9. Manna issue 85 - Parables of the Heavenly Kingdom (Part 1) 天國的比喻(第一部)
The mysteries of the
heavenly kingdom and the
opening of salvation’s door
for all.
眾人所需的天國奧秘及敞開救贖之門
KC Tsai—Toronto, Canada 加拿大 多倫多教會 蔡恆忠執事
Editor’s note:
In Matthew 13, Jesus used parables to define the kingdom of God,
explaining the rules for entering this kingdom and painting a picture of life inside and outside the kingdom.
This is the first in a series of articles on these parables.
編者按：
馬太福音13章，耶穌用比喻來下義神的國，
解釋進入天國的原則，描繪了生活於天國內外不同的情景。
All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables;
and without a parable He did not speak to them,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.” (Mt 13:34–35)
34這都是耶穌用比喻對眾人說的話；若不用比喻，就不對他們說甚麼。
35這是要應驗先知的話，說：我要開口用比喻，把創世以來所隱藏的事發明出來。
(太 13：34-35)
This verse is the key to the parables recorded in Matthew chapter 13.
Quoting the psalm of Asaph (Ps 78:2), Matthew notes that
the Lord Jesus used parables to utter (i.e., speak out) “things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
According to Jesus, these things kept secret are “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 13:11).
In other words, the parables in Matthew 13 collectively reveal mysteries concerning the heavenly kingdom—the church.
As this series of articles will discuss, these parables speak of the establishment and development of the church on earth,
the challenges she will face, and judgment in the end time—
how the righteous shall live and the wicked shall suffer eternal punishment.
這經節是馬太福音13章記載比喻的重心，
引用自亞薩的詩篇，(詩 78：2)
馬太福音注記，主耶穌用比喻來說明，(就是向大家說)，
"從世界創世到如今，這些事就一直隱藏起來"。
照耶穌所說的，這些隱藏的事情，就是"天國的奧秘"(太 13：11)。
換句話說，馬太福音13章分別揭露了奧秘，關於天國-教會。
本期文章將會討論，這些比喻說到了地上教會的設立和發展，
她所要面對的挑戰，以及末後的審判-
義人是如何得生命，惡人將會承受永恆的刑罰而受折磨。
MYSTERIES 奧秘
The “things [plural] kept secret from the foundation of the world”
are part of the over-arching mystery (singular) that belonged to the Creator.
That mystery is of Christ (Col 2:2).
When the time was right, this mystery was revealed to the saints—
after Jesus ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit was poured down (Col 1:26; Acts 1:4, 9; 2:1–4).
The Holy Spirit not only established the church on earth,
He also gave revelations to the apostles and the New Testament prophets
so that they could understand the mystery that had been hidden in God from the beginning of the ages (Eph 3:3–4).
創世以來所隱藏的事，是宇宙包羅萬像奧秘的一部份，屬於造物主。
這個奧秘來自於基督，(西 2：2)
當時機合適的時候，這個奧秘就會揭露給聖徒-
就是耶穌昇天之後，會降下聖靈。
(西 1：26；徒 1：4，9；2：1-4)
聖靈不只設立地上的教會，
祂也讓門徒和新約時代的先知，得到啟示，
因此他們才會明白那隱藏於神，那創世之前的奧秘。
(弗 3：3-4)
This mystery was that, in Christ Jesus, the Gentiles would become fellow heirs with the Jewish believers,
of the same body, and partakers of God’s promise in Christ through the gospel (Eph 3:5–6).
This mystery of Christ is the church:
through the church, all people shall receive the gospel of salvation;
through the church, the principalities and powers in the heavenly places
(all created beings of the spiritual realm) will know the manifold wisdom of God,
and receive the revelation of the mystery that was hidden in God (Eph 3:8–11).
奧秘就是，在基督耶穌裡，外邦人會與猶太信徒一樣，同時成為救恩的繼承者，
同時承受一個基督的身體，與神在基督裡藉由福音的應許有份。
(弗 3：5-6)
基督的奧秘就是教會：
因著教會，萬民會領受救贖的福音；
因著教會，天上執政掌權的(所有屬靈國度的受造之物)，會明白神有各式各樣的智慧，
得到那隱藏在神之中，奧秘的啟示。
The Book of Colossians reiterates the universality of the gospel.
Paul says that for the sake of Christ’s body, the church, he would rejoice in sufferings and minister,
according to the stewardship of God, to fulfill the word of God—
to fulfill
“the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations,
but now has been revealed to His saints” (Col 1:24–26).
For the sake of the church, Paul preached the love of God,
initially the sole possession of the Old Testament elect (Deut 7:6–11), to the Gentiles (Col 1:27).
歌羅西書重申了福音的廣泛通用性。
保羅說，因為基督身體(教會)的原故，他會樂意受苦服事人，
按造神那服事人的精神，來實行神的話語---實現
"26這道理就是歷世歷代所隱藏的奧祕；但如今向他的聖徒顯明了。"
(西 1：24-26)
因為教會的原故，保羅倡導神的愛，
一開始，只有舊約選民為主，才有資格繼承，(申 7：6-11)
到後來，神的愛臨到了外邦人。(西 1：2)
In short, through the parables recorded in Matthew 13,
the Lord Jesus expounded the mystery of Christ hidden since the beginning of the ages—
namely, the church, and her journey from beginning to end.
總之，經由記載在馬太福音13章，
主耶穌闡述了，自從創世以來，隱藏的基督奧秘 ---
換句話說，教會，她會是怎麼的演變，從開始到結束。
THE KINGDOM OF GOD 神的國
While Matthew and Luke refer to “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 13:11; Lk 8:10),
Mark refers to “the mystery [singular] of the kingdom of God” (Mk 4:11).
But what and where is the kingdom of God?
雖然馬太福音和路加福音，指的是"天國的奧秘"，(太 13：11；路 8：10)
馬可福音的說明，卻是"神國的奧秘(單數形態)"。(可 4：11)
但是神國到底是什麼？在那裡呢？
Heart of Man 人心
When the Pharisees asked the Lord Jesus when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied,
“The kingdom of God does not come with observation, nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’
For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you [ESV: in the midst of you[1]]” (Lk 17:20–21).
What the Lord meant was that He had already brought the kingdom of God into their midst.
But they were still full of curiosity and doubts, and did not have the faith to accept it.
20法利賽人問：神的國幾時來到？耶穌回答說：神的國來到不是眼所能見的。
21人也不得說：看哪，在這裡！看哪，在那裡！因為神的國就在你們心裡（心裡：或作中間）。
(路 17：20-21)
主的意思是他已經把神的國帶進了他們的中間。
但是他們仍然充滿好奇和懷疑，沒有信心接受它。
The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom in which the Lord Jesus reigns (Jn 18:36–37).
It can thus refer to the hearts of believers.
If one enthrones Christ Jesus as the Lord within one’s heart,
then this heart is the kingdom that the Lord Jesus has called out from the world (Jn 17:16–21).
Such believers may be in the world, but they are not of the world; they are of His saved true church.
神的國度是主耶穌統治的屬靈王國。(約 18：36-37)
因此，天國可以是指信徒的內心。
如果一個人在心中有基督耶穌成為主，
那麼這心就是主耶穌從世界抽離出來的屬靈國度（約 17：16-21）。
這樣的信徒可能在世界上，但他們又不屬於世界。 他們是屬於神得救的真教會。
Of the parables in Matthew 13, only two were explained by Jesus:
the parables of the sower and the tares.
The parable of the sower highlights the reality that people
respond differently to the same word sown into their hearts.
The parable of the tares focuses on the origin of the church, the situations she will encounter,
and how she will have to endure trials till the end of the world.
馬太福音13章中的比喻中，耶穌只解釋二個：
撒種人和稗子的比喻。
撒種的比喻突出了這樣一個事實，
人們對撒在心裡相同一個真理的反應不同。
稗子的寓言著眼於教會的起源，她將遇到的情況，
以及她將如何忍耐，渡過世界末日的考驗。
When expounding these two parables, the Lord Jesus said,
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (cf. Mt 13:9, Mk 4:9, Lk 8:8).
He uttered this phrase once before explaining the parable of the sower,
and a second time after explaining the parable of the tares.
This phrase is significant for two reasons.
First,
“He who has ears” reveals the target audience of these parables:
all humans have ears, so these two parables are relevant to everyone, throughout all time.
They explicitly state that if anyone wishes to receive the grace of salvation and enter into eternal life,
he must change his thoughts and behavior in accordance with the teachings of these parables.
Not only does he need to listen to the words, and put these words into practice (Mt 13:23),
he must endure to the end (Mt 13:43).
主耶穌在闡述這兩個寓言時說：
“有耳朵聽的人，讓他聽！” （比照，太 13：9，可 4：9，加 8：8）。
他講了這句話一次，然後解釋了撒種者的寓言，
在解釋了稗子的寓言之後，又說了第二次。
這句話很重要，有兩個原因。
第一，
“有耳朵的人”揭示了誰是這些寓言的目標對象：
所有人都有耳朵，所以這兩個寓言，不論在任何時候，都與每個人都息息相關。
他們明確指出，如果有人希望得到救贖的恩典並進入永生，
他必須根據這些寓言的教導改變思想和行為。
他不僅需要聽從這些話語的指示，並且將其付諸實踐（太 13:23），
他必須忍受到底（太 13:43）。
Second, “let him hear” signifies that the Lord Jesus wants us to constantly examine ourselves
to see whether we are receiving the teachings of heaven with a sincere and truthful heart (Lk 8:15).
It also tells us that we should endure and bear fruit.
At the same time, we must also examine whether our present state of faith makes us wheat or tare.
We must constantly rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to cleanse
and purify ourselves through the word of the Lord in order to remain (or become) wheat.
其次，“讓他聽到”表示主耶穌要我們不斷地檢查自己
看看我們是否正以誠懇誠實的心，接受天國的教導（路 8:15）。
它還告訴我們，我們應該忍耐到底，直到取得成果。
同時，我們還必須檢查，我們目前的信仰狀況，是否使我們變成麥粒或稗子。
我們必須不斷依靠聖靈的力量，
藉著主的聖言，來清洗潔出自已，讓自已保持（或變成）麥子。
The Church 教會
In totality, this set of parables provides a complete picture of
how the kingdom of heaven was established on earth.
It outlines the origin of the church, as well as her development over the history of humankind,
from sowing, to growing, to degradation, to revival, and to future salvation.
總體而言，這組比喻提供了完整信息
讓人知道天國是如何在地上建立的。
它概述了教堂的起源，以及她在人類歷史上是如何的發展，
從播種到生長，墮落，重新復興，再到未來的拯救。
TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE 二種人
The disciples came and said to [Jesus], “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but to them it has not been given.” (Mt 13:10–11)
門徒來對耶穌說：“你為什麼用寓言對他們說話？”
祂回答他們說：“因為已經賜給你們了解天國的奧秘，
但是還沒有給他們。” （太13：10-11）
Through the parables, the Lord Jesus divided the people around Him into two categories:
those who understood and those who did not. This was an important division, because Jesus said:
通過比喻，主耶穌將他周圍的人分為兩類：
那些了解和不了解的人。
這是一個重要的分歧，因為耶穌說：
“For whoever has, to him more will be given and he will have abundance;
but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see,
and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
And in them, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled.” (Mt 13:12–14a)
“凡有的人，將賜給他更多，他將有很多；
但沒有的人，即使他擁有的，也會從他身上奪走。
因此，我用寓言對他們說話，因為看到他們看不到，
聽到了他們聽不懂的情況。
在他們的身上，以賽亞的預言應驗了。” （太13：12-14a）
It is not that the Lord typecasts people as those who understand and those who never will.
A good shepherd knows His sheep (Jn 10:14),
and, in turn, His sheep will know His voice and follow Him (Jn 10:27).
Some may not understand initially, but can grow to understand by being willing to search with a humble heart.
What is most important is a person’s heart when he receives God’s word.
As long as one is willing to open his heart,
and “has the heart” to seek and follow the Lord, he will become “he who has,”
and will understand the mysteries spoken by the Lord.
並非是主，將人們塑造為，是可以理解的人，以及永遠聽不懂的人。
一個好的牧羊人知道他的羊（約 10:14），
然而反過來，他的綿羊就會知道他的聲音並跟隨他（約 10:27)。
有些人起初可能不了解，但可以通過樂意謙卑的心，來進行研究了解。
最重要的是一個人的心，在他得到神的話語之後的反應。
只要有人願意敞開內心，
並“有心”尋求並跟隨主，他將成為“擁有真心的人”
就會理解主所說的奧秘。
Before His arrest, the Lord Jesus prayed for the disciples. He said:
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You;
that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (Jn 17:20–21)
主耶穌被抓之前，他為門徒禱告，說：
20我不但為這些人祈求，也為那些因他們的話信我的人祈求，
21使他們都合而為一。正如你父在我裡面，我在你裡面，使他們也在我們裡面，叫世人可以信你差了我來。
(約 17：20-21)
Those who understood in Jesus’ time (“these,” in the above verse) were the disciples,
and “those who will believe in [the Lord] through their word” refer to those
who will subsequently believe based on the teachings of the disciples.
They will become one in the truth and one in the Lord,
making up the true church in the spirit.
那些在耶穌時代（上節中的“這些”）理解的人是門徒，
和“那些會通過他們的話相信[主]的人”指的是那些
他們隨後將基於門徒的教導而相信。
他們將在真理中合而為一，在主裡合而為一，
在靈裡組成真教會。
The Lord Jesus said, “[A]ssuredly, I say to you that many prophets
and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Mt 13:17).
Indeed, those prophets and righteous men who lived during the Old Testament era feared and served God all their life.
But they did not see God manifested in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16)
or nailed on the tree to redeem sinners from the curse of the law (Gal 3:13).
They did not see Jesus Christ—God incarnate—redeem men through His blood (Eph 1:7),
or the church that was established on earth as a result.
Through the church, He bestowed salvation grace, to overcome the authority of the gates of Hades (Mt 16:18).
All these were mysteries hidden in God, which is why the ancient saints neither saw
nor heard what was witnessed by the disciples.
耶穌說，
17我實在告訴你們，從前有許多先知和義人要看你們所看的，卻沒有看見，要聽你們所聽的，卻沒有聽見。
(太 13：17)
確實，那些生活在舊約時代的先知和義人，終生敬畏神，一生服事神。
但是他們沒有看到神在肉身顯現（提前 3：16）
或釘在十字架上，以將罪人從法律的詛咒中救出來（加 3:13）。
他們沒有看到耶穌基督-神道成肉身-通過祂的寶血救贖人類（弗 1：7），
或是看到後來因此而建立的教會。
通過教會，他賜下救贖的恩典，以打門地獄城門的權柄（太 16:18）。
所有這些都是隱藏在神裡的奧秘，這就是為什麼古代聖人都沒有看到
也沒有聽到門徒們目睹的一切。
THE SIGN OF JONAH 約拿的神蹟
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign,
and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish,
so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Mt 12:38–40)
38當時，有幾個文士和法利賽人對耶穌說：夫子，我們願意你顯個神蹟給我們看。
39耶穌回答說：一個邪惡淫亂的世代求看神蹟，除了先知約拿的神蹟以外，再沒有神蹟給他們看。
40約拿三日三夜在大魚肚腹中，人子也要這樣三日三夜在地裡頭。
(太 12：38-40)
Just before Jesus spoke of the parables, the scribes and Pharisees asked Him to give them a sign.
The sign that Jesus would give them was the sign of Jonah,
who spent three days in the belly of the great fish—
signifying that the Lord Jesus Himself would die for the sins of the world,
be buried, and resurrect on the third day.
This is the only sign that the Lord would give to an “evil and adulterous generation”
because He was willing to save sinners.
Without this sign, humankind would be without hope.
Later the same day, Jesus spoke these parables to illustrate the mysteries of the kingdom of God,
revealing the effects of that sign.
Through His church, bought by His blood (Acts 20:28),
He brings humankind from the world of darkness into the glorious kingdom.
在耶穌講比喻之前，文士和法利賽人求他給他們一個神蹟。
耶穌會給他們的神蹟是約拿的神蹟，
在大魚的腹部呆了三天-
表示主耶穌自己將為世界的罪而死，
被埋葬，並在第三天復活。
這是主會給“邪惡和姦奸世代”的唯一神蹟
因為他願意拯救罪人。
沒有這個神蹟，人類將沒有希望。
當天晚些時候，耶穌講了這些比喻，來說明神國的奧秘，
揭示那個神蹟的影響。
通過他的教會，被他的寶血贖回（徒 20:28），
他將人類從黑暗的世界帶入了光榮的國度。
The Lord once told Paul “to open their eyes,
in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18).
All who believe in Jesus, and are washed and sanctified (1 Cor 6:11), will receive the everlasting inheritance.
Cleansed, they become God’s blameless children in this crooked and perverse generation, shining as lights in the world.
神曾經告訴保羅“要打開他們的眼睛，
為了使他們從黑暗變成光明，從撒但的力量轉向神，
以使他們可以在因信我而成聖的人中間得到赦免和繼承”（ 徒 26：18）。
凡信靠耶穌，被洗淨聖潔的人（林前 6:11），將得到永遠的繼承。
他們經過清洗後，在這個彎曲而邪惡的世代中，成為神的毫無瑕疵的兒女，在世界上像燈火一樣發光。
CONCLUSION 結論
Jesus’ parables in Matthew 13 highlight several important blessings that we, His believers, receive.
First,
we are indeed greatly blessed because we now know the great mystery that had been hidden since creation,
and was not even known by the ancient saints.
Second,
this mystery pertains to the universality of the grace of salvation,
which our Lord Jesus accomplished through His death; it is freely offered to us.
We, as Gentiles—the wild olive shoots—can now be grafted onto
and made part of God’s household through His grace and our faith (Rom 11:17).
Third,
the Lord does not discriminate against us if we do not initially understand His word.
If we seek and thirst for Him with a sincere heart,
we will find Him.
Finally,
the sign of Jonah—Jesus’ death and resurrection—
reminds us not to take these blessings for granted.
Instead, we should persevere in our faith and strive to freely share the grace that we have freely received.
耶穌在馬太福音13章中的寓言，強調我們信徒們所獲得的幾項重要祝福。
首先，
我們確實受到了極大的祝福，因為我們現在知道，自創建以來隱藏的偉大奧秘，
古代聖徒甚至都不知道。
第二，
這個奧秘與救恩的普遍性有關，
我們的主耶穌通過他的死而完成； 我們白白得到救恩。
我們，作為外邦人（野生橄欖芽），現在通過他的恩典和我們的信心，
可以像樹枝嫁接，並成為神的家庭的一份子（羅 11:17）。
第三，
如果我們最初不了解神的話，祂並不會歧視我們。
如果我們以真誠的心尋求和渴望祂，我們會找到他。
最後，
約拿的神蹟-耶穌的死與復活-
提醒我們不要將這些祝福視為理所當然。
相反，我們應該堅持自己的信仰，努力自由分享，我們白白領受的恩典。
[1] The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.
ESVR Text Edition: 2016.
Copyright c 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
[1]聖經，英文標準版。
ESVR 版本：2016.
Crossway Bibles 版權所有 2001年，
好消息出版社的出版事奉。
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