11. Manna issue 63 - Top to Bottom and Bottom to Top 由上到下，從下往上
Samuel Kuo—Canoga Park, California, USA 美國加州卡諾加公園
In the summer of 2006, I visited the Vatican Museums.
About an hour in, as I was walking through all the magnificent rooms and admiring the fine art,
I was pleasantly surprised to step into the Raphael Rooms.
When I beheld Raphael’s The School of Athens, chills literally went through my body.
It was magnificent.
Not only was the fresco beautiful,
there was a mental satisfaction in recognizing it
and remembering how my Art History professor expounded on the Renaissance ideals encompassed within.
Soon my eyes gravitated to the two central figures located near the vanishing point:
Plato was the one pointing up; Aristotle was the one pointing below.
2006 年夏天，我參觀了梵蒂岡博物館。
大約花了一個小時，當我走過所有華麗的房間，且欣賞精美的藝術時，
走進了拉斐爾之間時，我感到很驚喜。
當我看到拉斐爾的《雅典學院》時，我的身體真的感到一陣寒顫。
真的太偉大了。
不只壁畫很美，
光是認出它來它，就會帶來精神上的滿足，
並想起了藝術史教授如何闡述其中所包含的文藝復興理想。
很快我的目光就受到吸引，看到位於消失點附近的兩個中心人物：
柏拉圖是指著上方的人；亞里斯多德就是指著下方的人。
According to popular theory,
Raphael specifically painted these giants of western philosophy with these gestures
to symbolize and distinguish their contrasting ideologies.
In many of his works,
Plato essentially questioned reality as perceived by the human senses.
To him, since the senses filter reality,
what is sensed is merely opinion.
Therefore, ultimate truth can only be obtained
if some being beyond our senses could tell us what truth really is.
This is why he is pointing up.
Plato’s approach to reality can be simplified as Top to Bottom.
根據一般接受的理論，
拉斐爾專門描繪這些西方哲學巨擘的手勢，
象徵並區分他們截然不同的意識形態。
在他許多的作品中，
柏拉圖本質上就質疑人類所感知的現實。
對他而言，因為感官會過濾真實，
感覺到的事物，只不過是意見。
因此，能夠得到最終真理的方法，
只有某些超出我們感官的事物，才可以告訴我們真理到底是什麼。
這就是祂向上指的原因。
柏拉圖對待現實的方法，可以簡化為由上而下。
Aristotle, on the other hand,
is often known as the father of science.
Although he was Plato’s student,
he thought that Plato had it completely wrong
—that our knowledge of reality can only be defined
by what is perceived by the senses and what is experienced.
To him, empirical knowledge is the only knowledge that can be trusted,
and as a result, constructs what we know as truth.
This is why he is pointing down.
His down-to-earth approach is the basis of and philosophy behind all modern science.
Aristotle’s approach to reality can be simplified as Bottom to Top.
另一方面，亞里斯多德,
通常被認為是科學之父。
雖然他是柏拉圖的學生，
他認為，柏拉圖的觀點完全錯誤，
—我們對現實的認知，
只能透過感官的查覺和體驗而定義。
對他而言，經驗產生的知識，是唯一可以信賴的知識，
結果就是，建構了我們所知的真理。
這就是為什麼他指向下方。
他由下而上的方法，是所有現代科學背後的基礎和哲學。
亞里斯多德看待現實的方法，可以簡化為由下而上。
Though idealism (Plato) and empiricism (Aristotle) are contradictory,
they constitute the two ways in which humans reason.
The first
—Top to Bottom
—is the basis for all deductive reasoning.
This is where we use a guiding principle and draw conclusions from it.
The second
—Bottom to Top
—is the basis for all inductive reasoning:
meaning, from experimentation,
we construct a higher principle and form a more general conclusion.
儘管唯心主義（柏拉圖）和經驗主義（亞里斯多德）是相互矛盾的，
它們建構了人類推理的兩種方式。
首先，
—由上而下，
—是所有演繹法推理的基礎。
這是我們用來作為指導原則，並從中得出結論的方式。
第二，
—由下而上，
—是所有歸納法推理的基礎：
意思是，從實驗來證明，
我們建構了更高的原則，並形成了更普及通用的結論。
Both approaches have their flaws.
In deductive reasoning, if the first principle is assumed incorrectly,
then the resulting conclusion will also likely be false.
Likewise, in inductive reasoning,
the result is intrinsically a guess at the truth based on observed cases.
Since it is impossible to test infinite cases or account for all possible variables,
the conclusion may not actually be true,
though it is one with high probability.
這兩種方法都有其缺陷。
在演繹推理中，如果第一種原理假設不正確，
那麼由此得出的結論也可能是錯誤的。
同樣，在歸納法推理中，
結果本質上是，根據觀察得到的許多案例，而對真理的一種猜測。
由於不可能測試無限的情況，或考慮到所有可能的變量，
結論實際上可能是不正確的，
儘管這是一種可能性很高的情況。
We see, then, that one approach cannot give us a complete picture of truth
—we are best served if we think in both directions:
top to bottom, and bottom to top.
One cannot and should not be emphasized over the other.
In fact, we should combine them.
那麼，我們知道，只有一種方法，是無法讓我們了解全面的真理，
—如果我們可以從兩個方向來思考，就會得到最好的結果：
從上到下，從下往上。
其中一方不能，也不應該只強調比另外一個更好。
事實上，我們應該把所有結合起來。
Human reason affects all aspects of life, including our spiritual life.
Therefore, combining these two approaches is critical for both truth-seekers and believers.
A premise that follows is:
Believe so that you can experience; experience so that you can believe.
Both are correct and we need to combine them.
If we only try one way, we will be like a person standing on one leg.
人類的理性會影響生活的各個層面，包括了我們的屬靈生命。
因此，結合兩種方法，對於慕道者和信徒來說都很重要。
接下來的前提是：
相信你才會有體驗； 體驗你才會相信。
兩者都是正確的，我們需要一起結合它們。
如果我們只嘗試一種方向，我們就會像一個單腳站立的人。
This applies to many areas of faith,
but let’s just look at a couple.
For example, how can truth-seekers accept the Bible as the message of God,
and not merely human copies of reproduced ancient Jewish stories?
It is usually best to simply encourage them in the same manner:
Believe so that you can experience;
experience so that you can believe.
In other words, we should encourage them to believe
so that they can receive the Holy Spirit.
Once they experience the Holy Spirit,
it would be easy for them to believe in God and His word.
Having believed in the Bible,
they can then go into the storehouse of God’s word to experience His promises daily.
This becomes a positive-reinforcing cycle of faith.
這適用於信仰的很多方面，
但我們就把他們當成是兩面一体來看待。
例如，慕道者如何接受聖經是神的信息，
而且不僅是複製古代猶太故事的人類手抄本呢？
通常最好以同樣的方式簡單地鼓勵他們：
相信你才能體驗；
有體驗你就會相信。
換句話說，我們應該鼓勵他們要相信，
這樣他們才能夠得到靈。
一旦他們體驗了聖靈，
他們就很容易相信神和祂的話語。
一旦相信聖經之後，
然後他們就可以進入神話語的寶庫，天天體驗神的應許。
這成為一個正向強化信仰的循環。
Similarly, this principle applies to established church members
since the Bible contains both of these approaches.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us,
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for he who comes to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
To complement, 1 John 1:1 tells us,
“That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,
which we have looked upon,
and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life.”
同樣的，這項原則也適用於教會的老信徒，
因為聖經包含了這兩方面的方法。
希伯來書 11 章 6 節，告訴我們，
“6人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅；
因為到神面前來的人必須信有神，
且信他賞賜那尋求他的人。”
作為補充，約翰壹書 1 章 1 節告訴我們，
“1論到從起初原有的生命之道，
就是我們所聽見、所看見、
親眼看過、
親手摸過的。”
The Hebrews and 1 John passages illustrate
how our faith in God is both top to bottom and bottom to top.
We need to come to God in faith to be rewarded by Him;
having seen, heard, and handled Him,
we are able to believe in the Word of life.
A healthy faith has both correct theology and experience.
希伯來書和約翰壹書的經文說明，
我們對神的信仰，是兩方從上到下和由下而上的。
我們需要憑著信心來到神面前，才能得到祂的獎賞；
看見、聽見、接觸祂，
我們能夠相信生命之道。
健康的信仰既有正確的神學，也有正確的體驗。
Emphasizing one without the other is to be avoided.
If theology is overemphasized,
what results is a cerebral faith, a lifeless faith,
with little or no servitude, and no Christian living.
It must be a correct theology nonetheless.
If seeking supernatural experiences and Christian living without doctrine is overemphasized,
what results is something like Quakerism or similar religious phenomena.
In the seventeenth century there are records of Quakers gathering at meeting houses
waiting in silence for the Spirit to move them.
If there was no inspiration by the Spirit,
the entire congregation would leave without speaking a word.
If supernatural experiences are emphasized without theology,
then people will gravitate to the latest spiritual craze.
應該避免只強調一方，而忽略另一面。
如果過度強調神學，
只會導致成為是一種理智的信仰，一種毫無生命的信仰，
若是具有很少或是沒有服事的心，也活不出基督徒的生活。
儘管如此，它必會是正確的神學。
若是過度強調追尋超自然的體驗和沒有教義的基督徒生活，
結果就會像是貴格會或類似的宗教現象。
十七世紀有貴格會在聚會所聚集的記錄，
安靜等候聖靈來感動他們。
如果沒有聖靈的默示，
全體會眾會一言不發而離開。
若是不強調神學，而強調超自然的體驗，
那麼人們就會被最近的靈性狂熱所吸引。
As a final illustration, in Orthodox Jewish liturgy,
the five books of Moses are read together with the five books within Psalms.
The reason falls along the same line of thinking:
God talks to us through the Torah,
whereby we receive the Law and instruction (top to bottom);
and we return to God through prayer by praying the Psalms (bottom to top).
That is essentially why Bible reading and prayer are equally important.
Emphasizing one without the other would result in a spiritual imbalance.
So let us neglect neither.
作為最後的例子，在正統猶太禮拜儀式中，
摩西五經會與詩篇的五書卷一起閱讀。
原因是有同一個思路：
神透過妥拉與我們交談，
因此我們領受法律和指示（從上到下）；
而我們透過以詩篇禱告的祈禱文（從下到上）來回到神的身邊。
這就是為什麼，讀聖經和禱告同樣重要的原因。
芽只強調其中一方而忽略另一方，將會導致屬靈上的不平衡。
因此，我們都不要忽視二者。
Undoubtedly, in our journey of faith,
there will always be more questions than answers.
However, in the True Jesus Church today,
this basic philosophical structure is something
we can use for evangelism, apologetics, and cultivating our own faith.
As a preacher once told me, our faith often goes through three stages:
a blind faith, a reasonable faith, and finally an unshakable faith.
When we reach the third stage,
we have already explored and experienced God Himself
under the framework of the basic biblical doctrines.
Through this unshakable faith,
questions that may have plagued us before
are quieted by a natural reverence for such a personable God,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
who dwells in us and continues to guide us.
Since we have believed in the living Word,
and experienced how He has fulfilled His promises,
we rest assured, for
“the secret things belong to the Lord our God,
but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever …”
(Deut 29:29).
毫無疑問，在我們信仰的路上，
時常會有問題且多於答案。
然而，在今日的真耶穌教會中，
這種基本的哲學結構是，
我們可以用它來佈道、教義辯證和培養自己的信心。
正如有一位傳道曾經告訴我，我們的信仰常常會經歷三個階段：
盲目的信仰，理性的信仰，及最後不可動搖的信心。
當我們達到第三階段的時候，
我們已經探索並體驗了神本身，
於基本聖經教導的架構下。
憑著這份不可動搖的信心，
那些以前可能困擾我們的問題，
就會因這一位美好真神，所產生自然的敬畏而得到答案，
我們的主耶穌基督，
祂住在我們裡面，並一直引導我們。
既然我們相信這永生的道，
並且體驗到祂，是如何實現自已的應許，
我們可以很放心，因為
“29隱祕的事是屬耶和華─我們神的；
惟有明顯的事是永遠屬我們和我們子孫的…”
（申 29：29）。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)