Jesus of Nazareth--his life, his death and his resurrection. The book itself is

內容包括了他的生平、死亡、和復活。這個書卷

anonymous but the earliest reliable tradition links it to Matthew the tax

雖未指明作者的身份，但依據最早的傳統觀點作者應是稅吏馬太

collector who was one of the twelve apostles that Jesus appointed and he

他是耶穌所指定的十二門徒之一

actually appears within the book itself. For about thirty to forty years the

他本人也有出現在此書卷的內容。近三十至四十年之間，

apostles orally taught and passed on their eyewitness account about Jesus,

使徒們利用口述的方式來傳授他們對於耶穌的見證

along with his teachings that they had all memorized. And Matthew has then

以及他們所記住的耶穌教導。

collected and arranged all these into this amazing tapestry and designed the

馬太將這些記錄收集、編纂成一個令人讚嘆的經典，並且在此書卷中

book to highlight certain themes about Jesus. In this video we're just going to cover the first

突顯了幾個關於耶穌的主題。在這個影片中我們只會先介紹這個書卷

half of the book. Specifically, Matthew wants to show how Jesus is the

前半段的內容。具體來說，馬太想要呈現耶穌是如何

continuation and fulfillment of the whole biblical story about God and

在整個關於神和以色列的聖經故事中，扮演了延續和實現的角色

Israel--that Jesus is the Messiah from the line of David, that he is a new

即耶穌是大衛王的後裔，也是預言中的彌賽亞（救世主）

authoritative teacher like Moses, and not only that, Jesus is God with us or, in

他和摩西一樣，是具有權柄的教師。除此之外，耶穌也代同了「神與我們同在」

Hebrew, Emmanuel. And Matthew has designed this book with an introduction and

即希伯來文中的「以馬內利」。馬太在福音書中加入了「前言」和「結語」

conclusion and these act like a frame around five clear sections right here in

如同一個框架，突顯出其中五個清晰的主題結構

the center, each of which concludes with a long block of Jesus's teaching. Now

每個結構都以耶穌的一個長篇教導做為結束

this design is very intentional and it's amazing. Just watch how this works.

這樣的設計是有意而且精彩的，我們來看看它是如何構思的

Chapters 1 through 3, they set the stage by attaching Jesus' story right onto the

從章節 1 到 3，他們有意地將耶穌的生平

storyline of the Old Testament Scriptures. So Matthew opens with the

放進舊約聖經的故事脈絡之中，因此馬太開門見山地描述

genealogy about Jesus that highlights how he is from the messianic line of the son of

耶穌的家譜，證明他是來自於大衛王之子的彌賽亞譜糸

David and he is a son of Abraham. That means he's going to bring God's blessing

他同時也是亞伯拉罕之子。這證明了耶穌將要把神的祝福

to all of the nations. After that we get the famous story about Jesus' birth and

帶給萬國諸邦。在此之後，便是著名的耶穌誕生之故事

how all of the events fulfilled the Old Testament prophetic promises that the

以及這些事件如何應驗了舊約聖經的預言和應許

nations would come and honor the Messiah, that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem,

即神之國即將到來，並榮耀著彌賽亞救世主；救世主即將會誕生在伯利恆

but even more than that, Jesus' conception by the Holy Spirit, his name Emmanuel, all

此外，耶穌藉由聖靈孕育而生，祂的「以馬內利」之名（神與我們同在）

these work together to show that Jesus is no mere human. He is God with us; God

皆證明了耶穌不僅是一個人，他是與我們同在的神

become human.

也是上帝親自降為人的樣式

So you can see two of Matthew's key themes right here in the introduction. He's

所以你可以看到在這卷書的引言中，馬太所要表達的兩個關鍵主題

from the line of David, he's Emmanuel. But Matthew also wants to show how Jesus is

耶穌是大衛王的後裔，他是「以馬內利」，然而馬太更想要去呈現耶穌是

a new Moses. So, like Moses, Jesus came up out of Egypt, he passed through the

一個新的摩西。如同摩西一般，耶穌出自於埃及

waters of baptism, and he entered into the wilderness for forty days. And then

他經過了受洗，他也進入曠野四十天

Jesus goes up onto a mountain to deliver his new teaching. So through all of this

然後耶穌登上了山來開始他的教導。所以藉由這些經歷

Matthew is claiming that Jesus is the promised "greater than Moses" figure who's

馬太欲證明耶穌是那位「比摩西更偉大」的人

going to deliver Israel from slavery, he's going to give them new, divine

他將要使以色列人從奴役中解放，並且講述新而神聖的教導

teaching, he's going to save them from their sins, and bring about a new

他要免去人們的罪

covenant relationship between God and His people.

並且使人和神之間締結新約

This Moses and Jesus parallel also explains why Matthew has structured the

摩西和耶穌的比較也解釋了為何馬太

center of the book the way that he did. These five main parts highlight Jesus as

要如此建構此書卷的核心。這五個主要部分將耶穌描述為一個老師

a teacher. And he's created a parallel. Jesus as a teacher parallels the five

馬太建立了一個對比關係，以耶穌做為老師的身份，

books of Moses. Jesus is the new authoritative covenant teacher who's

對比摩西所書寫的五個經書。耶穌是新約的權威教師

going to fulfill the storyline of the Torah. Now in the first section, chapters 4 to 7, Jesus

他將要實現摩西五經的內容。在第一個部份章節 4 - 7 之中

steps onto the scene announcing the arrival of God's kingdom. And this is

耶穌在故事中宣揚了天國的到來

really key. The kingdom is in essence about God's rescue operation for his

而這是一個重要的關鍵。天國其實是上帝對於這個世界的救贖計劃

whole world and it's taking place through King Jesus. Jesus has come to

而這個計劃是透過主耶穌來進行

confront evil, especially spiritual evil and its whole legacy of demon oppression

耶穌起身對抗邪惡，尤其是精神上的罪惡、未停歇的魔鬼壓迫

and disease and death. Jesus has come to restore God's rule and reign over the

以及疾病和死亡。耶穌意欲恢復上帝的誡命來統治這個世界

whole world by creating a new family of people who will follow him,

藉由建立一個如家庭般的人群來追隨他。

obey His teachings, and live under his rule. So after Jesus begins healing

遵守他的教誨，活在他的誡命之下。因此當耶穌開始醫治人群

people and forming a movement, a community, he takes his followers out to a mountain

逐漸成為一種群眾運動，他帶著追隨著們上了山

or a hillside, and he delivers his first big block of teaching, traditionally called

耶穌演說了第一個長篇講道，即所謂的

the Sermon on the Mount. And here Jesus explores what it looks like to follow

「登山寶訓」。耶穌闡述了他的信徒，以及

him and live in God's kingdom. And its an upside-down Kingdom where there are no

住在天國的人的生活態度。而這是一個很顛覆的國度，因為在其中沒有任何的

privileged members. So the poor, the nobody's, the wealthy, the religious--

特權人士。所以貧窮的人、卑微的人、富有的人、虔誠的人

everybody is invited and is called to turn, to repent, and to follow Jesus and

所有的人都被邀請至天國，並且要回頭悔改來追隨耶穌

join his family. Jesus says that he's not here to set aside the commands of the

加入他的家庭。耶穌說他來到世界，不是為了要來廢掉律法

Torah or the Old Testament. Rather, he's here to fulfill all of that through

而是要透過他的生命來成全所有的律法

his life, through his teachings. He's here to transform the hearts of his people so

透過他的教導。他來到世界是為了要轉化人的內心

that they can truly love God and love their neighbor, including their enemy.

如此他們才能真正的愛神、愛他們的鄰舍，甚至包含他們的仇敵。

After concluding his great teaching on the kingdom, the next section shows Jesus

結束了耶穌對於天國的偉大教導之後，下一個章節描述了耶穌

bringing the kingdom into reality in the day-to-day lives of people. So Matthew's

將天國帶到人間，形成人群的日常生活。

arranged here nine stories about Jesus bringing the power of God's kingdom into

馬太安排了九個故事，述說耶穌如何將神國的大能帶進

the lives of hurting, broken people. There are three groups of three stories

那些受傷、破碎之人的生命。共有三組、每組又有三個這樣的故事。

and they're all about people who are sick or have broken bodies or they're in

他們都是患病、殘疾之人、或是落入危難之中

danger and Jesus heals or saves them by these acts of grace and power. And then

耶穌藉由恩典和力量來治癒、解救了他們

right in between these triads we find two parallel stories about Jesus' call

而在這三組故事之中，我們發現有兩個相呼應的故事提到了耶穌

that people should follow him.

呼籲大家起身跟隨他

Matthew is making a point here. One can only experience the power of Jesus' grace

馬太在此強調了一點，即一個人若要經歷耶穌恩典的大能

by following him and becoming his disciple. Now after Matthew has shown the

必須要跟隨他，並且成為他的門徒。在馬太描述

power of the kingdom through Jesus, Jesus then extends his reach by sending out the

天國的大能如何透過耶穌展現之後，耶穌開始擴展他的影響力，將 12 個門徒分派出去

12 disciples, who are going to go do what he's been doing, and this leads to the

這些門徒要去實行耶穌曾經做過的事，而這個構成了

second large block of teaching, chapter 10. And here Jesus teaches his disciples

此書卷中第二段的教導，在章節 10，在此耶穌教導他的門徒

how to announce the kingdom and what to expect once they do. Many among Israel

如何去宣揚天國已近的消息，以及他們將會遇到的情形。許多以色列人

are accepting Jesus and his offer of the kingdom but Israel's leaders, they aren't.

接受了耶穌以及他所提出的天國，但以色列的領袖卻斷然拒絕

They stand to lose a lot if they repent and become disciples of Jesus and so

他們如果懺悔並成為耶穌的門徒，他們將會一敗塗地

jesus knows they're going to reject him and persecute his followers, which is

因此耶穌知道他們將會抵制耶穌，並且迫害耶穌的追隨者

exactly what happens. In the next section, chapters 11 through 13, Matthew has

這些事件的確都發生了。在書卷的下一個部份，第 11 - 13 章

collected a group of stories about how people are responding to Jesus and His

馬太蒐集了許多故事，是有關於群眾如何回應耶穌和他的教導

message and it's a mixed bag. So some stories are positive-- people love Jesus

這些內容五花八門，有的故事很正向，有的群眾愛耶穌

and they think he's the messiah. Others are more neutral, like John the Baptist

認為耶穌是救世主，有的人則保持觀望，像是施洗約翰

or even the members of Jesus' own family. And they make it clear that Jesus

甚至包含耶穌的家人。他們表明了耶穌不是他們所期待的樣子

is not what they expected. And then you have Israel's leaders. They're entirely

也有一些以色列的領袖，他們是完全敵視耶穌

negative. You have the Pharisees and the Bible scholars. They all reject Jesus

有所謂的法利賽人和聖經學者，他們都排斥耶穌

together. They think he's a false teacher, he's leading the people astray, they think

他們認為耶穌是個冒牌老師，他帶著群眾誤入歧途

he's blasphemous in these exalted claims he's making about himself.

他們認為耶穌高抬自己是一種褻瀆的行為

But Jesus isn't surprised or thrown by all these diverse responses. In fact, he

但是耶穌對於這些不同的反應不以為意，事實上

focuses on it in the third block of teaching, chapter 13. Here Matthew has

耶穌仍致力於他的教導，這些被記載於書卷的第三個部份，即第 13 章

collected together a bunch of Jesus' parables about the kingdom, like about a

馬太在此蒐集了許多耶穌關於天國的比喻

farmer throwing seed on four types of soil or about a mustard seed or a pearl or

像是一個農夫撒種在四種不同的土壤上、或是一種芥菜種、或一顆珍珠

buried treasure. These parables are like a commentary on the stories that you've

或是埋藏起來的寶藏。這些比喻就像是針對先前故事的評論

just read in chapters 11 and 12. Some people are accepting Jesus with

即你剛才在章節 11 和 12 所讀到的故事。有些人很熱情地接受了耶穌

enthusiasm, others are rejecting him. But God's kingdom is of ultimate value and it

有些人則排斥他。但是神之國是無價的

will not stop spreading despite all of these obstacles. So that's the first half

無論什麼樣的困境都無法阻止它的流傳。所以這是前半段

of the Gospel according to Matthew. Now, here's a few more things to look for as

的馬太福音。現在這裡有幾件事值得去探索

you read through these chapters. Matthew's presenting Jesus, remember, as the

當你讀完了這些章節之時。不要忘記馬太欲將耶穌塑造成

continuation and fulfillment of the Old Testament story line. So look for how he

繼承和實踐舊約聖經故事的角色。所以去找一找馬太如何

weaves in quotations from the Old Testament Scriptures and what you'll

從舊約聖經中引用那些經文，而你會發現

find is that they're placed at strategic points in the story, explaining more

這些引文都放在耶穌故事中很特別之處，來解釋

about Jesus and his identity. So stop, take time to go look up these references

更多有關耶穌和他的身份。所以不妨停下來，花點時間來參閱這些引文

and read them in their Old Testament context and most often you'll discover

並且在舊約聖經的文本中進行閱讀，如此你常會發現

really cool, interesting connections. Lastly, pay attention to the types of

這兩間之間有很酷、很有趣的連結。最後，留意一下

people who accept Jesus and follow him. And you'll see that it's most often

是那一類型的人會接受、追隨耶穌。你會發現通常是

people who are unimportant, they're nobody's, or their irreligious. And these

那些不起眼的人。他們是無名之輩，也沒有什麼虔誠的信仰

are the people who are transformed by their trust or faith in Jesus and follow

而卻是這些人因為信耶穌、追隨耶穌而得到重生再造

him. And it's the religious and the prideful who are offended by him. So how

敵視耶穌的反而都是那些信仰虔誠、高傲自大的人

is this tension between Jesus and israel's leaders going to play itself

所以耶穌和以色列首領之間的緊張關係

out?

會演變成如何呢？

That's what the second half of Matthew is all about.

這就是馬太福音後半段內容的概要