243. 教會以聖言為基礎 對聖言的理解構成教會
教會以聖言為基礎, 或說教會依賴於聖言而存在, 這一點無人質疑。如前所述(189-192節), 聖言是神性的真理; 教會的教義來自聖言(225-233節); 藉著聖言與主連接(234-239節)。然而, 對聖言的理解構成了教會, 或許引人疑問。有些人認為是他們自己屬於教會, 因著他們有聖言在, 並且讀經, 從經中聽道, 知道聖言文字的意義。然而他們並不知道聖言中此處彼處的經文當如何被理解, 一些人並不視之足夠重要。因此, 我要來證明並非是聖言構成教會, 而是對聖言的理解構成教會, 教會中的人們對聖言的理解如何決定這教會如何。
243. 8. The Church Is Based on the Word; the Nature of the Church in Individuals Depends on Their Understanding of the Word
The church is unquestionably based on the Word - I have shown above that the Word is divine truth (189-192); that the church's body of teaching is based on the Word (225-233); and that we are connected to the Lord through the Word (234-239). The idea that the understanding of the Word shapes the church is something that could be called into question, however, since there are people who believe they are part of the church because they have the Word, because they read it or hear it from a preacher, and because they know something of its literal meaning, although they do not know how to understand this or that saying in the Word and some of them do not care. Therefore I will present support for two ideas: it is not the Word but the understanding of it that forms the church; and the quality of the church is determined by the way people in it understand the Word.
243. VIII. The church depends on the Word, and what the church is like in the case of each person depends on how he understands the Word.
There can be no doubt that the church depends upon the Word, for it has been shown above that the Word is Divine truth (189-192), that the Word is the source of the church's doctrine (225-233), and that the Word produces a link with the Lord (234-239). However, it may be questioned whether it is the understanding of the Word which makes the church, since there are those who believe that they belong to the church, because they possess the Word and read it, or hear it preached and know something of its literal sense. But they are unaware how this or that passage in the Word is to be understood, and some of them do not regard this as of much importance. I shall therefore prove here that it is not the Word which makes the church, but how it is understood; and that what the church is like depends on how those who belong to the church understand the Word.
243. VIII. THE CHURCH IS FROM THE WORD, AND WITH MAN IT IS SUCH AS HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD IS.
That the church is from the Word no one can doubt, since it has been shown above, that the Word is Divine truth (n. 189-192); that the doctrine of the church is from the Word (n. 225-233); and that by means of the Word there is conjunction with the Lord (n. 234-239). But that the understanding of the Word constitutes the church, may be called in question; for there are those who believe themselves to be of the church by virtue of their having the Word and reading it, or hearing preaching from it, and knowing something of the sense of its letter. But how this or that in the Word is to be understood they do not know; and some do not regard it as of much importance. Therefore it shall now be established that it is not the Word that constitutes the church, but the understanding of it, and that the church is such as is the understanding of the Word with those who are in the church.
243. VIII. THE CHURCH EXISTS FROM THE WORD, AND ITS QUALITY WITH MAN IS ACCORDING TO HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD.
There is no doubt that the Church exists from the Word, for it was shown above that the Word is Divine Truth,189-192; that the doctrine of the Church is from the Word,225-233; and that conjunction with the Lord is effected by means of the Word,234-239. It may, however, be doubted that it is the understanding of the Word which constitutes the Church, as there are some who believe that they belong to the Church because they have the Word, read it or hear it from a preacher, and know something of the sense of the Letter, although they do not know how certain passages are to be understood; while some regard this of no importance. It will be necessary, then, to prove that it is not the Word, but the understanding of it, which constitutes the Church, and that the quality of the Church is according to the understanding of the Word with those who are in the Church.
243. VIII.
Quod Ecclesia sit ex Verbo, et quod talis sit apud hominem, qualis ei est intellectus Verbi.
Quod Ecclesia sit ex Verbo, hoc non cadit in dubium, nam supra ostensum est, quod Verbum sit Divinum Verum, 189-192; Quod ex Verbo sit Doctrina Ecclesiae, 225-233, et quod per Verbum sit conjunctio cum Domino, 234-239; sed quod intellectus Verbi faciat Ecclesiam, hoc in dubium vocari potest, quoniam sunt qui credunt, quod ab Ecclesia sint quia Verbum habent, id legunt, vel a Praedicatore audiunt, et aliquid ex sensu literae ejus sciunt; sed quomodo hoc et illud in Verbo intelligendum est, non sciunt, et quidam non tanti aestimant: quare hic confirmabitur, quod non Verbum faciat Ecclesiam, sed intellectus ejus, et quod Ecclesia talis sit, qualis est intellectus Verbi apud illos, qui in Ecclesia sunt.