【释经学40问】问题8：为什么释经很重要？（4）
有时，我们听人说圣经是它自己最好的解释者。这句话的意思是说，广泛的经文背景会帮助你正确理解任何一处经文。比如，如果不了解《约翰一书》整卷书，那么其中5:6-7就会显得晦涩难懂。一旦知道这封书信广义的语境，相信新约圣经信息的统一性，再了解一下初期诺斯替主义的文化背景，我们就可以合理地下结论说，这节经文是要确认基督的神性和人性，这可以从他受洗（水）和死亡/复活（血）中体现出来。
5 τίς ἐστιν ὁ νικῶν τὸν κόσμον εἰ μὴ ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ;
5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
5:5 胜过世界的是谁呢．不是那信耶稣是 神儿子的么．
τίς = who 谁
ἐστιν = is 是
ὁ νικῶν = the winning 那胜过
τὸν κόσμον = the world 世界
εἰ = if 如果
μὴ = not 不是
ὁ πιστεύων = the believing 那信
ὅτι = that 那
Ἰησοῦς = Jesus 耶稣
ἐστιν = is 是
ὁ Υἱὸς = the Son 那子
τοῦ Θεοῦ = of God 神的
6 οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἐλθὼν δι' ὕδατος καὶ αἵματος, Ἰησοῦς Χριστός· οὐκ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἐν τῷ ὕδατι καὶ ἐν τῷ αἵματι· καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν τὸ μαρτυροῦν, ὅτι τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν ἡ ἀλήθεια.
5:6 This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
5:6 这借着水和血而来的就是耶稣基督．不是单用水、乃是用水又用血
5:7 并且有圣灵作见证、因为圣灵就是真理。
οὗτός = this 这位
ἐστιν = is 是
ὁ ἐλθὼν = the having come 那来的
δι' ὕδατος = by water 借着水
καὶ αἵματος = and blood 和血
Ἰησοῦς Χριστός = Jesus Christ 耶稣基督
οὐκ = not 不
ἐν τῷ ὕδατι = by the water 借着水
μόνον = only 仅仅
ἀλλ' = but 而
ἐν τῷ ὕδατι = by the water 借着水
καὶ ἐν τῷ αἵματι· = and by the blood 和借着血
καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμά = and the Spirit 而圣灵
ἐστιν τὸ μαρτυροῦν = is the one who testifies 是那作见证的
ὅτι = that 那
τὸ Πνεῦμά = the Spirit 圣灵
ἐστιν = is 是
ἡ ἀλήθεια = the truth 真理
正确理解作者原意，也是我们今天正确应用经文的基础。
箴22:28，地界是古代划定死人财产界限的标志，这节经文是指禁止不诚实获取邻居土地的行为。若更广泛地应用，这节经文是指神对任何暗中偷窃行为的不悦——不论是挪移一块古代的石头，还是参与电子邮件网络欺诈，或者任何其他的暗中行窃。我们必须从受文化影响的命令中提炼归纳出一般性原则。
כח אַל-תַּסֵּג, גְּבוּל עוֹלָם-- אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ.
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
22:28 你先祖所立的地界、你不可挪移。
אַל-תַּסֵּג = [al-tasseg] you shall not remove 你不当挪移
גְּבוּל = [gevul] landmark of ……的地界
עוֹלָם = [olam] eternity 永恒
אֲשֶׁר = [asher] which 那
עָשׂוּ = [asu] they have set 他们设立
אֲבוֹתֶיךָ = [avotecha] your fathers 你的先祖
谨慎的解释之所以重要，是因为人所相信的神学前提经常会影响解释。比如说，一些解经者有时坚持比喻性的语言应该按字面意思解释，尽管他们没有任何站得住脚的理由去这样做。通过谨慎的、符合圣经的解释，圣经学习者能够逐渐意识到别人的偏见，也能够渐渐承认和评估自己的释经偏好。
