THE POINT OF THE STORY Part 5  即时收听: 圣经比喻的真意 第05集
 Matthew 13:44-46; Philippians 3:1-11

Hello, our listening friends
    亲爱的朋友，你好
We are so glad you joined us today
    很高兴你能收听我们的节目
I want to begin by telling you a story
    我想先给你讲一个故事
Many years ago there was a terrible volcanic eruption in Pompeii Italy.
    很多年以前，在义大利的庞裴城发生了一次可怕的火山爆发
Of the 20,000 inhabitants of Pompeii, some 2,000 lost their lives.
    城里两万居民有两千人因此丧生
Among the 2,000 people who died . . . there was a woman who obviously loved her jewelry above everything else.
    在这两千人中，有一个妇人显然爱她的珠宝胜过一切
As the deadly rain of fire came down . . . she decided to run to the harbor and escape by ship.
    当火山的岩浆汹涌而至之时，她决定跑到港口乘船逃走
That was wise.
    那是个聪明办法
But the rich and beautiful woman stayed behind just long enough to collect as much of her jewelry as she could carry.
    但漂亮富有的女人却迟迟不走，因爲她想尽量多带一些珠宝首饰逃走
Snatching up her rings . . . she hastily thrust them on her fingers.
    抓起戒指，匆匆戴在手上
There was no time to hunt for a box or a bag in which she could cram her precious things . . .
    没有时间去找盒子或袋子来装这些珠宝
So she picked up as many as she could hold in her hands . . . and rushed into the street . . .
    所以她只能尽量塞满双手，然后冲到街上
clutching her pearls and diamonds . . . and rubies and sapphires . . . her gold broaches . . . and her earrings!
    手上塞满了她的珍珠钻石，红绿宝石，还有她的金胸针和耳环
That wealth of jewelry today would be valued today in hundreds of thousands of dollars.
    这些珠宝若是在今天一定价值不菲
But, she delayed too long . . . and the poisonous fumes overcame her as she ran.  
    但是她耽误的太久了，在逃亡的过程中，她被毒气吞噬了
      With all of her wealth in hand . . . she stumbled and fell . . . and died clutching the things she prized so much under the ashes of Pompeii.
    她跌倒身亡，虽然双手握满了价值连城的财宝，但却这样永远倒在了庞裴城的死灰之中
How do I know that?
    我怎么会知道呢？
Recently . . . archeological excavation found her . . .as she was still lovely . . . and her hands were still laden with jewels.
    最近考古学家发现了她，她依旧美丽，双手仍然紧握她的珠宝

In Mark chapter 8, Jesus said
    耶稣在马可福音8章说到
What shall profit a man if he gains the whole world . . . and loses his own soul?
    人若赚得全世界但却陪上了自己的性命，又有什么益处呢
Only Jesus could ask such a question.
    唯有耶稣能问这样的问题
For He alone knows the value of the earth.
    因爲只有他才知道世界的价值
He alone knows where every diamond mine is located.
    只有他才清楚每一块钻石的矿藏之地
He alone knows where the last nugget of gold is to be found.
    唯有他知道最后一块金子埋在哪里
He alone knows how many tons of silver were created in Genesis.
    他才知道创世之时有多少银子被他所造
He alone knows the value of all the rubies and sapphires.
    他才知道所有宝石翡翠的价值是多少
He alone knows where the last drop of oil is located.
    他才知道最后一滴油藏在哪里
He alone knows where the last undiscovered treasures are.
    也只有他才知道那些还没被发现的财宝在哪里
And that is why only He could stack up all the earth=s treasures on one side of the scale . . .
    这就是爲什么唯有他才能把所有人世间的财宝放在天平的一边
and place the human soul on the other side .
    又把人的灵魂放在另一边
and then could say . . . the person who trades his soul for all the wealth of the world is a prince of fools.
    然后可以说，用生命去换世间所有财宝的人是个笨蛋∶-）
What shall profit a man, asks the Lord?
    主问道：又有什么益处呢？
Jesus alone could ask such a question
    唯有耶稣才可以问这样的问题
Because He alone knows the value of the soul.
    因爲唯有他才知道灵魂的价值
And the value of your soul . . . drove Him to weep in Gethsemane.
    你宝贵的灵魂使他在客西马尼园落泪
The value of your soul . . . made the Prince of Glory allow himself to be beaten, slapped and spat upon.
    你宝贵的灵魂使荣耀的王子甘愿被鞭笞，被践踏
The value of your soul . . . allowed Him to be crucified on a crude Roman cross
    你宝贵的灵魂使他甘愿被钉上罗马人残酷的十字架
The value of your soul . . . compelled God the son to go to Calvary and die in your place.
    你宝贵的灵魂迫使神子走到加利利，替你而死
And, that is why these two parables in Matthew 13:44 and 45 . . . have to do with the all important question of choosing... and being in the will of God.
    这就是爲什么在太13：44和45中的两个比喻，和选择并活在神的旨意中，是如此的息息相关
For those of you joining the broadcast for the first time, we are in the middle of a study of a series of parables that I call The Point of The Story.
    如果今天你是第一次收听我们的节目，我们正在研读耶稣的比喻，我称这一系列资讯爲“故事的精髓”
Let’s listen to these parables.    
    让我们一起来听听这两个比喻
Let us look at the first parable.
    我们先来看第一个比喻
What Jesus is telling them . . . was not an uncommon occurrence.
    耶稣告诉他们的并不是什么特殊现象
Back then there were no banks or bank vaults.
    古时候没有银行，或是保险柜
so they hid their treasures in a secret spot in the fields.
    因此人们把财宝秘密的埋在地里
They buried their treasure in the ground
    他们把财宝埋在地里
And when they needed money to purchase food
    当他们需要用钱买粮食的时候
They got out at night when no one is watching,
    他们就趁着夜深人静的时候
and they will dig out that box
    挖出盒子
and they get out a piece of jewelry
    拿出一件宝贝（珠宝）
and the next day take it to the market and sell it .
    第二天再到市场上把它卖掉
Then they use the money to buy their necessities.
    用卖的钱去买日用品
But, what often happens is that many people have died without telling the next of kin where they buried their jewels.
    但是，有些人死时还来不及告诉家人他们埋宝的地方。这样的事时有发生
And family treasures stay in the ground
    于是家中的财宝就这样埋在地里
Consequently the land of ancient Palestine was littered with treasures hidden in the ground.
    渐渐地，古巴勒斯坦的土地里星星点点的埋着宝藏
As you know, ancient Palestine had been a battle ground for hundreds of years.
    你知道，那块土地几千年来一直是兵家必争之地

So the farmers would bury their valuables to protect them from the invading armies of the enemy . . .
    农民们也会把财宝埋在地里，以防敌人的进攻
And some of them were never able to come back and get it.
    有些人再也没有机会回去取回自己的财宝
The Rabbis had a very simple rule about people finding treasures in the land which they had bought.
    于是拉比就爲找宝之人立了一个简单的规矩
It was very, very simple . . .
    真的非常简单
Finder’s keepers.
    见者有份，（谁发现就归谁）
The point of this parable is very clear and it is this:
    这个比喻的精髓非常的清楚
There are some people who find the grace of God.
    也就是说，有些人找到了神的恩典
And they take hold of this priceless treasure of salvation.
    他们就有权拥有无价的救赎之恩
There are some people who may not be searching and looking and we will see in the next parable,
    但有些人可能没有去寻宝，就像我们看到的第二个比喻
Yet . . . when they discover the love of God . . . and the power of God’s forgiveness . . . they surrender their all in order to embrace it.
    然而，当他们发现神的爱，和神宽恕的大能之时，他们放弃一切来换取
There are some people, who . . .  in the course of going about their business . . . discover the truth to be in Jesus.
    有些人在他们自己的事业之中，发现了在耶稣里的真理
And they respond to His invitation to come and be saved from death and hell . . .
    他们就立即回应神的邀请，来到他面前，被他从死亡和地狱中拯救出来
And when their spiritual eyes are opened, they grab hold of it with all of their might.
    当他们属灵的眼明亮了，他们就尽力地把握住机会
They commit their life . . . and consecrate all of their possessions in order that they be at the center of the will of God.
    他们交出生命，放下所有， 只是爲了顺服在神的旨意中
The second parable is very similar to this one and yet there is one difference.
    第二个比喻和第一个很相似，但却有一个不同之处

This merchant, was unlike the farmer,
    这个商人不像那个农夫
Why ?
    爲什么？
Because he was looking for the Kingdom.
    因爲他在寻找天国
He was searching for the truth.
    他在寻找真理
He was not contented with second rate answers.
    他对二流的答案不满意
He was not satisfied with second best in life.
    他对生活中次等品的不满意
He was not fulfilled with humanistic and partial truth.
    他对人文的部分真理不满足
He was diligently seeking and looking for the truth.
    他努力地找寻真理

Some of you may be seeking the truth
    我们有些人可能正在寻找真理
And I pray that you would find the truth in Jesus
    我盼望你能在耶稣里找到真理
So, when this merchant comes upon the one and only most valuable pearl, he embraces it with all of  his heart
    当商人发现了这唯一的一颗最贵重的珍珠， 他就全然爱上了它
When he discovers the truth in Jesus
    当他发现耶稣的真理时
He gives up all of his search
    他就放弃了所有的寻觅
He gives up all of his false pursuits
    他就放弃了虚无的追求
He gives up all of their partial truth
    放弃了不完全的真理
He gives up serving and worshipping materialism
    不再崇拜物质主义
He gives up seeking after pleasures
    放弃追求享乐人生
Why?
    爲什么？
Because he has found the pearl of great price.
    因爲他发现了最贵重的珠子
Pearls were highly valued gems in the ancient world.
    珍珠在古代是十分贵重的珠宝
even more than they are today.
    比现在还要贵重得多
Diving for pearls was extremely hazardous.
    下海寻珠是很危险得
and many lost their lives . . .
    许多人因此丧身
or ruined their health in trying to get the oysters that contained the rare and beautiful gem.
    或是爲这装有美丽稀罕之物的贝壳而失去健康
Both its beauty and scarcity made the pearl to be very valuable indeed.
    珍珠的美观和稀有，使它显得极爲贵重
The Jewish Talmud speaks of pearls that are beyond price.
    犹太（  ）认爲珍珠是无价的
Egyptians and Romans worshiped it.
    埃及和罗马崇拜珍珠
It was reported that the wife of the Roman Emperor Caligula often wore a vast fortune of pearls in her hair . . . ears . . . neck . . . wrists . .  and fingers.
    听说罗马皇帝卡里贾拉的妻子常在自己的头发，耳朵，脖子，手腕，和指头上戴满贵重的珍珠

A pearl is the only gem that is produced from a living organism.
    珍珠是唯一从活物身上産生出来的珠宝
This is not true of any other precious stone.
    不同于任何一种珠宝
The pearl becomes precious . . . because of suffering and injury.
    珍珠因着苦难和伤痛而显得珍贵
Listen to how a pearl is formed.
    倾听我讲讲珍珠是怎样形成的
A grain of sand gets within the shell of the oyster . . .
    一粒沙子进入贝壳中
and through the grinding of the sand . . . the pearl becomes preciously beautiful.
    通过不断地研磨， 珍珠显得格外美丽
And it was on Calvary’s criminal cross that the only perfect man that ever lived . . . bled and died . . .
    在加略山的十架上，世上唯一完美的人流血致死
so that He and He alone . . . became the most precious pearl of all.
    他，唯有他，成爲了世上最贵重的珍珠
So what is the point of these two stories?
    那么，这两个比喻的精髓是什么呢
That salvation of the soul is the most important and precious thing in life.
    灵魂的救恩是生命中最重要也是最宝贵的事
That the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important issue in life.
    耶稣基督的福音是生命中最重要的事
That is why Paul tells the Corinthians in II Corinthians 4:7 We have this treasure in earthen vessels.
    这就是爲什么保罗在林后4：7说，我们有这宝物放在瓦器里
And Ephesians 3:8 he tells us: It is an unsearchable riches.
    在弗3：8说，这是基督测不透的丰富
And Jesus Christ is no ordinary treasure . . . He is the precious stone.
    耶稣基督不是普通的宝物。他是最珍贵的宝石
He is the stone cut out of the mountain.
    他是用一座山凿出来的宝石
He is the stone cut without hands.
    不是人手凿出来的
He is the stone that the builders rejected
    他是被匠人所弃的石头
But He is the corner stone.
    但他是房角石
Jesus Christ is no ordinary pearl.
    耶稣基督不是普通的珍珠
He is the pearl of great price.
    他是最贵重的珠子
Because in Him and Him alone you can find rest from guilt and sin.
    因爲在他，唯有在他里面你才能找到安息，从罪恶中被释放出来
In Him and Him alone you can find true peace of mind . . . which you can’t find in things
    在他， 唯有在他里面你才能找到从物质里找不到的平安
In Him and Him alone you can find true eternal security . . . which you can’t find in financial security.
   在他，唯有在他里面你才能找到财宝也不能带给你的安全感
Until you find the real treasure . . . and pearl of great price . . . you are the poorest of the poor.
    如果你没找到这真正的宝贝，你就是最最贫穷的人

Earthly pearls or earthly treasures could be stolen or lost
    地上的财宝会丢失，会有人来偷
But the great treasure and the pearl of great price you could never lose
    但这个最珍贵的宝贝你却永不会失去
Why?   
    爲什么呢
Because it is guaranteed by God Himself.
    因爲这是神亲自应许的
Those who have discovered the treasure and pearl of great price:
    凡发现这颗最贵重的珠子的人
Dwell high above the enemies reach.
    他的敌人不能胜过他
They eat the hidden manna and feed upon the bread of life.
    他们要吃隐藏的吗那，吃生命的粮
They are clothed with the rich robe of Chris’=s righteousness.
    他们有基督的义袍
They live on the promises of God . . . and walk on the richest of faith
    他们活在神的应许中，行在丰盛的信心里

My listening friends,
    我亲爱的朋友
Have you discovered this pearl of great price?
    你是否发现了这颗宝贵的珠子
Are you willing to give up anything and everything in order to receive the Lord Jesus Christ?
    你是否愿意放下一切只爲了得着主耶稣基督
It is my prayer that you would say yes
    我盼望你会说愿意
Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing
   愿神大大地赐福你，再会