Cong Fang

建平二年，这个年制中，因为彗星出现长达70天，汉平帝认为自己就是那一位伟大人物，遂将自己年号改为元年。由于后来年代推断的问题，刚好汉平帝二年，就是彗星出现的时间！

关于耶稣的死亡，圣经这样记载：“那时约有午正，遍地都黑暗了，直到申初，日头变黑了，殿里的幔子从当中裂为两半。耶稣大声喊着说: ‘父啊，我将我的灵魂交在你手里!’ 说了这话，气就断了” (路加福音 23:44-46)。

再看【后汉书：第一卷】的记载：“癸亥晦，日有食之，避正殿，寝兵，不听事五日。诏曰：‘吾德薄致灾，谪见日月，战栗恐惧，夫何言哉！其上书者，不得言圣。’” 大意是：该月的最后一天癸亥日，有日食发生。皇帝避免进入正殿，停止了一切军事活动，五天不理国事。

还有一条紧随其后的记录：“夏四月壬午，诏曰：‘比阴阳错谬，日月薄食。百姓有过，在予一人，大赦天下’。”（《后汉书第一卷》） 大意是，夏季四月壬午日，皇帝诏书说：“阴阳错位，发生日食月食。众人的罪落在我一人身上。大赦天下。”

链接：https://kknews.cc/history/perpp3e.html

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

从一个角度来说，
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 (班扬) 所写的《天路历程》。

保罗说 “我乃是竭力追求 (press on)”；他说： “弟兄们，我不是以为自己已经得着了，我只有一件事，就是忘记背后，努力面前的，向着标竿直跑 (press on)，要得神在基督耶稣里从上面召我来得的奖赏。”

(cf. 腓 3:8, 12-14; 林前 9:24; 提后 2:5; 太 11:12, 24:13; 来 3:6, 14)

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 = 对上帝的应许（上帝子民的复活和上帝国度的来临）的坚定信念（完全确信的态度）

Holy Spirit = A down payment on the kingdom = A sign and the sustainer of hope
圣灵 = 天国的预付 = 盼望的预兆和帮助者

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).
保罗：在国度完全来临之前，信徒们只能有一个确定的盼望； 他们必须 “行事为人凭信心，不凭眼见” (哥林多后书 5:7)。

“我们这有圣灵初结果子的，也是自己心里叹息，等候得着儿子的名分，乃是我们的身体得赎。我们得救是在乎盼望。只是所见的盼望不是盼望。谁还盼望他所见的呢？但我们若盼望那所不见的，就必忍耐等候。” (罗马书 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.”