We shared before that the only method described in the Bible to read the Bible correctly is through the leading of the revelation of the Holy Spirit [1]. Revelations are what we cannot do. Among what we can do is not to discount the words that the Bible says. Using the original languages to help us to read the Bible tends will make us understand the meaning of the words more accurately. I don’t know the original languages. But after I learned about how to use the Strong’s Concordance to help me to read the Bible in the original languages, I often got revelation through it. For example, Holy Spirit may lead me to look at one particular word and the associated verses, so that I could understand verses I couldn’t understand before. So, my motivation is very simple. I hope that the others could get such revelations. Using the Strong’s Concordance to help in reading the Bible in the original languages is not only for those who are familiar with the Bible, but also for new beginners who want to learn the Bible more accurately by establishing a good habit right from beginning, and even for friends who want to know the Bible accurately. 

First, we mention in the preface that we talked about the three things in “1039 Looking at what we should do through Revelation 15,” and discussed what people might ask when talking about the consistency of the Bible [1]. Thus, we include more discussions in the preface.  Then, we explain why it is important to use the original languages to study the Bible. This is sort of similar to the principle of faith. One has to believe first before he can get the fullness of Christ. In my own experience, we have to use the Concordance first before God uses the original languages to reveal to me. Thirdly, we explain step by step the basic method of using the Concordance to help to read the Bible. If you follow each step, you should be able to learn it without spending too much time at all. Fourthly, we use one example to show you that one has no choice but to use the original languages to read the Bible if he wants to read the Bible correctly. Fifthly, we present an example to show you why the Concordance is indeed a good tool. Sixthly, we describe an example to show you that although words are different on the surface, but they have the same meaning since one is verb and the other noun. Finally, we mention one reason in the conclusion why the Bible tells us not to forsake assembling together, and explain why revelation is not all supernatural to us according to the Bible. We also see that we indeed have free will. It is not easy to have ears which can hear. We believe that the God will desire to bless us if we are actively willing to work with Him.

1. Preface: What we can be actively willing to do in reading the Bible

In the past, we talked about how we need to actively use revelation to lead our Bible study. Thus, we are passive [1]. However, we can do three things actively. In other words, we are actively passive in reading the Bible. In [1], what are those three things? (1) Not to discount things the Bible says that are written in black and white: we illustrate through an example to show that it not easy to do; (2) To use logic correctly: we explain through an example why logic is just a tool, and what we see through faith will result in different hypotheses (axioms); (3) To use the consistency of the Bible, i.e., what God tells us through the Bible is consistent. This may be different from what people usually define this term as. We illustrate these three in detail by examples in [1], where people may raise questions regarding the discussions on the consistency of the Bible. Thus, we use this opportunity to add some additional information for further discussion. This is based upon the conclusion that the Book of Revelation is written in order according to the events. Thus, this is why what says in [1] the fact that there are some Christians who are not allowed to enter the city of New Jerusalem when the time is for a new heaven and a new earth. We know that this may cause arguments. But we are forced to say so since if we use logic on the words what the Bible says, we can only get such a conclusion.  

Why do we say that the Book of Revelation is written in chronological order? As one example, when the Book of Revelation talks about seven seals, seven trumpets (including seven thunders), and seven bowls are written according to the order. For example, the seven seals are broken according to the order. In Revelation 6:1, it says, “Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, …” Then in Revelation 6:3, it says, “When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.”” And so on until all the seals are broken in order. So, particularly in the beginning, the Bible wants us to make sure that the events are described in order. In Revelation 10:4, “When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”” John didn’t write what said by seven thunders. He wrote in order what he saw regarding what would happen in the future. He is obedient and thus credible. This is very different from what said in the four Gospels. It is apparent that what is described there is not according to the order.

From another aspect, the Book of Revelation is clearly written as “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”(Revelation 1:1-3) It is what will happen in the future, and hope that everyone can read it. Furthermore, it clearly said the obedience and thus the credibility of John. It also described clearly in the beginning that the events are written in the order. Thus, as discussed in [1], we cannot change the order just because we cannot accept something in the aspect of human. If we view things in the aspect of human, we really cannot see there is a possibility that some Christians are not allowed to enter the city. You must see things in the aspect of God to get such a conclusion. In fact, the Book of Revelation says right in the beginning that it hopes that everyone will know what will happen in the future. Why would he write in anything but chronological order? This is not logical. The Bible is inspired by God, if He was on purpose, isn’t it better not to write it at all? Or told John like the way of seven thunders. For things not there, there is no chance to understand them at all.

Back to the original topic, someone doubts the verse in Revelation 22:15, “Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying,” is not written in order. Because of the moral standard according to human, one cannot accept such persons are Christians. This is right. Therefore, other than what had discussed in [1], we need to share more what we see. First, we need to know that Christians have only one standard. That is to see what God emphasizes. In other words, we need to see things in the aspect of God, not in the aspect of human. 

We have to notice what God emphasizes is very different from what we see in the aspect of human. To explain this by an example, David commits adultery and use the sons of Aman to kill Uriah the Hittite. How come David’s life was spared? Also because of his own pride, he counted people, and many people were killed due to this. After this, the Bible doesn’t record that he was on trials again. He disguised his sanity and lied to Achish king of Gath too. Isn’t it obviously against the law? There is no record about his penalty in the Bible. Isn’t it that David is a Christian? Is God partial? Of course not! When we read the Bible, we really want to read out what God emphasizes. See things in the aspect of God. God has the absolute authority. He can make it happen that some Christians are not allowed to enter the city is if they are not qualified. I don’t ask why He does this. Because I found out that it was us to have problems, not Him!

At this point, let us compare the aforementioned Revelation 22:15 with Revelation 21:8, “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” In Revelation 21:8, those in the second death include the unbelieving among many in common with Revelation 22:15, where the unbelieving isn’t in it. Therefore, those cannot enter the city could be a believing one. They could be merely saved by believing once but so feeble to the extent of suffering the attack of Satan till they worship idols, lie, and so on. But the God doesn’t lie, we are justified by faith. If a person truly believes by faith even once, it is sufficient. We cannot go back to say that the person has not really believed. A person like this is saved but stays outside the city with weeping and gnashing of teeth. This manifests the justice of God and fulfills the consistency of the Bible regarding ‘once saved, forever saved.’ Knowing this, it should give people motivations to be persons who can enter the city, and walk on the way to sanctification. In the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation, the overcomers in some churches are not too many! 

One may wonder if there is any meaning at all for verses where there are so many in common but only a few in difference? We’ll give an example in the Old Testament for you to judge.  Starting in Exodus 18:5, it says, “Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God.” “So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land.”(Exodus 18:24-27)

We can see apparently that such a choice is worldly. The idea was from the father-in-law of Moses. This didn’t work due to a wrong source. So, after a long while, there is the second choice of wise and experienced man as said in Deuteronomy 1:3-15, “In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all that the Lord had commanded him to give to them, …So I (Moses) took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and appointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands and of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and officers for your tribes.” In this example, the minor difference is meaningful. The difference is huge since one is worldly, and the other spiritual.

Like what said before, not all the books are written according to the time order. In the Book of Revelation, it is written in order clearly at beginning. How can one think that it is not written according to the order when disagreeing or not understanding what was said? Aha, this is not the main topic regarding what will be discussed today. Just pointing out, there is nothing wrong in logic. If one assumes the Book of Revelation is not written in order, any conclusion can be obtained. Today, we want to go forward one step to read out the Bible more accurately by using the Concordance to help to read the Bible in original languages for people like me, who don’t know the original languages but wants to read the Bible more accurately.  

2. Why use original languages to read the Bible?

Like what I said before, I don’t know original languages. I can only use tools like the Strong’s Concordance with the possibility to learn the meaning of words. Regarding why we must read the Bible in original languages because there are cases that we have to use the original languages. More times, we can see that the Concordance is a good tool. Through it, we can understand what the God wants us to see through the Bible, particularly for those who didn’t use a Bible in original languages before. For those, they could understand the meaning of words more accurately, which may change the way of their thinking. We want to emphasize a point regarding the fact that the Concordance only helps us on understanding of words, and has nothing to do with the grammar of original languages. After thorough consideration, I decided not to learn original languages because not only the meaning of verses cannot be uniquely determined by verses surrounding it or even in the same book, but they have to be decided by the consistency of the Bible. On the top of that, I know that it is impossible for me to reach the level of experts. I may as well use tools available when necessary.  

If the Holy Spirit reveals us to look at original languages and we don’t know how to use tools like the Concordance, there is no way to do anything for people like me who don’t know original languages. Just like what I shared before, it was only after I learned how to use tools like the Concordance to help me to read the Bible that the Holy Spirit would often reveal some verses to me to make me understand the Bible better. My motivation is simple. I hope that others could get such revelations. As said, this is similar to the basic principle in faith. One has to believe first before he can receive the fullness of Christ. So, we need to use original languages first before we get such revelations. Furthermore, from my personal experiences, learning the Concordance first as a spare tool is better than not knowing it at all.  On the top of that, it doesn’t take much time to learn the basics. Once one learns about the basic method, how to apply it is really up to individuals.

3. The basic method of using the Concordance   

We choose the ‘Blue Letter Bible’ in the web since it includes all we need and more. We are not intended to introduce this software but to use a small part of it. Any corresponding software can be used. The basic method should be similar.

Now, we try to explain step by step what we do. First, in the search type in ‘Blue Letter Bible,’ and choose ‘Blue Letter Bible Search and Study Tools.’ Since the Concordance uses the KJV (King James Version), we’ll use it from this point on.  Let us now use part of Ephesians 4:15 as an example, “But speaking the truth in love, …” On the right search the Bible box, you can type in ‘Ephesians 4:15’ and choose KJV. You can see a window with Eph 4:15 on the left. Choose near the top on “STRONG’S”, then we can see the number corresponding to a word appeared in the right of the word. Choose ‘G226’, and we can see a lot of things. Moving to the bottom of the left column, we see only two verses with G226. They are ‘Gal 4:16’ and ‘Eph 4:15’, and both for this word G226 are translated as truth. What does the truth in here mean? We cannot really get its real meaning without using the consistency of the Bible. We are asked in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Quench not the Spirit.” Does the Spirit talk to us always regarding Word? No, the true words sometimes. It should be the latter if we want to keep the consistency of the Bible.

When you move to the top, you’ll see a lot of information including the Strong’s Definition, which shows you the root of the word G226 is from G227. So, it shows you that the Strong’s Definition is based on the root system. We need to see how the Bible uses such a word by examining all its appearances. Normally, more than two will show up. Ordinarily, if the same word appears in the same book enough times, you can figure out its meaning without looking at all the appeared. In the worst case, a word can only appear once. We need to check all surrounding verses, and use the consistency of the Bible. On the top of that, a dictionary may be helpful as a reference.  

4. An example indicating that the use of original languages is necessary 

In John 21:15-17, it says in KJV, “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (G25) thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love (G5368) thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (G25) thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love (G5368) thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (G5368) thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest (G5368) thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love (G5368) thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

Here, I include the Strong’s number for the word ‘love.’  we can see that the Greek language has different loves, and there is no way to distinguish them unless the original languages are used. More times, we can see that the Concordance is a good tool. Through it, it is much easier for us to truly understand the meaning of a verse, which can change our thinking completely. We’ll present such an example in the next section.

5. An example where we can truly see that the Concordance is a good tool

The twenty-four elders and four beasts first appeared in Revelation 4:4-6, it says, “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, …were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.” In Revelation 5:6-8, it says, “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, …And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having (G2192) every one of them (G1538) harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.” Some people think like what I did in the past that only the twenty-four elders in Revelation 4:4-6 took the harp and golden vials. But it is not true. 

Let us first notice that the four beasts and the twenty-four elders are often mentioned together. Among them are the following verses. “And when those beasts give glory …The four and twenty elders fall down before him …”(Revelation 4:9-10) “And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him …”(Revelation 5:14) “And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped …”(Revelation 19:4) If the verses in Revelation 5:6-8 only refers to the twenty-four elders, the word G3588 (who, which) should be used just like what happened in Revelation 1:9, “I John, who (G3588) also am your brother, …” The word G3588 appeared in the Book of Revelation already 66 times, and more than 500 times in the New Testament. Instead, the present participle G2192 is used here. The Bible wants us to make sure that we know that it indicates both the four beasts and the twenty-four elders. So, we can see that they represent and are in the same group.

6. An example which shows the same meaning even with different words

The two different words Agape (G25) and Agapao (G26) have the same meaning since the former is a verb but the latter is its noun. The former can be found in Mark 10:21, “Then Jesus beholding him loved (G25) him, …” The latter can be found in Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love (G26) of many shall wax cold.”

7. Conclusion 

We can see the Concordance is a good tool. In Hebrews 10:25, it says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; …” It is really for our goodness. Why? We really don’t know when God will reveal to us by the sharing of brothers and sisters. It could be anytime particularly sometime through our reading the Bible in original languages. This is why we shared how to use the Concordance today. 

Here, we want to emphasize one point. Not all revelations are through supernatural means. After Paul saw the light, God gave a vision to Ananias and told him to tell Paul some things. Additionally, we all know that man has free will. Even if what is said in the Bible and logic are fulfilled, one can still choose unbelief. Basically, it is because the conclusion is different from what he agrees. In other words, what one sees things in this case is in the aspect of human. We really want to have ears which can hear as said in all seven churches in the Book of Revelation. I remember that when I thought a person hinted me that I had no ear, I was not happy even though I didn’t say it. Now, I know that it was true. Here, I just say what the Bible says that we need to have ears which can hear. I don’t imply that I have them always. So, we have to be very careful when listening to one’s words. We cannot arbitrarily add an equality sign just like when reading the Bible. Man has free will, thus it is not easy to always have ears which can hear. When we are actively willing to work with God, I believe that He’ll not let us go and desires to bless us.

Related knowledge

[1] In the web “https://a-christian-voice.com/ ,”  press “On spiritual understanding about life” and “1039 Looking at what we should do through Revelation 15.”

 (Verses refer to those in NASB unless otherwise specified.)

(You can get all articles in “https://a-christian-voice.com/” under “On spiritual understanding about life.”)

     首先我们看到行神迹的时间和背景，也看到了耶稣的反应和世人的不同。第二，祂明知犹太人要杀祂但仍去犹太，这不是自杀的行动。在旧约的例子已经讲得很清楚，神不要我们自杀，也看到了神虽然有绝对的主权，但祂是有怜悯有恩典的神。第三，圣经说得很清楚，耶稣已预先知道祂所要做的事。接着我们在第四看到了在伯大尼村外发生的事情，及在第五叙述了神迹是怎么发生的。第六，我们看到了因这神迹而带了不少人信主。最后我们简短的提到一个相应的见证。

1. 神迹的背景和耶稣的反应    

     时间在经文中写得很清楚，『逾越节前六日，耶稣来到伯大尼，就是他叫拉撒路从死里复活之处。』(约翰福音 12:1) 神迹的背景也在约翰福音 11:1-3 描述了，『有一个患病的人，名叫拉撒路，住在伯大尼，就是马利亚和她姐姐马大的村庄。这马利亚就是那用香膏抹主，又用头发擦他脚的，患病的拉撒路是她的兄弟。她姊妹两个就打发人去见耶稣说：「主啊，你所爱的人病了。」』我们再看看耶稣的反应，『耶稣听见就说：「这病不至于死，乃是为神的荣耀，叫神的儿子因此得荣耀。」耶稣素来爱马大和她妹子并拉撒路，听见拉撒路病了，就在所居之地仍住了两天。』    

     一般人的反应通常是愈快去愈好，但耶稣很不同。从人的角度看，那两天会使拉撒路死得更透撤！从神的角度看，生命是在那三位一体的神手中。对祂来说，一点问题都没有。

2. 耶稣去犹太不是自杀的行动    

      我们再看耶稣采取什么样的行动，『然后对门徒说：「我们再往犹太去吧！」门徒说：「拉比，犹太人近来要拿石头打你，你还往那里去吗？」耶稣回答说：「白日不是有十二小时吗？人在白日走路，就不至跌倒，因为看见这世上的光；若在黑夜走路，就必跌倒，因为他没有光。」』 (约翰福音 11:7-10)    

     我们看到祂回答门徒的话就知道祂很清楚祂是世界的光，如约翰福音 9:5 所说：『我在世上的时候，是世上的光。』祂顺服圣灵的带领，以致于死在十字架上，为我们成就了救恩。祂知道祂的时候还没有到，不是去犹太自杀。神不要我们自杀，其实在旧约就把这点讲得很清楚了！我们来看其中的一件事情，『亚吉的臣仆对亚吉说：「这不是以色列国王大卫吗？那里的妇女跳舞唱和，不是指着他说『扫罗杀死千千，大卫杀死万万』吗？」大卫将这话放在心里，甚惧怕迦特王亚吉，就在众人面前改变了寻常的举动，在他们手下假装疯癫，在城门的门扇上胡写乱画，使唾沫流在胡子上。』 (撒母耳记上 21:11-13) 大卫装疯不是违反不要说谎的律法吗？但祂那时不想出装疯的方法，形同自杀，神没有为这件事怪罪他。     

     我们再重复，神有绝对主权。大卫犯奸淫及借刀杀乌利亚的罪和这罪实在不能相比，但神仍赦免了他的死罪，『大卫对拿单说：「我得罪耶和华了！」拿单说：「耶和华已经除掉你的罪，你必不至于死。」』 (撒母耳记下 12:13) 基督徒读圣经实在是应该读出神所注重的是什么，要从神的角度看事情，不要因为是人就总是从人的角度看。从诗篇 51 篇，我们看见了大卫是为这了件事真正的在神面前悔改，也告诉众人他有罪了，在众人面前悔改，因这诗篇是交于伶长的。但不能不罚，他受的处罚是非常大的。        

     也看见了神虽然有绝对的主权和祂的公义，但祂是有怜悯有恩典的神。幸亏就是神有这样的怜悯和恩典，我们才会有救恩的计划。没有救恩，我们一点机会都没有。新约中也为我们的软弱留了一条路：『我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义。』 (约翰一书 1:9) 新旧约都是一位神，神透过圣经告诉我们的都是一致的，这只是其中的一个例子，告诉我们神是有怜悯有恩典的神。

3. 耶稣已预先知道祂所要做的事       

     『耶稣说了这话，随后对他们说：「我们的朋友拉撒路睡了，我去叫醒他！」门徒说：「主啊，他若睡了，就必好了。」耶稣这话是指着他死说的，他们却以为是说照常睡了。耶稣就明明地告诉他们说：「拉撒路死了。我没有在那里就欢喜，这是为你们的缘故，好叫你们相信。如今我们可以往他那里去吧！」多马，又称为低土马，就对那同作门徒的说：「我们也去和他同死吧。」』 (约翰福音 11:11-16)

4. 耶稣到伯大尼村外       

     『耶稣到了，就知道拉撒路在坟墓里已经四天了。伯大尼离耶路撒冷不远，约有六里路。有好些犹太人来看马大和马利亚，要为她们的兄弟安慰她们。马大听见耶稣来了，就出去迎接他；马利亚却仍然坐在家里。马大对耶稣说：「主啊，你若早在这里，我兄弟必不死！就是现在，我也知道，你无论向神求甚么，神也必赐给你。」耶稣说：「你兄弟必然复活。」马大说：「我知道在末日复活的时候，他必复活。」耶稣对她说：「复活在我，生命也在我！信我的人，虽然死了，也必复活。凡活着信我的人必永远不死。你信这话吗？」马大说：「主啊，是的，我信你是基督，是神的儿子，就是那要临到世界的。」』 (约翰福音 11:17-27)       

     『马大说了这话，就回去暗暗地叫她妹子马利亚说：「夫子来了，叫你。」马利亚听见了，就急忙起来，到耶稣那里去。那时，耶稣还没有进村子，仍在马大迎接他的地方。那些同马利亚在家里安慰她的犹太人，见她急忙起来出去，就跟着她，以为她要往坟墓那里去哭。马利亚到了耶稣那里，看见他，就俯伏在他脚前，说：「主啊，你若早在这里，我兄弟必不死。」耶稣看见她哭，并看见与她同来的犹太人也哭，就心里悲叹，又甚忧愁，便说：「你们把他安放在哪里？」 他们回答说：「请主来看。」耶稣哭了。犹太人就说：「你看他爱这人是何等恳切。」其中有人说：「他既然开了瞎子的眼睛，岂不能叫这人不死吗？」』 (约翰福音 11:28-37)       

     有人问，耶稣为什么哭和悲叹？犹太人说：「你看他爱这人是何等恳切。」这是犹太人说的，不见得是实情。有人说，祂看到众人不信祂能让拉撒路死里复活。也有人说，祂看到了众人的结局都是一死。或者上述的原因没有一个是对的，有.别的原因。事实上，这是圣经没讲的一个地方，我们再猜测也不会达到确定的结论的，不如不猜。

5. 拉撒路的死里复活神迹       

     『耶稣又心里悲叹，来到坟墓前。那坟墓是个洞，有一块石头挡着。耶稣说：「你们把石头挪开！」 那死人的姐姐马大对他说：「主啊，他现在必是臭了，因为他死了已经四天了。」耶稣说：「我不是对你说过，你若信，就必看见神的荣耀吗？」他们就把石头挪开。耶稣举目望天说：「父啊，我感谢你，因为你已经听我；我也知道你常听我。但我说这话，是为周围站着的众人，叫他们信是你差了我来。」说了这话，就大声呼叫说：「拉撒路出来！」那死人就出来了，手脚裹着布，脸上包着手巾。 耶稣对他们说：「解开，叫他走！」』(约翰福音 11:38-45)

     请注意，拉撒路的死里复活是和耶稣的死里复活是不可相比的。拉撒路是人，终究会死，而主耶稣是活到永恒。

6. 拉撒路死里复活的影响       

     有不少人因拉撒路而信了耶稣：『那些来看马利亚的犹太人，见了耶稣所做的事，就多有信他的。』(约翰福音 11:45) 『有人在那里给耶稣预备筵席，马大伺候，拉撒路也在那同耶稣坐席的人中。…有许多犹太人知道耶稣在那里，就来了，不但是为耶稣的缘故，也是要看他从死里所复活的拉撒路。但祭司长商议连拉撒路也要杀了，因有好些犹太人为拉撒路的缘故，回去信了耶稣。』(约翰福音 12:2-11)『当耶稣呼唤拉撒路，叫他从死复活出坟墓的时候，同耶稣在那里的众人就作见证。众人因听见耶稣行了这神迹，就去迎接他。』(约翰福音 12:17-18)       

     圣经没有记载拉撒路讲过一句话，但许多人都因他信主了！他本身就是那活生生的见证。从这里我们可看到以身作则的重要，其实也是非要不可的，因行道胜于听道，就如雅各书所说：『只是你们要行道，不要单单听道，自己欺哄自己。』(雅各书 1:22)

7. 相应的见证       

     在一位朋友的葬礼中，她躺在棺材里面。在接近最后的时候，有两位姊妹走到棺材前，奉主耶稣的名，要她起来，当然她没有起来。这显然是非常稀少的。和我同去的弟兄认为她们很有信心，我的想法正好相反，想到她们了解圣经怎么到这种地步？这在非基徒面前作了一个很不好的见证。       

     这不叫做信心！新约中明讲，『信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。』(希伯来书 11:1) 旧约也明说：『先知托耶和华的名说话，所说的若不成就，也无效验，这就是耶和华所未曾吩咐的，是那先知擅自说的，你不要怕他。』(申命记 18:22)     

     这件事的发生时间已经相当久远了，我只记得她的离世和葬礼相当近，问过几位可能知道的，也都不记得相隔几天了！她们应该有负担，但实在要确定那是不是真的负担！像拉撒路也只死了四天，如果相隔是在那之外，显然负担不会是真的。如果在那之内，她们最后也应该知道那是假的，不是从神来的！因为从神来的一定会应验。她们应该事前就知道，她们没有付于权柄有能力做这件事情。我了解有时一个人只能在某些事情发生后才能百分之百的确定，但这实在是太过份了！就像我们以前所做的见证一样，不是所有超自然的事都是从神来的，一定要知道这点且要非常小心。

(你可以在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』看到所有的文章，到这网站后要按『对属灵生命的了解』。)

       首先我們看到行神蹟的時間和背景，也看到了耶穌的反應和世人的不同。第二，祂明知猶太人要殺祂但仍去猶太，這不是自殺的行動。在舊約的例子已經講得很清楚，神不要我們自殺，也看到了神雖然有絕對的主權，但祂是有憐憫有恩典的神。第三，聖經說得很清楚，耶穌已預先知道祂所要做的事。接著我們在第四看到了在伯大尼村外發生的事情，及在第五敍述了神蹟是怎麼發生的。第六，我們看到了因這神蹟而帶了不少人信主。最後我們簡短的提到一個相應的見証。

1. 神蹟的背景和耶穌的反應

    時間在經文中寫得很清楚，『逾越節前六日，耶穌來到伯大尼，就是他叫拉撒路從死裏復活之處。』(約翰福音 12:1) 神蹟的背景也在約翰福音 11:1-3 描述了，『有一個患病的人，名叫拉撒路，住在伯大尼，就是馬利亞和她姐姐馬大的村莊。這馬利亞就是那用香膏抹主，又用頭髮擦他腳的，患病的拉撒路是她的兄弟。她姊妹兩個就打發人去見耶穌說：「主啊，你所愛的人病了。」』我們再看看耶穌的反應，『耶穌聽見就說：「這病不至於死，乃是為神的榮耀，叫神的兒子因此得榮耀。」耶穌素來愛馬大和她妹子並拉撒路，聽見拉撒路病了，就在所居之地仍住了兩天。』 

    一般人的反應通常是愈快去愈好，但耶穌很不同。從人的角度看，那兩天會使拉撒路死得更透撤！從神的角度看，生命是在那三位一體的神手中。對祂來說，一點問題都沒有。

2. 耶穌去猶太不是自殺的行動

    我們再看耶穌採取什麼樣的行動，『然後對門徒說：「我們再往猶太去吧！」門徒說：「拉比，猶太人近來要拿石頭打你，你還往那裏去嗎？」耶穌回答說：「白日不是有十二小時嗎？人在白日走路，就不至跌倒，因為看見這世上的光；若在黑夜走路，就必跌倒，因為他沒有光。」』 (約翰福音 11:7-10) 

    我們看到祂回答門徒的話就知道祂很清楚祂是世界的光，如約翰福音 9:5 所說：『我在世上的時候，是世上的光。』祂順服聖靈的帶領，以致於死在十字架上，為我們成就了救恩。祂知道祂的時候還沒有到，不是去猶太自殺。神不要我們自殺，其實在舊約就把這點講得很清楚了！我們來看其中的一件事情，『亞吉的臣僕對亞吉說：「這不是以色列國王大衞嗎？那裏的婦女跳舞唱和，不是指着他說『掃羅殺死千千，大衞殺死萬萬』嗎？」大衞將這話放在心裏，甚懼怕迦特王亞吉，就在眾人面前改變了尋常的舉動，在他們手下假裝瘋癲，在城門的門扇上胡寫亂畫，使唾沫流在鬍子上。』 (撒母耳記上 21:11-13) 大衞裝瘋不是違反不要說謊的律法嗎？但祂那時不想出裝瘋的方法，形同自殺，神沒有為這件事怪罪他。

     我們再重複，神有絕對主權。大衞犯姦淫及借刀殺烏利亞的罪和這罪實在不能相比，但神仍赦免了他的死罪，『大衞對拿單說：「我得罪耶和華了！」拿單說：「耶和華已經除掉你的罪，你必不至於死。」』 (撒母耳記下 12:13)

基督徒讀聖經實在是應該讀出神所注重的是什麼，要從神的角度看事情，不要因為是人就總是從人的角度看。從詩篇 51 篇，我們看見了大衞是為這了件事真正的在神面前悔改，也告訴衆人他有罪了，在衆人面前悔改，因這詩篇是交於伶長的。但不能不罰，他受的處罰是非常大的。

        也看見了神雖然有絕對的主權和祂的公義，但祂是有憐憫有恩典的神。幸虧就是神有這樣的憐憫和恩典，我們才會有救恩的計劃。沒有救恩，我們一點機會都沒有。新約中也為我們的軟弱留了一條路：『我們若認自己的罪，神是信實的，是公義的，必要赦免我們的罪，洗淨我們一切的不義。』 (約翰一書 1:9) 新舊約都是一位神，神透過聖經告訴我們的都是一致的，這只是其中的一個例子，告訴我們神是有憐憫有恩典的神。

3. 耶穌已預先知道祂所要做的事

       『耶穌說了這話，隨後對他們說：「我們的朋友拉撒路睡了，我去叫醒他！」門徒說：「主啊，他若睡了，就必好了。」耶穌這話是指着他死說的，他們卻以為是說照常睡了。耶穌就明明地告訴他們說：「拉撒路死了。我沒有在那裏就歡喜，這是為你們的緣故，好叫你們相信。如今我們可以往他那裏去吧！」多馬，又稱為低土馬，就對那同作門徒的說：「我們也去和他同死吧。」』 (約翰福音 11:11-16)

4. 耶穌到伯大尼村外

       『耶穌到了，就知道拉撒路在墳墓裏已經四天了。伯大尼離耶路撒冷不遠，約有六里路。有好些猶太人來看馬大和馬利亞，要為她們的兄弟安慰她們。馬大聽見耶穌來了，就出去迎接他；馬利亞卻仍然坐在家裏。馬大對耶穌說：「主啊，你若早在這裏，我兄弟必不死！就是現在，我也知道，你無論向神求甚麼，神也必賜給你。」耶穌說：「你兄弟必然復活。」馬大說：「我知道在末日復活的時候，他必復活。」耶穌對她說：「復活在我，生命也在我！信我的人，雖然死了，也必復活。凡活着信我的人必永遠不死。你信這話嗎？」馬大說：「主啊，是的，我信你是基督，是神的兒子，就是那要臨到世界的。」』 (約翰福音 11:17-27)

       『馬大說了這話，就回去暗暗地叫她妹子馬利亞說：「夫子來了，叫你。」馬利亞聽見了，就急忙起來，到耶穌那裏去。那時，耶穌還沒有進村子，仍在馬大迎接他的地方。那些同馬利亞在家裏安慰她的猶太人，見她急忙起來出去，就跟着她，以為她要往墳墓那裏去哭。馬利亞到了耶穌那裏，看見他，就俯伏在他腳前，說：「主啊，你若早在這裏，我兄弟必不死。」耶穌看見她哭，並看見與她同來的猶太人也哭，就心裏悲歎，又甚憂愁，便說：「你們把他安放在哪裏？」 他們回答說：「請主來看。」耶穌哭了。猶太人就說：「你看他愛這人是何等懇切。」其中有人說：「他既然開了瞎子的眼睛，豈不能叫這人不死嗎？」』 (約翰福音 11:28-37)

       有人問，耶穌為什麼哭和悲歎？猶太人說：「你看他愛這人是何等懇切。」這是猶太人說的，不見得是實情。有人說，祂看到衆人不信祂能讓拉撒路死裏復活。也有人說，祂看到了衆人的結局都是一死。或者上述的原因沒有一個是對的，有.別的原因。事實上，這是聖經沒講的一個地方，我們再猜測也不會達到確定的結論的，不如不猜。

5. 拉撒路的死裏復活神蹟

       『耶穌又心裏悲歎，來到墳墓前。那墳墓是個洞，有一塊石頭擋着。耶穌說：「你們把石頭挪開！」 那死人的姐姐馬大對他說：「主啊，他現在必是臭了，因為他死了已經四天了。」耶穌說：「我不是對你說過，你若信，就必看見神的榮耀嗎？」他們就把石頭挪開。耶穌舉目望天說：「父啊，我感謝你，因為你已經聽我；我也知道你常聽我。但我說這話，是為周圍站着的眾人，叫他們信是你差了我來。」說了這話，就大聲呼叫說：「拉撒路出來！」那死人就出來了，手腳裹着布，臉上包着手巾。 耶穌對他們說：「解開，叫他走！」』(約翰福音 11:38-45) 請注意，拉撒路的死裏復活是和耶穌的死裏復活是不可相比的。拉撒路是人，終究會死，而主耶穌是活到永恆。

6. 拉撒路死裏復活的影響

       有不少人因拉撒路而信了耶穌：『那些來看馬利亞的猶太人，見了耶穌所做的事，就多有信他的。』(約翰福音 11:45) 『有人在那裏給耶穌預備筵席，馬大伺候，拉撒路也在那同耶穌坐席的人中。…有許多猶太人知道耶穌在那裏，就來了，不但是為耶穌的緣故，也是要看他從死裏所復活的拉撒路。但祭司長商議連拉撒路也要殺了，因有好些猶太人為拉撒路的緣故，回去信了耶穌。』(約翰福音 12:2-11)『當耶穌呼喚拉撒路，叫他從死復活出墳墓的時候，同耶穌在那裏的眾人就作見證。眾人因聽見耶穌行了這神蹟，就去迎接他。』(約翰福音 12:17-18)

       聖經沒有記載拉撒路講過一句話，但許多人都因他信主了！他本身就是那活生生的見証。從這裏我們可看到以身作則的重要，其實也是非要不可的，因行道勝於聽道，就如雅各書所說：『只是你們要行道，不要單單聽道，自己欺哄自己。』(雅各書 1:22)

7. 相應的見証

       在一位朋友的葬禮中，她躺在棺材裏面。在接近最後的時候，有兩位姊妹走到棺材前，奉主耶穌的名，要她起來，當然她沒有起來。這顯然是非常稀少的。和我同去的弟兄認為她們很有信心，我的想法正好相反，想到她們瞭解聖經怎麼到這種地步？這在非基徒面前作了一個很不好的見証。

       這不叫做信心！新約中明講，『信就是所望之事的實底，是未見之事的確據。』(希伯來書 11:1) 舊約也明說：『先知託耶和華的名說話，所說的若不成就，也無效驗，這就是耶和華所未曾吩咐的，是那先知擅自說的，你不要怕他。』(申命記 18:22)

     這件事的發生時間已經相當久遠了，我只記得她的離世和葬禮相當近，問過幾位可能知道的，也都不記得相隔幾天了！她們應該有負擔，但實在要確定那是不是真的負擔！像拉撒路也只死了四天，如果相隔是在那之外，顯然負擔不會是真的。如果在那之內，她們最後也應該知道那是假的，不是從神來的！因為從神來的一定會應驗。她們應該事前就知道，她們沒有付於權柄有能力做這件事情。我瞭解有時一個人只能在某些事情發生後才能百分之百的確定，但這實在是太過份了！就像我們以前所做的見証一樣，不是所有超自然的事都是從神來的，一定要知道這點且要非常小心。

 (你可以在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』看到所有的文章，到這網站後要按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』。)

First, we will talk about the time and background when the miracle happened. Second, we will see that the reaction of Jesus was very different from ordinary people. He knew that the Jews were seeking to stone Him at that time, but He still went to Judea. Why do we know that He was not committing suicide? Through an example in the Old Testament, we can see that God doesn’t like people to commit suicide. Although He has absolute authority, He is full of mercy and grace. Thirdly, the Bible says clearly the He foreknew what He would do.   Fourthly, we can see what happened outside when Jesus was outside Bethany. Fifthly, we describe how the miracle was performed. Sixthly, quite a few became believers because of this miracle, and we will mention why. Finally, we’ll briefly describe a related testimony.

1. The background of this miracle and the response of Jesus

The time when the miracle happened is clearly said in John 12:1, “Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.” Here is the background in John 11:1-3, “Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”” The response of ordinary people is to go as soon as possible, but that of Jesus is very different as described in John 11:4-6, “But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” From the viewpoint in the aspect of human, the two-day delay ensured that Lazarus died thoroughly. But that in the aspect of God, life is up to the God, the Holy Trinity. So, it really has no problem for Him.

2. Jesus going to Judea isn’t an action of committing suicide 

Then His action and what He said are described in John 11:7-10, “Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”” 

He obeyed the guidance of the Holy Spirit unto death, and died on the cross, and completed the salvation. He knew that His time was not yet coming, so He wasn’t going to Judea to commit suicide. God doesn’t want us to commit suicide, which was said clearly in the Old Testament. Let us take a look at one of the verses saying this in 1 Samuel 21:11-13, “But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?” David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard.” David pretended that he was crazy. Isn’t it against the law to lie? However, if he didn’t think of this method of pretending being crazy, it would have been the same as committing suicide in that situation. God didn’t blame him for that.

We repeat that God has absolute authority. The sins mentioned are not comparable with the sins of Davis committing adultery and using the sons of Ammon to kill Uriah the Hittite. Yet, He still gave no death penalty to David as said in 2 Samuel 12:13, “Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.” We really need to know what God emphasizes when reading the Bible. Christians studying the Bible should take viewpoints in the aspect of God, not always in the aspect of human just because we are human. From Psalm 51, we see that David truly repented for this, not only in front of God, but also before people since this psalm was for the choir director. But he couldn’t avoid the penalty, and the penalty was so very great.

Also, we can see that although God has absolute authority, He is the God who is full of mercy and grace. Because of this, we have the plan of salvation; otherwise, we would have no chance at all. In the New Testament, there is a way left for our feebleness as described in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There is only one God in the New Testament and the Old Testament. Through the Bible, what God tells us is consistent. This is just one example to tell us that He is the God who is full of mercy and grace. 

3. Jesus’ foreknowledge regarding what He would do

It is described clearly in John 11:11-16, “This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.” The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.””

4. What happened when Jesus was outside the Bethany

“So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.” (John 11:17-27)

It is said in John 11:28-37, “When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”” 

Someone asked why Jesus was troubled and wept.  So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” Is it the truth just because they said so? Not really. Others may say that He saw people’s unbelief that He could revive Lazarus from death. Someone might also say that He saw the end of human was death. In fact, the Bible didn’t say clearly which one was correct. In fact, it may have even been something else. No matter how much we guess, we cannot get a conclusion. There is no need for any guesses.

5.  The miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection 

What happened is described clearly in John 11:38-45, “So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.”

Please notice that the resurrection of Lazarus was very different from that of Jesus, not really comparable. Lazarus was a human being, and he died again eventually. But Jesus lives forever.

6. Aftereffects after the resurrection of Lazarus

There were quite a few who believed Jesus because of this miracle, as said in John 11:45, “Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.” Among other verses are in the following. “So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. …The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also; because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.”(John 12:2-11) “So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.”(John 12:17-18)

The New Testament doesn’t record even one word from Lazarus, but many believed in the Lord because of him! He himself is the testimony. Here, we can see how important it is to do what you believe yourself. Just like what is said in James 1:22, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” Being a doer is superior to being merely a hearer.

7. A related testimony

At the funeral of a friend, she was laid in a coffin. Near the end of saying goodbye, there were two sisters telling her to raise up in the name of Jesus. Of course, she didn’t. This is a very rare event.  The brother with me thought that they had great faith. My thinking was the opposite. How come their teachings make them understand the Bible to such an extent? This was really a bad testimony before unbelievers.

This is not faith. It is said clearly in the New Testament, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) In the Old Testament, it also said clearly in Deuteronomy 18:22, “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” 

This happened a long time ago. I remember that the time between her passing away and the funeral was very short. I tried to ask several people who might know it, but no one remembers. They should have a burden doing so. But they must make sure that the burden is real! Lazarus resurrected, but he only died four days ago. If the time difference was beyond that, apparently it was not a real one. If within it, they should know that it was a fake at least now since anything from God will be fulfilled. They should know ahead of time that they were not given such an authority to have power to do such a thing, although I understand that one may have to make sure by actually doing it in some cases.  Just like the testimony shared before, not all supernatural things come from God. We must know this point and be careful.

 (Verses refer to those in NASB unless otherwise specified.)

(You can get all articles in “https://a-christian-voice.com/” under “On spiritual understanding about life.”)

     我们首先在前言中提醒大家，耶稣说读经的目的是要得生命。也复习一下为什么说圣经所讲唯一的方法是用启示带领读经。启示是可以由祷告求的，是我们所不能做的。我们也举了一个旧约的例子，看到了眼睛非要神开不可，我们才能正确的看见。接着我们所要强调的是我们必须主动的愿意去做该做的事，这是一个实际的方法，因为只要一个人愿意，都可以做得到。这方法有三点，就是：第一是不要把圣经白纸黑字写的字打折扣；第二是要用逻辑；第三是必须用到圣经的一致性，也就是神透过圣经告诉我们是一致的。关于这三点，我们都用例子来说明。最后我们透过启示录 15 章的逐句解释，看到了这三点是如何运用的。譬如说，在第三节中谈到那些胜了兽和兽的像的人时，想到了得胜者，在逻辑上看到了「一次得救永远得救」的概念。在讲到圣经的一致性时，我们看到了神的公平，那些仅仅「一次得救永远得救」的基督徒是不能进新耶路撒冷城的。这和一些人的想法不同，但我们不是要标新立异，因为依照这三点，就看见了圣经是这样说的。

1.    前言: 圣经教导我们如何读经？

     耶稣在约翰福音 5:39-40 说得很清楚，读经的目的是要得生命：『你们查考圣经，因你们以为内中有永生；给我作见证的就是这经。然而你们不肯到我这里来得生命。』有些人对圣经可以滚瓜烂熟，却仍然可以不信主，所以得到一些圣经的知识绝对不是读经的目的，但却是相当多人一不小心就犯这样的错误！       

     圣经所说唯一的读经方法是要「启示带领查经」。详细的解说可在 [1] 找到，我们现在只简单的复习一下为什么这样说。在路加福音 24:45 说得很清楚，没有『…耶稣开他们(包括彼得)的心窍，使他们能明白圣经，』他们是不可能了解圣经的。我们现在不可能被耶稣亲自开心窍，但我们有内住的的圣灵，三位一体的圣灵可以用启示使我们能明白圣经。这就如保罗所说，他所知道的是从启示来的：『因为我不是从人领受的，也不是人教导我的，乃是从耶稣基督启示来的。』(加拉太书 1:12)       

     启示不全是超自然的，圣灵常常借着别人的话去启示圣经的真理。这就犹如保罗在见到大光后，主差遣亚拿尼亚告诉他一些事情，而不是主亲自告诉他。(参使徒行传 9:10-19) 也只有启示才能做到彼得有资格说的，「不要强解圣经」。(参彼得后书 3:15-16) 虽然启示是我们自己不能做的，但是可以祈求的，如保罗的祷告：『求我们主耶稣基督的神，荣耀的父，将那赐人智慧和启示的灵赏给你们，使你们真知道他。』(以弗所书 1:17)       

     神有绝对的主权，没有祂开我们的眼睛，我们是看不到的，在旧约中有一个这样的例子。在列王纪下第六章中，以利沙看到火车火马，但他不能开他仆人的眼睛，于是『以利沙祷告说：「耶和华啊，求你开这少年人的眼目，使他能看见。」耶和华开他的眼目，他就看见满山有火车火马围绕以利沙。』(列王纪下 6:17)       

     启示是我们在读经中不能自己做的，要神的怜悯，是神主动的，而我们只能被动。所以在这里要提出一个实际的方法，因为只要一个人愿意，都可以做得到。我们表示了主动的愿意和神同工，相信祂一定会照着祂的话做，因为圣经真是神所默示的。简而言之，我们是主动的被动。

2. 我们应该主动的愿意做的事       

     这是一个实际的方法，因为每一点都是我们能做得到的，问题在于我们愿不愿意这样做。第一点是不要把圣经白纸黑字写的话打折扣。第二点是正确的使用逻辑。第三点是要加上圣经的一致性，也就是神透过圣经告诉我们是一致的。我们以下就举例说明这三点。       

     第一点是不要把圣经白纸黑字写的话打折扣。『圣经都是神所默示的，…』(提摩太后书 3:16) 虽然保罗写那句话时不是整本的新约都已经有了(如启示录)，但基督徒相信整本圣经都是神所默示的。也只有这样，才有可能不创造一个不是圣经所讲的神。       

     圣经是神所默示的，所以从圣经的角度看就是从神的角度看。但是圣经不是记载所有的事情，如约翰福音选择神迹的标准就是，『但记这些事，要叫你们信耶稣是基督，是神的儿子，并且叫你们信了他，就可以因他的名得生命。』(约翰福音 20:31) 所以从神的角度看广多了，不是只从圣经的角度看。读经的时候不要随便划等号。其实听别人的话也要如此。譬如说，好心的提醒别人不要做一件事情，却常常被那个人认为是责备那人已经做了那事情。没有一个(对启示录的七个教会都说的)能听的耳，是不能被提醒的，因为一方面是没有用，另方面也是可以避免争论。       

     我们再举一个说明从人的角度看和从神的角度看的大大不同的例子。在保罗见大光前，绝对有热心，但他是从人的角度看，读错了，以致于到迫害基督徒的地步。见大光之后，他得到了启示，这是从神的角度看事情，神也大大的使用他。       

     不要把圣经白纸黑字写的话打折扣是不容易做到的。我们举一个罗马书 8:29 的例子，『因为他预先所知道的人，就预先定下效法(模成)他儿子的模样，使他儿子在许多弟兄中作长子。』很明显的，这里说到同时有预知和预定。但是马丁路得说只有预知，而喀尔文说只有预定，如果以圣经作为绝对标准，这两个人在这一点上都是错的，结果是到现在这么多年了，还为那个是对的在争论！       

     事实上，圣经明讲，当一个人被人认为很属灵而犯了错误时，影响是非常大的。我们都知道所罗门建圣殿，但『所罗门年老的时候，他的妃嫔诱惑他的心去随从别神，不效法他父亲大卫诚诚实实地顺服耶和华他的神。…所罗门为摩押可憎的神基抹和亚扪人可憎的神摩洛，在耶路撒冷对面的山上建筑邱坛。』(列王纪上 11:4-7) 可能是没有人敢动这样的错误，一直到犹大快灭亡时，约西亚才解决了这问题。『从前以色列王所罗门在耶路撒冷前、邪僻山右边为西顿人可憎的神亚斯她录、摩押人可憎的神基抹、亚扪人可憎的神米勒公所筑的邱坛，王(约西亚)都污秽了，又打碎柱像，砍下木偶，将人的骨头充满了那地方。』(列王纪下 23:13-14) 同样的理由，我们实在要分辩话语是不是从神来的，或只是从人来的，这点是非常重要的。       

     第二点是正确的使用逻辑。我们知道(数学上)的逻辑只是一个工具，在任何地方逻辑都是一样的，不同的假设(公理)送入了同样的逻辑(机器)会得到不同的结论(定理)。譬如说我们日常是用十进位代表一个数目，每一个数字可以从零到九，而计算机里面是二进位，每一个数字只能有零或壹，所以有些定理在计算机的设计中成立，但同样的叙述就不是日常生活的定理，在日常生活中是不对的。不同人有不同信心的看见，就决定了不同人的假设不同，一个最明显的例子就是无神论者的假设和基督徒完全不同，前者是认为没有神，而我们在信心中相信神，虽然我们和他们用同样的逻辑，我们的结论(看见)是完全的不同。记得，人有自由意志，所以即使是符合圣经的话和逻辑，人还是可以选择不信。这基本上是从人的角度看，因为自己的经验认为是不可能的事，殊不知圣经给我们的是真知识。譬如哥白尼说到地球绕太阳旋转，圣经甚至说，『…将大地悬在虚空。』(约伯记 26:7)  而当时的科学正好是以地球为中心，认为其他的星体绕着地球，我们现在知道当时的科学是不对的。           

     我们在这一点上举一个最后的例子，看见了我们不总是能对有关圣经的所有问题有唯一的结论。首先我们从下述三个经文看出，玛土撒拉死的那年正好是洪水来的那年，因为 782-182=600。这三节经文为：『玛土撒拉生拉麦之后，又活了七百八十二年，…』(创世记 5:26) 『拉麦活到一百八十二岁，生了一个儿子，给他起名叫挪亚，…』(创世记 5:28-29) 『当洪水泛滥在地上的时候，挪亚整六百岁。』(创世记 7:6) 从人的角度看，我们可能会问，是玛土撒拉被洪水淹死的，或是玛土撒拉一死洪水就来了？从神的角度来看，洪水是那一天来了，玛土撒拉是怎么死的，不重要，没有记，我们也不必争论这话题，这时圣经没说是那个，我们不会有唯一的结论的。       

     第三点是要加上圣经的一致性，也就是神透过圣经告诉我们是一致的。基督徒因信得救后，即使是草木禾稭的工作，『人的工程若被烧了，他就要受亏损，自己却要得救；虽然得救，乃像从火里经过的一样。』(哥林多前书 3:15) 所以我们可以从这经文和逻辑上看到「一次得救，永远得救」的摡念。有人可能会问，有些人花一生之久去走成圣的道路，而有些人只要信一次就可以上天堂了，这样公平吗？是的，公平，圣经对这两样人的方式是不同的。当新天新地时，圣城新耶路撒冷由神那里从天而降。(参启示录 21:1-2) 但不是所有的人都能进城的，就如启示录 21:27 所说：『凡不洁净的，并那行可憎与虚谎之事的，总不得进那城；只有名字写在羔羊生命册上的才得进去。』 有人会以为这些在城外的是非基督徒，但依照圣经，这些至少是仅仅得救的基督徒。       

     为什么我们说这些在城外的是基督徒呢？首先我们可以从腓立比书 4:3 看到基督徒的名字是在生命册上的，『…这两个女人…还有革利免，并其余和我一同做工的，他们的名字都在生命册上。』启示录 21:27 并没有说，所有名字写在羔羊生命册上的都可以进去。所以「在生命册上」是「能进去」的必要条件，不是充分条件，不能划等号。从时间上来看，白色的大宝座是出现在启示录 20:11，到启示录 20:15 就说，『若有人名字没记在生命册上，他就被扔在火湖里。』所以这时没有记在生命册上的非基督徒已经下到火湖里了。到了启示录 21:8 就强调的说明这是第二次的死，『惟有胆怯的、不信的、可憎的、杀人的、淫乱的、行邪术的、拜偶像的和一切说谎话的，他们的分就在烧着硫磺的火湖里，这是第二次的死。』所以那些不能进城的人是在生命册上，但如启示录 21:27 所说的这样的基督徒。       

     有人回头说那些人是从未真正的得救过，只有神知道一个人是否真信？后者是没错的。只是我们将曾经真信过而软弱的基督徒放在何处？这些基督徒是和非基督有区别的。如果是这样，我们把神的信实放在那里？祂不是明明应许了信而称义吗？难道传道人是骗人信主吗？当然不是，是信主的门槛放得很低，因为主『…不愿有一人沉沦，乃愿人人都悔改。』(彼得后书 3:9) 但成圣之路的标准很高，是要一生之久，祂最后的审判决定了谁可以进城，因为最后的审判至少有两卷册子，『…案卷展开了，并且另有一卷展开，就是生命册。死了的人都凭着这些案卷所记载的，照他们所行的受审判。』(启示录 20:12) 这样，就可以维持圣经的一致性。       

     有人说，在城外至少比下到硫磺火湖好多了，这是没错的，但我们实在是要追寻做一个能进城的基督徒。这又是一个神透过圣经告诉我们是一致的例子，因为神是无限而人是有限，我们必须用外插法，从有限的例子中，假设在所有的情况中这都是成立的。一定要记得，『…神就是爱！住在爱里面的，就是住在神里面，神也住在他里面。』(约翰一书 4:16) 神是很公平的，因祂『…多给谁，就向谁多取；多托谁，就向谁多要。』(路加福音 12:48)

3. 启示录第十五章的看见    

     这章只有八节，我们就大致地逐节说明，应用这三点到我们的看见上。

15:1 我又看见在天上有异象，大而且奇，就是七位天使掌管末了的七灾，因为神的大怒在这七灾中发尽了。        

     有一位弟兄说第七号之灾就是七碗之灾，如同第七印之灾就是七号之灾一样。他说这灾在启示录 11:14 中又称为第三灾，因为前文将七号之灾分为四灾和三灾两组，它是第二组的第三个。         

     我们可以从不同的推论中得到同样的结果，因为圣经常是用这种多余的写法。启示录 16:17 写着：『第七位天使把碗倒在空中，就有大声音从殿中的宝座上出来，说：「成了！」』这是指第七号之灾的结束。如果不是，第七号之灾在第七碗之灾前结束，就会和 15:1 冲突，不能有神的大怒在这七灾中发尽了。所以我们可以得到结论，第七号之灾就是七碗之灾。在这里我们用了圣经的话和逻辑。

15:2 我看见仿佛(G5613)有玻璃海，其中有火搀杂。又看见那些胜了兽和兽的像，并牠名字数目的人，都站在玻璃海上，拿着神的琴，        

     圣经没有明讲那些胜了兽和兽的像并牠名字数目的人是不是得胜者，但他们都是愿为主耶稣摆上生命的人，『…本是世界不配有的人。』(希伯来书 11:38) 启示录在开始讲的七个教会中，都是在呼召得胜者，因为神从来就没有只希望我们仅仅得救，如前述讨论圣经的一致性时哥林多前书 3:15 所说。       

     有人可能会问，玻璃海是不是说那海是玻璃做的？我们应该已习惯了在汇编中有字的数目编号，那就看 G5613 这字的意义，这是可以从启示录 1:14 和其他经文中看出来的，『他的头与发皆白，如(G5613)白羊毛、如雪，眼目如同(G5613)火焰。』(启示录 1:14) 也就是说看起来像是玻璃海，所以那些人可以站在其上。其实玻璃海只出现两次，另外一次在启示录 4:6，『宝座前好像一个玻璃海，如同(like G3664)水晶。 …』这里是用不同的字G3664，我们就从经文看 G3664 的意义，『看那坐着的，好像(G3664)碧玉和红宝石，又有虹围着宝座，好像(G3664)绿宝石。』(启示录 4:3) 这虽然是不同的字，但意义是相同的，就如我们在中文中说、下午二点半和下午二时三十分是一样的意义。圣经是一致的。

15:3 唱神仆人摩西的歌和羔羊的歌，说(G3004)：「主神，全能者啊，你的作为大哉，奇哉！万世之王啊，你的道途义哉，诚哉！

15:4 主啊，谁敢不敬畏你，不将荣耀归与你的名呢？因为独有你是圣的，万民都要来在你面前敬拜，因你公义的作为已经显出来了。」       

     这歌因有 G3004 这字，已在这里清楚的在括弧里面说明是什么了，不要和申命记 32 章的摩西之歌弄混。这些经文讲到了「你的作为和你的道路」是指什么呢？在整本圣经中实在是不可胜数，至少道成肉身的整体计划是其中之一，也是因有了这计划，我们才有希望。另外讲到祂的「公义的作为」也是太多了，至少在启示录中我们这时已有六印，而第七印开时我们已有发生过的六号。第七号有这时尚未发生的七碗。就像先前所说，到第七碗成了时就是第七印的结束。请注意，第六号中包括了要约翰不写的七雷，而他也的确没有写。在这里我们看到了约翰的顺服，也知道他是按他所看到的耶稣基督的启示顺着秩序写的，是可信的。的确，『公义和公平，是你宝座的根基…』(诗篇 89:14) 我们要看见，旧约的公义中有爱，新约爱中有公义。

15:5 此后，我看见在天上那存法柜的殿开了。        

     我们在 15:5 看到了天上有法柜，我们也知道地上在摩西的时代造了法柜，我们来看看世上的法柜是如何做成的？这在希伯来书 8:5 说得很清楚，『他们供奉的事，本是天上事的形状和影像，正如摩西将要造帐幕的时候，蒙神警戒他，说：「你要谨慎，做各样的物件都要照着在山上指示你的样式。」』是的，天上的是实体，影子必须要照着山上指示的样式才不会错。       

     这就犹如约伯记一开始所说的，天上先发生了事情，地上才有事情发生。第二次撒但挑战神时，『耶和华对撒但说：「他在你手中，只要存留他的性命。」于是撒但从耶和华面前退去，击打约伯，使他从脚掌到头顶长毒疮。』(约伯记 2:6-7) 我们也看到撒但所行的不能超越神所同意的，而撒但看不到是、神本是要借着这事祝福约伯，还以为是牠赢了呢！这不是和救恩的计划相同吗？圣经怎么会不一致呢？

15:6 那掌管七灾的七位天使从殿中出来，穿着洁白光明的细麻衣，胸间束着金带。

15:7 四活物中有一个把盛满了活到永永远远之神大怒的七个金碗给了那七位天使。       

     我们看到了七碗是由何而来，至于七碗的执行是开始在下一章，『我听见有大声音从殿中出来，向那七位天使说：「你们去，把盛神大怒的七碗倒在地上！」』(启示录 16:1)

15:8 因神的荣耀和能力，殿中充满了烟。于是没有人能以进殿，直等到那七位天使所降的七灾完毕了。       

     就我所知，神的荣耀和能力大到没有人能以进殿只发生了其他的两次。一次可从出埃及记 40:34-35 看出，『当时，云彩遮盖会幕，耶和华的荣光就充满了帐幕。摩西不能进会幕，因为云彩停在其上，并且耶和华的荣光充满了帐幕。』(出埃及记 40:34-35) 另外一次是在所罗门盖的圣殿中，『所罗门祈祷已毕，就有火从天上降下来，烧尽燔祭和别的祭。耶和华的荣光充满了殿。因耶和华的荣光充满了耶和华殿，所以祭司不能进殿。』(历代志下 7:1-2) 在回归圣殿重建时，没有发生这事。我们要强调的一点，就是新旧约都是一位神，圣经是一致的。

相关的知识

[1] 在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』网站按『对属灵生命的了解』，接着按『3023 圣经说要如何读圣经』。

    我們首先在前言中提醒大家，耶穌說讀經的目的是要得生命。也複習一下為什麼說聖經所講唯一的方法是用啓示帶領讀經。啓示是可以由禱告求的，是我們所不能做的。我們也舉了一個舊約的例子，看到了眼睛非要神開不可，我們才能正確的看見。接著我們所要强調的是我們必須主動的願意去做該做的事，這是一個實際的方法，因為只要一個人願意，都可以做得到。這方法有三點，就是：第一是不要把聖經白紙黑字寫的字打折扣；第二是要用邏輯；第三是必須用到聖經的一致性，也就是神透過聖經告訴我們是一致的。關於這三點，我們都用例子來說明。最後我們透過啓示錄 15 章的逐句解釋，看到了這三點是如何運用的。譬如說，在第三節中談到那些勝了獸和獸的像的人時，想到了得勝者，在邏輯上看到了「一次得救永遠得救」的概念。在講到聖經的一致性時，我們看到了神的公平，那些僅僅「一次得救永遠得救」的基督徒是不能進新耶路撒冷城的。這和一些人的想法不同，但我們不是要標新立異，因為依照這三點，就看見了聖經是這樣說的。

1.    前言: 聖經教導我們如何讀經？

       耶穌在約翰福音 5:39-40 說得很清楚，讀經的目的是要得生命：『你們查考聖經，因你們以為內中有永生；給我作見證的就是這經。然而你們不肯到我這裏來得生命。』有些人對聖經可以滾瓜爛熟，卻仍然可以不信主，所以得到一些聖經的知識絕對不是讀經的目的，但卻是相當多人一不小心就犯這樣的錯誤！

       聖經所說唯一的讀經方法是要「啓示帶領查經」。詳細的解說可在 [1] 找到，我們現在只簡單的複習一下為什麼這樣說。在路加福音 24:45 說得很清楚，沒有『…耶穌開他們(包括彼得)的心竅，使他們能明白聖經，』他們是不可能瞭解聖經的。我們現在不可能被耶穌親自開心竅，但我們有內住的的聖靈，三位一體的聖靈可以用啓示使我們能明白聖經。這就如保羅所說，他所知道的是從啓示來的：『因為我不是從人領受的，也不是人教導我的，乃是從耶穌基督啓示來的。』(加拉太書 1:12) 

       啓示不全是超自然的，聖靈常常藉著別人的話去啓示聖經的真理。這就猶如保羅在見到大光後，主差遣亞拿尼亞告訴他一些事情，而不是主親自告訴他。(參使徒行傳 9:10-19) 也只有啓示才能做到彼得有資格說的，「不要強解聖經」。(參彼得後書 3:15-16) 雖然啓示是我們自己不能做的，但是可以祈求的，如保羅的禱告：『求我們主耶穌基督的神，榮耀的父，將那賜人智慧和啓示的靈賞給你們，使你們真知道他。』(以弗所書 1:17)

       神有絕對的主權，沒有祂開我們的眼睛，我們是看不到的，在舊約中有一個這樣的例子。在列王紀下第六章中，以利沙看到火車火馬，但他不能開他僕人的眼睛，於是『以利沙禱告說：「耶和華啊，求你開這少年人的眼目，使他能看見。」耶和華開他的眼目，他就看見滿山有火車火馬圍繞以利沙。』(列王紀下 6:17)

       啓示是我們在讀經中不能自己做的，要神的憐憫，是神主動的，而我們只能被動。所以在這裏要提出一個實際的方法，因為只要一個人願意，都可以做得到。我們表示了主動的願意和神同工，相信祂一定會照著祂的話做，因為聖經真是神所默示的。簡而言之，我們是主動的被動。

2. 我們應該主動的願意做的事

       這是一個實際的方法，因為每一點都是我們能做得到的，問題在於我們願不願意這樣做。第一點是不要把聖經白紙黑字寫的話打折扣。第二點是正確的使用邏輯。第三點是要加上聖經的一致性，也就是神透過聖經告訴我們是一致的。我們以下就舉例說明這三點。

       第一點是不要把聖經白紙黑字寫的話打折扣。『聖經都是神所默示的，…』(提摩太後書 3:16) 雖然保羅寫那句話時不是整本的新約都已經有了(如啓示錄)，但基督徒相信整本聖經都是神所默示的。也只有這樣，才有可能不創造一個不是聖經所講的神。

       聖經是神所默示的，所以從聖經的角度看就是從神的角度看。但是聖經不是記載所有的事情，如約翰福音選擇神蹟的標準就是，『但記這些事，要叫你們信耶穌是基督，是神的兒子，並且叫你們信了他，就可以因他的名得生命。』(約翰福音 20:31) 所以從神的角度看廣多了，不是只從聖經的角度看。讀經的時候不要隨便劃等號。其實聽別人的話也要如此。譬如說，好心的提醒別人不要做一件事情，卻常常被那個人認為是責備那人已經做了那事情。沒有一個(對啓示錄的七個教會都說的)能聽的耳，是不能被提醒的，因為一方面是沒有用，另方面也是可以避免爭論。

       我們再舉一個說明從人的角度看和從神的角度看的大大不同的例子。在保羅見大光前，絕對有熱心，但他是從人的角度看，讀錯了，以致於到迫害基督徒的地步。見大光之後，他得到了啓示，這是從神的角度看事情，神也大大的使用他。

       不要把聖經白紙黑字寫的話打折扣是不容易做到的。我們舉一個羅馬書 8:29 的例子，『因為他預先所知道的人，就預先定下效法(模成)他兒子的模樣，使他兒子在許多弟兄中作長子。』很明顯的，這裏說到同時有預知和預定。但是馬丁路得說只有預知，而喀爾文說只有預定，如果以聖經作為絕對標準，這兩個人在這一點上都是錯的，結果是到現在這麼多年了，還為那個是對的在爭論！

       事實上，聖經明講，當一個人被人認為很屬靈而犯了錯誤時，影響是非常大的。我們都知道所羅門建聖殿，但『所羅門年老的時候，他的妃嬪誘惑他的心去隨從別神，不效法他父親大衞誠誠實實地順服耶和華他的神。…所羅門為摩押可憎的神基抹和亞捫人可憎的神摩洛，在耶路撒冷對面的山上建築邱壇。』(列王紀上 11:4-7) 可能是沒有人敢動這樣的錯誤，一直到猶大快滅亡時，約西亞才解決了這問題。『從前以色列王所羅門在耶路撒冷前、邪僻山右邊為西頓人可憎的神亞斯她錄、摩押人可憎的神基抹、亞捫人可憎的神米勒公所築的邱壇，王(約西亞)都污穢了，又打碎柱像，砍下木偶，將人的骨頭充滿了那地方。』(列王紀下 23:13-14) 同樣的理由，我們實在要分辨話語是不是從神來的，或只是從人來的，這點是非常重要的。

       第二點是正確的使用邏輯。我們知道(數學上)的邏輯只是一個工具，在任何地方邏輯都是一樣的，不同的假設(公理)送入了同樣的邏輯(機器)會得到不同的結論(定理)。譬如說我們日常是用十進位代表一個數目，每一個數字可以從零到九，而計算機裏面是二進位，每一個數字只能有零或壹，所以有些定理在計算機的設計中成立，但同樣的敘述就不是日常生活的定理，在日常生活中是不對的。不同人有不同信心的看見，就決定了不同人的假設不同，一個最明顯的例子就是無神論者的假設和基督徒完全不同，前者是認為沒有神，而我們在信心中相信神，雖然我們和他們用同樣的邏輯，我們的結論(看見)是完全的不同。記得，人有自由意志，所以即使是符合聖經的話和邏輯，人還是可以選擇不信。這基本上是從人的角度看，因為自己的經驗認為是不可能的事，殊不知聖經給我們的是真知識。譬如哥白尼說到地球繞太陽旋轉，聖經甚至說，『…將大地懸在虛空。』(約伯記 26:7)  而當時的科學正好是以地球為中心，認為其他的星體繞著地球，我們現在知道當時的科學是不對的。

        我們在這一點上舉一個最後的例子，看見了我們不總是能對有關聖經的所有問題有唯一的結論。首先我們從下述三個經文看出，瑪土撒拉死的那年正好是洪水來的那年，因為 782-182=600。這三節經文為：『瑪土撒拉生拉麥之後，又活了七百八十二年，…』(創世記 5:26) 『拉麥活到一百八十二歲，生了一個兒子，給他起名叫挪亞，…』(創世記 5:28-29) 『當洪水泛濫在地上的時候，挪亞整六百歲。』(創世記 7:6) 從人的角度看，我們可能會問，是瑪土撒拉被洪水淹死的，或是瑪土撒拉一死洪水就來了？從神的角度來看，洪水是那一天來了，瑪土撒拉是怎麼死的，不重要，沒有記，我們也不必爭論這話題，這時聖經沒說是那個，我們不會有唯一的結論的。

       第三點是要加上聖經的一致性，也就是神透過聖經告訴我們是一致的。基督徒因信得救後，即使是草木禾稭的工作，『人的工程若被燒了，他就要受虧損，自己卻要得救；雖然得救，乃像從火裏經過的一樣。』(哥林多前書 3:15) 所以我們可以從這經文和邏輯上看到「一次得救，永遠得救」的摡念。有人可能會問，有些人花一生之久去走成聖的道路，而有些人只要信一次就可以上天堂了，這樣公平嗎？是的，公平，聖經對這兩樣人的方式是不同的。當新天新地時，聖城新耶路撒冷由神那裏從天而降。(參啓示錄 21:1-2) 但不是所有的人都能進城的，就如啓示錄 21:27 所說：『凡不潔淨的，並那行可憎與虛謊之事的，總不得進那城；只有名字寫在羔羊生命冊上的才得進去。』 有人會以為這些在城外的是非基督徒，但依照聖經，這些至少是僅僅得救的基督徒。

       為什麼我們說這些在城外的是基督徒呢？首先我們可以從腓立比書 4:3 看到基督徒的名字是在生命册上的，『…這兩個女人…還有革利免，並其餘和我一同做工的，他們的名字都在生命冊上。』啓示錄 21:27 並沒有說，所有名字寫在羔羊生命册上的都可以進去。所以「在生命册上」是「能進去」的必要條件，不是充分條件，不能劃等號。從時間上來看，白色的大寶座是出現在啓示錄 20:11，到啓示錄 20:15 就說，『若有人名字沒記在生命冊上，他就被扔在火湖裏。』所以這時沒有記在生命册上的非基督徒已經下到火湖裏了。到了啓示錄 21:8 就强調的說明這是第二次的死，『惟有膽怯的、不信的、可憎的、殺人的、淫亂的、行邪術的、拜偶像的和一切說謊話的，他們的分就在燒着硫磺的火湖裏，這是第二次的死。』所以那些不能進城的人是在生命册上，但如啓示錄 21:27 所說的這樣的基督徒。

       有人回頭說那些人是從未真正的得救過，只有神知道一個人是否真信？後者是沒錯的。只是我們將曾經真信過而軟弱的基督徒放在何處？這些基督徒是和非基督有區別的。如果是這樣，我們把神的信實放在那裏？祂不是明明應許了信而稱義嗎？難道傳道人是騙人信主嗎？當然不是，是信主的門檻放得很低，因為主『…不願有一人沉淪，乃願人人都悔改。』(彼得後書 3:9) 但成聖之路的標準很高，是要一生之久，祂最後的審判決定了誰可以進城，因為最後的審判至少有兩卷册子，『…案卷展開了，並且另有一卷展開，就是生命冊。死了的人都憑着這些案卷所記載的，照他們所行的受審判。』(啓示錄 20:12) 這樣，就可以維持聖經的一致性。

       有人說，在城外至少比下到硫磺火湖好多了，這是沒錯的，但我們實在是要追尋做一個能進城的基督徒。這又是一個神透過聖經告訴我們是一致的例子，因為神是無限而人是有限，我們必須用外插法，從有限的例子中，假設在所有的情況中這都是成立的。一定要記得，『…神就是愛！住在愛裏面的，就是住在神裏面，神也住在他裏面。』(約翰一書 4:16) 神是很公平的，因祂『…多給誰，就向誰多取；多託誰，就向誰多要。』(路加福音 12:48)

3. 啓示錄第十五章的看見

    這章只有八節，我們就大致地逐節說明，應用這三點到我們的看見上。

15:1 我又看見在天上有異象，大而且奇，就是七位天使掌管末了的七災，因為神的大怒在這七災中發盡了。

        有一位弟兄說第七號之災就是七碗之災，如同第七印之災就是七號之災一樣。他說這災在啓示錄 11:14 中又稱為第三災，因為前文將七號之災分為四災和三災兩組，它是第二組的第三個。

         我們可以從不同的推論中得到同樣的結果，因為聖經常是用這種多餘的寫法。啓示錄 16:17 寫著：『第七位天使把碗倒在空中，就有大聲音從殿中的寶座上出來，說：「成了！」』這是指第七號之災的結束。如果不是，第七號之災在第七碗之災前結束，就會和 15:1 衝突，不能有神的大怒在這七災中發盡了。所以我們可以得到結論，第七號之災就是七碗之災。在這裏我們用了聖經的話和邏輯。

15:2 我看見彷彿(G5613)有玻璃海，其中有火攙雜。又看見那些勝了獸和獸的像，並牠名字數目的人，都站在玻璃海上，拿着神的琴，

        聖經沒有明講那些勝了獸和獸的像並牠名字數目的人是不是得勝者，但他們都是願為主耶穌擺上生命的人，『…本是世界不配有的人。』(希伯來書 11:38) 啓示錄在開始講的七個教會中，都是在呼召得勝者，因為神從來就沒有只希望我們僅僅得救，如前述討論聖經的一致性時哥林多前書 3:15 所說。

       有人可能會問，玻璃海是不是說那海是玻璃做的？我們應該已習慣了在彙編中有字的數目編號，那就看 G5613 這字的意義，這是可以從啓示錄 1:14 和其他經文中看出來的，『他的頭與髮皆白，如(G5613)白羊毛、如雪，眼目如同(G5613)火焰。』(啓示錄 1:14) 也就是說看起來像是玻璃海，所以那些人可以站在其上。其實玻璃海只出現兩次，另外一次在啓示錄 4:6，『寶座前好像一個玻璃海，如同(like G3664)水晶。 …』這裏是用不同的字G3664，我們就從經文看 G3664 的意義，『看那坐着的，好像(G3664)碧玉和紅寶石，又有虹圍着寶座，好像(G3664)綠寶石。』(啓示錄 4:3) 這雖然是不同的字，但意義是相同的，就如我們在中文中說、下午二點半和下午二時三十分是一樣的意義。聖經是一致的。

15:3 唱神僕人摩西的歌和羔羊的歌，說(G3004)：「主神，全能者啊，你的作為大哉，奇哉！萬世之王啊，你的道途義哉，誠哉！

15:4 主啊，誰敢不敬畏你，不將榮耀歸與你的名呢？因為獨有你是聖的，萬民都要來在你面前敬拜，因你公義的作為已經顯出來了。」

       這歌因有 G3004 這字，已在這裏清楚的在括弧裏面說明是什麼了，不要和申命記 32 章的摩西之歌弄混。這些經文講到了「你的作為和你的道路」是指什麼呢？在整本聖經中實在是不可勝數，至少道成肉身的整體計劃是其中之一，也是因有了這計劃，我們才有希望。另外講到祂的「公義的作為」也是太多了，至少在啓示錄中我們這時已有六印，而第七印開時我們已有發生過的六號。第七號有這時尚未發生的七碗。就像先前所說，到第七碗成了時就是第七印的結束。請注意，第六號中包括了要約翰不寫的七雷，而他也的確沒有寫。在這裏我們看到了約翰的順服，也知道他是按他所看到的耶穌基督的啓示順著秩序寫的，是可信的。的確，『公義和公平，是你寶座的根基…』(詩篇 89:14) 我們要看見，舊約的公義中有愛，新約愛中有公義。

15:5 此後，我看見在天上那存法櫃的殿開了。

        我們在 15:5 看到了天上有法櫃，我們也知道地上在摩西的時代造了法櫃，我們來看看世上的法櫃是如何做成的？這在希伯來書 8:5 說得很清楚，『他們供奉的事，本是天上事的形狀和影像，正如摩西將要造帳幕的時候，蒙神警戒他，說：「你要謹慎，做各樣的物件都要照着在山上指示你的樣式。」』是的，天上的是實體，影子必須要照著山上指示的樣式才不會錯。

       這就猶如約伯記一開始所說的，天上先發生了事情，地上才有事情發生。第二次撒但挑戰神時，『耶和華對撒但說：「他在你手中，只要存留他的性命。」於是撒但從耶和華面前退去，擊打約伯，使他從腳掌到頭頂長毒瘡。』(約伯記 2:6-7) 我們也看到撒但所行的不能超越神所同意的，而撒但看不到是、神本是要藉著這事祝福約伯，還以為是牠贏了呢！這不是和救恩的計劃相同嗎？聖經怎麼會不一致呢？

15:6 那掌管七災的七位天使從殿中出來，穿着潔白光明的細麻衣，胸間束着金帶。

15:7 四活物中有一個把盛滿了活到永永遠遠之神大怒的七個金碗給了那七位天使。

       我們看到了七碗是由何而來，至於七碗的執行是開始在下一章，『我聽見有大聲音從殿中出來，向那七位天使說：「你們去，把盛神大怒的七碗倒在地上！」』(啓示錄 16:1)

15:8 因神的榮耀和能力，殿中充滿了煙。於是沒有人能以進殿，直等到那七位天使所降的七災完畢了。

       就我所知，神的榮耀和能力大到沒有人能以進殿只發生了其他的兩次。一次可從出埃及記 40:34-35 看出，『當時，雲彩遮蓋會幕，耶和華的榮光就充滿了帳幕。摩西不能進會幕，因為雲彩停在其上，並且耶和華的榮光充滿了帳幕。』(出埃及記 40:34-35) 另外一次是在所羅門蓋的聖殿中，『所羅門祈禱已畢，就有火從天上降下來，燒盡燔祭和別的祭。耶和華的榮光充滿了殿。因耶和華的榮光充滿了耶和華殿，所以祭司不能進殿。』(歷代志下 7:1-2) 在回歸聖殿重建時，沒有發生這事。我們要强調的一點，就是新舊約都是一位神，聖經是一致的。

相關的知識

[1] 在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』網站按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』，接著按『2023 聖經說要如何讀聖經』。

 (你可以在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』看到所有的文章，到這網站後要按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』。)

First, we’ll remind in the preface that the purpose of reading the Bible is to have life according to Jesus. We then review why we say the Bible tells us that the only way to read the Bible correctly is through revelation to lead the Bible study. Revelation is something that we cannot do, but we could have through prayers. We can see through an example in the Old Testament that our eyes have to be opened by God in order to see correctly. Secondly, we want to emphasize that we have to be actively willing to do what we should do. This is a practical method since everyone can do it if they are willing. This method consists of three points: (1) Not to discount things the Bible says that are written in black and white; (2) To use logic correctly; (3) To use the consistency of the Bible, i.e., what God tells us through the Bible is consistent. We’ll illustrate these three by examples. Finally, there are only eight verses in Revelation 15 and we go through verse by verse to explain what we see through these three. For example, in Revelation 15:3, it talks about those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name. This reminds us about overcomers, and see the concept logically: ‘once saved then forever saved.’ When we talk about the consistency of the Bible, we can see that God is really fair. Those who are merely saved cannot enter the city of new Jerusalem when it comes down from Heaven. This is a different viewpoint from many, but we are not to try to be unconventional for the sake of being unconventional. It is just the conclusion we reach if we examine the Bible according to these three guidelines.

1. Preface: What the Bible tells us regarding how to read the Bible?

According to Jesus, it says clearly in John 5:39-40 that the purpose of reading the Bible is to have life, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.” There are people who are familiar with the Bible, but still don’t believe in Jesus. So, gaining knowledge is absolutely not the only purpose of reading the Bible. However, many people suffer such a mistake without even knowing it!

The Bible says the only way to read the Bible correctly is ‘through the revelation to lead the Bible study.’ You can find the detailed discussions in [1]. Here, we briefly review why we say so. It is said in Luke 24:45 clearly, “Then He opened their (including Peter’s) minds to understand the Scriptures,” otherwise it is impossible for them to understand the Bible correctly. We cannot nowadays have our minds opened by Jesus Himself, but we have the indwelling Holy Spirit and He as one of Holy Trinity can open our minds through revelation to understand the Bible correctly. There is no other way. Just like what Paul says in Galatians 1:12, “For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Revelation is not all supernatural. Holy Spirit often uses others to reveal the truth in the Bible. Just like after Paul saw the light, the Lord sent a disciple at Damascus named Ananias to tell him something in Act 9. Only through revelation, it is possible to do what Peter is qualified to say, ‘not to distort the Bible’ in 2 Peter 3:15-16. Although we cannot do revelation by ourselves, we can certainly pray like what Paul did in Ephesians 1:17, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”

God has the absolute authority. Without Him to open our eyes, we cannot really see. In the Old Testament, there was an example in 2 King 6. Elisha was able to see that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, but he couldn’t open the eyes of his servant. So “Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”(2 Kings 6:17)

Revelation is what we cannot do in studying the Bible. It needs to be by the mercy of God. Therefore, God is active and we can only be passive. Here, we present a practical method to show God that we are willing to actively work with Him. It is a practical method since everyone can do it if a person is willing. We believe that He’ll do what He promises in the Bible because the Bible is indeed inspired by God. In short, we are active passive.

2. What we should be actively willing to do 

This is a practical method since everyone can do it if one is willing. The question then boils down to if we are willing to do. This method consists of three points: (1) Not to discount what the Bible has written in black and white; (2) To use logic correctly; (3) To use the consistency of the Bible, i.e., what God tells us through the Bible is consistent. We’ll use examples to illustrate these three in the following.

(1) Not to discount what the Bible says written in black and white   

“All Scripture is inspired by God …“(2 Timothy 3:16) When Paul wrote such words, not all the Bible books were written yet, such as the Book of Revelation. However, Christians do believe that the whole Bible is inspired by God, which is our starting point. Only in this way, there is a possibility not to create a god not according to the Bible. 

The Bible is inspired by God. Therefore, looking at things in the aspect of the Bible is to look at them in the aspect of God. However, the Bible didn’t record everything, as John clearly says how he chose the materials in John 20:31, “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” So, to look at things in the aspect of God is not equivalent to looking at things in the aspect of the Bible. We cannot add equality signs arbitrarily when reading the Bible. As a matter of fact, listening to the words of other people, we need do the same by not adding an equality sign. For example, even when you have good will in reminding someone that they shouldn’t do certain things, it is often misconstrued as blaming. If a person has no ears which can hear as said in all seven churches in the Book of Revelation, we should not try to remind that person of anything because it will be useless and we want to avoid arguments.  

We now give another example to show you how different it is to look at things in the aspect of human and in the aspect of God. Before Paul saw the big light, he was absolutely enthusiastic. But he read the Old Testament in the aspect of human. And it was so wrong to the extent of persecuting Christians. After He saw the big light, he got a revelation and looked at things in the aspect of God. God used him so much as we all know. 

‘Not to discount what the Bible says that is written in black and white’ is not as easy to do as one thinks. Let us use Romans 8:29 as an example. It says, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” What the Bible says is that there are both foreknowledge and predestination at the same time. But Martin Luther said that there was only foreknowledge, and John Calvin said there was only predestination. If we use the Bible as our absolute standard, then both of them are wrong in this point. This causes the result that there are arguments even in nowadays! 

In fact, the Bible boldly says, if a person was considered very spiritual and made mistakes, the effect is very large. We all know that Solomon built up the temple, but it says in 1 Kings 11:4-7 “For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. …Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon.” Probably none dared to correct such mistakes until Josiah, close to the time of the fall of Judah. It is said in 2 Kings 23:13-14, “The high places which were before Jerusalem, which were on the right of the mount of destruction which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled. He (Josiah) broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones.” For the same reason, it is very important to distinguish the words from the God from those from human.

(2) To use logic correctly

We know the (mathematical) logic is merely a tool. It is the same logic no matter where we go. Different hypothesis (axiom) feeds the same logic (machine) will get different conclusion (theorem). As an example, the number in our daily life is using decimal, where each digit can be from zero to nine. The same number in a computer is represented by binary, whose digit can only be zero or one. As a result, there are theorems which are correct in computer designs but the same statements aren’t true in our daily life.  Our faith determines our hypothesis (axiom). One apparent example is between a Christian and an atheist, where the former knows the God’s existence in heart but the latter assumes there is no God. Remember that every human has free will. Even the Bible words and logic are satisfied, a person can still choose unbelief. This is basically to look at thing in the aspect of human. When a person thinks that one thing is impossible due to his experience, it doesn’t mean that the thing is indeed impossible since the Bible is inspired by God and contains true knowledge. For example, Copernicus talked about the earth circling around the sun, and the science of that time believed the stars and the planets rotated around a fixed Earth. We now know that the science at that time was incorrect.

Let’s use another example to show that we cannot always get a conclusive answer to every question about the Bible. Let us take a look at following three verses to conclude that the flood came when Methuselah died since 782-182=600. In Genesis 5:26, it says, “Then Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after he became the father of Lamech, …” In Genesis 5:28-29, it says, “Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and became the father of a son. Now he called his name Noah, …” In Genesis 7:6, it says, “Now Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of water came upon the earth.” One may ask if Methuselah died in the flood or the flood came right after he died? Well, this is viewed in the aspect of human. In the aspect of God, how he died is not important and it isn’t recorded. Instead, that the flood that came at that day is important and is recorded. In logic, the information is insufficient. We cannot get a unique conclusion, and thus there is no reason to argue which one is true.

(3) To use the consistency of the Bible,

      i.e., what God tells us through the Bible is consistent.  

A Christian is “justified by faith.”(Galatians 3:24). Even his work is like hay or straw, the Bible still says in 1 Corinthians 3:15, “If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” Therefore, we can conclude from this verse and logic the concept of ‘once saved then forever saved.’ Maybe someone would ask if it is fair? It seems that some people go to Heaven just by truly believing once, and others spend a life time in the way of sanctification. Yes, it is fair. The ways the Bible deals with those merely saved and those who endeavor in the way of sanctification are different.  When it is the time of having a new heaven and a new earth, the holy city, new Jerusalem, comes down out of heaven from God. (Ref. to Revelation 21:1-2) Not all people can enter the city as said in Revelation 21:26-27, “and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Someone may think those cannot enter the city are not Christians, but they are Christians according to the Bible. 

Why do we say so? We see in Philippians 4:3 that the names of Christians are in the book of life, “…these women …together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” Revelation 21:26-27 don’t say that all people in the book of life can enter the city. Therefore, ‘names in the book of life’ is only a sufficient condition of ‘entering the city’, not necessary. We cannot make them equal. From the timeline, the great white throne appears in Revelation 20:11. Then it says in Revelation 20:15, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” By that time, all non-Christians were thrown into the lake of fire. It emphasizes in Revelation 21:8 by calling it the second death. Therefore, those who cannot enter the city are the Christians described in Revelation 21:27. 

Someone backtracks saying that those were not really saved to start with to fulfill the consistency of the Bible. Only God knows who are truly saved, which is correct. Then, where do we put those Christians who truly believed once but fall due to feebleness? There is something to distinguish between those Christians and non-Christians. If there is nothing distinguishing between them, where do we put the faithfulness of the God? Did He promise to be saved by faith alone? Did preachers lie to get people believed? Of course not. It is because the Lord is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”(2 Peter 3:9) The standard of becoming a Christian is relatively low when compared with the standard of sanctification, which takes the time of the whole life. His final judgement will decide who can enter the city. In the final judgement, there are at least two books as said in Revelation 20:12, “…and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.” By this way, the consistency of the Bible is preserved!

Someone may say that outside the city is better than being thrown in the lake of fire. This is correct, but we should seek to be a Christian who can enter the city. This is definitely an example about the consistency of the Bible. Regarding this point, we have no choice but to use extrapolation to deduct that all cases are true from a finite number of examples because God is infinite and we are finite. Must remember, “…God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”(1 John 4:16) God is fair, since “…From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” .”(Luke 12:48)

3. What is observed in the Book of Revelation 15?

There are only eight verses in Revelation 15 and we go verse by verse to explain what we see through these three points. 

15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.

One brother said that the plague of the seventh trumpet is the plague of seven bowls, just like the plague of the seven seals is the plague of the seventh trumpet. And he said that it is called in Revelation 11:14 the third plague since the plague of seven trumpets are divided into two groups with four and three and it is the third one in the second group.

We can use a different deduction to obtain the same conclusion, as the Bible often writes in a redundant way. In Revelation 16:17, it says, “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.”” This ‘done’ indicates the end of the plague of the seventh trumpet. If not, let us assume that the plague ends before the plague of seven bowls. This will lead to a contradiction with Revelation 15:1 since we then cannot have “in them the wrath of God is finished.” So, we can conclude that the plague of the seventh trumpet is the plague of seven bowls. Here, we use the words of the Bible and logic.

15:2 And I saw something like (G5613) a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.

The Bible doesn’t say clearly that those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name are overcomers. But they are willing to sacrifice their life for the Lord, “(men of whom the world was not worthy) …”(Hebrews 11:38) In the beginning of the Book of Revelation, all the believers that the Lord has called are overcomers. Because the Lord doesn’t hope that we are merely saved as discussed in the consistency of the Bible according to 1 Corinthians 3:15.

Probably, someone might ask if the sea of glass is a sea made of glass. By now, we might be familiar with the fact there are Concordance numbers corresponding to words. Let us take the word representing by G5613. Its meaning can be found in Revelation 1:14 and other verses, “His head and His hair were white like (G5613) white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like (G5613) a flame of fire.” In other words, it is just look like but not the actual sea so that they can stand on it. In fact, the sea of glass only appears twice with the other time in Revelation 4:6, “and before the throne there was something like (G3664) a sea of glass, like crystal; …” The meaning of the word G3664 can be found in Revelation 4:3, “And He who was sitting was like (G3664) a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like (G3664) an emerald in appearance.” Although this uses a different word, its meaning is the same. It is just like what we say: ‘half past two’ and ‘two thirty’ mean the same. The Bible is consistent even in this.

15:3 And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying (G3004), “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!

15:4 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Since there is the word G3004, this song is clearly written between the quote signs. We shouldn’t confuse with the song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32. What are then ‘Your works and Your ways’ mentioned in verse 15:3? There are so many in the Bible and we couldn’t list them all. At least, the plan of salvation which includes ‘Word becoming flesh’ is one of them. With such a plan, we can then have hope. In terms of the work of righteousness, we so far have at least the plague of six seals, and we already have the plague of six bowls associated with the broken seventh seal. The plague of the seven bowl has not happened yet. As we discussed before, the completion of the plague of the seven bowl signals the end of the plague of the seventh seal.

Please notice that the plague of the sixth bowl includes seven peals of thunder, and it is said in Revelation 10:4, “…Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.” Indeed, John didn’t write them, which shows his obedience. And we can see that he writes according to what he saw in the time ordering. It is believable. Indeed, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; …”(Psalms 89:14) We have to see there is love in righteousness in the Old Testament, and there is righteousness in love in the New Testament.

15:5 After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened,

We now know that there is the tabernacle of testimony in heaven, and so it is built up on earth in the era of Moses. Let us take a look at how it was built up. It is said clearly in Hebrews 8:5, “who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”” Yes, the real thing is in heaven. In order to have the shadow correct, the corresponding one on earth has to be built up according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain. 

This is like what is said in the beginning of the Book of Job. There are things that happened in heaven first, before the corresponding things can happen on earth. For example, it is said in Job 2:6-7, “So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.” We can also see what Satan can do cannot exceed what God agreed. And Satan cannot see that the plan is to bless Job and thought that he could win until the sort of last minute. Isn’t this just like what happened in the plan of salvation. How can Bible be not consistent?

15:6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes.

15:7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.

We can see where the seven bowls come from. In terms of their execution, it is started in next chapter from Revelation 16:1, “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.””

15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

From what I know, there are only two other places that mentioned that the glory and power of God is so large that no one can enter His temple. One is in Exodus 40:34-35, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” The other time it was described was in 2 Chronicles 7:1-2, “Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house.” In the reconstruction of the temple, there is no such thing that happened. We want to emphasize again that there is only one God in both the New Testament and the Old Testament. The Bible is consistent.

Related knowledge

[1] You can get the article in web, “https://a-christian-voice.com/ “.  Then press “On spiritual understanding about life” and “1023 Bible says how to study the Bible.”

 (Verses refer to those in NASB unless otherwise specified.)

(You can get all articles in “https://a-christian-voice.com/” under “On spiritual understanding about life.”)

     首先我们看看在约翰福音的第五个神迹，在海上行走。类似的记载在马可福音有，也说到他们不明白那分饼的事，心里还是愚顽。在马太福音还提到了彼得行在海上的事，他本是在信心中做，看环境就会因小信而沈下去。我们会接着做一个相应的见证和看到了其中的圣灵的工作。最后我们来看医治生来是瞎子的神迹，约翰福音的第六个神迹。约翰福音第九章一开始就叙述了神迹的本身，我们看见了生病不一定是因为罪，受苦难可能是因为要看见神的荣耀。我们再次看见了善事是随时可做的。也看见了要能为主基督站立是不容易的，不能更看重人的荣耀过于神的荣耀。这瞎子亲身经历过这样的神迹怎能不信呢？我们实在应该祈求我们属灵的眼睛被开启。

1. 在海面上行走的神迹: 约翰福音的第五个神迹          

     我们先看看神迹的本身，『到了晚上，他的门徒下海边去，上了船，要过海往迦百农去。天已经黑了，耶稣还没有来到他们那里。忽然狂风大作，海就翻腾起来。门徒摇橹约行了十里多路，看见耶稣在海面上走，渐渐近了船，他们就害怕。耶稣对他们说：「是我，不要怕！」门徒就喜欢接他上船，船立时到了他们所要去的地方。』(约翰福音 6:16-21)          

     在马可福音有类似的记载，『耶稣随即催门徒上船，…到了晚上，船在海中，耶稣独自在岸上，看见门徒因风不顺，摇橹甚苦。夜里约有四更天，就在海面上走，往他们那里去，意思要走过他们去。…耶稣连忙对他们说：「你们放心，是我，不要怕！」于是到他们那里上了船，风就住了，他们心里十分惊奇。这是因为他们不明白那分饼的事，心里还是愚顽。』(马可福音 6:45-52) 圣经说到的愚顽 (G4456)，只在五个地方出现，请自己去查一下。          

     其实马太福音也讲了同一件事，不过加了彼得的事情，『耶稣随即催门徒上船，…那时，船在海中，因风不顺，被浪摇撼。夜里四更天，耶稣在海面上走，往门徒那里去。…耶稣连忙对他们说：「你们放心，是我，不要怕！」彼得说：「主，如果是你，请叫我从水面上走到你那里去。」耶稣说：「你来吧！」 彼得就从船上下去，在水面上走，要到耶稣那里去；只因见风甚大，就害怕，将要沉下去，便喊着说：「主啊，救我！」耶稣赶紧伸手拉住他，说：「你这小信的人哪，为甚么疑惑呢？」他们上了船，风就住了。在船上的人都拜他，说：「你真是神的儿子了。」』(马太福音 14:22-33)       

     请注意，这里提到了彼得能行在海上的事，他本是在信心中能做的，看环境就会沈下去，我们也看见了信心的确会是只有小信的。可见我们是要凭信心而不是凭眼见，接着我们会做一个相应的见证。我们也知道门徒是看见了信的，没有看见而信的是有福的，就如约翰福音 20:29 所说：『耶稣对他(多马)说：「你因看见了我才信，那没有看见就信的有福了！」』。

2. 相应的见证和圣灵的工作          

     应该大约是 7/29/2012 晚，你们听完了见证就可知道为什么我知道大概的时间了。那时我已经带着更正双重影像的眼镜了，突然有一个意念告诉我去戴旧眼镜，那眼镜度数差不多，但没有双重影像的更正。我决定要试试，戴旧眼镜居然没有看到双重影像。心想已经历过一些神迹，这应该又是一个神迹，马上决定去看了配眼镜的医生。他告诉我说仪器说我有双重影像，可是我真的看不见双重影像，我读测试的字母也对。这对他是不容易的，我看不到双重影像而仪器说我有。经过我不断的请求，虽然我那时也有老花，他最后同意了让我配一副没有更正双重影像的，连老花也没有的新眼镜。          

     在我带了这没有更正双重影像的新眼镜后，约半年之久，我没有看见双重影像，然后我就突然的看到双重影像了。只好回到医生那儿重配带更正双重影像的眼镜，从此以后，我们一直在追恶化的双重影像，就是开始约能戴眼镜半年之久，度数差不太多，但双重影像愈来愈糟。因此我想，我以为是神迹的想法一定是错了，我做错了决定，去要求医生给我配了没有更正双重影像的眼镜，仪器是不骗人的，告诉我有双重影像啊！心想，这是邪灵的工作。这情形一直继续到一个我没有办法解释的现象发生，有相当长的一段时间这件事才发生的，因为有预知，知道撒但不能做，才知道真是神迹，心中也就安定下来了。我就不多解释这事件了，因为我自己本来也不知道，知道以后也试过解释给别人听，别人不知道我所领受的，真是不造就人，虽然我趋向于说神做的事情，也觉得现在不如不说了，也因此至少有三个人同意这是神迹。          

     在知道是神迹后，实际的情况却是愈来愈糟，先是换眼镜更频繁了，到一年要换三次，至最终因双重影像太糟而不能戴眼镜。其后还有一次没戴的眼镜去看过另一位眼科医生，只是度数差不多而双重影像更糟，他说如果我不戴眼镜，度数这么深是合法的瞎子。不是说我什么都看不到，只是看得很不清楚，像人这么大的东西我是不会撞到的，所以还是可以在某些人行道上行走的。我现今不能戴眼镜已约三年了，刚开始时，到 50 吋的电视前只有一个手掌的距离都看不清楚，现在一个手臂的距离都比最初时要清楚多了！虽是时好时坏，但总体来说是往好的方向走，只不知最后会在何时、停在何处而已？          

     在这中间又发生了一个小插曲，就是我被激动去打电话给配眼镜医生的办公室要我的纪录，最后决定打了这电话，要到了所有能要到的纪录。也因为打了这电话，才知道配眼镜的医生只要保存纪录七年，而不是如一般医生要十年。我打电话拿到纪录看后，才知道再隔一段时间，我就不会从纪录上看到发生的事情了，也就是从有更正双重影像的眼镜，到没有更正的眼镜，再回到有更正的。所以我现在对所有发生的事情都有纪录，这就说明了为什么我知道大约发生的时间。但有两件事情我不能证明，就是我在脑中被告知去试戴旧眼镜的事和去打电话，因此你必须相信我不在说谎，才会相信这些事发生过。属灵的事情就是这样，必须要在信心里面，一定有些事情不能用可见的证据证明的。如果有人告诉你，他能在逻辑上证明神的存在，你就知道这是不可能的，一定在有些地方错了。神比我们不可相比的大，理论上怎么可能由一个人在逻辑上证明出神的存在呢？祂有绝对的主权，祂若不愿意，人又奈何？       

     圣经是神所默示的，祂保守祂的话，圣经中有许多的应许，问题是我们是不是真的相信？圣经明确的说，有些事是不能说的，譬如，『七雷发声之后，我正要写出来，就听见从天上有声音说：「七雷所说的你要封上，不可写出来。」』(启示录 10:4) 又譬如保罗虽没有说他被提到三层天，但他说：『我认得这人，或在身内、或在身外，我都不知道，只有神知道。他被提到乐园里，听见隐秘的言语，是人不可说的。』(哥林多后书 12:3-4) 对我来说，这通电话让我相信是圣灵要我分享这见证。如果祂不要，就跟本不必激动我去打那通电话，只要等时间过去，我就不会有任何纪录了。也是在准备这次的专题查经时，我突然意识到彼得在水上行走的事不是和我遇见的相似吗？我不是看到双重影像日益变坏的环境就跌倒了吗？我们要凭信心而不看环境或眼见。

3. 医治生来是瞎子的神迹: 约翰福音的第六个神迹           

     这是神迹的本身，『耶稣过去的时候，看见一个人生来是瞎眼的。门徒问耶稣说：「拉比，这人生来是瞎眼的，是谁犯了罪？是这人呢？是他父母呢？」耶稣回答说：「也不是这人犯了罪，也不是他父母犯了罪，是要在他身上显出神的作为来。趁着白日，我们必须做那差我来者的工；黑夜将到，就没有人能做工了。我在世上的时候，是世上的光。」耶稣说了这话，就吐唾沫在地上，用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上，对他说：「你往西罗亚池子里去洗。」（「西罗亚」翻出来就是「奉差遣」。）他去一洗，回头就看见了。』(约翰福音 9:1-7)          

     所以我们看见了生病不一定是因为罪，受苦难可能是因为要看见神的荣耀。我不知道为什么祂这次会用唾沫和泥抹的方式行神迹，因为祂是可以如约翰福音的第三个神迹、医治三十八年的瘫子般的用话语的。但这使我想起了约翰福音 12:28-30 说，『…当时就有声音从天上来说：「我已经荣耀了我的名，还要再荣耀。」站在旁边的众人听见，就说：「打雷了。」还有人说：「有天使对他说话。」耶稣说：「这声音不是为我，是为你们来的。」』          

     我们再次看见了善事是随时可做的，『他们把从前瞎眼的人带到法利赛人那里。耶稣和泥开他眼睛的日子是安息日。…法利赛人中有的说：「这个人不是从神来的，因为他不守安息日。」 又有人说：「一个罪人怎能行这样的神迹呢？」他们就起了纷争。』(约翰福音 9:13-16) 我们说过耶稣所完成的是安息日的真谛，而不是律法上的安息日的日子，祂是安息日的主，我们就不重复这一点了，只是强调善事是随时可做的。          

     『犹太人不信他从前是瞎眼，后来能看见的，…他父母回答说：「他是我们的儿子，生来就瞎眼，这是我们知道的。至于他如今怎么能看见，我们却不知道；是谁开了他的眼睛，我们也不知道。他已经成了人，你们问他吧！他自己必能说。」他父母说这话，是怕犹太人，因为犹太人已经商议定了，若有认耶稣是基督的，要把他赶出会堂。因此他父母说：「他已经成了人，你们问他吧！」』(约翰福音 9:18-23) 在约翰福音 9:11 说，『他(瞎子)回答说：「有一个人名叫耶稣，他和泥抹我的眼睛，对我说『你往西罗亚池子去洗』；我去一洗，就看见了。」』这经文在上面的经文前，所以瞎子的父母应该也知道是耶稣开了他的眼睛的。如果他的父母的确知道，他们就没有说实话。其实要能为主基督站立是相当不容易的，是要付代价的，不能看重人的荣耀，大于神的荣耀。          

     『所以法利赛人第二次叫了那从前瞎眼的人来，对他说：「你该将荣耀归给神，我们知道这人是个罪人。」…那人回答说：「他开了我的眼睛，你们竟不知道他从哪里来，这真是奇怪！我们知道神不听罪人，惟有敬奉神、遵行他旨意的，神才听他。从创世以来，未曾听见有人把生来是瞎子的眼睛开了。这人若不是从神来的，甚么也不能做。」』(约翰福音 9:24-33) 我们看见了瞎子现在眼睛能看见，心也不瞎了，这点我们在约翰福音 9:35-38 也能看到。『耶稣听说他们把他赶出去，后来遇见他，就说：「你信神的儿子吗？」他回答说：「主啊，谁是神的儿子，叫我信他呢？」耶稣说：「你已经看见他，现在和你说话的就是他。」他说：「主啊，我信！」就拜耶稣。』(约翰福音 9:35-38) 这瞎子亲身经历过这样的神迹怎能不信呢？         

     我们就用这节经文结束我们今天的分享，『耶稣说：「我为审判到这世上来，叫不能看见的，可以看见；能看见的，反瞎了眼。」同他在那里的法利赛人听见这话，就说：「难道我们也瞎了眼吗？」耶稣对他们说：「你们若瞎了眼，就没有罪了；但如今你们说『我们能看见』，所以你们的罪还在。」』(约翰福音 9:39-41) 是的，当我们的眼睛被打开时，就会看到保罗说的是事实。『若有人以为自己知道甚么，按他所当知道的，他仍是不知道。』(哥林多前书 8:2) 这在理论上也是一个事实，因神是无限，人是有限，如果祂愿意，随时可以让我们看到更多的。

(你可以在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』看到所有的文章，到这网站后要按『对属灵生命的了解』。)

    首先我們看看在約翰福音的第五個神蹟，在海上行走。類似的記載在馬可福音有，也說到他們不明白那分餅的事，心裏還是愚頑。在馬太福音還提到了彼得行在海上的事，他本是在信心中做，看環境就會因小信而沈下去。我們會接著做一個相應的見証和看到了其中的聖靈的工作。最後我們來看醫治生來是瞎子的神蹟，約翰福音的第六個神蹟。約翰福音第九章一開始就敘述了神蹟的本身，我們看見了生病不一定是因為罪，受苦難可能是因為要看見神的榮耀。我們再次看見了善事是隨時可做的。也看見了要能為主基督站立是不容易的，不能更看重人的榮耀過於神的榮耀。這瞎子親身經歷過這樣的神蹟怎能不信呢？我們實在應該祈求我們屬靈的眼睛被開啓。

1. 在海面上行走的神蹟: 約翰福音的第五個神蹟

          我們先看看神蹟的本身，『到了晚上，他的門徒下海邊去，上了船，要過海往迦百農去。天已經黑了，耶穌還沒有來到他們那裏。忽然狂風大作，海就翻騰起來。門徒搖櫓約行了十里多路，看見耶穌在海面上走，漸漸近了船，他們就害怕。耶穌對他們說：「是我，不要怕！」門徒就喜歡接他上船，船立時到了他們所要去的地方。』(約翰福音 6:16-21)

          在馬可福音有類似的記載，『耶穌隨即催門徒上船，…到了晚上，船在海中，耶穌獨自在岸上，看見門徒因風不順，搖櫓甚苦。夜裏約有四更天，就在海面上走，往他們那裏去，意思要走過他們去。…耶穌連忙對他們說：「你們放心，是我，不要怕！」於是到他們那裏上了船，風就住了，他們心裏十分驚奇。這是因為他們不明白那分餅的事，心裏還是愚頑。』(馬可福音 6:45-52) 聖經說到的愚頑 (G4456)，只在五個地方出現，請自己去查一下。

          其實馬太福音也講了同一件事，不過加了彼得的事情，『耶穌隨即催門徒上船，…那時，船在海中，因風不順，被浪搖撼。夜裏四更天，耶穌在海面上走，往門徒那裏去。…耶穌連忙對他們說：「你們放心，是我，不要怕！」彼得說：「主，如果是你，請叫我從水面上走到你那裏去。」耶穌說：「你來吧！」 彼得就從船上下去，在水面上走，要到耶穌那裏去；只因見風甚大，就害怕，將要沉下去，便喊着說：「主啊，救我！」耶穌趕緊伸手拉住他，說：「你這小信的人哪，為甚麼疑惑呢？」他們上了船，風就住了。在船上的人都拜他，說：「你真是神的兒子了。」』(馬太福音 14:22-33)

       請注意，這裏提到了彼得能行在海上的事，他本是在信心中能做的，看環境就會沈下去，我們也看見了信心的確會是只有小信的。可見我們是要憑信心而不是憑眼見，接著我們會做一個相應的見証。我們也知道門徒是看見了信的，沒有看見而信的是有福的，就如約翰福音 20:29 所說：『耶穌對他(多馬)說：「你因看見了我才信，那沒有看見就信的有福了！」』。

2. 相應的見証和聖靈的工作

          應該大約是 7/29/2012 晚，你們聽完了見証就可知道為什麼我知道大概的時間了。那時我已經帶著更正双重影像的眼鏡了，突然有一個意念告訴我去戴舊眼鏡，那眼鏡度數差不多，但沒有双重影像的更正。我決定要試試，戴舊眼鏡居然沒有看到双重影像。心想已經歷過一些神蹟，這應該又是一個神蹟，馬上決定去看了配眼鏡的醫生。他告訴我說儀器說我有双重影像，可是我真的看不見双重影像，我讀測試的字母也對。這對他是不容易的，我看不到双重影像而儀器說我有。經過我不斷的請求，雖然我那時也有老花，他最後同意了讓我配一副沒有更正双重影像的，連老花也沒有的新眼鏡。

          在我帶了這沒有更正双重影像的新眼鏡後，約半年之久，我沒有看見双重影像，然後我就突然的看到双重影像了。只好回到醫生那兒重配帶更正双重影像的眼鏡，從此以後，我們一直在追惡化的双重影像，就是開始約能戴眼鏡半年之久，度數差不太多，但双重影像愈來愈糟。因此我想，我以為是神蹟的想法一定是錯了，我做錯了決定，去要求醫生給我配了沒有更正双重影像的眼鏡，儀器是不騙人的，告訴我有双重影像啊！心想，這是邪靈的工作。這情形一直繼續到一個我沒有辦法解釋的現象發生，有相當長的一段時間這件事才發生的，因為有預知，知道撒但不能做，才知道真是神蹟，心中也就安定下來了。我就不多解釋這事件了，因為我自己本來也不知道，知道以後也試過解釋給別人聽，別人不知道我所領受的，真是不造就人，雖然我趨向於說神做的事情，也覺得現在不如不說了，也因此至少有三個人同意這是神蹟。

          在知道是神蹟後，實際的情況卻是愈來愈糟，先是換眼鏡更頻繁了，到一年要換三次，至最終因双重影像太糟而不能戴眼鏡。其後還有一次沒戴的眼鏡去看過另一位眼科醫生，只是度數差不多而双重影像更糟，他說如果我不戴眼鏡，度數這麼深是合法的瞎子。不是說我什麼都看不到，只是看得很不清楚，像人這麼大的東西我是不會撞到的，所以還是可以在某些人行道上行走的。我現今不能戴眼鏡已約三年了，剛開始時，到 50 吋的電視前只有一個手掌的距離都看不清楚，現在一個手臂的距離都比最初時要清楚多了！雖是時好時壞，但總體來說是往好的方向走，只不知最後會在何時、停在何處而已？

          在這中間又發生了一個小插曲，就是我被激動去打電話給配眼鏡醫生的辦公室要我的紀錄，最後決定打了這電話，要到了所有能要到的紀錄。也因為打了這電話，才知道配眼鏡的醫生只要保存紀錄七年，而不是如一般醫生要十年。我打電話拿到紀錄看後，才知道再隔一段時間，我就不會從紀錄上看到發生的事情了，也就是從有更正双重影像的眼鏡，到沒有更正的眼鏡，再回到有更正的。所以我現在對所有發生的事情都有紀錄，這就說明了為什麼我知道大約發生的時間。但有兩件事情我不能証明，就是我在腦中被告知去試戴舊眼鏡的事和去打電話，因此你必須相信我不在說謊，才會相信這些事發生過。屬靈的事情就是這樣，必須要在信心裏面，一定有些事情不能用可見的証據証明的。如果有人告訴你，他能在邏輯上証明神的存在，你就知道這是不可能的，一定在有些地方錯了。神比我們不可相比的大，理論上怎麼可能由一個人在邏輯上証明出神的存在呢？祂有絕對的主權，祂若不願意，人又奈何？

       聖經是神所默示的，祂保守祂的話，聖經中有許多的應許，問題是我們是不是真的相信？聖經明確的說，有些事是不能說的，譬如，『七雷發聲之後，我正要寫出來，就聽見從天上有聲音說：「七雷所說的你要封上，不可寫出來。」』(啓示錄 10:4) 又譬如保羅雖沒有說他被提到三層天，但他說：『我認得這人，或在身內、或在身外，我都不知道，只有神知道。他被提到樂園裏，聽見隱秘的言語，是人不可說的。』(哥林多後書 12:3-4) 對我來說，這通電話讓我相信是聖靈要我分享這見証。如果祂不要，就跟本不必激動我去打那通電話，只要等時間過去，我就不會有任何紀錄了。也是在準備這次的專題查經時，我突然意識到彼得在水上行走的事不是和我遇見的相似嗎？我不是看到双重影像日益變壞的環境就跌倒了嗎？我們要憑信心而不看環境或眼見。

3. 醫治生來是瞎子的神蹟: 約翰福音的第六個神蹟

           這是神蹟的本身，『耶穌過去的時候，看見一個人生來是瞎眼的。門徒問耶穌說：「拉比，這人生來是瞎眼的，是誰犯了罪？是這人呢？是他父母呢？」耶穌回答說：「也不是這人犯了罪，也不是他父母犯了罪，是要在他身上顯出神的作為來。趁着白日，我們必須做那差我來者的工；黑夜將到，就沒有人能做工了。我在世上的時候，是世上的光。」耶穌說了這話，就吐唾沫在地上，用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上，對他說：「你往西羅亞池子裏去洗。」（「西羅亞」翻出來就是「奉差遣」。）他去一洗，回頭就看見了。』(約翰福音 9:1-7)

          所以我們看見了生病不一定是因為罪，受苦難可能是因為要看見神的榮耀。我不知道為什麼祂這次會用唾沫和泥抹的方式行神蹟，因為祂是可以如約翰福音的第三個神蹟、醫治三十八年的癱子般的用話語的。但這使我想起了約翰福音 12:28-30 說，『…當時就有聲音從天上來說：「我已經榮耀了我的名，還要再榮耀。」站在旁邊的眾人聽見，就說：「打雷了。」還有人說：「有天使對他說話。」耶穌說：「這聲音不是為我，是為你們來的。」』

          我們再次看見了善事是隨時可做的，『他們把從前瞎眼的人帶到法利賽人那裏。耶穌和泥開他眼睛的日子是安息日。…法利賽人中有的說：「這個人不是從神來的，因為他不守安息日。」 又有人說：「一個罪人怎能行這樣的神蹟呢？」他們就起了紛爭。』(約翰福音 9:13-16) 我們說過耶穌所完成的是安息日的真諦，而不是律法上的安息日的日子，祂是安息日的主，我們就不重復這一點了，只是強調善事是隨時可做的。

          『猶太人不信他從前是瞎眼，後來能看見的，…他父母回答說：「他是我們的兒子，生來就瞎眼，這是我們知道的。至於他如今怎麼能看見，我們卻不知道；是誰開了他的眼睛，我們也不知道。他已經成了人，你們問他吧！他自己必能說。」他父母說這話，是怕猶太人，因為猶太人已經商議定了，若有認耶穌是基督的，要把他趕出會堂。因此他父母說：「他已經成了人，你們問他吧！」』(約翰福音 9:18-23) 在約翰福音 9:11 說，『他(瞎子)回答說：「有一個人名叫耶穌，他和泥抹我的眼睛，對我說『你往西羅亞池子去洗』；我去一洗，就看見了。」』這經文在上面的經文前，所以瞎子的父母應該也知道是耶穌開了他的眼睛的。如果他的父母的確知道，他們就沒有說實話。其實要能為主基督站立是相當不容易的，是要付代價的，不能看重人的榮耀，大於神的榮耀。

          『所以法利賽人第二次叫了那從前瞎眼的人來，對他說：「你該將榮耀歸給神，我們知道這人是個罪人。」…那人回答說：「他開了我的眼睛，你們竟不知道他從哪裏來，這真是奇怪！我們知道神不聽罪人，惟有敬奉神、遵行他旨意的，神才聽他。從創世以來，未曾聽見有人把生來是瞎子的眼睛開了。這人若不是從神來的，甚麼也不能做。」』(約翰福音 9:24-33) 我們看見了瞎子現在眼睛能看見，心也不瞎了，這點我們在約翰福音 9:35-38 也能看到。『耶穌聽說他們把他趕出去，後來遇見他，就說：「你信神的兒子嗎？」他回答說：「主啊，誰是神的兒子，叫我信他呢？」耶穌說：「你已經看見他，現在和你說話的就是他。」他說：「主啊，我信！」就拜耶穌。』(約翰福音 9:35-38) 這瞎子親身經歷過這樣的神蹟怎能不信呢？

         我們就用這節經文結束我們今天的分享，『耶穌說：「我為審判到這世上來，叫不能看見的，可以看見；能看見的，反瞎了眼。」同他在那裏的法利賽人聽見這話，就說：「難道我們也瞎了眼嗎？」耶穌對他們說：「你們若瞎了眼，就沒有罪了；但如今你們說『我們能看見』，所以你們的罪還在。」』(約翰福音 9:39-41) 是的，當我們的眼睛被打開時，就會看到保羅說的是事實。『若有人以為自己知道甚麼，按他所當知道的，他仍是不知道。』(哥林多前書 8:2) 這在理論上也是一個事實，因神是無限，人是有限，如果祂願意，隨時可以讓我們看到更多的。

 (你可以在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』看到所有的文章，到這網站後要按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』。)

First let us see the fifth miracle in the book of the Gospel of John, walking on the sea. Similar records are in the book of the Gospel of Mark, which also mentions that their heart was hardened so that they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves of bread. In the book of the Gospel of Matthew, it mentions that Peter could walk on the sea in faith, but he sank when he had little faith by looking at the environment. We will follow this with a corresponding testimony and the work of Holy Spirit in it. Finally, let us take a look at the miracle of healing a man who was born blind, the sixth miracle in the book of Gospel of John. At the beginning of chapter 9, it describes the miracle itself. We can see that if one is suffering from tribulations, it doesn’t imply that the tribulations are due to sins. It could be to display God’s glory. We can see good merciful things can be done anytime. We can also see that to stand up for the Lord Christ is not easy. We cannot desire the glory of human more than the glory of God. When the blind man encountered such a miracle, how could he not believe? We really must pray for our spiritual eyes opened.  

1. The miracle of walking on the sea: the fifth miracle in the book of the Gospel of John 

We first take a look at the miracle itself. In John 6:16-21, it says, “Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”

In Mark 6:45-52, there is a similar description. “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat …When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. …But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened (G4456).” There are only five places using the word G4456. Please check them by yourselves. 

In fact, the same event is mentioned in Matthew 14:22-33, where Peter walking on the sea is also described, “Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat …But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. …But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!””

Notice that here mentions it the event of Peter walking on the sea. He could do it in faith, but began to sink when he concentrated on what happened around him. We can see indeed that a person can be of little faith. We have to behave in faith, not according to the environment. We’ll give a corresponding testimony in the next section. We also see that disciples believed because they saw first. Those who don’t see but believe are blessed like what said in John 20:29, “Jesus said to him, “Because you (Thomas) have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.””

2. A corresponding testimony and the work of Holy Spirit

It was about the night of 7/29/2012. You’ll know why I know the approximate time when it happened after you hear the testimony. At that time, I had already worn a pair of glasses with correction for double images. Suddenly, there was a thought coming to my mind to tell me to wear an old pair of glasses, their prescription was about the same but with no double image correction. I decided to give it a try even though I had doubts. Surprisingly, I didn’t see the double image. Thus, I thought that this had to be another miracle since I saw double images before. I decided immediately to see my optometrist. He told me that I still had the double image according to the apparatus. But I didn’t see the double image and read the testing words correctly each time. It wasn’t easy for the doctor since I didn’t see the double image and the apparatus said I had. After asking for him a long while, he finally agreed to give me a new pair of glasses even without corrections and presbyopia which I had it at that time.

After wearing the new pair of glasses, I didn’t see the double image for about half a year until I suddenly saw the double image again. As the result, I had to go back to the optometrist to change a new pair of glasses with the double image correction and presbyopia. After that, we sort of started chasing the double image. In other words, I was able to wear a pair of glasses for about half a year in the beginning. But then I needed to change to new prescriptions pretty frequently afterwards because the double vision kept getting worse even though the other numbers stayed about the same. Therefore, I thought that my thinking about another miracle happening had to be wrong. I had made the wrong decision to ask the doctor to give me a new pair of glasses without double vision correction. The apparatus didn’t lie, and it did tell me that I still had the double image. So, I thought that it was the work of an evil spirit. The situation lasted for a long while until there happened an unexplainable event, at least to my knowledge.  Because it involved foreknowledge, which I know that Satan cannot do it. After I knew that it was indeed a miracle, my heart was no longer worry. I would not explain the unexplainable since I didn’t know myself at the beginning, and I tried to explain to others after I knew. I didn’t think that they understood what I perceived exactly. As the result, there are at least three people know about it. It doesn’t edify people. Thus, there is no need to talk about it nowadays despite that I have a tendency to talk about what God did.   

After I knew that it was a miracle, the real situation was getting worse day by day. First, I needed to change to a new pair of glasses more often, about three times a year. At the end, I couldn’t even wear any glasses because the double image was so bad. After that, I did go to an ophthalmologist. The prescription he gave to me is about the same as before except the double image got worser. There had no point for me to even try. He told me that I was legally blind if not wearing a pair of glasses. It doesn’t mean that I am totally blind and cannot see anything at all. I just cannot see clearly. I can still see well enough not to bump into people, so that I can still walk on sidewalks. I have not been able to wear a pair of glasses for about three years now. We have a 50-inch television at home, and I use it to measure the progress of my eyes. At the beginning, even from a palm’s length away I couldn’t see clearly. Nowadays, with at least one arm distance, I can see better than before! Although it is good and bad stochastically, the overall trend is towards better. I have no idea when or where it will stop at this point.      

In between, there happened another event. I was stimulated to call the office of my optometrist to ask for my records. After some thinking, I finally made such a call and got all the records available to me. Because of this phone call, I realized that an optometrist needs only to keep the records seven years instead of ten years for a medical doctor. After I got the records, I realized that I couldn’t see what happened in my records if I called just a few months later. That means, I started with double image correction, then without, and then having it again. Because of this phone call, I have adequate records which explain why I can know the approximate date. But there are two things I cannot prove, which are the facts that I was stimulated to try my old pair of glasses and to call the office. Therefore, you have to believe that I am not lying. The spiritual things are just like these. There are things which you cannot prove with written records. Faith is necessary. If someone tells you that he can prove logically the existence of God, you know that it has to be wrong. It is impossible, and there must be something wrong. Theoretically, God is much bigger and higher than us, how can one use our logic to prove His existence? He has the absolute authority. If He isn’t willing, we really cannot do anything. 

The Bible is inspired by God. He keeps His word. There are so many promises in the Bible. Do we really believe those? The Bible says explicitly that there are things one cannot share. For example, “When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.””(Revelation 10:4) As an another example, although Paul didn’t say explicitly that he was the one who went to the third heaven, he did say in  2 Corinthians 12:3-4, “And I know how such a man-whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.” It is clear that there are things which cannot be shared. This phone call let me believe that God wants me to share what He did in this testimony. If not, there is not a reason to stimulate me to make such a call. Just waiting for the time to pass, I have then no records at all. Also, in preparing this topic-wise Bible study, I suddenly realized that my situation was similar to what Peter encountered. Did I fall because of the environment that the double image became worse and worse? We really have to behave according to faith, not according to what we see.   

3. The miracle of healing the born blind: the sixth miracle in the book of Gospel John 

The miracle itself is given in John 9:1-7 “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.”

We can see that one person who got tribulations doesn’t imply that he was sinned, “but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” I have no idea why He made clay from the spittle, and applied the clay to the blind man’s eyes. He can perform miracles just like what happened in the third miracle in the book of the Gospel of John which heals the 38-year lame by His words. But this reminds me in John 12:28-30, “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.”

We see again that good merciful things can be done even at Sabbath in John 13-16, “They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them.” We discussed before what Jesus did is the true meaning of Sabbath, not the date according to law. He is the Lord of Sabbath as verses say. We’ll not repeat the discussion. We just reiterate that good merciful things can be done anytime.

“The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”” (John 9:18-23) In John 9:11, it says, “He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.”” This verse happened before the previous verse. Thus, the parents of the blind should know who opened his son’s eyes. If they indeed knew, they were not telling the truth. In fact, it is not easy to stand firm for the Lord Jesus. We have to pay the prices. We cannot desire the glory of human more than the glory of God.

“So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” …The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”” (John 9:24-33) We can see now that not only the eyes of the blind were opened, but also his spiritual eyes. This point can be seen clearly in John 9:35-38, “Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.”

Let us use the verses in John 9:39-41 to conclude this sharing, “And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.” Yes, when our eyes are opened, we can see what Paul says is a fact in 1 Corinthians 8:2, “If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know.” This is true theoretically too. God is infinite, and we are finite. If He is willing, He can certainly let us see something more than we already knew.

 (Verses refer to those in NASB unless otherwise specified.)

(You can get all articles in “https://a-christian-voice.com/” under “On spiritual understanding about life.”)

     如果我们绝对相信圣经所说的，加上逻辑和圣经的一致性，我们就会看见圣经明讲了有争议话题的答案，我们会借着叙述医治三十八年的瘫子的神迹的经文，提到一个这样的问题及答案。首先我们复习约翰福音选神迹的标准是为要得生命，看到了读经的目的也相同，说明了读经的必要，解释为什么说在得生命上我们只能扮演主动的被动的角色。然后我们叙述了在约翰福音中的第三个神迹，就是医治病了三十八年的瘫子的相关的经文及其看见。经文中提到了「我父做事直到如今」的这句子，是我们开始提到有争议的话题之一，我们会从创世记第一章，逻辑，和圣经的一致性提供答案。约翰福音中的第四个神迹是以五饼二鱼喂饱了五千人，我们叙述了相关的经文及其看见。这个神迹显然是非常重要，因为四福音书都提到它，因是基于一件事实，我们必须取联集，也就是必须符合四者的叙述。

1. 前言: 在得生命上为什么我们只能主动的被动       

     约翰福音说得很清楚它选择七个神迹的标准，『耶稣在门徒面前另外行了许多神迹，没有记在这书上。但记这些事，要叫你们信耶稣是基督，是神的儿子，并且叫你们信了他，就可以因他的名得生命。』(约翰福音 20:30-31) 耶稣自己说了读经的目的:『你们查考圣经，因你们以为内中有永生；给我(耶稣)作见证的就是这经。然而你们不肯到我这里来得生命。』(约翰福音 5:39-40) 很显然的，得生命是我们的目的，是非常重要的。因此我们有读经的必要，圣经是神所默示的，正确的读经我们会知道神要透过圣经告诉我们什么。因此我们可看见从圣经的角度看就是从神的角度看，但圣经没有记载所有神的事情，就如约翰福音不是记载了所有的神迹一样，所以反之不然，不能将两者划等号。我们要知道生命只能从神来: 『我栽种了，亚波罗浇灌了，惟有神叫他生长。可见栽种的算不得甚么，浇灌的也算不得甚么，只在那叫他生长的神。』(哥林多前书 3:6-7) 所以要生命成长一定需要神的启示。启示不是全部超自然的，神常常借着别人的话告诉我们当走的路。如保罗见大光后，是主在异象中对亚拿尼亚说去见保罗，告诉他未来的角色。『主对亚拿尼亚说：「你只管去。他是我所拣选的器皿，要在外邦人和君王并以色列人面前宣扬我的名。我也要指示他，为我的名必须受许多的苦难。」』(使徒行传 9:15-16)    

     我们看保罗如何祷告，『求我们主耶稣基督的神，荣耀的父，将那赐人智慧和启示的灵赏给你们，使你们真知道他。』(以弗所书 1:17) 我们从雅各书可看见，我们可以求智慧，只要是基督徒就可以，没有任何其他的条件，只是没有说时间，所以并不违被神的绝对主权。因为神有绝对主权，因此我们在得生命上是由神主动，我们只能被动。但我们能主动的愿意祷告如保罗一样的得启示，因此被称为是主动的被动。意识到我们在生命上是被动的这一点真是相当重要，这就犹如葡萄枝子必须连于葡萄树上才能结果子，枝子的生命是从葡萄树来。

2. 医治病了三十八年的瘫子: 约翰福音的第三个神迹      

     『…到了犹太人的一个节期，耶稣就上耶路撒冷去。在耶路撒冷，靠近羊门有一个池子，希伯来话叫作毕士大，旁边有五个廊子。里面躺着瞎眼的、瘸腿的、血气枯干的许多病人。在那里有一个人，病了三十八年。耶稣看见他躺着，知道他病了许久，就问他说：「你要痊愈吗？」病人回答说：「先生，水动的时候，没有人把我放在池子里；我正去的时候，就有别人比我先下去。」耶稣对他说：「起来，拿你的褥子走吧！」那人立刻痊愈，就拿起褥子来走了。』(约翰福音 5:1-9) 我们看到了为什么这么多人在那里的原因，我们也看到了耶稣主动的怜悯那瘫子。我们知道耶稣会用不同的方法行神迹，看情况而定。这次只用了祂的话就行了这神迹，这使我们想到这和创世时一样，『因为他(耶和华)说有，就有；命立，就立。』(诗篇 33:9)        

     『那天是安息日，所以犹太人对那医好的人说：「今天是安息日，你拿褥子是不可的！」他却回答说：「那使我痊愈的对我说：『拿你的褥子走吧』」他们问他说：「对你说『拿褥子走』的是甚么人？」那医好的人不知道是谁，因为那里的人多，耶稣已经躲开了。后来耶稣在殿里遇见他，对他说：「你已经痊愈了，不要再犯罪，恐怕你遭遇的更加利害。」那人就去告诉犹太人，使他痊愈的是耶稣。』(约翰福音 5:10-15) 我们看到了瘫的原因是犯罪，要去除原因是不要再犯罪。这是和耶稣的传道是一致的，『从那时候，耶稣就传起道来，说：「天国近了，你们应当悔改！」』(马太福音 4:17) 不只一次，耶稣告诉人不要再犯罪了。例如在约翰福音 8:10-11 中，『耶稣就直起腰来，对她(行淫时被拿的妇人)说：「妇人，那些人在哪里呢？没有人定你的罪吗？」她说：「主啊，没有。」 耶稣说：「我也不定你的罪，去吧！从此不要再犯罪了。」』我们可以看相应的经文就知道这件事的来龙去脉，知道耶稣为什么会这样说。 『所以犹太人逼迫耶稣，因为他在安息日做了这事。耶稣就对他们说：「我父做事直到如今，我也做事。」所以犹太人越发想要杀他，因他不但犯了安息日，并且称神为他的父，将自己和神当作平等。』(约翰福音 5:16-18)       

     基于这句话，『我父(耶和华)做事直到如今』，在逻辑上我们只能有一个解释如下图所示。

为什么呢？创世记 1:1-5 说，『起初神创造天地。地是空虚混沌，渊面黑暗；神的灵运行在水面上。神说：「要有光。」就有了光。神看光是好的，就把光暗分开了。神称光为昼，称暗为夜。有晚上，有早晨，这是头一日。』 如果我们绝对相信圣经所说的，就知道这是说我们现在的一日，因为有晚上，有早晨。我们谈到创世记时，再详细的说明这一点。请注意，没有说在有光之前究竟有多少天。 因亚当选择了知识善恶树的果子，第六天就启动了那个圆，相当于「救赎计划」，我们正在圆中，所以父做事直到如今，还没有安息。我们不知圆的的大小，就相当于不知何时主再来，『（看哪！我来像贼一样。…』(启示录 16:15)  完成救赎计划后，就回复到神起初创造人的心意，神就照「原先希望 」安息了。当然，如果当初亚当的自由意志选择了生命树上的果子，神就可以照「原先希望 」得了安息。从上面的看见，所以我们会说在逻辑上只能有一个解释。譬如说，有人有不同的解释，用直线取代圆，但这是不行的，因为这时的最后一天就代表了许多现在的一天，且不能有固定的长度，因主的再来像贼一样。在圆上，每一天就是现在的一天。       

     关于安息日的真谛，以赛亚书 58:13-14 说得相当清楚，『「你若在安息日掉转你的脚步，在我圣日不以操作为喜乐，称安息日为可喜乐的，称耶和华的圣日为可尊重的，而且尊敬这日，不办自己的私事，不随自己的私意，不说自己的私话，你就以耶和华为乐。耶和华要使你乘驾地的高处，又以你祖雅各的产业养育你。」这是耶和华亲口说的。』耶稣所完成的是安息日的真谛，不是律法上的安息曰，祂是安息日的主，如马可福音 2:27-28 所说，『又对他们说：「安息日是为人设立的，人不是为安息日设立的。所以，人子也是安息日的主。」』       

     这一点也可从下述的经文中看到。『那时，耶稣在安息日从麦地经过。他的门徒饿了，就掐起麦穗来吃。法利赛人看见，就对耶稣说：「看哪，你的门徒做安息日不可做的事了！」耶稣对他们说：「经上记着大卫和跟从他的人饥饿之时所做的事，你们没有念过吗？他怎么进了神的殿，吃了陈设饼，这饼不是他和跟从他的人可以吃得，惟独祭司才可以吃。再者，律法上所记的，当安息日，祭司在殿里犯了安息日，还是没有罪，你们没有念过吗？但我告诉你们：在这里有一人比殿更大。『我喜爱怜恤，不喜爱祭祀。』你们若明白这话的意思，就不将无罪的当作有罪的了。因为人子是安息日的主。」』(马太福音 12:1-8) 『耶稣说：「你们中间谁有一只羊，当安息日掉在坑里，不把牠抓住拉上来呢？人比羊何等贵重呢！所以，在安息日做善事是可以的。」』(马太福音 12:11-12) 『管会堂的因为耶稣在安息日治病，就气忿忿地对众人说：「有六日应当做工，那六日之内可以来求医，在安息日却不可！」主说：「假冒为善的人哪，难道你们各人在安息日不解开槽上的牛、驴，牵去饮吗？况且这女人本是亚伯拉罕的后裔，被撒但捆绑了这十八年，不当在安息日解开她的绑吗？」耶稣说这话，他的敌人都惭愧了；众人因他所行一切荣耀的事，就都欢喜了。』(路加福音 13:14-17)    

     我们不消灭圣灵的感动，就自然的成就了律法。因圣灵是直理的灵，祂不会带领我们违背律法的。『莫想我来要废掉律法和先知；我来不是要废掉，乃是要成全。我实在告诉你们：就是到天地都废去了，律法的一点一画也不能废去，都要成全。』(马太福音 5:17-18)

3. 喂饱五千人: 约翰福音的第四个神迹     

     这神迹发生的背景可在约翰福音 6:1-4 中找到，『…耶稣渡过加利利海，就是提比哩亚海。有许多人因为看见他在病人身上所行的神迹，就跟随他。耶稣上了山，和门徒一同坐在那里。那时犹太人的逾越节近了。』我们看见了神迹的确是相当重要的。    

     当时情况是，『耶稣举目看见许多人来，就对腓力说：「我们从哪里买饼叫这些人吃呢？」他说这话是要试验腓力，他自己原知道要怎样行。腓力回答说：「就是二十两银子的饼，叫他们各人吃一点，也是不够的。」』(约翰福音 6:5-7) 腓力是从人的角度看，是无解的，耶稣是从神的角度看这一件事，就是很简单的行神迹。       

     关于这神迹的本身是相当清楚的记在约翰福音 6:8-13，『有一个门徒，就是西门彼得的兄弟安得烈，对耶稣说：「在这里有一个孩童，带着五个大麦饼、两条鱼，只是分给这许多人，还算甚么呢？」耶稣说：「你们叫众人坐下。」原来那地方的草多，众人就坐下，数目约有五千。耶稣拿起饼来，祝谢了，就分给那坐着的人，分鱼也是这样，都随着他们所要的。他们吃饱了，耶稣对门徒说：「把剩下的零碎收拾起来，免得有糟蹋的。」他们便将那五个大麦饼的零碎，就是众人吃了剩下的，收拾起来，装满了十二个篮子。』』       

     这是我们可能经常提到的五饼二鱼喂饱五千人而剩下十二篮零碎的神迹。这不是完全的无中生有，是由孩童的五饼二鱼而来的，这使我们想起一粒麦子的事情。『耶稣说:『我实实在在地告诉你们：一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。』』(约翰福音 12:24) 我们不知道究竟是什么原因使这孩童肯拿出他所有的五饼二鱼，我们是可以猜，但永远不会真知道，因为圣经没有明说这不是重点的事。请注意，耶稣是先祝谢后才分饼和鱼的。我们也看到耶稣的反应和世人截然不同，『众人看见耶稣所行的神迹，就说：「这真是那要到世间来的先知。」耶稣既知道众人要来强逼他作王，就独自又退到山上去了。』(约翰福音 6:14-15) 一般来说，世人的反应大概至少会很高兴。       

     这个神迹显然非常重要，因四福音书都提到。因是基于一件事实，我们必须取联集，就是叙述必须符合四者。马太福音 14:15-21 说，『天将晚的时候，…门徒说：「我们这里只有五个饼、两条鱼。」耶稣说：「拿过来给我。」于是吩咐众人坐在草地上，就拿着这五个饼、两条鱼，望着天祝福，擘开饼，递给门徒，门徒又递给众人。他们都吃，并且吃饱了，把剩下的零碎收拾起来，装满了十二个篮子。吃的人，除了妇女孩子，约有五千。』这里提到了时间，且还有妇女和孩子，所以总人数一定是超过五千人。到底是多少人，有人猜过，但就如前述，圣经没有说，我们永远不可能真知道到底有多少人。       

     马可福音 6:35-44 记载着，『天已经晚了，…耶稣说：「你们有多少饼，可以去看看。」 他们知道了，就说：「五个饼，两条鱼。」耶稣吩咐他们，叫众人一帮一帮地坐在青草地上。众人就一排一排地坐下，有一百一排的，有五十一排的。耶稣拿着这五个饼，两条鱼，望着天祝福，擘开饼，递给门徒，摆在众人面前，也把那两条鱼分给众人。他们都吃，并且吃饱了。门徒就把碎饼碎鱼收拾起来，装满了十二个篮子。吃饼的男人共有五千。』在这里详细的提到他们是怎么坐的，所以可以估计约有多少人，因只说吃饼的男人共有五千，大概也是说坐的时候一排多少人只是指男人，这也和当时犹太的风俗相合。       

     最后看路加福音 9:10-17 中说，『…耶稣就带他们暗暗地离开那里，往一座城去，那城名叫伯赛大。但众人知道了，就跟着他去。耶稣便接待他们，对他们讲论神国的道，医治那些需医的人。日头快要平西，十二个门徒来对他说：「请叫众人散开，他们好往四面乡村里去借宿找吃的，因为我们这里是野地。」耶稣说：「你们给他们吃吧！」 门徒说：「我们不过有五个饼，两条鱼，若不去为这许多人买食物就不够。」那时，人数约有五千。 耶稣对门徒说：「叫他们一排一排地坐下，每排大约五十个人。」门徒就如此行，叫众人都坐下。耶稣拿着这五个饼，两条鱼，望着天祝福，擘开，递给门徒，摆在众人面前。他们就吃，并且都吃饱了；把剩下的零碎收拾起来，装满了十二篮子。』(路加福音 9:10-17) 这里说明了发生的地点，耶稣虽然是暗暗地去，还是被发现了！我们也看到了耶稣在行五饼二鱼的神迹前，是在讲论神国的道，医治那些需医的人。    

     虽然每本福音书都会有一些不同的资料，我们必须取联集，但这些记载基本上都是大同小异，从许多这样的事情，我们可以看出这三本福音书为什么称为对观福音或符类福音。

(你可以在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』看到所有的文章，到这网站后要按『对属灵生命的了解』。)

     如果我們絕對相信聖經所說的，加上邏輯和聖經的一致性，我們就會看見聖經明講了有爭議話題的答案，我們會藉著敘述醫治三十八年的癱子的神蹟的經文，提到一個這樣的問題及答案。首先我們複習約翰福音選神蹟的標準是為要得生命，看到了讀經的目的也相同，說明了讀經的必要，解釋為什麼說在得生命上我們只能扮演主動的被動的角色。然後我們敘述了在約翰福音中的第三個神蹟，就是醫治病了三十八年的癱子的相關的經文及其看見。經文中提到了「我父做事直到如今」的這句子，是我們開始提到有爭議的話題之一，我們會從創世記第一章，邏輯，和聖經的一致性提供答案。約翰福音中的第四個神蹟是以五餅二魚餵飽了五千人，我們敍述了相關的經文及其看見。這個神蹟顯然是非常重要，因為四福音書都提到它，因是基於一件事實，我們必須取聯集，也就是必須符合四者的敘述。

1. 前言: 在得生命上為什麼我們只能主動的被動

       約翰福音說得很清楚它選擇七個神蹟的標準，『耶穌在門徒面前另外行了許多神蹟，沒有記在這書上。但記這些事，要叫你們信耶穌是基督，是神的兒子，並且叫你們信了他，就可以因他的名得生命。』(約翰福音 20:30-31) 耶穌自己說了讀經的目的:『你們查考聖經，因你們以為內中有永生；給我(耶穌)作見證的就是這經。然而你們不肯到我這裏來得生命。』(約翰福音 5:39-40) 很顯然的，得生命是我們的目的，是非常重要的。因此我們有讀經的必要，聖經是神所默示的，正確的讀經我們會知道神要透過聖經告訴我們什麼。因此我們可看見從聖經的角度看就是從神的角度看，但聖經沒有記載所有神的事情，就如約翰福音不是記載了所有的神蹟一樣，所以反之不然，不能將兩者劃等號。我們要知道生命只能從神來: 『我栽種了，亞波羅澆灌了，惟有神叫他生長。可見栽種的算不得甚麼，澆灌的也算不得甚麼，只在那叫他生長的神。』(哥林多前書 3:6-7) 所以要生命成長一定需要神的啓示。啓示不是全部超自然的，神常常藉著別人的話告訴我們當走的路。如保羅見大光後，是主在異象中對亞拿尼亞說去見保羅，告訴他未來的角色。『主對亞拿尼亞說：「你只管去。他是我所揀選的器皿，要在外邦人和君王並以色列人面前宣揚我的名。我也要指示他，為我的名必須受許多的苦難。」』(使徒行傳 9:15-16)

    我們看保羅如何禱告，『求我們主耶穌基督的神，榮耀的父，將那賜人智慧和啓示的靈賞給你們，使你們真知道他。』(以弗所書 1:17) 我們從雅各書可看見，我們可以求智慧，只要是基督徒就可以，沒有任何其他的條件，只是沒有說時間，所以並不違被神的絕對主權。因為神有絕對主權，因此我們在得生命上是由神主動，我們只能被動。但我們能主動的願意禱告如保羅一樣的得啓示，因此被稱為是主動的被動。意識到我們在生命上是被動的這一點真是相當重要，這就猶如葡萄枝子必須連於葡萄樹上才能結果子，枝子的生命是從葡萄樹來。

2. 醫治病了三十八年的癱子: 約翰福音的第三個神蹟

       『…到了猶太人的一個節期，耶穌就上耶路撒冷去。在耶路撒冷，靠近羊門有一個池子，希伯來話叫作畢士大，旁邊有五個廊子。裏面躺着瞎眼的、瘸腿的、血氣枯乾的許多病人。在那裏有一個人，病了三十八年。耶穌看見他躺着，知道他病了許久，就問他說：「你要痊愈嗎？」病人回答說：「先生，水動的時候，沒有人把我放在池子裏；我正去的時候，就有別人比我先下去。」耶穌對他說：「起來，拿你的褥子走吧！」那人立刻痊愈，就拿起褥子來走了。』(約翰福音 5:1-9) 我們看到了為什麼這麼多人在那裏的原因，我們也看到了耶穌主動的憐憫那癱子。我們知道耶穌會用不同的方法行神蹟，看情況而定。這次只用了祂的話就行了這神蹟，這使我們想到這和創世時一樣，『因為他(耶和華)說有，就有；命立，就立。』(詩篇 33:9) 

        『那天是安息日，所以猶太人對那醫好的人說：「今天是安息日，你拿褥子是不可的！」他卻回答說：「那使我痊愈的對我說：『拿你的褥子走吧』」他們問他說：「對你說『拿褥子走』的是甚麼人？」那醫好的人不知道是誰，因為那裏的人多，耶穌已經躲開了。後來耶穌在殿裏遇見他，對他說：「你已經痊愈了，不要再犯罪，恐怕你遭遇的更加利害。」那人就去告訴猶太人，使他痊愈的是耶穌。』(約翰福音 5:10-15) 我們看到了癱的原因是犯罪，要去除原因是不要再犯罪。這是和耶穌的傳道是一致的，『從那時候，耶穌就傳起道來，說：「天國近了，你們應當悔改！」』(馬太福音 4:17) 不只一次，耶穌告訴人不要再犯罪了。例如在約翰福音 8:10-11 中，『耶穌就直起腰來，對她(行淫時被拿的婦人)說：「婦人，那些人在哪裏呢？沒有人定你的罪嗎？」她說：「主啊，沒有。」 耶穌說：「我也不定你的罪，去吧！從此不要再犯罪了。」』我們可以看相應的經文就知道這件事的來龍去脈，知道耶穌為什麼會這樣說。 『所以猶太人逼迫耶穌，因為他在安息日做了這事。耶穌就對他們說：「我父做事直到如今，我也做事。」所以猶太人越發想要殺他，因他不但犯了安息日，並且稱神為他的父，將自己和神當作平等。』(約翰福音 5:16-18)

       基於這句話，『我父(耶和華)做事直到如今』，在邏輯上我們只能有一個解釋如下圖所示。

為什麼呢？創世記 1:1-5 說，『起初神創造天地。地是空虛混沌，淵面黑暗；神的靈運行在水面上。神說：「要有光。」就有了光。神看光是好的，就把光暗分開了。神稱光為晝，稱暗為夜。有晚上，有早晨，這是頭一日。』 如果我們絕對相信聖經所說的，就知道這是說我們現在的一日，因為有晚上，有早晨。我們談到創世記時，再詳細的說明這一點。請注意，沒有說在有光之前究竟有多少天。 因亞當選擇了知識善惡樹的果子，第六天就啓動了那個圓，相當於「救贖計劃」，我們正在圓中，所以父做事直到如今，還沒有安息。我們不知圓的的大小，就相當於不知何時主再來，『（看哪！我來像賊一樣。…』(啓示錄 16:15)  完成救贖計劃後，就回復到神起初創造人的心意，神就照「原先希望 」安息了。當然，如果當初亞當的自由意志選擇了生命樹上的果子，神就可以照「原先希望 」得了安息。從上面的看見，所以我們會說在邏輯上只能有一個解釋。譬如說，有人有不同的解釋，用直線取代圓，但這是不行的，因為這時的最後一天就代表了許多現在的一天，且不能有固定的長度，因主的再來像賊一樣。在圓上，每一天就是現在的一天。

       關於安息日的真諦，以賽亞書 58:13-14 說得相當清楚，『「你若在安息日掉轉你的腳步，在我聖日不以操作為喜樂，稱安息日為可喜樂的，稱耶和華的聖日為可尊重的，而且尊敬這日，不辦自己的私事，不隨自己的私意，不說自己的私話，你就以耶和華為樂。耶和華要使你乘駕地的高處，又以你祖雅各的產業養育你。」這是耶和華親口說的。』耶穌所完成的是安息日的真諦，不是律法上的安息曰，祂是安息日的主，如馬可福音 2:27-28 所說，『又對他們說：「安息日是為人設立的，人不是為安息日設立的。所以，人子也是安息日的主。」』

       這一點也可從下述的經文中看到。『那時，耶穌在安息日從麥地經過。他的門徒餓了，就掐起麥穗來吃。法利賽人看見，就對耶穌說：「看哪，你的門徒做安息日不可做的事了！」耶穌對他們說：「經上記着大衞和跟從他的人飢餓之時所做的事，你們沒有念過嗎？他怎麼進了神的殿，吃了陳設餅，這餅不是他和跟從他的人可以吃得，惟獨祭司才可以吃。再者，律法上所記的，當安息日，祭司在殿裏犯了安息日，還是沒有罪，你們沒有念過嗎？但我告訴你們：在這裏有一人比殿更大。『我喜愛憐恤，不喜愛祭祀。』你們若明白這話的意思，就不將無罪的當作有罪的了。因為人子是安息日的主。」』(馬太福音 12:1-8) 『耶穌說：「你們中間誰有一隻羊，當安息日掉在坑裏，不把牠抓住拉上來呢？人比羊何等貴重呢！所以，在安息日做善事是可以的。」』(馬太福音 12:11-12) 『管會堂的因為耶穌在安息日治病，就氣忿忿地對眾人說：「有六日應當做工，那六日之內可以來求醫，在安息日卻不可！」主說：「假冒為善的人哪，難道你們各人在安息日不解開槽上的牛、驢，牽去飲嗎？況且這女人本是亞伯拉罕的後裔，被撒但捆綁了這十八年，不當在安息日解開她的綁嗎？」耶穌說這話，他的敵人都慚愧了；眾人因他所行一切榮耀的事，就都歡喜了。』(路加福音 13:14-17) 

    我們不消滅聖靈的感動，就自然的成就了律法。因聖靈是直理的靈，祂不會帶領我們違背律法的。『莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知；我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。我實在告訴你們：就是到天地都廢去了，律法的一點一畫也不能廢去，都要成全。』(馬太福音 5:17-18)

3. 餵飽五千人: 約翰福音的第四個神蹟

     這神蹟發生的背景可在約翰福音 6:1-4 中找到，『…耶穌渡過加利利海，就是提比哩亞海。有許多人因為看見他在病人身上所行的神蹟，就跟隨他。耶穌上了山，和門徒一同坐在那裏。那時猶太人的逾越節近了。』我們看見了神蹟的確是相當重要的。

    當時情況是，『耶穌舉目看見許多人來，就對腓力說：「我們從哪裏買餅叫這些人吃呢？」他說這話是要試驗腓力，他自己原知道要怎樣行。腓力回答說：「就是二十兩銀子的餅，叫他們各人吃一點，也是不夠的。」』(約翰福音 6:5-7) 腓力是從人的角度看，是無解的，耶穌是從神的角度看這一件事，就是很簡單的行神蹟。

       關於這神蹟的本身是相當清楚的記在約翰福音 6:8-13，『有一個門徒，就是西門彼得的兄弟安得烈，對耶穌說：「在這裏有一個孩童，帶着五個大麥餅、兩條魚，只是分給這許多人，還算甚麼呢？」耶穌說：「你們叫眾人坐下。」原來那地方的草多，眾人就坐下，數目約有五千。耶穌拿起餅來，祝謝了，就分給那坐着的人，分魚也是這樣，都隨着他們所要的。他們吃飽了，耶穌對門徒說：「把剩下的零碎收拾起來，免得有糟蹋的。」他們便將那五個大麥餅的零碎，就是眾人吃了剩下的，收拾起來，裝滿了十二個籃子。』』

       這是我們可能經常提到的五餅二魚餵飽五千人而剩下十二籃零碎的神蹟。這不是完全的無中生有，是由孩童的五餅二魚而來的，這使我們想起一粒麥子的事情。『耶穌說:『我實實在在地告訴你們：一粒麥子不落在地裏死了，仍舊是一粒；若是死了，就結出許多子粒來。』』(約翰福音 12:24) 我們不知道究竟是什麼原因使這孩童肯拿出他所有的五餅二魚，我們是可以猜，但永遠不會真知道，因為聖經沒有明說這不是重點的事。請注意，耶穌是先祝謝後才分餅和魚的。我們也看到耶穌的反應和世人截然不同，『眾人看見耶穌所行的神蹟，就說：「這真是那要到世間來的先知。」耶穌既知道眾人要來強逼他作王，就獨自又退到山上去了。』(約翰福音 6:14-15) 一般來說，世人的反應大概至少會很高興。

       這個神蹟顯然非常重要，因四福音書都提到。因是基於一件事實，我們必須取聯集，就是敍述必須符合四者。馬太福音 14:15-21 說，『天將晚的時候，…門徒說：「我們這裏只有五個餅、兩條魚。」耶穌說：「拿過來給我。」於是吩咐眾人坐在草地上，就拿着這五個餅、兩條魚，望着天祝福，擘開餅，遞給門徒，門徒又遞給眾人。他們都吃，並且吃飽了，把剩下的零碎收拾起來，裝滿了十二個籃子。吃的人，除了婦女孩子，約有五千。』這裏提到了時間，且還有婦女和孩子，所以總人數一定是超過五千人。到底是多少人，有人猜過，但就如前述，聖經沒有說，我們永遠不可能真知道到底有多少人。

       馬可福音 6:35-44 記載著，『天已經晚了，…耶穌說：「你們有多少餅，可以去看看。」 他們知道了，就說：「五個餅，兩條魚。」耶穌吩咐他們，叫眾人一幫一幫地坐在青草地上。眾人就一排一排地坐下，有一百一排的，有五十一排的。耶穌拿着這五個餅，兩條魚，望着天祝福，擘開餅，遞給門徒，擺在眾人面前，也把那兩條魚分給眾人。他們都吃，並且吃飽了。門徒就把碎餅碎魚收拾起來，裝滿了十二個籃子。吃餅的男人共有五千。』在這裏詳細的提到他們是怎麼坐的，所以可以估計約有多少人，因只說吃餅的男人共有五千，大概也是說坐的時候一排多少人只是指男人，這也和當時猶太的風俗相合。

       最後看路加福音 9:10-17 中說，『…耶穌就帶他們暗暗地離開那裏，往一座城去，那城名叫伯賽大。但眾人知道了，就跟着他去。耶穌便接待他們，對他們講論神國的道，醫治那些需醫的人。日頭快要平西，十二個門徒來對他說：「請叫眾人散開，他們好往四面鄉村裏去借宿找吃的，因為我們這裏是野地。」耶穌說：「你們給他們吃吧！」 門徒說：「我們不過有五個餅，兩條魚，若不去為這許多人買食物就不夠。」那時，人數約有五千。 耶穌對門徒說：「叫他們一排一排地坐下，每排大約五十個人。」門徒就如此行，叫眾人都坐下。耶穌拿着這五個餅，兩條魚，望着天祝福，擘開，遞給門徒，擺在眾人面前。他們就吃，並且都吃飽了；把剩下的零碎收拾起來，裝滿了十二籃子。』(路加福音 9:10-17) 這裏說明了發生的地點，耶穌雖然是暗暗地去，還是被發現了！我們也看到了耶穌在行五餅二魚的神蹟前，是在講論神國的道，醫治那些需醫的人。

    雖然每本福音書都會有一些不同的資料，我們必須取聯集，但這些記載基本上都是大同小異，從許多這樣的事情，我們可以看出這三本福音書為什麼稱為對觀福音或符類福音。

(你可以在『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』看到所有的文章，到這網站後要按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』。)

If we believe absolutely what the Bible says, with logic and the consistency of the Bible, we’ll get unique answers for seemly controversial questions. We would like to ask and answer an example of such a question by using the miracle of healing the man who was lame for thirty-eight years. First, we review the that rule used when selecting the seven miracles in the Gospel of John is to have life. According to Jesus, the purpose of reading the Bible is the same, to have life. This also explains the necessity of reading the Bible. Then we explain why our role in having life can only be called “actively passive”. Then we describe the relevant verses of the third miracle in the Gospel of John, healing a thirty-eight-year lame, and the associated explanations. A verse mentions ‘My Father is working until now,’ which is what we discussed before regarding one of the controversial verses. We’ll use the beginning of the Book of Genesis, logic, and the consistency of the Bible to provide the answer. Thirdly, we describe the fourth miracle in the Gospel of John which is to use five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand. We state the relevant verses and what we saw. Apparently, this miracle is very important since it is mentioned in all four Gospels. They are all based on one fact but are described with different aspects. Thus, we need to choose their union. In other words, the description must fulfill all four of them, in order not to miss anything.

1. Preface: In having life, why can we only play the role of so called actively passive?

Gospel John said clearly in John 20:30-31 how He chose the seven miracles (signs) out of so many, “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” Jesus said Himself the purpose of reading the Bible, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”(John 5:39-40) Apparently, having life is our goal, and thus is very important. Therefore, there’s a necessity of reading the Bible. Furthermore, the Bible is inspired by God. Reading the Bible accurately will let us know what God wants to tell us through the Bible. Therefore, we can conclude that seeing something in the aspect of the Bible is the sufficient condition of seeing the same thing in the aspect of God, but not a necessary condition due to the fact that it is not necessarily to have all things described in the Bible. As an example, the Gospel of John doesn’t record all miracles. We cannot make them equal.

We know the life can only come from God as described in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” So, it needs the revelation of the God to make life grow. Revelation is not all supernatural. God often tells us what to do through people. For example, after Paul saw the big light, the Lord told Ananias through the vision to tell Paul as described in Acts 9:15-16, “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Let us take a look at how Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” We can see in the Book of James that we can pray to get the heavenly wisdom as long as we are Christians. There is no other condition, but without specifying the time framework. Therefore, there is not any contradictions to the absolute authority of God. Because God has the absolute authority. Therefore, He is active in the matter of having life and we are passive. We can only be willingly active to follow Him. Thus, it is so called actively passive. Realize this point is really important since it is similar to say that a branch must be connected to the vine to bear fruit since the life of a branch is from the vine.

2. Healing a thirty-eight-year lame: The third miracle in Gospel John

In John 5:1-9, it says, “After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.” From theses verses, we can see why there were so many in there. We can also see that Jesus had mercy on that lame actively. We know that Jesus uses different ways to perform miracles depending on the situations. This time, He simply used His words just like in the beginning of the Book of Genesis described, “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.”(Psalms 33:9)

In John 5:10-15, it says, “So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.'” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.” We can see that the lame person became lame is because of his committing sin, since Jesus told him not to sin anymore. This is consistent with the gospel Jesus preaches. “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”(Matthew 4:17)

This is not the only time that Jesus told people not to sin. For example, it is said in John 8:4,10-11, “Straightening up, Jesus said to her (this woman has been caught in adultery), “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”” If we look at the corresponding verses of this event, we know why Jesus said so and He had mercy on her actively. 

It continues to describe what happened in John 5:16-18, “For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.”

Based on the words, “My Father is working until now,” we can only have one logical explanation for this sentence as the following figure shows, if we believe absolutely what the Bible says.

Why? In Genesis 1:1-5, it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.” If we believe what the Bible says is absolutely true, we know this one day means the present one day since there was evening and there was morning. When we share the Book of Genesis, we’ll discuss this in more detail. Please notice that the verses don’t say how many days passed before there was the light. To explain the figure, because Adam chose the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it started the circle in the sixth day, which represents the ‘salvation plan.’ We are in the middle of the circle. That is why “My Father is working until now,” not yet in rest. We don’t know how big the circle is, which corresponds to the fact we don’t know when the Lord comes again as said in Revelation 16:15, “…I am coming like a thief…”

After the salvation plan is completed, men will be restored to the state when created, but already with the choice of the fruit of the tree of life. God will be in rest according to the ‘original hope’ that Adam might choose the fruit of the tree of life. Of course, if Adam chose the fruit of the tree of life at that time, He would be in rest by the original hope and there’s not the circle. From the above discussion, we can see why there is only one logical explanation. Someone may say that we could explain differently by stretching the circle as a straight line before at the end of sixth day to represent the salvation plan. However, this is incorrect for the following reason. The last segment then represents many and unknown present one days not the seventh day. In the circle, one day represents one present day.

Regarding the true requirements of the Sabbath, it is said clearly in Isaiah 58:13-14, “If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot From doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, And honor it, desisting from your own ways, From seeking your own pleasure And speaking your own word, Then you will take delight in the Lord, And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” What Jesus did was to fulfill the true requirements, not according to the law. He is the Lord even of the Sabbath as said in Mark 2:27-28, “Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

This point can also be seen from examples like the following verses. In Matthew 12:11-12, it is said, “And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”” And in Luke 13:14-17, it says, “But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, …And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.”

“Do not quench the Spirit,”(1 Thessalonians 5:19) the Law will be fulfilled automatically. Because the Holy Spirit is the spirit of Truth, He will not lead us to the disobedience to the Law. “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”(Matthew 5:17-18)

3. Feeding five thousand: The fourth miracle in Gospel John

The background of this event is described in John 6:1-4, “After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.” From these verses, we can see that miracles are really important, which could make people at least follow Him.

The situation at that time is stated in John 6:5-7, “Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” Well, Phillips saw the issue in the aspect of human, and there was no solution. Jesus viewed the same event in the aspect of God, which is simply to perform a miracle.

Regarding the miracle itself, it is described clearly in John 6:8-13, “One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.”

This miracle is often mentioned and is referred to as the miracle of five loaves and two fish, which feed five thousand and even had twelve baskets of leftovers afterwards. Such large quantities of food are not out of nowhere like in creation, since they have the seed from five loaves and two fish. This reminds us the verse in John 12:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”  We don’t know why the lad was willing to give up the five loaves and two fish, all he had. We can guess, but we never know since the Bible doesn’t mention such unimportant things. Please notice that Jesus blessed first before dividing loaves and fish. We also see the reaction of Jesus is very different from normal people as described in John 6:14-15, “Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.” Generally, a normal person may at least welcome the thought of making him a king.

Apparently, this miracle is very important since it is mentioned in all four Gospels. They are all based upon one fact but described in different aspects. Thus, we need to choose their union as they are all based upon one fact. In other words, the description must fulfill all four of them, not to miss anything. In Matthew 14:15-21, “When it was evening, …the disciples …said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.” Here, it is mentioned when the miracle happened. And there were also women and children. Thus, the total number must be over five thousand. As for how many, some people guessed. As said before, the Bible doesn’t say clearly, we will never know precisely how many people were fed.

In Mark 6:35-44, it says, “When it was already quite late, …And He commanded them all to sit down by groups on the green grass. They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. …They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.” Here, it is mentioned how they sit in detail. No wonder that they could estimate how many. Furthermore, we can guess that only men were counted in the row, which is also consistent with the Jewish custom at that time.

Finally, in Luke 9:10-17, it says, “When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida. But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing. Now the day was ending, …And He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” They did so, and had them all sit down. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.” Here, the place of the miracle is given. Although He tried to withdraw by Himself, but the crowds found Him. We can also see that what He talked about before the miracle is about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing. 

Although the three Gospels offer a slightly different information, they are basically about the same for this miracle. From many such things, we can see why they are called the synoptic gospel.

 (Verses refer to those in NASB unless otherwise specified.)

(You can get all articles in “https://a-christian-voice.com/” under “On spiritual understanding about life.”)

     首先我们看见了约翰福音讲得很清楚他选择神迹的标准，在众多的神迹中，他只选择了七个神迹，是要人们相信耶稣是基督。我们已谈过第一个迦拿水变酒的神迹，今天要分享的是在加利利行的第二神迹，医治大臣的儿子。神迹(G4592)在约翰福音都是指记号或标志(sign)，指向信耶稣是基督，而不是指奇事(G5059)。只有奇事时人们会常常以为是实行奇事的人做的，容易让实行的人骄傲到自己都看不见自己的骄傲的地步。必须要加上圣经的话，不能只因遇到了超自然的事就以为是神做的，虽然不是很容易，但要分辩。我们会在最后做一个这样的见证，不能本末倒置。神常常会要我们面对真实的自己。

1. 前言: 约翰福音选择神迹的标准     

     这在约翰福音 20:30-31 讲得很清楚，『耶稣在门徒面前另外行了许多神迹(G4592)，没有记在这书上。但记这些事，要叫你们信耶稣是基督，是神的儿子，并且叫你们信了他，就可以因他的名得生命。』耶稣自己说: 『你们查考圣经，因你们以为内中有永生；给我作见证的就是这经。然而你们不肯到我这里来得生命。』(约翰福音 5:39-40) 从这些经文中看到，得生命是非常重要的，可见神更看重的是我们的所是，过于我们的所做。但两者都要有，因为有信心就会有雅各书讲的信心的行为，不要本末倒置。『只是你们要行道，不要单单听道，自己欺哄自己。因为听道而不行道的，就像人对着镜子看自己本来的面目，看见，走后，随即忘了他的相貌如何。』(雅各书 1:22-24) 所以我们是光是盐，就自然会做光做盐。

2. 为什么耶稣行神迹？     

     约翰福音 4:47-48 说，『耶稣就对他(犹大的大臣)说：「若不看见神迹(G4592)奇事(G5059)，你们总是不信。」』我们看见了行神迹的目的是要人们信。『当耶稣在耶路撒冷过逾越节的时候，有许多人看见他所行的神迹，就信了他的名。』(约翰福音 2:23) 他的门徒也是一样，『这是耶稣所行的头一件神迹(水变酒)，是在加利利的迦拿行的，显出他的荣耀来，他的门徒就信他了。』(约翰福音 2:11) 其实耶稣道成肉身时行了许多神迹，即使如此，不是每个看到神迹的人都信！在五旬节教会成立时，参加聚会的没有多少人。     

     约翰福音 3:1-2 叙述了一个外邦人看见了耶稣与神同在的事实，以致于他最后公开的信主，『有一个法利赛人，名叫尼哥德慕，是犹太人的官。这人夜里来见耶稣，说：「拉比，我们知道你是由神那里来作师傅的，因为你所行的神迹，若没有神同在，无人能行。」』我们看到了他是夜间是耶稣的，所以最开始时他是不敢公开的信，最后我们看到了他是公开的信主，『又有尼哥德慕，就是先前夜里去见耶稣的，带着没药和沉香约有一百斤前来。』(约翰福音 19:39)     

     神迹(G4592) 这字出现了 69 次，比奇事(G5059) 这字出现了 16 次要多不少，而且奇事这字每次都是和神迹(G4592)一起提的。只有奇事展现自己的超能是没有用的，只有奇事时会常常以为是实行奇事的人做的，容易让实行的人骄傲到自己都看不见的地步。如果是神迹，一定是神透过这人做的，神是真正背后的力量。

3. 现今仍有神迹奇事     

     以前有神迹奇事在使徒行传中说得很清楚，『…一面叫你仆人大放胆量，讲你的道；一面伸出你的手来医治疾病，并且使神迹(G4592)奇事(G5059)因着你圣仆耶稣的名行出来。』(使徒行传 4:29-30) 现在有神迹奇事也在使徒行传讲得很清楚，『这正是先知约珥所说的：『神说：在末后的日子，…在天上我要显出奇事，在地下我要显出神迹，…这都在主大而明显的日子未到以前。』(使徒行传 2:16-20) 为什么要有神迹奇事呢？是如使徒行传 14:3) 所说，证明祂的恩道，不是光光说而已。『二人(巴拿巴和扫罗)在那里住了多日，倚靠主放胆讲道，主借他们的手施行神迹奇事，证明他的恩道。』     

     这是一个只为展现超能的例子，『因为假基督、假先知将要起来，显大神迹(G4592)、大奇事(G5059)。倘若能行，连选民也就迷惑了。』(马太福音 24:24) 所以必须要加上圣经的话，不能只因遇到了超自然的事就以为一定是神做的，要知道施行神迹奇事的目的。就像我们以前分享过的，撒但是不能预知的，只能如天气预报般的预测。例如，『耶和华对亚伯兰说：「你要的确知道，你的后裔必寄居别人的地，又服事那地的人，那地的人要苦待他们四百年。』(创世记 15:13) 撒但怎么可能预先知道到时会有『耶和华的使者从荆棘里火焰中向摩西显现。…』(出埃及记 3:2) 又如在约伯记中，只有神知道『那时，耶和华从旋风中回答约伯…』(约伯记 38:1)

4. 耶稣医治大臣儿子的第二个神迹     

     这事件的缘由记录在约翰福音 4:46-48，『耶稣又到了加利利的迦拿，就是他从前变水为酒的地方。有一个大臣，他的儿子在迦百农患病。他听见耶稣从犹太到了加利利，就来见他，求他下去医治他的儿子，因为他儿子快要死了。耶稣就对他说：「若不看见神迹奇事，你们总是不信。」』我们看见了大臣的没有看见就信的大信心和其结果，『那大臣说：「先生，求你趁着我的孩子还没有死就下去。」耶稣对他说：「回去吧！你的儿子活了。」 那人信耶稣所说的话，就回去了。正下去的时候，他的仆人迎见他，说他的儿子活了。他就问甚么时候见好的。他们说：「昨日未时热就退了。」他便知道这正是耶稣对他说「你儿子活了」的时候，他自己和全家就都信了。这是耶稣在加利利行的第二件神迹，是他从犹太回去以后行的。』(约翰福音 4:49-54)     

     在这件事上他的儿子有没有信心不是重点。圣经没有明说他儿子有没有信心，父亲因父爱而做出来的事，他儿子有可能都不知道呢！这是一个以自己的信心为别人求的例子，大臣这么有信心以致于耶稣都动容。在约翰福音 20:28-29，『多马说：「我的主，我的神！」耶稣对他说：「你因看见了我才信，那没有看见就信的有福了！」』(约翰福音 20:28-29) 多马跟随了耶稣约三年尚且要看见，我们不能归咎于人要求要见有形的神迹，但要知道神迹只是证实祂的道，不要本末倒置，且要知道神有绝对的主权，所以不要以为求就一定会被应允，其实基督徒生命的改变本就是一个大神迹。     

     神迹的确不是用来展示的，祂知道什么时候该行，『法利赛人和撒都该人来试探耶稣，请他从天上显个神迹给他们看。…耶稣回答说：『…你们知道分辩天上的气色，倒不能分辩这时候的神迹。一个邪恶淫乱的世代求神迹，除了约拿的神迹以外，再没有神迹给他看。」耶稣就离开他们去了。』(马太福音 16:1-4)

5. 见证: 不是超自然的事就是神迹，要配合圣经的话     

     去年我为了要决定是不是要分享某一件事，做完一些人能做的事后，就发生了一件超自然的事。有一天我走在绿地的路上(greenbelt)，心中突然有一个意念告诉我要走去两个姊妹家，她们有些误会，已经至少一年多没有讲话了，我一直希望她们能够和好，我如果那时去她们就会变好。但这对我来说是一段相当长的路，在脑部手术后的要去走去是不太容易的，回来是请姊妹用车带我回来的可以做为证明。我不敢不去。因前一次要我去看其中一人的先生，他那时是好好的，我决定了不去。只是一段时间后没想到他会相当突然的去世，我没看见他最后一面。上次做决定不去也不是很容易的，因在这之前也同样的被激动过、去传教给一位垂危的朋友。在那次特别的造访后，他受洗了，而且他太太告诉我他受洗后直到离世时，都很平安。后来，他太太也受洗了。     

     没想到走去的时候虽有一段上坡，虽一面祷告但仍有力气，相当的顺利，且她们经过一些事情后也真的很久以来第一次交谈了。我因此决定要分享，且心中有平安，因我已经做了我所有能做的事情，且加上这超自然的事。决定后，我又被激动要最后确定一下，因为有时神会借我的姊妹告诉我一些事。我那时给她看了准备的材料，她告诉我说，『不要以恶报恶。…』 (罗马书 12:17) 我以前对这件事出来的话是，『你不可为恶所胜，反要以善胜恶。』 (罗马书 12:21) 那时我相信除神能以善胜恶外，我实在不知道该如何做，但因此我失去了平安。因为已有一个超自然的事，所以我就祷告，除非有超自然的事发生，我一定会分享，没想到发生至今都没法解释的事。当然，最后的结果是没有分享。     

     我一直都不知道圣灵为什么会阻止我分享，一直到有人说还要加上圣经的话，我才恍然大悟。我们知道，『不要消灭圣灵的感动。』(帖前 5:19) 世人努力所得到的平安和神所赐的平安是很不同的，不能用人的努力得到的平安感觉去取代圣灵的带领。从圣灵来的一定有平安，有平安的感觉不一定是圣灵的带领，不能随便划等号。所以我们即使遇到了超自然的事，必须要和圣经的话一致才能确定是圣灵的工作。

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