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1314：誠之兄和各位老師請進

誠之兄前面有貼提到下面的經文。

我查了一下，覺得新譯本更準確的翻譯了作者的原意，至少從多處英文譯本來看。
而且和合本翻譯與“因信稱義”有衝突。老師認為如何？

這是主日學老師的作業。 謝謝。

馬太福音
11:12 從施洗約翰的時候到如今，天國是努力進入的，努力的人就得着了。
從施洗的約翰的時候直到現在，天國不斷遭受猛烈的攻擊，強暴的人企圖
把它奪去。
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven
suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
And from the time John the Baptist began preaching and baptizing until now, the
Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people attack it.
From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has
suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force.
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freshwind：這個有趣的問題俺能提供一個完整但不一定正確的答案

主要是和合本和一些英文版本看似矛盾的說法.

(中文和合本聖經)馬太福音11:12 從施洗約翰的時候到如今，天國是努力進入的，努力的人就得着了。

從Lexicon上查到兩個英文版本是

The King James Version:

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence (5731) (5743) , and the violent take it by force (5719) .

The New American Standard Bible:

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

希臘原文是一樣的

apo de twn hmerwn Iwannou tou baptistou ewv arti h basileia twn ouranwn biazetai, (5743) kai biastai arpazousin (5719) authn.

(括號內的數字是重點的相應希臘詞)

樓主和誠老前輩的翻譯 “從施洗的約翰的時候直到現在，天國不斷遭受猛烈的攻擊，強暴的人企圖把它奪去。”很正確地反映了至少以上兩個英譯本的中文意思.

值得說明的是中文和合本聖經是直接從希伯來或希臘原文翻譯過來的,而且有的經文.例如ROMANS 8:37 “得勝有餘”的譯法被公認為比任何其他英譯本都精確的. 因此俺覺得應該從更多方面而不是就譯本的多少新舊,以及“因信稱義”的教義來看這個問題.

(1) 從語義學本身來看:希臘原文arpazousin 指的是抓住或據為己有(to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly ). biazetai 指的是用力或使勁(to use force, to apply force), 二者都是中性動詞.但當biazetai變成biastai時就是一個陽性動詞了(using force, violent),那就是為啥有的英譯本有 “強暴”意思的緣故了. 其實這裡的重點應該是bia-這樣一個表示生命的詞首(英文bio-logy的詞源). 俺覺得正因為對生命本質的理解上東西方的差別導致以上譯文的看似矛盾的說法.具體的說,東方人由於儒家樂觀哲學的傳統把biazetai和biastai分別譯為一種主動的”努力”和”得着”.而西方人由於古羅馬悲劇哲學傳統把biazetai和biastai分別譯為一種被動地接受”遭受”和” 強暴”. 因為從希臘原文結構本身的確看不出主被動來的.

(2) 那是很有趣的對生命的洞見,但須知從福音的角度來說都是屬於外邦文化的影響,以此為基礎的解經或譯經是站不住腳的.因此還應該從上下文和主耶酥的教導上來看這個問題.

MATTHEW 11:12是夾在一段主耶酥稱讚施洗約翰的經文之間的.經文強調的是施洗約翰是比其他先知都”大得多的”(MATTHEW 11:10)舊約的最後一個先知.

俺在此想強調兩點(a) 主耶酥的這個稱讚是在施洗約翰的服侍非常成功時而不是施洗約翰入監遭受逼迫被斬後(MATTHEW 14:1-11). 因此這時候施洗約翰作為先知的楷模是在” 努力進入”天國而不是” 天國不斷遭受” 逼迫 (MATTHEW 5:12);
(b)這段經文最後主耶酥為了說明那時代的不信將自己的生活方式與施洗約翰進行對比,並認為” 但智慧在行為上就顯為是”(MATTHEW 11:19). 顯然主耶酥是在稱讚施洗約翰的智慧行為,即拿細耳人的沙漠生活.

(3) 當然這樣解釋與 “因信稱義”和老前輩的理解並沒衝突..只是俺覺得無論是解釋為信徒主動接觸天國或天國被動遭暴,這段經文中主耶酥都是通過對施洗約翰的稱讚強調信心中的一種行為.當然這行為並不是修橋補路等外邦人的所謂”善行”,而是指拿細耳人服侍神的生活方式等. 用於現代的通俗說法就是禁食禱告等屬靈操練.

個人見解,僅供參考.
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誠之：請看路加福音13：22-30

當進窄門（太7:13-14、21-23）
22 耶穌經過各城各鄉，往耶路撒冷去，沿途教導人。
23 有一個人問他：“主啊，是不是只有很少的人得救呢？”他對眾人說：
24 “你們應當竭力進窄門！我告訴你們，將來許多人要進去，卻是不能。
25 等到家主起來關上門，你們站在門外叩門說：‘主啊，給我們開門！’他要回答你們：‘我不知道你們是從哪裡來的。’
26 那時，你們要說：‘我們在你面前吃過喝過，你也在我們街上教導過人。’
27 他要說：‘我告訴你們，我不曉得你們是從哪裡來的；你們所有作惡的人，離開我去吧！’
28 當你們看見亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各和眾先知都在　神的國里的時候，你們卻被趕到外面去，在那裡必要哀哭切齒。
29 從東從南，從西從北，將有人來，在　神的國里吃飯。
30 在後的將要在前，在前的將要在後。”

要努力進窄門

解經的一個原則是：解釋一節經文要從上下文來解釋。而解釋一段經文，要從整本聖經的信息來看，不可抽離整本聖經的教訓。光從這段經文 (路加福音13：22-30)來看，好像我們的努力是進入天國的保證。這就與因信稱義相牴觸了。但是如果放在整本聖經的亮光下，我們就發現，得救是本乎恩 (by grace) ，完全是上帝的恩典；但是，也是因着信 (through faith)。

神在他與人立的約裡面 (上帝與人立約：我要作你們的上帝，你們要作為我的子民；以馬內利，神與人同在；在基督里，等等描述神與人的關係的字眼)，告訴我們，得救都是上帝預定、揀選的恩典，人不可能憑着任何功勞來賺取救恩。但是在這個約裡面，上帝要人作出真誠的、真實的選擇 (所謂的“自由意志”)，就是以信心、悔改、委身、遵行他的話、抓住神的應許，信靠耶穌基督在十字架所成就的救贖工作。信心、悔改是人進入約、也是人留在約中所必須作的，也是上帝吩咐我們要努力操練的(聖靈會保守信徒)。但是，作完了這些，沒有任何功勞，不能換取救恩；作了，只是無用的僕人。一切都是出於神的恩典。所以，耶穌說，你們要努力進窄門，是要提醒我們，不要忽略了我們當作的。律法主義是要靠守律法來賺取義，或者在神的律法之外加上一些聖經沒有的，來捆綁人的良心。我們不要律法主義！但是，我們也不要成為無律法主義者。我們當以感恩的心，在每天與神同行中，遵行神要求我們遵行的律法。操練、遵行這些律法，不是要使我們變成律法主義者，而是要我們不要作無律法主義者。所有的真信徒，都在這兩者間，取得一個平衡。福音派今天的確太多誤解、曲解了因信稱義，只看到神的愛的一面，忽略了神公義、聖潔的一面，以致於在有意無意間成了無律法主義者。

這是我們當警醒的。

candle：神的公義、聖潔,常被人怕痛要面子的私心埋葬恩典與公義聖潔是平衡的,任何一邊的誇大都會扭曲了神的本貌

GuanGuan：沒錯，批評得很好！“不太”看重講律法，是福音派里一個普遍的貓餅，所以，金錢奉獻的時候我們經常是扣扣搜搜不情不願，敬拜聚會的時候是拖拖拉拉，自由散漫。。。。anyway，我們卻仍然很喜樂，哈，很奇怪
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誠之：抄一段書給你參考：

太11：12
The kingdom is pressing ahead with force, although violent men, such as Herod who had imprisoned John the Baptist, are trying to overcome it by force. It is not the strong and forceful who obtain the kingdom but the weak and helpless (vv. 28-30), who know their own weakness and are ready to depend on God.
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新民：馬太福音11:12新民版本的中文意譯

從施洗約翰到如今，天國正在轟轟烈烈、大刀闊斧、如火如荼地展開來。凡真心熱切嚮往而傾力投靠的人就得着了。

NIV has the best translation for Matthew11:12. Here is why.

The various translations stem from the confusion about the proper voice of the Greek word "biazetai". Is it passive or middle? That is the grammatical key to the translation.

NIV renders biazetai as middle voice, thus, the Kingdom of God is forcefully advancing (by itself), not suffers from violence by others.

Another key that affirms the above point is in the context of Jesus' commenting on John the Baptist (JB). Jesus was sketching a dichotomous division between OT and NT, with JB as the last of the OT prophet who was also the forerunner of the King of the Kingdom of God (the same as the Kingdom of Heaven, see my previous post on this). Jesus was clearly not happy with the contemporary generation of his time (see verses 16-19) since the people were largely lukewarm and not very responsive to the Kingdom of God.

"From the days of John the Baptist until now (when Jesus was speaking then)", which is precisely the epoch-making junction of the cataclysmic phasing out of OT era (marked by JB) and the powerful ushering in of the NT era (marked by Jesus Christ himself), Jesus was lamenting on the disbelief and unreponsiveness of general populace to the mighty Kingdom of God. It was in this context and environ that Jesus proclaimed that "the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing". Please refer to a myriad of miracles that Jesus had done and enumerated for JB's inquiring disciples (see verses 4-6). Clearly the Kingdom of Heaven was being ushered in with unprecedented signs, wonders, and miracles done by Jesus Christ the King and Lord. No one on earth has the power to stop or impede the powerful advancement of the Kingdom of God. That is an obvious fact that Jesus was affirming.

Jesus went further to encourage people not to lose sight of this powerful phasing in of the Kingdom of Heaven, thus, "forceful men lay hold of it". Jesus implied that no one should continue to be lukewarm and unresponsive to the forcefully advancing Kingdom of Heaven, they should be forceful and lay hold of the Kingdom of God. This imperative is not at all in conflict with the biblical principle of justification by grace through faith. All must act swiftly and forcefully in response to God's urgent call to repentence and God's invitation for his Kingdom, we are to ask, seek and knock the door. We shall rush into the Kingdom of God, we must not retreat or remain inactive, disbelieving or lukewarm.

The first message that Jesus (and JB earlier) preached is a simple one liner: Repent! For the Kingdom of God is near.

Now Jesus was saying: Take notice! The Kingdom of God is forcefully advancing. Do not hesitate and come on in! Rush for and squeeze yourself into it at all cost!

Hooray! Go Kingdom of God! Hurry up while there is time.
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1314：謝謝清風，誠之，新民老師。

還有蠟燭老師的鼓勵。

僅從經文的翻譯角度講，我覺得差別不在動詞上，而是主語上。是信神的人努力進入？還是天國，按神的旨意，強力推進，但遭阻擋神的攻擊？（新民把最後一句也改了）。
“因信稱義”是我們要堅守的。但“強扭的瓜不甜”，在未能領受/感受到神的救恩的大愛之前，人，出於恐懼，會走“律法主義”。另一方面，有了聖靈的感動，卻不去行，我們就得當心了。神要把這恩典也奪去，加給那“照神的旨意去行”的人。

xinmin：The key is the verb, not the subject noun.

If you know some Greek grammar, you will understand that Greek verbs have subject implied with them (such as first/second/third person singular or plural).

The verb is biazetai for Kingdom of Heaven. The noun biastai is for the second verb arpazousin. The two clauses have a conjunctive kai in between. So there is no confusion as to what and who here.

The Chinese Union Verson basically repeats the two half sentences. NIV is still the best translation.

1314：Thank you Brother. Another thing learned.
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