新约 - 使徒行传(Acts)第9章

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest
and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.
Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered.
The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."
"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."
But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.
I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?"
Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him,
but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.
But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.
When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.
There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.
"Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up.
All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor.
About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.
Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!"
Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.
He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.
This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.
使徒行传第九章   第 9 章 

  保罗(扫罗) 

  徒 9:2> 犹太人和扫罗为何定意要逼迫基督徒?难道他们真是为了“虔诚”的缘故? 

  9:2 犹太人和扫罗为自己的犹太教信仰而发起一个运动,狂热地逼迫信奉基督的人,甚至到很远的大马士革去,其原因可能是:( 1 )捉拿逃走了的基督徒。( 2 )制止基督教传至其他主要城市。( 3 )制止基督徒惹起任何与罗马有关的麻烦。( 4 )为了自己的前途,及建立他作为一个真法利赛人、为律法大发热心的地位。( 5 )犹太教各派别树立一个共同敌人,以便使各宗派联合起来。 

  徒 9:2-5> 扫罗的经历真奇妙!我想,要人信主定要有特别的经历…… 

  9:2-5 在扫罗前往大马士革追捕基督徒的途中,他遇到复活的主,真正认识了福音的真理。有时候神会以特别的方法闯进人的生命里;而有时候悔改相信则是安静发生的。如果有人坚持你必须有某种悔改经历,你必须特别小心。相信耶稣的正确方法就是按照神带领的方法。 

  徒 9:3-5> 与主相遇,生命得改变;,我也有此经历,是很远的事了,你的呢…… 

  9:3-5 这个经历就是扫罗在基督里的新生命的开始(参林前 9:1 ; 15:8 ;加 1:15-16 )。这奇妙经历的中心就是耶稣基督。扫罗不是看见异象,而是亲眼见到复活了的基督( 9:17 )。扫罗认耶稣为主,承认自己的罪,将生命交给耶稣,并决心顺服。真正的悔改由与耶稣相遇而来,并且与耶稣建立关系,开始新生命。 

  徒 9:5> 扫罗只是迫害信徒,哪是在迫害耶稣?为何这样说? 

  9:5 扫罗以为他是在迫害异端信徒,岂知原来是在迫害耶稣。因为信徒是基督在地上的身体,所以迫害信徒也就是迫害耶稣(参太 25:40, 45 )。 

  扫罗往大马士革 

  徒 9:13-14> “不可能的!”──亚拿尼亚如此说,他可有不顺服神?你在他身上可以看到什么? 

  9:13-14 当亚拿尼亚听见神告诉他扫罗悔改了,他的反应其实是说:“主啊,这是不可能的。他永远都不会成为基督徒的!”毕竟,扫罗曾经追捕信徒,把他们置于死地。尽管亚拿尼亚百思不得其解,他仍然顺服神,为扫罗按手祷告。我们绝不可限制神,祂能够成就任何事情。我们必须顺服,即使要面对难以接受的人,也要跟随神的引导。 

  保罗的宣教策略 

  徒 9:15-16> 人说信耶稣会大有福气,你信祂;耶稣说也会带来苦难,你就怕…… 

  9:15-16 信耶稣会带来极大的福气,但许多时候也会有大苦难。保罗因为他的信仰而受苦(参林后 11:23-27 )。神呼召我们献身,而不是呼召我们享受。祂应许与我们同在,一同经过苦难和困境,却不是要我们逃避。 

  徒 9:17> 战战兢兢,爱心不变,其实他很怕啊,若是我,就不能有这样的爱…… 

  9:17 亚拿尼亚按照神的指示找到扫罗,并称呼他为“扫罗弟兄”。亚拿尼亚有点惧怕这次会面,因为扫罗到大马士革是为了绑信徒回耶路撒冷的( 9:2 )。然而,他顺服圣灵,满有爱心地与扫罗说话。通常我们都很难向别人表示爱心,尤其当我们害怕或怀疑他们的动机时。不过,我们必须跟随耶稣的吩咐(参约 13:34 ),学习亚拿尼亚的榜样,用爱心接纳其他信徒。 

  徒 9:17-18> 扫罗的改变人皆见,但是谁?是谁叫他改变? 

  9:17-18 虽然这里没有提及圣灵如何充满扫罗,但从他生命的改变和成就,实在见证了圣灵在他生命中,并赐给他能力。显然,扫罗重新看见和接受洗礼之前,已经被圣灵充满了。 

  徒 9:20> 也许我们要等装备好才去作工,但有一件事只要你信了就可以做…… 

  9:20 扫罗恢复视力后与大马士革的信徒同住了一些日子,便立刻到会堂里告诉犹太人关于耶稣基督的事情。有些基督徒教导初信者要等到信仰根基稳固后,才好尝试向别人分享福音。扫罗在开始全球布道之前,也曾花时间独自学习关于耶稣的事;但他并没有停下,而是立即去作见证。虽然我们不应该未装备好便匆忙地开始工作,却可以立即把自己所经历的恩典告诉别人。 

  徒 9:21-22> 论证出色,是传讲信息的关键?还是…… 

  9:21-22 扫罗的论证非常有力,因为他是一个出色的学者,但最叫人信服的是他那改变了的生命,那些人看见他的生活,就知道他所讲的都是真实的。知道圣经的教训和怎样论证自己的信仰是很重要的,但是你应该以一个改变了的生命来支持你所讲的话。 

  徒 9:23> 由扫罗悔改到他去耶路撒冷,相隔了── 

  9:23 扫罗离开大马士革,到了阿拉伯旷野,在那里住了三年(参加 1:17-18 )。我们不知道他留在阿拉伯的三年时间是在 22 及 23 节、还是 25 及 26 节所及年代之间。不论哪一种说法对,扫罗悔改( 9:3-6 )至他前往耶路撒冷( 9:26 )的时期至少相隔三年。 

  圣经中的大逃亡 

  徒 9:26-27> 巴拿巴如何对待扫罗你也知道吧;你也可以成为巴拿巴…… 

  9:26-27 要改善自己的名声是很困难的,扫罗在基督徒中间可谓恶名昭彰。然而,巴拿巴成了扫罗与使徒之间的桥梁。初信者需要人支持、鼓励和教导,并且介绍他们认识其他信徒。你应该怎样做,才能成为初信弟兄姊妹的巴拿巴? 

  扫罗回到大数 

  徒 9:30> 考考你,扫罗的悔改,为当时的教会带来什么好处? 

  9:30 扫罗到大数去有助于缓和他与犹太人之间的冲突,并让他有时间证明自己的信仰。这个最热心迫害基督徒的扫罗悔改后,教会暂时享受到一段较为平安的日子。 

  徒 9:36-42> 她不是伟大的传教士,但神也使用她,她做了些什么?她用了神所赐的,你呢? 

  9:36-42 大比大在她身处的社会中发挥了很大的影响力,她“广行善事,多施赒济”。当她死时,整个房间都挤满了前来哀悼的人,他们都是曾经得到她帮助的人。当她复活后,这个消息便传遍整个市镇。神使用伟大的传教士如彼得和保罗,但祂也用那些有仁爱恩赐的人,就像大比大一样。你应该好好利用神已给你的恩赐,而不是天天幻想得到别的恩赐。 

  彼得的工作 

  徒 9:43> 住在硝皮匠的家只不过是一件小事,为何要记载?难道和这个行业有关? 

  9:43 在约帕,彼得住在一个名叫西门的硝皮匠家里。彼得住在西门家里这一点很重要,因为硝皮匠的工作是把动物的皮制成皮革,这便会接触动物的尸体,犹太律法认为这是一种“不洁”的工作。彼得的行动正是宣告他放弃了遵循犹太宗教传统和习俗的人所存的偏见。──《灵修版圣经注释》