1606 英翻中 (腓力比書第7課) Timothy and Epaphroditus 提摩太和以巴弗提 5/6/2026
chapter 7 Timothy and Epaphroditus Philippines 2:19-30 腓立比書第七課 一對無價之寶 腓立比書 2:19-30
A reporter in San Bernardino,
California arranged for a man to
lie in the gutter on a busy street. Hundreds of people passed the man, but not
one stopped to help him or even show sympathy!
加利福尼亞州聖貝納迪諾的一名記者安排一名男子躺在繁忙街道的排水溝中。數百人從那人身邊經過，卻沒有一個人停下來幫助他，甚至表示同情！
Newspapers
across the country a few years ago told how thirty-eight people watched a man
stalk a young lady and finally attack her—and none of the spectators even picked
up a phone to call the police!
幾年前，全國各地的報紙都報導了三十八人，是如何看到一個男人，跟踪一個年輕女士，並最終襲擊她 — 甚至沒有一個觀眾拿起電話報警！
A
couple of teenagers in Detroit
discovered a woman in a telephone booth who had suffered a heart attack. They
carried her to a nearby house and rang the bell, asking for help. The only
reply they received was, “Get off my porch—and take her with you!”
底特律的幾個青少年，在電話亭裡發現了，一名心髒病發作的婦女。他們把她抱到附近的房子裡，然後按鈴尋求幫助。他們收到的唯一答復是：“離開我的門廊 — 把她帶走！”
A Kentucky doctor was
driving down the highway to visit a patient when he saw an accident take place.
He stopped and gave aid to the injured and then made his visit. One of the
drivers he helped sued him!
一位肯塔基州的醫生開車走在高速公路上去看望一位病人時，看到了一起事故。他停下來幫助傷員，然後進行了訪問。他幫助的一名司機起訴了他！
Is it
possible to be a “Good Samaritan” today? Must everybody harden his heart in
order to protect himself? Perhaps “sacrifice and service” are ancient virtues
that somehow do not fit into our so-called modern civilization. It is worth
noting that even in Paul’s day mutual concern was not a popular virtue. The
Christians at Rome
were not too interested in the problems at Philippi;
Paul could not find one person among them willing to go to Philippi
(Phil. 2:19–21). Times
have not changed too much.
今天有可能成為“好撒瑪利亞人”嗎？為了保護自己，每個人都必須硬著心嗎？也許“犧牲和服務”是古老的美德，不知何故不適合我們所謂的現代文明。值得注意的是，即使在保羅的時代，相互關心也不是一種普遍的美德。羅馬的基督徒對腓立比的問題不太感興趣。保羅在他們中間找不到一個願意去腓立比的人（腓立比書 2:19-21）。時代並沒有太大變化。
In this
paragraph, Paul was still discussing the submissive mind. He has given us a
description of the submissive mind in the example of Jesus Christ (Phil.
2:1–11). He has explained the dynamics of the submissive mind in his own
experience (Phil. 2:12–18).
Now he introduced us to two of his helpers in the ministry, Timothy and
Epaphroditus, and he did this for a reason. He knew that his readers would be
prone to say, “It is impossible for us to follow such examples as Christ and
Paul! After all, Jesus is the very Son of God, and Paul is a chosen apostle who
has had great spiritual experiences!” For this reason, Paul introduced us to
two “ordinary saints,” men who were not apostles or spectacular miracle workers. He wanted us to know that the submissive mind is not
a luxury enjoyed by a chosen few; it is a necessity for Christian joy, and an
opportunity for all believers.
在這一段中，保羅仍在討論順服的心志。他以耶穌基督的榜樣（腓 2:1-11）向我們描述了順服的心。他在自己的經歷中解釋了順服心的動力（腓 2:12-18）。現在他向我們介紹了他在事工中的兩個助手，提摩太和以巴弗提，他這樣做是有原因的。他知道他的讀者會說：“我們不可能效法基督和保羅這樣的榜樣！畢竟，耶穌是上帝的兒子，而保羅是一位有過偉大屬靈經歷的被揀選的使徒！”出於這個原因，保羅向我們介紹了兩位“普通聖徒”，他們既不是使徒，也不是出色的行神蹟者。他想讓我們知道，順從的心，不是少數被選中的人享受的奢侈品；這是基督徒喜樂的必要條件，也是所有信徒的機會。
1. Timothy (Phil. 2:19–24)
1. 提摩太（腓 2:19-24）
Paul
probably met Timothy on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:6ff.), at which
time, perhaps, the youth was converted (1 Cor. 4:17). Apparently, Timothy’s mother and grandmother had
been converted
first (2 Tim. 1:3–5). He was the son of a Jewish mother and Gentile father, but
Paul always considered the young man his own “dearly beloved son” in the faith
(2 Tim. 1:2). When Paul returned to Derbe and Lystra while on his second
journey, he enlisted young Timothy as one of his fellow laborers (Acts 16:1–4).
In one sense, Timothy replaced John Mark, whom Paul had refused to take along
on the journey because of Mark’s previous abandonment of the cause (Acts 13:13; 15:36–41).
保羅可能在他的第一次傳教旅程中遇到了提摩太（使徒行傳 14:6 比照研讀.），也許在那個時候，這個年輕人已經皈依了（林前 4:17）。顯然，提摩太的母親和祖母是最先皈依的（提摩太后書 1:3-5）。他是一位猶太母親和外邦父親的兒子，但保羅始終認為這個年輕人在信仰上是他自己“心愛的兒子”（提後書 1:2）。當保羅在第二次旅程中回到特庇 ( Derbe) 和 (路司得 (Lystra) 時，他招募了年輕的提摩太作為他的同工之一（使徒行傳 16：1-4）。從某種意義上說，提摩太取代了約翰馬可，因為馬可在之前的旅行傳道時, 放棄了聖工，因此保羅拒絕帶他一起旅行（使徒行傳 13：13；15：36-41）。
In
Timothy’s experience, we learn that the submissive mind is not something that
suddenly, automatically appears in the life of the believer. Timothy had to
develop and cultivate the “mind of Christ.” It was not natural for him to be a
servant; but, as he walked with the Lord and worked with Paul, he became the
kind of servant that Paul could trust and God could bless. Notice the
characteristics of this young man.
在提摩太的經歷中，我們了解到順服的心思，並不是突然、自動，出現在信徒生活中的東西。提摩太必須發展和培養“基督的心”。做僕人對他來說是不自然的。但是，當他與主同行，並與保羅一起工作時，他成為了保羅可以信賴、上帝可以祝福的那種僕人。注意這個年輕人的特徵。
He had
a servant’s mind (vv. 19–21).
他有做僕人的心志（19-21 節）。
To
begin with, Timothy naturally cared for people and was concerned about their
needs. He was not interested in “winning friends and influencing people”; he was
genuinely interested in their physical and spiritual welfare. Paul was
concerned about the church at Philippi and
wanted to send someone to convey his concern and get the facts. There were
certainly hundreds of Christians in Rome
(Paul greeted twenty-six of them by name in Rom. 16); yet not one of them was
available to make the trip! “All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus
Christ’s” (Phil. 2:21). In
a very real sense, all of us live either in Philippians 1:21 or Philippians 2:21!
首先，提摩太天生關心人，關心他們的需要。他對“贏得朋友和影響他人”不感興趣；他真正關心他們的身體和屬靈福利。保羅很關心腓立比教會，想派人轉達他的關心，了解事實。羅馬肯定有數百名基督徒（保羅在羅馬書 16 章中點名問候了其中的 26 名）；但他們中沒有一個人可以參加這次旅行！ “人人都求自己的事，不求耶穌基督的事”（腓2:21）。在非常真實的意義上，我們所有人都生活在腓立比書 1:21 或腓立比書 2:21 中！
But
Timothy had a natural concern for the welfare of others; he had a servant’s
mind. It is too bad that the believers in Rome
were so engrossed in themselves and their own internal wranglings (Phil. 1:15–16) that they had no time for
the important work of the Lord. This is one of the tragedies of church
problems; they divert time, energy, and concern away from the things that
matter most. Timothy was not interested in promoting any party or supporting
any divisive cause. He was interested only in the spiritual condition of God’s
people, and this concern was natural to him. How did this concern develop? The
answer is in the next characteristic of this remarkable young man.
但提摩太天生就關心他人的福祉。他有僕人的心。太糟糕了，羅馬的信徒如此專注於自己和自己內部的爭論（腓 1:15-16），以至於他們沒有時間做主的重要工作。這是教會問題的悲劇之一；他們將時間、精力和注意力從最重要的事情上轉移開。提摩太對促進任何政黨或支持任何分裂事業不感興趣。他只對上帝子民的屬靈狀況感興趣，這種關注對他來說是很自然的。這種擔憂是如何發展的？答案在於這個非凡的年輕人的下一個特徵。
He had
a servant’s training (v. 22).
他受過僕人的訓練（第 22 節）。
Paul
did not add Timothy to his “team” the very day the boy was saved. Paul was too
wise to make an error like that. He left him behind to become a part of the
church fellowship in Derbe and Lystra, and it was in that fellowship that
Timothy grew in spiritual matters and learned how to serve the Lord. When Paul
returned to that area a few years later, he was happy to discover that young
Timothy “was well reported of the brethren” (Acts 16:2). Years later, Paul
would write to Timothy about the importance of permitting new converts to grow
before thrusting them into important places of ministry (1 Tim. 3:6–7).
保羅並沒有在提摩太得救的當天就將這孩子加入他的“團隊”。保羅太聰明了，不會犯這樣的錯誤。他撇下他，成為特庇和路司得教會團契的一份子，正是在這種團契中，提摩太在屬靈的事上成長，並學會瞭如何事奉主。幾年後，當保羅回到那個地區時，他很高興地發現年輕的提摩太 “在弟兄中很受歡迎”（使徒行傳 16：2）。多年後，保羅會寫信給提摩太，說明在將新信徒推入重要事工崗位之前，允許他們成長的重要性（提摩太前書 3:6-7）。
A
popular local nightclub performer visited a pastor and announced that he had
been saved and wanted to serve the Lord. “What should I do next?” he asked.
當地一位受歡迎的夜總會表演者拜訪了一位牧師，並宣布他已獲救並想事奉主。 他問，“接下來我該怎麼辦？”
“Well,
I’d suggest you unite with a good church and start growing,” the pastor
replied. “Is your wife a Christian?” 牧師回答道，“嗯，我建議你與一個好的教會聯合，併開始成長，你老婆是基督徒嗎？”
“No,
she isn’t,” the musician replied. “I hope to win her. But, do I have to wait? I
mean, I’d like to do something
for God right now.” 音樂家回答，“不，她不是基督徒， 我希望贏得她。但是，我需要等待嗎？我的意思是，我現在想為上帝做一些事情。”
“No,
you don’t have to wait to witness for the Lord,” explained the pastor. “Get
busy in a church, and use your talents for Christ.” 牧師解釋說，“不，你不必等待為主作見證，在教堂裡忙碌起來，讓教會為基督使用你的才能。”
“But
you don’t know who I am!” the man protested. “I’m a big performer—everybody
knows me. I want to start my own organization, make records, and appear before
big crowds!” 那人抗議道，“但你不知道我是誰！我是一個偉大的表演者 — 每個人都認識我。我要成立自己的組織，做唱片，出現在眾人面前！”
“If you go too far too fast,” warned the
pastor, “you may hurt yourself and your testimony. And the place to start
winning people is right at home. God will open up places of service for you as
He sees you are ready. Meanwhile, study the Bible and give yourself a chance to
grow.” 牧師警告說，“如果你走得太快太快，你可能會傷害自己和你的見證。開始贏得人們的地方就在家裡。當上帝看到你準備好了時，他會為你打開服務的地方。同時，學習聖經，給自己在屬靈方面有成長的機會。”
The man
did not take the pastor’s counsel. Instead, he set up a big organization and
started out on his own. His “success” lasted less than a year. Not only did he
lose his testimony because he was not strong enough to carry the heavy burdens,
but his constant traveling alienated him from his wife and family. He drifted
into a “fringe group” and disappeared from public ministry, a broken and
bankrupt man.
這個人沒有聽從牧師的建議。相反，他成立了一個大組織，並開始了自己的事業。他的 “成功” 持續了不到一年。他不僅失去了見證，因為他沒有足夠的力量來承受沉重的負擔，而且他不斷的旅行使他與妻子和家人疏遠了。他飄進了 “邊緣群體”，從公共事工中消失了，成為破碎和破產的人。
“His
branches went out farther than his roots went deep,” the pastor said. “When
that happens, you eventually topple.”
這位牧師說：“他的枝條往外走，根往深處走。當這種情況發生時，你最終會倒下。”
Paul
did not make this mistake with Timothy. He gave him time to get his roots down,
and then he enlisted the young man to work with him on his missionary tours. He taught Timothy the Word and permitted him to watch the
apostle in his ministry (2 Tim. 3:10–17).
This was the way Jesus trained His disciples. He gave personal instruction
balanced by on-the-job experience. Experience without teaching can lead to
discouragement, and teaching without experience can lead to spiritual deadness.
It takes both.
保羅沒有在提摩太身上犯這個錯誤。他給了他時間紮根，然後他招募這個年輕人與他一起在傳教之旅中工作。他教導提摩太聖經，並允許他在他的事工中觀察使徒（提摩太后書 3:10-17）。這就是耶穌訓練門徒的方式。他提供個人指導與在職經驗相平衡。沒有教導的經驗會導致灰心，而沒有經驗的教導會導致靈性死亡。兩者都需要。
He had
a servant’s reward (v. 23).
他得到了僕人的賞賜（23 節）。
Timothy
knew the meaning of “sacrifice and service” (Phil. 2:17), but God rewarded him for his
faithfulness. To begin with, Timothy had the joy of helping others. To be sure,
there were hardships and difficulties, but there were also victories and
blessings. Because Timothy was a “good and faithful servant,” faithful over a
few things, God rewarded him with “many things,” and he entered into the joy of
the submissive mind (Matt. 25:21). He had the joy of serving with the great
apostle Paul and assisting him in some of his most difficult assignments (1 Cor.
4:17ff; Timothy is mentioned at least twenty-four times in
Paul’s letters).
提摩太知道“犧牲和事奉”的意思（腓立比書 2:17），但上帝因他的忠心而獎賞他。首先，提摩太樂於幫助他人。誠然，有艱辛和困難，但也有勝利和祝福。因為提摩太是一個“又良善又忠心的僕人”，在很少的事上忠心，上帝就以“許多事”獎賞他，讓他進入順服心的喜樂（馬太福音 25:21）。他很高興與偉大的使徒保羅一起服務並協助他完成一些最困難的任務（林前 4:17比照研讀；在保羅的書信中至少提到提摩太二十四次）。
But
perhaps the greatest reward God gave to Timothy was to choose him to be Paul’s
replacement when the great apostle was called home (see 2 Tim. 4:1–11). Paul
himself wanted to go to Philippi, but had had
to send Timothy in his place. But, what an honor! Timothy was not only Paul’s
son and Paul’s servant, but he became Paul’s substitute! His name is held in
high regard by Christians today, something that young Timothy never dreamed of
when he was busy serving Christ The submissive mind is not the product of an
hour’s sermon, or a week’s seminar, or even a year’s service. The submissive
mind grows in us as, like Timothy, we yield to the Lord and seek to serve
others.
但也許，上帝給提摩太的最大獎賞是，在這位偉大的使徒被召回天家時，選擇他來接替保羅（見提摩太后書 4:1-11）。保羅本人想去腓立比，但不得不打發提摩太代替他。但是，這是何等的榮幸！提摩太不僅是保羅的兒子，也是保羅的僕人，更是保羅的替身！他的名字在今天的基督徒中備受推崇，這是年輕的提摩太在忙於事奉基督時，做夢都想不到的。當我們像提摩太一樣，順服主，並尋求服務他人時，順服的心，就會在我們裡面成長。
2. Epaphroditus (2:25–30)
2. 以巴弗提（2:25-30）
Paul
was a “Hebrew of the Hebrews”; Timothy was part Jew and part Gentile (Acts
16:1); and Epaphroditus was a full Gentile as far as we know. He was the member
of the Philippian church who risked his health and life to carry their
missionary offering to the apostle in Rome
(Phil. 4:18). His name
means “charming,” and a charming Christian he is!
保羅是“希伯來人中的希伯來人”；提摩太既是猶太人，又是外邦人（使徒行傳 16:1）；據我們所知，以巴弗提是一個完整的外邦人。他是腓立比教會的成員，冒著健康和生命的危險，將他們的傳教，祭獻給羅馬的使徒（腓立比書 4:18）。他的名字的意思是“迷人”，他是一個迷人的基督徒！
He was
a balanced Christian (v. 25).
他是一個平衡的基督徒（第 25 節）。
Paul
could not say enough about this man—“my brother, and companion in labor, and
fellow-soldier.” These three descriptions parallel what Paul wrote about the
gospel in the first chapter of this letter:
保羅對這個人說得再多也說不完 — “我的兄弟，勞苦的伙伴，戰友。”這三個描述與保羅在這封信第一章所寫的福音相似：
“my brother” — the “fellowship in the gospel” (Phil. 1:5)
“my companion in labor— “the
furtherance of the gospel” (Phil. 1:12)
“my fellow-soldier — “the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27)
“我的兄弟” — “福音中的團契”（腓立比書 1:5）
“我在工作中的伙伴 — “福音的傳播”（腓立比書 1:12）
“我的戰友 — “對福音的信心”（腓立比書 1:27）
Epaphroditus
was a balanced Christian!
以巴弗提是一個平衡的基督徒！
Balance
is important in the Christian life. Some people emphasize “fellowship” so much
that they forget the furtherance of the gospel. Others are so involved in
defending the “faith of the gospel” that they neglect building fellowship with
other believers. Epaphroditus did not fall into either of these traps. He was
like Nehemiah, the man who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem with his sword in one hand and his
trowel in the other (Neh. 4:17).
You cannot build with a sword nor battle with a trowel! It takes both to get
the Lord’s work accomplished.
平衡在基督徒的生活中很重要。有些人過於強調“團契”，以至於忘記了福音的推廣。其他人如此熱衷於捍衛“福音的信仰”，以至於他們忽略了與其他信徒建立團契。以巴弗提沒有落入這兩個陷阱中的任何一個。他就像尼希米，他一手拿著劍，一手拿著鏝刀，重建了耶路撒冷的城牆（尼 4:17）。你不能用劍建造，也不能用鏝刀戰鬥！要完成主的工作，兩者都需要。
Dr. H.
A. Ironside used to tell about a group of believers who thought only of
“fellowship.” They had little concern for reaching the lost or for defending
the faith against its enemies. In front of their meeting place they hung a
sign: JESUS ONLY. But the wind blew away some of the letters, and the sign
read — US ONLY. It was a perfect description of a group of people who were not
balanced Christians.
H. A. Ironside 博士曾經講過一群只考慮 “團契” 的信徒。他們不關心接觸失喪者或捍衛信仰對抗敵人。在他們聚會的地方前面，他們掛著一個牌子：只有耶穌。但是風吹走了一些字母，標誌上寫著 — 僅只有美國。這是對一群不平衡的基督徒的完美描述。
He was
a burdened Christian (vv. 26–27, 30). Like Timothy, Epaphroditus was concerned
about others. To begin with, he was concerned about Paul. When he heard in Philippi that Paul was a prisoner in Rome, he volunteered to make that long,
dangerous trip to Rome
to stand at Paul’s side and assist him. He carried the church’s love gift with
him, protecting it with his own life.
他是一個有負擔的基督徒（26-27、30 節）。像提摩太一樣，以巴弗提也關心他人。首先，他很關心保羅。當他在腓立比聽說保羅在羅馬被囚時，他自願前往羅馬進行漫長而危險的旅行，站在保羅的身邊幫助他。他帶著教會的愛心禮物，用自己的生命來保護它。
Our
churches today need men and women who are burdened for missions and for those
in difficult places of Christian service. “The problem in our churches,” states
one missionary leader, “is that we have too many spectators and not enough
participants.” Epaphroditus was not content simply to contribute to the
offering. He gave himself to help carry the offering!
今天，我們的教會需要為宣教，和在艱難的基督徒服務場所，承擔負責任的男人和女人。 一位宣教領袖說，“我們教會的問題，是我們的觀眾太多，而參與者卻不夠。” 以巴弗提並不滿足於簡單地為奉獻做出貢獻。他更願獻出自己來幫助攜帶祭品！
But
this man was also burdened for his own home church. After arriving in Rome, he became very ill.
In fact, he almost died. This delayed his return to Philippi,
and the people there became concerned about him. But Epaphroditus was not
burdened about himself; he was burdened over the people in Philippi
because they were worried about him! This man lived in Philippians 1:21, not
Philippians 2:21. Like Timothy, he had a natural concern for others. The phrase
“full of heaviness” in Philippines
2:26 is the same
description used of Christ in Gethsemane
(Matt. 26:37). Like Christ, Epaphroditus knew the meaning of sacrifice and
service (Phil. 2:30),
which are two of the marks of the submissive mind.
但這個人也為自己的家庭教會背負了負擔。到達羅馬後，他病得很重。事實上，他差點就死了。這耽誤了他返回腓立比的時間，那裡的人開始擔心他。但是以巴弗提並沒有為自己感到負擔。他對腓立比人的擔子很重，因為他們為他擔心！這個人住在腓立比書 1:21，而不是腓立比書 2:21。像提摩太一樣，他對他人有著天然的關心。菲律賓書 2:26 中“充滿沉重”一詞與客西馬尼園中對基督的描述相同（馬太福音 26:37）。像基督一樣，以巴弗提知道犧牲和服務的意義（腓 2:30），這是順服心意的兩個標誌。
He was
a blessed Christian (vv. 28–30).
他是一個蒙福的基督徒（28-30 節）。
What a
tragedy it would be to go through life and not be a blessing to anyone!
Epaphroditus was a blessing to Paul. He stood with him in his prison experience
and did not permit even his own sickness to hinder his service. What times he
and Paul must have had together! But he was also a blessing to his own church.
Paul admonished the church to honor him because of his sacrifice and service.
(Christ gets the glory, but there is nothing wrong with the servant receiving
honor. Read 1 Thess. 5:12–13.) There is no contradiction between Philippians
2:7 (“made himself of no reputation”) and Philippians 2:29 (“hold such in reputation”). Christ
“emptied Himself” in His gracious act of humiliation, and God exalted Him.
Epaphroditus sacrificed himself with no thought of reward, and Paul encouraged
the church to hold him in honor to the glory of God.
一生一世卻沒有得到任何人的祝福，這是何等的悲哀！以巴弗提是保羅的祝福。在他的監獄經歷中，他與他站在一起，甚至不允許他自己的疾病妨礙他的服務。他和保羅一定有過什麼時光！但他也是對自己教會的祝福。保羅告誡教會要因他的犧牲和服務而榮耀他。 （基督得了榮耀，但僕人接受尊榮並沒有錯。請閱讀帖前 5:12-13。）腓立比書 2:7（“虛己”）和腓立比書 2 之間沒有矛盾： 29（“以聲望”）。基督在他謙卑的仁慈行為中“倒空了自己”，而上帝將他高舉了。以巴弗提不考慮獎賞而犧牲自己，保羅鼓勵教會以他為榮耀，以榮耀上帝。
He was
a blessing to Paul and to his own church, and he is also a blessing to us
today! He proves to us that the joyful life is the life of sacrifice and
service, that the submissive mind really does work. He and Timothy together
encourage us to submit ourselves to the Lord, and to one another, in the Spirit
of Christ. Christ is the pattern we follow. Paul shows us the power (Phil. 4:12–19); and Timothy and
Epaphroditus are the proof that this mind really works.
他是保羅和他自己教會的祝福，也是今天我們的祝福！他向我們證明，快樂的生活就是犧牲和服務的生活，順服的心確實有效。他和提摩太一起鼓勵我們在基督的靈裡順服主，並彼此順服。基督是我們所遵循的模式。保羅向我們展示了基督心志的大能（腓 4:12-19）；提摩太和以巴弗提證明了這種頭腦確實有效。
Will
you permit the Spirit to reproduce “the mind of Christ” in you?
你們願意讓聖靈在你們裡面再現 “基督的心志” 嗎？
