全球危机中的呼吁：来自使徒保罗的教训

在使徒保罗的几封书信中，都呼吁为耶路撒冷教会筹集资金（参罗15:25–28；林前16:1–4；林后11:8,9）。¹1事实上，在他最初的开始事工时就曾将安提阿教会的礼物带到过耶路撒冷（参徒11:30）。后来保罗在马其顿和亚该亚教会也组织过类似的活动（参罗15:25–28）。给哥林多教会两封书信也反映了他对哥林多信徒参与奉献行动的愿望。

虽然在早期教会保罗的呼吁并不是新事，但他的方法对今天的我们仍有特殊的意义。在全球危机的背景下，保罗的做法为当今在困难环境下服侍教会的领袖提供了指导。¹2圣经的记载也揭示了一些指导今日信徒捐献的要点。

全球危机

保罗筹集的第一笔捐项是为应对先知亚迦布对全球（罗马帝国范围内）饥荒的预言（参徒11:27-30）¹。3许多史料显示这一事件发生在由革老丢皇帝执政的公元46-54年。研究罗马帝国应对自然灾害的专家达林·格雷厄姆发现，作为罗马主要食物来源，尼罗河的水位在公元45年发生了前所未有的上涨，埃及的农作物也因此欠收。公元46年，叙利亚和犹太国（罗马帝国的另外两个粮食主产地）的干旱问题使得形势更加严峻。4

保罗（在写给哥林多教会书信）的两段话表明革老丢统治时期过后有一场危机持续。保罗在哥林多前书（写于约公元55年）中提到“现今的艰难”，并建议信徒不要在婚姻上耗费资财（参林前7:26）。之后，他又在哥林多后书（写于约公元56-57年）中写道马其顿也处于“大试练”中（参林后8:2）。历史背景表明，保罗所指他们面临的挑战是经济挑战。因此，他为耶路撒冷穷人的缘故，向那些经济并不宽裕的哥林多信徒发出捐献的呼吁。在经济拮据背景下，保罗如何发出呼吁，说服那些身处试炼的人参与其中？

保罗所强调的原则是，我们应当鼓励和引导信徒即使囊中羞涩也要学着捐献。在反思使徒呼吁之信徒的身份时，新约与早期教会学者克里斯托夫·施滕施克（Christoph Stenschke）说道：“基督教慈善不止是上层富人的工作并借此提升了他们的地位，也与其他信徒息息相关。”5

保罗的论点

在这场全球危机中，保罗所提出的论点之一，就是在慈善活动中捐款，既是一种促进团结的手段，也是一种交换原则。

保罗将慈善行为称为“捐献”，并将接受捐助的人定义为“穷人”（参徒11:29；罗15:26）。慈善行为在早期教会中已经十分普遍（参徒2:44，45），但保罗的做法却是独特且创新的。他引入了“跨地域”慈善的概念，即一个地区的境况或事件会对其他相关地区产生直接的影响。在那些日子里，教会信徒在当地使用捐项帮助社区的穷人，这一行为时常得到会众的认可和赞誉。6使徒行传所记载的巴拿巴、多加和哥尼流等当地社区的捐助者，都证明了这一事实。

而保罗邀请外邦信徒为他们素不相识且无法回报或表达谢意的人捐款。他借此引入了“跨教会团结”的概念，即超越特定边界的施予。

在危难之中，只顾自身的安全与利益的露骨的自私自利比往常更甚。保罗呼吁我们要抵制这种自然倾向，并指出基督徒以向全球奉献为理想是何等重要。

保罗还认为，这次捐献旨在促进团结，这与跨地域慈善的概念密切相关。7施滕施克认为使徒的呼吁与当时罗马帝国盛行的反犹太运动恰恰相反。这次捐献肯定了信徒在文化和种族之间的合一性。除了文化因素，它还弥合了上帝教会中的贫富差距。林后8:14中写道“乃要均平”。对此，新约研究员朱利安·奥格罗这样解释，这里指的并非“精确的均等”，而是一个邀请，“通过恢复贫困和盈余之间的某种平衡来实现相对的比例平等。”8这样的团结美的妙不可言。

即使是危机也能为上帝的教会带来坚固团结纽带的新机遇。这一原则已在中欧分会的一项决议中得到了体现，该决议邀请在新冠肺炎疫情期间遭受经济打击较小的联合会帮助那些受影响最严重的地方。

保罗对捐献提出的另一个论点是交换原则:那些在灵性上蒙福的人应该通过物质的捐输来回报（参罗15:27）。他用同样的论据证明传道人有权取得的经济支持。（参林前9:7–14）有趣的是，交换原则既基于施予者的亏欠感，也基于一种自愿动机，一种“回馈”施予者的行为。（参罗15:26，27）因此，这回应兼具善意和责任。

当前的新冠肺炎疫情危机导致多地的乐意捐比十分之一下降更多。可能的解释是，信徒们不知道交换原则既适用于十分之一，也适用于乐意捐。有一种普遍的观念认为，乐意捐是一种自愿行为，信徒没有必须付出的义务。重申交换原则的广泛性，可能会改善捐献数目下降不成比例的情况。

保罗的良策

保罗的三个策略特别值得我们注意:尊重施予者，给予鼓励，消除潜在障碍。

1.尊重施予者。尽管保罗肯定了募捐的必要性，但他也不强制。他论到马其顿人完全是“按着力量”捐献。（参林后8:4）他邀请哥林多的信徒“各人要随本心所酌定的，不要作难，不要勉强”（林后9:7），而不是“出于勉强”（第5节）。

此外，考虑到捐献者的个人条件，保罗并没有规定捐献的具体数额，甚至没有确定最低金额，因此捐多捐少由各人自行决定（参林后8:12）。相反，他邀请信徒以他们的个人收入作为参考来确定他们捐献的数额“照自己的进项抽出来留着”（参林前16:2）。然而，慷慨的给予是可贵的且值得称赞（参林后9:11, 13）。为避免在捐献时有不必要的压力，他鼓励信徒提前留出捐项，定期捐献（参林前16:2）。

在经济拮据时，人们很容易将捐献的呼吁视为压力，从而抗拒和退缩。保罗也在尽全力防止这样的情况发生。仅由捐献者自行按比例捐助，而不是确定固定或最低数额的观念，在今天仍有借鉴意义。此外，普及提前预留并有计划捐献的原则，而不是在最后一刻决定捐献，有助于许多人所许的愿成为现实。

2.给予鼓励。保罗给予了读者广泛的鼓励。他用了只少八次charis（意为恩典），这个词来描述上帝如何赐予使信徒捐献的能力和特权（参林后8:1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 19；9:8, 14；参林前16:3）。捐献的力量来自邀请我们捐献的上帝。信徒若是将自己献给上帝，自然会变得乐于奉献（参林后8:5）。他们就成为了那神圣赐福者的形象。

使徒保罗详述了捐献者将得的赏赐（参林后9:6）。他认为，“慷慨捐输是施者与受者同受祝福。”9上帝也必定纪念。保罗用pasan autarkeiaechontes，翻出来就是“拥有你所需要的一切”的意思，来描述捐献的益处（参林后9:8）。autarkeia的意思是“需要”，这个词既包含充足感，也包含满足感。10捐献者的需要得到了补足，也对自己的境况感到满足。在资源匮乏的时代，这是一种理想的状态。

保罗也论到了基督的榜样，祂为灵性贫穷的人奉献了自己。（参林后8:9） 他呼吁信徒效学基督的精神，像基督一样奉献。

3.消除障碍。在保罗的事工和募捐活动中，一些信徒质疑他的诚信。11作为回应，他通过令人安心言语和实际行动积极地解决了这个问题。他充分意识到“对捐项管理的疏忽会损害他作为属灵领袖的声誉，从而坐实假使徒对他的指控”。12他在一次讲述中宣称：“乃将那些暗昧可耻的事弃绝了；不行诡诈，不谬讲上帝的道理，只将真理表明出来，好在上帝面前把自己荐与各人的良心。 ”（林后4:2）此外，为使人们对捐项的处理保持最大的信心，保罗还为自己和他人立了规矩：“及至我来到了，你们写信举荐谁，我就打发他们，把你们的捐资送到耶路撒冷去。若我也该去，他们可以和我同去。”（林前16:3,4）

雪中送炭的恩典

危机时期正是信任缺失、假新闻和阴谋论盛行的时期。这种联系超乎我们的想象。然而，保罗为维护和建立信誉所做的努力（对今天的我们）很有启发性。在当前的危机下，我们绝不能掩盖个人和机构信任问题。

无论得时不得时，我们总要鼓励信徒与神同工。保罗在全球危机中直面挑战，我们可以从他的做法中学到很多。让我们永远谨记上帝恩典的大能。

1.这篇文章最初的版本是Aniel Barbe发表的，“在全球危机中发出呼吁”，《活跃的管家》第24期，第3期(2021年7-9月):第7-9页。^

2.Christoph W. Stenschke，“保罗为耶路撒冷圣徒募捐的领袖挑战:第1部分:克服非犹太基督徒捐献者的障碍”，Verbum et Ecclesia 36，第1期(2015): 2，https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v36i1.1406.·^

3.大卫·唐斯，“保罗的募捐和使徒行传的重访”，《新约研究》第52期，第1期(2006年1月):第50页，

http://doi.org/10.1017/S0028688506000038.

4.Daryn Graham，“耶路撒冷捐献的起源”，themilos，国际神学和宗教研究学生杂志，第45期，第1期(2020年4月):62–64页，https://www . thegoselalliance . org/themilos/article/The-创世纪-耶路撒冷-捐赠/。^

5.同2，第6页。^

6.同2，第3页。^

7.同2，第3页。^

8.Julien Ogereau，“作为Koivwvíα的耶路撒冷收藏:保罗社会经济平等和团结的全球政治”，《新约研究》第58期，第3期(2012年7月):第365、366页，http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0028688512000033.·^

9.同4，第72页。^

10.泰尔的希腊词典，电子数据库(Biblesoft，2011年)。^

11.Paul B. Duff，“保罗为耶路撒冷教会中穷人的募捐”，牛津圣经研究在线，2021年11月23日访问，https://global . oup . com/obso/focus/focus _ on _ Paul _ Collection/。^

12.安吉尔·罗德里格斯，《管理之根》(美国马里兰州银泉市，基督复临安息日会全球总会教会事工部，1994年)，第91页。^

Giving appeals during a global crisis:Lessons from the apostle Paul

In several of his letters, the apostle Paul appeals for funds for the Jerusalem church (Rom. 15:25–28; 1 Cor. 16:1–4; 2 Cor. 11:8, 9).¹ In fact, bringing the gift from the church of Antioch to Jerusalem was one of his first acts of ministry (Acts 11:30). Paul later organized similar efforts among the churches in Macedonia and Achaia (Rom. 15:25–28). First and Second Corinthians reflect his longing to enlist them in this giving initiative.

While Paul’s appeals were not new within the early church, his process has a special significance for us today. The context was a global crisis, and Paul’s approach offers guidance to leadership currently serving under difficult circumstances.² The biblical record reveals some pointers for instructing church members in giving today.

THE GLOBAL CRISIS

Paul’s first collection came in response to the prophet Agabus’s prediction of a global (Roman Empire–wide) famine (Acts 11:27–30).³ Many historical documents situate the event during the years AD 46–54, the reign of the emperor Claudius. Daryn Graham, an expert on the Roman Empire’s responses to natural disasters, discovered that the River Nile in Egypt, the major source of food for the empire, had experienced an unprecedented increase in water level in AD 45, causing a poor harvest in Egypt. Drought conditions in Syria and Judaea in AD 46, the other two breadbaskets of the empire, compounded the problem.⁴

Two passages from Paul testify of an emergency lasting beyond Claudius’s reign. In his first letter to the Corinthians (circa AD 55), Paul mentions the “present crisis” and advises believers not to spend resources on marriage (1 Cor. 7:26, NIV). Then, in his second letter to the Corinthians (circa AD 56–57), he describes Macedonia as also under “severe trial” (2 Cor. 8:2). The context reveals that Paul was referring to the economic challenges that they were facing. Hence, he addressed his appeals for the poor in Jerusalem to believers who were not enjoying financial prosperity. In such a difficult economic context, how did Paul present his appeals in order to convince those who were themselves hit by the crisis to participate?

Paul highlights the principle that we should encourage and instruct church members to give even in times of crisis. Reflecting on the identity of the recipients of the apostle’s appeals, Christoph Stenschke, a New Testament and early church scholar, observes that “Christian charity is not just a status-enhancing project for the wealthy upper-class members and of no concern to other Christians.”⁵

PAUL’S ARGUMENTS

Amid the global crisis, Paul presented, among other arguments, that participation in the collection as an act of charity was both a means to foster unity and an exchange principle.

Paul refers to acts of charity as sending “relief” and defines the recipients as the “poor” (Acts 11:29; Rom. 15:26). Acts of charity were already common in the early church (Acts 2:44, 45), but Paul’s approach was unique and revolutionary. He introduced the notion of “translocal” charity, where conditions or events at one place have an immediate impact on other connected places. During those days, church members employed funds locally to assist the needy in the community, an act that often resulted in public recognition and honor.⁶ The book of Acts testifies to that reality by mentioning Barnabas, Dorcas, and Cornelius as benefactors of their local communities.

In contrast, Paul invited believers outside of Judaea to give to people they did not know personally and who would have no chance to reciprocate or express gratitude. By doing so, he was introducing the concept of interchurch solidarity, of giving beyond specific borders.

During a crisis, more than at other times, naked self-interest—seeking one’s own safety and benefit—easily comes to the fore. Paul’s appeals call us to resist this natural inclination and point to the importance of global giving as a Christian ideal.

Closely associated with the concept of translocalcharity, Paul also argues that the collection is meantto foster unity.⁷ Stenschke views the apostle’s appeals as a statement against the ancient anti-Judaism that was prevailing in the Empire. This collection affirms the oneness of believers from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Besides the cross-cultural element, it aimed to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich in God’s church. We read in 2 Corinthians 8:14 that “the goal is equality” (NIV). New Testament researcher Julien Ogereau explains that it is not about an “exact equalization” but rather an invitation “to achieve a relative, proportional equality by restoring a certain balance between need and surplus.”⁸ It was a demonstration of unity beyond words.

Even crisis can provide an additional opportunity for God’s church to strengthen the bonds of unity. This principle has been demonstrated by the Inter-European Division’s decision to invite unions less severely hit financially during the COVID-19 pandemic to help those most heavily affected.

Another argument put forward by Paul for the collection is the exchange principle: those who have received spiritual blessings should reciprocate by sharing their material blessings (Rom. 15:27). He uses the identical rationale to justify the financial support that those who preach the gospel are entitled to receive (1 Cor. 9:7–14). Interestingly, the exchange principle rests both on the idea of obligation-indebtedness of the givers and on a voluntary motive, an action that “pleases” the givers (Rom. 15:26, 27, KJV). The same response thus combines goodwill and duty.

The current COVID-19 pandemic crisis has led, in many places, to a more significant drop in offerings than in tithe. A possible explanation is members’ ignorance that the exchange principle applies to both tithe and offerings. A prevalent conception considers offerings to be solely a voluntary act with no obligation for the believer. A renewed emphasis on the broadness of the exchange principle could correct the disproportionate decline in offerings.

PAUL’S PRACTICAL APPROACH

Three of Paul’s strategies especially deserve our attention: respecting the giver, providing encouragement, and removing possible hindrances.

1. Respecting the giver. Although convinced of the necessity for the collection, Paul refrained from coercion. He spoke about the Macedonians participating entirely “on their own” (2 Cor. 8:4, VOICE). He invited the believers in Corinth to present “what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion” (2 Cor. 9:7, NIV) and not “grudgingly given” (v. 5).

Furthermore, as a sign of respect for the individual condition of each participant, Paul did not establish a fixed amount, not even a minimum one, that each participant had to contribute, thus leaving it to the discretion of each individual (2 Cor. 8:12). Instead, he invited the believers to use their personal income as a reference point to establish how much they should give: “Set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income” (1 Cor. 16:2, NIV). Nevertheless, generous giving was valued and praised (2 Cor. 9:11, 13). To avoid undue pressure at the time of collection, he encouraged them to plan their contributions in advance and give regularly (1 Cor. 16:2).

During a financial crisis, people can easily perceive appeals for giving as pressure, resulting in resistance and withdrawal. Paul goes to great lengths to prevent such an outcome. The concept of proportional giving decided solely by the contributor, not a fixed or minimum amount, would be relevant today. In addition, teaching the principles of planning in advance and systematic giving, rather than making last-minute decisions to give, may help many to materialize what they have purposed in their hearts to offer.

2. Providing encouragement. Paul gave extensive encouragement to his readers. He employed the word charis (grace) no less than eight times to speak about how God enables the believers to give and the privilege of participating in the collection (2 Cor. 8:1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 19; 9:8, 14; cf. 1 Cor. 16:3). The power to give comes from the One who invites us to give. Once believers consecrate themselves to God, the propensity to give emerges naturally (2 Cor. 8:5). They are transformed into the image of the divine Giver.

The apostle elaborates on the reward that awaits the one who gives (2 Cor. 9:6). In his understanding, “generosity is as beneficial to the giver as to the receiver.”⁹ It never goes unnoticed in the eyes of God. Paul uses the expression pasan autarkeiaechontes, translated as “having all that you need,” to describe the benefit of participating in giving (2 Cor. 9:8). The word autarkeia, “need,” captures both the idea of sufficiency and contentment.¹⁰ The needs of the giver are met, and they are content in their condition. It represents a desirable condition during a time marked by scarcity of resources.

Paul also points to the example set by Christ, who offered Himself for the spiritually needy (2 Cor. 8:9). Believers are called to emulate the same spirit that was in Christ: to give is to be Christlike.

3. Removing hindrances. In the exercise of Paul’s ministry and the collection effort, some members had raised doubts about his integrity.¹¹ In response, he energetically addressed the issue through both reassuring words and concrete actions. He was fully conscious that “an accidental mismanagement of the offerings would damage his reputation as a spiritual leader and would give credibility to the accusations raised against him by false apostles.”¹² In one statement, he declares: “Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Cor. 4:2, NIV). Furthermore, Paul put in place measures for himself and for others to maintain the highest confidence regarding the handling of the collection: “Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me” (1 Cor. 16:3, 4, NIV).

GRACE TO GIVE IN TIME OF NEED

Times of crisis often become periods of heightened suspicion, fake news, and conspiracy theories. This association is beyond our scope here. However, Paul’s efforts to maintain and build credibility are very instructive. Our present crisis is definitely not the time to push the issue of personal and institutional trust under the rug.

The ministry of encouraging members to partnerwith God must happen in and out of season. Paul upheld the challenge during a global crisis, and we can learn much from his practice. Let us not underestimate the convincing power of God’s grace at any time.

1. A version of this article was first published as AnielBarbe, “Giving Appeals During a Global Crisis,” Dynamic Steward 24, no. 3 (July-September 2021): 7–9. ^

2. Christoph W. Stenschke, “The Leadership Challenges of Paul’s Collection for the Saints in Jerusalem: Part 1: Overcoming the Obstacles on the Side of the Gentile Christian Donors,” Verbum et Ecclesia 36, no. 1 (2015): 2, https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v36i1.1406. ^

3. David J. Downs, “Paul’s Collection and the Book of Acts Revisited,” New Testament Studies 52, no. 1 (January 2006): 50,
http://doi.org/10.1017/S0028688506000038. ^

4. Daryn Graham, “The Genesis of the Jerusalem Donation,” Themelios, An International Journal for Students of Theological and Religious Studies 45, no. 1 (April 2020): 62–64, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the-genesis-of-the-jerusalem-donation/. ^

5. Stenschke, “Leadership Challenges,” 6. ^

6. Stenschke, 3. ^

7. Stenschke, 3. ^

7.同2，第3页。^

8. Julien Ogereau, “The Jerusalem Collection as Koivwvíα :Paul’s Global Politics of Socio-Economic Equality and Solidarity,” New Testament Studies 58, no. 3 (July 2012): 365, 366, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0028688512000033. ^

9. Graham, “Jerusalem Donation,” 72. ^

10. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, electronic database (Biblesoft, 2011). ^

11. Paul B. Duff, “Paul’s Collection for the Poor in the Church at Jerusalem,” Oxford Biblical Studies Online, accessed November 23, 2021, https://global.oup.com/obso/focus/focus_on_paul_collection/. ^

12. Angel M. Rodriguez, Stewardship Roots (Silver Spring, MD: Stewardship Ministries, Department of Church Ministries, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1994), 91. ^

原文链接：

https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2022/01/Giving-appeals-during-a-global-crisis