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James||雅各書

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CH.||章
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2
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5

5:1-20——末了的話

vv. 1-6 — Warning the Rich

Since this is a letter addressed to the Diaspora Jewish Christians, it appears that some of them were rich people whose faith was not accompanied by any repentance:

  1. What is the particular sin James is accusing them of in vv. 2-3?
  2. How would you define the sin of hoarding?
  3. Why does living in "the last days" make the sin of hoarding even more wicked?
  4. The charges in vv. 4-6 are very severe indeed:
    1. Is living in luxury necessarily a sin? In their case, what has made it a horrible sin?
    2. Apart from the injustice of unpaid wages, James accuses them of also wrongful condemnation and murder of the innocent. Many scholars opine that James is accusing the filthy rich in society in general. However, if this were the case, he would have said something like, "Do not be like the rich in the world…"; also note that such crimes were punishable under the Roman Law. The main accusation, therefore, appears to be bullying the poor who had no means or recourse to oppose them legally. Can you think of similar situations in today's society where powerful people or corporations take advantage of the working poor who have no means or recourse to protect themselves? How might Christians participate in such crimes knowingly or unknowingly?

vv. 7-11 — Be Patient: As we see or suffer under the injustice of the rich, James exhorts us to be patient:

  1. What is the first point raised by James about patience?
  2. What has it to do with farmers waiting for seasonal rain?
  3. In times of injustice of whatever kind, it is most easy to grumble:
    1. Why would we be judged for our grumbling?
    2. How does Romans 12:19 echo James teaching in v. 9?
  4. James assures us of the compassion and mercy of God using examples from the prophets, in particular, the example of Job:
    1. What kind of suffering did Job endure? (Job 1)
    2. What was the final outcome of his patient waiting before the Lord? (Job 42:5, 12-17)

vv. 12-19 — Final Words

  1. No swearing (v. 12)
    1. What would prompt us to swear?
    2. Instead of swearing, what are we to do? Why?
  2. The Christian's proper response in trouble and in happiness (v. 13)
    1. What are we most likely to do in trouble? What should we do?
    2. What are we most likely to do in good times? What should we do?
  3. What we are to do in sickness (vv. 14-18)
    1. What is the purpose of calling an elder to come, pray and anoint with oil?
    2. Does it mean that we do not have to see doctors? Why or why not?
    3. If sickness is related to sin, what should we do?
    4. How does James assure us of the certainty and power of prayer?
    5. Have you experienced the power of prayer?
  4. What are we to do with those who wander from the truth?
    1. In dealing with those who wander from the truth, a confrontation is normally needed. Even if it is needed, what is its purpose?
      • to nail (expose or discredit) the person
      • to seek his restoration
    2. Why?
  5. As we come to the end of the Book of James, spend some time going through your notes or journal, and highlight the main messages you may have learned. Translate your thoughts into a prayer of response.

5:1-6 為富不仁：這書信既是寫給信徒，相信內中有不少是財主。可惜的是，他們沒有生命改變的行為：

  1. 雅各在5:2-3首先指摘什麼罪？
  2. 什麼是積財？積財有什麼不對？
  3. 為何雅各特別提到末世，與積財的罪有什麼關連？
  4. 第4-6節的責備甚為厲害：
    1. 享福是否是罪？這些享福的人錯在什麼地方？
    2. 除了剝削工人外，雅各還控告他們枉法，甚至害死人。你能否想到今天有權勢的人在社會中所作類似的罪？基督徒會否在有意或無意中，也參與了這些罪行？

5:7-11 忍耐：在這樣被欺壓，或在百般的試煉中，雅各勸導我們要忍耐：

  1. 雅各勸勉要忍耐，所提的第一點是什麼？
  2. 與農夫等待秋雨、春雨有何關係？
  3. 在試煉中，埋怨是頂自然的事：
    1. 為何會受審判？
    2. 羅馬書12:19的教導與這裡5:9有什麼相同之處？
  4. 雅各用先知的例子來提醒我們，主是滿心憐憫和大慈悲的：
    1. 他更以約伯的試煉為例：約伯所受的是甚麼苦難？(見伯第1章)
    2. 他的忍耐得到什麼後果？(見伯42:5,12-17)

5:12-20 末了的話

  1. 不可起誓(5:12)
    1. 通常是什麼引至我們起誓？
    2. 其實我們該做的是什麼？為什麼？
  2. 面對苦與樂(5:13)
    1. 在遇見苦難時，我們通常第一個反應是什麼？我們該作的是什麼？
    2. 在遇見極開心的事時，我們通常第一個的反應是什麼？我們該作的是什麼？
  3. 在遇到疾病時(5:14-18)
    1. 為何要請長老們來抹油、禱告？
    2. 是否就不用見醫生呢？為什麼？
    3. 若病與罪有關，如何是好？
    4. 雅各怎樣指出我們的禱告是大有功效的？
    5. 你有否經歷過禱告是大有功效的呢？
  4. 我們該怎樣處理失迷真道的人？
    1. 是否應直斥其罪？為什麼？
    2. 若是需要嚴加處理，最終的目的是什麼？
  5. 在讀完這書信時，請用點時間翻閱這星期的筆記，看看你在這書卷中領受的主要提醒是什麼。然後，把你的感受化成禱告的祭，獻給神。
Meditative Reflection||靈修默想
Covering a Multitude of Sins遮蓋許多的罪

"Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins." (Jas. 5:20)

As we come to the end of the Book of James, we might get a sense that James is relentless in his attacks against sin.

While he opens up his letter acknowledging the current hostile situation faced by these Diaspora Jewish Christians, he launches right away into warning double-minded believers telling them not to expect anything from the Lord (1:7). With a vivid depiction of how we can fall into temptation, he insinuates that a good part of our problem is in not looking intently into the Word of God.

His rebuke increases in intensity as he addresses the favoritism given to the rich even within the church, and he launches his most passionate attack on faith without works, a controversy which lasts even today.

The rebuke on an unreined tongue spills over to fights and quarrels among believers, charging them with covetousness that leads to, if not amounts to killing (4:2).

The rebuke against the rich borders on a bias against anyone who is wealthy (5:1-6)!

However, it is so easy to overlook that in the midst of these rebukes, the message of mercy is a repeated one and that is the way he ends his letter as well, as he says, "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back" (5:19). In other words, when he says, "mercy triumphs over judgment" in 2:13, he is not saying it to shame them; he is saying what he is practicing all along.

In ending his letter this way, he is teaching us a very important lesson: All rebukes and even discipline have one main goal in mind, and that goal is not to nail the sinner, but to restore him. As much as his attacks on sins and sinners are harsh, with these last words, he shows that whatever he says has only one purpose in mind and that is for them to repent and be restored. What a great lesson! What a great apostle!

「這人該知道：叫一個罪人從迷路上轉回便是救一個靈魂不死，並且遮蓋許多的罪。」(雅5:20)

讀到雅各書的最後一章，我們可能覺得他是一個嫉惡如仇，滿有憤怒的人。

對，書信一開始時，在稍提到信徒是活在試煉中後，他立刻責備心懷二意的人：「不要想從主那裡得什麼」(1:7)，這不似是太溫柔的說話。把試探的真相，生動的形容後，他指出我們的問題是與沒有好好的詳細察看神的話語有關。

在論到重富輕貧時，他的責備語調就顯然加劇了；在責備信心沒有行為的辯論中，所產生的爭議更持續到今天！

他指摘不勒住舌頭所帶來的禍患，伸延到爭戰鬥毆的責備，甚至控告他們有殺害的行為(4:2)。

到了最後的一章，他對為富不仁者的責備，叫人容易誤會他是特別不喜歡有錢人！(5:1-6)

在這些極嚴厲的責備之中，我們很容易忽略了內中不斷有的「憐憫」信息。更重要的是，他以這些話作為整本書信的結束：

「我的弟兄們，你們中間若有失迷真道的，有人使他回轉，這人該知道：叫一個罪人從迷路上轉回便是救一個靈魂不死，並且遮蓋許多的罪。」

換句話說，當他說：「憐憫原是向審判誇勝」(2:13)，他不是在說空言；他是言行一致的！他用這些話來總結全書，是要告訴我們：以上所有的責備和警告的話語，都只有一個目的：不是要定他們的罪，乃是願望挽回他們。

是的，我們實在太熱衷揭發人的罪，要潔淨神的家；往往完全忽略了，在責備、警告和甚至管教之餘，我們最終的心願和目的，是要使人回轉，叫罪得遮羞。這不但是雅各的心願，更是神的心意。