Below is a passage I translated from our Greek textbook by William D. Mounce. It explains an exgetical insight on II Cor. 3:18, which has present adverbial participles.
基督徒經驗的核心事件是生命的轉變：從我們的本性，借著神的恩典，變得合乎神的心意。講述這個轉變最清楚的經文是哥林多後書3章18節，合和版聖經翻譯是：我們眾人既然敞著臉得以看見（注視）主的榮光，好像從鏡子裡返照，就變成主的形狀（形象），榮上加榮，如同從主的靈變成的（這變化是由主的靈來的）。我比較喜歡RSV的翻譯：And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
這節經文的核心部分是一個進行分詞mirroring upon，啓示出基督徒成長和成熟的秘密。保羅說不信的人在讀聖經的時候心裏面好像蒙著一塊帕子（林後3:15），然而在信徒的心裏那塊帕子卻揭去了（14，16節）。他們可以看見聖經中所啓示的神，因而生命不斷被轉變爲基督的形象，從一個層次的榮耀進入另一個層次的榮耀，很奇妙。
這神聖轉變的奧秘在於那個從動詞“照鏡子”變化而來的連續進行分詞，這個分詞的意思是仰望（to gaze upon）或者注視（to contemplate）。按照分詞結構的翻譯規則，這句子可以讀成“通過一直仰望注視主那榮光，我們都不斷地被改變，逐漸成爲基督的形象”。We all are being changed into the image of Christ by beholding the glory of the Lord.
原來轉變--越來越好像基督的形象，是仰望注視他榮耀的不可避免的結果！所以我們花時間不斷地注視神的榮耀，就越來越像我們的主，好像神家裏的人，思想和情感改變，受到同樣愛的動力支配。由於這是個現在分詞，所以注視的動作是連續不斷的，是不停的仰望/注目帶來那生命轉變的果效。並且，普通的動詞“轉變”也隨著不停的注視而持續地發生（are being changed）。看來我們注視主的榮光有多少，生命逐漸被轉變就有多少，兩者密切交織在一起。
怎樣注視主的榮光呢？我以前寫過一篇博文，供你參考：什麽是神的榮耀？神的榮耀就是祂那合一契通的接納和喜愛！所以祂的榮耀令人渴望。注視祂的榮光要靠信心住在基督裏（use your mental power to choose remaining/being part of Him），集中心思去了解和體會那愛，或許是你從未體會過的接納和親熱，或許需要透過團契來彼此試著實習那樣的愛，以此為生活中最大的事情，put it into a schedule to seek Him。所以我們要多多注視主的慈愛榮光（不是注視自己的行爲表現），就逐漸被改變成爲基督的樣式。
論到“與神的個人關係”，你幾乎可以確定它是你的重要經歷和感受，不是大道理。我喜歡聼見證，我聼的時候就為那人歡喜，並且我對批判和糾正別人見證中的“錯誤”沒有興趣。
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean in practical terms, to gaze upon God's glory? If you think God's glory is a big light like the sun, that's unthinkable. But God's glory is His unifying love and acceptance. Christians need to understand and FEEL that love, not just know about it.
ReplyDeleteIt is painful that a lot Christians feel themselves as alone, unlovable, doing no much good, and worthless. That need to be healed to have a response of love, back to God. We need to spend time to realize and fix many unhealthy bagages that we carried into the Christianity.
N.T. Wright 博士對這節省經的翻譯：
ReplyDeleteand all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.