755 英翻中 (455) Christ Is the Head of the Church. 基督是教會的頭（1:18）. 6/5/2024

755 英翻中 (455)       Christ Is the Head of the Church.     基督是教會的頭（1:18）.               6/5/2024

3.  Christ Is the Head of the Church (1:18)                                                                                            3.  基督是教會的頭（1:18）. 

There are many images of the church in the New Testament, and the body is one of the most important (Rom. 12:4ff.; 1 Cor. 12:14; Eph. 4:8–16). No denomination or local assembly can claim to be “the body of Christ,” for that body is composed of all true believers.  When a person trusts Christ, he is immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit into this body (1 Cor. 12:12–13). The baptism of the Spirit is not a post-conversion experience—for it occurs the instant a person believes in Jesus Christ.                                                                                                                          在新約聖經中，記載著許多教會比喻的形像，而身體是最重要之一（羅     12：4 比照研讀;     林前     12:14; 弗     4：8-16）。沒有任何教會宗派或當地集會所可以聲稱是 “是基督的身體”，因為那身體是由真正的信徒所組成的。 當人相信基督時，他會立即受洗由聖靈進入他身體內住（林前     12：12-13）。聖靈的洗禮不是後來悔改再受洗的經驗，因為當人相信耶穌基督的瞬間，聖靈的洗禮就成了。

Each Christian is a member of this spiritual body, and Jesus Christ is the Head. In Greek usage, the word head meant “source” and “origin” as well as “leader, ruler.” Jesus Christ is the Source of the church, His body, and the Leader. Paul called Him “the beginning,” which tells us that Jesus Christ has priority in time as far as His church is concerned.                                                      每個基督徒都是這個屬靈身體的成員，耶穌基督是頭。在希臘語中，這個 “頭”字的意思是 “來源” 和 “源頭”，以及  “領導者， 統治者。”  耶穌基督是教會的源頭，祂的身體和領導者。保羅稱祂為  “首”，就耶穌基督對祂的教會而言，告訴我們耶穌基督在時間上具有優先位置。 

The term “beginning” can be translated “originator.”  No matter which name you select, it will affirm the preeminence of Jesus Christ in the church. The church had its origin in Him, and today it has its operation in Him. As the Head of the church, Jesus Christ supplies it with life through His Spirit. He gives gifts to men, and then places these gifted people in His church that they might serve Him where they are needed. Through His Word, Jesus Christ nourishes and cleanses the church (Eph. 5:25–30).                                                                                                     “開始(beginning)” 可譯成 “起源。”  無論你選擇哪個名稱，勢必都要確認耶穌基督在教會中的優越地位。教堂由祂起源，而現今在祂裡面運作。耶穌基督作為教會的頭，藉由祂的靈供給教會生命。祂賜禮物給人，然後把這些賜有天賦禮物的人，放在祂的教會裡，可以在需要他們的地方來事奉祂。教會藉著耶穌基督的話語，得著滋養和潔淨（弗  5：25-30）。

 No believer on earth is the head of the church. This position is reserved exclusively for Jesus Christ. Various religious leaders may have  founded churches or denominations, but only Jesus Christ is the Founder of the church that is His body. This church is composed of all true believers, and it was born at Pentecost. It was then that the Holy Spirit came and baptized the believers into one spiritual body.                                                                                                                                     世上信徒永遠不可能是教會的頭。它專為耶穌基督保留。不同的宗教領袖可能建立不同的教會宗派，但只有耶穌基督建立教會 --- 祂的身體。這個教會是由所有真正的信徒組合成，且誕生於五旬節。然後聖靈降臨，並為信徒施洗進入屬靈的一體。

The fact that there is “one body” in this world (Eph.4:4) does not eliminate or minimize the need for local bodies of believers. The fact that I belong to the universal church does not release me from my responsibilities to the local church. I cannot minister to the whole church, but I can strengthen and build the church by ministering to God’s people in a local assembly.                     世上教會是  “一體”  的事實（弗   4：4），這並沒有消除或減少當地信徒身體的存在。我雖屬於世上教會，並沒有減免我在當地教堂的事奉責任。雖然，不能服務所有的教會，但我能因在當地集會所侍奉上帝的子民，而使教會得到能力，並建造教會。

Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, and the Beginning of the church; and He is also the Firstborn from the dead. We saw this word firstborn in Colossians 1:15. Paul did not say that Jesus was the first person to be raised from the dead, for He was not. But He is the most important of all who have been raised from the dead; for without His resurrection, there could be no resurrection for others (1 Cor. 15:20ff.)                                                                                           耶穌基督是教會的頭，是教會的源始；祂也是首先從死裡復生的長子。我們在歌羅西書1章15節中，保羅沒有說，耶穌是第一個從死裡復活首生的，因為祂不是。但祂是從死復活中最重要的; 若沒有祂的復活，就不會有其他人的復活（林前   15 : 20  比照研讀）。

It seems odd that Paul used the word born in connection with death, for the two concepts seem opposed to each other. But the tomb was a womb from which Christ came forth in victory, for death could not hold Him (Acts 2:24). The Son was begotten in resurrection glory (Ps. 2:7; Acts 13:33).                                                                                                                                                       保羅使用生與死相連繫似乎很奇怪，因為這兩個概念似乎是彼此對立的。墳墓是子宮，藉以說明基督的得勝，死亡無法捆綁祂（徒  2:24）。上帝的獨生愛子在復活的榮耀裡而生（詩  2：7;  徒  13:33）。

This brings us to the theme of this entire section:  “That in all things he might have the  preeminen ce” (Col. 1:18). This was God’s purpose in making His Son the Savior, Creator, and Head of the church. The word translated “preeminence” is used nowhere else in the New Testament. It is related to the word translated “firstborn,” and it magnifies the unique position of Jesus Christ. “Christ is all, and in all” (Col. 3:11).                                                                               由此進入了整個段落的主題：“在一切事上,   耶穌基督都有優越的地位”（西     1:18）。上帝的目的，使得祂兒子成為救世主，造物主，和教會的頭。這譯為  “優越” 的單詞從未在新約其他地方記載過。它與翻譯的 “首生” 單詞有關，它把耶穌基督獨特的位置放大了。 “基督是萬有，住在萬有之內”（西     3:11）。

In 1893, the World’s Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago, and more than twenty-one million  people visited the exhibits. Among the features was a “World Parliament of Religions,” with   representatives of the world’s religions, meeting to share their “best points” and perhaps come up with a new religion for the world.                                                                                       1893年，世界哥倫比亞博覽會在芝加哥舉行，超過一千一百萬人來參觀。其中有一項是  “世界宗教議會”，世界各地的宗教團體的代表在一起開會，分享他們的  “最佳之處”，也許會為世界想出新的宗教信仰。

 Evangelist D. L. Moody saw this as a great opportunity for evangelism. He used churches, rented theaters, and even rented a circus tent (when the show was not on) to present the gospel of Jesus Christ. His friends wanted Moody to attack the “Parliament of Religions,” but he refused. “I am going to make Jesus Christ so attractive,” he said, “that men will turn to Him.” Moody knew that Jesus Christ was the preeminent Savior, not just one of many “religious leaders” of history. The “Chicago Campaign” of 1893 was probably the greatest evangelistic endeavor in D. L. Moody’s life, and thousands came to Christ.                                                                                                         宣教士慕迪(D. L. Moody) 認為這是一次絕佳傳福音的機會。他使用教堂，租劇院，甚至還租用馬戲團的帳篷（當馬戲未演出時）展示耶穌基督的福音。他的朋友希望慕迪攻擊  “宗教的議會”，但他拒絕。  他說，“我要使耶穌基督如此吸引人，使得人都轉向祂。”  慕迪知道耶穌基督是優越的救主，不僅僅是歷史上眾多 “宗教領袖”之一。 1893年的  “芝加哥宣教愽覽會” 大概是慕迪一生中最偉大的努力，使成千上萬的人來到基督面前。

But the false teachers of Colosse could never give Jesus Christ the place of preeminence, for, according to their philosophy, Jesus Christ was only one of many “emanations” from God. He was not the only way to God (John 14:6), rather, He was but one rung on the ladder! It has well been said, “If Jesus Christ is not Lord of all, He cannot be Lord at all.”                                           但是，歌羅西的假教師永遠不會給耶穌基督的優越位置，因為據他們的哲學，耶穌基督只是來自上帝的眾多“靈放射物”之一。 祂不是唯一去到上帝的道路（約      14：6），相反，祂只不過是眾多爬梯子道路之一！如此的說，“如果耶穌基督不是萬主之主，祂根本無法是主。”

 We have now studied three arguments for the preeminence of Jesus Christ: He is the Savior, He is the Creator, and He is the Head of the church. These arguments reveal His relationship with lost sinners, with the universe, and with believers. But what about His relationship with God the Father?                                                                                                                                                       我們研究了三個關於耶穌基督的優越位置的論點：祂是救世主，是創造主，是教會的頭。這些論點都揭示祂與失喪罪人，宇宙，以及與信徒的關係。那耶穌基督與父上帝的關係又是什麼？

He Is the Beloved of the Father (1:19–20). Paul had already called Jesus Christ “His [God’s] dear Son” (Col. 1:13). Those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior are “accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6).                                                                                                                                 耶穌基督是天父的愛子（西     1：19–20）.   保羅已經稱呼祂為  “上帝親愛的兒子”（西     1:13）.那些相信耶穌基督為救主，“是在上帝愛子裡被接納”（弗     1：6）。                  

For this reason, God can call us His beloved (Col. 3:12).  Then Paul took a giant step forward in his argument, for he declared that “all fullness” dwelt in Jesus Christ! The word translated “fullness” is the Greek word p``leroma (pronounced “play-RO-ma”). It was a technical term in the vocabulary of the gnostic false teachers. It meant “the sum total of all the divine power and attributes.” We have already noted that Paul used this important word eight times in the Colossian letter, so he was meeting the false teachers on their own ground.                                       因此，上帝可以稱我們為祂的所愛（西    3:12）。然後，保羅在論證上，邁出了一大步，因為他宣稱  “一切豐盛的”  在耶穌裡基督裡面居住！翻譯成  “豐盛” 是依據希臘詞“pleroma”（發音為“ play-ro-ma”）。 是諾斯底派假教師詞彙中的技術語句。意思是 “所有屬天能力和其附屬物的總和。”  注意到保羅已經在歌羅西書信中使用這個重要的單詞達八次之多，所以他可以與假教師面對面的討論。

The word dwell is equally important. It means much more than merely “to reside.” The form of the verb means “to be at home permanently.” The late Dr. Kenneth S. Wuest, noted Greek expert, pointed out in his excellent commentary on Colossians that the verb indicates that this fullness was “not something added to His Being that was not natural to Him, but that it was part of His essential Being as part of His very constitution, and that permanently” (Ephesians and Colossians in the Greek New Testament, [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans], 187).                                           “居所” 這詞同樣很重要。它的意思是不僅僅是“居住”。在這動詞的時制上是  “永遠居住在家裡”。 已故的著名希臘文專家肯尼 · 伍斯（Kenneth S.Wuest）博士，在他對歌羅西書的出色評論中解釋“豐盛”動詞意思是  “不能添加對耶穌基督的本性不自然的任何東西上去，因那已經是構成祂永久本性的基本一部分”（希臘版本的新約以弗所書和歌羅西書，[密西根州Grand Rapids城 [Eerdmans] 187）。

The Father would not permanently give His pleroma to some created being. The fact that it “pleased the Father” to have His fullness in Christ is proof that Jesus Christ is God. “And of his [Christ’s] fullness have all we received” (John 1:16). “For in him [Jesus Christ] dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9).                                                                                           父上帝永遠不會在祂創造出來的裡面，再添加豐盛。在基督裡居住上帝一切的豐盛 “使天父愉悅” 的事實，證明了耶穌基督是上帝。 “從祂 [基督的] 豐滿的恩典裡，我們都領受了”（約1:16）。 “因為上帝本性的一切的豐盛，都有形有體的居住在祂（耶穌基督）裡面”（西   2：9）。