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「種子」一詞（希伯來文זֶרַע，英文發音Zera)，在希伯來語中，不僅僅描述植物的一部分，而是指任何產生新生命的「子」，這包括人類的「精子」。因此「種子」也有人類的子孫後裔的意思。在加拉太書3:16裏，保羅就是用「種子」來闡述他對這個詞的見解。他說：
「所應許的原是向亞伯拉罕和他子孫（單數種子）說的。神並不是說眾子孫（複數種子），指著許多人，乃是說你那一個子孫（單數種子），指著一個人，就是基督。」（加拉太書3：16）
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. （NIV版本）
在這段經文中，保羅所引用的例子來自創世記 22:18。上帝對亞伯拉罕說：「並且地上萬國都必因你的後裔（註：原文 “種子”）得福，因為你聽從了我的話。」保羅具體指出，這裡所指的「後裔或種子」是亞伯拉罕的單數後代，而不是複數。在加拉太書3：16的中文譯本則以「子孫」和「眾子孫」來區分它的量詞。保羅的辯論點在於：如果種子是複數的，它就是指一般的「後裔」；但是如果是單數的種子，就是具體單指一個人。問題是，不管是基督教徒、猶太教徒或精通古希伯來文的拉比、學者都一致同意，創世記 22:18 中使用的希伯來文 זֶרַע (zera/種子）確實是一個單數，但是它是一個 「集體單數名詞」（collective singular noun)；也就是說，雖然它看起來是單數，但創世紀使用的集體單數指的是亞伯拉罕的整個後代，而不是單數的一個人。 「種子」在希伯來文雖然也有複數的形式（זְרָעִים， 英文發音為 zurainn），但它複數種子的用法就是按字面的意思，指一般我們在土裡播種的種子，完全沒有「後裔」的含義。 事實上，在希伯來聖經中（或作舊約），集體單數 zera 以不同的形式在整個舊約聖經中總共出現了 228 次，包括創世紀13:16；15:5；16:10；17:19；22:17等。 而其中沒有一次經節是以複數形式 “zurainn” 來指代人類後裔（註：摘自Tovia Singer 拉比之 Let’s Get Biblical 一書）。
保羅的猶太學問超越當年的同儕，是一位卓越不凡的神學宗師。他對「種子」在希伯來聖經裡的用法，肯定再熟悉不過了。既然他很清楚種子的複數不會是「後裔」的意思，為什麼他要用這種不合文字規則的方式來證明這個集體單數的種子是亞伯拉罕特定的一個後裔—「基督」呢？保羅有可能誤解希伯來文字的用法嗎？還是因為他在小亞細亞的加拉太聽眾是一群不識字的非猶太人，所以他認為如果用這種說法能夠信服他們信基督，其正確性就屬次要？
當保羅的這個 「漏洞」 被提出質疑時，基督教界不乏各種解經專家及牧者，紛紛前來 挽救局面。以下是其中幾種說法：
1.雖然亞伯拉罕一共生了八個兒子（創世紀 25 章），但這應許的祝福只會來自一個特定兒子的血統，這個兒子就是亞伯拉罕和妻子撒拉年老時所生的獨生兒—以撒，也就是以掃和雅各的父親。上帝在此用 “zera” 單數的種子是為了排除亞伯拉罕所有其他兒子及其後裔。也因為耶穌是亞伯拉罕的 「正統」子孫，就實現了上帝對亞伯拉罕的應許，即萬國都將通過一條特定的血統得到祝福，就是以色列國。 正如耶穌在約翰福音4:22對撒馬亞婦人說的話；「你們所拜的你們不知道，我們所拜的我們知道，因為救恩是從猶太人出來的。」保羅因而透過這個單數種子來解釋，這位唯一能拯救世界的猶太人就是耶穌。
2. 保羅其實是同意集體單數 “zera” 的用法。他這裡使用的單數並不排除亞伯拉罕其他兒子和子孫；也就是說，保羅認為這個種子不僅是主耶穌，還包括所有因信基督而成為亞伯拉罕子孫的基督徒。 因為他在加拉太書3:29説：「你們既屬乎基督，就是亞伯拉罕的後裔（註： 種子集體單數），是照著應許承受產業的了。」保羅雖然只說基督是這個特定的單數種子，但是以上下文來推測，他是説神給亞伯拉罕應許的繼承人，其實是集體的後裔，是所有信基督的人。
3. 信徒與基督本來就是合而為一。在約翰福音17:23，耶穌說：「我在他們裡面，你在我裡面，使他們完完全全的合而為一….」，彼得後書1:4也說，信徒「與神的性情有分。」保羅除了在哥林多前書12:13-14, 27講到信徒與基督是身體和肢體的關係之外，他還在加拉太書3:28説無論你是「….猶太人，是希臘人，是為奴的，是自主的，或男或女，因為你們在基督耶穌裡都成為一了。」只要信基督的人都成為屬靈的以色列人，也就是說亞伯拉罕的單數種子雖是只有提到基督，但因為合一的關係，所有信主的人和基督算為一個集體的單數，而不是複數種子後裔。這麼解釋的話就完全沒有衝突。
總而言之，學者們對這段令人不解的「種子之謎」的結論是：保羅既沒有誤解希伯來文，也沒有假設 zera 這個詞只指一個人。 相反，保羅正確地指出，這個詞指的是「一群」特定的後裔，而基督是那一族或後裔的元首。
基督徒會不會為了要強求解釋，而把這段話複雜化了？其實Singer拉比在他 “Let’s Get Biblical”一書中說明，當「種子」一詞意為「後裔」時，它的用法就如英文裡的羊 “sheep”一樣，就算是複數，仍然不會加 “s”。沒有人會用 “sheeps” 這個字來形容很多隻羊，再多隻的羊都還是 “sheep”; 相同的，保羅想用單數的種子來劃分，來強調其「非複數」的特別性，可能在牽強之餘還會誤導讀者與信徒。就算保羅的詮釋方法有他的道理，基督徒不妨跳出框框，參考Strong 或是NAS Exhaustive Concordance（聖經經文彙編）所有有關「種子/後裔」的經節，就可以清楚指看到上百個例句裡的「種子」都是指「集體的後代」，並非單指「一個人」。曾幾何時，「種子」因加拉太書這一節，而定義被使徒保羅更改成「耶穌」了？
Story of a Seed
The term "seed" (Hebrew זֶרַע, pronounced Zera) in Hebrew language means more than just a part of a plant. It refers to anything that produces new life, including human sperm. Therefore "seed" also signifies human descendants. In Galatians 3:16, Paul discusses his interpretation of "seed", saying: "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed (singular). Scripture does not say 'and to seeds (plural),' meaning many people, but 'and to your seed (singular), meaning one person, who is Christ." (Galatians 3:16 NIV)
This reference by Paul originates from Genesis 22:18, where God tells Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through your offspring (note: the original text uses the singular 'seed')." Paul clarifies that the "seed" mentioned here refers to a singular descendant of Abraham, rather than plural. The Chinese Bible’s translation of Galatians 3:16 distinguishes between “a descendant” (singular) and "many descendants" to differentiate its plurality. Paul's argument is that if the seed were plural, it would mean "offspring" in general, but since it's singular, it refers specifically to only one person. Scholars, including Christians, Jews, and experts in Hebrew, agree that the Hebrew זֶרַע (zera/seed) used in Genesis 22:18 is singular but is a "collective singular noun," meaning it appears singular but collectively refers to all of Abraham's descendants, not just one person. While Hebrew has a plural form for "seed" (זְרָעִים, pronounced zurainn), its plural usage literally means seeds for planting, without implying "descendants." In the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), the collective singular “zera” appears in various forms 228 times, including Genesis 13:16, 15:5, 16:10, 17:19, 22:17, etc. None of these instances use the plural "zurainn" to refer to human descendants (note: from Rabbi Tovia Singer's book "Let’s Get Biblical").
Paul, a renowned theological master of his time, was well-versed in the usage of "seed" in the Hebrew Bible. Knowing that the plural form of seed does not mean "descendants," why did he use this unorthodox interpretation to assert that the collective singular seed refers to a specific descendant, "Christ"? Could Paul have misunderstood the Hebrew text, or did he adapt his message for his mostly illiterate, non-Jewish audience in Galatia, prioritizing persuasiveness over accuracy?
When Paul's interpretation was questioned, various experts and pastors in the Christian community came forward with some explanations:
1. Although Abraham had eight sons, the promised blessing can only come from a specific son, Isaac, born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, who was the father of Esau and Jacob. By using "zera" in the singular, God excluded all other sons and their descendants. Since Jesus was a direct descendant of Abraham, he fulfilled God's promise that all nations would be blessed through that very specific lineage, which is Israel. This is echoed in Jesus' words in John 4:22: "Salvation is from the Jews." Paul used the singular seed to indicate that the only person capable of saving the world was Jesus, a Jew.
2. Paul actually agreed with the collective singular use of "zera." His singular reference did not exclude Abraham's other sons and descendants, meaning the seed includes not only Jesus but all Christians who, through faith, become Abraham's descendants. In Galatians 3:29, Paul says: "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Thus, while Paul specifically mentions Christ as the singular seed, the context suggests he meant a collective group of descendants - all believers in Christ.
3. Believers are one with Christ. John 17:23 states, "I in them and you in me, so that they may be brought to complete unity..." and 2 Peter 1:4 speaks of believers sharing in God's divine nature. Paul also discusses the body and body parts relationship between believers and Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:13-14, 27 and Galatians 3:28, where he states there's no distinction between Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female in Christ. This implies that while the singular seed refers specifically to Christ, the unity with believers makes them collectively one entity, not plural descendants.
In conclusion, scholars believe that Paul did not misunderstand Hebrew nor assumed that "zera" referred only to one person. Instead, he correctly identified it as a "collection" of specific descendants, with Christ as the head.
Christians might be complicating the interpretation to justify this seed scenario. In his book, "Let's Get Biblical," Rabbi Tobias Singer explains what "seed" means. He explains that when "seed" is used as "offspring" in Hebrew, it's like the word "sheep" in English, where the plural form does not add an "s." No one uses "sheeps" to describe many sheep; in other words, many sheep are still referred to as "sheep." Similarly, Paul's use of the singular "seed" to make a distinction and emphasize its singularity may have been somewhat forced and could mislead readers and believers. Even if there's a rational explanation behind Paul's interpretation method,
Christians might want to consider stepping out of the box and consulting resources like the Strong's or the NAS Exhaustive Concordance for all references to "seed/offspring" in the Bible. There, they can clearly see that "seed" in hundreds of examples refers to a collective group of descendants, not just a single person.
Christians might want to consider stepping out of the box and consulting resources like the Strong's or the NAS Exhaustive Concordance for all references to "seed/offspring" in the Bible. It would reveal that in hundreds of examples that "seed" refers to a collective group of descendants, not just a single person. We should probably ask ourselves whether it is reasonable for us to allow the definition of “seed” to be changed to “Jesus” simply because of what Paul wrote in this one verse in the book of Galatians.
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