乌尔西努反对神法主义

基督在多大程度上废除了律法,而在多大程度上它仍然有效?

对这个问题的普通而正确的回答是,摩西所颁布的礼仪律(ceremonial)和司法律(judicial)在已经被废除了,不需要服从;道德律(moral)在与诅咒有关的方面也被废除了,但仍需服从。礼仪律和司法律因基督的到来而被废除,它们不再约束任何人的服从,而且它们在现今的时代不具有法律的形式和约束力,证明如下:

1.从先知们甚至在旧约中宣布和预言这一废除的事实来看。“一七之内,他[基督]必与许多人坚定盟约;一七之半,他必使祭祀与供献止息。” “你是按照麦基洗德的次序永远作祭司。” (但9:27;诗110:4)
2. 基督和他的使徒们,在新约的不同地方,明确地断言了这种废除(见使徒行传7:8;希伯来书7:11-18;8:8-13)。我们不需要举出许多证据来证实这一点,而只需引用使徒们在耶路撒冷集会时通过的法令。“因为圣灵和我们定意不将别的重担放在你们身上,唯有几件事是不可少的” 等等(使徒行传15:28, 29)。
3.当某些原因一旦改变,基于这些原因产生的法律也会改变。制定礼仪律和司法律的一个原因是,在犹太人中存在的敬拜形式和民事政体,即弥赛亚将从他们中诞生,可以将他们与其他所有国家区分开来,直到弥赛亚到来。另一个原因是,他们可以成为弥赛亚和他恩惠的预表。这些原因在弥赛亚到来后已经被不复存在了:因为使徒宣称,犹太人和其他民族之间的中间隔离墙已经被打破了。“因他使我们和睦,将两下合而为一,拆毁了中间隔断的墙”,“因为在基督耶稣里,受割礼不受割礼都无关紧要,要紧的就是做新造的人” (以弗所书2:14. 加拉太书6:15)新约圣经中也处处教导我们,旧约的仪式和礼仪已经在基督里实现了。“圣灵用此指明:头一层帐幕仍存的时候,进入至圣所的路还未显明”,“律法和先知直到约翰”, “人不可在吃喝上论断你们” 等等。(来9:8;路10:16;西2:16)

反对理由3:最好的和最健康的政府形式总是应该被保留。犹太人建立的政府形式是最好和最健康的,因为它是由上帝建立的。因此,它应该被保留。

回答:这里存在一个谬误,那就是把只在某个方面是真实的东西当作绝对真实。在犹太人中建立的政府形式是最好的,但不是从绝对层面来看,而只是针对那个时代、那个国家和民族而言:因为其中有许多东西适合那个民族、国家、时代和礼仪崇拜的状态和条件,现在遵守这些东西既不合适也无益,因为当初给犹太人制定这些法律的原因现在已经改变或取消了;比如写下离婚书,与自己亲属的寡妇结婚等等。出于这个原因,上帝建立那种政府形式不是为了让所有国家和时代都受其约束;而只是为了让他的子民通过这种纪律在某一段时间内与周边的国家区分开。

有人反对并说,若允许基督徒遵守其他国家的法律,如希腊人或罗马人的法律等,我们更应该遵守上帝的仆人摩西所制定的法律;如果他们所言没有附加上必要性,我们可以同意这种说法;或者,如果他们说遵守摩西律法的原因,不是因为这些律法是摩西对犹太民族的命令和要求,而是因为有其他很好的理由让我们现在遵守这些法律;并且一旦这些理由发生了变化,也保留政府可以更改这些法律的自由。

乌尔西努,《海德堡要理问答》注释。

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To what extent has Christ abrogated the Law, and to what extent is it still in force?

The ordinary and correct answer to this question is, that the ceremonial and judicial law, as given by Moses, has been abrogated in as far as it relates to obedience; and that the moral law has also been abrogated as it respects the curse, but not as it respects obedience. That the ceremonial and judicial laws have been so abrogated by the coming of Christ, that they no longer bind any to obedience, and that they have not the appearance and force of laws in respect to the present time, is proven, 1. From the fact that the prophets even declared and foretold this abrogation in the Old Testament. “Christ shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek. (Dan. 9:27Ps. 110:4.) 2. Christ and his Apostles, in different places in the New Testament, expressly assert this abrogation. (See Acts 7:8Heb. 7:11–18; 8:8–13.) Instead of adducing a number of testimonies in confirmation of this point, we shall merely cite the decree passed by the Apostles when assembled in Jerusalem: “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden, than these necessary things,” etc. (Acts 15:28, 29.) 3. When certain causes are once changed, the laws which are based upon these causes are also changed. One cause now of the ceremonial and judicial law was that the form of worship and civil polity which existed among the Jews, from whom the Messiah was to be born, might distinguish them from all other nations until the Messiah would come. Another cause was that they might be types of the Messiah and of his benefits. These causes now since the coming of the Messiah, have been done away with: for the Apostle declares that the middle wall of partition between the Jews and other nations has been broken down: “He is our Peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us,” “For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. (Eph. 2:14Gal. 6:15.) It is also every where taught in the New Testament Scriptures that the rites and ceremonies of the old dispensation have been fulfilled in Christ. “The Holy Spirit, this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while the first tabernacle was yet standing.” “The law and the prophets were until John.” “Let no man judge you in meat or in drink,” etc. (Heb. 9:8Luke 10:16Col. 2:16.)

… Objection 3: The best and most wholesome form of government is always to be retained. The form of government established among the Jews was the best and most wholesome, for the reason that it was instituted by God. Therefore it is to be retained.

Answer: There is here a fallacy in taking that to be absolutely true, which is true only in a certain respect. The form of government established among the Jews was the best, not absolutely, but only for that time, that country and nation: for there were many things in it adapted to the state and condition of that nation, country, time, and ceremonial worship, the observance of which would now neither be proper nor profitable, because the causes on account of which those laws were given to the Jews are now changed or removed; as giving a writing or bill of divorcement, marrying the widow of one’s kindred, etc. God did not, for this reason, institute this form of government that all nations and ages might be bound by it; but only that his own people might, by this discipline, be separated for a time from the surrounding nations.

If any one should object and say, that if Christians are permitted to observe and conform to the laws of other nations, such as the Greeks or Romans, etc., much more ought we to observe those which were given by Moses, the servant of God; we readily grant the argument, if this observance is rendered without attaching to it the idea of necessity; or if these laws are observed, not because Moses commanded and enjoined them upon the Jewish nation, but because there are good reasons why we should now comply with them; and if these reasons should be changed, to retain the liberty of changing these enactments by public authority.

ZACHARIAS URSINUS, The Commentary of Dr Zacharias Ursinus on the Heidelberg Catechism, 492—95.

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