主啊,救我。因在天下人間，沒有賜下別的名，我可以靠得救。(使徒行傳 四 12)
Lord, save me, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which I must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
救贖
REDEMPTION
經文: 以賽亞書 四三 1~28
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43: 1 - 28
釋義 : 「救贖」(1,3,12~14) 和同義詞的重複出現, 標明這是本章的神學主題。 實在本章對救贖這個主題有頗詳細的講論:
Insight: “Redeem” and its synonyms (1, 3, 12-14) appear over and over again. It is an indication that this is the theological theme of this chapter. Indeed, this chapter gives a fairly thorough discourse regarding this topic:
●救贖者 — 第一節開門見山, 指出本章救贖這行動的主詞 (subject): 耶和華神是救主。
Redemption — Verse one goes straight to the point to spell out the subject of this operation of redemption: The Lord our God is the savior.
●救贖的原因
The Reason for Redemption —
- 耶和華「創造」和「造成」, 又提名召人(1),當然人是屬于神的。不願屬於自己的東西遭受損失而施救, 乃理所當然的事。
- The Lord “created” and “formed”, and also “called men by name” (1). Unquestionably, men belong to God. Not wanting something of His to suffer losses, it’s natural for God to save us.
- 神造人的目的是要得榮耀(7)。如果神創造的人失落, 神的榮耀也就消失。所以保護、愛顧自己的榮耀是神救贖人的另一個動機。
- God created men for His glory (7). If the men that God created are lost, God’s glory will vanish also. Therefore, God’s other motive for saving us is to protect and care for His glory.
- 愛 (3)。出埃及這個救贖預表就是最好的例證: 「耶和華專愛你們，揀選你們，並非因你們的人數多於別民，原來你們的人數在萬民中是最少的。只因耶和華愛你們，又因要守他向你們列祖所起的誓，就用大能的手領你們出來，從為奴之家救贖你們脫離埃及王法老的手。」(申七7~9)
- Love (3) - The symbolism of God bringing the Israelites out of Egypt is the best evidence: “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:7-9)
●救贖的方法 — 聖經告訴我們, 救贖必須付「贖價」: 生命「代替/替換」生命(3~4)。罪的救贖必須由義的生命代替不義的生命: 「因基督也曾一次為罪受苦，就是義的代替不義的，為要引我們到神面前。(彼前三18)
The Method of Salvation — The Bible tells us that redemption requires that a ransom be paid - a life “in return/in exchange” for another life (3-4). For the redemption of sin, a righteous life must be given in return for an unrighteous life: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
●救贖的目的 — 8~13節三次說明以色列人是神的「見證」。救贖的經歷讓世人認識耶和華是真神(9~10), 唯有祂是神(10~13)。同時也「述說我的美德」(21)。
The Goal of Redemption — Verse 8 – 13 says three times that the Israelites are God’s “witnesses”. The experience of redemption allows us to know the Lord is the true God (9-10) and only He is God (10-13). It also enables us to “declare my praise” as well (21)
●救贖的結果 — 以賽亞告訴以色列人, 他們遭遇政治壓迫, 「成為咒詛、辱罵」(28), 是因為他們犯罪(罪的字詞在24~27節共有6次)。 對症下藥, 神施行的救贖就是「塗抹、不記念」(25)罪惡。
The Result of Redemption — Isaiah tells the Israelites that the political oppression they suffer which led them to “utter destruction” and “reviling” (28) was because of their sins (the word ‘sins’ and its different forms appear a total of six times in verse 24-27). Getting to the heart of the problem, God’s way of redemption is to “blot out” and “not remember” (25) the sins.
一個人清晨在鄉間漫步，不慎掉進地洞爬不出來，大聲呼救。一個地理學家路過，他對洞的人說：「這個地洞因風化形成。你的不幸屬自然災禍。」說完便離開。
A man accidentally fell into a hole while strolling in the countryside early in the morning. Unable to get out, he yelled for help. A geographer walked by, and he said to the man in the hole, ‘This sinkhole is formed as a result of weathering. A natural disaster has led to your misfortune.’ The geographer left immediately after the assessment.
接來了一個物理學家，他探頭對洞的人說：「是地心吸力令你掉下去；你下墮時釋放的能量，是你的『質量』乘以『洞的深度』再乘『重力常數』。」物理學家很滿意自己的講解，高高興興地走了。
Then came a physicist. He peered down the hole and said to the man inside, ‘It is gravity that caused you to fall down. The energy released when you fall is equal to your “mass” multiplied by “the depth of the hole” and then multiplied by the “gravitational constant”.’ Pleased with his explanation, the physicist left cheerfully.
等了半天，歷史學家經過，他瞄一瞄道：「之前已有多人掉進這個洞，為甚麼人類不能從歷史中吸取教訓？」
Half a day later, a historian passed by. After a brief glance, he commented, ‘There have been many people fallen down this hole before. Why can’t mankind learn from history?’
下午，一個社會學家對朋友說：「那人掉進地洞多時，卻無人營救，可見現代人愈來愈自私。」朋友不同意，認為古代人也自私，人並沒有「愈來愈」自私。他們邊走邊爭論。
In the afternoon, a sociologist said to his friend, ‘That person has fallen into the hole for quite some time, yet no one came to his rescue. It’s proof that modern people are getting more selfish.’ His friend disagreed, indicating that ancient people were selfish too, and that people were not becoming ‘more and more’ selfish. The debate continued as they went their way.
太陽下了山。地洞的人正感絕望，一個目不識丁的農夫走過，二話不說，以強壯的手臂把那人拉上來。
At this time, the sun has sunk behind the mountains. Just when the man was losing hope, an illiterate farmer walked by. Without saying a word, the farmer pulled the man out with his strong arm.
今天世界需要的不是救贖的神學, 而是救贖者。耶穌吩咐門徒做得人漁夫, 你怎樣才會成為上面故事的農夫?
What the world needs today is not the theology of salvation but a savior. Jesus asks His disciples to fish for people. How can you become the farmer in the story above?
每日讀經 by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung
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