創世記結晶讀經(十二): 基督創造的主觀性與客觀性
西一15『愛子是那不能看見之神的像,是一切受造之物的首生者。』
西一18『他也是召會身體的頭;他是元始,是從死人中復活的首生者,使他可以在萬有中居首位。』
基督主觀地創造。基督不是僅僅作為客觀的創造者,客觀的創造宇宙。我們可以說,他不是站在一旁,稱一切為有。相反的,創造的過程是在他裡面,就是在他人位的能力里進行的。基督是宇宙中獨一的能力。他的人位就是這個能力。
所以,創造是在他裡面進行的。這意思是說,他不僅僅是客觀的創造者,也是創造藉以依次完成的主觀憑藉。
因這緣故,創造帶有基督內在能力的特徵。聖經不是說基督創造了宇宙,乃是說萬物是借着他成的,或說萬有都是在他裡面造的〕。『由他』這辭是客觀的,但『借着他』和『在他裡面』這些辭是主觀的。
欽定英文譯本歌羅西一章十六節說,萬有都是為着他造的。『為着他』也可譯作『歸於他』。『為着他』是客觀的,而『歸於他』是主觀的。萬有都是在基督裡面,借着基督而造的,最終還要歸於基督。
這些說法都指明基督與創造有主觀的關聯。受造之物不僅是為着他,也是歸於他。
這意思是說,受造之物歸結在他裡面。保羅使用『在…裡面』、『借着』並『為着(歸於)』這三個介系詞,都指明基督與創造有主觀的關聯。創造是在基督人位的能力里,以他為主動的憑藉而發生的,並且還要歸於他,作受造之物的歸結。
這種關係全然是主觀的。因着基督與創造有主觀的關聯,他便在創造里彰顯神。創造彰顯了基督的特徵;而基督是那不能看見之神的像。
按新約看,『維繫』一辭包括或含示三件事:存在、存活並同活。萬有不僅存在基督裡面,也存活或繼續存在他裡面。不僅如此,萬有也一同存活或一同存在他裡面。整個宇宙是在基督裡面得以維繫,一同存在。
他是萬有得以維繫的中心。萬有不僅存在他裡面;萬有也存活在他裡面,並且集體的同活在他裡面。
保羅在歌羅西一章十五節繼續說,基督是一切受造之物的首生者。這意思是說,在創造里,基督是首先的。基督是神,他是創造者;然而,基督是人,有分於受造的血肉之體(來二14 上),所以他是受造之物的一部分。
一切受造之物的首生者,是指基督在一切受造之物中居首位,因為從歌羅西一章十五節到十八節,使徒着重基督在萬有中的首位。十五節啟示基督不僅是創造者,也是一切受造之物的首生者,在一切受造之物中居首位。
有些人不明白,既然基督是在不到二千年前出生,而不是在創造開始時出生,他怎能成為一切受造之物的首生者。我們若要正確的領會這事,就必須知道,在神沒有時間的元素。
所以,根據神在永遠里的眼光,基督在已過的永遠里就出生了。這就是為甚麼按着神的觀點,基督始終是一切受造之物的首生者。神豫知基督要生在伯利恆馬槽里的日子。
因為基督在受造之物中居首位,我們就能說,作為包羅萬有者,他是創造者,也是受造之物的一部分。
參讀:歌羅西書生命讀經,第八、十篇。
Col. 1:15 "Who is the image of
the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation."
18 "And He is the Head of the
Body, the church; He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that He
Himself might have the first place in all things."
Christ is related to creation in a subjective way. Christ did not create
the universe merely in an objective way as an objective Creator. He did not, so
to speak, stand apart and call everything into being.
On the contrary, the process of
creation took place in Him, that is, in the power of His person. Christ is the
unique power in the universe. His very person is this power. Therefore,
creation was processed in Him. This means that He was not simply an objective
Creator, but also the subjective instrument through which creation was processed.
For this reason, creation bears the characteristics of Christ's intrinsic
power. Instead of saying that Christ created the universe, the Bible says that
all things came into being through Him or were created in Him. The words by Him
are objective, whereas the words through Him and in Him are subjective.
(Life-study of Colossians, p. 81)
The King James Version of Colossians 1:16 says that all things have been
created for Him. It is better to render the Greek “unto Him.” For Him is
objective, but unto Him is subjective. All things have been created in Christ,
through Christ, and, ultimately, unto Christ. These expressions indicate that
Christ has a subjective relationship to creation. Creation is not simply for
Him; it is also unto Him. This means that
it consummates in Him. The three
prepositions in, through, and unto were used by Paul to point out the
subjective relationship of Christ to creation. Creation took place in the power
of Christ's person, through Him as the active instrument, and unto Him as its
consummation. Such a relationship is altogether subjective. Because of His
subjective relationship to creation, Christ expresses God in creation. Creation
expresses the characteristics of Christ who is the image of the invisible God.
(Life-study of Colossians, pp.81-82)
According to the New Testament, the word subsist includes, or implies,
three things: to exist, to live, and to live together. All things not only
exist in Christ but also live, or continue in existence, in Him.
Furthermore, all things live together,
or exist together, in Him. The entire universe subsists, exists together, in
Christ. He is the center in which all things subsist. All things not only exist
in Him; all things also live in Him and live together corporately in Him. (The
Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 279)
In Colossians 1:15 Paul goes on to say that Christ is the Firstborn of
all creation. This means that in creation Christ is the first. Christ as God is
the Creator. However, as man, sharing the created blood and flesh (Heb. 2:14),
He is part of the creation. “Firstborn of all creation” [Col. 1:15] refers to
Christ's
preeminence in all creation, since
from this verse through verse 18 the apostle stresses the first place of Christ
in all things. This verse reveals that Christ is not only the Creator, but also
the first among all created things, the first among all creatures.
Some may wonder how Christ could be the Firstborn of all creation since
He was born less than two thousand years ago, not at the very beginning of
creation. If we would understand this properly, we need to realize that with
God there is no time element.
Therefore, according to God's perspective in eternity, Christ was born
in eternity past. This is the reason that, according to God's viewpoint, Christ
has always been the first of all creatures. God foresaw the day that Christ
would be born in a manger in Bethlehem. Because Christ is the first among the
creatures, we can say that as the all-inclusive One He is both the Creator and part
of creation. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 66-68)
Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 8, 10
- 未完待續
創世記結晶讀經(十三): 六日談神創造
創世記結晶讀經(十一):基督也是萬有的維繫者
創世記結晶讀經(二十三):神創造的頭一個人亞當是一個團體人