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(J.C. Ryle, “The Gospel of Luke” 1858)
（莱尔著，《路加福音》1858年）
Of all the doctrines of the Bible, none is so offensive to human nature as…
在圣经所有的教义中，没有比这更令人性反感的是…
“I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.
“我确实告诉你们，在以利亚的时代，以色列有许多寡妇，当时天空关闭了三年半，遍地都有严重的饥荒。然而以利亚并没有被差遣到她们中的任何一个那里，而是到了西顿地区撒勒法的一个寡妇那里。
And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed – only Naaman the Syrian.”
在先知以利沙的时代，以色列也有许多长大麻风的人，但他们中没有一个得洁净的，只有叙利亚人乃缦。”
All the people in the synagogue were filled with rage when they heard this! They got up, drove Him out of the town, and took Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him down the cliff!”
会堂里的众人听见这些话就都怒气填胸！他们起来把他赶出城，带他到山崖边（城造在山上），要把他推下去！
We learn from these verses – how bitterly human nature dislikes the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. We see this in the conduct of the Jews of Nazareth – when our Lord reminded them that God was under no obligation to work miracles among them.
从这些经文中，我们学到人性是如何强烈地厌恶上帝主权的教义。我们从拿撒勒犹太人的行为中看到这一点 – 当我们的主提醒他们，上帝并没有义务在他们中间行神迹时。
Were there not many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah? No doubt there were. Yet to none of them was the prophet sent. All were passed over in favor of a GENTILE widow at Zarephath.
在以利亚的日子，以色列不是有许多寡妇吗？毫无疑问是有的。然而先知并没有被差遣到她们当中的任何一个那里。所有人都被越过，而选择了撒勒法的一个外邦寡妇。
Were there not many lepers in Israel in the days of Elisha? No doubt there were. Yet to none of them was the privilege of healing granted. Naaman the SYRIAN was the only one who was cleansed.
在以利沙的日子，以色列不是有许多长大麻风的人吗？毫无疑问是有的。然而没有一个人获得医治的特权。只有叙利亚人乃缦得到洁净。
Such doctrine as this was intolerable to the Jews of Nazareth. It wounded their pride and self-conceit. It taught them that God was no man’s debtor, and that if they themselves were passed over in the distribution of His mercies – they had no right to find fault. They could not bear His teaching. They were “filled with rage!” They thrust our Lord out of their city – and had it not been for an exercise of miraculous power on His part, they would doubtless have put Him to a violent death by hurling Him off the cliff!
这样的教义对拿撒勒的犹太人来说是难以容忍的。它伤害了他们的骄傲和自负。它教导他们上帝不欠任何人的债，如果他们在上帝施恩时被越过 – 他们无权抱怨。他们无法忍受他的教导。他们”怒气填胸！”他们把我们的主赶出城 – 若不是他施展神迹的大能，他们无疑会把他推下悬崖，使他暴力致死！
Of all the doctrines of the Bible, none is so offensive to human nature as the doctrine of God’s sovereignty.
在圣经所有的教义中，没有比上帝主权的教义更令人性反感的了。
Man can bear to be told that God is great, and just, and holy, and pure.
人可以接受被告知上帝是伟大的、公正的、圣洁的和纯洁的。
But to be told that “He has mercy on whom He will have mercy” – that He “gives no account of His matters,” that it is “not of him who wills, nor of him who runs – but of God who shows mercy” – these are truths which natural man cannot stand.
但当被告知”他要怜悯谁就怜悯谁” – 他”不用解释他的作为”，”这不在乎那定意的，也不在乎那奔跑的，只在乎发怜悯的神” – 这些都是人的本性无法承受的真理。
They often call forth all his enmity against God, and fill him with wrath.
这常常激起他对上帝的全部敌意，使他充满愤怒。
Nothing, in short, will make him submit to them – but the humbling teaching of the Holy Spirit.
简而言之，除了圣灵使人谦卑的教导外，没有什么能使他顺服这些真理。
Let us settle it in our minds that, whether we like it or not – the sovereignty of God is a doctrine clearly revealed in the Bible, and a fact clearly to be seen in the world.
让我们在心中确定，无论我们喜欢与否 – 上帝的主权是圣经中清楚启示的教义，也是在世界中清楚可见的事实。
Upon no other principle can we ever explain why some members of a family are converted – and others live and die in sin; why some quarters of the earth are enlightened by Christianity – and others remain buried in heathenism.
我们无法用其他原则来解释为什么一个家庭中有些成员归信了 – 而其他人却活在罪中死去；为什么地球上有些地区被基督教照亮 – 而其他地区仍埋没在异教中。
One account alone can be given of all this. All is ordered by the sovereign hand of God!
对这一切只能有一个解释。一切都是由上帝主权之手所安排的！
Let us pray for humility in respect of this deep teaching.
让我们为对这深奥教导的谦卑祷告。
Let us never doubt that at the last day the whole world shall be convinced, that He who now “gives no account of His matters” has done all things well!
让我们永远不要怀疑，在末日全世界都将确信，现在”不用解释他作为”的那一位已将万事行得好！