新约 - 使徒行传(Acts)第15章

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the LORD, and see how they do.
And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
使徒行传第十五章   第 15 章 

  第一届教会会议 

  徒 15:1> 犹太人的担心有理,不遵律法道德衰;保罗所说也不错,得救不得救不在乎守律法,你说谁对? 

  15:1 犹太基督徒的真正问题是外邦人是否需要遵守律法,守这些律法的标志就是行割礼。他们担心将来外邦信徒比犹太信徒更多,如果不遵守犹太律法,他们的道德标准就会下降。保罗、巴拿巴和其他教会领袖相信旧约律法是重要的,但并不是得救的先决条件。律法不能叫人得救,只有藉着信靠耶稣基督得到恩典才可以得救。 

  徒 15:1-21> 外邦人要遵守律法才得救?这引起很多问题,他们如何解决的呢?也许我们可学到一二…… 

  15:1-21 外邦人悔改为初期教会带来了一个急需解决的问题──外邦人是否须遵守摩西律法及其他犹太传统才能得救呢?有一群犹太基督徒坚持要遵守律法,和行割礼才能得救。外邦人则认为他们不必要成为犹太人才能成为基督徒。因此,保罗和巴拿巴便与教会领袖讨论这个问题。会议赞同保罗和巴拿巴的信念──遵守犹太律法、行割礼并不是得救的必要条件。安提阿和耶路撒冷教会解决争执的方法对我们很有帮助:( 1 )他们派代表去寻求解决方法;( 2 )与教会领袖会面,并定下日期继续商讨;( 3 )保罗和巴拿巴作报告;( 4 )雅各总结,并作出决定;( 5 )每个人都遵守这项决定;( 6 )写信给代表带回安提阿,报告这项决定。 

  这是处理教会内纷争的好办法。教会必须正视问题,听取各方面的论点,不可偏私,要由灵命成熟、能作出明智决定的领袖来进行讨论。并且决定一出,人人都当遵守。 

  徒 15:10> 律法既是人不能负的轭,不就可以废掉? 

  15:10 律法既然是犹太人不能负的轭,那么,在他们的历史中,律法又如何帮助他们呢?保罗说律法是一个指引,指出他们的罪,叫他们能悔改,回到神那里过公义的生活(参加 3:24-25 )。 

  徒 15:20-21> 文化差异,冲突必多,要想平衡,必会诸多要求别人遵守;但是信仰道上人所跟从的…… 

  15:20-21 雅各认为外邦信徒不必遵守割礼,但他们应该禁戒偶像、奸淫(拜偶像通常有这种行为)及吃勒死的牲畜和血(反映圣经有关血里有生命这个教训,参利 17:14 )。假如外邦信徒能禁戒不犯,他们便能得神喜悦,又能与犹太信徒融洽相处。当然,还有其他行为是不适合信徒的;不过犹太人最关心以上几点。这个和解方案使教会不会因为犹太人和外邦人之间的文化差异而妨碍到她的增长。当我们跨越文化和经济界限去分享福音时,必须明白我们所定的信仰要求是神的要求,而不是人的要求。 

  徒 15:22> 使徒不是大有权柄的吗?但他们顺服长老,真不明白…… 

  15:22 使徒不是教会的职位,而是根据特别的恩赐而设立的。长老是被委任带领和管理教会的。在这个会议上,使徒们顺服长老(耶稣的兄弟雅各)的决定。 

  徒 15:23-29> 言语温柔,安提阿人听得舒服;语气生硬,好事也变成──你道与人分享可怎样? 

  15:23-29 这封信回答了安提阿外邦基督徒的问题,给他们带来极大的喜乐( 15:31 )。这封措词中肯、充满安慰和爱的信提到圣灵的引导,解释要做些什么事,就如读者早已知道一样。假若我们不但谨慎学习信上的内容,而且学习如何表达,就会得益更多。我们说话的内容即使是正确的,也可能会因语气或态度而得罪了我们的听众。 

  徒 15:31> 本来会导致分裂的事情,反成了教会的祝福,关键是…… 

  15:31 有关行割礼的争论本来会使教会分裂,但保罗、巴拿巴和安提阿的犹太人作出了正确的决定──他们寻求教会领袖和神的话的引导。假如我们当中意见出现分歧,也应该用这样的方法来解决,寻求明智的引导,遵守所作出的决定。不要因意见不同而使你和其他信徒分裂,向第三方寻求帮助是解决困难、保持合一的好方法。 

  保罗第二次布道旅程 

  徒 15:36-39> 神通过保罗他们的争执而成就宣教工作;我们有争执时可以做什么? 

  15:36-39 保罗和巴拿巴因为马可而出现严重的意见分歧;保罗因为马可曾经离开( 13:13 ),所以不想带他一同上路。这次意见分歧引起这两位伟大的传道人分开,各自另组一队布道队,开辟了两项宣教工作。神甚至能通过争执和意见分歧来工作,后来,马可成为保罗的重要助手(参西 4:10 )。基督徒不是常常都意见一致,但问题可以通过彼此协商,各自保留不同意见以及让神的旨意做工来解决。 

  西拉 

  徒 15:40> 保罗拣选了一个不属自己教会的人一同上路,难道教会合一了吗? 

  15:40 西拉曾经参与在耶路撒冷举行的会议,也是被拣选代表耶路撒冷教会,把信件和决定带到安提阿的两个人之一( 15:22 )。保罗来自安提阿教会,他拣选了来自耶路撒冷教会的西拉一同上路,到许多城市去传扬福音,这次合作显出在耶路撒冷会议的决定后,教会合一的情形。──《灵修版圣经注释》