Browsing "Default"
Dec 25, 2021 - Default    No Comments

關於聖誕節的星星

“當希律王的時候,耶穌生在猶太的伯利恆。有幾個博士從東方來到耶路撒冷,說:那生下來做猶太人之王的在哪裡?我們在東方看見他的星,特來拜他。” (馬太福音 2:1-2)
《聖經》記載,在耶穌出生的時候,天上出現一顆明亮的星星,引導東方三個博士前去拜他,並且各自都送上禮物。這就是為什麼耶穌誕生的圖畫通常都有三個博士和一顆明亮的星星。這顆星星在中國歷史上也有記載。“《漢書 天文志》記載在漢哀帝 (西漢的第十三位皇帝) 時出現一顆彗星,是公元前5年發生的,這顆彗星在天上有70多天,無論出現的年份以及出現的持久性,都與《聖經》所記載的極為吻合。” (鏈接:耶穌降生時的景星,在中國歷史上有記載嗎?)
Dec 25, 2021 - Default    No Comments

伯利恆星與中國古代天文 (轉載)

耶穌誕生的那個時期,也就是公元前幾年左右,中國正是漢朝的時代。在後漢書中第26卷的【天文志】中,就記載了這樣一段天文現象:哀帝建平二年,公元前5年,二年二月,彗星出牽牛七十餘日。傳曰:‘彗所以除舊布新也’。牽牛,日、月、五星所從起,曆數之元,三正之始。彗而出之,改更之像也。其出久者,為其事大也。”
意思是,有一顆彗星從牽牛星而出,有70多天之久,標誌着舊的時代被新的時代所取代。彗星長時間的出現,說明其事關重大。而70天的時間,正好是從波斯趕往耶穌的誕生地–白冷的時間。
建平二年,這個年制中,因為彗星出現長達70天,漢平帝認為自己就是那一位偉大人物,遂將自己年號改為元年。由於後來年代推斷的問題,剛好漢平帝二年,就是彗星出現的時間!

關於耶穌的死亡,聖經這樣記載:“那時約有午正,遍地都黑暗了,直到申初,日頭變黑了,殿里的幔子從當中裂為兩半。耶穌大聲喊着說: ‘父啊,我將我的靈魂交在你手裡!’ 說了這話,氣就斷了” (路加福音 23:44-46)。
再看【後漢書:第一卷】的記載:“癸亥晦,日有食之,避正殿,寢兵,不聽事五日。詔曰:‘吾德薄致災,謫見日月,戰慄恐懼,夫何言哉!其上書者,不得言聖。’” 大意是:該月的最後一天癸亥日,有日食發生。皇帝避免進入正殿,停止了一切軍事活動,五天不理國事。
他又作了正式的聲明,說:“我品德不好,引致這樣的災難,甚至太陽和月亮都被遮蔽了。我什恐懼戰兢。還有什麼話說呢?凡上奏的人,不許提‘聖’字。”
還有一條緊隨其後的記錄:“夏四月壬午,詔曰:‘比陰陽錯謬,日月薄食。百姓有過,在予一人,大赦天下’。”(《後漢書第一卷》) 大意是,夏季四月壬午日,皇帝詔書說:“陰陽錯位,發生日食月食。眾人的罪落在我一人身上。大赦天下。”

鏈接:https://kknews.cc/history/perpp3e.html
Dec 22, 2021 - Default    No Comments

Pressing On and Pressing In

From one perspective, the Christian life is about pressing on and pressing in.

從一個角度來說,
基督徒的生命就是竭力追求、忍耐到底。

基督徒的生命就像 John Bunyan (班揚) 所寫的《天路歷程》。
保羅說 “我乃是竭力追求 (press on)”;他說: “弟兄們,我不是以為自己已經得着了,我只有一件事,就是忘記背後,努力面前的,向著標竿直跑 (press on),要得神在基督耶穌里從上面召我來得的獎賞。”
(cf. 腓 3:8, 12-14; 林前 9:24; 提後 2:5; 太 11:12, 24:13; 來 3:6, 14)

Dec 20, 2021 - Default    No Comments

Hope 盼望

Summary

Hope = a firm conviction (an attitude of full assurance) regarding the fulfillment of God’s promises (The resurrection of God’s people and the coming of God’s kingdom).
盼望 = 對上帝的應許(上帝子民的復活和上帝國度的來臨)的堅定信念(完全確信的態度)

Holy Spirit = A down payment on the kingdom = A sign and the sustainer of hope
聖靈 = 天國的預付 = 盼望的預兆和幫助者

Paul: Until the kingdom comes in its fullness, believers can only have an assured hope; they must “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
保羅:在國度完全來臨之前,信徒們只能有一個確定的盼望; 他們必須 “行事為人憑信心,不憑眼見” (哥林多後書 5:7)。

“我們這有聖靈初結果子的,也是自己心裡嘆息,等候得著兒子的名分,乃是我們的身體得贖。我們得救是在乎盼望。只是所見的盼望不是盼望。誰還盼望他所見的呢?但我們若盼望那所不見的,就必忍耐等候。” (羅馬書 8:23-25)

by Reformation Study Bible Notes
Biblical hope is a firm conviction that the future promises of God will be fulfilled. Hope is not mere wish projection, but an assurance of what will come to pass. “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain” (Hebrews 6:19).
Hope takes its place alongside faith and love as one of the Christian virtues that the apostle Paul sets forth in 1 Corinthians 13:13. Hope is faith directed toward the future.
Hope is used in two ways in the Bible. The less common usage points out the object of our hope. Christ is our hope of eternal life. The more common usage is as an attitude of assurance regarding the fulfillment of God’s promises. The Christian is called to hope, that is, to have full assurance of the resurrection of God’s people and the coming of God’s kingdom. Hope is inextricably bound up with eschatology.
Paul reminds Christians that until the kingdom comes in its fullness, believers can only have an assured hope; they must “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This hope is neither unfounded nor groundless. Though the life of the Christian is marked more by suffering than triumph (1 Corinthians 4:8-13; 2 Corinthians 4:7-18), the foundation for hope is in the Godhead.
First, the believer looks upon the death and resurrection of Christ. His death was the darkest hour for His disciples. The promised Messiah was dead, His kingdom apparently lost. With the Resurrection, that despair turned to hope. Alongside suffering, whether great or small, the Christian’s hope must endure. God is always sufficient and faithful.
Second, the believer has the Holy Spirit as a down payment on the kingdom. His presence assures us that the kingdom will be fully consummated. The Spirit is not only a sign toward hope, but the sustainer of hope. He fulfills the role of Comforter, girding up the believer in strength and hope. It is the Spirit that encourages the believer to pray to the Father, “Your kingdom come.”
Dec 17, 2021 - Default    No Comments

“被告席上的上帝”

“The ancient man approached God (or even the gods) as the accused person approaches his judge. For the modern man the roles are reversed. He is the judge: God is in the dock. He is quite a kindly judge: If God should have a reasonable defense for being the god who permits war, poverty, and disease, he is ready to listen to it. The trial may even end in God’s acquittal. But the important thing is that Man is on the Bench and God in the Dock.” — C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock 
“古人面對神就像罪人面對法官。對於現代人來說,角色被顛倒了:人成為了法官,神成為了被告。人自認為是一個寬容的法官:如果神可以給予一個合理的解釋為什麼祂作為神卻容許戰爭、貧窮和疾病,那麼人就願意聽審。審判的結果也許是神被算為無罪。但問題的是,人在法官的位置,神在被告的位置。”
Pages:«1...23242526272829...114»