4、“死啊,你得勝的權(quán)勢在哪里?死啊,你的毒鉤在哪里?死的毒鉤就是罪,罪的權(quán)勢就是律法。感謝上帝,使我們借著我們的主耶穌基督得勝。”(《新約·哥林多前書》第15章)
Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and. The power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
使徒保羅用優(yōu)美的語言闡明了基督教的脈絡:原罪與墮落,犧牲與救贖,勝利與永生??傮w說來就是“用愛戰(zhàn)勝死亡”。
5、“草必枯干,花必凋殘,因為耶和華的氣吹在其上;百姓誠然是草。草必枯干,花必凋殘;惟有我們上帝的話,必永遠立定!”(《舊約·以賽亞書》第40 章)
The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.
舊約的最大特點是“信念”。這句話就是無比堅定的信念,既是相信上帝,又是相信作為上帝選民的自己。以色列人的輝煌,大半緣自信念。
6、“我知道我的救贖主活著,末了必站在地上。我這皮肉滅絕之后,我必在肉體之外得見上帝。”(《舊約·約伯記》第19章)
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand up on the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my fles h I shall see God.
這是約伯的信念。無論承受多么巨大的打擊、多么絕望的境遇,都不可放棄希望、放棄信仰。亨德爾為此句作的詠嘆調(diào)也極為感人。