第二章 论主——救赎者
第一节 论主——救赎者
81# 前一章已然论述上帝——创造者，并阐释创造的奥义；本章则专论主——救赎者，同时阐明救赎之工；下一章将论述圣灵，一并阐释神性的运行作为。
所谓主——救赎者，我等所领会的是寓于人性之中的雅威。盖雅威亲自降世，取了人性，为要成就救赎之功，这一点将于后文逐一证立。
之所以称祂为主、而非直呼雅威，其缘由在于：旧约中的雅威，在新约中皆被称作主，这可由经文对应清晰显明。摩西记道：“以色列啊，你要听！雅威——我们上帝是独一的雅威[ 希伯来原文两处四字圣名 YHWH，拉丁武加大译本写作 Jehovah unus est；犹太人因避讳圣名，诵读时以 “主（Adonai）” 替代，故和合本译作 “独一的主”，此处依原文直译作 “独一的雅威”，以还原经文原始称谓 ]；你要尽心、尽性、尽力爱雅威你的上帝。”（申6:4-5）
马可福音中对应的经文为：“第一（要紧的）就是说：‘以色列啊，你要听，主——我们上帝是独一的主。你要尽心、尽性、尽意、尽力爱主你的上帝。’”（可12:29-30）
又如以赛亚书所言：“有人声喊着说：‘在旷野预备雅威的路，在沙漠地修平我们神的道。’”（赛40:3）
路加福音则接续印证：“孩子啊！你要称为至高者的先知；因为你要行在主的前面，预备他的道路。”（路1:76）
圣经其余各处，皆遵循这一称谓对应规律。主也曾亲自吩咐门徒，以主称呼祂；故此众使徒在书信中皆沿用此称，后世使徒教会亦承袭此名，使徒信经便是明证。
其中深意在于：犹太人因敬畏雅威之名的至圣性，不敢随意直呼此名；且“雅威”所指向的是自永恒存续的神性本体，而祂在时间之中所取的人性，并非这本然的神性本体。
何为神性本体、何为雅威，已于前章18–26条、27–35条详尽阐释。是以本章及后文所称的主，一概指代寓于人性之中的雅威。
关乎主的真理知识，其卓越尊贵远超教会一切真理认知，甚至胜过天堂之中的一切智识，故此需依循秩序逐层铺陈，使这核心真理全然显明。本章论证次序如下：
一、雅威上帝降临，并取了人性，为要救赎并拯救人类。
二、雅威上帝以神性真理降世，神性真理即是圣言，且降世之时并未与神性良善隔绝分离。
三、雅威上帝全然依照自身的神性秩序取了人性。
四、上帝借以将自己差到世间的人性，便是上帝之子。
五、主借着救赎的行为，使自己成为公义。
六、主借着同样的救赎行为，使自己与父合一，父也使自己与祂合一；这同样是照着神性秩序。
七、由此，独一位格之内，上帝成为人，人也成为上帝。
八、趋向合一的进程，是祂的虚己状态；而合一本身，是祂的荣耀状态。
九、自此以后，基督徒若不相信救主上帝、不唯独亲近祂，便不能进天堂。
以上九点要义，后文将逐一逐条阐释讲明。
81# 上一章论述了神创造者，以及创造。本章将论述主救赎主，以及救赎；下一章将论述圣灵，以及神性运作。我们所说的主救赎主是指处于人身的耶和华；因为接下来的章节将说明，为了实现救赎，耶和华亲自降临并取了人身。之所以用主这个名，不用耶和华，是因为旧约中的耶和华在新约中被称为主，这从以下经文明显看出来。摩西五经：
以色列啊，你要听，耶和华我们的神是独一的耶和华；你要全心、全灵魂地爱耶和华神。（申命记6:4-5）
马可福音：
主我们的神是独一的主。你要全心、全灵魂地爱主你的神。（马可福音12:29-30）
以赛亚书：
你们要预备耶和华的道，为我们的神在旷野修直大道。（以赛亚书40:3）
路加福音：
你要行在主的面前，预备祂的道路。（路加福音1:76）
除此之外还有其它经文。此外，主吩咐祂的门徒称祂为“主”（约翰福音13:13），这就是为何使徒们在书信中如此称呼祂，后来的使徒教会也如此称呼祂，这从使徒教会的信经明显看出来，该信经被称为《使徒信经》。其原因在于，犹太人因耶和华之名的神圣性而不敢说出这个名字；还因为“耶和华”是指来自永恒的神性存在；而祂在时间中所取的人身不是那存在。前一章（TCR 18-26，27-35节）已经说明何为神性存在或耶和华。因此，在此处和下文，主都是指在其人身中的耶和华。由于关于主的知识在卓越性上超过教会乃至天堂中的其它一切知识，所以我要按以下顺序来安排这个主题，确保把这知识带到清晰的光中：
（1）耶和华，宇宙的创造者降临，并取了人身，以救赎并拯救人类。
（2）祂作为神性真理，即圣言而降临；然而，祂并没有将神性良善与神性真理分离。
（3）祂照着祂的神序取了人身。
（4）这人身就是那被称为神儿子的，祂通过这人身把自己差到世上。
（5）通过救赎的行为，主使自己成为公义。
（6）同样通过救赎的行为，照着神序，祂使自己与父合一，父也使自己与祂合一。
（7）这样在一个位格里面，神成为人，人成为神。
（8）朝合一的发展是祂的倒空状态；合一本身是祂的荣耀状态。
（9）从今以后，在基督徒当中，没有人能进入天堂，除非他相信主神救主，唯独靠近祂。
现逐一解释这些命题。
81. Chapter 2: The Lord the Redeemer
THE previous chapter was on God the Creator, and also included material on creation. This chapter is on the Lord the Redeemer, and also includes material on redemption. The following chapter is on the Holy Spirit, and will also include material on divine action.
By "the Lord, the Redeemer" we mean Jehovah in his human manifestation. In what follows, we will show that Jehovah himself came down and took on a human manifestation for the purpose of redeeming.
We speak of "the Lord" rather than "Jehovah" because Jehovah of the Old Testament is called "the Lord" in the New, as you can see from the following passages. In Moses it says, "Hear, O Israel, Jehovah your God, Jehovah is one. You are to love Jehovah God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5); but in Mark it says, "The Lord your God is one Lord. You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Mark 12:29-30). Likewise in Isaiah it says, "Prepare a way for Jehovah; make a level pathway in the solitude for our God" (Isaiah 40:3); but in Luke it says, "I will go before the face of the Lord to prepare the way for him" (Luke 1:76). There are other instances elsewhere.
Furthermore, the Lord commanded his disciples to call him Lord [John 13:13]. Therefore this is what he was called by the apostles in their letters, and afterward what he was called in the apostolic church, as is clear from its creed, called the Apostles Creed.
One reason for this change of names was that the Jews did not dare to say the name Jehovah, because of its holiness. Another reason is that "Jehovah" means the underlying divine reality, which existed from eternity; but the human aspect that he took on in time was not that underlying reality. The nature of the underlying divine reality or Jehovah was shown in the previous chapter, 18-26-27-35.
Because of this, here and in what follows when we say "the Lord" we mean Jehovah in his human manifestation.
The concept of the Lord has an excellence that surpasses all other concepts that exist in the church or even in heaven. Therefore we need to adhere to an orderly sequence, as in the following, to make this concept clear:
1. Jehovah, the Creator of the universe, came down and took on a human manifestation in order to redeem people and save them.
2. He came down as the divine truth, which is the Word; but he did not separate the divine goodness from it.
3. In the process of taking on a human manifestation, he followed his own divine design.
4. The human manifestation in which he sent himself into the world is what is called "the Son of God. "
5. Through acts of redemption the Lord became justice.
6. Through these same acts he united himself to the Father and the Father united himself to him, again following the divine design.
7. Through this process God became human and a human became God in one person.
8. When he was being emptied out he was in a state of progress toward union; when he was being glorified he was in a state of union itself.
9. From now on, no Christians will go to heaven unless they believe in the Lord God the Savior and turn to him alone.
I need to address these statements one by one.
81. CHAPTER TWO
THE LORD THE REDEEMER
The previous chapter dealt with God the Creator, and at the same time with creation; this chapter will deal with the Lord the Redeemer, and at the same time with redemption. The following chapter will deal with the Holy Spirit, and at the same time with the way God works. By the Lord the Redeemer we understand Jehovah in the Human; for the following pages will prove that Jehovah Himself came down and assumed human form in order to effect redemption. We say 'the Lord' and not 'Jehovah' because the Jehovah of the Old Testament is called the Lord in the New Testament, as can be established from the following passages; we read in Moses:
Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our 1 God is one Jehovah; you shall love Jehovah God with your whole heart and your whole soul, Deuteronomy 6:4-5.
but in Mark:
The Lord our God is one Lord; you shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul, Mark 12:29-30.
Also in Isaiah:
Prepare the way for Jehovah, make smooth in the desert a path for our God, Isaiah 40:3.
but in Luke:
You shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare the way for Him, Luke 1:76.
and in other passages. The Lord too ordered His disciples to call Him Lord, and He was therefore so called by the Apostles in their Epistles, and later by the Apostolic Church. This is plain from its creed, the so-called Apostles' Creed. The reason was that the Jews did not dare to name Jehovah on account of His holiness, and because 'Jehovah' means the Divine Being (Esse), which existed from eternity, while the Human, which He took upon Himself in time, was not that Being. I showed in the previous chapter (18-35) what the Divine Being or Jehovah is. For this reason, here and in what follows by the Lord we understand Jehovah in His Human.
[2] Now since knowledge of the Lord surpasses in excellence all other kinds of knowledge known to the church, or even in heaven, I shall adopt an ordered arrangement to bring that knowledge to light, as follows:
(i) Jehovah, the Creator of the Universe, came down and took upon Himself human form, in order to redeem and save mankind.
(ii) He came down as the Divine Truth, which is the Word, yet He did not separate the Divine Good from it.
(iii) He took upon Himself human form in accordance with His Divine order.
(iv) The Human by which He brought Himself into the world is what is called the Son of God.
(v) The Lord by acts of redemption made Himself righteousness.
(vi) By the same acts He united Himself with the Father, and the Father with Him. This too was in accordance with Divine order.
(vii) Thus God became man, and man God, in one person.
(viii) His progress towards union was His state of exinanition 2 , and the union itself is His state of glorification.
(ix) From this time on no one from Christian countries can come into heaven, unless he believes in the Lord God the Saviour, and approaches Him alone.
These propositions will be explained one by one.
Footnotes:
81. CHAPTER 2
THE LORD THE REDEEMER.
In the preceding chapter God the Creator, together with Creation, has been treated of. This chapter will treat of the Lord the Redeemer, together with Redemption; and the next chapter of the Holy Spirit, together with the Divine Operation. By the Lord the Redeemer we mean Jehovah in the Human; for in what follows it will be shown that Jehovah Himself descended and assumed a Human in order that He might effect redemption. The name Lord is used and not Jehovah, because the Jehovah of the Old Testament is called the Lord in the New, as is shown in the following passages. In Moses:
Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah; and thou shalt love Jehovah God with all thy heart and with all thy soul (Deuteronomy 6:4, 5);
and in Mark:
The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul (Mark 12:29, 30).
Again, in Isaiah:
Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make level in the wilderness a highway for our God (Isaiah 40:3);
and in Luke:
Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His way1:76);
besides other passages. Moreover, the Lord commanded His disciples to call Him Lord, and this is why He was so called by the Apostles in their Epistles, and afterwards by the Apostolic Church, as appears from its creed, which is called the Apostles' Creed. The reason of this was that the Jews durst not utter the name Jehovah on account of its holiness; also that "Jehovah" means the Divine Esse which was from eternity; and the Human that He assumed in time was not that Esse. What the Divine Esse or Jehovah is, has been shown in the preceding chapter (n. 18-26, 27-35). For this reason, by the Lord, here and in the following pages, Jehovah in His Human is meant. And since a knowledge of the Lord surpasses in excellence all other knowledges in the church, and even in heaven, the subject shall be so arranged in order as to bring this knowledge out into clear light. It will be considered in the following order:
(1) Jehovah the Creator of the universe descended and assumed a Human that He might redeem men and save them.
(2) He descended as Divine Truth, which is the Word, although He did not separate from it the Divine Good.
(3) He assumed the Human in accordance with His Divine Order.
(4) The Human whereby He sent Himself into the world is what is called the Son of God.
(5) Through the acts of Redemption the Lord made Himself Righteousness.
(6) Through the same acts He united Himself to the Father, and the Father united Himself to Him, also in accordance with the Divine Order.
(7) Thus God became Man, and Man became God, in one Person.
(8) The progress towards union was His state of Exinanition [emptying Himself]; and the union itself is His state of Glorification.
(9) Hereafter no one from among Christians enters heaven unless he believes in the Lord God the Savior, and approaches Him alone.
But these statements shall be explained separately.
81. CHAPTER II. THE LORD THE REDEEMER
In the previous chapter we treated of God the Creator and also of creation; but in this chapter we shall treat of the Lord the Redeemer and also of redemption; and in the following chapter we shall treat of the Holy Spirit and also of the Divine operation. By the Lord the Redeemer we mean Jehovah in the Human for it will be shown in the following pages that Jehovah Himself descended and assumed the Human in order to effect our redemption. He is called the Lord and not Jehovah, because Jehovah in the Old Testament is called the Lord in the New, as is evident from the following passages. In Moses it is said:
"Hear, O Israel: JEHOVAH our God is one JEHOVAH: And thou shalt love JEHOVAH God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul" Deuteronomy 6:4-5.
But in Mark it is said:
"The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul" Mark 12:29-30.
Then in Isaiah it is said:
"Prepare ye the way of JEHOVAH, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" Isaiah 40:3.
But in Luke it is said:
"Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways" Luke 1:76.
In other passages the same distinction is made. The Lord also commanded His disciples to call Him Lord, and therefore He is so called by the Apostles in their Epistles, and afterwards by the Apostolic Church, as is evident from its Creed, which is called The Apostles' Creed. This was because the Jews dared not utter the name "Jehovah" on account of its holiness; and also because by Jehovah is meant the Divine Being, which was from eternity; and the Human, which He assumed in time, was not that Being. What is meant by the Divine Being, or Jehovah, was shown in the previous chapter, 18-26, and 27-35. For this reason, both here and in the following pages, by the Lord we mean Jehovah in His Human; and since knowledge of the Lord surpasses in excellence all knowledge in the Church, and even in heaven, some revelation of it will now be made in the following series of articles:
(1) Jehovah the Creator of the universe descended and assumed the Human, in order to redeem and save mankind.
(2) He descended as the Divine Truth, which is the Word; and yet He did not separate the Divine Good.
(3) He assumed the Human according to His own Divine order.
(4) The Human, by which He sent Himself into the world, is what is called the Son of God.
(5) The Lord, by acts of redemption, made Himself righteousness.
(6) By the same acts He united Himself to the Father, and the Father united Himself to Him, also according to the Divine order.
(7) Thus God became Man, and Man God, in one Person.
(8) The progress to union was His state of exinanition, 1 and the union itself is His state of glorification.
(9) Hereafter no Christian can enter heaven unless he believes on the Lord God the Savior, and approaches Him alone.
Each of these articles will now be treated separately.
Footnotes:
1. Or state of humiliation, during which the maternal heredity was being removed.
81. CAPUT SECUNDUM - DE DEO REDEMPTORE.
In priori Capite actum est de Deo Creatore, et simul tunc de Creatione, in hoc autem Capite agendum est de Domino Redemptore, et simul etiam de Redemptione, et in sequente Capite de Spiritu Sancto, et simul de Divina Operatione: per Dominum Redemptorem, intelligimus Jehovam in Humano; nam quod Ipse Jehovah descenderit, et Humanum assumserit, propter finem ut Redemptionem ageret, in sequentibus demonstrabitur. Quod dicatur Dominus et non Jehovah, est causa quia Jehovah in Veteri Testamento vocatur Dominus in Novo, ut constare potest ex his; dicitur apud Mosen, "Audi Israel, JEHOVAH DEUS noster, 1 JEHOVAH unus est: amabis JEHOVAM DEUM ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota anima tua," Deuteronomius 6:4-5; at apud Marcum, "DOMINUS DEUS noster 2 DOMINUS unus est: amabis DOMINUM DEUM tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex toto anima tua," Marcus 12:29-30. Tum apud Esajam, "Parate viam JEHOVAE, complanate in solitudine semitam Deo nostro," 40:3: at apud Lucam, "Praeibis 3 ante faciem DOMINI, ad parandum vias Ipsius," 4 Luca 1:76, praeter alibi: et quoque Dominus mandavit Discipulis suis, ut Ipsum vocarent Dominum, et ideo ab Apostolis in Epistolis eorum ita vocatus est, et postea ab Ecclesia Apostolica, ut patet a Symbolo ejus, quod vocatur Symbolum Apostolicum: causa fuit, quia Judaei non ausi sunt nominare Jehovam propter sanctitatem, et quoque per Jehovam intelligitur Divinum Esse, quod fuit ab aeterno, et Humanum, quod assumsit in tempore, non fuit id Esse: quid Divinum Esse seu Jehovah, in superiori Capite, 18-26, et 27-35, ostensum est: propter hanc rem, hic et in sequentibus per Dominum intelligimus Jehovam in Humano suo.
[2] Nunc quia cognitio de Domino excellentia excedit omnes cognitiones, quae in Ecclesia dantur, imo quae in Coelo, erit dispositio ordinata, ut cognitio illa veniat in lucem, quae itaque haec erit.
I. Quod Jehovah Creator Universi descenderit et assumserit Humanum, ut redimeret et salvaret homines.
II. Quod descenderit ut Divinum Verum, quod est Verbum, et tamen quod non separaverit Divinum Bonum.
III. Quod assumserit Humanum secundum Divinum suum ordinem.
IV. Quod Humanum, per quod se misit in Mundum, sit quod vocatur Filius Dei.
V. Quod Dominus per actus redemptionis se justitiam fecerit.
VI. Quod per eosdem actus se univerit Patri, et Pater Se Ipsi; etiam secundum Divinum ordinem.
VII. Quod sic Deus factus sit Homo, et Homo Deus in Una Persona.
VIII. Quod progressio ad unionem fuerit status exinanitionis Ipsius, et quod ipsa Unio sit status glorificationis Ipsius.
IX. Quod posthac nullus ex Christianis in Coelum veniat, nisi qui in Dominum Deum Salvationem credit, et Ipsum solum adit. Sed haec singulatim explicabuntur.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: vester, sed Schmidt, 6[3], et alibi: noster.
2. Prima editio: vester, sed Schmidt, Arcana Coelestia 2921[5] et DD 45: noster.
3. Sic Schmidt et 688. Prima editio: Praeibo.
4. Sic Schmidt et 688: vias Ipsius ubi in prima editione viam Ipsi.