1) Q. When I read the Bible, I have a hard time interpreting certain verses. Do you have any advice?
A. The first principle is to interpret and understand the Bible as literally as possible. We have to
grasp firmly the fact that when God inspired men to write the Bible, He used words that are fully
comprehensible to man.
问:当我读圣经时,我很难解释某些经节。你有什么建议吗?
答:第一个原则是,解经必须尽力按着圣经字句的字面来解它,领会它的意思。我们要抓牢一件事,神当日默写圣
经的时候,完全是用我们人所能领会的话来说的。
2) Q. In deciding to interpret verses spiritually or literally, what is one rule we can follow?
A. We cannot interpret a sentence, a verse, or a section of the Bible spiritually for the first part
and literally for the second part. We should not do that the other way around either.
问:在决定是灵然解还是字面解时,我们可以遵循的原则是什么?
答:在一句圣经,一节圣经,或一段圣经之内,不可以上文是灵然解,下文是字面解;也不可上文是字面解,下文
是灵然解。
3) Q. I usually think that one portion of the Bible is enough to explain the whole truth. Is this ok?
A. In interpreting the Bible, we have to pay attention to one more thing: one portion of the Word is
not sufficient to represent the whole truth. In other words, there is no truth that can be fully
explained in a single portion of the Word.
问:我通常以为一处的圣经节足够解释一个完全的真理。这样就可以吗?
答:我们解经的时候还得注意,一个地方的圣经节不能代表一个完全的真理。换句话说,没有一个真理是仅仅一处
的经文就能说得完全的。
4) Q. There are many verses in the Bible that contain a lot of truths. Can one verse represent the
whole truth?
A. No single verse can represent the whole truth. However, every verse of the Bible contains all the
truths. On the one hand, no single verse can include the whole truth, and to understand a truth, no
one can rely on one verse alone, but has to consider many other verses.
问:圣经里有许多处经节包含许多真理。一节圣经能代表一个完全的真理吗?
答:任何一节圣经都不能代表一个完全的真理,但是每一节圣经却包括所有的真理。这个意思就是说,任何一节圣
经,虽然不能把一个真理完全包括在里面,要明白这个真理,不能光凭这一节圣经,还要去看其他好多节的圣经。
5) Q. If we find more than one verse that go against an interpretation, what should we do?
A. As long as one or two verses do not allow a certain interpretation, we have to give up that
interpretation. We have to respect every portion of the Bible. Only when an interpretation harmonizes
with the whole Bible can this interpretation be considered reliable.
问:若我们发现超过一处的圣经,对一个见解通不过,我们该怎么作?
答:只要有一、二处圣经,对一个见解通不过,这个见解就不应该采取。我们必须尊重每一处的圣经,要全部圣经
都能和谐讲通了,那个断案才是可靠的。
6) Q. In the Bible, there are many expressions that convey blessings or conditions. Is there a rule
for this?
A. If the first part of one expression specifies a condition, then all first parts of matching
expressions specify conditions also. If the second part of one expression specifies a blessing, then
the second part of all expressions specify blessings also. This is another principle or rule.
问:在圣经中,有许多表达是祝福或者条件。对于这个,有什么原则吗?
答:前面是条件,就都是条件;后面是祝福,就都是祝福。这也是一个原则,一个规律。
7) Q. There are some people who read the Bible and neglect the background of the books. Is this ok?
A. We must see that we cannot neglect the background; if we do, we will not understand the exact
meaning of the Bible. On the other hand, we must be careful not to be confined to the background lest
we fall into error.
问:有些人读圣经时忽略各卷书的背景。这样可以吗?
答:我们要在这里看见,我们不能忽略背景,因为一忽略背景,就不明白圣经的准确意义;而在另一面,却要当心
,不要受背景的约束,免得陷入错误。
8) Q. I feel that there are certain portions of the Bible that Christians need to keep. Should I hold
on to this?
A. In expounding and interpreting the Bible, one cannot say, “Is not this the word of the Bible? If
it so, we should keep it.” We cannot speak in this way. We have to differentiate the ages; that is,
we have to know clearly to which dispensation a word belongs.
问:我觉得相当部分的圣经是基督徒需要遵守的。我应该坚持这点吗?
答:讲解圣经,领会圣经,不能说,“这不是圣经里的话么?既是圣经里的话,我们就得遵守”。不能这样说。你
要分别时代,要查清了是哪一个时代的话语。
9) Q. If there is one rule that I need to remember in expounding the Bible, what is it?
A. In expounding the Bible, one has to take care of the persons to whom a word is spoken. Some words
are spoken to the Jews, and they are not related to the nations or to the church.
问:如果在解经上有一个原则是我需要记住的,那是什么?
答:解经也要注意圣经中的话是对什么人说的。有的话是对犹太人说的,与外邦人和教会无关。
10) Q. The Old Testament mentions objects, events and people as the types. What about the New
Testament?
A. If there is no mention in the New Testament of the object, the events, or the person as the type,
then we should not rashly surmise that they are a type. At the most, we can only borrow these
persons, events, and objects as illustrations and use them to explain the truths in the New
Testament.
问:旧约里所提到的一些东西、事件或者人是预表。新约怎么样呢?
答:若是在新约里面,没有说到旧约里头的一件东西,或者一件事,或者一个人,是预表的话,就不要太过于断定
说,那是预表。我们最多只能借用那些人、事、物作比喻,来比方新约里头的真理。
Reference: On Knowing the Bible, chapter 4; Elders’ Training, book 4, chapter 1: (96 Lessons, L2-03
Interpretation (1))
参考书目:认识圣经,第四篇;长老训练(四),第一章:(健康话语规范,第二系列,第三课:解经的原则(一))