新约 - 哥林多后书(2 Corinthians)第1章

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;
And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.
When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.
Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
哥林多后书第一章   哥林多前书和后书的分别 

  林后 1:1> 写了第一封信,又要写第二封,有什么特别原因吗? 

  1:1 保罗在第二次宣教旅程中到访哥林多,并且建立了这里的教会(参徒 18:1-18 )。其后,他数度写信给哥林多的信徒,其中两封信收录在圣经内。保罗写了哥林多前书之后不到一年,便写了哥林多后书。 

  保罗写哥林多前书,目的是要解决教会内分裂的问题。但是他的建议并未被他们接纳,教会的问题也未能解决,因此保罗再度探访哥林多,这次探访对保罗和教会都是不愉快的( 2:1 )。后来他计划第三度前往,可惜因故未能成行,于是便写了这封信。他写了这封信之后,又再去了哥林多一次(参徒 20:2-3 )。 

  林后 1:1> 本来保罗不会再到哥林多,只为…… 

  1:1 提摩太极受保罗欣赏(参腓 2:19-20 ;提前 1:2 ),他是保罗布道旅行的同伴(参徒 16:1-3 ),并且在保罗第二次的宣教旅程中一同去了哥林多。后来保罗又差遣提摩太去帮助他们(参林前 4:17 ; 16:10 )。提摩太向保罗报告了哥林多教会的危机后,保罗改变计划,突然到访,为要亲自处理哥林多教会的问题( 2:1 )。有关提摩太的资料,请参提前 1 章的人物介绍。 

  林后 1:3-5> 困难时我看到神,是的,祂在那里牵我手──你感到好痛苦?你看…… 

  1:3-5 许多人以为,若神安慰我们,我们的困难就会自动消失。但这样会使我们只为了消灾解难才寻找神,而非出于对祂的爱。“安慰”的含义包括接受所赐的能力、鼓励和盼望,以应付我们的困难。我们受苦愈多,神所给我们的安慰也愈大。当你感到痛苦难当时,让神安慰你吧。记着你所忍受的每一样磨炼,都会帮助你去安慰那些在类似困苦中的人。 

  林后 1:5> 我们受的苦,基督也受,你问祂怎样受?这…… 

  1:5 “基督的苦楚”是指那些因为承担基督事工而经历的苦痛,因为基督与信徒联合,祂也跟信徒一同受苦。基督曾问保罗为什么逼迫祂(参徒 9:4-5 )。这说明了基督与早期受迫害的基督徒一同受苦。 

  林后 1:6-7> 为了信仰的缘故而受苦,不是太傻了吗? 

  1:6-7 保罗和他的同伴为了叫哥林多信徒“得安慰得拯救”而大受患难。但正如神安慰保罗一样,祂也安慰因信仰而受患难的哥林多信徒,使他们能忍受苦难。 

  林后 1:8-10> 苦难时我寻求主,欢乐时我忘了主,其实我不是想这样的…… 

  1:8-10 保罗并没有详细说明他在亚西亚所遭遇的苦难,他说这三次宣教旅程中曾面对许多困难,连活命的指望都绝了,只能单纯地信靠神(参徒 13:2-14:28 ; 15:40-21:17 )。生活平静安稳时,我们便往往倚靠自己。但当我们感到无能为力时,便会向神求助。依赖神就是承认祂才是我们力量的泉源,自己是没有能力的,我们需要在生命上恒常与神接触。藉着与祂保持亲密的关系,我们便能得到祂的帮助。持着这样的态度,我们便不会因困难而远离神,反倒更亲近祂。让我们学习每一日都依靠神吧。 

  林后 1:11> 以祷告帮助为神工作的人,我有呀,你不会忘了吧? 

  1:11 保罗在布道的旅程中,请求信徒为他和他的同工祈祷。我们也要为牧者、宣教士和其他传福音的人祈祷,因为每个真正为神工作的人,都是撒但要攻击的对象。 

  林后 1:12-14> 所做所言直指良心,保罗是要我们…… 

  1:12-14 保罗了解到说话的真诚和行为的圣洁是很重要的,特别是需要给对方以建设性批评的时候。因此保罗没有运用高言大智来教训他们。神期望我们对人的态度是坦诚的,否则就会招惹闲言闲语、是是非非,甚至背后的批评。 

  林后 1:15-17> 又说去,又说不去,保罗是真的关心吗?怎会拿不定主意? 

  1:15-17 不久前,保罗曾突然短期地拜访了哥林多教会。这是一次对他及教会同样都不愉快的探访( 2:1 )。在这次探访之后,保罗曾提到他会再去一次,但后来又改变了行程,从以弗所直接去了马其顿,没有经过哥林多,却在马其顿写了一封信给哥林多的信徒。按着保罗原先的构想,他希望哥林多的教会能够解决自己的问题;但是,在他探访哥林多时,危机仍未完全消除( 7:11-16 )。所以他改变了原意,用书信代替亲自前往( 2:3-4 ; 7:8 ),因怕再赴哥林多会使问题更加恶化。保罗不去哥林多,并不是他三心二意,而是因为他更关怀教会的和睦与合一。 

  林后 1:17-20> 保罗也许真是反覆不定,你看人都这样说…… 

  1:17-20 保罗改变计划受到他对头的攻击,指他是一个不可信任的人。他们想以此来贬损他的权威。保罗说,他并非一个口是心非的人,他所以改变计划,完全是因为他体谅他们的感受,而非自己的三心二意。他希望他的到访可以为他们带来喜乐( 1:24 ),但在当时问题重重的情况下,根本不会有任何喜乐可言。他不愿意纯粹为了指斥他们而到他们那里去( 1:23 )。哥林多的信徒信赖神会持守祂的应许,他们也可以信任作为神仆人的保罗会遵守他所说的。保罗仍会探访他们,但是要在较适当的时间。 

  林后 1:19-20> 保罗被指责了,他如何为自己的忠诚辩说? 

  1:19-20 耶稣已忠心地履行了祂的使命,祂没有犯罪(参彼前 3:18 ),并为我们的罪死了(参来 2:9 );如今,祂又信实地为我们代求(参罗 8:34 ;来 4:14-15 )。因为耶稣是信实的,保罗也要在他的事奉上信实。 

  林后 1:21-22> 作基督徒,有礼物?挺好啊,保罗所说的礼物你可知道?