MHCC:创世记 18

Chapter 18第十八章

The Lord appears to Abraham. (1-8) Sarah's unbelief reproved. (9-15) God reveals to Abraham the destruction of Sodom. (16-22) Abraham's intercession for Sodom. (23-33) 上帝向亚伯拉罕显现。（1-8）撒拉因不信受责备。（9-15）上帝晓谕亚伯拉罕所多玛的毁灭。（16-22）亚伯拉罕为所多玛求情。（23-33）

Verses 1-8 Abraham was waiting to entertain any weary traveller, for inns were not to be met with as among us. While Abraham was thus sitting, he saw three men coming. These were three heavenly beings in human bodies. Some think they were all created angels; others, that one of them was the Son of God, the Angel of the covenant. Washing the feet is customary in those hot climates, where only sandals are worn. We should not be forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, hebrews 13:2 ; nay, the Lord of angels himself; as we always do, when for his sake we entertain the least of his brethren. Cheerful and obliging manners in showing kindness, are great ornaments to piety. Though our condescending Lord vouchsafes not personal visits to us, yet still by his Spirit he stands at the door and knocks; when we are inclined to open, he deigns to enter; and by his gracious consolations he provides a rich feast, of which we partake with him, revelation 3:20 .

1-8亚伯拉罕时刻准备着招待任何疲惫的旅客，因为正如我们现在（作者马太-亨利的时代——译者注）一样，客栈总是不够。亚伯拉罕正这样坐着，有三人向他走来。他们是以肉身显现的三位天使。有人认为这三位全是天使，有人则认为其中有一位是上帝的儿子，也就是那位与亚伯拉罕立约的天使（参阅第16章注释——译者注）。洗脚是那些气候炎热地区的人们的习惯，那里的人只穿凉鞋。“不可忘记用爱心接待客旅；因为曾有接待客旅的，不知不觉就接待了天使。”（希伯来书13:2）；不仅要接待主的天使，而且我们在日常生活中应该为了上帝的缘故接待主里面的最小的弟兄。以愉快的、亲切的方式，显示自己的友好，这是虔诚的重要配饰。尽管我们谦卑的主不会以肉身的形式来访问我们，但是，他的灵就站在我们的心门口敲门，当我们去开门，他就要进来，以他慈爱的安慰为丰盛筵席，使我们和他一同有份。（启示录3:20）

Verses 9-15 Where is Sarah thy wife? was asked. Note the answer, In the tent. Just at hand, in her proper place, occupied in her household concerns. There is nothing got by gadding. Those are most likely to receive comfort from God and his promises, who are in their proper place, and in the way of their duty, Lu 2:8. We are slow of heart to believe, and need line upon line to the same purport. The blessings others have from common providence, believers have from the Divine promise, which makes them very sweet, and very sure. The spiritual seed of Abraham owe their life, and joy, and hope, and all, to the promise. Sarah thinks this too good news to be true; she laughed, and therefore cannot as yet find in her heart to believe it. Sarah laughed. We might not have thought there was a difference between Sarah's laughter and Abraham's, ch. 17:17; but He who searches the heart, saw that the one sprung from unbelief, and the other from faith. She denied that she had laughed. One sin commonly brings in another, and it is not likely we shall strictly keep to truth, when we question the Divine truth. But whom the Lord loves he will rebuke, convict, silence, and bring to repentance, and if they sin before him.

9-15问：“你妻子撒拉在哪里？”答：“在帐棚里。”此时，她正在她应该在的地方，在为家庭事务操心。游手好闲者必一无所获。那些坚守自己的本分，履行自己当行的职责的人，往往是最容易从上帝和他的应许中获得安慰的（路加福音2:8）。我们总是信得很慢，要一步步地才能相信上帝的旨意。别的人获得的祝福只是源于上帝普通的慈爱，而信徒们得到的祝福则来自上帝的应许，这应许使他们感到如此甘甜，如此稳固。亚伯拉罕的属灵上的子孙所得到的生命、快乐、盼望以及一切，都是缘于这应许。撒拉没法相信这样的好消息会是真的；她暗笑了，因此在她的心中找不到对这一消息的信心。“撒拉心里暗笑”。我们可能没有想到过，撒拉的笑和亚伯拉罕的笑是有区别的（创世记17:17），但是上帝监察人心，他能看到他们两个人中，一个人的心中是不信，另一个人所怀的是信心。撒拉还否认她笑了。一宗罪往往会带出另一宗罪，当我们怀疑上帝的真实的时候，我们往往就会变得不再忠于真实。那些上帝所爱的人在他面前犯了罪，他就会责备他们，告诉他们犯了什么罪，或者向他们沉默，最终将他们带到悔改之中。

Verses 16-22 The two who are supposed to have been created angels went toward Sodom. The one who is called Jehovah throughout the chapter, continued with Abraham, and would not hide from him the thing he intended to do. Though God long forbears with sinners, from which they fancy that the Lord does not see, and does not regard; yet when the day of his wrath comes, he will look toward them. The Lord will give Abraham an opportunity to intercede with him, and shows him the reason of his conduct. Consider, as a very bright part of Abraham's character and example, that he not only prayed with his family, but he was very careful to teach and rule them well. Those who expect family blessings must make conscience of family duty. Abraham did not fill their heads with matters of doubtful dispute; but he taught them to be serious and devout in the worship of God, and to be honest in their dealings with all men. Of how few may such a character be given in our days! How little care is taken by masters of families to ground those under them in the principles of religion! Do we watch from sabbath to sabbath whether they go forward or backward?

16-22两个天使向所多玛走去。另一位在本章中一直被称为耶和华的，还继续与亚伯拉罕在一起，而且，他没有向亚伯拉罕隐瞒他打算做什么。上帝长时间容忍罪人，而罪人以为上帝没看到或者没在意；然而，当上帝愤怒的日子来到，他将会注视罪人们。上帝给亚伯拉罕机会，使亚伯拉罕可以向他求情，并且告诉亚伯拉罕他这么做（毁灭所多玛——译者注）的理由。想想看，作为亚伯拉罕的美好品格和榜样的一部分，他不仅和他的家人一起祈祷，而且他很认真地教导、约束他们。那些希望家庭蒙祝福的人，必须在家庭中凭良心尽责。亚伯拉罕没有往家人的头脑中灌输怀疑的纷争，而是教导他们认真而虔诚地敬拜上帝，并让他们以诚实对待一切的人。如此的品格，在我们这个时代何其少见！现在的一家之长，很少还注重使自己的家人站在信仰的真理上面。我们有没有在一个又一个的主日中关注他们是进步了还是退步了？

Verses 23-33 Here is the first solemn prayer upon record in the Bible; and it is a prayer for the sparing of Sodom. Abraham prayed earnestly that Sodom might be spared, if but a few righteous persons should be found in it. Come and learn from Abraham what compassion we should feel for sinners, and how earnestly we should pray for them. We see here that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Abraham, indeed, failed in his request for the whole place, but Lot was miraculously delivered. Be encouraged then to expect, by earnest prayer, the blessing of God upon your families, your friends, your neighbourhood. To this end you must not only pray, but you must live like Abraham. He knew the Judge of all the earth would do right. He does not plead that the wicked may be spared for their own sake, or because it would be severe to destroy them, but for the sake of the righteous who might be found among them. And righteousness only can be made a plea before God. How then did Christ make intercession for transgressors? Not by blaming the Divine law, nor by alleging aught in extenuation or excuse of human guilt; but by pleading HIS OWN obedience unto death.

23-33这里记载了圣经中第一次重要的祷告。这次祷告是为着使所多玛得着赦免。亚伯拉罕真诚地祈求，如果所多玛中还有少量的义人，那么希望所多玛得到赦免。从亚伯拉罕那里我们能够学到，我们对罪人应该怀有怎样的怜悯，我们应该多么真诚地为他们祈祷。这里我们还能看到，一个义人的恳切祈祷能有多么大的功效！确实，亚伯拉罕为整个所多玛求情没有成功，但是，罗得却奇迹般地获救了。这鼓励我们可以盼望，通过真诚的祈祷，上帝的祝福将临到你的家人，你的朋友，你的邻居。要实现这个，你不仅需要祈祷，而且必须像亚伯拉罕一样生活。亚伯拉罕知道，上帝——全地的审判官，必行公义。所以，他没有为那些恶人的罪行开脱，也没有因为觉得毁灭这些恶人会过于严厉而祈祷，他祈祷的理由是或许在所多玛中还有义人。只有义才能作为在上帝面前辩护的理由。那么基督是怎样在上帝面前为罪人求情的？不是指责上帝的律法太严格，也不是请求酌情减轻惩罚或为人的罪行开脱，而是以他自己的顺服至死来为罪人代求的。--【译】赵威&【搬】何叶^-^~2012年3月26日(一)09:15 (CST)