第01章 山边宝训
§1
第01章山边宝训
§2
Chap. 1 - On the Mountainside
§3
当耶稣降生于伯利恒之前一千四百多年，以色列民曾聚集在示剑美丽的山谷中，听见祭司的声音，从两边山上宣布祝福和咒诅的话说：“你们若听从耶和华你们上帝的诫命，……就必蒙福；你们若不听从，……就必受祸。”（申ll:27-28）因此，那宣布祝福的山就被称为福山。但是给这充满罪孽和忧愁的世界祝福的言词，并不是在基利心山上宣布的。原来以色列民并未达到那摆在他们面前的崇高理想。除了约书亚之外，必须另有一位来引导他的子民进入信心上的真安息。因此那被称为福山的，就不再是基利心山，而是那座耶稣向门徒和群众宣布祝福词的革尼撒勒湖边的无名小山了。[1]
§4
More than fourteen centuries before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the children of Israel gathered in the fair vale of Shechem, and from the mountains on either side the voices of the priests were heard proclaiming the blessings and the curses--a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God: . . . and a curse, if ye will not obey. Deuteronomy 11:27, 28. And thus the mountain from which the words of benediction were spoken came to be known as the mount of blessing. But it was not upon Gerizim that the words were spoken which have come as a benediction to a sinning and sorrowing world. Israel fell short of the high ideal which had been set before her. Another than Joshua must guide His people to the true rest of faith. No longer is Gerizim known as the mount of the Beatitudes, but that unnamed mountain beside the Lake of Gennesaret, where Jesus spoke the words of blessing to His disciples and the multitude. {MB 1.1 }[1]
§5
但愿我们在想象中追忆当时的情景，并且像和门徒一同坐在山边，体味那充满他们心中的思念与感想。如果我们明白耶稣向听众所讲之话的意义，就可能从其中发现簇新的生动印象和美丽，也可以使自己获得更深刻的教训。[2]
§6
Let us in imagination go back to that scene, and, as we sit with the disciples on the mountainside, enter into the thoughts and feelings that filled their hearts. Understanding what the words of Jesus meant to those who heard them, we may discern in them a new vividness and beauty, and may also gather for ourselves their deeper lessons. {MB 1.2 }[2]
§7
当救主开始他的传道服务时，一般人对于弥赛亚及其工作所有的观念，是使他们完全不配接待他的。真正敬虔的精神已丧失于遗传和繁文缛节之中；预言的解释，也都出自骄傲而贪爱世俗之心的指示。犹太人所仰望的那要来的一位，并不是拯救人脱离罪恶的救主，而是使万国降服于犹太人支派的狮子管辖下的大君。施洗约翰虽以古代先知刺透人心的能力呼召他们悔改，但终属徒然。他在约旦河边指明耶稣为除去世人罪孽的上帝的羔羊，也终归无效。上帝力图引导他们注意以赛亚所论救主受难的预言，但他们却不肯听。[3]
§8
When the Saviour began His ministry, the popular conception of the Messiah and His work was such as wholly unfitted the people to receive Him. The spiritof true devotion had been lost in tradition and ceremonialism, and the prophecies were interpreted at the dictate of proud, world-loving hearts. The Jews looked for the coming One, not as a Saviour from sin, but as a great prince who should bring all nations under the supremacy of the Lion of the tribe of Judah. In vain had John the Baptist, with the heart-searching power of the ancient prophets, called them to repentance. In vain had he, beside the Jordan, pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. God was seeking to direct their minds to Isaiahs prophecy of the suffering Saviour, but they would not hear. {MB 1.3 }[3]
§9
假如以色列的教师和领袖们肯归顺耶稣改变人心的恩典，他就要使他们成为他派驻在世人之间的使节。天国近了和悔改的恩召，首先是在犹大地方宣扬的。耶稣在将那班亵渎者从耶路撒冷圣殿赶出去的事上，就已宣布自己是弥赛亚——就是要清除心灵的罪污，而使他子民成为主之圣殿的那一位。可是犹太的领袖们却不肯虚己，接待那位从拿撒勒来的谦卑的师傅。在他第二次上耶路撒冷时，他在公会面前被控告，这些首领们仅因惧怕百姓，所以不敢下手除灭他。于是他就离开犹大地，前往加利利去开始他的传道工作。[4]
§10
Had the teachers and leaders in Israel yielded to His transforming grace, Jesus would have made them His ambassadors among men. In Judea first the coming of the kingdom had been proclaimed, and the call to repentance had been given. In the act of driving out the desecrators from the temple at Jerusalem, Jesus had announced Himself as the Messiah--the One who should cleanse the soul from the defilement of sin and make His people a holy temple unto the Lord. But the Jewish leaders would not humble themselves to receive the lowly Teacher from Nazareth. At His second visit to Jerusalem He was arraigned before the Sanhedrin, and fear of the people alone prevented these dignitaries from trying to take His life. Then it was that, leaving Judea, He entered upon His ministry in Galilee. {MB 2.1 }[4]
§11
他在这里工作了数月之后，才有登山施训之举。他在各处所宣讲“天国近了”的信息（太4:17），已博得了各阶层之人的注意，更煽起了他们奢望的火焰。这位新教师的名声已传到巴勒斯坦境界以外，并且不论一般祭司的态度如何，而普遍的意见都以为这可能就是那位盼望已久的拯救者。于是许许多多的人都蜂拥地跟随着耶稣，而众人的热望也越来越高了。[5]
§12
His work there had continued some months before the Sermon on the Mount was given. The message He had proclaimed throughout the land, The kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17), had arrested the attention of all classes, and had still further fanned the flame of their ambitious hopes. The fame of the new Teacher had spread beyond the limits of Palestine, and, notwithstanding the attitude of the hierarchy, the feeling was widespread that this might be the hoped-for Deliverer. Great multitudes thronged the steps of Jesus, and the popular enthusiasm ran high. {MB 2.2 }[5]
§13
时候到了。那些与基督关系最为亲密的门徒，将更加直接地参与祂的工作，使广大群众不致像没有牧人的羊群那样无人照顾。门徒当中有几位是从祂开始传道时就与祂在一起的。这十二个人几乎已成为耶稣家里的人。但是他们也受到了拉比教训的影响，和大家一样盼望一个属世的国度。他们不理解耶稣的行为。他们看到祂没有设法争取祭司和拉比的支持，来增强自己的势力，也没有做出什么事来确立自己作为地上君王的权威，就深感疑惑不安。为了使这班门徒能预备好接受耶稣升天后所要交给他们的神圣责任，虽然他们的信心迟钝，耶稣仍看出他们是可以经过培养和训练，来参加祂大工的。现在他们已与祂相处了很长的一段时间。对于祂使命的神圣性质，已有了一定的信心。百姓也已得到了有关祂大能的无可置疑的证据。现在时机已经成熟，可以宣布祂国度的原则，以帮助他们明白天国的真正性质了。
§14
The time had come for the disciples who had been most closely associated with Christ to unite more directly in His work, that these vast throngs might not be left uncared for, as sheep without a shepherd. Some of these disciples had joined themselves to Him at the beginning of His ministry, and nearly all the twelve had been associated together as members of the family of Jesus. Yet they also, misled by the teaching of the rabbis, shared the popular expectation of an earthly kingdom. They could not comprehend the movements of Jesus. Already they had been perplexed and troubled that He made no effort to strengthen His cause by securing the support of the priests and rabbis, that He did nothing to establish His authority as an earthly king. A great work was yet to be accomplished for these disciples before they would be prepared for the sacred trust that would be theirs when Jesus should ascend to heaven. Yet they had responded to the love of Christ, and, though slow of heart to believe, Jesus saw in them those whom He could train and discipline for His great work. And now that they had been long enough with Him to establish, in a measure, their faith in the divine character of His mission, and the people also had received evidence of His power which they could not question, the way was prepared for an avowal of the principles of His kingdom that would help them to comprehend its true nature. {MB 3.1 }[6]
§15
耶稣独自在靠近加利利海的山上，整夜为这班特选的人祈祷。黎明的时候，他召他们到他的跟前来，说着祈祷和训诫的话语，按手在他们的头上为他们祝福，将他们分别出来担任传福音的工作。然后他和他们同往海边，而在这清晨的时分，就已有许多人集合在那里了。[7]
§16
Alone upon a mountain near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus had spent all night in prayer for these chosen ones. At the dawn He called them to Him, and, with words of prayer and instruction, laid His hands upon their heads in benediction, setting them apart to the gospel work. Then He repaired with them to the seaside, where in the early morning a great multitude had already begun to assemble. {MB 4.1 }[7]
§17
除了那经常从加利利各城镇来的群众之外，还有许多从犹大，从耶路撤冷，从比利亚，以及从半属异教的低加波利，从犹大南部的以土买，以及从地中海边腓尼基的推罗和西顿来的人。他们因为“听见他所作的大事”，“都要听他讲道，又指望医治他们的病……因为有能力从他身上发出来，医好了他们。”（可3:8；路6:17-19）[8]
§18
Besides the usual crowd from the Galilean towns, there were great numbers from Judea, and from Jerusalem itself; from Perea, and from the half-heathen population of Decapolis; from Idumea, away to the south of Judea, and from Tyre and Sidon, the Phoenician cities on the shore of the Mediterranean. Hearing what great things He did, they came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases; and . . . power came forth from Him, and healed them all. Mark 3:8, R.V.; Luke 6:17-19, R.V. {MB 4.2 }[8]
§19
当时，因为海滩过于狭窄，容不下那许多站着渴欲听他讲论的人，耶稣就领他们回到山边去。到了一片可供这一大群人愉快聚集的平地，他便在草地上坐下，他的门徒和众人也随着他坐下了。[9]
§20
Then, as the narrow beach did not afford even standing room within reach of His voice for all who desired to hear Him, Jesus led the way back to the mountainside. Reaching a level space that afforded a pleasant gathering place for the vast assembly, He seated Himself upon the grass, and His disciples and the multitude followed His example. {MB 4.3 }[9]
§21
门徒们觉得有非同寻常之事行将出现，因此就紧靠着他们的夫子。从那天早晨所有的各项事件看来，他们确信那有关他们所痴心希望他即将设立国度的事，就要有所宣布了。群众都怀着期待的心情，而他们焦急的脸上也显露着深切关怀的神色。[10]
§22
With a feeling that something more than usual might be expected, the disciples had pressed about their Master. From the events of the morning they gathered assurance that some announcement was about to be made in regard to the kingdom which, as they fondly hoped, He was soon to establish. A feeling of expectancy pervaded the multitude also, and eager faces gave evidence of the deep interest. {MB 4.4 }[10]
§23
当他们坐在青葱的山坡上，等待那位神圣教师的训诲之时，他们的心里充满了未来荣耀的思想。在场的法利赛人和文士，都希望有一天他们可以管辖这班深恶痛绝的罗马人，享受世上大帝国的财富和荣华。贫穷的农人和渔夫则盼望听到保证，将他们简陋的茅舍，菲薄的饮食，劳碌的生活，和困乏的恐惧，转变成为富足的华厦和安逸的生活。他们也盼望基督要将那征服他们之人的华贵衣袍分给他们，以代替现在那件白昼当衣，黑夜作被的粗劣衣裳。[11]
§24
As they sat upon the green hillside, awaiting the words of the divine Teacher, their hearts were filled with thoughts of future glory. There were scribes and Pharisees who looked forward to the day when they should have dominion over the hated Romans and possess the riches and splendor of the worlds great empire. The poor peasants and fishermen hoped to hear the assurance that their wretched hovels, the scanty food, the life of toil, and fear of want, were to be exchanged for mansions of plenty and days of ease. In place of the one coarse garment which was their covering by day and their blanket at night, they hoped that Christ would give them the rich and costly robes of their conquerors. {MB 5.1 }[11]
§25
以色列不久将要以主所特选的身份在列国面前备受尊荣，耶路撒冷城将被高举而成为普世性国度的首都。这种高傲的希望激动了众人的心。[12]
§26
All hearts thrilled with the proud hope that Israel was soon to be honored before the nations as the chosen of the Lord, and Jerusalem exalted as the head of a universal kingdom. {MB 5.2 }[12]