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二○二○年五月二十三日/五月二十四日                                                                                    Click here for English version

從原文聖經原稿散佚說起

陳俊業牧師

原文聖經原稿的散佚,一般學者認為是發生在公元三世紀或更早期間的事(黃錫木:《聖經鳥瞰——進深篇》,頁 44)。我們今日手上的原文聖經,是從流傳的抄本編輯而成,然後再翻譯成各種現代的不同語言。事實上,神並沒有給我們留下甚麼「聖物」(例如方舟或約櫃等),也沒有留下摩西或保羅的手稿,卻只留下抄本以及按此翻譯而成的聖經。

若說神只留下了抄本以及按此翻譯成的聖經,也是不對的。首先,神已按著約十四 16-17 中的承諾,賜下永遠與我們同在的聖靈,然後又為我們賜下視聖經為「生命之道」、努力抄寫原文聖經成抄本、「熱切聽主話.儆醒行主道」的教會群體。在明道行道的事上,我們有聖靈與教會群體在一起,我們其實並不孤單。

主耶穌曾說過:「……神是靈,敬拜的人必須以靈以真理來敬拜。」(約四21-24,新漢語譯本)所以即使在疫症期間的網上直播崇拜中,聖靈仍然與教會群體攜手並肩,賜下神的聖言,讓信徒領受恩言。教會裡現時有一些小組會在視像或其他方式的遙距聚會中,嘗試重溫所領受的講道信息——他們首先聚焦於神在自己身上所作的事情(例如神如何地好、如何地愛自己、如何地管教自己等),進而探討他們該有甚麼回應與實踐方向。

除了讓信徒在崇拜中領受講道信息、並藉著聖靈讓信息在教會群體中間深化之外,教會也在這段日子的祈禱會中運用禱讀這種聖經閱讀方式,就是把觀察、理解、融會、應用等元素共冶一爐,目的是要藉神的話語使我們的生命潛而默化。或許神會藉此為你前面的日子提供方向、賜下動力也未何知呢!

此外,如果你在這段日子真的需要在家辦公(即以 home 為 office,而非以 office 為 home),因而能夠省下一點打扮或交通的時間,那麼你不妨多讀一點聖經或相關書籍,將所得的領受應用在現今的遙距小組、團契查經之中,又或者在疫情退卻、但社會動盪仍未平息之時,可有較扎實的根基,作個人思考或分享交流。說不定那就是教會群體之後能夠走下去的一些重要資源。

在原文聖經連原稿也散佚的事實下,我們知道,神並沒有賜下那些會轉移我們視線的「聖物」,祂反而把聖靈與教會群體賜給了我們,從而使我們可以領受祂的聖言,以備前面日子可能出現的衝擊。






Pastor's Sharing
The Loss of Bible Manuscripts and What Follows
Rev Aaron Chan

Scholars generally believe that the loss of the manuscripts of the Bible in the original languages happened around or before the third century AD (Simon Wong, The Fundamentals of the Bible Advanced Level). The Scriptures in the original languages we have today are a compilation of the copies of the original manuscripts in circulation. They are then translated into different modern languages. In fact, God did not leave us any "relics" (such as Noah's ark or the ark of the covenant), nor the manuscripts by Moses or Paul. Instead, He had given us the copied manuscripts and the Bible which are translations of them.

It is also incorrect to say that God has only given us the copied manuscripts and the Bible based on them. God has given us the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever according to His promise in John 14:16-17 as well as the church community, who consider the Scriptures as the "word of life," who assiduously copied the manuscripts for preservation, and who listen to God's word earnestly and live out His teachings soberly. In learning and living out the word of God with the Holy Spirit and the church community, we are not alone.

The Lord Jesus has said: "…God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth" (John 4: 21-24). So, even in the midst of the pandemic when we attend worship services online, the Holy Spirit is with the church community in ministering God’s word to believers. Some small groups which meet online would review sermon messages in their meetings. They may start with what God has done in their lives (how God is good, how He loves and disciplines, etc) before proceeding to response and directions for practice.

Besides ministering God's word in sermons and letting the Holy Spirit deepen the sermon messages among the congregation, the church has also adopted Lectio Divina in the Bible reading for prayer meetings. This method includes observation, understanding, integration and application to enhance the internalization of the word of God in our lives. Perhaps God will also give you direction and motivation for the future through it!

If you do need to work from home (which means you use your home as your office and not your office as your home), then you can probably save the time dressing up and commuting. Why not spend more time on the Scriptures and related books and apply the teaching to online groups and Bible study in fellowships? That may give us a solid foundation for personal reflection and exchange with others at a time when the pandemic seems to be receding but peace in society has not yet been restored. All this may also become essential resource for the church community's way forward.

With the fact of the loss of the Bible manuscripts in the original languages before us, we know that God has not given us "relics" to divert our attention. Rather, He has given us the Holy Spirit and the church community through which we can receive His word in preparation for the potential challenges ahead.