雅各書 James 1:1-11
試煉與試探
1:1 我─雅各是上帝和主耶穌基督的僕人；
Trials and Temptations
1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
一、中心內容：Core Message
內容：Content
1>試煉使人成長。Trials make people grow up（v2-4）
2>上帝是智慧的源頭。God is the source of wisdom（v5）
3>祈求要憑著信心。Must believe and have no doubt（v6-8）
4>面對富貴與貧賤的態度。The attitude to face the rich and poor（v9-11）
主題：Theme
1>試煉、智慧與信心。Trial, Wisdom and Faith
2>面對試練的態度。The attitude to face trials
二、上帝、耶穌基督、聖靈是誰？Who is God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit?
1>揀選、差派、使用人的上帝。God chooses, sends and uses the chosen people (v1)
2>揀選、差派、使用人的耶穌基督。Jesus chooses, sends and uses the chosen people （v1）
3>垂聽禱告的上帝。God listens (v5)
4>賜下智慧的上帝。God grants wisdom (v5)
三、給我的教訓（命令、應允、榜樣、責備、警告）是什麼？
What lessons (command, covenant, role modeling, rebuking and warning)
is God teaching us?
1>試煉的信仰意義 The significance faith of trails
弟兄姊妹們，你們遭遇各種試煉，應該認為是可慶幸的事，
雅各寫信給散居在世界各地，所有歸屬上帝的基督徒。
換句話說：試煉對於我們信仰的成長與成熟，具有正面的意義。
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (v2-4)
James wrote letters to the 12 Christian tribes scattered among nations. James first emphasized the significance of faith in trials. Our faith through trials develops perseverance. Perseverance makes you become mature and more complete. In other words, it is positive for us to experience trials, which make us be more mature and complete. Therefore, James exhorted everyone and said that they should feel fortunate and open their hearts with joy to receive trials.
反省：我如何看待試煉？我是否經歷試煉？我用什麼態度面對？
Reflection: How do I look at trials? Have I ever experienced trials? What kind of attitude do I use to face trials? What have I learned from trials is my faith more mature, more determined or have I failed and stay far away from God?
2>尋求智慧的源頭 Seeking the source of wisdom
如果你們當中有缺少智慧的，應該向上帝祈求，他會賜智慧給你們，
正如所羅門王，在登基之前向上主祈求智慧，
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (v5)
King Solomon prayed to god for wisdom before enthronement, and he had the wisdom from God to rule his country. James exhorted all God’s people, you should pray to God for wisdom if you are in lack of it. He will grant it to us abundantly, because God is the source of wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
反省：我懂得智慧的重要嗎？我如何分辨什麼是大智慧、
Reflection: Do I understand the importance of wisdom? How do I differentiate great wisdom and cleverness? Do I know where the source of wisdom is? How do I pursue it? Am I seeking the great wisdom or the cleverness? How can I help the children to pursue wisdom? Am I a person with wisdom?
3>信心應堅定不移 Faith should be firm and irremovable
不過，你們要憑著信心求，不可有絲毫疑惑；
雅各因為談到向上帝祈求智慧一事，為了教導正確的祈求態度，
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (v6-8)
James talked about praying to God for wisdom; He guided people about the proper attitude of prayer using issue of faith. In other words: Faith is very important when
you pray to God. Men should not think about what he will receive from the Lord or be a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. A person who is uncertain and skeptical is just like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. People with this kind of attitude should not even think they will receive anything from God.
反省：當我向上帝禱告、祈求時，是抱持著什麼樣的心態？
Reflection: When kind of mindset do I have when I pray to God? Do I have a firm faith with no doubt or am I skeptical and doubt God?
4>貧窮人的新價值 The brand new value of the humble one
貧賤的信徒蒙上帝提升，應該高興；（v9）
在一般社會上，富有的人地位高、受尊敬；貧窮的人地位低、
尤其在上帝眼中，每一個生命都有同等的價值。所以，
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. (v9)
Generally, the rich have the high status in the society and are respected; the poor have a lower status in the society and are discriminated, this is a very common phenomenon. However, we are in the faith community of Christ’s salvation, it should not be like that, because in the eyes of God, the value does not lie in knowledge or wealth, He only cares that we have His image and heart within us. In the eyes of God, every life is of equal value. We have entering into this community of faith, because of the salvation of Jesus Christ; we should immediately eliminate the society value of rich and poor, the concept of the level of inferiority or superiority. We should be happy for the brother in humble circumstances that is lifted up high because of his belief in God.
反省：當我信耶穌，進入教會這個信仰共同體之後，
Reflection: After I have entered into the faith community and believe in Jesus, do I still have the social value that the Taiwanese slang describes “See only the superiority but not the inferiority”? Do I only attach myself and become friends with rich, powerful people? With what kind of attitude do I treat the humble brothers and sisters?
5>富足人的舊危機 The old crisis of the rich
富貴的人被貶低，也該這樣。富有的人要像野花一樣凋謝。
當雅各談完貧窮、卑微的人蒙高昇之後，接著進一步提醒富有的人，
雅各更以曠野地帶某種草類為例來作說明，
But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. (v10-11)
After James talked about poverty, humble people who will be lifted up high as they believe in God and then reminded the rich that they should avoid crisis. People will very easily think that they have had something to rely on, once they get rich. So James offered a new concept that, we should be happy for the rich that take pride in low positions such as the poor people that take pride in their high positions. James also made example. It is like a wild flower, for when the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. James used this phenomenon, to describe the uncertainty of wealth, as well as the unreliability. 1Timothy 6:17 reminds us that “Those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provide us with everything for our enjoyment”.
反省：我在世上的年日，生活中的倚靠、生命中的盼望，
Reflection: My life, daily needs and expectation of life, where and on what do I rely it all on? Do I rely on the power of money or God who grants us everything we enjoy in life?
Translated into English by Teresa Yang
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