2세기 초대교회 vs. 21세기 한국교회

 

 

 

성경 속의 부동산 투기:2세기 초대교회 vs. 21세기 한국교회

[디오그네투스에게 보내는 편지] 4, 5장 해설

 

 

도대체 교회란 무엇인가? 바른 교회는 어떠한 교회인가? 이런 질문을 하게 만드는 요즈음입니다. 2세기 경의 문서로 추정되는 [디오그네투스에게 보내는 편지]를 통해서 당시 초대교회의 모습이 어떠했으며, 교회의 본질은 무엇인지에 대해서 살펴보고, 그 모습에 한국 교회의 모습을 비추어 보겠습니다.

 

 

[디오그네투스에게 보내는 편지] 제 4, 5장

 

Chapter 5. The manners of the Christians 그리스도인의 삶의 방식

그리스도인들은 다른 사람과 국가나 언어, 관습으로 구별되지 않으며, 
그들과 아무런 차이가 없습니다.
그리스도인은 그들만의 도시에 따로 살지 않으며,
다른 사람들과 소통할 수 없는 그들만의 독특한 언어를 말하지도 않으며,
그들은 비기독교인이 이해할 수 없는 특이한 삶을 살지 않습니다.
그들의 행동 양식은 철학적인 사상의 깊은 숙고나 사유를 통해 이끌어 낸 것도 아니고,
일부 사람들이 그러하듯 인간적으로 만들어 낸 교리를 전파하지도 않습니다.
그리스도인은 문명화된 그리스에 거주하건, 비문명화된 야만인의 땅에 살건,
그 지역의 문화를 운명처럼 받아들입니다.
의복 문화, 음식 문화, 그 밖의 여러 가지 문화들을 
보통 사람들 기준으로 그들이 하는 대로 문화를 따릅니다.
하지만 그리스도인들은 놀랍고도 충격적인 삶의 방식을 보여주고 있습니다.
그리스도인은 각자 자신들의 국가에 살지만 다른 나라 사람처럼 삽니다.
국가의 시민으로서 그들은 다른 시민들과 똑같이 모든 의무를 다합니다,
하지만 그들은 마치 외국인이나 되는 것처럼 모든 불리한 사항들을 참아냅니다.
그리스도인은 모든 외국을 자신의 조국으로 여기고, 
자신의 조국을 모든 외국으로 여깁니다.
그리스도인은 다른 사람들과 똑같이 결혼도 하고 자녀도 낳습니다. 
하지만 그들은 자녀를 버리지 않습니다.
그리스도인은 식탁의 음식은 공유하지만, 침실은 공유하지는 않습니다.
그리스도인은 육신을 입고 살지만, 육신을 따라 살지 않습니다.
그들은 이 땅에서 하루하루 일상을 살아가지만, 그들은 하늘의 시민권자입니다.
그들은 현행법을 준수합니다. 그러나 그들은 법이 요구하는 그 이상의 삶을 삽니다.
그들은 모든 사람들을 사랑하지만 모든 사람들로부터 핍박을 받습니다. 
세상 사람들은 그리스도인이 누군지도 모르면서 그들을 비난합니다.
그리스도인은 죽음에 처하지만 하나님이 생명으로 다시 살리십니다.
그리스도인은 가난하지만, 다른 사람들을 부유하게 합니다.
그리스도인은 삶의 모든 자원이 궁핍하지만, 모든 것이 풍요합니다.
그리스도인은 존중받지 못하지만, 
하나님은 존중받지 못한 바로 그곳에서 영화롭게 해주십니다.
그리스도인은 악하다는 말을 듣지만, 의롭다고 인정을 받습니다.
그리스도인은 경멸을 받지만, 도리어 축복합니다.
그리스도인은 멸시를 당하지만, 멸시하는 자를 존중함으로 되돌려줍니다.
그리스도인은 선을 행하지만, 마치 악인인 듯 처벌당합니다.
그들이 처벌받을 때, 생명을 얻는 것처럼 기뻐합니다.
그들은 유대인에게는 외국인처럼 적대시당하고, 헬라인들에게는 핍박을 당합니다.
유대인과 헬라인이 그리스도인을 증오하지만, 
그리스도인은 그들이 왜 자신들을 미워하는지 정당한 이유를 찾을 수 없습니다.

Chapter 6. The relation of Christians to the world 그리스도인과 세상의 관계

간단히 말해서, 그리스도인과 세상의 관계는 영혼과 육체의 관계와 같습니다.
영혼이 우리 몸 속의 모든 곳에 스며들어 있듯이, 
그리스도인들은 온 세상에 흩어져 살고 있습니다.
영혼이 육체에 거하지만 육신에 속하지 않듯, 
그리스도인도 세상 속에 살지만 세상에 속해 있지 않습니다. 
보이지 않는 영혼이 보이는 육신 안에 거하듯, 
세상에서 그리스도인의 신앙과 경건은 보이지 않습니다.
영혼은 육체에 고통을 가하지 않지만 육체는 영혼을 미워하고 적대시합니다.
이는 영혼이 육체의 쾌락 추구를 막기 때문입니다.
이와 같이 그리스도인이 세상 사람들에게 고통을 가하지 않지만 
세상 사람들은 그리스도인을 미워합니다. 
이는 그리스도인이 세상 사람들이 즐기는 쾌락들을 정죄하기 때문입니다. 
육체가 영혼을 미워하지만 영혼은 자신을 미워하는 육체와 그 모든 지체를 사랑합니다. 
같은 방식으로 세상이 그리스도인을 미워하지만 
그리스도인은 자기를 미워하는 모든 세상 사람을 사랑합니다. 
영혼이 육신에 갇혀 있지만 영혼은 육신을 떠받들고 있습니다. 
그리스도인도 마치 감옥처럼 세상 안에 갇혀 있지만,
그들은 세상을 떠받들고 있습니다. 
불멸의 영혼이 필멸의 장막 안에 거하듯이, 
그리스도인도 썩어  없어질 이 땅에 나그네처럼 거하고 있습니다. 
장차 영원히 썩지 않는 하늘의 처소를 소망하면서 말입니다.
음식과 음료를 줄이면 영혼이 더욱 강해지듯, 
그리스도인들은 핍박을 받으며 매일 그 수가 증가합니다.
하나님께서 그리스도인을 이 영광스러운 자리에 머무르라고 명령하셨으니, 
그리스도인은 이 자리를 버리는 것은 옳지 않습니다.”

 

Chapter 5. The manners of the Christians

 

For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. 2 Corinthians 10:3 They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Philippians 3:20 They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. 2 Corinthians 6:9 They are poor, yet make many rich; 2 Corinthians 6:10 they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; 2 Corinthians 4:12 they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

 

Chapter 6. The relation of Christians to the world

 

To sum up all in one word — what the soul is in the body, Christians are in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it, 1 Peter 2:11 though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet keeps together that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they keep together the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number. God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for them to forsake.