羅馬書11:25-32

 

11:25 弟兄們，我不願意你們不知道這奧祕（恐怕你們自以為聰明），就是以色列人有幾分是硬心的，等到外邦人的數目添滿了，
11:26 於是以色列全家都要得救。如經上所記：必有一位救主從錫安出來，要消除雅各家的一切罪惡；
11:27 又說：我除去他們罪的時候，這就是我與他們所立的約。
11:28 就著福音說，他們為你們的緣故是仇敵；就著揀選說，他們為列祖的緣故是蒙愛的。
11:29 因為上帝的恩賜和選召是沒有後悔的。
11:30 你們從前不順服上帝，如今因他們的不順服，你們倒蒙了憐恤。
11:31 這樣，他們也是不順服，叫他們因著施給你們的憐恤，現在也就蒙憐恤。
11:32 因為上帝將眾人都圈在不順服之中，特意要憐恤眾人。

 

²⁵ I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, ²⁶ and in this way^[e] all Israel will be saved. As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;
    he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
²⁷ And this is^[f] my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”^[g]

²⁸ As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, ²⁹ for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. ³⁰ Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now^[h] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. ³² For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

 

*************

 

    在前千禧年派有一個觀點和保羅這裡說到的吻合，就是終末時所有以色列人要歸信主耶穌，正如保羅這裡所論述：「以色列全家都要得救。」

 

    這也是提醒外邦信徒，不要忽略猶太人的信主，這是聖經殷切的教導！但是不是要基督徒猶太化，這就不是聖經的教導了，切記！

 

羅馬書11:11-24

 

11:11 我且說，他們失腳是要他們跌倒嗎？斷乎不是！反倒因他們的過失，救恩便臨到外邦人，要激動他們發憤。
11:12 若他們的過失為天下的富足，他們的缺乏為外邦人的富足，何況他們的豐滿呢？
11:13 我對你們外邦人說這話；因我是外邦人的使徒，所以敬重（原文是榮耀）我的職分，
11:14 或者可以激動我骨肉之親發憤，好救他們一些人。
11:15 若他們被丟棄，天下就得與上帝和好，他們被收納，豈不是死而復生嗎？
11:16 所獻的新麵若是聖潔，全團也就聖潔了；樹根若是聖潔，樹枝也就聖潔了。
11:17 若有幾根枝子被折下來，你這野橄欖得接在其中，一同得著橄欖根的肥汁，
11:18 你就不可向舊枝子誇口；若是誇口，當知道不是你托著根，乃是根托著你。
11:19 你若說，那枝子被折下來是特為叫我接上。
11:20 不錯！他們因為不信，所以被折下來；你因為信，所以立得住；你不可自高，反要懼怕。
11:21 上帝既不愛惜原來的枝子，也必不愛惜你。
11:22 可見，上帝的恩慈和嚴厲向那跌倒的人是嚴厲的，向你是有恩慈的，只要你長久在他的恩慈裡；不然，你也要被砍下來。
11:23 而且他們若不是長久不信，仍要被接上，因為上帝能夠把他們重新接上。
11:24 你是從那天生的野橄欖上砍下來的，尚且逆著性得接在好橄欖上，何況這本樹的枝子，要接在本樹上呢！

 

¹¹ Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. ¹² But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

¹³ I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry ¹⁴ in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ¹⁶ If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

¹⁷ If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, ¹⁸ do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ²⁰ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

²² Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. ²³ And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

 

*************

 

    在保羅的心中還是盼望猶太人的得救，雖然他們常常阻擾他傳福音，畢竟他們是保羅的同胞，更何況他們本是上帝的選民！

 

    保羅在此也用反諷的口吻對羅馬教會的外邦信徒說話，希望他們要善待猶太基督徒，雖然他們還是堅持守摩西律法，也不能輕看他們，要好好感謝猶太人，不然就沒有基督信仰了！

 

   可見保羅希望猶太人能信主，比我們盼望家人或同胞更是熱切呢！

 

羅馬書11:1-10

 

11:1 我且說，上帝棄絕了他的百姓嗎？斷乎沒有！因為我也是以色列人，亞伯拉罕的後裔，屬便雅憫支派的。
11:2 上帝並沒有棄絕他預先所知道的百姓。你們豈不曉得經上論到以利亞是怎麼說的呢？他在上帝面前怎樣控告以色列人說：
11:3 「主啊，他們殺了你的先知，拆了你的祭壇，只剩下我一個人；他們還要尋索我的命。」
11:4 上帝的回話是怎麼說的呢？他說：「我為自己留下七千人，是未曾向巴力屈膝的。」
11:5 如今也是這樣，照著揀選的恩典，還有所留的餘數。
11:6 既是出於恩典，就不在乎行為；不然，恩典就不是恩典了。
11:7 這是怎麼樣呢？以色列人所求的，他們沒有得著。惟有蒙揀選的人得著了；其餘的就成了頑梗不化的。
11:8 如經上所記：上帝給他們昏迷的心，眼睛不能看見，耳朵不能聽見，直到今日。
11:9 大衛也說：願他們的筵席變為網羅，變為機檻，變為絆腳石，作他們的報應。
11:10 願他們的眼睛昏矇，不得看見；願你時常彎下他們的腰。

 

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. ² God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”^[a]? ⁴ And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”⁵ So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. ⁶ And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

⁷ What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, ⁸ as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    eyes that could not see
    and ears that could not hear,
to this very day.”^[c]

⁹ And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
¹⁰ May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
    and their backs be bent forever.”

 

*************

 

    在聖經中有一個奇妙的觀點就是「餘民」，而保羅在這裡也強調餘民的觀念：「如今也是這樣，照著揀選的恩典，還有所留的餘數。」

 

    正如以利亞的時代，許多人拜巴力。於是他為主大發熱心，一人力拼四百多名巴力先知於迦密山上，雖然向以色列人見證耶和華是上帝！然而他仍向上帝感嘆：「主啊，他們殺了你的先知，拆了你的祭壇，只剩下我一個人；他們還要尋索我的命。」

 

    上帝的回話是怎麼說的呢？他說：「我為自己留下七千人，是未曾向巴力屈膝的。」

 

    也因為這樣，保羅知道有許多猶大人沒有信耶穌，還逼迫教會！但是他不害怕，他相信上帝有上帝奇妙的作為，上帝的應許必不會落空！

 

    我們也要如此信靠上帝！