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Ezekiel Kabanata 15
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orihinal na Ingles
Ezekiel has again and again, in God's name, foretold the utter ruin of Jerusalem; but, it should seem, he finds it hard to reconcile himself to it, and to acquiesce in the will of God in this severe dispensation; and therefore God takes various methods to satisfy him not only that it shall be so, but that there is no remedy: it must be so; it is fit that it should be so. Here, in this short chapter, he shows him (probably with design that he should tell the people) that it was as requisite Jerusalem should be destroyed as that the dead and withered branches of a vine should be cut off and thrown into the fire. I. The similitude is very elegant (Eze 15:1-5), but, II. The explanation of the similitude is very dreadful, Eze 15:6-8.
1-8
Jerusalem a Condemned Vine (593 BC)
繁體中文
耶路撒冷如同被定罪的葡萄樹（主前593年）
¹ 耶和華的話臨到我說: ² 人子啊,葡萄樹比別樹有甚麼長處呢?葡萄枝比眾樹的枝子有甚麼強處呢? ³ 可以從其上取木料作甚麼工嗎?可以取其上作釘子掛甚麼器皿嗎? ⁴ 看哪,已經拋在火中當作柴燒;火既燒了兩頭,中間也被燒了,還有益處嗎? ⁵ 完好的時候尚且不合乎作甚麼工,何況火燒壞了,還能合乎甚麼工嗎? ⁶ 所以主耶和華如此說:眾樹中的葡萄樹,我怎樣使它作柴燒在火中,我也必照樣待耶路撒冷的居民。 ⁷ 我必向他們變臉;他們雖從火中出來,火卻要燒滅他們;我向他們變臉的時候,你們就知道我是耶和華。 ⁸ 我必使地土荒涼,因為他們行了悖逆的事。這是主耶和華說的。
我們可以推想,先知當時正思想耶路撒冷是何等榮耀的一座城,勝過世上任何城市;它是全地的喜樂和冠冕;它若被毀,實在令人惋惜;它是一座宏偉的建築,是神的城,是以色列嚴肅會的城。然而,這些若是他心中的想法,神在此以耶路撒冷比作葡萄樹來回答他。1. 不錯,葡萄樹若結果子,確是極有價值的樹,沒有任何樹比得上;它是那些被請去作眾樹之王的樹之一,它的果子能悅神和人(士九12–13);它能使心喜樂(詩一○四15)。照樣,耶路撒冷曾栽種上等的葡萄樹,全是純正的種子(耶二21);若它結出與聖城身分相稱的果子,就必成為神和以色列雙方的榮耀。它是神右手所栽的葡萄樹,是出於乾地的枝子,雖然出身卑微可鄙,神卻為自己使它堅固(詩八十15),要成為祂的讚美和名號。2. 然而,它若不結果子,就毫無用處,是世上最無價值、最無用的產物,如同荊棘和蒺藜一般:葡萄樹算得甚麼? 若不顧果子、單論這樹本身,它比別樹有甚麼長處,竟配得人如此費心照料、花費如此代價?葡萄枝縱然伸展得比眾樹的枝子還廣——那些森林中的樹枝無人理會、任其生長——又有甚麼了不起?或如某些譯本所譯的,葡萄樹若像森林中的樹,它的枝子比別樹有甚麼強處呢? 就是說,它若不結果子——森林中的樹木既被定意作木材而非果樹,就很少結果子。有些果樹即使不結果子,仍然有用,因為它的木材可以派上用場;但葡萄樹卻不是這樣:它若不能盡果樹的本分,作為木材就一文不值。請注意,
一、這比喻在此如何表達。那在森林樹木中的野葡萄,或說空葡萄(以色列被比作這等葡萄——何十1),所結的果子不比森林中的樹木多,它就毫無用處;它和荊棘一樣無用,甚至更糟,因為荊棘還能給荊棘籬笆增添些鋒利,而葡萄枝卻不能。他指出:1. 它毫無用處。它的木料不能拿來作甚麼工;人甚至不能拿它作一根釘子掛甚麼器皿(結十五3)。請看自然界的恩賜為服事人而有多樣化的分配。在植物中,有的根、有的種子或果實、有的葉子、有的莖最為有用;照樣在樹木中,有的堅固但不結果,如橡樹和香柏樹;有的柔弱卻結果纍纍,如葡萄樹——其貌不揚、低矮、依附而生,卻大有用途。拉結秀美卻不生育,利亞容貌平平卻多產。2. 因此它被拿來當柴燒;可用來燒爐子。因為它不合乎作甚麼工,就被拋在火中(結十五4)。當它別無用處時,在這方面仍有用,能達到很必要的目的;因為柴是我們必需的東西,而把對其他工作有用的東西拿來當柴燒,是壞的管家之道。這樣浪費有甚麼意義呢? 不結果的葡萄樹,和被棄絕、結局就是焚燒的荊棘蒺藜一樣被處置(來六8)。那時誰還顧惜它呢?若一塊堅實的木材被點燃,也許有人會把它從火中搶出來,如同抽出來的火柴,說:「可惜燒了它,因為它還可作別的用處;」但葡萄枝若著了火,照常情況兩頭和中間一起燒起來,沒有人去設法救它。完好的時候尚且不合乎作甚麼工,何況火燒壞了(結十五5);連它的灰燼也不值得保留。
二、這比喻如何應用在耶路撒冷身上。1. 那聖城已經變成無益、毫無用處。它曾如同葡萄園中眾樹中的葡萄樹,結出義的果子歸榮耀給神。當信仰在那裡興旺、純正的敬拜得以維持時,從其中曾收聚了許多歡樂的果子;在它繼續如此的日子裡,神在它周圍圈上籬笆;它是祂喜悅的栽子(賽五7);祂時刻澆灌它、晝夜看守它(賽二七3);但如今它已成了異樣葡萄樹的敗壞枝子,成了野葡萄(如我們在王下四39所讀到的),野葡萄樹中的葡萄樹(賽五4),不僅毫無用處,而且令人作嘔、有害無益(申三二32),他們的葡萄是苦毒的葡萄,他們的掛穗是苦的。 這在(結十五8)有所解釋:「他們行了悖逆的事」,就是他們背信棄義地對神反覆無常,不忠地背道離棄祂;原文正是此意。請注意,口稱信仰的人若不照著所信的活,反而與所信的相違背,若他們退步、偏離信仰,就是世上最無用的受造之物,如同失了味的鹽,從此以後毫無用處(可九50)。別國因勇武或謀略聞名,有的因戰事,有的因貿易,並保持了自己的聲望;但猶太民族以聖潔的國民聞名,當他們失去了聖潔、變為邪惡之後,就毫無用處了;他們就此失去了一切的聲望和用處,成為世上最卑賤、最可鄙的國民,被外邦人踐踏在腳下。但以理和其他敬虔的猶太人在他們的世代大有用途;但拜偶像的猶太人在當時,以及福音傳開之後不信的猶太人如今,一直都是、並且仍舊毫無普遍的用處,不適合作甚麼工。2. 既是這樣,它就被交給火當柴燒(結十五6)。請注意,那些不結果子使神恩典得榮耀的人,必作祂烈怒之火的燃料;這樣,他們若不將榮耀歸給祂,祂就要在自己身上得榮耀;在焚燒不悔改之罪人、將其永遠消滅的烈火中,這榮耀必光輝燦爛。祂至終不因任何受造之物受虧損。耶和華所造的,各為其用,就是惡人,雖然不願為祂所用,也為禍患的日子而造(箴十六4);在那些不願以本分所歸的神之身分榮耀祂的人身上,祂必以報應所歸的神之身分得榮耀。神烈怒之火此前已經燒了猶太民族的兩頭(結十五4),就是撒瑪利亞和猶大諸城;如今耶路撒冷,就是中間,也被扔在火中,要一同被燒掉,因為它不合乎作甚麼工;無論神採取甚麼方法,它都不受感動去事奉祂。耶路撒冷的居民如同腐朽而粗劣的葡萄枝;因此(結十五7),「我必向他們變臉」,要挫敗他們一切計謀,正如他們向神變臉,要抵擋祂的話、破壞祂一切計劃。事已定規;毀滅已經判定:我必使那地完全荒涼*;因此,當他們從一個火中出來,另一個火卻要燒滅他們(結十五7);一個刑罰的終結就是另一個的開始,他們逃過一個不過是等到下一個來到的緩刑;他們要從本國的苦難轉到巴比倫的苦難。那些躲過刀劍的人死於饑荒或瘟疫。當迦勒底軍隊一次進攻結束,他們以為死亡的苦味已經過去,不久他們又以雙倍的猛烈捲土重來,直到將他們完全滅盡。這樣,他們就知道我是耶和華,是全能的神,當我向他們變臉的時候。 請注意,神藉著徹底毀滅祂不悔改的仇敵,正如藉著拯救祂順服的百姓一樣,顯明自己是耶和華。那些神向他們變臉的人,雖然從一個患難中出來時幾乎無傷,卻要落入另一個患難;雖然從坑中出來,卻被網羅捉住(賽二四18);雖然逃脫了哈薛的刀,卻要死於耶戶的刀(王上十九17);因為禍患追趕罪人。不但如此,他們雖然從今世刑罰的火中出來,似乎平安離世,卻有一團永遠的火要燒滅他們;因為神施行審判,遲早必得勝,祂也必藉著所行的審判被人認識。見太三10、約十五6。
orihinal na Ingles
Jerusalem a Condemned Vine (593 BC)
¹ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
² Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
³ Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
⁴ Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?
⁵ Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
⁶ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
⁷ And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.
⁸ And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.
The prophet, we may suppose, was thinking what a glorious city Jerusalem was, above any city in the world; it was the crown and joy of the whole earth; and therefore what a pity it was that it should be destroyed; it was a noble structure, the city of God, and the city of Israel's solemnities. But, if these were the thoughts of his heart, God here returns an answer to them by comparing Jerusalem to a vine. 1. It is true, if a vine be fruitful, it is a most valuable tree, none more so; it was one of those that were courted to have dominion over the trees, and the fruit of it is such as cheers God and man (Jdg 9:12,13); it makes glad the heart, Ps 104:15. So Jerusalem was planted a choice and noble vine, wholly a right seed (Jer 2:21); and, if it had brought forth fruit suitable to its character as a holy city, it would have been the glory both of God and Israel. It was a vine which God's right hand had planted, a branch out of a dry ground, which, though its original was mean and despicable, God had made strong for himself (Ps 80:15), to be to him for a name and for a praise. 2. But, if it be not fruitful, it is good for nothing, it is as worthless and useless a production of the earth as even thorns and briers are: What is the vine-tree, if you take the tree by itself, without consideration of the fruit? What is it more than any tree, that it should have so much care taken of it and so much cost laid out upon it? What is a branch of the vine, though it spread more than a branch which is among the trees of the forest, where it grows neglected and exposed? Or, as some read it, What is the vine more than any tree if the branch of it be as the trees of the forest; that is, if it bear no fruit, as forest-trees seldom do, being designed for timber-trees, not fruit-trees? Now there are some fruit-trees which, if they do not bear, are nevertheless of good use, as the wood of them may be made to turn to a good account; but the vine is not of this sort: if that do not answer its end as a fruit-tree, it is worth nothing as a timber-tree. Observe,
I. How this similitude is expressed here. The wild vine, that is among the trees of the forest, or the empty vine (which Israel is compared to, Heb 10:1), that bears no more fruit than a forest-tree, is good for nothing; it is as useless as a brier, and more so, for that will add some sharpness to the thorny hedge, which the vine-branch will not do. He shows, 1. That it is fit for no use. The wood of it is not taken to do any work; one cannot so much as make a pin of it to hand a vessel upon, Eze 15:3. See how variously the gifts of nature are dispensed for the service of man. Among the plants, the roots of some, the seeds or fruits of others, the leaves of others, and of some the stalks, are most serviceable to us; so, among trees, some are strong and not fruitful, as the oaks and cedars; others are weak but very fruitful, as the vine, which is unsightly, low, and depending, yet of great use. Rachel is comely but barren, Leah homely but fruitful. 2. That therefore it is made use of for fuel; it will serve to heat the oven with. Because it is not meet for any work, it is cast into the fire, Eze 15:4. When it is good for nothing else it is useful this way, and answers a very needful intention, for fuel is a thing we must have, and to burn any thing for fuel which is good for other work is bad husbandry. To what purpose is this waste? The unfruitful vine is disposed of in the same way with the briers and thorns, which are rejected, and whose end is to be burnt, Heb 6:8. And what care is taken of it then? If a piece of solid timber be kindled, somebody perhaps may snatch it as a brand out of the burning, and say, "It is a pity to burn it, for it may be put to some better use;" but if the branch of a vine be on fire, and, as usual, both the ends of it and the middle be kindled together, nobody goes about to save it. When it was whole it was meet for no work, much less when the fire has devoured it (Eze 15:5); even the ashes of it are not worth saving.
II. How this similitude is applied to Jerusalem. 1. That holy city had become unprofitable and good for nothing. It had been as the vine-tree among the trees of the vineyard, abounding in the fruits of righteousness to the glory of God. When religion flourished there, and the pure worship of God was kept up, many a joyful vintage was then gathered in from it; and, while it continued so, God made a hedge about it; it was his pleasant plant (Isa 5:7); he watered it every moment and kept it night and day (Isa 27:3); but it had now become the degenerate plant of a strange vine, of a wild vine (such as we read of 2Ki 4:39), a vine-tree among the trees of the wild grapes (Isa 5:4), which are not only of no use, but are nauseous and noxious (De 32:32), their grapes are grapes of gall, and their clusters are bitter. It is explained (Eze 15:8): "They have trespassed a trespass, that is, they have treacherously prevaricated with God and perfidiously apostatized from him;" for so the word signifies. Note, Professors of religion, if they do not live up to their profession, but contradict it, if they degenerate and depart from it, are the most unprofitable creatures in the world, like the salt that has lost its savour and is thenceforth good for nothing, Mk 9:50. Other nations were famed for valour or politics, some for war, others for trade, and retained their credit; but the Jewish nation, being famous as a holy people, when they lost their holiness, and became wicked, were thenceforth good for nothing; with that they lost all their credit and usefulness, and became the most base and despicable people under the sun, trodden under foot of the Gentiles. Daniel, and other pious Jews, were of great use in their generation; but the idolatrous Jews then, and the unbelieving Jews now since the preaching of the gospel, have been, and are, of no common service, not fit for any work. 2. Being so, it is given to the fire for fuel, Eze 15:6. Note, Those who are not fruitful to the glory of God's grace will be fuel to the fire of his wrath; and thus, if they give not honour to him, he will get himself honour upon them, honour that will shine brightly in that flaming fire by which impenitent sinners will be for ever consumed. He will not be a loser at last by any of his creatures. The Lord has made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked, that would not otherwise be for him, for the day of evil (Pr 16:4); and in those who would not glorify him as the God to whom duty belongs he will be glorified as the God to whom vengeance belongs. The fire of God's wrath had before devoured both the ends of the Jewish nation (Eze 15:4), Samaria and the cities of Judah; and now Jerusalem, that was the midst of it, was thrown into the fire, to be burnt too, for it is meet for no work; it will not be wrought upon, by any of the methods God has taken, to be serviceable to him. The inhabitants of Jerusalem were like a vine-branch, rotten and awkward; and therefore (Eze 15:7), "I will set my face against them, to thwart all their counsels," as they set their faces against God, to contradict his word and defeat all his designs. It is decreed; the consumption is determined: I will make the land quite desolate, and therefore, when they go out from one fire, another fire shall devour them (Eze 15:7); the end of one judgment shall be the beginning of another, and their escape from one only a reprieve till another comes; they shall go from misery in their own country to misery in Babylon. Those who kept out of the way of the sword perished by famine or pestilence. When one descent of the Chaldean forces upon them was over, and they thought, Surely the bitterness of death is past, yet soon after they returned again with double violence, till they had made a full end. Thus they shall know that I am the Lord, a God of almighty power, when I set my face against them. Note, God shows himself to be the Lord, by perfecting the destruction of his implacable enemies as well as the deliverances of his obedient people. Those whom God sets his face, though they may come out of one trouble little hurt, will fall into another; though they come out of the pit, they will be taken in the snare (Isa 24:18); though they escape the sword of Hazael, they will fall by that of Jehu (1Ki 19:17); for evil pursues sinners. Nay, though they go out from the fire of temporal judgments, and seem to die in peace, yet there is an everlasting fire that will devour them; for, when God judges, first or last he will overcome, and he will be known by the judgments which he executes. See Mt 3:10, Joh 15:6.
以西結奉神的名已屢次預言耶路撒冷必徹底傾覆；然而他似乎難以接受，難以順服神在這嚴厲施政中的旨意；因此神用各樣方法使他滿足，不僅讓他知道事必如此，更讓他看見別無他途：必須如此，也理當如此。在這短短的一章裏，神讓他看見（大概是有意要他去告訴百姓）：耶路撒冷之被毀，與那枯死葡萄樹枝被砍下丟入火中一樣，是理所當然的。一、這比喻十分貼切（結 15:1-5），但二、這比喻的解釋卻十分可怕，結 15:6-8。