護人,負責引領我們歸向基督,使我們可以因信而被稱為義人。 25 現在信耶穌的時代已經來臨,我們不再受律法監管。 26 你們都藉著信基督耶穌而成為上帝的兒女, 27 因為你們受洗歸入基督就是披戴基督[c] 28 從此不再分猶太人和希臘人,自由人和奴隸,男人和女人,因為你們都在基督耶穌裡合而為一了。 29 你們若屬於基督,就是亞伯拉罕的後裔,都是照著上帝的應許承受產業的人。

Footnotes

  1. 3·22 因爲相信耶稣基督而得到應許」或譯「因爲耶稣基督的信實而得到應許」。
  2. 3·23 信耶穌的時代」希臘文是「信心」,下同25節。
  3. 3·27 披戴基督」是個隱喻,主要的意思是「像基督」,象徵有基督的生命與品格。

信仰带来上帝的祝福

愚蠢的加拉太人啊!是谁迷惑了你们?尽管耶稣基督被公开地钉死在十字架上,在你们眼前就像一副清楚的画面! 我只问你们一件事:你们是通过遵守律法,还是通过听到并相信福音才领受到圣灵的恩赐的呢? 你们真会这么蠢吗?你们以圣灵开始了你们生活,现在想要靠自己的力量来继续它吗? 你们受的那么多苦白费了吗?但愿不是白费! 上帝赐给你们圣灵,并在你们中间行奇迹,是因为你们遵守了律法,还是因为你们听到、相信福音了呢?

正如《经》 [a]上谈到亚伯拉罕时说的那样∶“亚伯拉罕 [b]相信上帝,所以上帝接受了他,由此使他得到了上帝的认可。” 所以,你们应该知道,有信仰的人才是亚伯拉罕的子孙。 《经》上预言到,上帝会因为非犹太人的信仰而使他们得到了认可。他提前向亚伯拉罕宣布了福音∶“所有民族都将通过你得到祝福。” 因此,那些有信仰的人和有信仰的亚伯拉罕一道得到祝福。 10 然而,凡是依赖律法的人都要受到诅咒。因为《经》上说∶“凡不坚持律法书上的一切去做的人,都要受到诅咒。” 11 现在很清楚,没有人通过律法而得到上帝的认可。正如《经》上所说∶“义人 [c]因信仰而得生。” 12 律法不是以信仰为基础的,而正如《经》上所说的那样∶“服从律法的人靠律法而生。” 13 基督把我们从律法的诅咒中解救出来,凭的是把他自己置于在我们原来的位置上,承受那诅咒,因为《经》上说∶“被吊在树上的人 [d]要受到诅咒。” 14 基督解救了我们,为的是要让赐给亚伯拉罕的祝福能通过基督耶稣赐给非犹太人,以便让我们通过信也能领受到所应许的圣灵。

律法和承诺

15 兄弟们,我举一个日常生活的例子:人间的契约一经认可,就没有人能够废除它,或有所增添。 16 上帝已向亚伯拉罕和他的子孙许了诺。上帝没有说“你的子孙们”,(那就会指许多人,而是说“你的子孙。”仅指一人,即基督。) 17 我的意思是说:四百三十年后才有的律法不能取消已由上帝批准的契约,也不会取消这应许。 18 因为,如果继承依赖于律法,那它就不会再依赖这应许了。但是,上帝却通过应许的美德,无偿地把这继承赐给了亚伯拉罕。

19 那么律法的目的是什么呢?律法的增设是因为罪恶,是为了要把它们公之于众,直到蒙应许的那位后代(基督)的到来为止。这律法经中间人摩西之手通过天使颁布的。 20 中间人不只代表一方,然而上帝是仅有的一方。

摩西律法的目的

21 这是不是意味着律法与上帝的应许相抵触呢?当然不是!如果已颁布的律法能给人们带来生命,那么,人靠遵守律法就能得到上帝的认可。 22 但是《经》上已经宣布整个世界都处在罪恶的控制之下,以便使上帝的应许赐给那些把信仰建立在基督耶稣基础上的人。

23 在这信仰来临之前,我们受到了律法的监护,成了囚徒,直到这将来临的信仰展示给我们。 24 所以律法是我们严厉的监护人,它把我们带到基督那里,使我们能在信仰的基础上得到上帝的认可。 25 但是,既然这种信仰已经来临了,我们就不再受到那个严厉的监护人的控制了。

26 通过对基督耶稣的信仰,你们都成了上帝的儿女, 27 因为受洗 [e]进入基督的你们都把基督穿在了身上。 28 犹太人和非犹太人之间没有区别,自由人和奴隶之间没有区别,男人与女人之间也没有区别,因为你们都在基督耶稣之中成为一体。 29 如果你们属于基督,那么你们就是亚伯拉罕的后代,就是承受上帝向亚伯拉罕许下的诺言的继承人。

Footnotes

  1. 加 拉 太 書 3:6 《经》: 神圣的著作—旧约。
  2. 加 拉 太 書 3:6 亚伯拉罕: 犹太人最受尊重的祖先。
  3. 加 拉 太 書 3:11 义人: 或正义之人。
  4. 加 拉 太 書 3:13 被吊在树上的人: 《申命记》21:22-23说当人因做恶被杀时,他的身体被吊在树上以示羞耻。保罗意为耶稣的十字架就是如此。
  5. 加 拉 太 書 3:27 受洗或浸礼: 希腊语,意为把人或东西短暂的浸入、浸泡或没入水中。

God Approves of Those Who Believe

You stupid people of Galatia! Who put you under an evil spell? Wasn’t Christ Jesus’ crucifixion clearly described to you? I want to learn only one thing from you. Did you receive the Spirit by your own efforts to follow the laws in the Scriptures or by believing what you heard? Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing things in a human way? Did you suffer so much for nothing? ⌞I doubt⌟ that it was for nothing! Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you through your own efforts or through believing what you heard?

Abraham serves as an example. He believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God. You must understand that people who have faith are Abraham’s descendants. Scripture saw ahead of time that God would give his approval to non-Jewish people who have faith. So Scripture announced the Good News to Abraham ahead of time when it said, “Through you all the people of the world will be blessed.” So people who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the man of faith.

10 Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.” 11 No one receives God’s approval by obeying the laws in Moses’ Teachings since, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.” 12 These laws have nothing to do with faith, but, “Whoever obeys laws will live because he obeys them.”

13 Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that the laws in Moses’ Teachings bring by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.” 14 ⌞Christ paid the price⌟ so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Jesus Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith.

The Relationship between Law and Promise

15 Brothers and sisters, let me use an example from everyday life. No one can cancel a person’s will or add conditions to it once that will is put into effect. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture doesn’t say, “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” referring to one. That descendant is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: The laws ⌞given to Moses⌟ 430 years after God had already put his promise ⌞to Abraham⌟ into effect didn’t cancel the promise ⌞to Abraham⌟. 18 If we have to gain the inheritance by following those laws, then it no longer comes to us because of the promise. However, God freely gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise.

19 What, then, is the purpose of the laws given to Moses? They were added to identify what wrongdoing is. Moses’ laws did this until the descendant to whom the promise was given came.[a] It was put into effect through angels, using a mediator. 20 A mediator is not used when there is only one person involved, and God has acted on his own.

21 Does this mean, then, that the laws given to Moses contradict God’s promises? That’s unthinkable! If those laws could give us life, then certainly we would receive God’s approval because we obeyed them. 22 But Scripture states that the whole world is controlled by the power of sin. Therefore, a promise based on faith in Jesus Christ could be given to those who believe.

23 We were kept under control by Moses’ laws until this faith came. We were under their control until this faith which was about to come would be revealed.

24 Before Christ came, Moses’ laws served as our guardian. Christ came so that we could receive God’s approval by faith. 25 But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the control of a guardian. 26 You are all God’s children by believing in Christ Jesus. 27 Clearly, all of you who were baptized in Christ’s name have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There are neither Jews nor Greeks, slaves nor free people, males nor females. You are all the same in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants and heirs, as God promised.

Footnotes

  1. 3:19 Or “Moses’ laws did this until the descendant referred to in the promise ⌞to Abraham⌟ came.”