（這是我在澳洲的摯友寫的文章，是基督教的視角和詮釋，這些觀點影響了西方世界很多人的婚姻觀，我翻譯出來，與有興趣的朋友們分享。如讀者信仰或觀點不同，請勿對號入座.)
寫作背景：圣經列王紀上第11章
When we meet together for our memorial meeting it causes us to think of the glorious time when we will be the bride of Christ. Like a young virgin marrying her long waited for groom, so it will be with us meeting Christ at his return, and being with him for eternity. The believers being likened to a bride on her wedding day is a common metaphor in the Bible, for example in Revelation 19:7-8:
“Let us be?glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine, linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints”
當我們在主日相聚時，我們會想到未來信徒作為基督新娘的榮耀時刻。就像一個年輕童女嫁給她等待已久的新郎一樣，我們在基督復臨時要和他相會，和他永遠同在一起。信徒被比作在新婚那一天的新娘，這是圣經里常用的比喻，例如啟示錄19:7-8中說：“我們要歡喜快樂，將榮耀歸給他。因為羔羊婚娶的時候到了，新婦也自己預備好了。就蒙恩得穿光明潔白的細麻衣，這細麻衣就是圣徒所行的義”。
Now is our time when we are making ourselves ready for the marriage of the Lamb. A marriage is a well thought out arrangement and every detail is carefully arranged. When a date is set for a marriage the betrothed couple feel excited and eagerly anticipate their wedding day. Now as we prepare for the marriage of the Lamb, we should be eagerly anticipating that day, and preparing to meet our bridegroom. Figuratively speaking, we were given white garments at our baptism and we want to keep them unspotted from the world (James 1:27).
現在，是我們預備好自己迎接羔羊的筵席的時候。婚姻是經過深思熟慮，每個細節都仔細安排好的。結婚的日子選定的時候，訂婚的情侶會激動，熱烈地渴望結婚的大日子。現在，基督徒在為羔羊的婚宴做預備的時候，也應該熱切地期盼那一天，準備好見教會的新郎。從象征意義上來說，我們在受洗的時候穿上了白衣，并希望這衣服不沾染世俗（雅各書1:27）。
While we wait for our bridegroom to come to the wedding we obviously want to remain faithful to him. If we have false idols in our hearts we are committing spiritual adultery. Paul warned the Corinthians about this in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 2 and 3:
“For I am?jealous over you with godly jealousy:for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lets by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ”.
在我們等待新郎來婚宴的時候，顯然，我們想要對他保持忠貞。如果我們心里有異教偶像，從圣經的角度講，就犯了屬靈的奸淫。保羅在哥林多后書11:2-3里警告了哥林多人這一點：“我為你們起的憤恨，原是神那樣的憤恨。因為我曾把你們許配一個丈夫，要把你們如同貞潔的童女，獻給基督。我只怕你們的心或偏于邪，失去那向基督所存純一清潔的心，就像蛇用詭詐誘惑了夏娃一樣”。
The serpent told a lie to Eve which led her to sin, which caused her to be expelled from the garden in Eden. Eve knew what God had said, but chose to disobey God as it was more appealing to her. If we believe the lies of the serpent we too may find that there isn’t a place for us in the Kingdom. We must have the word of God constantly in our mind and do only what it requires of us. The serpent which tells us lies may take many forms, it may be the media, other people, or even our own heart which tells us things which are not in accordance with the word of God.
蛇對夏娃撒了謊，導致她犯罪，以至她被逐出伊甸園。夏娃明白神所說的話，但她選擇違背神，因為蛇的謊言更吸引她。如果我們相信蛇的謊言，我們會發現神國里最終沒有我們的位置。我們必須一直把神的道存在心里，做這道要求我們做的事情。說謊言的蛇可能以很多種形式存在我們的生活中，可能是媒體，是其他人，甚至是我們自己的內心都會告訴我們不符合神的話語的東西。
Today we read about the downfall of one of the wisest men who have ever lived, King Solomon. The chapter we read, 1Kings chapter 11 is very sad because Solomon could have established the Kingdom of Israel as God’s Kingdom, but instead he did not do what God commanded him.
今天，我們讀到歷史上最有智慧的一個人的失敗，他是所羅門王。我們讀到的這一章，列王紀上第11章是很悲傷的一章，因為所羅門王本可以把以色列建立成神的國，但反之，他沒有按神的要求行事。
The chapter begins with the words“But?king Solomon loved many strange women”. The first mistake Solomon made was taking other wives beside the daughter of Pharaoh (who was a proselyte to the true worship of Yahweh). Although it was the custom of the day for a ruler to take many wives, it is not what God intended for the human race.
這一章以“所羅門王在法老的女兒之外，又寵愛許多外邦女子”開篇。所羅門王犯下的第一個錯誤是娶了除法老的女兒（她改變皈依真正地敬拜耶和華）以外的眾多外邦女子。盡管當時的傳統是：統治者會娶多個妻子，但這并不是神為人類的安排。
The King of Israel was expressly commanded not to take many wives in Deuteronomy 17:17:
“Neither?shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away”.
申命記17:17里明確命令以色列的王不能娶多個妻子：“他也不可為自己多立妃嬪，恐怕他的心偏邪”。
God knew that the King would stray from following the word of God if he chose more than one wife. It may have been acceptable in his culture, and looked well upon by the world to take lots of wives, but God said that he was not to do it. That should have been the end of the question. God said no.
神知道所羅門王會偏離神的道。如果他娶多個妻子，也許這在當時的文化里是可以的，世界對他擁有眾多的妻妾也是贊許的，但神說他不可如此行。這是神的答案。神說不可以。
When God made Adam, he said in Genesis 2 verse 18:?“It is not?good that the man should be alone; I will make an help meet for him”. God recognised that the man needed a suitable partner, but he only made one wife. God could have made Adam many wives, but the Divine decree was that he was only to have one wife. Malachi comments on this in Malachi chapter 2 verse 15:?“And did?not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth”
神造亞當的時候，創世記2:18這樣記載：“耶和華神說，那人獨居不好，我要為他造一個配偶幫助他”。神知道男人需要一個合適的伴侶，但他只造了一個妻子。神本可以給亞當造很多妻子，但神的法度是他只能有一個妻子。瑪拉基在瑪拉基書2:15里如此評論：“雖然神有靈的馀力能造多人，他不是單造一人嗎。為何只造一人呢。乃是他愿人得虔誠的后裔。所以當謹守你們的心，誰也不可以詭詐待幼年所娶的妻”。
This also shows that divorce and re-marriage is wrong in the sight of God. Jesus also reinforced this idea in Luke 16 verse 18:“Whosoever?putteth away his wife, and married than other, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery”.
這同樣表明離婚和再婚在神眼里是錯誤的。耶穌在路加福音16:18里強調了這個意思：“凡休妻另娶的就是犯奸淫；娶被休之妻的也是犯奸淫”。
Although it is not recorded that Solomon divorced any of his wives, the principal is true that God who has created us, created us to only have one husband or one wife for life, unless our husband or wife dies. This is mentioned many times in the Bible, for example in Romans chapter 7 verse 3:?“So then?if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress”.
盡管圣經沒有記載所羅門離棄了他任何的妻子，但圣經原則是確切的。神創造人，一生當中只應該有一個丈夫或一個妻子，除非我們的丈夫或妻子去世。這在圣經里被多次提到，例如羅馬書7:3：“所以丈夫活著，她若歸于別人，便叫淫婦”。
We read of the second aspect of Solomon’s departure from God’s commandment in verses 1 and 2 of 1 Kings 11. The Jews were not to marry wives from the foreign nations, as we read in Deuteronomy chapter 7 verses 2 to 3:
“And when?the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son”.
我們從列王紀上11:1-2里看到所羅門離棄神的誡命的第二層意思。猶太人不能娶外邦女子，正如我們在申命記7:2-3里看到的：“耶和華你神將他們交給你擊殺，那時你要把他們滅絕凈盡，不可與他們立約，也不可憐恤他們。不可與他們結親。不可將你的女兒嫁他們的兒子，也不可叫你的兒子娶他們的女兒”。
When the Israelites returned from Babylon they again forsook the commandment in marrying foreign wives, and Nehemiah told them about the example of Solomon in Nehemiah 13:26:“Did not?Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin”.
以色列百姓從巴比倫回歸時再次背棄了不能娶外邦女子的誡命，尼希米在尼希米記13:26里告訴了他們所羅門的例子：“我又說，以色列王所羅門不是在這樣的事上犯罪嗎。在多國中并沒有一王像他，且蒙他神所愛，神立他作以色列全國的王。然而連他也被外邦女子引誘犯罪”。
Nehemiah points out to the Jews who had married foreign wives, that even Solomon was caused to sin by marrying foreigners. It is very sad to read of such a great man like Solomon, who we read was beloved of his God, falling so badly for marrying foreign wives. Perhaps Solomon thought he would teach them the Truth, but instead we read inverse 4 that“his wives turned away his?heart after?other gods”.
尼希米指出娶了外邦女子的猶太人，甚至是所羅門都因為娶外邦女子而犯罪。看到像所羅門如此偉大的一個人，被神所愛，卻墮落地如此嚴重，娶了外邦女子，這是非常痛心的。也許所羅門認為他能夠教導她們真理，而反之我們在第4節看到“他的妃嬪誘惑他的心去隨從別神”。
Solomon was the wisest man who has ever lived, besides the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet we don’t read that he could teach even one of his foreign wives about the God whom he worshipped, the God of Israel, but instead his wives taught him about their foreign gods.
所羅門是史上除了主耶穌基督以外最有智慧的人，然而我們沒有看到他教導了任何一個外邦妻子他所敬拜的神，以色列的神，反之是他的妻子向他介紹了她們國家異教的神。
The lesson for us is very clear, if such a man like Solomon made such a mistake why would we think that we could have a different outcome if we either marry more than one husband or wife in our lifetime, or marry someone who is not a baptised believer of the God of Israel?
給我們的教訓非常清楚：如果就連像所羅門這樣的人都犯了這樣的錯誤，我們憑什么認為如果我們也有一個以上的丈夫或妻子，或者跟一個沒有受洗信以色列的神的人結婚，我們的結局就會不同呢？
The New Testament also clearly saysthat marriage for believers must be to other believers. For example:?“She is at liberty to be married to whom?she will; only in the Lord”?1Corinthians?7:39?Be ye not unequally yoked together with?unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkenss? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” ?2?Corinthians 6:14-15
新約同樣清楚地說到信徒的婚姻必須和另一個信徒結合。例如：“妻子就可以自由，隨意再嫁。只是要嫁這在主里面的人”（哥林多前書7:39）。
“你們和不信的原不相配，不要同負一軛。義和不義有什么相交呢。光明和黑暗有什么相通呢。基督和彼列（彼列就是撒但的別名）有什么相和呢。信主的和不信主的有什么相干呢？”（哥林多后書6:14-15）
Marriage is such an important event that changes our life forever. It is imperative in our battle against sin and the gods of this world that our partner in marriage is walking with us towards the Kingdom. Amos writes:“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos:3
婚姻是非常重大的事情，它永遠地改變我們的生命。在我們與罪和這個世界多神的斗爭中，我們的婚姻伴侶與我們一同走向神國是必須的。阿摩司寫道：“二人若不同心，豈能同行呢”（阿摩司書3:3）。
Although it is important that our wife or husband is a believer, if we were already married when we came into the Truth weare commanded not to divorce our wife or husband, but we should do our utmost to convert them by our way of life. Paul says:?“And unto the married I command, yet not?I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband”?
1 Corinthians 7:10
雖然我們的妻子或丈夫是信徒這一點很重要，但如果在我們信仰真理時就已經結婚了的話，神的誡命是我們不要離開自己的妻子或丈夫，而是應該盡一切的努力用我們的生活方式讓他們轉變。保羅說：“至于那已經嫁娶的，我吩咐他們，其實不是我吩咐，乃是主吩咐，說，妻子不可離開丈夫”（哥林多前書7:10）。
And Peter says:“Likewise ye wives, be?in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives” 1 Peter 3:1
彼得說：“你們作妻子的，要順服自己的丈夫。這樣，若有不信從道理的丈夫，他們雖然不聽道，也可以因妻子的品行被感化過來”（彼得前書3:1）。
This is because divorce is fundamentally wrong. Jesus said that the marriage between a man and woman is joined together by God in Matthew chapter 19 verse 6:“Wherefore they are no more twain, but?one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder”.
這是因為離婚從根本上就是錯的。耶穌在馬太福音19:6里說男人和女人之間的婚姻是神設定的：“既然如此，夫妻不再是兩個人，乃是一體的了。所以神所配合的，人不可分開”。
Having said this, it is true that there may be cases, such as with domestic violence when a couple cannot stay together. God knows our individual circumstances.
話雖如此，也確實有一些案例，比如家暴，那么夫妻雙方不能待在一起。神知道我們個人的情況。
Nevertheless, if we have children it is important that they are brought up in a 2 parent household with their biological mother and father, if at all possible. This is what God intended in marriage,that a godly seed will be produced. We read this in Malachi chapter 2 verses 15 and 16:“That he?might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the LORD the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away…”
無論如何，如果我們有孩子，重要的是盡一切可能，讓他們在自己的親生父母的家里長大。這是神在婚姻中的目的，為了培養虔誠的后嗣。我們在瑪拉基書2:15-16里看到這一點：“雖然神有靈的馀力能造多人，他不是單造一人嗎。為何只造一人呢。乃是他愿人得虔誠的后裔。所以當謹守你們的心，誰也不可以詭詐待幼年所娶的妻。耶和華以色列的神說，休妻的事，和以強暴待妻的人，都是我所恨惡的…”。
We read of the devastatingimpactSolomon’s foreign wives had on him in 1 Kings chapter 11. In verse 9 wereadthat“the LORD was angry with Solomon,because his heart was turnedfrom the LORD God of Israel”.In verse 11 weread that God‘will surely rend?the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant”.
我們在列王紀上第11章里看到所羅門的外邦妻子對他毀滅性的影響。在第9節里，我們看到“耶和華向所羅門發怒，因為他的心偏離向他兩次顯現的耶和華以色列的神”。第11節里，我們看到神“必將你的國奪回，賜給你的臣子”。
Solomon was deemed unfit to be King over the Kingdom of Israel because his wives turned his heart to the gods of the nations. Solomon was given so much by God, but he turned away from the God of Israel. It seems Solomon repented in his old age when he wrote Ecclesiastes,and we pray that he will be in the Kingdom.
所羅門被認定不適合作以色列的王，因為他的妻子們讓他的心向著外邦的神。神賜給了所羅門如此多的東西，但他卻轉而背離以色列的神，似乎所羅門在他晚年寫傳道書的時候悔改了，我們祈求他會得進神國。
When Paul wrote the 11thchapter ofHebrews he wrote of many examples of faith displayed in the OldTestament.Hebrews chapter 11 is sometimes called the “roll call of faith”. ButcuriouslySolomon’s name does not appear in this chapter.
保羅在寫希伯來書第11章時，寫下了很多舊約中充滿信心的人的例子。這一章通常被稱為“信心的偉人”之章。但很奇妙的是，所羅門的名字不在這一章里。
Let us now go forward to the Kingdom with the words of Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1 in our minds:“Wherefore?seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us”.
現在，讓我們心里記著希伯來書12:1的話進入神國：“我們既有這許多的見證人，如同云彩圍著我們，就當放下各樣的重擔，脫去容易纏累我們的罪，存心忍耐，奔那擺在我們前頭的路程”。
We read in Hebrews chapter 11 of men andwomen of faith who gave glory to God in their lives by their faith. They wereactive in their lives in doing what God required of them. If we are going to bein the Kingdom, it is essential we follow their example and live our lives bythe faith of God.
我們在希伯來書第11章里讀到信心的偉人，用他們的信心在生活里歸榮耀給神。他們在自己的生命里積極地做神要求他們做的事情。如果我們要進到神國，那么效仿他們的榜樣，用對神的信心活出我們的生命就是至關重要的。
A runner in a race does not compete with extra weights tied to him. He wants to maximise his chances of winning by removing anything which might impede his running to the finishing line. Likewise in our race to the Kingdom we should discard anything which is impeding us spiritually, whether it is friends, a boyfriend or girlfriend who are not believers; television, movies or music which takes our heart away from God; or sport which introduces us to the idols of the world. Let us remove them in our race for eternal life.
一個賽跑者不會在身上負擔多余的重量的時候去賽跑。他會通過移除一切阻礙他跑到終點線的方式來讓他贏的機會最大化。同樣的，在我們進入神國的賽跑中，我們應該摒棄任何在屬靈上阻礙我們的東西，不管是朋友，沒有信仰的男/女朋友；還是讓我們的心思遠離神的電視，電影，音樂；又或是讓我們認識世界的偶像的體育運動。讓我們把這些東西從我們奔向永生的跑道上移除。
Verse 2 of Hebrews chapter 12 says:?‘Lookingunto Jesus the author and?finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”.
In our race to the Kingdom we must have our eyes focussed on the Lord Jesus Christ who has run before us and finished the race. Jesus was able to fully dedicate his life to God even though it meant a horrible and painful death on the cross. He was able to stop his mind of thinking of the shame and pain of the cross by thinking of the joy of the Kingdom. We also must carry our cross now, if that means we must remain single to the Kingdom, that is the cross we must carry. The cross we carry now may be shameful and painful, it may not be what we want to do, but we must carry our cross towards the Kingdom. We can overcome, as Christ overcame by setting our minds towards the joy of the Kingdom.
希伯來書12:2說道：“仰望為我們信心創始成終的耶穌。（或作仰望那將真道創始成終的耶穌）他因那擺在前頭的喜樂，就輕看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦難，便坐在神寶座的右邊”。
在我們往神國的道路上，我們必須定睛看著已經跑到我們面前并完成賽程的主耶穌基督。即使這意味著被釘在十字架上可怕而痛苦的死亡，但耶穌還是把自己的一生全部委身于神。他能夠通過思考神國的喜悅而停止思考被釘十字架所受的羞辱和痛苦。現在，我們也必須背起自己的十字架，如果這意味著我們必須保持單身直到神國，那么這就是我們必須背負的十字架。我們所背的十字架可能是羞恥和痛苦的，可能不是我們想要的，但我們必須背著自己的十字架進入神國。就像基督能夠得勝一樣，我們可以通過讓自己的思想集中在神國的喜悅中而克服這一切。
Anything we forsake now for the Kingdom will be worth it when we hear the words of Jesus:?‘Well done, thou good and?faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord” Matthew 25:21
任何我們現在為神國而舍棄的東西都是值得的，當我們聽到耶穌這樣的話時：“好，你這又良善又忠心的仆人。你在不多的事上有忠心，我把許多事派你管理。可以進來享受你主人的快樂”（馬太福音25：21）。
We will be rulers in the Kingdom. Solomon was denied the Kingship of Israel for marrying foreign wives, but we pray that we will be accounted faithful and allowed to be kings and priests in the Kingdom?(Revelation?5:10).
未來我們將會在神國中掌權。所羅門因為娶外邦女子而被神否認了他在以色列國的王權，但我們祈求自己將會被算為敬虔的人，在神國里作王，作祭司（啟示錄5:10）。
Our Lord Jesus Christ gave his whole life in the service to his Father. Let us now eat the bread and drink the wine to remember this, and to strive to follow his example, carrying our cross now, but with our eyes firmly fixed on the glory that shall follow.
主耶穌基督把他的整個生命都獻給了他的父神。現在讓我們掰餅喝酒，紀念這事，并竭力效仿他的榜樣，背負自己的十字架，牢牢地定睛看向隨之而來的榮耀。
