1
Ro 4:1-25.
英文原文
Ro 4:1-25.
THE FOREGOING DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ILLUSTRATED FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT.
First: Abraham was justified by faith.
1-3. What shall we say then that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?--that is, (as the order in the original shows), "hath found, as pertaining to ('according to,' or 'through') the flesh"; meaning, "by all his natural efforts or legal obedience."
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2. 倘若亚伯拉罕是因行为称义，就有可夸的；只是在神面前并无可夸——"若行为是亚伯拉罕称义的根基，他就有可夸之处；但既然他根本确知自己在神面前毫无可夸，可见亚伯拉罕不可能因行为称义。"圣经的话也正是此意。
英文原文
2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God--"If works were the ground of Abraham's justification, he would have matter for boasting; but as it is perfectly certain that he hath none in the sight of God, it follows that Abraham could not have been justified by works." And to this agree the words of Scripture.
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3. 经上怎么说呢？亚伯拉罕信神，这——他的信心。
就算为他的义*——*
(创 15:6)。
罗马天主教解经家和阿民念派新教徒将此解释为：神悦纳了亚伯拉罕信的行动，以此代替完全的顺服。但这与使徒教训的全部精神和文字相悖。在这整段论证中，信心在称义之事上与行为正相对立——甚至
罗 4:4, 5
也是如此。因此，其意决不可能是：信的行动本身——这与其他任何受命的当尽之责一样是行为
(约 6:29; 约一 3:23)
——被算为亚伯拉罕一切顺服。其意显然是：亚伯拉罕信了那包含基督的应许
(创 12:3; 15:5，
等等)，
正如我们信基督自己；在这两种情形下，信心只不过是使我们得着那白白赐下之福气的器皿。
英文原文
3. For what saith the, Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it--his faith.
was counted to him for righteousness--
(Ge 15:6).
Romish expositors and Arminian Protestants make this to mean that God accepted Abraham's act of believing as a substitute for complete obedience. But this is at variance with the whole spirit and letter of the apostle's teaching. Throughout this whole argument, faith is set in direct opposition to works, in the matter of justification--and even in
Ro 4:4, 5.
The meaning, therefore, cannot possibly be that the mere act of believing--which is as much a work as any other piece of commanded duty
(Joh 6:29; 1Jo 3:23)
--was counted to Abraham for all obedience. The meaning plainly is that Abraham believed in the promises which embraced Christ
(Ge 12:3; 15:5,
&c.), as we believe in Christ Himself; and in both cases, faith is merely the instrument that puts us in possession of the blessing gratuitously bestowed.
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4, 5. 作工的得工价——如仆人赚工价一般。
不算恩典——不当作白白的恩惠。
乃是该得的——而是当作应得的。
英文原文
4, 5. Now to him that worketh--as a servant for wages.
is the reward not reckoned of grace--as a matter of favor.
but of debt--as a matter of right.
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5. 惟有不作工的——即对借"行"顺服之功而在神面前蒙悦纳已绝望，便不再尝试。
只信称罪人为义的神——即投奔那称那些只配被定罪之人为义者的怜悯。
他的信等等——(参见
罗 4:3)。
英文原文
5. But to him that worketh not--who, despairing of acceptance with God by "working" for it the work of obedience, does not attempt it.
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly--casts himself upon the mercy of Him that justifieth those who deserve only condemnation.
his faith, &c.--(See on
Ro 4:3).
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第二：大卫也论到同一称义之福。
6-8. 正如大卫称——"说"、"宣告"。
那在行为以外蒙神算为义的人是有福的——这人虽毫无善行，神却仍看他、待他为义。
英文原文
Second: David sings of the same justification.
6-8. David also describeth--"speaketh," "pronounceth."
the blessedness of the man unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works--whom, though void of all good works, He, nevertheless, regards and treats as righteous.
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7, 8. 说：得等等——
(诗 32:1, 2)。
大卫在此处明文的歌颂，只论"过犯蒙赦免、罪恶得遮盖、罪孽不算为有"；但因消极的福分必包含积极的福分，本段严格而言正切题。
英文原文
7, 8. Saying, Blessed, &c.--
(Ps 32:1, 2).
David here sings in express terms only of "transgression forgiven, sin covered, iniquity not imputed"; but as the negative blessing necessarily includes the positive, the passage is strictly in point.
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9-12. 如此看来，这福等等——即"不要说，这一切都是论及受割礼之人的，因此并不是神一般称义之法的证据；因亚伯拉罕的称义发生在他受割礼之前很久，所以不可能倚靠那仪式：不，'割礼的记号'是作为(称义之)义的'印记'(或凭据)赐给亚伯拉罕的，是他在受割礼之前就已经有的；为要使他在每一个时代都作为信徒之父——因信称义的榜样——作其最初的公开实例，使此后一切信而得永生之人，无论犹太人还是外邦人，都照他的样式被模造"。
英文原文
9-12. Cometh this blessedness then, &c.--that is, "Say not, All this is spoken of the circumcised, and is therefore no evidence of God's general way of justifying men; for Abraham's justification took place long before he was circumcised, and so could have no dependence upon that rite: nay, 'the sign of circumcision' was given to Abraham as 'a seal' (or token) of the (justifying) righteousness which he had before he was circumcised; in order that he might stand forth to every age as the parent believer--the model man of justification by faith--after whose type, as the first public example of it, all were to be moulded, whether Jew or Gentile, who should thereafter believe to life everlasting."
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13-15. 因为神等等——这只是前文论证的扩展，将刚才论割礼的话应用于律法。
应许亚伯拉罕和他后裔——或"地上万族都必因他得福"。
承受世界——"不是因"
，不是因律法——因对律法的顺服。
，乃是因信而得的义——因他对神圣应许单纯的信。
英文原文
13-15. For the promise, &c.--This is merely an enlargement of the foregoing reasoning, applying to the law what had just been said of circumcision.
that he should be the heir of the world--or, that "all the families of the earth should be blessed in him."
was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law--in virtue of obedience to the law.
but through the righteousness of faith--in virtue of his simple faith in the divine promises.
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14. 若是属乎律法的人才得为后嗣——若福气要靠遵守律法而赚取。
信就归于虚空——整套属神的方法便被颠覆。
英文原文
14. For if they which are of the law be heirs--If the blessing is to be earned by obedience to the law.
faith is made void--the whole divine method is subverted.
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15. 因为律法是惹动忿怒的——除了定罪和报应，律法对违犯者别无可给。
哪里没有律法，哪里就没有违犯——正是律法使违犯者在违犯的事上成为"违犯者"；二者不能缺一而存。
英文原文
15. Because the law worketh wrath--has nothing to give to those who break is but condemnation and vengeance.
for where there is no law, there is no transgression--It is just the law that makes transgression, in the case of those who break it; nor can the one exist without the other.
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16, 17. 所以等等——一段总括："如此，称义便因信，为要显明其纯然恩典的性质，并使一切跟随亚伯拉罕信心之踪迹去行的人——无论是否他的天然后裔——都能确知自己必如这位信心之父一样得称为义。"
英文原文
16, 17. Therefore, &c.--A general summary: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith--whether of his natural seed or no--may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer."
17
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17. 亚伯拉罕所信的，是那——
(创 17:5)。
引此为要为称亚伯拉罕为"我们众人的父"作辩护，当视为插入语。
那叫死人复活、使无变为有的神，——"在前"
，——"在……眼中"
在他面前——即"如此，亚伯拉罕在他所信的那位眼中，是我们众人的父，为要使一切人都确知，行他所行的，必被待为他所受的对待"。
。如经上所记：我已经立你作多国的父——我们所当效法之亚伯拉罕之信的性质与伟大，在此处被动人地描述。他所被要求相信之事超乎自然，故他的信必须紧贴于神那胜过生理无能、并使不存在之物进入存在的能力。但神既已应许，亚伯拉罕便不顾这些障碍信了祂。下文将进一步说明。
英文原文
17. As it is written, &c.--
(Ge 17:5).
This is quoted to justify his calling Abraham the "father of us all," and is to be viewed as a parenthesis.
before--that is, "in the reckoning of."
him whom he believed--that is, "Thus Abraham, in the reckoning of Him whom he believed, is the father of us all, in order that all may be assured, that doing as he did, they shall be treated as he was."
even God, quickeneth the dead--The nature and greatness of that faith of Abraham which we are to copy is here strikingly described. What he was required to believe being above nature, his faith had to fasten upon God's power to surmount physical incapacity, and call into being what did not then exist. But God having made the promise, Abraham believed Him in spite of those obstacles. This is still further illustrated in what follows.
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18-22. 他在无可指望的时候，因信仍有指望——当毫无希望之根据显现之时。
，就得以作多国的父——怀抱相信的期望。
，正如先前所说：你的后裔将要如此。——即"如同天上的星"，
创 15:5。
英文原文
18-22. Who against hope--when no ground for hope appeared.
believed in hope--that is, cherished the believing expectation.
that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be--that is, Such "as the stars of heaven,"
Ge 15:5.
19
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19. 他将近百岁的时候，虽然——毫不顾到那些生理上的障碍——无论在他自己或在撒拉身上——似乎使应验无望的。
想到自己的身体仿佛已死，撒拉生育已经绝了。
英文原文
19. he considered not, &c.--paid no attention to those physical obstacles, both in himself and in Sarah, which might seem to render the fulfilment hopeless.
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20. 并且仰望神的应许，总没有因不信——犹豫。
，反——因神能克服一切障碍以成就自己的话。
因信心得以坚固，将荣耀归给神
英文原文
20. He staggered--hesitated
not . . . but was strong in faith, giving glory to God--as able to make good His own word in spite of all obstacles.
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21. 且满心相信等——即亚伯拉罕的信心归与神的荣耀乃在于此：他坚信神有能力成就他的应许，没有任何艰难能动摇他。
英文原文
21. And being fully persuaded, &c.--that is, the glory which Abraham's faith gave to God consisted in this, that, firm in the persuasion of God's ability to fulfil his promise, no difficulties shook him.
22
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22. 所以这就算为等——"请众人都注意，这并不是因为亚伯拉罕身上有什么功劳可言，仅仅是因为他如此信了。"
英文原文
22. And therefore it was imputed, &c.--"Let all then take notice that this was not because of anything meritorious in Abraham, but merely because he so believed."
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23-25. 如此看来等——此处是关于亚伯拉罕这整段论证的应用：这些事被记录下来，并非仅作历史事实，而是作为神因信称义之法在一切时代的例证。
英文原文
23-25. Now, &c.--Here is the application of this whole argument about Abraham: These things were not recorded as mere historical facts, but as illustrations for all time of God's method of justification by faith.
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24. 也是为我们将来得算为义之人写的，就是我们这信神使我们的主耶稣从死里复活的人——即信那已经作成此事的神；正如亚伯拉罕信神将要兴起一个后裔，万国都要因他得福。
英文原文
24. to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead--in Him that hath done this, even as Abraham believed that God would raise up a seed in whom all nations should be blessed.
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25. 耶稣被交给人，是为——"因"
我们的过犯——即为要以他的血赎罪。
复活，是为——"因"，即为要
叫我们称义——他的复活既是神对他"借着自己献上为祭，除掉罪"的保证，也是他整个工作的冠冕，所以我们的称义理当与这荣耀的作为相连。
附注，（一）靠行为称义的教训，因其滋生自高自大，与一切真实宗教的基本原则相违
（Ro 4:2；
并参
Ro 3:21-26，
注释1）。（二）罪人称义之法在一切时代都是相同的，旧约对此事的见证与新约一致
（Ro 4:3
等，并参
Ro 3:27-31，
注释1）。（三）在称义之事上，信心与行为是相对而不可调和的，正如恩典与工价一样
（Ro 4:4, 5；
并参
Ro 11:6）。
神既"称罪人为义"，行为便不能在任何意义上、任何程度上作为称义的根据。同理，称义的首要条件（在自觉"不敬虔"的定罪之下）必定是对靠行为称义的绝望；其次便是"信那称罪人为义的神"——他有可称义的义可以赐下，并乐意赐给那些毫不配得的人，并照此接受。（四）教会的圣礼从来不是、也不适合用来向人赐予恩典或救恩之福。它们的正当作用是为已经存在的状态盖上神圣的印记，所以它们预设那状态，而非创造那状态
（Ro 4:8-12）。
割礼不过是给亚伯拉罕"印证"了他既已蒙神悦纳的状态，新约的圣礼也是如此。（五）亚伯拉罕既是"承受世界的"，万国都借他的后裔基督耶稣在他里面得福，并完全照着他信心的样式称义；照样，真宗教的传递和世界将来所要经历的一切救恩，至终都要追溯而归——带着惊奇、感恩和喜乐——到那晨光初现之时："我们祖宗亚伯拉罕在米所波大米，未住哈兰以前，荣耀的神向他显现"
Ac 7:2
（Ro 4:13）。
（六）没有什么比单纯信他的话更能使神得荣耀，尤其是当万事似乎都使他的话看似无法成就之时
（Ro 4:18-21）。
（七）圣经中一切信心的榜样被记录下来，都是为要在每一个相继的时代中生发并鼓励同样的信心
（Ro 4:23, 24；
并参
Ro 15:4）。
（八）在本论证中，称义不能被——如罗马天主教及其他错谬者所坚持的——理解为对人之品格的改变；因为除了将之与成圣混淆之外（成圣在本书信中有其适当的位置），若如此理解，本章整个论证——以及它几乎所有更重要的条文、用语和措辞——便都不合宜，只会引人误入歧途。毫无疑问，它专一地指对人之状态或对神关系的改变；用科学的语言说，这是一种客观的，而非主观的改变——从罪咎与定罪改为无罪释放与蒙悦纳。这便是开启整个论证之钥的最好证据：它能打开使徒在本书信中所赐那多室之锁的一切锁簧。
英文原文
25. Who was delivered for--"on account of."
our offences--that is, in order to expiate them by His blood.
and raised again for--"on account of," that is, in order to.
our justification--As His resurrection was the divine assurance that He had "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself," and the crowning of His whole work, our justification is fitly connected with that glorious act.
Note, (1) The doctrine of justification by works, as it generates self-exaltation, is contrary to the first principles of all true religion
(Ro 4:2;
and see on
Ro 3:21-26,
Note 1). (2) The way of a sinner's justification has been the same in all time, and the testimony of the Old Testament on this subject is one with that of the New
(Ro 4:3,
&c., and see on
Ro 3:27-31,
Note 1). (3) Faith and works, in the matter of justification, are opposite and irreconcilable, even as grace and debt
(Ro 4:4, 5;
and see on
Ro 11:6).
If God "justifies the ungodly," works cannot be, in any sense or to any degree, the ground of justification. For the same reason, the first requisite, in order to justification, must be (under the conviction that we are "ungodly") to despair of it by works; and the next, to "believe in Him that justifieth the ungodly"--that hath a justifying righteousness to bestow, and is ready to bestow it upon those who deserve none, and to embrace it accordingly. (4) The sacraments of the Church were never intended, and are not adapted, to confer grace, or the blessings of salvation, upon men. Their proper use is to set a divine seal upon a state already existing, and so, they presuppose, and do not create it
(Ro 4:8-12).
As circumcision merely "sealed" Abraham's already existing acceptance with God, so with the sacraments of the New Testament. (5) As Abraham is "the heir of the world," all nations being blessed in him, through his Seed Christ Jesus, and justified solely according to the pattern of his faith, so the transmission of the true religion and all the salvation which the world will ever experience shall yet be traced back with wonder, gratitude, and joy, to that morning dawn when "the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,"
Ac 7:2
(Ro 4:13).
(6) Nothing gives more glory to God than simple faith in His word, especially when all things seem to render the fulfilment of it hopeless
(Ro 4:18-21).
(7) All the Scripture examples of faith were recorded on purpose to beget and encourage the like faith in every succeeding age
(Ro 4:23, 24;
and compare
Ro 15:4).
(8) Justification, in this argument, cannot be taken--as Romanists and other errorists insist--to mean a change upon men's character; for besides that this is to confound it with Sanctification, which has its appropriate place in this Epistle, the whole argument of the present chapter--and nearly all its more important clauses, expressions, and words--would in that case be unsuitable, and fitted only to mislead. Beyond all doubt it means exclusively a change upon men's state or relation to God; or, in scientific language, it is an objective, not a subjective change--a change from guilt and condemnation to acquittal and acceptance. And the best evidence that this is the key to the whole argument is, that it opens all the wards of the many-chambered lock with which the apostle has enriched us in this Epistle.
罗 4:1-25.
前述因信称义之道从旧约得着例证
第一：亚伯拉罕是因信称义。
1-3. 如此说来，我们肉身的祖宗亚伯拉罕凭着肉体得了什么呢？——即(按原文次序所示)，"在('按着'或'借着')肉体方面得了什么"；意为"凭他一切天然的努力或律法的顺服"。