936 英翻中 (636) Jesus Christ seeks poor people. 耶穌基督尋找窮苦的人. 12/16/2024

 936 英翻中 (636)      Jesus Christ seeks poor people.        耶穌基督尋找窮苦的人.     12/16/2024

2. The Poor and Needy                                                                                                                                2. 窮人和有需要的人                                                                                                                              Had the nation of Israel obeyed God’s laws, their land would have remained fruitful and there would have been very little poverty or oppression of the poor. Every seventh day was a Sabbath, when the people rested and gave their land and farm animals rest. Every seventh year was a sabbatical year, when the land and workers were allowed to rest for the entire year. Every fiftieth year was a Year of Jubilee, when the land not only lay fallow but was returned to its original owners (Lev. 25:1–34). By this means, the Lord sought to restore the fertility of the land regularly and also prevent wealthy people from amassing huge farms and thus controlling the economy. According to 2 Chronicles 36:20–21, the nation didn’t obey these special laws for the land; God had to send the people to Babylon to give the land a rest.                                                                                                                                                                如果以色列民族遵守上帝的律法，他們的土地就會保持肥沃，窮人的貧窮或壓迫就會很少。每個第七天都是安息日，人們休息，讓他們的土地和牲畜休息。每第七年都是休假年，土地和工人可以全年休息。每五十年都是禧年，此時土地不只休耕，也歸還給原來的主人（利  25:1-34）。透過這種方式，上帝試圖定期恢復土地的肥力，並防止富人累積巨大的農場，從而控制經濟。根據《歷代誌下》36:20-21，這個國家並沒有遵守這些關於這片土地的特殊法律；神必須派人去巴比倫，讓這片土地安息。                                                                                                                   What are the causes of poverty and need? Some people are poor simply because they won’t work. Work is available, but they prefer not to know about it. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Prov. 10:4 niv). “Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty” (20:13 nkjv). Or perhaps the enemy is pleasure: “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich” (21:17 nkjv). Of course, the drunkard and the glutton are usually among the poor (23:21). Time, energy, money, and opportunity are wasted when leisure and pleasure control a person’s life.                                                                                                                                                                        貧窮和需求的原因是什麼？有些人窮只是因為他們不工作。工作是有的，但他們寧願不知道。 「懶惰的手使人貧窮，但勤奮的手使人富有」（箴 10:4 新國際版）。 「不要貪愛睡覺，恐怕致貧窮」（20:13 新欽定版）。或者，敵人也許是快樂：“喜愛快樂的人將是一個窮人；喜愛快樂的人將是一個貧窮的人；熱愛快樂的人將是一個貧窮的人。”愛酒和油的，必不富」（21:17 新欽定版）。當然，酒鬼和貪食者通常都是窮人（23:21）。當休閒和享樂控制了一個人的生活時，時間、精力、金錢和機會就被浪費了。                                                                                   Unfortunately, some people weren’t disciplined when young and taught the importance of work. “He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored” (13:18 niv). Listening to orders and obeying them, paying attention to correction and reproof and not repeating mistakes, and respecting supervision are essential to success in any job. It’s worth noting that the prodigal’s first request was, “Father, give me!” But when he returned home, his desire was, “Make me one of your servants” (Luke 15:12, 19). He’d learned the value of his father’s discipline and the joy of hard work.                                                                                                                                                           不幸的是，有些人年輕時沒有遵守紀律，沒有教導工作的重要性。 「藐視管教的，必陷入貧窮和羞辱；聽從管教的，必得榮耀」（13：18）。聽指揮、服從命令，注意糾正、責備、不重蹈覆轍，尊重監督，是任何工作成功的關鍵。值得注意的是，浪子的第一個請求是：“父親，給我吧！”但當他回到家時，他的願望是：「使我成為你的僕人」（路 15:12, 19）。他了解了父親的紀律的價值和努力工作的樂趣。                                                                                                                Some people are needy because they like to talk but never act. “In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty” (Prov. 14:23 nkjv). This reminds us of our Lord’s parable about the two sons (Matt. 21:28–32). People can become poor because of unwise financial dealings. Rush impulsively into a “good deal” and you may lose everything (Prov. 21:5), and beware of signing notes and assuming other people’s debts (6:1–5), especially strangers (11:15). “A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, and becomes surety for his friend” (17:18 nkjv; see 22:26–27). The Jews were permitted to loan money to other Jews, but they were not to charge interest (Lev. 25:35–38; Ex. 22:25). They were permitted to charge interest to Gentiles (Deut. 23:20). However, they were warned against “going surety” and assuming debts larger than they could pay (Prov. 22:7).                                                          有些人有需要，是因為他們喜歡空談，但從不行動。 「一切勞苦都有益處，閒聊卻導致貧窮」（箴 14:23 新欽定版）。這讓我們想起主對兩個兒子的比喻（太  21:28-32）。人們可能會因為不明智的金融交易而變得貧窮。衝動地達成一筆“好交易”，你可能會失去一切（箴言 21:5），並且要小心簽署票據和承擔別人的債務（6:1-5），尤其是陌生人（11:15）。 「無知的人握手起誓，就為朋友作保」（17:18 新欽定本；參閱 22:26-27）。猶太人可以藉錢給其他猶太人，但不得收取利息（利  25:35-38；出22:25）。他們被允許向外邦人收取利息（申 23:20）。然而，他們被警告不要「做擔保人」並承擔超出其能力的債務（箴言 22:7）。                                        There are also times when people become poor because of people and events over which they have no control. “A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away” (13:23 niv; see 18:23; 28:8). The prophets condemned wicked rulers and businessmen who crushed the poor and seized what little they had (Isa. 3:13–15; 10:1–4; Amos 2:6–7; 4:1; 5:11–12; 8:4–10). When there’s justice in the land and people fear the Lord, then the poor have a voice and protection from oppression.             有時，人們會因為無法控制的人和事件而變得貧窮。 「窮人的田地可能生產豐富的糧食，但不公義卻將其掃盡」（13:23 niv；參18:23；28:8）。先知譴責邪惡的統治者和商人，他們壓榨窮人，奪取他們僅有的一切（以賽亞書3:13-15；10:1-4；阿摩司書2:6-7；4:1； 5:11-12） ；8:4-10）。 當這片土地上有正義，人們敬畏上帝時，窮人就會有發言權並免受壓迫。                           Oppressing the poor is condemned by God. “He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Prov. 14:31 nkjv). God doesn’t respect the rich more than He respects the poor. “The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all” (22:2 nkjv). The poor are made in the image of God, so the way we treat the poor is the way we treat God. Churches that show deference to the rich and ignore the poor have forgotten the royal law, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (James 2:1–8).                                                                                       壓迫窮人是上帝所譴責的。 「欺壓貧窮的，辱罵造他的主；尊重造物的，憐憫貧窮的人」（箴 14:31 新欽定版）。上帝並不像尊重窮人那樣尊重富人。 「富人和窮人有一個共同點，耶和華是他們所有人的創造者」（22:2 新欽定版）。窮人是按照上帝的形象創造的，所以我們對待窮人的方式就是我們對待上帝的方式。尊重富人而忽略窮人的教會忘記了皇家律法：「要愛人如己」（雅各書 2：1-8）。                                                                                                                 How do we help the poor? To begin with, we ought not to look down on the poor because of their troubles, thinking we are better than they. “He who despises his neighbor sins; but he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he” (Prov. 14:21 niv). God has a special concern for the poor and needy, and in exploiting them we will find ourselves fighting the Lord. “Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil [plunder] the soul of those that spoiled them” (22:22–23; see Deut. 15:7; 24:12).                                                                              我們如何幫助窮人？首先，我們不應該因為窮人的困難而看不起他們，認為我們比他們更好。 「藐視鄰舍的，就有罪；憐憫貧窮的，這人有福」（箴 14:21 新國際版）。上帝特別關心窮人和有需要的人，在剝削他們的過程中，我們會發現自己與上帝作對。 「不要搶奪窮人，因為他是貧窮的；也不要在城門口欺壓困苦人；因為耶和華必為他們伸冤，並且要掠奪那些掠奪他們的人的靈魂」（22:22-23；參閱  申  15 :7; 24-12）。                                                                              Christian citizens ought to see to it that laws are written fairly and enforced justly. “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Prov. 29:7 niv). “A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops” (28:3 niv). “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (31:9 niv). “The king who judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forever” (29:14). These are solemn statements indeed!                                              基督教公民應該確保法律的製定和執行是公正的。 「義人關心為窮人伸張正義，惡人卻不關心」（箴 29:7 新國際版）。 「欺壓窮人的統治者，就像暴雨不留莊稼」（28:3 新國際版）。 「大聲說出並公正判斷；捍衛窮人和有需要的人的權利」（31:9 新國際版）。 「王以誠實判斷窮人，他的國位必永遠堅立」（29:14）。這確實是鄭重的聲明！                                                              When we assist the poor, we are investing with the Lord, and He will see to it that we get our dividends at the right time.2 “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and he will pay back what he has given” (19:17; see 11:24; 22:9). Before the church helps, however, the family has an obligation to assist their own needy (1 Tim. 5:4, 8). This leaves the church free to help those who have no one to share their burdens. If we shut our ears to the cries of the poor, God will shut His ears to our prayers (Prov. 21:13).                                                                                                                                                         當我們援助窮人時，我們就是在向主投資，祂會確保我們在適當的時間得到紅利。 19:17；參  11:24；22:9）。然而，在教會提供幫助之前，家庭有義務幫助自己的有需要的人（提前 5:4, 8）。這使得教會可以自由地幫助那些無人分擔負擔的人。如果我們不聽從窮人的呼求，神也會不聽我們的禱告（箴 21:13）。                                                                                                     Having pastored three churches, I know some of the problems congregations can have with “con artists” who pose as “believers passing through town who need help.” In over forty years of ministry, I recall very few instances when strangers we helped wrote and thanked us when they got home or even repaid the gift. Certainly pastors and deacons must exercise caution and wisdom lest they do more harm than good, but we must also remember that we’re helping truly needy people for Jesus’ sake (Matt. 25:34–40). Bernard of Clairvaux, composer of “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee,” gave wise counsel when he said, “Justice seeks out the merits of the case, but pity only regards the need.” If our Lord dealt with us today only on the basis of justice, where would we be?                                                                             在牧養過三個教會之後，我知道會眾可能會遇到一些「騙子」的問題，這些「騙子」冒充「路過城鎮需要幫助的信徒」。在我四十多年的事奉生涯中，我記得很少有我們幫助的陌生人回家後寫信感謝我們，甚至還錢的情況。當然，牧師和執事必須運用謹慎和智慧，以免弊大於利，但我們也必須記住，我們是為了耶穌的緣故幫助真正有需要的人（太25：34-40）。 《耶穌，全心全意為你》的作曲家克萊爾沃的伯納德提出了明智的建議，他說：“正義尋求案件的是非曲直，但憐憫只考慮需要。”如果我們的主今天只在正義的基礎上對待我們，我們會在哪裡？