MHCC:创世记 17

Chapter 17第十七章

God renews the covenant with Abram. (1-6) Circumcision instituted. (7-14) Sarai's name changed, Isaac promised. (15-22) Abraham and his family are circumcised. (23-27) 上帝更新与亚伯兰的约。(1－6)制定割礼。（7－14）撒莱改名，应许生以撒。（15－22）亚伯拉罕和他的家族行割礼。（23－27）

Verses 1-6 The covenant was to be accomplished in due time. The promised Seed was Christ, and Christians in him. And all who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abram, being partakers of the same covenant blessings. In token of this covenant his name was changed from Abram, "a high father," to Abraham, "the father of a multitude." All that the Christian world enjoys, it is indebted for to Abraham and his Seed.

1－6约是要在规定的时间里实现的。那应许的后裔就是基督，基督徒都在他里面。一切有信的人，都会与充满信心的亚伯兰一起，在这个约的祝福里有份。因为这约，他的名字从原来的亚伯兰（“崇高的父”）改为亚伯拉罕（“多国之父”）。基督教世界所享受的一切恩典，都因为亚伯拉罕和他的那位后裔。

Verses 7-14 The covenant of grace is from everlasting in the counsels of it, and to everlasting in the consequences of it. The token of the covenant was circumcision. It is here said to be the covenant which Abraham and his seed must keep. Those who will have the Lord to be to them a God, must resolve to be to him a people. Not only Abraham and Isaac, and his posterity by Isaac, were to be circumcised, but also Ishmael and the bond-servants. It sealed not only the covenant of the land of Canaan to Isaac's posterity, but of heaven, through Christ, to the whole church of God. The outward sign is for the visible church; the inward seal of the Spirit is peculiar to those whom God knows to be believers, and he alone can know them. The religious observance of this institution was required, under a very severe penalty. It is dangerous to make light of Divine institutions, and to live in the neglect of them. The covenant in question was one that involved great blessings for the world in all future ages. Even the blessedness of Abraham himself, and all the rewards conferred upon him, were for Christ's sake. Abraham was justified, as we have seen, not by his own righteousness, but by faith in the promised Messiah.

7－14约所包含的恩典，从约被计划时就是永恒的，约所产生的结果也是永恒的。割礼是这约的标记。这里说，亚伯拉罕和他的后裔必世世代代遵守这约。那些想要以主作为他们的神的人，必需决绝地让自己成为主的民。不仅亚伯拉罕和以撒，以及从以撒所出的后裔，要受割礼，而且，以实玛利以及他们的仆人也要受割礼。这个约不仅仅是指着要将迦南地赐给以撒的后裔，而且它还指着上帝的教会通过基督获得天堂。外在的记号是指可见的教堂；内在的印记是那些被上帝认为是相信他的人所独有的圣灵，只有上帝能将他们识别出来。在教会这一团体里面，有严格的规矩，大家遵守各种守则，这都是需要的。但是，如果轻视了内在的神圣诫命，生活在忽视内在诫命的状态之中，那是很危险的。这约有一个关键点，它是关于全世界以后所有世代的伟大祝福的。哪怕是亚伯拉罕自己所得到的祝福，以及所有赐给他的奖赏，也都是因为基督的缘故。正如我们所看到的，亚伯拉罕被称义，不是因为他自己的义，而是因着对那应许的弥赛亚的信心。

Verses 15-22 Here is the promise made to Abraham of a son by Sarai, in whom the promise made to him should be fulfilled. The assurance of this promise was the change of Sarai's name into Sarah. Sarai signifies my princess, as if her honour were confined to one family only; Sarah signifies a princess. The more favours God confers upon us, the more low we should be in our own eyes. Abraham showed great joy; he laughed, it was a laughter of delight, not of distrust. Now it was that Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day; now he saw it and was glad, john 8:56 . Abraham, dreading lest Ishmael should be abandoned and forsaken of God, put up a petition on his behalf. God gives us leave in prayer to be particular in making known our requests. Whatever is our care and fear, should be spread before God in prayer. It is the duty of parents to pray for their children, and the great thing we should desire is, that they may be kept in covenant with Him, and may have grace to walk before him in uprightness. Common blessings are secured to Ishmael. Outward good things are often given to those children of godly parents who are born after the flesh, for their parents' sake. Covenant blessings are reserved for Isaac, and appropriated to him.

15－22这里，上帝应许亚伯拉罕将从撒莱生一个儿子，上帝将通过撒莱成就对亚伯拉罕的应许。这一应许的证据就是“撒莱”改名为“撒拉”。“撒莱”意为“我的公主”，这名字意味着她的荣耀是被局限在一个家庭里的（因为是“我的”——译者注）。“撒拉”则意为“公主”（本来的局限被打破了——译者注）。上帝赐予我们越多的恩典，我们就越应该看到自己的卑微。亚伯拉罕表现出极大的喜乐；他笑了，这是喜乐的笑，不是因为不信。此时，“亚伯拉罕欢欢喜喜地仰望”基督的日子，“既看见了，就快乐”（约翰福音8:56）。亚伯拉罕担心以实玛力会被上帝弃绝，所以他在这里为以实玛力的利益祈祷。上帝给我们祷告的职责，尤其是为了知道我们的需求。不论我们害怕什么还是担心什么，都应该在祷告中将它们放在上帝的面前。为自己的子女祈祷是父母的职责，我们所最应该渴慕的是，他们能够一直遵守和上帝的约，使上帝的恩典一直伴随他们的脚踪。上帝保证了对以实玛力的普通祝福。那些虔诚的父母在肉身上的子女常常会获得外在的好处，因为他们的父母的缘故。但是，约的祝福，是为以撒保留的，是专门留给他的。

Verses 23-27 Abraham and all his family were circumcised; so receiving the token of the covenant, and distinguishing themselves from other families that had no part nor lot in the matter. It was an implicit obedience; he did as God said unto him, and did not ask why or wherefore. He did it because God bade him. It was a speedy obedience; in the self-same day. Sincere obedience makes no delay. Not only the doctrines of revelation, but the seals of God's covenant, remind us that we are guilty, polluted sinners. They show us our need of the blood of atonement; they point to the promised Saviour, and teach us to exercise faith in him. They show us that without regeneration, and sanctification by his Spirit, and the mortification of our corrupt and carnal inclinations, we cannot be in covenant with God. But let us remember that the true circumcision is that of the heart, by the Spirit, romans 2:28,29 . Both under the old and new dispensation, many have had the outward profession, and the outward seal, who were never sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.

23—27亚伯拉罕和他的全家都受了割礼，作为他们接受上帝的约的记号，并将他们从其他与约无份的民中区别出来。这里也隐含着顺服，他按照上帝吩咐的做了，但没有问为什么。上帝让这么做，他就做了。这是一次迅速的顺服，“正当那日”——当天就做的。真实的顺服从来不会有耽延。不仅是圣经的教义，而且还有上帝的约的印记，都使我们想起，我们是有罪的，是污秽的罪人。它们昭示着我们需要救赎的宝血，它们都指向那应许的救世主，教导我们怎样学习来相信他。它们昭示着，如果我们没有重生，没有靠着圣灵成圣，没能禁绝我们败坏的肉体欲望，我们就不能在约里与上帝有份。但是，让我们不该忘了，“真割礼也是心里的，在乎灵”（罗马书2:28、29）。无论在旧约还是新约，都有很多人只是有着外在的信仰和外在的印记，他们从来没有得到那应许的圣灵的印记。--【译】赵威&【搬】何叶^-^~2012年3月26日(一)09:10 (CST)