少數派報告：地方召會的芥菜種詮釋
因為原po一直沒回應，所以我直接貼出來。
以下是相關的經文：
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
Mat 13:31他又設個比喻對他們說：「天國好像一粒芥菜種，有人拿去種在田裡。Mat 13:32這原是百種裡最小的，等到長起來，卻比各樣的菜都大，且成了樹，天上的
飛鳥來宿在他的枝上。」Mat 13:33他又對他們講個比喻說：「天國好像麵酵，有婦人拿來，藏在三斗麵裡，直
等全團都發起來。」
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Mar 4:30又說：「神的國，我們可用什麼比較呢？可用什麼比喻表明呢？Mar 4:31好像一粒芥菜種，種在地裡的時候，雖比地上的百種都小，Mar 4:32但種上以後，就長起來，比各樣的菜都大，又長出大枝來，甚至天上的飛鳥
可以宿在他的蔭下。」Mar 4:33耶穌用許多這樣的比喻，照他們所能聽的，對他們講道。Mar 4:34若不用比喻，就不對他們講；沒有人的時候，就把一切的道講給門徒聽。
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
Luk 13:18耶穌說：「神的國好像什麼？我拿什麼來比較呢？Luk 13:19好像一粒芥菜種，有人拿去種在園子裡，長大成樹，天上的飛鳥宿在他的枝
上。」Luk 13:20又說：「我拿什麼來比神的國呢？Luk 13:21好比麵酵，有婦人拿來藏在三斗麵裡，直等全團都發起來。」
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『芥菜種』的比喻出現在馬可、馬太和路加中。而這個比喻是用來比喻『神的國』是基督
教釋經學的共識。但是，『神的國』如何解釋？在基督教內部都是有爭議的。主要分兩派
。
& 老派——以教領政
老派的解釋——天主教，路德會和改革宗基本上都認為這個『神的國』=『教會』+『世界
』。因為，這派認為教會是神在地上的代表/代言人，手中握有神賜予的權柄，可以管轄
萬國。也就是，這派認為『神的國』中的『世界』的部分是『現在式』。所以，神的國不
僅僅是在教會內部，也當擴大到教會外部的世界。這個觀點基本上發展出來的就是『以教
領政』。天主教稱教皇為基督在地上的Vicar；改革宗在日內瓦的歷史，都是這國觀點的
代表。當然，這個觀念也影響到今日台灣的政治，包括挺同和反同的雙方。挺同就不提了
，我還看過反同方面把『政教分離』解釋為政府不能干涉教會事務，但是教會可以干涉政
府事物。就可以知道這個觀念在基督教裡的根深蒂固。
& 新派的解釋——政教分離
比較後期的教派因為看見『政教不分』對於教會產生的影響，所以多採取『政教分離』的
立場，因此，會根據耶穌所說的：『把神的歸給神，把該撒的歸給該撒』的原則，把『神
的國』的範圍限制在『教會』內部。這派並不是認為『神的國』不包括世界，但是認為首
先，神託給教會的大使命是『將福音傳遍外邦』，而不會『轄管外邦』（《啟示錄》中提
及推雅推拉教會是所說的『鐵杖』）。『轄管外邦』是耶穌的權柄。第二，這派進一步認
為『神的國』中的『世界』的部分是『未來式』。要等到耶穌第二次再臨的時候，耶穌重
新管理『世界』，教會才與耶穌一同坐在寶座上，『共管』世界。值得一提的是，舊派的
末世論往往是『無千禧年主義』，而新派則是『千禧年主義』。像靈恩派和弟兄會（地方
召會的神學源頭）就是代表。所以這派往往採取『聖俗二分』的立場被前者批判為『聖俗
二元論』。
& 為什麼『先』提『神的國』的問題？
因為『芥菜種』是耶穌在三本福音書裡面用來比喻『神的國』的眾多比喻之一。如果不了
解『神的國』的寓意——不好意思，寓意解經出來了，沒辦法——就無法解釋『芥菜種』
的比喻。而對於『神的國』的定義，自然就會影響對『芥菜種』的解釋。而，如果『神的
國』都有2種不同的看法，那麼『芥菜種』的解釋當然也會出現不同的觀點。這是理所當
然的。
& 『神的國』的多數派報告
把『神的國』包含『世界』推到最極致的是天主教，以至於歐洲從中世紀開始，所有的皇
帝都需要經過『教皇——基督的Vicar』所代表的教會的認證才能夠得到合法的權利，甚
至連歐洲歷史最能打的皇帝之一——拿破崙，都得『很不爽』的走完這個流程。當然，建
議讀者多了解歐洲中世紀以降的天主教、路德會、和改革宗與屬世政權的互動，會得到更
清楚的圖畫。
我參考的釋經學（新教）參考書中，John Calvin, John Gill, 天道，丁道爾
等，也就是說大約90%以上的相關釋經學參考書都持舊派/多數派的立場。以下是4份原始
文獻供大家參考。
天道聖經註釋
============
再下來，耶穌把天國比喻為芥菜種（道），是一個人（也許是基督）種在天裡的（或許是
世界，比較38節）。芥菜種並不是『百種中最小的』，但卻比其他生長在草本植物園裡的
種子較小；但還有比它更小的。巴勒斯坦的芥菜種是又小又黑的，活像一粒矮牽牛種，但
它長出來的植物像一棵樹那樣大，高度最少有十二至十四尺。雖然耶穌沒有把這比喻加以
解釋，但其意思及其明顯：天國開始時是微不足道，但卻會长至驚人的巨大，園中其他植
物都給比下去（或許指其他重要的宗教）；飛鳥——並不是天國中的一員——卻來宿在其
上，享受天國帶來世上的福樂。
Mathew Henry (Mat 13:31-32)
============
2. That yet it is growing and coming on. Christ's kingdom strangely got
ground; great accessions were made to it; nations were born at once, in spite
of all the oppositions it met with from hell and earth. In the soul where
grace is true it will grow really, though perhaps insensibly. A grain of
mustard-seed is small, but however it is seed, and has in it a disposition to
grow. Grace will be getting ground, shining more and more, Pro_4:18. Gracious
habits confirmed, actings quickened, and knowledge more clear, faith more
confirmed, love more inflamed; here is the seed growing.
3. That it will at last come to a great degree of strength and usefulness;
when it is grown to some maturity, it becomes a tree, much larger in those
countries than in ours. The church, like the vine brought out of Egypt, has
taken root, and filled the earth, Psa_80:9-11. The church is like a great
tree, in which the fowls of the air do lodge; God's people have recourse to
it for food and rest, shade and shelter. In particular persons, the principle
of grace, if true, will persevere and be perfected at last: growing grace
will be strong grace, and will bring much to pass. Grown Christians must
covet to be useful to others, as the mustard-seed when grown is to the birds;
that those who dwell near or under their shadow may be the better for them,
Hos_14:7.
John Gill
========
Luke 13:19
It is like a grain of mustard seed,.... Both for its smallness at first, and
its after increase; wherefore both the Evangelists Matthew and Mark observe,
that it "is the least of all seed": which is true of the ministry of the
Gospel, of the Gospel church state, and of the grace of God in the hearts of
his people:
which a man took and cast into his garden; the Ethiopic version renders it,
"and sowed in his field", as in Mat_13:31 though mustard used to be sowed in
gardens as well as in fields. (x) Says R. Simeon ben Chelphetha, I have one
stalk of mustard seed, "in my garden": so (y) Buxtorf
translates it. And by the place in the text, where this seed is cast, may be
meant, either the "field" of the world, where the Gospel is preached, and
churches are raised; or the "garden" of the church, where the word and
ordinances are administered, and in the hearts of the members of it, the
grace of God is implanted and increased; see Son_4:12
and it grew and waxed a great tree, which may design the spread of the Gospel
in the world, the flourishing state of the church of Christ, and the growth
of grace in the hearts of believers.
And the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it; the Syriac version
reads in the singular number, "the fowl of the air"; not Satan, and his
principalities and powers, which devour the seed sown by the wayside; nor the
angels of heaven; but rather gracious men on earth, who sit under the shadow
of a Gospel ministry with great delight; and "make their nests", as the
Persic version here renders the words, and take up their residence in Gospel
churches; See Gill on Mat_13:31, Mat_13:32, Mar_4:31, Mar_4:32.