新约 - 使徒行传(Acts)第8章

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great joy in that city.
But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
使徒行传第八章   第 8 章 

  司提反殉道所带来的影响 

  徒 8:1-4> 信徒就这样分散去了?你说这样正好?对福音?告诉我…… 

  8:1-4 逼迫使信徒离开耶路撒冷,分散到犹太和撒马利亚──这就成就了耶稣的命令的另一部分。( 1:8 )“逼迫”促成了福音的广传,并产生极大的效果。 

  腓利 

  新约的宣教士及其旅程 

  徒 8:4> 困难、逼迫谁想受?只望快过去,其实真的很苦,主我…… 

  8:4 逼迫使信徒被迫离开他们在耶路撒冷的家园,而福音也随着他们到了不同的地方。我们往往是要等到落入困难之中才会行动起来;谁也不喜欢困难,但困难并非完全不好,神是要通过我们遇到的困难来工作。当你落在困难或痛苦的景况中,想要埋怨时,就要停下来求问神,祂是否要装备你承担特别的工作。 

  腓利的工作 

  徒 8:7> 世上真有那么多污鬼在我们的周围?我好像没见过…… 

  8:7 耶稣在世上时,曾经遇到很多污鬼,并把它们赶出来。污鬼或是邪灵是由撒但统治的,大部分学者相信它们是堕落的天使,与撒但一同起来违抗神。他们能够使人变哑、变聋、变盲或发疯,它们也会引诱人犯罪。污鬼是真正存在的,而且也很活跃,但是耶稣的权能胜过它们,祂也把这权能赐给跟随他的人。尽管神容许撒但在我们的世界里工作,但世界仍完全由神控制着。祂能够赶出污鬼,阻止它们毁坏人的生命。最终撒但和污鬼都要被扔在火湖里,永远结束在世上作恶(参启 20:10 )。 

  徒 8:9-11> 不从神来岂有能力?我们不是这样受教的吗?那该如何解释术士的能力? 

  8:9-11 在初期教会时代,术士和巫师的数目众多,而且很有影响力。他们行奇事、治病、驱魔,又行占星术。这些异能可能只是一些“掩眼法”,或者是被撒但控制而有能力的(参太 24:24 ;帖后 2:9 )。西门行了很多奇事,有些人甚至以为他是弥赛亚,但他的能力并不是从神而来的( 8:18-24 )。 

  徒 8:14> 难道他们不信外邦人也会信主的吗?为何要去查看? 

  8:14 彼得和约翰被派往撒马利亚,查看撒马利亚人是不是真的信了主。犹太信徒,甚至是使徒仍然不能肯定外邦人(非犹太人)及混血犹太人是否也可以领受圣灵。彼得传道给哥尼流的经历( 10 章),足以使使徒们完全相信圣灵是赐给所有人的。 

  8:15-17 这是传扬福音及教会增长一个重要的时刻,使徒彼得和约翰要到撒马利亚去帮助那些初信的信徒,免得他们与其他信徒隔离。当彼得和约翰看到圣灵降临时,他们确信圣灵通过“所有信徒”来工作,外邦人、混血种族与“纯正”的犹太人一样。许多学者相信,神叫圣灵“戏剧化”的降临,是要在这个历史性时刻作一个标志,显明福音藉着充满能力的信徒,传到撒马利亚了。一般情况下,当一个人悔改信主时,圣灵就会进入他的生命,这一次是一件特别的事件。圣灵充满的事也同样发生在哥尼流一家身上( 10:44-47 ),这是作为未受割礼的外邦人也可以领受福音的一个标志。 

  徒 8:18-23> 样样事物都可以用钱买?那个西门也真奇怪,竟想买能力,你不会这样想吧? 

  8:18-23 “凡物皆有价”在我们这个充斥着贿赂、财富和物质主义的世界里似乎是至理名言。西门以为他可以用钱来买到圣灵的能力,却遭彼得重重的责备。领受神能力惟一的方法,就是像彼得告诉西门的做法──离开罪恶,求神赦免,以及被圣灵充满。 

  徒 8:26> 顺服神的旨意,走上不毛之地──如果他不走上呢?为何定要顺服神? 

  8:26 腓利在撒马利亚的传道工作非常成功( 8:5-8 ),然而,他顺服神的旨意,放下在撒马利亚的工作,走到一条荒野路上。由于腓利顺从神的差遣,便打开了埃提阿伯的福音大门。即使神的引导有时候看来使人降卑,你也要跟随。你最初可能不明白祂的计划,但所带出的效果却证明神的道路是正确的。 

  徒 8:29-35> 腓力可真懂得传福音的方法,你可学到其中一二?你看…… 

  8:29-35 腓利发现这个埃提阿伯人正在读圣经,便利用这个机会向他解释福音,问他是否明白自己正在读的经文。腓利( 1 )顺服圣灵的引导;( 2 )从那个人当时的情况(埋首于以赛亚的预言)开始讨论;( 3 )解释耶稣基督如何成就以赛亚的预言。当我们与人分享福音时,我们应该以他目前所关心的事为焦点,然后便可以将福音与他所关心的事联系起来。 

  徒 8:35> 旧约太旧了,不适合现代人的需要──有时我也会这样想的;但真的无用吗? 

  8:35 有些人认为旧约不适合今天的需要,但腓利却用旧约经文带领这个人相信耶稣基督。旧约和新约都是指向耶稣基督的,全本圣经都适合每一个时代的每一个人。我们切勿忽视旧约圣经,因为它也是神的话语。 

  徒 8:39-40> 腓力突然不见了,为传福音给外邦;今天谁人需要主?又有何人去传扬? 

  8:39-40 为什么腓利突然间被送到另一个城市?这个神迹正表明带领外邦人信主的迫切性。今天,我们传福音的对象没有犹太人与外邦人孰重孰轻的区别,却有哪些容易、哪些不容易接受福音的分野。求神赐你一颗明白每一种人都迫切需要福音的心!──《灵修版圣经注释》