神权与律法之下:希伯来王国的“有限君主制”

Under Theocracy and the Torah: "Limited Monarchy" in the Hebrew Kingdom

在权力体制方面,希伯来王权与古代近东其他地区不同的是,希伯来王国除君王以外始终存在着律法、祭司、先知、民众/长老等多重权力中心,其中上帝被视为一切权力的终极来源。具体来说,君王不仅无权制定法律,而且受到托拉这一根本大法的限制;同时,拥有献祭和神谕等精神权力的祭司与先知不断对君王的违法僭越行为进行监督,反映到实际政治生活之中即是神权制衡下的有限君权。这种权力制约观念经由基督教传至后世的西方国家,进而发展为推翻绝对君主制的重要理论资源。

As regards its system of power,Hebrew kingship was different from those elsewhere in the ancient Near East:apart from the king,the Hebrew kingdom always had a number of power centers,including the Torah,priests,prophets,the populace/presbyters,etc.,with God being viewed as the ultimate source of all power.In particular,the king had no right or power to make laws,being restricted by the fundamental law,the Torah.At the same time,priest and prophets,who had such spiritual powers as offering sacrifices and receiving the divine word,put the king under perpetual surveillance lest he infringe the Law or overstep his authority.As reflected in practical political life,Hebrew kingship was a limited monarchy constrained by a theocracy.This concept of restrictions on power was transmitted through Christianity to later Western countries,where it developed into an important theoretical resource for the overthrow of absolute monarchy.