第六週■週三

w06d03-ch

晨興餧養

彼後一5 ～ 6『正因這緣故，你們要分外殷勤，在你們的信上，充足的供應美德，在美德上供應知識，在知識上供應節制，在節制上供應忍耐，在忍耐上供應敬虔。』

分外殷勤，〔彼後一5，〕直譯，額外帶進十分的殷勤。除了（隨着）神所賜給我們又寶貴又極大的應許，我們還該額外帶進十分的殷勤，與大能之神聖性情的加力合作，好完成神的應許。

彼後一章五至七節乃是三至四節裏神聖的能力所賜給我們之事物的發展。在信上供應美德，就是運用信發展美德。同樣的原則適用於其他各項。這裏的『供應』一辭，實際上的意思就是發展。彼得的意思是叫我們要發展我們所已經有的。我們有信，現今在我們的信上，我們需要發展美德。（彼得後書生命讀經，五三至五四頁。）

信息選讀

彼得在彼後一章五節所題的信，是神所分給我們同樣寶貴的信，（1，）作新約生命之福共同的分，以開始我們基督徒的生活。我們需要運用這信，使神聖生命的美德在後續的步驟裏得着發展，而達到成熟。彼後一章的信可比喻爲種子。…彼前一章的種子是有基督在其中作生命的話。現今在彼後一章，這種子成爲我們的信；毫無疑問，這就是同樣寶貴的信。這寶貴的信與作種子的基督乃是一。

種子種在土裏以後，就需要發展。信的種子的發展，原則是一樣的。在我們的信上，我們需要發展美德。美德，直譯，優越，指神聖生命的能力產生有活力的行動。若把信看作種子，美德就可視爲出於這種子的根。

在一章五節彼得也叫我們要『在美德上供應知識』。美德，卽有活力的行動，需要以對神和我們主耶穌的認識爲充足供應，（2 ～ 3，8，）好叫我們享受後續的發展。這認識乃是有關一切關於神聖生命和敬虔的事，以及那有分於神性情之事的。（3 ～ 4。）在我們的美德上，我們所需要發展的知識，包括對神和我們救主的認識，對神經綸的認識，對甚麼是信的認識，以及對神聖的能力、榮耀、美德、性情和生命的認識。事實上，這就是對一切關於生命和敬虔之事的認識。…我信知識也是由信的種子發展出來的主根。有了美德和知識，我們就有種子的生長。

節制，〔6，〕或，自制，就是在情感、喜好和習慣上管治並約束己。…我們一旦得着知識，就很容易變得驕傲。爲這緣故，我們需要在我們的知識上發展節制。節制含示約束。樹生長時，根就往外伸展，但樹榦相當受約束的向上生長。

節制是對付自己，忍耐是容忍別人與環境。要過正確的基督徒生活，我們需要對我們周圍的人忍耐，也需要對我們的景況和環境忍耐。

在我們的忍耐上，我們需要發展敬虔。敬虔指像神並彰顯神的生活。我們管治我們的己並容忍別人與環境時，需要在我們屬靈的生活中發展敬虔，使我們得以像神並彰顯祂。倘若信是種子，美德和知識是根，節制是榦，那麼忍耐和敬虔就是枝子。這裏我們看見相當完全的發展：由種子發出根、榦和枝子。至終，在七節我們看見弟兄相愛和愛，作爲花和果子。（彼得後書生命讀經，五四至五六頁。）

參讀：彼得後書生命讀經，第六篇。

WEEK 6 — DAY 3

w06d03-en

Morning Nourishment

2 Pet. 1:5-6 And for this very reason also, adding all diligence, supply bountifully in your faith virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, endurance; and in endurance, godliness.

The Greek word rendered “adding” [2 Pet. 1:5] literally means “bringing in beside.” Beside, along with, the precious and exceedingly great promises given to us by God, we should bring in all diligence to cooperate with the enabling of the dynamic divine nature for the carrying out of God’s promises.

What the divine power has given us in 1:3 and 4 is developed in verses 5 through 7. To supply virtue in faith is to develop virtue in the exercise of faith. The same principle applies to all the other items. The word supply here actually means “develop.” Peter is telling us to develop what we already have. We have faith, and now in our faith we need to develop virtue. (Life-study of 2 Peter, p. 45)

Today’s Reading

The faith Peter mentions in 2 Peter 1:5 is the equally precious faith allotted to us by God (v. 1) as the common portion of the New Testament blessing of life for the initiation of the Christian life. This faith needs to be exercised that the virtue of the divine life may be developed in the succeeding steps and reach maturity. Faith in 2 Peter 1 may be compared to a seed…In chapter 1 of 1 Peter the seed is the word with Christ in it as life. Now in 2 Peter 1 this seed becomes our faith, which, no doubt, is the equally precious faith. This precious faith is one with Christ as the seed.

After a seed has been sown in the soil, it needs to be developed. The principle is the same with the development of the seed of faith. In our faith we need to develop virtue. Literally, the Greek word for virtue means “excellency.” It denotes the energy of the  divine life, which issues in vigorous action. If faith is regarded as the seed, virtue may be considered a root that comes out of this seed.

In 1:5 Peter also tells us to supply “in virtue, knowledge.” Virtue, the vigorous action, needs the bountiful supply of the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (vv. 2, 3, 8) regarding the all things that relate to the divine life and godliness and the partaking of the divine nature (vv. 3-4) for our enjoyment in the subsequent development. The knowledge that we should develop in our virtue includes the knowledge of God and of our Savior, the knowledge of God’s economy, the knowledge of what faith is, and the knowledge of the divine power, glory, virtue, nature, and life. Actually, this is the knowledge of all things related to life and godliness…I believe that knowledge also is a primary root that develops out of the seed of faith. With virtue and knowledge we have the growth of the seed.

Self-control [v. 6], or temperance, is the exercise of control and restraint over one’s self in its passions, desires, and habits. Once we have acquired knowledge, it is easy for us to become proud. For this reason we need to develop in our knowledge self-control. Self-control implies restriction. As a tree grows, the roots spread out, but the trunk grows upward in a rather restricted manner.

Self-control is to deal with ourselves; endurance is to bear with others and with circumstances. In order to live a proper Christian life, we need endurance toward those around us and also toward our environment and circumstances.

In our endurance we need to develop godliness. Godliness is a living that is like God and that expresses God. As we exercise control over our self and bear with others and with circumstances, godliness needs to be developed in our spiritual life, that we may be like God and express Him. If faith is the seed, virtue and knowledge the roots, and self-control the trunk, then endurance and godliness are the branches. Here we see a rather full development: out of the seed come the roots, the trunk, and the branches. Eventually, in verse 7 we see brotherly love and love as the blossom and the fruit. (Life-study of 2 Peter, pp. 45-47)

Further Reading: Life-study of 2 Peter, msg. 6