第貳章、還原福音的猶太本質
第五節、神會對猶太人民滿足他的應許
E. GOD WILL FULFILL HIS PROMISES TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE
3. 神與猶太人斷絕關係論調的駁斥
不過有些神學並不承認仍然有就猶太民族本身而言的應許。其實,大多數取代神學的形式說,當猶太人民未能接受耶書亞為彌賽亞,他們被沒收舊約 (Old Covenant) 的一切祝福,並且留給作為人民的他們只有詛咒。我們已經表明過,取代神學是基於對以色列與教會之間關係的錯誤認知;[25] 但是因為取代神學的影響力甚大,我們會分析兩句被用來否認神對猶太人的的應許的新約經文,示範這些經文實際上反而證實神對猶太人的的應許。
Yet there are those whose theology does not admit that there remain promises to the Jewish nation as such. In fact, most forms of Replacement theology say that when the Jewish people failed to accept Yeshua as the Messiah, they forfeited all the blessings of the Old Covenant, and what remains to them as a people is only the curses. We have already indicated that Replacement theology is based on a wrong understanding of the relationship between Israel and the Church; [25] but because its influence is great, we will analyze two New Testament verses which it uses to deny God's promises to the Jewish people, demonstrating instead that these verses actually confirm them.
一、哥林多後書一章二十節
「對於一切神的應許不論有多少,在他裡面都會是『是』的」,亦即,在耶書亞裡。
取代神學理解為這句經文的意思為,一切在某種神秘意義上的舊約應許都已經在彌賽亞裡被滿足,以至於沒有留給猶太人的。然而這經文並非說明或意味著一切應許都已經被滿足,但每當神的應許被滿足,是藉由耶書亞或因著在耶書亞裡被滿足。他是藉由父神已經滿足的器皿,正在滿足並且將來會滿足任何他曾經對猶太人民作出的應許 ㄧ 包含他們會從流離歸回擁有並且生活在以色列地的應許,還有王國會被王位上的大衛之子還原的應許。神保證會滿足他對猶太人任何應許的文句 (text) 絕不能被轉為取消任何應許的藉口 (pretext)。
a. 2 Corinthians 1:20
"For all the promises of God find their Yes in him," that is, in Yeshua.
Replacement theology understands this to mean that all the Old Testament promises have in some mystical sense been fulfilled in the Messiah already, so that none remain for the Jews. But the verse does not say or mean that all the promises have been fulfilled already, but that whenever God's promises are fulfilled, they are fulfilled in, through or by Yeshua. He is the instrument through whom God the Father has fulfilled, is fulfilling and will fulfill every promise he has ever made to the Jewish people ㄧ including the promise that they will return from Exile to possess and live in the Land of Israel and the promise that the Kingdom will be restored, with the Son of David on the throne. A text which assures that God will fulfill every one of his promises to the Jews must not be turned into a pretext for canceling them.
二、馬太福音五章十七節
「別認為我來廢除律法與眾先知,我不是來廢除,而是來滿足。」
取代神學同樣地認為耶書亞在他第一次來的時候滿足了妥拉,以至於我們不用這樣做了(導致此結論的邏輯不得而知);而且他滿足一切舊約的預言,以至於,再一次,沒有留給猶太人的。
b. Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill."
Replacement theology likewise understands that Yeshua at his first coming fulfilled the Torah, so that we don't have to do so (the logic leading to this conclusion is unclear); and that he fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies, so that, once again, none remain for the Jews.
但是希臘文單字通常翻譯「滿足 (fulfill)」,pieroô,並不一定傳達此特定意義。更確切地說,這是一個非常普遍的單字,僅僅意味著「滿了」、「填滿」、「充分」,如灌滿杯子或填滿一個洞。這實際上的涵義在猶太新約譯本中的譯註應該是顯而易見的:「別認為我已來廢除妥拉或眾先知。我已來不是廢除而是完全」ㄧ 亦即,「充分」妥拉的涵義與先知所需的倫理訴求。其實,這段經文,如此理解的話,就表明了登山寶訓的整個主題 ㄧ 其中彌賽亞六次說道,「你們舊時已聽過」不完全的涵義或曲解,但我告訴你們完全的、充滿屬靈意義的理解與遵守。
But the greek word usually translated "fulfill," pieroô, does not necessarily convey this specific sense. Rather, it is a very common word which simply means "fill," "fill up," "make full," as in filling a cup or a hole. It should be evident that the actual meaning is as rendered in the Jewish New Testament: "Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete" ㄧ that is, "to make full" the meaning of what the Torah and the ethical demands of the Prophets require. In fact, this verse, so understood, states the theme of the entire Sermon on the Mount ㄧ in which six times the Messiah says, "You have heard of old time" the incomplete meaning or a distortion, but I say to you the complete, full spiritual sense to be understood and obeyed.
正如哥林多後書一章二十節,耶書亞滿足眾先知的預言;同樣地,他完美守住妥拉。不過這並非耶書亞於登山寶訓中所談論的。他會確實滿足每個關於他自己而未滿足的預言,並且也意味著父神必使他會滿足每個關於猶太人而還未滿足的預言。
As with 2 Corinthians 1:20, Yeshua does fulfill the predictions of the Prophets; likewise, he kept the Torah perfectly. But that is not what Yeshua is talking about here in the Sermon on the Mount. He will indeed fulfill every unfulfilled prophecy concerning himself, and he will also be the means by which God the Father will cause to be fulfilled every as yet unfulfilled prophecy concerning the Jews.
總而言之,希伯來聖經對猶太人的應許並非以「滿足於耶書亞裡」之名而被取消。更確切地說,神已經應許猶太人的尚未應驗,在耶書亞裡的滿足是增添了擔保。「因為神的賜與及呼召是不會撤回的。」[26]
To sum up, the Hebrew Bible's promises to the Jews are not cancelled in the name of being "fulfilled in Yeshua." Rather, fulfillment in Yeshua is an added assurance that what God has promised the Jews will yet come to pass. "For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." [26]
原書註解:
- [25] 關於取代神學,請見 B-1 節下文(譯註:請見『三種神學:聖約神學、時代論、「橄欖樹」』一文)與註腳1(譯註:原書註解 [1])。
- [26] 羅馬書 11:29。保羅在討論「所有以色列都會被拯救」(羅馬書 11:26)的應許時寫下這強烈的擔保字眼。但這對猶太人民至關重要的應許涵蓋在神向他們應許的全套希伯來聖經之中。