833 英翻中 (533) We are to serve Christ, not men. 我們是侍奉基督, 而不是人. 27/08/2024
3. Christian Servants (6:5–8) 3. 基督徒僕人（6:5-8）
Paul admonished the servants to be obedient, with several good reasons. First, they were really serving Christ. True, they had “masters according to the flesh,” but their true Master was in heaven (Eph. 6:9). The fact that an employee and his employer are both Christians is no excuse for either one to do less work. Rather, it is a good reason to be more faithful to each other. The employee should show proper respect for employer, and not try to take advantage of him. He should devote his full attention and energy to the job at hand (“singleness of heart”). The best way to be a witness on the job is to do a good day’s work. The Christian worker will avoid “eye service”—working only when the boss is watching, or working extra hard when he is watching, to give the impression he is doing a very good job. 保羅有幾個很好的理由告誡僕人要服從主人。 首先，他們真的是在服侍基督。真實的他們有“世上的主人”，但他們真正的主人在天上（弗 6:9）。僱員和他的雇主都是基督徒，並不是藉口，可以為對方減少工作。相反，這是很好的理由使彼此更加忠誠的相處。僱員應該對雇主表現出適當的尊重，而不是試圖利用他。 應該將全部注意力和精力投入到目前的手頭工作上（“專注的”）。在工作中成為見證人的最佳方式是，做好自己當天的工作。基督徒工人應避免“只在人眼前才做”的虛偽， 不是只有老闆在的時候才工作，或者當他在看的時候加倍努力，給雇主好印象 --- 使他感覺雇工做的工作非常好。
The second reason is that doing a good job is the will of God. Christianity knows nothing of sacred and secular. A Christian can perform any good work as a ministry to Christ, to the glory of God. For this reason, the worker must do his job “from the heart,” since he is serving Christ and doing the will of God. There were tasks assigned to these slaves that they detested, but they were to perform them just the same, so long as they were not disobeying the will of God. “Singleness of heart” and “doing the will of God from the heart” both indicate the importance of a right heart attitude on the job. 第二個好理由是 --- 做好工作是上帝的旨意。基督教義對神聖和世俗一無所知。基督徒可以做任何善工，作為對事奉基督，為了榮耀上帝。出於這個原因，工人必須“發自內心”盡力的做好他的工作，因為他是在侍奉基督，並遵行上帝的旨意。分配給奴隸的工作若是他們所憎惡的，但只要不違背上帝的旨意，他們就都會去作。 “一心一意”和“發自內心地遵行上帝的旨意”都表明了在工作中正確的心態是重要的。
Paul’s third argument is that they will be rewarded by the Lord (Eph. 6:8). In that day, slaves were treated like pieces of property, no matter how well educated they might be. An educated, cultured slave who became a Christian might receive even harsher treatment from his master because of his faith, but harsh treatment was not to keep him from doing his best (1 Peter 2:18–25). We are to serve Christ, not men. We shall receive our rewards from Christ, not from men. …….. 保羅的第三個好理由是 --- 他們都會得到主的獎賞（弗 6:8）。無論奴隸受過怎樣的教育，在那時代，他們都當作財產看待。 受過教育、有教養的奴隸成為基督徒，可能會因為他的信仰，而從他的主人那裡得到更嚴厲的對待，但嚴厲的對待並不能阻止他對工作做到最好（彼前 2：18-25）。我們是侍奉基督，而不是侍奉人。 我們將從基督那裡得到獎賞，而不是從人那裡得到獎賞。 …………
4. Christian Masters (6:9) 4. 基督徒雇主 (6:9)
The Christian faith does not bring about harmony by erasing social or cultural distinctions. Servants are still servants when they trust Christ, and masters are still masters. Rather, the Christian faith brings harmony by working in the heart. Christ gives us a new motivation, not a new organization. Both servant and master are serving the Lord and seeking to please Him, and in this way they are able to work together to the glory of God. What are the responsibilities of a Christian master (or employer) to his workers? 基督信仰不可能通過消除社會或文化差異帶來和諧。僕人信靠基督時仍然是僕人，主人仍然是主人。相反，基督信仰通過在心中工作而帶來和諧。基督給了我們一個新的動力，而不是一個新的組織。僕人和主人都在事奉主，尋求討主喜悅，這樣他們才能一起工作，榮耀上帝。基督徒主人（或雇主）對他的工人有什麼責任？
He must seek their welfare. “Do the same things unto them.” If the employer expects the workers to do their best for him, he must do his best for them. The master must serve the Lord from his heart if he expects his servants to do the same. He must not exploit them. 雇主必須尋求他的雇工們的福利。“對他們做同樣的事情。”如果雇主希望工人為他盡力作工，他就必須為他們的福利盡力而為。如果主人希望他的僕人也這樣做，他就必須從心裡侍奉主。雇主不能剝削他們。
One of the greatest examples of this in the Bible is Boaz in the book of Ruth. He greeted his workers with “The Lord be with you.” And they replied, “The Lord bless thee” (Ruth 2:4). Boaz was sensitive to the needs of his workers and generous to the stranger, Ruth. His relationship with his workers was one of mutual respect and a desire to glorify the Lord. It is unfortunate when an employee says, “My boss is supposed to be a Christian, but you’d never know it!” 針對這第三條好理由，聖經中記載最偉大例子中的一件是，路得記中的波阿斯(Boaz)。波阿斯向他的工人打招呼，“願主與你們同在。”他們回答說，“願主賜福給你”（得 2：4）。波阿斯對他的工人的需要很敏感，對陌生人路得(Ruth)很慷慨。他與工人的關係是相互尊重，和榮耀主的願望。不幸的是，有一位工人說，“我的老闆看來好似基督徒，但你永遠不會知道！”
He must not threaten --- Roman masters had the power and lawful authority to kill a slave who was rebellious, though few of them did so. Slaves cost too much money to destroy them. Paul suggested that the Christian master has a better way to encourage obedience and service than threats of punishment. The negative power of fear could result in the worker doing less instead of more, and this kind of motivation could not be continued over a long period of time. Far better was the positive motivation of “that which is just and equal” (Col. 4:1). Let a man share the results of his labor and he will work better and harder. Even the Old Testament gives this same counsel: “Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor, but shalt fear thy God” (Lev. 25:43). 雇主絕對不可以威脅 --- 在羅馬政府時代，主人有權力和合法的殺死叛逆的奴隸，儘管很少人會這樣做。殺死奴隸花費太多的錢。保羅建議基督徒主人，用比懲罰，威脅更好的方法來鼓勵工人服從和工作。恐懼的負面力量可能會導致工人以做得更少來代替做得更多，這種動機是無法長期持續。 “公正平等”的正面動機要好得多（西 4:1）。讓人分享他的勞動成果，他會工作得更好，更努力。甚至舊約也記載了同樣的忠告：“不可嚴嚴的管轄他，只要敬畏你的上帝”（利 25:43）。
He must
be submitted to the Lord. “Your master also is in heaven” (Eph. 6:9). This is
practicing the lordship of Christ. The wife submits to her own husband “as unto
the Lord” (Eph.
Jesus
said the way to be a ruler is first to be a servant (Matt. 25:21). The person
who is not under authority has no right to exercise authority. This explains
why many of the great men of the Bible were first servants before God made them
rulers: Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, and Nehemiah are just a few examples.
Even after a man becomes a leader, he must still lead by serving. An African
proverb says, “The chief is servant of all.” “And whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant” (Matt.
A friend of mine was promoted to a place of executive leadership and, unfortunately, it went to his head. He enjoyed all of his executive privileges and more, and never lost an opportunity to remind his employees who was in charge. But he lost the respect of his workers, and production and efficiency went down so fast that the board had to replace him. Because my friend forgot that he had a “Master in heaven,” he failed to be a good “master on earth.” 我的朋友升為行政領導時，不幸的是讓他頭腦發熱。他享有所有行政特權以及更多特權，並且從未失去提醒負責的員工的機會。但他失去了工人的尊重，生產和效率下降得如此之快，以至於董事會不得不更換他。因為，我的朋友忘記了他有一個“天上的主人”，他沒有成為好的“地上的主人”。
He must
not play favorites. God is no respecter of persons. He will judge a master or a
servant if he sins, or He will reward a master or a servant if he obeys (Eph.
6:8). A Christian employer cannot take privileges with God simply because of
his position; nor should a Christian employer play favorites with those under
his authority. Paul warned Timothy to “observe these things without preferring
one before another, doing nothing by partiality” (1 Tim.
This closes the section we have called “Walk in Harmony.” If we are filled with the Holy Spirit and are joyful, thankful, and submissive, then we can enjoy harmony in the relationships of life as we live and work with other Christians. We will also find it easier to work with and witness to the unbelievers who may disagree with us. The fruit of the Spirit is love, and love is the greatest adhesive in the world! 現在可以關閉我們稱為“和諧相處”的這段信息。若我們被聖靈充滿並且喜樂、感恩和順服，那麼我們就可以在與其他基督徒一起生活，和工作時享受生活關係的和諧。我們也會發現與可能不同意我們意見的非信徒一起工作，並會更容易的向他們作見證。聖靈的果子就是愛，愛是世界上最大的粘合劑！
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