保罗的完成职事(二):完成神启示的话

歌罗西一章25节,说"我照神为你们所赐我的管家职分，作了教会的执事，要完成神
的话";　歌罗西二2  『要叫他们的心得安慰，在爱里结合一起，以致丰丰富富的在
悟性上有充分的确信，能以完全认识  神的奥秘，就是基督。』

在歌罗西一章二十五节，保罗论到基督的身体，就是教会，说，『我照神为你们所
赐我的管家职分，作了教会的执事，要完成神的话。』保罗在这里说，他是管家，
成了教会的执事。

在二十五节，保罗也说到完成神的话。神的话就是神的启示，在新约以前并未完成。
在新约时，使徒们，特别是使徒保罗，在神的奥秘（基督），以及基督的奥秘（教
会）这两点上，完成了神的话，将神的经纶完满的启示给我们。

根据歌罗西一章二十六节，神的话就是『历世历代以来所隐藏的奥秘，但如今向他
的圣徒显明了』。这隐藏的奥秘是关乎基督与教会（弗五32），就是头与身体。使
徒保罗揭开这奥秘，乃是完成神的话这神圣启示的主要部分。

在保罗的时代以前，神的启示还没有完成。保罗出来尽职以前，神的启示已经记在
旧约里。此外，借着福音书和部分使徒行传所记载的事情，神将他自己启示出来。

然而，还需要保罗写许多书信，论到基督是神的奥秘，以及教会是基督的奥秘，为
要完成神圣的启示。这神圣启示的完成特别可见於他的四封书信：加拉太书、以弗
所书、腓立比书、歌罗西书。

历世历代以来所隐藏的奥秘，乃是如今必须借着圣徒的传扬来完成之神的话。这隐
藏的奥秘，已经向神的圣徒显明了，就是『基督在你们里面成了荣耀的盼望』。

多年来我们听人传福音，但难得听见说，人相信耶稣基督的时候，基督不仅拯救他，
并且要进到他的灵里，还要留在那里作他的生命。今天的基督教，多半不是这样传
扬。因此，我们需要完成神的话。

请注意二十五节的结束不是句点，乃是撇点。保罗在二十六节继续说，『就是历世
历代以来所隐藏的奥秘，但如今向他的圣徒显明了。』

照这句原文的文法，二十六节的『奥秘』与二十五节『神的话』是同位语，表明神
的话就是那历世历代以来所隐藏的奥秘，但如今向圣徒显明了。

历世，意从永远以来；历代，意从各时代以来。关于基督与教会的奥秘，是从永远，
从各时代以来一直隐藏着，直到新约时代才显明给圣徒，包括我们众人，就是在基
督里的信徒。

在二十五节，保罗清楚说到，他从神领受了使命，要完成神启示的话，特别是关于
神经纶中的奥秘。这奥秘是论到基督和他的身体，其主要的点乃是基督在他身体里
作荣耀的盼望（26~27）。

如今惟一能得着发展的，就是我们的盼望。这启示已经完成了，没有甚么可再发展
了；今天我们已有了一切。

参读：歌罗西书生命读经，第十一篇；约伯记生命读经，第三十一篇。



English Version:
                                                    
Col. 1:25 "Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of 
God, which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God."
Col. 2:2 "That their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in 
love and unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge 
of the mystery of God, Christ."

    Speaking of the Body of Christ, the church, Paul says in Colossians 
1:25,"Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God, 
which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God." Here Paul says 
that,as a steward, he became a minister of the church.

    In 1:25 Paul also speaks of completing the word of God. The word of 
God is the divine revelation, which was not completed until the New Testament 
was written. In the New Testament the apostles, especially the apostle Paul, 
completed the word of God in the mystery of God, which is Christ, and in 
the mystery of Christ, which is the church, to give us a full revelation of 
God's economy. According to 1:26, the word of God is the "mystery which 
has been hidden from the ages and from the generations but now has been 
manifested to His saints." This hidden mystery is related to Christ and 
the church, the Head and the Body. The unveiling of this mystery through 
the apostle Paul is a major part of the completion of the word of God as 
the divine revelation. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 93-94)
                                                
    Prior to the time of Paul, the divine revelation had not been completed.Before 
Paul came forth to minister, God's revelation had already been given in 
the Old Testament. Furthermore, God had revealed Himself through the events 
recorded in the Gospels and in part of the Acts. However, it was necessary 
for Paul to write a number of Epistles concerning Christ as the mystery 
of God and concerning the church as the mystery of Christ in order for the 
divine revelation to be complete. This completion of the divine revelation 
is seen especially in four of his Epistles: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians,
 and Colossians.

    The mystery concealed from ages and generations is the word of God that 
must now be completed through the preaching of the saints. This concealed 
mystery, which has been made manifest to God's saints, is "Christ in you, 
the hope of glory" (v. 27). Although I have heard the preaching of the gospel 
for years, I have rarely heard a message saying that when someone believes in 
Jesus Christ, Christ will not only save him, but also come into his spirit 
and remain there as his life. Most of the preaching in today's Christianity 
is not like this. Thus, there is the need for the completion of the word 
of God.

    Notice that verse 25 does not end with a period, but with a comma. Then 
in verse 26 Paul continues, "The mystery which has been hidden from the 
ages and from the generations but now has been manifested to His saints." 
According to grammar, the mystery in verse 26 is in apposition to the word 
of God in verse 25. This means that the word of God is the very mystery which 
has been hidden from the ages and generations, but is now made manifest 
to the saints. The ages here denote eternity, whereas the generations denote 
the times. The mystery concerning Christ and the church had been hidden 
from eternity and from all times until the New Testament age, when it was 
manifested to the saints, the believers in Christ. (Life-study of Colossians,
pp. 94-95, 114)

    In Colossians 1:25 Paul made it clear that he received a commission 
from God to complete God's word of revelation, especially regarding the 
mystery in God's economy. This mystery concerns both Christ and His Body, 
with the main point being that Christ is within His Body as the hope of 
glory (vv. 26-27). Now, the only thing that can be developed is our hope. 
The revelation has been completed and will have no more development. Today 
we have everything. (Life-study of Job, p. 165)

    Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msg. 11; Life-study of Job, 
msg.31


- 未完待续

保罗的完成职事(三):主观地经历基督

保罗的完成职事(一):看见异象