TEMPTATION ｜ 试探与试炼

ENTEMPTATION. Heb. and Gr., trying, testing, proving. "Tempter" is applied to Satan. There are two diverse uses and intents: I. as predicated of God; II. as referring to Satan and to evil men. I. As predicated of God, the single use and intent of temptation is the trying and testing of the moral and spiritual nature for good—for supreme results of profit and blessedness—that the tried and proved soul may finally receive abiding approval and reward. Temptations, or trials, of every sort, from every source and agency—through adversity and pain, or prosperity and pleasure; from providential law or abundance; from good or evil spirits and men—all are appointed of God for moral discipline, training and culture. If humbly accepted and steadfastly endured, they exercise, develop and strengthen faith, patience, obedience and love; and they find a rich, satisfying return when the probation-period is complete. Note carefully: the trying or testing is not of obedience to law (that test was applied only to Adam before the Fall), but of the truth and strength of faith or trust in God. God tries in order to test, prove and bless: Gen. 22:1. And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham. Ex. 16:4. That I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no. Deut. 8:2. To humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart. Job 23:10. But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Ps. 11:5. The Lord trieth the righteous. Ps. 66:10. For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Ps. 139:23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. 1 Thes. 2:4. But God, which trieth our hearts. John 6:6. And this He said to prove him: for He Himself knew what He would do.

BSBJames 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

中试探（试炼）。希伯来文与希腊文的原意是：试、验、证。『试探者』一词则专指撒但。这个词有两种截然不同的用法与用意：一、就神而言；二、就撒但与恶人而言。一、就神而言，试炼唯一的用途与用意，是为着善的目的去试验、考验人道德与属灵的本性——为要成就至高的益处与福乐，使那受试验、被验明的灵魂最终得着长存的嘉许与赏赐。各样的试炼，无论来自何种源头与途径——藉逆境与痛苦，或藉顺境与享乐；藉护理所定的常律，或藉丰裕；来自善灵或恶灵、善人或恶人——全都是神所指派的，为要作道德上的管教、训练与陶冶。这些试炼若被谦卑接受、被坚定忍受，就会操练、发展并加强人的信心、忍耐、顺服与爱；等到这段试验期完成，它们便结出丰盛而令人满足的回报。要特别留意：这试验所试的并不是人对律法的顺服（那样的试验只施加于堕落之前的亚当），乃是人对神之信心（信靠）的真伪与强弱。神施行试炼，是为要试验、验明并赐福：创世记 22:1 —— 这些事以后，神要试验亚伯拉罕。出埃及记 16:4 —— 我好试验他们遵不遵我的法度。申命记 8:2 —— 为要苦炼你，试验你，要知道你心内如何。约伯记 23:10 —— 然而他知道我所行的路；他试炼我之后，我必如精金。诗篇 11:5 —— 耶和华试验义人。66:10 —— 神啊，你曾试验我们，熬炼我们，如熬炼银子一样。139:23 —— 神啊，求你鉴察我，知道我的心思，试炼我，知道我的意念。帖撒罗尼迦前书 2:4 —— 但要讨那察验我们心的神喜欢。约翰福音 6:6 —— 他说这话是要试验腓力，他自己原知道要怎样行。

ENIn His trying, God is ever considerate and helpful: Ps. 103:14. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. Matt. 26:41. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 1 Cor. 10:13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Heb. 2:18. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted. 2 Pet. 2:9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations. Jude 24. Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling. Rev. 3:10. I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation. Illustrations: Luke 22:31, 32. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. John 17:15. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Gain and blessing from temptation: James 1:2, 3. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 1 Pet. 1:6, 7. Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Rom. 5:3, 4. We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope. Acts 14:22. We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. James 1:12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.

BSB1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

中神在施行试炼时，始终是体恤人、也扶助人的：诗篇 103:14 —— 因为他知道我们的本体，思念我们不过是尘土。马太福音 26:41 —— 你们心灵固然愿意，肉体却软弱了。哥林多前书 10:13 —— 你们所遇见的试探，无非是人所能受的。神是信实的，必不叫你们受试探过于所能受的；在受试探的时候，总要给你们开一条出路，叫你们能忍受得住。希伯来书 2:18 —— 他自己既然被试探而受苦，就能搭救被试探的人。彼得后书 2:9 —— 主知道搭救敬虔的人脱离试探。犹大书 24 —— 那能保守你们不失脚的。启示录 3:10 —— 我必在普天下人受试炼的时候，保守你免去你的试炼。例证：路加福音 22:31-32 —— 西门，西门！撒但想要得着你们，好筛你们像筛麦子一样；但我已经为你祈求，叫你不至于失了信心。约翰福音 17:15 —— 我不求你叫他们离开世界，只求你保守他们脱离那恶者。试炼所带来的收获与福分：雅各书 1:2-3 —— 我的弟兄们，你们落在百般试炼中，都要以为大喜乐；因为知道你们的信心经过试验，就生忍耐。彼得前书 1:6-7 —— 但如今在百般的试炼中暂时忧愁；叫你们的信心既被试验，就比那被火试验仍然能坏的金子更显宝贵，可以在耶稣基督显现的时候得着称赞、荣耀、尊贵。罗马书 5:3-4 —— 就是在患难中也是欢欢喜喜的；因为知道患难生忍耐，忍耐生老练，老练生盼望。使徒行传 14:22 —— 我们进入神的国，必须经历许多艰难。雅各书 1:12 —— 忍受试探的人是有福的，因为他经过试验以后，必得生命的冠冕，这是主应许给那些爱他之人的。

ENII. As referring to and charged upon Satan, evil spirits and evil men, temptation or trying means, and intends, only enticement to moral evil or sin, with its ultimate consequences of misery and remorse. Temptations that look toward and prompt to evil find their appeal and motive-force in our own native cravings—the "desires of the flesh and of the mind" (Eph. 2:3)—enticing us to forget, and making us blind and deaf to, reason, conscience, and known duty to God and man. The matter of these temptations consists in various baits presented, through the world and worldly living, to the senses and the mind—to the lower and the higher cravings of the self-centered nature. These cravings are briefly summarized in 1 John 2:16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. They include all self-ambitions and thirsts: for knowledge and culture, for place and power, for riches, and for the indulgence of bodily appetites. They find complete illustration in the testing and failure of the first created pair. The principle on which their test was based is suggested by the single Divine prohibition of Gen. 2:17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. And the full force and strain of the actual trial is shown in the threefold appeal noted in Gen. 3:6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat.

BSB1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.

中二、就撒但、恶灵与恶人而言，试探（试）只有一个意思、一个用意：引诱人陷入道德之恶（罪），并带来其最终的后果——愁苦与悔恨。凡指向恶、催逼人作恶的试探，其吸引力与推动力都出自我们自身天然的贪求——就是『肉体和心中所喜好的』（以弗所书 2:3）——诱使我们忘记理性、良心，以及自己明知的对神对人的本分，并使我们对这些视而不见、听而不闻。这类试探的内容，是藉着世界与属世的生活，向感官与心思抛出各样的饵——针对那以自我为中心之本性中或低或高的贪求。这些贪求被简要地总括在约翰一书 2:16 —— 因为凡世界上的事，就像肉体的情欲、眼目的情欲，并今生的骄傲，都不是从父来的，乃是从世界来的。它们涵盖一切自我的野心与渴求：对知识与教养的、对地位与权力的、对财富的、对肉体嗜欲之放纵的。这一切在最初受造的那一对人受试与失败的事上得着完整的例证。他们所受之试验所依据的原则，可见于神那唯一的禁令：创世记 2:17 —— 只是分别善恶树上的果子，你不可吃。而那场实际试炼的全部力度与张力，则显在创世记 3:6 所记的三重诉求上 —— 于是女人见那棵树的果子好作食物，也悦人的眼目，且是可喜爱的，能使人有智慧，就摘下果子来吃了。

ENThese points had been alluringly urged and skillfully enforced by the arch-tempter, Satan. Thus the woman-soul stood, for a brief period, between two agents of trial and testing: the one, the pure, loving, beneficent God, seeking and bringing to bear every highest motive and appeal to continued obedience, holiness and blessedness; the other, a malignant, hating, altogether evil spirit, insidiously falsifying every truth and fact of her relation to God, and of the immediate and eternal results of her impending choice, that he might entice her to the fatal act of disobedience and sin, with its misery and ruin. The testing of God, devised in wisdom and purposed in love, failed of its end by reason of the unbelief and self-will, the self-direction and self-indulgence, of Adam and Eve: therefore they believed Satan rather than God; they desired evil and rejected God. The genesis and issue of their sin—as of that of every sinner since—is sententiously stated in James 1:14, 15. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. [Graphic beyond the power of an amending touch is the form in which the Eden story puts the cause and consequences of temptation. The fruit forbidden seems, under the suggestion of temptation, to be good for food, to be pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise. So temptation has painted and gilded for all time. Behrends.] Other illustrations—the temptings of Satan: Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; and Judas (John 13:27. And after the sop Satan entered into him).

BSBJames 1:14 But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.

中这几点，都由那位试探人的元凶撒但以极具诱惑力的方式竭力鼓动、巧妙加强。于是那女人的灵魂在短暂的一段时间里，站在两位施行试验者之间：一位是纯全、慈爱、施恩的神，他寻求并调动一切最高的动机与呼吁，要她持续顺服、圣洁、蒙福；另一位则是恶毒、怀恨、彻头彻尾邪恶的灵，他阴险地把她与神之关系的每一条真理与事实、以及她眼前这一抉择的当下与永恒后果，统统扭曲作假，为要引诱她去做那致命的悖逆与犯罪之举，连同随之而来的愁苦与毁灭。神那出于智慧所设计、出于慈爱所定意的试验，因着亚当夏娃的不信与自我意志、他们的自作主张与自我放纵而未达其目的：他们宁信撒但而不信神；他们贪恋恶，拒绝了神。他们犯罪的起源与结局——也是此后每一个罪人犯罪的起源与结局——被雅各以格言般的笔法说出：雅各书 1:14-15 —— 但各人被试探，乃是被自己的私欲牵引诱惑的。私欲既怀了胎，就生出罪来；罪既长成，就生出死来。〔伊甸的故事以怎样的形式道出了试探的起因与后果——那形式生动到无从再加一笔去改良。在试探的暗示之下，那被禁的果子看来好作食物，悦人眼目，且可喜爱、能使人有智慧。试探历世历代所涂抹、所镀金的，正是这三样。贝伦兹（Behrends）〕其他例证——撒但的试探：约伯记 1:6-12；2:1-7；以及犹大（约翰福音 13:27 —— 他吃了那点饼，撒但就入了他的心）。

ENCautions and counsels: Prov. 1:10, 15. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not . . . My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path. 1 Cor. 10:12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 2 Cor. 13:5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Gal. 6:1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Matt. 26:41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. (Note the differing expressions: to be "overtaken in" a fault, and to "fall into" temptations unwittingly, are not the same as to "enter into" temptation—which implies a going in with open eyes.) 1 Cor. 16:13. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Phil. 4:1. So stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. Illustrations: Job 31:1. I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? 1 Cor. 9:27. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. Another safeguard is the pre-occupation of all the faculties with high themes, elevated affections, and ennobling interests and occupations: by giving the mind to the thought and study of God in His nature, works and ways, and to right and helpful methods of living and acting; by engaging the heart in the interests of God and man; and by exercising the will in corresponding acts of obedience to God and of kindly and loving deeds to men.

BSB1 Corinthians 10:12 So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.

中警戒与劝勉：箴言 1:10, 15 —— 我儿，恶人若引诱你，你不可随从……我儿，不要与他们同行一道，禁止你脚走他们的路。哥林多前书 10:12 —— 所以，自己以为站得稳的，须要谨慎，免得跌倒。哥林多后书 13:5 —— 你们总要自己省察有信心没有，也要自己试验。加拉太书 6:1 —— 弟兄们，若有人偶然被过犯所胜，你们属灵的人就当用温柔的心把他挽回过来；又当自己小心，恐怕也被引诱。马太福音 26:41 —— 总要警醒祷告，免得入了迷惑。（要注意这几种说法的分别：『偶然被过犯所胜』、不知不觉『落在』试炼中（雅 1:2），都不同于『进入』试探——后者含有睁着眼睛走进去的意思。）哥林多前书 16:13 —— 你们务要警醒，在真道上站立得稳，要作大丈夫，要刚强。腓立比书 4:1 —— 我所亲爱的弟兄啊，你们应当靠主站立得稳。例证：约伯记 31:1 —— 我与眼睛立约，怎能恋恋瞻望处女呢？哥林多前书 9:27 —— 我是攻克己身，叫身服我。另一重防护，是让一切官能都被崇高的主题、被提升的情感、被使人高贵的兴趣与事务所占满：把心思用于思想、查考神的本性、作为与道路，用于思想正当而有益的生活与行事方式；把心投入神与人的事上；并让意志运用于相应的行动——向神的顺服，以及向人仁慈慈爱的作为。

ENDeliverance from temptation is through the armor of God, by the power of God. Study the revelation by Paul in that wonderfully full and instructive passage, Eph. 6:10-18. In the soul's ceaseless wrestle with tempters and temptations, its part consists in putting on and persistently using the armor divinely provided, and so withstanding and standing through the ever-present and ever-acting might of God. Over the defensive armor the tempted soul is bidden to take "the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked"; and "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." With the Word the Master met and repelled the appeals of the tempter: "It is written," He said, in reply to each of the three forms of temptation. Of the armor, defensive and offensive, another weapon—a vital condition of overcoming in the conflict—is prayer, or looking to and reliance upon God: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." And this is ensured to the faithful, warring believer in the large promise already quoted: 1 Cor. 10:13. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [Prayer does not directly take away trial or its pain, any more than a sense of duty directly takes away the danger of infection; but it preserves the strength of the whole spiritual fiber, so that the trial does not pass into temptation to sin. A sorrow comes upon you: omit prayer, and you fall out of God's testing into the devil's temptation—you get angry, hard of heart, reckless. But meet the dreadful hour with prayer; cast your care upon God; claim Him as your Father, though He seem cruel—and the degrading, paralyzing, embittering effects of pain and sorrow pass away; a stream of sanctifying and softening thought pours into the soul; and that which might have wrought your fall works in you instead the peaceable fruits of righteousness. You pass from bitterness into the courage of endurance, from endurance into battle, and from battle into victory, till at last the trial dignifies and blesses your life. The answer to prayer is slow; the force of prayer is cumulative. Not till life is over is the full answer given, or the whole strength it has brought understood. Stopford Brooke.]

BSBEphesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.

中脱离试探，是藉着神所赐的全副军装、靠着神的大能。请研读保罗在那段极其详尽而富有教益的经文中所作的启示：以弗所书 6:10-18。灵魂与试探者、与试探不停的摔跤中，它自己的本分在于穿上并持续使用神所预备的军装，如此靠着神那时刻同在、时刻运行的大能去抵挡、去站住。在防守的军装之外，受试探的灵魂还被吩咐拿起『信德当作藤牌，可以灭尽那恶者一切的火箭』；以及『圣灵的宝剑，就是神的道』。主自己正是用神的道迎击并击退试探者的进攻：面对那三种形式的试探，他每一次都回答说：『经上记着说……』。在这套攻守兼备的军装之中，还有一样兵器，是争战中得胜不可少的条件，就是祷告——即仰望神、倚靠神：『靠着圣灵，随时多方祷告祈求。』而这一点，已经在上文引过的那个宽广的应许中，向忠心争战的信徒作了保证：哥林多前书 10:13 —— 神是信实的，必不叫你们受试探过于所能受的；在受试探的时候，总要给你们开一条出路，叫你们能忍受得住。〔祷告并不直接挪去试炼或试炼的痛苦，正如责任感并不直接挪去感染的危险；但祷告保全了整条属灵纤维的强度，使那试炼不至转成犯罪的试探。一场忧伤临到你：你若不祷告，就从神的试炼中掉进魔鬼的试探里——你变得愤怒、心硬、不顾一切。但你若以祷告去迎接那可怕的时刻；把你的挂虑卸给神；即便他看似狠心，仍认定他是你的父——那么痛苦与忧伤那种使人堕落、使人瘫痪、使人变苦的作用就会消散；一股使人成圣、使人柔软的思想之流会涌进灵魂；那本可以害你跌倒的，反倒在你里面结出平安的果子来，就是义。你从苦毒进入忍耐的勇气，从忍耐进入争战，从争战进入得胜，直到最后，那试炼反使你的人生尊贵、蒙福。祷告的答复来得慢；祷告的力量是累积的。要等到一生走完，那完全的答复才被赐下，它所带来的全部力量才被明白。斯托普福德·布鲁克（Stopford Brooke）〕