第五章 謙卑顯于耶穌門徒身上 Chapter 5–Humility in the Disciples of Jesus
你們裏頭……為首領的，倒要像服事人的。(路廿二26)
“Let him that is chief among you be as he that doth serve.” -Luke 22:26.
我們已經讀過謙卑顯於耶穌身上並出現在他的教訓中，現在讓我們從他所揀選的同伴–十二個門徒身上來看這件事。一開始我們看見他們身上缺少謙卑，與基督本身成為強烈的對比，這會使我們讚歎五旬節時那一百八十度的轉變，證明人可以真正有份於基督的謙卑，完全勝過撒但吹入人裏面之驕傲的毒氣。
我們在前一章已看見這些門徒在某些場合十足缺少謙卑。有一次他們在路上爭論著誰為大，又有一次西庇大的兒子們同著他們的母親去向主求首位–主左右的高位；以後在吃最後晚餐的那一夜，他們再度爭論誰為大。他們並非沒有在主面前真正自卑的時候。比方彼得會呼喊著：”主啊！離開我，我是個罪人。”(路五8）當耶穌使風止住時，門徒們都俯伏拜他(參太十四24－33）。但這種偶爾特別謙卑的表現，只會更多顯露他們的本相。他們已習慣給己的權勢留地步，所以在其他場合裏會自然而然地顯露出來。思想這些事，會學到一些重要的功課。
1．謙卑仍那麼缺乏時，信仰仍會披著何等熱切與活潑的外貌–讓我們從門徒們身上來探討。他們熱切地追隨耶穌，為他撇下了一切。父啟示他們他就是神的基督。他們信他、愛他、服從他的命令，撇下一切來跟隨他。當其他人都退後離開主時，他們仍然緊隨他，準備與他同死。但有一個黑暗的權勢，深深地隱蔽在這一切的背後，而他們幾乎沒有覺察到它的存在與可怕性，除非它被除滅、被逐出去，否則他們無法見證耶穌拯救的大能。即使在現今這個世代，仍然如此。我們看見很多教授、傳道人、福音使者、工人、宣教士、教師身上有諸般聖靈的恩賜彰顯出來，成為祝福群眾的導管。但是當試驗來臨時，或是藉著親密的交往而更深地認識他之後，會很痛心地發現他缺少謙卑這項恩典，謙卑尚未成為他身上恒常不變的特性。大家都願意承認謙卑是最重要、最高的德行之一，但也是最難學會的功課之一，所以需要花費最大的心力，當作首要目標來追求。藉著豐滿的聖靈，我們能與內住的基督有份，只有當他住到我們裏面來時，謙卑才會在權能中來臨。
2．想要藉著外面的教導與個人的努力，來制服驕傲或帶下柔和謙卑的心，是何等徒勞無益–門徒們有三年的時間在耶穌手下受訓，他告訴他們所當學的第一樣功課是：”我心裏柔和謙卑，你們當學我的樣式。”他一次又一次地對他們、法利賽人和群眾提到，謙卑乃通往神榮耀的唯一途徑。他不但在他們面前活出神羔羊那屬天謙卑的樣式，而且不只一次向他們揭露他生命中最深的奧秘：”人子來不是要受人的服事，乃是要服事人。””我在你們中間如同服事人的。”只洗他們的腳，並告訴他們要效法他的榜樣。但這一切的果效微乎其微。在最後晚餐時，他們仍爭論著誰為大。他們一定常常努力要學好這功課，也下定決心不要再傷他的心，然而一切終歸徒然。藉此他們和我們都上了一堂必修課，深知趕出驕傲之魔不是藉著外面的教導，連基督自己都辦不到；不是藉著辯論，不管論證多麼具說服力；不是使人感覺到謙卑的美麗，不管這感覺多麼深刻，也不是靠個人的決心與努力，不管這人是多麼地誠心而認真。若撒但趕逐撤但，只會帶進更大的潛勢力。只有藉著聖靈的權能，神把屬天謙卑的新性情啟示在我們裏面以取代老舊的性情，並讓這新性情那麼真實地成為我們自身的一部分，如同老舊的性情那般根深蒂固時，才能帶來果效。
3．只有藉著內住的基督，帶著他屬天的謙卑住到我們裏面來時，我們才會真的謙卑下來。我們的驕傲是從一個人–亞當來的，照樣謙卑也必須從另一個人來。驕傲在我們裏面，用一種可怕的勢力轄管著我們，因為它就是我們的己、我們的天性。謙卑也一樣必須在我們裏面，成為我們的己、我們的天性。過去我們怎樣自然而然、輕而易舉地表現出驕傲來，照樣我們也必須，也一定可以表現出謙卑來。正如經上所應許的：罪在”那裏”(包括心)顯多；恩典就更顯多了(羅五20)。基督給門徙的一切教導，以及門徒一切枉然的努力乃必經步驟，使他能夠在神聖的權能裏進入他們裏面，賜予並作成他所教導他們要追求的。他藉著死敗壞了魔鬼的權勢，挪除了罪，成全了永遠的救贖。在他的復活裏，他從父那裏領受了一個全新的生命，是帶著神權能的人的生命，能交通給人、進入人裏面，以屬天的權能更新並充滿他們的生命。他一升天，就領受了父的靈，從此以後他可以藉著聖靈做他在地上時不能做的事，只能夠與他所愛的人合而為一，實際地為他們活出應有的生命來，以致他們能夠像他一樣謙卑地活在父面前，因為是他自己活在他們裏面，一呼一吸都是他。五旬節那一天，他在聖靈裏顯降，並佔有他們。以往一切的預備工作，使他們悔改、相信，藉著教導激發他們的渴慕與盼望，如今藉著五旬節經歷所帶來的巨大轉變而得以成全。雅各、彼得和約翰的生命與書信，都見證出他們的改變，受苦耶穌的柔和謙卑之靈，實實在在地佔有他們。
對這些事我們當說什麼呢？在我的讀者群眾當中，一定反應不一。有些人也許從未特別思想這件事，故無法立刻瞭解這生命問題對教會和其每一個成員事關重大。也許有些人因著自己的缺乏而產生定罪感，試盡各樣方法要努力解決這問題，結果卻失敗了，以致灰心喪志。其他人也許能夠快樂地見證說他們得著了屬靈的祝福與能力，卻從未悔悟到他們身上有缺欠，是周圍的人看得清清楚楚的。也許還有一些人能夠見證主已給他們這恩典，使他們得著釋放與勝利，然而他仍必須指教他們所當學的何其多，他們可以從耶穌的豐滿裏領受得更多。不管我們是哪一種人，我都要極力地籲請所有的人更深地認定謙卑在基督教信仰裏，佔有獨一無二的地位，只要他的謙卑尚未被認為是他最大的榮耀、最首要的命令、最高的福祉，則教會與信徒根本不可能成為基督所要的樣式。讓我們深深地思想這件事：當門徒們仍那麼缺少謙卑這項恩典時，外表卻看起來大有長進，所以求神不要叫我們滿足於其他的恩賜，免得我們永遠無法領悟神不彰顯其權能、不動大工的秘密原因是–缺少謙卑這項恩典。只有當我們像神兒子一樣，真正知道且表現出憑著自己不能做什麼時，神才作一切。
當內住的基督在信徒的經歷裏占著應有的地位時，教會才會披上美麗的外袍，教師和信徒身上才會表現出謙卑這神聖、美麗的性情來。
（取自慕安得烈所著之《謙卑》）
Chapter 5–HUMILITY IN THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS
“Let him that is chief among you be as he that doth serve.” -Luke 22:26.
We have studied humility in the person and teaching of Jesus; let us now look for it in the circle of His chosen companions—the twelve apostles. If, in the lack of it we find in them, the contrast between Christ and men is brought out more clearly, it will help us to appreciate the mighty change which Pentecost wrought in them, and prove how real our participation can be in the perfect triumph of Christ’s humility over the pride Satan had breathed into man.
In the texts quoted from the teaching of Jesus, we have already seen what the occasions were on which the disciples had proved how entirely wanting they were in the grace of humility. Once, they had been disputing the way which of them should be the greatest Another time, the sons of Zebedee with their mother had asked for the first places–the seat on the right hand and the left. And, later on, at the Supper table on the last night, there was again a contention which should be accounted the greatest. Not that there were not moments when they indeed humbled themselves before their Lord. So it was with Peter when he cried out, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” So, too, with the disciples when they fell down and worshipped Him who had stilled the storm. But such occasional expressions of humility only bring out into stronger relief what was the habitual tone of their mind, as shown in the natural and spontaneous revelation given at other times of the place and the power of self. The study of the meaning of all this will teach us most important lessons.
First, How much there may be of earnest and active, religion while humility is still sadly wanting.- See it in the disciples. There was in them fervent attachment to Jesus. They had forsaken all for Him. The Father had revealed to them that He was the Christ of God. They believed in Him, they loved Him, they obeyed His commandments. They had forsaken all to follow Him. When others went back, they clave to Him. They were ready to die with Him. But deeper down than all this there was a dark power, of the existence and the hideousness of which they were hardly conscious, which had to be slain and cast out, ere they could be the witnesses of the power of Jesus to save. It is even so still. We may find professors and ministers, evangelists and workers, missionaries and teachers, in whom the gifts of the Spirit are many and manifest, and who are the channels of blessing to multitudes, but of whom, when the testing time comes, or closer intercourse gives fuller knowledge, it is only too painfully manifest that the grace of humility, as an abiding characteristic, is scarce to be seen. All tends to confirm the lesson that humility is one of the chief and the highest graces; one of the most difficult of attainment; one to which our first and chiefest efforts ought to be directed; one that only comes in power, when the fullness of the Spirit makes us partakers of the indwelling Christ, and He lives within us.
Second, How impotent all external teaching and all personal effort is, to conquer pride or give the meek and lowly heart.-For three years the disciples had been in the training school of Jesus. He had told them what the chief lesson was He wished to teach them: “Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.” Time after time He had spoken to them, to the Pharisees, to the multitude, of humility as the only path to the glory of God.He had not only lived before them as the Lamb of God in His divine humility, He had more than once unfolded to them the inmost secret of His life: “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve”; “I am among you as one that serveth.” He had washed their feet, and told them they were to follow His example. And yet all had availed but little. At the Holy Supper there was still the contention as to who should be greatest. They had doubtless often tried to learn His lessons, and firmly resolved not again to grieve Him. But all in vain. To teach them and us the much needed lesson, that no outward instruction,not even of Christ Himself; no argument however convincing; no sense of the beauty of humility, however deep; no personal resolve or effort, however sincere and earnest,-can cast out the devil of pride. When Satan casts out Satan, it is only to enter afresh in a mightier, though more hidden power. Nothing can avail but this, that the new nature in its divine humility be revealed in power to take the place of the old, to become as truly our very nature as that ever was.
Third, It is only by the indwelling of Christ in His divine humility that we become truly humble.We have our pride from another, from Adam; we must have our humility from Another too. Pride is ours, and rules in us with such terrible power, because it is ourself, our very nature. Humility must be ours in the same way; it must be our very self, our very nature. As natural and easy as it has been to be proud, it must be, it will be, to be humble. The promise is, “Where,” even in the heart, “sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly.” All Christ’s teaching of His disciples, and all their vain efforts, were the needful preparation for His entering into them in divine power, to give and be in them what He had taught them to desire. In His death He destroyed the power of the devil, He put away sin, and effected an everlasting redemption. In His resurrection He received from the Father an entirely new life, the life of man in the power of God, capable of being communicated to men, and entering and renewing and filling their lives with His divine power. In His ascension He received the Spirit of the Father, through whom He might do what He could not do while upon earth, make Himself one with those He loved, actually live their life for them, so that they could live before the Father in a humility like His, because it was Himself who lived and breathed in them. And on Pentecost He came and took possession. The work of preparation and conviction, the awakening of desire and hope which His teaching had effected,was perfected by the mighty change that Pentecost wrought. And the lives and the epistles of James and Peter and John bear witness that all was changed, and that the spirit of the meek and suffering Jesus had indeed possession of them.
What shall we say to these things? Among my readers I am sure there is more than one class. There may be some who have never yet thought very specially of the matter, and cannot at once realize its immense importance as a life question for the Church and its every member. There are others who have felt condemned for their shortcomings, and have put forth very earnest efforts, only to fail and be discouraged. Others, again, may be able to give joyful testimony of spiritual blessing and power, and yet there has never been the needed conviction of what those around them still see as wanting. And still others may be able to witness that in regard to this grace too the Lord has given deliverance and victory, while He has taught them how much they still need and may expect out of the fullness of Jesus. To whichever class we belong, may I urge the pressing need there is for our all seeking a still deeper conviction of the unique place that humility holds in the religion of Christ, and the utter impossibility of the Church or the believer being what Christ would have them be, as long as His humility is not recognized as His chief glory, His first command, and our highest blessedness. Let us consider deeply how far the disciples were advanced while this grace was still so terribly lacking, and let us pray to God that other gifts may not so satisfy us, that we never grasp the fact that the absence of this grace is the secret cause why the power of God cannot do its mighty work. It is only where we, like the Son, truly know and show that we can do nothing of ourselves, that God will do all.
It is when the truth of an indwelling Christ takes the place it claims in the experience of believers, that the Church will put on her beautiful garments and humility be seen in her teachers and members as the beauty of holiness.
(taken from Humility by Andrew Murray)
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