1602 英翻中 (腓力比書第3課) PIONEERS WANTED 需要先驅者 3/6/2026
LESSON Three PIONEERS WANTED Philippians 1:12–26
第三課 需要先驅者 腓立比書 1:12-26
More than anything else, Paul’s desire as a missionary was to preach the gospel in Rome. The hub of the great empire, Rome was the key city of its day. If Paul could conquer it for Christ, it would mean reaching millions with the message of salvation. It was critically important on Paul’s agenda, for he said, “After I have been there [Jerusalem], I must also see Rome” (Acts 19:21). From Corinth he wrote, “So, as much as in me is, I am ready [eager] to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also” (Rom. 1:15).
最重要的是，保羅作為傳教士的願望是想在羅馬傳福音。作為偉大帝國的中心，羅馬是當時的重要城市。如果保羅能為基督征服它，那就意味著將救恩的信息傳給數百萬人。這在保羅的議程上非常重要，因為他說：“我到了 [耶路撒冷] 之後，還必須去羅馬看看”（使徒行傳 19:21）。從哥林多教會，保羅寫道：“所以，在我心中始終如一，準備 [渴望] 向你們傳道之後，然後去羅馬傳福音”（羅馬書 1:15）。
Paul wanted to go to Rome as a preacher, but instead he went as a prisoner! He could have written a long letter about that experience alone. Instead, he summed it all up as “the things which happened unto me” (Phil. 1:12). The record of these things is given in Acts 21:17—28:31, and it begins with Paul’s illegal arrest in the temple in Jerusalem. The Jews thought he had desecrated their temple by bringing in Gentiles, and the Romans thought he was an Egyptian renegade who was on their “most-wanted” list. Paul became the focal point of both political and religious plotting and remained a prisoner in Caesarea for two years. When he finally appealed to Caesar (which was the privilege of every Roman citizen), he was sent to Rome. En route, the ship was wrecked! The account of that storm and Paul’s courage and faith is one of the most dramatic in the Bible (Acts 27). After three months of waiting on the Island of Malta, Paul finally embarked for Rome and the trial he had requested before Caesar.
保羅想以傳道人的身份去羅馬，結果卻以帶著鎖鏈的囚犯身份去！他本可以單獨寫封關於那次經歷的長信。相反，他將這一切概括為 “發生在我身上的事”（腓立比書 1:12）。這些事記載在使徒行傳 21章17節至28章31節中，從保羅在耶路撒冷聖殿被非法逮捕開始。猶太人認為他藉由帶外邦人進入他們的聖殿來褻瀆聖殿，而羅馬人則認為他是埃及叛徒，在他的名字在 “通緝犯” 名單上。保羅成為政治和宗教陰謀的焦點，並在該撒利亞被囚禁了兩年。當他最終向凱撒上訴時（因他有羅馬公民的特權），他遣送往羅馬。在途中，船失事了！對那場風暴的描述以及保羅的勇氣和信心是聖經中最具戲劇性的描述之一（使徒行傳 27章）。在馬耳他島上等待了三個月後，保羅終於啟程前往羅馬，接受他在凱撒面前要求的審判。
To many, all of this would have looked like failure, but not to this man with a “single mind,” concerned with sharing Christ and the gospel. Paul did not find his joy in ideal circumstances; he found his joy in winning others to Christ. And if his circumstances promoted the furtherance of the gospel, that was all that mattered! The word furtherance means “pioneer advance.” It is a Greek military term referring to the army engineers who go before the troops to open the way into new territory. Instead of finding himself confined as a prisoner, Paul discovered that his circumstances really opened up new areas of ministry.
對許多人來說，所有這一切都像是失敗，但對於這個有 “專一心志”，關心傳基督和祂釘十字架福音的人來說，這一切都不是失敗。保羅沒有在理想的環境中找到喜樂；他以贏得他人歸向基督，找到了他的喜樂。如果他的境遇“推進”了福音的傳播，那才是真的喜樂！ 推進的意思是 “開拓進取”。是希臘軍事術語，指的是在部隊之前開闢通往新領土道路的工程師部隊。保羅發現自己的處境並不像囚犯一樣被監禁，而是要他確實去開闢傳福音事工的新領域。
Everyone has heard of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the famous British preacher, but few know the story of his wife, Susannah. Early in their married life, Mrs. Spurgeon became an invalid. It looked as though her only ministry would be encouraging her husband and praying for his work. But God gave her a burden to share her husband’s books with pastors who were unable to purchase them. This burden soon led to the founding of the “Book Fund.” As a work of faith, the “Book Fund” provided thousands of pastors with tools for their work. All this was supervised by Mrs. Spurgeon from her home. It was a pioneer ministry.
主所重用的僕人英國著名牧師司布真 (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)，但很少有人知道他的妻子蘇珊娜 (Susannah) 的故事。在他們婚姻生活的早期，司布真夫人是殘疾人。看起來她唯一的事工就是，鼓勵她的丈夫並為他的事工祈禱。但是上帝給了她一個負擔，讓她與無法購買圖書的丈夫牧師分享。 該負擔很快導致了 “圖書基金” 的成立。作為信心的事工表現，“圖書基金” 為數以千計的牧師提供了他們工作的工具。 所有這一切都是由司布真夫人在家中監督的。是先驅事工。
God still wants His children to take the gospel into new areas. He wants us to be pioneers, and sometimes He arranges circumstances so that we can be nothing else but pioneers. In fact, that is how the gospel originally came to Philippi! Paul had tried to enter other territory, but God had repeatedly shut the door (Acts 16:6–10). Paul wanted to take the message eastward into Asia, but God directed him to take it westward into Europe. What a difference it would have history of mankind if Paul had been permitted to follow his plan!
上帝仍然希望祂的孩子將福音帶入新的領域。祂要我們做先驅者，有時祂會安排環境，使我們只能做先驅者。事實上，福音最初就是這樣來到腓立比的！保羅曾試圖進入其他領域，但上帝一再將門關上（使徒行傳 16：6-10）。保羅想把信息向東傳到亞洲，但祂指示保羅向西傳到歐洲。如果保羅被允許遵循他自己的企圖，人類歷史將會多麼大的改變！
God sometimes uses strange tools to help us pioneer the gospel. In Paul’s case, there were three tools that helped him take the gospel even into the elite Praetorian Guard, Caesar’s special troops. Paul’s chains (Phil. 1:12–14), his critics (Phil. 1:15–19), and his crisis (Phil. 1:20–26).
上帝有時會使用奇怪的工具來幫助我們開拓福音的事工。在保羅的例子中，有三種工具幫助他將福音帶入了羅馬凱撒的精英禁衛軍。保羅的鎖鏈（腓立比書 1:12-14），他的批評者（腓立比書 1:15-19）和他的危機（腓立比書 1:20-26）。
1. Paul’s Chains (1:12–14)
1. 保羅的鎖鏈（1:12-14）
The same God who used Moses’ rod, Gideon’s pitchers, and David’s sling, used Paul’s chains. Little did the Romans realize that the chains they affixed to his wrists would release Paul instead of bind him! Even as he wrote during a later imprisonment, “I suffer trouble, as an evildoer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound” (2 Tim. 2:9). He did not complain about his chains; instead he consecrated them to God and asked God to use them for the pioneer advance of the gospel. And God answered his prayers.
上帝使用摩西的杖，基甸的投手和大衛的拋石彈弓，祂也使用了保羅的鎖鏈。羅馬人幾乎沒有意識到，他們在保羅手腕上綑綁的鎖鏈會釋放他，而不是束縛他！正如他在後來的監禁中所寫書信那樣：“我受苦受難，作為惡人，甚至被捆綁；但上帝的話不受約束”（提後書 2:9）。他沒有抱怨他的鎖鏈；相反，他將它們奉獻給上帝，並要求上帝使用它們作推進福音的先驅。上帝回應了他的祈禱。
To begin with, these chains gave Paul contact with the lost. He was chained to a Roman soldier twenty-four hours a day! The shifts changed every six hours, which meant Paul could witness to at least four men each day! Imagine yourself as one of those soldiers, chained to a man who prayed “without ceasing,” who was constantly interviewing people about their spiritual condition, and who was repeatedly writing letters to Christians and churches throughout the empire! It was not long before some of these soldiers put their faith in Christ. Paul was able to get the gospel into the elite Praetorian Guard, something he could not have done had he been a free man.
首先，藉由鎖鏈使保羅能與失喪的罪人取得聯繫。 二十四小時都以鎖鍊將他與羅馬士兵綑綁在一起！每六個小時輪班一次，這意味著保羅每天至少可以向四個失喪的人作見證！試想自己就像那些士兵，與 “不停地” 為你祈禱，不斷地與你談有關屬靈的事，並常常寫信給整個帝國的基督徒和教會的保羅綑鎖的在一起！不久士兵中的一些都信了基督。若保羅是自由人，他就毫無門路，將福音傳給精英禁衛軍。
But the chains gave Paul contact with another group of people: the officials in Caesar’s court. He was in Rome as an official prisoner, and his case was an important one. The Roman government was going to determine the official status of this new “Christian” sect. Was it merely another sect of the Jews? Or was it something new and possibly dangerous? Imagine how pleased Paul must have been knowing that the court officials were forced to study the doctrines of the Christian faith!
但是鎖鏈使保羅能接觸到另一群人：凱撒宮廷的官員。保羅身為羅馬的正式囚犯，案子很重要。羅馬政府將決定，這個新的 “基督教” 教派的官方地位。它僅僅是猶太人的另一個教派嗎？ 或者它是新的，並且可能是有危險的信仰？想像一下，當保羅知道羅馬的法庭官員被迫學習基督信仰的教義，一定該是多麼喜樂！
Sometimes God has to put “chains” on His people to get them to accomplish a “pioneer advance” that could never happen any other way. Young mothers may feel chained to the home as they care for their children, but God can use those “chains” to reach people with the message of salvation. Susannah Wesley was the mother of nineteen children, before the days of laborsaving devices and disposable diapers! Out of that large family came John and Charles Wesley, whose combined ministries shook the British Isles. At six weeks of age, Fanny Crosby was blinded, but even as a youngster she determined not to be confined by the chains of darkness. In time, she became a mighty force for God through her hymns and gospel songs.
有時，上帝必須給祂的子民賜予 “鎖鏈”，讓他們完成用任何其他方法都無法實現的一項 “先驅性的前進”。 在照顧孩子的年輕的母親，可能會感到被綑綁在家裡，但上帝可以使用這些 “鎖鏈” 將救恩的信息傳達給人。在沒有出現一次性尿布之前，蘇珊娜衛斯理 (Susannah Wesley) 是 19 個孩子的母親！從這個大家庭中誕生了約翰和查爾斯衛斯理，他們聯合起來的事工震動了英國。芬妮·克羅斯比 (Fanny Crosby) 六周大的時候失明，但即使是如此年幼失明，她也決心不讓黑暗的鎖鏈控制她。隨著時間的推移，藉由她所撰寫的讚美詩和福音歌曲成為讚揚上帝的強大力量。
The secret is this: When you have the single mind, you look on your circumstances as God-given opportunities for the furtherance of the gospel, and you rejoice at what God is going to do instead of complaining about what God did not do.
秘訣在於：當你擁有專一心志的時候，你將自己的處境，視為上帝賜予傳播福音的機會，你會為上帝將要你去做的事感到喜樂，而不是抱怨上帝不讓你做。
Paul’s chains not only gave contact with the lost, but they also gave courage to the saved. Many of the believers in Rome took fresh courage when they saw Paul’s faith and determination (Phil. 1:14). They were “much more bold to speak the word without fear.” That word speak does not mean “preach.” Rather, it means “everyday conversation.” No doubt many of the Romans were discussing Paul’s case, because such legal matters were of primary concern to this nation of lawmakers. And the Christians in Rome who were sympathetic to Paul took advantage of this conversation to say a good word for Jesus Christ. Discouragement has a way of spreading, but so does encouragement! Because of Paul’s joyful attitude, the believers in Rome took fresh courage and witnessed boldly for Christ.
保羅的鎖鏈不僅讓他與失喪的人接觸，也讓得救的人有勇氣。羅馬的許多信徒看到保羅的信心和決心後，都鼓起了新的勇氣（腓立比 1:14）。他們 “更放膽地說話”的意思是沒有恐懼的講話。 這裡 “說話”的意思不是 “講道”。寧可說是 “日常對話”。毫無疑問，許多羅馬人都在討論保羅的案子，因為這法律問題是這立法者充滿的國家最關心的問題。同情保羅的羅馬基督徒利用這次談話為耶穌基督說好話。沮喪能很快的傳開，但鼓勵氣氛也是如此！ 因著保羅喜樂的心態，羅馬的信徒有著新的勇氣，能勇敢地站出來為基督作見證。
While recovering in the hospital from a serious auto accident, I received a letter from a total stranger who seemed to know just what to say to make my day brighter. In fact, I received several letters from him, and each one was better than the one before. When I was able to get around, I met him personally. I was amazed to discover that he was blind, a diabetic, handicapped because of a leg amputation (and since then the other leg has been removed), and that he lived with and cared for his elderly mother! If a man ever wore chains, this man did! But if a man ever was free to pioneer the gospel, this man was! He was able to share Christ in high school assemblies, before service clubs, at the “Y,” and before professional people in meetings that would have been closed to an ordained minister. My friend had the single mind; he lived for Christ and the gospel. Consequently, he shared the joy of furthering the gospel.
因為嚴重的車禍住院，在醫院裡康復的時候，收到來自完全陌生人的來信，他似乎知道該說什麼，才能安慰我。事實上，我收到他好幾封信，一封比一封好。當我能夠四處走動時，親自見到了他。驚訝地發現他是盲人，患有糖尿病，因腿部截肢而殘疾（從那時起，另一條腿也切除了），而且他與年邁的母親共同生活，並照顧她！若人經過鎖鍊的捆綁，他戴過！ 但是，若人可以自由地開拓福音，這人可以！他能夠在高中信徒集會，在他工作於事奉俱樂部之前，他在 “基督教青年會(YMCA)” 及專業人士面前分享基督，這些會議本來是對牧師都不開放的。我的朋友因有專一的心志為基督和福音而活。因此，他與人分享了傳福音的喜悅。
Our chains may not be as dramatic or difficult, but there is no reason why God cannot use them in the same way.
我們的鎖鏈可能沒有那麼戲劇化或困難，但沒有理由，上帝不能以同樣的方式使用它們。
2. Paul’s Critics (1:15–19)
2. 保羅受批評（1:15-19）
It is hard to believe that anyone would oppose Paul, but there were believers in Rome doing just that. The churches there were divided. Some preached Christ sincerely, wanting to see people saved. Some preached Christ insincerely, wanting to make the situation more difficult for Paul. The latter group was using the gospel to further their own selfish purposes. Perhaps they belonged to the “legalistic” wing of the church that opposed Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles and his emphasis on the grace of God as opposed to obedience to the Jewish law. Envy and strife go together, just as love and unity go together.
很難相信有人會反對保羅，但在羅馬確實有信徒這樣做。那裡的教會分裂了。有些人真誠地傳講基督，希望看到人們得救。 也有些人不是真誠地傳講基督，想要使保羅的處境更加艱難。 後者正想利用傳福音來促進他們自私自利的目的。也許他們屬於教會是屬於 “猶太律法主義” 的一派，反對保羅對外邦人的事工和他強調宣告上帝的恩典。
Paul used an interesting word in Philippians 1:16— contention. It means “to canvass for office, to get people to support you.” Paul’s aim was to glorify Christ and get people to follow Him; his critics’ aim was to promote themselves and win a following of their own. Instead of asking, “Have you trusted Christ?” they asked, “Whose side are you on—ours or Paul’s?” Unfortunately, this kind of “religious politics” is still seen today. And the people who practice it need to realize that they are only hurting themselves.
保羅在腓立比書 1 章 16 節使用了 “爭論”這個有趣的詞。 意思是 “讓人們支持你爭取公職”。保羅的目的是讓人跟隨他，來榮耀基督；他的批評者的目的，是榮耀自己，去贏得自己的追隨者。而不是問，“你相信基督嗎？” 他們是問，“你站在誰的一邊，是我們，還是保羅那邊？” 不幸的是，“宗教政治” 在今天仍然存在。操練者需要意識到它們只是在傷害自己。
When you have the single mind, you look on your critics as another opportunity for the furtherance of the gospel. Like a faithful soldier, Paul was “set [appointed] for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:17). He was able to rejoice, not in the selfishness of his critics, but in the fact that Christ was being preached! There was no envy in Paul’s heart. It mattered not that some were for him and some were against him. All that mattered was the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
當你有專一的心志時，你會將批評者視為傳播福音的另一個機會。保羅就像忠心的士兵，“被安置‘被任命’為守衛福音者”（腓立比書 1:17）。保羅能夠喜樂，不是因為批評者的自私，而是因為基督被傳開了！ 他心中沒有嫉妒。有些人支持他，有些人反對他，這並不重要。重要的是耶穌基督的福音傳講開了！
It is a matter of historic record that the two great English evangelists, John Wesley and George Whitefield, disagreed on doctrinal matters. Both of them were very successful, preaching to thousands of people and seeing multitudes come to Christ. It is reported that somebody asked Wesley if he expected to see Whitefield in heaven, and the evangelist replied, “No, I do not.”
只是有關歷史的記錄，在英國有兩位偉大的福音傳教士約翰 . 衛斯理和喬治 . 懷特菲爾(George Whitefield)在教義問題上有分歧。他們兩人都忠心事奉，向成千上萬的人傳講福音，使他們歸向基督。據報導，有人問衛斯理是否希望在天堂見到懷特菲爾，衛斯理回答說，“不，我不希望。”
“Then you do not think Whitefield is a converted man?”
“那你不認為懷特菲爾是基督信仰者嗎？”
“Of course he is a converted man!” Wesley said. “But I do not expect to see him in heaven—because he will be so close to the throne of God and I so far away that I will not be able to see him!” Though he differed with his brother in some matters, Wesley did not have any envy in his heart, nor did he seek to oppose Whitefield’s ministry.
衛斯理說，“當然，他是基督徒！但我不指望能在天堂見到他，因為他離上帝的寶座太近了，我離開寶座太遠了，我看不到他！” 衛斯理誠然在有些事上，與他的兄弟有分歧，但他心中並沒有任何嫉妒，也不試圖反對懷特菲爾的事工。
Criticism is usually very hard to take, particularly when we are in difficult circumstances, as Paul was. How was the apostle able to rejoice even in the face of such diverse criticism? He possessed the single mind! Philippians 1:19 indicates that Paul expected his case to turn out victoriously (“to my salvation”) because of the prayers of his friends and the supply of the Holy Spirit of God. The word supply gives us our English word chorus. Whenever a Greek city was going to put on a special festival, somebody had to pay for the singers and dancers. The donation called for had to be a lavish one, and so this word came to mean “to provide generously and lavishly.” Paul was not depending on his own dwindling resources; he was depending on the generous resources of God, ministered by the Holy Spirit.
批評通常很難接受，尤其是當我們處於困境時，就像保羅一樣。面對各種不同的批評，使徒怎麼能喜樂呢？ 他擁有一顆專一的心志！ 腓立比書 1章19節 表明，由於他朋友的祈禱和上帝聖靈的供應，保羅期望他的案子會得到勝利（“對我的救恩”）。 “供應”這詞的英文單詞 “同聲唱(chorus)”。每當希臘城市要舉辦特別的節日慶典時，就必須有人為歌手和舞蹈者買 單。所要求的捐贈必須是慷慨的，因此這個詞的意思是 “慷慨提供”。保羅並不依賴於他自己日益減少的資源；他依賴上帝慷慨供應，及聖靈在職事上的幫助。
Paul shared in the pioneer advance of the gospel in Rome through his chains and his critics, but he had a third tool that he used.
保羅藉由他的鎖鍊和批評，分享他在羅馬傳福音的先驅性進展，但他還有第三種工具可供他使用。
3. Paul’s Crisis (1:20–26)
3. 保羅的危機（1:20-26）
Because of Paul’s chains, Christ was known (Phil. 1:13), and because of Paul’s critics, Christ was preached (Phil. 1:18). But because of Paul’s crisis, Christ was magnified! (Phil. 1:20). It was possible that Paul would be found a traitor to Rome and then executed. His preliminary trial had apparently gone in his favor. The final verdict, however, was yet to come. But Paul’s body was not his own, and his only desire (because he had the single mind) was to magnify Christ in his body.
由於保羅的鎖鏈，人認識基督（腓立比書 1:13），因為人批評保羅，人傳講基督（腓立比書 1:18）。但是，因為保羅的危機，基督被顯大！ （腓立比書 1:20）。保羅有可能被被判為羅馬的叛徒而處決。初步審判顯然對他有利。然而，最終判決尚未到來。 但是保羅的身體不是他自己的，他唯一的願望（因為他有專一的心志）就是基督在保羅的身體裡顯大。
Does Christ need to be magnified? After all, how can a mere human being ever magnify the Son of God? Well, the stars are much bigger than the telescope, and yet the telescope magnifies them and brings them closer. The believer’s body is to be a telescope that brings Jesus Christ close to people. To the average person, Christ is a misty figure in history who lived centuries ago. But as the unsaved watch the believer go through a crisis, they can see Jesus magnified and brought so much closer. To the Christian with the single mind, Christ is with us here and now.
基督需要顯大嗎？畢竟單純的人，怎麼可能使上帝的兒子顯大呢？ 對，星星比望遠鏡大得多，但望遠鏡放大了星星，使它們看來更近。信徒的身體是望遠鏡，讓耶穌基督顯大親近人。對常人來說，基督是歷史上幾個世紀前的人。但是當未得救的人看著信徒經歷危機時，他們可以看到耶穌在他們身上顯大，並使未得救者更看清楚祂。對於有專一心志的基督徒來說，基督此時此地與我們同在。
Telescope brings distant things closer, and the microscope makes tiny things look big. To the unbeliever, Jesus is not very big. Other people and other things are far more important. But as the unbeliever watches the Christian go through a crisis experience, he ought to be able to see how big Jesus Christ really is. The believer’s body is a “lens” that makes a “little Christ” look very big, and a “distant Christ” come very close.
望遠鏡把遠處的東西拉得很近，顯微鏡使微小的東西顯得很大。對非信徒來說，耶穌不是很大。其他的人和其他的事非常重要。但是，當非信徒看著基督徒經歷危機的過程時，他應該能夠看到耶穌基督到底有多大。信徒的身體是 “鏡頭前的鏡片”，使“小基督” 顯大，“遠方的基督” 拉得很近，看得更清楚。
Paul was not afraid of life or death! Either way, he wanted to magnify Christ in his body. No wonder he had joy!
保羅不懼怕死！無論如何，他都想使基督藉由他身體顯大。難怪他有喜樂！
Paul confessed that he was facing a difficult decision. To remain alive was necessary for the believers’ benefit in Philippi, but to depart and be with Christ was far better. Paul decided that Christ would have him remain, not only for the “furtherance of the gospel” (Phil. 1:12) but also for the “furtherance and joy of [their] faith” (Phil. 1:25). He wanted them to make some “pioneer advance” into new areas of spiritual growth. (By the way, Paul admonished Timothy, the young pastor, to be sure to pioneer new spiritual territory in his own life and ministry. See 1 Tim. 4:15, where “profiting” is our phrase “pioneer advance.”)
保羅承認他正在兩難之間。為了腓立比信徒，他必須活著，但離世與基督同在好得無比。保羅決定是基督要他留在世上，不僅是為了 “傳揚福音”（腓立比書 1:12），而且也是為了 “使 ‘他們的’ 信心得成長和喜樂”（腓立比書 1:25）。保羅希望他們在屬靈的成長上，開拓新領域，做出一些 “先驅性的發展”。 （因此，保羅告誡年輕的牧師提摩太，一定要在他自己的生活和事工中開拓新的屬靈領域。見提摩太前書 4:15，其中 “獲利” 是英文短語 “開拓進取”。）
What a man Paul was! He was willing to postpone going to heaven in order to help Christians grow, and he was willing to go to hell in order to win the lost to Christ! (Rom. 9:1–3)
保羅是多麼偉大的人！為了幫助基督徒的成長，他甘願延後回到天堂，為了贏得失喪的人得到基督，甘願下地獄！ （羅馬書 9:1-3）
Of course, death had no terrors for Paul. It simply meant “departing.” This word was used by the soldiers; it meant “to take down your tent and move on.” What a picture of Christian death! The “tent” we live in is taken down at death, and the spirit goes home to be with Christ in heaven. (Read 2 Cor. 5:1–8.) The sailors also used this word; it meant “to loosen a ship and set sail.” Lord Tennyson used this figure of death in his famous poem “Crossing the Bar.”
當然，對保羅來說，死亡並不可怕。 這只是意味著 “離開”。這個詞是士兵常用的；意思是 “收取帳篷，繼續前進”。 這是描述基督徒獻身的多麼偉大的圖畫！我們居住的 “帳篷” 在死後被拆除，靈魂回到天家與基督同在。 （請讀 林後 5:1-8。）水手也使用這詞句；意思是 “鬆船啟航”。丁尼生(Tennyson)勳爵在他的著名詩《越過酒吧》中使用了這個死亡形象。
But departure was also a political term; it described the setting free of a prisoner. God’s people are in bondage because of the limitations of the body and the temptations of the flesh, but death will free them. Or they will be freed at the return of Christ (Rom. 8:18–23) if that should come first. Finally, departure was a word used by the farmers; it meant “to unyoke the oxen.” Paul had taken Christ’s yoke, which is an easy yoke to bear (Matt. 11:28–30), but how many burdens he carried in his ministry! (If you need your memory refreshed, read 2 Cor. 11:22—12:10.) To depart to be with Christ would mean laying aside the burdens, his earthly work completed.
但“離開”也是政治術語；它描述釋放囚犯的情狀。上帝的子民因肉體的局限和試探，因而受捆綁，但死亡來臨會得釋放。或者會在基督再來時，他們得釋放（羅馬書 8:18-23），若這種情形首先發生的話。最後，“離開”是農民使用的術語；意思是 “拿下牛的軛”。 保羅已經負了基督的軛，這是容易負的軛（馬太福音 11:28-30），但在他的事工中背負了多少重擔！ （如果你需加強記憶的話，請閱讀 林後 11:22—12:10。）離開與基督同在的意思是放下重擔，他在地上的工作已經完工。
No matter how you look at it, nothing can steal a man’s joy if he possesses the single mind! “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Maltbie Babcock, who wrote “This Is My Father’s World,” said, “Life is what we are alive to.” When my wife and I go shopping, I dread going to the fabric department, but I often have to go because my wife enjoys looking at fabrics. If on the way to the fabric section I spot the book department, I suddenly come alive! The thing that excites us and motivates us is the thing that really is “life” to us. In Paul’s case, Christ was his life. Christ excited him and made his life worth living.
不管怎麼看，人只要有專一的心志，就沒有任何惡魔能偷走人的喜樂！ “因為我活著就是基督，我死了就有益處”（腓立比書 1:21）。馬爾比·巴布科(Maltbie Babcock)寫過 “這是我天父世界” ，他說， “生命就是我們活著的目的。” 當和妻子去商場時，我害怕去布料部門，但我經常不得不去，因為我妻子喜歡看布料。如果在去布料部門的路上，看到有賣書的部門，我會突然像活過來一樣！令我們興奮和激勵的東西，對我們來說才是真正的 “生命”。就保羅而言，基督就是他的生命。基督使他興奮，使他的活著有價值。
Verse 21 becomes a valuable test of our lives. “For to me to live is ______ and to die is _______.” Fill in the blanks yourself.
第 21 節成為對我們生活的寶貴測試。 “對我來說，活著______，死了______。” 自己試著填你的意念。
“For to me to live is money and to die is to leave it all behind.”
“對我來說，活著是金錢，而死了就是把一切拋在腦後。”
“For to me to live is fame and to die is to be forgotten.”
“對我來說，活著就是名聲，死了就被遺忘。”
“For to me to live is power and to die is to lose it all.”
“對我來說，活著就是權力，死去就是一埸空。”
No, we must echo Paul’s convictions if we are going to have joy in spite of circumstances, and if we are going to share in the furtherance of the gospel. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!”
不，如果我們要在任何境遇下，都能獲得喜樂，我們就必須響應保羅的信念，要與人分享福音的傳播。 因 “我活著就是基督，死了就有益處！”
