3141 对圣灵带领查经我们可做的事 (旋风著)

    在前言中,我们提到读经的目的是要得生命是耶稣说的,和生命只能从神来是保罗讲的,现今我们只有被三位一体的神中的圣灵引导,才能得生命。所以在这里我们一直强调,我们的分享最多在知识的层面,希望借著它能把大家带到神的面前得生命。譬如说,我们看到了,当我们真正的愿意打开心门时,祂一定会在我们身上作工,只是没有说是在何时。在第二中,我们提到了一个圣灵用的方法,使我们能把神的话存在心里,这是圣灵带领我们查经的前奏,因为圣灵有绝对的主权,我们能做的就是要知道圣灵在带领我们查经,要我们和祂同工。也是因为祂有绝对的主权,我们在第三中只能举一些例子来说明如何知道神在带领我们查经,其中我们也看到了在旧约中的巴兰,是堕落的先知,是死不悔改的。最后我们看到了部份圣经的写法和编码理论(coding theory)相似,就说明了编码理论的自动更正错误能力的基本原理,然后提到了圣经的那部份为什么也有自动更正错误的能力。

1. 前言        

    我们上次说过,基督徒相信新旧约都是神所默示的,因而知道「神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的」,且「不把圣经的话打折扣」。当我们以这两者作为逻辑的公理时,我们就会发觉圣经是多么的符合逻辑,非基督徒只要能做同样的假设作为逻辑的公理,就会得到同样的结论。我们在『2140 起初神创造天地 – 创(1)1』中,用圣经的第一句话来阐述了这概念。请到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』的网站后,按『对属灵生命的了解』,找到这篇文章。今天我们就来看实际上是如何能做到这点。      

    耶稣说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。』(约翰福音 5:39-40) 我们知道,生命只能从神来,『我(保罗)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) 在现今的世界中,『…有基督耶稣已经死了,而且从死里复活,现今在神的右边,也替我们祈求。』(罗马书 8:34) 耶稣说,『但我要从父那里差保惠师来,就是从父出来真理的圣灵,他来了,就要为我作见证。』(约翰福音 15:26) 圣灵不只是要做见证,而且『只等真理的圣灵来了,他要引导你们明白(原文: 进入)一切的真理,…』(约翰福音 16:13)        

    简言之,现今在这世界上,对我们来说只有圣灵的存在,当耶稣在大使命所应许的,『…我就常与你们同在,直到世界的末了。』(马太福音 28:20) 是以内住的圣灵方式成就的,因圣经是说,『岂不知你们的身子就是圣灵的殿吗?这圣灵是从神而来,住在你们里头的;…』(哥林多前书 6:19) 圣经不会骗我们,不管我们感不感觉到,圣灵就是内住在基督徒里。说到这里,当我听到别人在聚会中祷告求圣灵与我们同在时,这样的人罢明了是在把圣经的话打折扣,因为耶稣说得很清楚,『…无论在哪里,有两三个人奉我的名聚会,那里就有我在他们中间。』(马太福音 18:20) 实在是没有必要祷告圣灵与我们同在,要祷告,也是该求圣灵在我们中间工作。        

    彼得说,『…我们所亲爱的兄弟保罗,照著所赐给他的智慧写了信给你们。他一切的信上也都是讲论这事。信中有些难明白的,那无学问、不坚固的人强解(曲解, 吕振中译本),如强解别的经书一样,就自取沉沦。』(彼得后书 3:15-16) 要想不强解圣经如彼得所说,就只有让圣灵带领我们查经。事实上,我们只能了解圣灵要我们知道的,这就是保罗所说的,『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)        

    我们也知道圣灵是三位一体的神中的一位,有绝对的主权,因为『这一切都是这位圣灵所运行、随己意分给各人的。』(哥林多前书 12:11) 很明显的,这里是说随己意。既然如此,三位一体的神有全权决定要不要带领我们查经,我们能做什么呢?不是要躺著什么事都不做,而是要与神同工,等下我们就能看见如何与神同工。        

    其实,只要我们真正的愿意打开心门,祂一定会作工的,因为这是耶稣的应许。在启示录中的老底嘉的教会,把耶稣关在门外,祂仍然说,『看哪,我站在门外叩门,若有听见我声音就开门的,我要进到他那里去,我与他,他与我一同坐席。』(启示录 3:20) 这里只是说坐席,没有说一定会作工,但祂一定会作工的,要不怎么会有,『得胜的,我要赐他在我宝座上与我同坐,就如我得了胜,在我父的宝座上与他同坐一般。』(启示录 3:21) 唯一没有说的是时间会在何时,所以祂仍然是有绝对的主权。这又是神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的一个例子。

    我们在这里要强调的是,要真正的开心门,因为『人心比万物都诡诈,坏到极处,谁能识透呢?』(耶利米书 17:9) 自己会欺骗自己的!只有当我们做出来时候,我们才能确定自己的真正想法,难怪雅各会说,『…你愿意知道没有行为的信心是死的吗?』(雅各书 2:20) 这也就是我们能做的第一步,行出符合祂心意的行为,就是把祂的话存在心里的行为。第二步是主权在祂,等祂的时间到了的时候自然会带领我们查经,我们能做的就是,如何知道神在带领我们查经,能与神同工。

2. 把神的话存在心里        

    圣经的一个确定的写法是这里一点那里一点,因为旧约明说,『所以耶和华向他们说的话是:命上加命、令上加令,律上加律、例上加例,这里一点、那里一点。…』(以赛亚书 28:13) 因此一定要看整本圣经,才能把神的话存在心里,读出圣经的想法,而这正是三位一体的神借著一位弟兄教导我读经的第一步! 为什么我能这么的确定是圣灵的带领呢?因为他在我身上做过一件只有圣灵能做的预知的事情。在油管中的『201011 从两个神迹中创造了一个不是圣经所说的神』中,我们在约 7:15 时开始详述了这件事情,其链结为『https://youtu.be/_ZdullOIWTA?si=mgg3Gxb7uhZ6CnK7』

    要能够确定的知道没有遗漏任何一个圣经的话语,我们可以从旧约的第一章第一节看起,直到旧约看完,接著就是从新约的马太福音开始,直到启示录的最后一节,这是一遍。然后重复,直到神认为我们已经把祂的话存在心里。主权是在祂,决定什么时候祂会带领我们查经,而我们一但知道神是在带领我们查经,我们就要和神同工。         #####因为是重复,我们也可以从比较容易读的新约开始,这样只有在第一遍时有区别,一但读完新约,就和前者所述的相同了。我们要提的一点是,如果你在这样的读经时,觉得自己读不懂没有关系,读过去就是,要知道目的是在把神的话存在心里。到第二步圣灵带领我们查经时,自然会看得懂一些经文,就是祂要我们能了解的。这样的读经是一定要在信心里面,虽然读不懂,也要继续往前。        

    如果我们这样读经,每天花大约一小时,一年大约可读整本圣经三遍。这不是说把圣经共有几章,除以三,然后再除以一年的天数,每天再就读完这样固定的章数,所以可以一年读完圣经三遍。这是律法,遵从这样的律法是不可能甘心情愿的去读经的,最多是勉强自己做到这律法,更不要说是学习跟随圣灵的带领了。

    如果是每天愿意花大约一小时,每天从那一章节开始,那一章节结束,是不能预先知道的。这就犹如以色列人出埃及的时候,『立起帐幕的那日,有云彩遮盖帐幕,就是法柜的帐幕。…云彩几时从帐幕收上去,以色列人就几时起行;云彩在哪里停住,以色列人就在那里安营。』(民数记 9:15-17) 他们在跟随神的引导,我们这样的读经,也同时在学习跟随圣灵的带领。       

    要强调的一点是,当我们甘心情愿的这样读经时,仇敌不会放过我们的,当我们愈接近神时,我们会经过愈多的试探,因为『…仆人不能大于主人,差人也不能大于差他的人。』(约翰福音 13:16) 我们看耶稣在受洗后被领去旷野受试探时,『魔鬼(撒但)用完了各样的试探,就暂时离开耶稣。』(路加福音 4:13) 只是暂时的离开,然后希伯来书就明讲了,『…我们的大祭司(耶稣)并非不能体恤我们的软弱,他也曾凡事受过试探,与我们一样,只是他没有犯罪。』(希伯来书 4:15) 所以我们受试探时不要讶异,但要深深相信圣经的话,『你们所遇见的试探,无非是人所能受的。神是信实的,必不叫你们受试探过于所能受的。在受试探的时候,总要给你们开一条出路,叫你们能忍受得住。』(哥林多前书 10:13)        

    对一个正常的人来说,看和听是不一样的,在这样的读经过程中,你可能会发觉,只是用听的不行,一定要用看的才可以,因为这和人体的构造有关,听和看有著不同的机置,用听的不能达到用看的同样的目的,所以我们以下就简单的说明一下,看所能达到的。        

    一个人的大脑犹如一台生物的计算机,只是目前的科技尚不知程式存于何处,人体是这么复杂,最可能的是永远都不会知道。如果以人的视觉为例,简单来说,眼睛犹如照相机,把看到的东西照下来,然后经过视网膜转换为电的讯号,最后存在记忆里。如果这过程是真如计算机般,只看一次就可以精确的存下所看过的了。但实际上我们是不同的,因为神经不是都联接在一起,神经网路中神经和神经间的讯号传导是透过离子的,这样的传导会造成不确定性,所以必须读多次,才有可能存神的话语在心里。        

    我不知道每个人要读几次才行,有人说至少要读十次,这只是没有上限的鼓励人的话,我自己的经验是需要读的次数比这更多。但我不知道最后读了多少遍,只记得有一天和姊妹说,我读不懂圣经,只能知道别人的话在不在圣经里面,很久以后才真正的发现,如果神允许的话,我的确是可以知道别人说的是否圣经中提到过。        

    我们再看看计算机是如何取出资料的,基本上资料的储存是用层次的方式,我们需要取出某一特定的资料,必须知道这资料存在那里,就是要知道这资料存的路径,也就是每一层次的档案名称,直到最后找到这资料。所以除非我们知道这资料的路径,就算资料是存在那里,我们也找不到。        

    如果脑部的储存系统和这类似,那么要知道路径才可以找到资料,当我们把圣经的话已经存在心里时,圣灵只要告诉我们路径,我们就可以找到相应的资料了。如果我们是脑袋空空,没有东西,圣灵怎么能带领我们去查经呢?请注意,我没有说就是这样的,只是依照目前我所知的,能够作到的最好解释!        

    至于圣灵是如何开始带领我的查经,是这开始以后非常长的一段时间才想起的,知道这开始是和刚才提到的『201011』中约 11:50 说的第二个神迹有关。在 2018 时,我还在忧郁症中,那是岳母去世且姊妹在台湾的一年,那时我以为自己还不能读圣经,属灵的生命没有灵粮总有一天会死的,就犹如属世的生命没有食物般。        

    当另一姊妹知道我的姊妹不在家,而认为我在忧郁症中有饭食的需要时,就因爱心坚持要送饭食给我。在送饭的事后,我们就有了一个很简短的交通,最后我说到我仍然不能像以前一样的,从创世记到启示录去读经,然后就突然意识到,我正在以专题的方式读经,有时是看一件事,有时是看一个人物,等等。从此以后我就不再从创世记到启示录去读经,经过一长段时间后,才意识到这是圣灵的工作,知道现在绝对是圣灵在带领我读经。

3. 如何知道神在带领我们查经

    既然是主权在祂,等祂的时间到了的时候才会带领我们查经,我们能做的就是要知道祂在带领我们查经,要我们和祂同工。即使我们看不到圣灵的带领,也要站在祂那一边的和祂同工,因为祂的带领是包括了要我们踏出第一步。譬如说我们以前分享过,在使徒行传的第十六章中,圣灵禁止保罗和西拉在亚西亚讲道,和不要往庇推尼去,然后用异象现与保罗而去了马其顿,这不是要他们踏出错误的第一步然后更正他们吗?也是因为祂有绝对的主权,我们只能举出一些祂做的例子,而不能说到限制祂主权的规则。在『2133 是否是神的话及神要的行动的例子』中,我们举了三个圣灵带领我们的例子,附上发生的时间,所以知道这是最近才发生的事情,你可以和以前一样的找到这篇文章。  请注意,这里我强调这些都是最近才发生的事情,是因有人教导说,发生的事情要等一段时间才能作见证。不是这样的,神是又真又活的神,只要我们的动机不是自己欺骗自己的为自己的荣耀,而是为祂的荣耀,祂是会带领我们作见证的。

    有时候圣灵的带领会分为不只一个步骤,举一个刚发生不久的例子来说明这点。在和耶稣同钉的两个犯人中的一个『…说:「耶稣啊,你得国降临的时候,求你记念我!」耶稣对他说:「我实在告诉你:今日你要同我在乐园里了。」』(路加福音 23:42-43) 有人看到这经文就以为基督徒死后都会到乐园去等待,那时的看见是那犯人只是一个不受洗的特例,是大有信心才会那样说话,所以耶稣就直接告诉他死后要同祂在乐园里。圣经绝对没有说所有的基督徒死后都会到乐园等待,要分辩特例和一般情况,那时也这样分享了。在『2063   基督徒的信仰简介』中的『7. 临死前的真信绝对有效,但有机会时该受洗』,我们从受洗的角度来看这一件事情。        

    不久之前,我才意识到那犯人是有超出我想像的大信心!耶稣那时已距死不远,而那犯人对祂说祢得国降临的时候,死人不能如此,所以他相信主会死而复活,且更会再来,只有神才能如此。难怪耶稣会对他说,『今日你要同我在乐园里了』。我们也注意到,第二次的看见只是加在第一次的看见上面,好像这例子是专为这次的分享而适时出来的!我很清楚这是圣灵的带领,但就像一般的见证一样,有部份是不能显给人看的,到目前为止,唯一可显给人看的见证,是医疗系统中记录的客观事实,就是在『2123 神用客观的、给别人看的客观事实显现祂的存在 』中所分享的。

    我们要分辩,就是有过和神很亲密的人,也不见得不会堕落,旧约就有一个明显的例子,就是堕落的先知比珥的儿子巴兰。我们说他是先知,因新约是说,『…巴兰就是那贪爱不义之工价的先知,他却为自己的过犯受了责备;那不能说话的驴,以人言拦阻先知(G4396)的狂妄。』(彼得后书 2:15-16)     

    我们不知他是何时完全堕落的,在他堕落前,他是和神很亲密的,我们可以从在摩押王西拨的儿子巴勒请他去咒诅以色列人看到这一点。圣经明说,『巴兰举目,看见以色列人照著支派居住,神的灵就临到他身上。』(民数记 24:2) 在他最终没有咒诅以色列人后,『…巴兰起来回他本地去,巴勒也回去了。』(民数记 24:25)        

    在他完全堕落后,不知何时回到了亚摩利王西宏的国那里,当约书亚的『那时,以色列人在所杀的人中,也用刀杀了比珥的儿子术士(H7080)巴兰。』(约书亚记 13:22) 所以即使曾和神很亲密的先知也会堕落的。我们要悔改,新约很清楚的说,『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) 不要像巴兰般的死不认错悔改!所以一但知道自己犯了罪,就至少要在神面前悔改,更有可能还要像大卫般的在众人面前悔改。大卫和拔示巴同室以后,拿单去见他,使他知道自己犯了大罪,他就写了诗篇 51 篇,不只是在神面前彻底悔改,并交于伶长,并不隐瞒自己的过错。

4. 一个可能圣经的写法: 有自动更正错误的能力        

    基督徒相信圣经是神所默示的,三位一体的神早就知道圣经是不可能以原版传到现在,祂在默示的时候就考虑到这点,能让不强解圣经的人,看到圣经能有自动更正错误的能力,我现在要分享就是一个这样,从至少是部份圣经看到的方法,来对付这样的问题。要强调的是,我不是在说圣经就是这样写的,只是要分享一个人都能想出有自动更正能力的方法,神一定会做的更完善。        

    这方法能比较清楚的描述是基于编码理论(coding theory),对不懂编码理论的人,我们就先叙述其基本原理,然后用类比的方式来说明一个圣经可能的写法。        

    我们现在就用地球和远处太空船之间的通信,来说明编码理论的基本原理,在这种情况下,因距离远、而要相当长的时间、才能从地球上发给太空船一个指令。换句话说,基本上就是一个指令没有机会送第二次,一次就要对,当发觉一些(不是所有)错误时,要能自动的更正这些错误。这不是和圣经只有一次默示的机会相似吗?不同的地方是印刷术在有原版圣经时还没有发明,只能抄写,尤其在旧约原文圣经抄写时非常严格,有错误的机会非常小,而通讯管道则一定有产生多重错误的较高可能性,所以两者最多只是相似,不是相同。        

    现在我们就把编码理论的基本原理用一个简单的例子来说明。在计算机里,任何的讯息都是用一长串的零和壹来表示,要送一个讯息,如果零或壹的输送没有错误的话,这个讯息的输送就不会有错,所以最简单要输送的讯息就是零或壹,我们就用输送零或壹作为例子,看看编码理论怎么能够自动更正某些错误的基本原理。        

    当要输送零时,就连续输送三个零,这就是输送的信号。同样的,当要输送一个壹时,就连续的输送三个壹。也就是说,要输送这样的讯息,实际上输送的信号,比输送只一次的原先的讯息,就慢了三倍,我们就看看带有错误的接收信号,如何能自动更正某些错误。        

    当零经由传输管道到接收器时,可能会产生错误而变为壹,同样的,壹会因错误而变为零。如果传输的是零,而现在收到的信号只有一个错误,就会有两个零一个壹,我们就知道原先的讯息是零,也就是说自动的更正了一个错误。当然传输壹也是一样的只能更正一个错误。要想如此的更正两个错误,就要慢五倍。以此类推,传输的信号愈慢,就能更正越多的错误,也就是以时间来换取错误的减少。        

    在圣经中,一些概念会以不同的方式重复的出现,所以会比只说一次就会篇幅长了不少,但错误就会因此而自动更正。以编码理论作为类比,编码理论是以时间换取错误的减少,圣经则是以篇幅长而达到同样的效果。我要再次强调,全部圣经不见得都是以编码理论的方式写的,我们在这里只是分享一个人都能想出的方法,神一定是会做的更完善。

(经文除了特别注明外,是基于和合本。)

(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』。)  

2141 對聖靈帶領查經我們可做的事 (旋風著)

        在前言中,我們提到讀經的目的是要得生命是耶穌說的,和生命只能從神來是保羅講的,現今我們只有被三位一體的神中的聖靈引導,才能得生命。所以在這裏我們一直強調,我們的分享最多在知識的層面,希望藉著它能把大家帶到神的面前得生命。譬如說,我們看到了,當我們真正的願意打開心門時,祂一定會在我們身上作工,只是沒有說是在何時。在第二中,我們提到了一個聖靈用的方法,使我們能把神的話存在心裏,這是聖靈帶領我們查經的前奏,因為聖靈有絕對的主權,我們能做的就是要知道聖靈在帶領我們查經,要我們和祂同工。也是因為祂有絕對的主權,我們在第三中只能舉一些例子來說明如何知道神在帶領我們查經,其中我們也看到了在舊約中的巴蘭,是墮落的先知,是死不悔改的。最後我們看到了部份聖經的寫法和編碼理論(coding theory)相似,就說明了編碼理論的自動更正錯誤能力的基本原理,然後提到了聖經的那部份為什麼也有自動更正錯誤的能力。

1. 前言 

        我們上次說過,基督徒相信新舊約都是神所默示的,因而知道「神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的」,且「不把聖經的話打折扣」。當我們以這兩者作為邏輯的公理時,我們就會發覺聖經是多麼的符合邏輯,非基督徒只要能做同樣的假設作為邏輯的公理,就會得到同樣的結論。我們在『2140 起初神創造天地 – 創(1)1』中,用聖經的第一句話來闡述了這概念。請到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』的網站後,按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』,找到這篇文章。今天我們就來看實際上是如何能做到這點。

       耶穌說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。』(約翰福音 5:39-40) 我們知道,生命只能從神來,『我(保羅)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) 在現今的世界中,『…有基督耶穌已經死了,而且從死裏復活,現今在神的右邊,也替我們祈求。』(羅馬書 8:34) 耶穌說,『但我要從父那裏差保惠師來,就是從父出來真理的聖靈,他來了,就要為我作見證。』(約翰福音 15:26) 聖靈不只是要做見証,而且『只等真理的聖靈來了,他要引導你們明白(原文: 進入)一切的真理,…』(約翰福音 16:13) 

        簡言之,現今在這世界上,對我們來說只有聖靈的存在,當耶穌在大使命所應許的,『…我就常與你們同在,直到世界的末了。』(馬太福音 28:20) 是以內住的聖靈方式成就的,因聖經是說,『豈不知你們的身子就是聖靈的殿嗎?這聖靈是從神而來,住在你們裏頭的;…』(哥林多前書 6:19) 聖經不會騙我們,不管我們感不感覺到,聖靈就是內住在基督徒裏。說到這裏,當我聽到別人在聚會中禱告求聖靈與我們同在時,這樣的人罷明了是在把聖經的話打折扣,因為耶穌說得很清楚,『…無論在哪裏,有兩三個人奉我的名聚會,那裏就有我在他們中間。』(馬太福音 18:20) 實在是沒有必要禱告聖靈與我們同在,要禱告,也是該求聖靈在我們中間工作。

        彼得說,『…我們所親愛的兄弟保羅,照着所賜給他的智慧寫了信給你們。他一切的信上也都是講論這事。信中有些難明白的,那無學問、不堅固的人強解(曲解, 呂振中譯本),如強解別的經書一樣,就自取沉淪。』(彼得後書 3:15-16) 要想不強解聖經如彼得所說,就只有讓聖靈帶領我們查經。事實上,我們只能瞭解聖靈要我們知道的,這就是保羅所說的,『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)

        我們也知道聖靈是三位一體的神中的一位,有絕對的主權,因為『這一切都是這位聖靈所運行、隨己意分給各人的。』(哥林多前書 12:11) 很明顯的,這裏是說随己意。既然如此,三位一體的神有全權決定要不要帶領我們查經,我們能做什麼呢?不是要躺著什麼事都不做,而是要與神同工,等下我們就能看見如何與神同工。

        其實,只要我們真正的願意打開心門,祂一定會作工的,因為這是耶穌的應許。在啓示錄中的老底嘉的教會,把耶穌關在門外,祂仍然說,『看哪,我站在門外叩門,若有聽見我聲音就開門的,我要進到他那裏去,我與他,他與我一同坐席。』(啓示錄 3:20) 這裏只是說坐席,沒有說一定會作工,但祂一定會作工的,要不怎麼會有,『得勝的,我要賜他在我寶座上與我同坐,就如我得了勝,在我父的寶座上與他同坐一般。』(啓示錄 3:21) 唯一沒有說的是時間會在何時,所以祂仍然是有絕對的主權。這又是神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的一個例子。

        我們在這裏要強調的是,要真正的開心門,因為『人心比萬物都詭詐,壞到極處,誰能識透呢?』(耶利米書 17:9) 自己會欺騙自己的!只有當我們做出來時候,我們才能確定自己的真正想法,難怪雅各會說,『…你願意知道沒有行為的信心是死的嗎?』(雅各書 2:20) 這也就是我們能做的第一步,行出符合祂心意的行為,就是把祂的話存在心裏的行為。第二步是主權在祂,等祂的時間到了的時候自然會帶領我們查經,我們能做的就是,如何知道神在帶領我們查經,能與神同工。

2. 把神的話存在心裏

        聖經的一個確定的寫法是這裏一點那裏一點,因為舊約明說,『所以耶和華向他們說的話是:命上加命、令上加令,律上加律、例上加例,這裏一點、那裏一點。…』(以賽亞書 28:13) 因此一定要看整本聖經,才能把神的話存在心裏,讀出聖經的想法,而這正是三位一體的神藉著一位弟兄教導我讀經的第一步! 為什麼我能這麼的確定是聖靈的帶領呢?因為他在我身上做過一件只有聖靈能做的預知的事情。在油管中的『201011 從兩個神蹟中創造了一個不是聖經所說的神』中,我們在約 7:15 時開始詳述了這件事情,其鏈結為『https://youtu.be/_ZdullOIWTA?si=mgg3Gxb7uhZ6CnK7』。

        要能夠確定的知道沒有遺漏任何一個聖經的話語,我們可以從舊約的第一章第一節看起,直到舊約看完,接著就是從新約的馬太福音開始,直到啓示錄的最後一節,這是一遍。然後重複,直到神認為我們已經把祂的話存在心裏。主權是在祂,決定什麼時候祂會帶領我們查經,而我們一但知道神是在帶領我們查經,我們就要和神同工。

        因為是重複,我們也可以從比較容易讀的新約開始,這樣只有在第一遍時有區別,一但讀完新約,就和前者所述的相同了。我們要提的一點是,如果你在這樣的讀經時,覺得自己讀不懂沒有關係,讀過去就是,要知道目的是在把神的話存在心裏。到第二步聖靈帶領我們查經時,自然會看得懂一些經文,就是祂要我們能瞭解的。這樣的讀經是一定要在信心裏面,雖然讀不懂,也要繼續往前。

        如果我們這樣讀經,每天花大約一小時,一年大約可讀整本聖經三遍。這不是說把聖經共有幾章,除以三,然後再除以一年的天數,每天再就讀完這樣固定的章數,所以可以一年讀完聖經三遍。這是律法,遵從這樣的律法是不可能甘心情願的去讀經的,最多是勉強自己做到這律法,更不要說是學習跟隨聖靈的帶領了。

        如果是每天願意花大約一小時,每天從那一章節開始,那一章節結束,是不能預先知道的。這就猶如以色列人出埃及的時候,『立起帳幕的那日,有雲彩遮蓋帳幕,就是法櫃的帳幕。…雲彩幾時從帳幕收上去,以色列人就幾時起行;雲彩在哪裏停住,以色列人就在那裏安營。』(民數記 9:15-17) 他們在跟隨神的引導,我們這樣的讀經,也同時在學習跟隨聖靈的帶領。

       要強調的一點是,當我們甘心情願的這樣讀經時,仇敵不會放過我們的,當我們愈接近神時,我們會經過愈多的試探,因為『…僕人不能大於主人,差人也不能大於差他的人。』(約翰福音 13:16) 我們看耶穌在受洗後被領去曠野受試探時,『魔鬼(撒但)用完了各樣的試探,就暫時離開耶穌。』(路加福音 4:13) 只是暫時的離開,然後希伯來書就明講了,『…我們的大祭司(耶穌)並非不能體恤我們的軟弱,他也曾凡事受過試探,與我們一樣,只是他沒有犯罪。』(希伯來書 4:15) 所以我們受試探時不要訝異,但要深深相信聖經的話,『你們所遇見的試探,無非是人所能受的。神是信實的,必不叫你們受試探過於所能受的。在受試探的時候,總要給你們開一條出路,叫你們能忍受得住。』(哥林多前書 10:13)

        對一個正常的人來說,看和聽是不一樣的,在這樣的讀經過程中,你可能會發覺,只是用聽的不行,一定要用看的才可以,因為這和人體的構造有關,聽和看有著不同的機置,用聽的不能達到用看的同樣的目的,所以我們以下就簡單的說明一下,看所能達到的。

        一個人的大腦猶如一台生物的計算機,只是目前的科技尚不知程式存於何處,人體是這麼複雜,最可能的是永遠都不會知道。如果以人的視覺為例,簡單來說,眼睛猶如照相機,把看到的東西照下來,然後經過視網膜轉換為電的訊號,最後存在記憶裏。如果這過程是真如計算機般,只看一次就可以精確的存下所看過的了。但實際上我們是不同的,因為神經不是都聯接在一起,神經網路中神經和神經間的訊號傳導是透過離子的,這樣的傳導會造成不確定性,所以必須讀多次,才有可能存神的話語在心裏。

        我不知道每個人要讀幾次才行,有人說至少要讀十次,這只是沒有上限的鼓勵人的話,我自己的經驗是需要讀的次數比這更多。但我不知道最後讀了多少遍,只記得有一天和姊妹說,我讀不懂聖經,只能知道別人的話在不在聖經裏面,很久以後才真正的發現,如果神允許的話,我的確是可以知道別人說的是否聖經中提到過。

        我們再看看計算機是如何取出資料的,基本上資料的儲存是用層次的方式,我們需要取出某一特定的資料,必須知道這資料存在那裏,就是要知道這資料存的路徑,也就是每一層次的檔案名稱,直到最後找到這資料。所以除非我們知道這資料的路徑,就算資料是存在那裏,我們也找不到。

        如果腦部的儲存系統和這類似,那麼要知道路徑才可以找到資料,當我們把聖經的話已經存在心裏時,聖靈只要告訴我們路徑,我們就可以找到相應的資料了。如果我們是腦袋空空,沒有東西,聖靈怎麼能帶領我們去查經呢?請注意,我没有說就是這樣的,只是依照目前我所知的,能夠作到的最好解釋!

        至於聖靈是如何開始帶領我的查經,是這開始以後非常長的一段時間才想起的,知道這開始是和剛才提到的『201011』中約 11:50 說的第二個神蹟有關。在 2018 時,我還在憂鬱症中,那是岳母去世且姊妹在台灣的一年,那時我以為自己還不能讀聖經,屬靈的生命沒有靈糧總有一天會死的,就猶如屬世的生命沒有食物般。

        當另一姊妹知道我的姊妹不在家,而認為我在憂鬱症中有飯食的需要時,就因愛心堅持要送飯食給我。在送飯的事後,我們就有了一個很簡短的交通,最後我說到我仍然不能像以前一樣的,從創世記到啓示錄去讀經,然後就突然意識到,我正在以專題的方式讀經,有時是看一件事,有時是看一個人物,等等。從此以後我就不再從創世記到啓示錄去讀經,經過一長段時間後,才意識到這是聖靈的工作,知道現在絕對是聖靈在帶領我讀經。

3. 如何知道神在帶領我們查經

        既然是主權在祂,等祂的時間到了的時候才會帶領我們查經,我們能做的就是要知道祂在帶領我們查經,要我們和祂同工。即使我們看不到聖靈的帶領,也要站在祂那一邊的和祂同工,因為祂的帶領是包括了要我們踏出第一步。譬如說我們以前分享過,在使徒行傳的第十六章中,聖靈禁止保羅和西拉在亞西亞講道,和不要往庇推尼去,然後用異象現與保羅而去了馬其頓,這不是要他們踏出錯誤的第一步然後更正他們嗎?也是因為祂有絕對的主權,我們只能舉出一些祂做的例子,而不能說到限制祂主權的規則。在『2133 是否是神的話及神要的行動的例子』中,我們舉了三個聖靈帶領我們的例子,附上發生的時間,所以知道這是最近才發生的事情,你可以和以前一樣的找到這篇文章。  請注意,這裏我強調這些都是最近才發生的事情,是因有人教導說,發生的事情要等一段時間才能作見証。不是這樣的,神是又真又活的神,只要我們的動機不是自己欺騙自己的為自己的榮耀,而是為祂的榮耀,祂是會帶領我們作見証的。

       有時候聖靈的帶領會分為不只一個步驟,舉一個剛發生不久的例子來說明這點。在和耶穌同釘的兩個犯人中的一個『…說:「耶穌啊,你得國降臨的時候,求你記念我!」耶穌對他說:「我實在告訴你:今日你要同我在樂園裏了。」』(路加福音 23:42-43) 有人看到這經文就以為基督徒死後都會到樂園去等待,那時的看見是那犯人只是一個不受洗的特例,是大有信心才會那樣說話,所以耶穌就直接告訴他死後要同祂在樂園裏。聖經絕對沒有說所有的基督徒死後都會到樂園等待,要分辨特例和一般情況,那時也這樣分享了。在『2063   基督徒的信仰簡介』中的『7. 臨死前的真信絕對有效,但有機會時該受洗』,我們從受洗的角度來看這一件事情。

        不久之前,我才意識到那犯人是有超出我想像的大信心!耶穌那時已距死不遠,而那犯人對祂說祢得國降臨的時候,死人不能如此,所以他相信主會死而復活,且更會再來,只有神才能如此。難怪耶穌會對他說,『今日你要同我在樂園裏了』。我們也注意到,第二次的看見只是加在第一次的看見上面,好像這例子是專為這次的分享而適時出來的!我很清楚這是聖靈的帶領,但就像一般的見証一樣,有部份是不能顯給人看的,到目前為止,唯一可顯給人看的見証,是醫療系統中記錄的客觀事實,就是在『2123 神用客觀的、給別人看的客觀事實顯現祂的存在 』中所分享的。

       我們要分辨,就是有過和神很親密的人,也不見得不會墮落,舊約就有一個明顯的例子,就是墮落的先知比珥的兒子巴蘭。我們說他是先知,因新約是說,『…巴蘭就是那貪愛不義之工價的先知,他卻為自己的過犯受了責備;那不能說話的驢,以人言攔阻先知(G4396)的狂妄。』(彼得後書 2:15-16)

     我們不知他是何時完全墮落的,在他墮落前,他是和神很親密的,我們可以從在摩押王西撥的兒子巴勒請他去咒詛以色列人看到這一點。聖經明說,『巴蘭舉目,看見以色列人照着支派居住,神的靈就臨到他身上。』(民數記 24:2) 在他最終沒有咒詛以色列人後,『…巴蘭起來回他本地去,巴勒也回去了。』(民數記 24:25) 

        在他完全墮落後,不知何時回到了亞摩利王西宏的國那裏,當約書亞的『那時,以色列人在所殺的人中,也用刀殺了比珥的兒子術士(H7080)巴蘭。』(約書亞記 13:22) 所以即使曾和神很親密的先知也會墮落的。我們要悔改,新約很清楚的說,『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) 不要像巴蘭般的死不認錯悔改!所以一但知道自己犯了罪,就至少要在神面前悔改,更有可能還要像大衞般的在眾人面前悔改。大衞和拔示巴同室以後,拿單去見他,使他知道自己犯了大罪,他就寫了詩篇 51 篇,不只是在神面前徹底悔改,並交於伶長,並不隱瞞自己的過錯。

4. 一個可能聖經的寫法: 有自動更正錯誤的能力

        基督徒相信聖經是神所默示的,三位一體的神早就知道聖經是不可能以原版傳到現在,祂在默示的時候就考慮到這點,能讓不強解聖經的人,看到聖經能有自動更正錯誤的能力,我現在要分享就是一個這樣,從至少是部份聖經看到的方法,來對付這樣的問題。要強調的是,我不是在說聖經就是這樣寫的,只是要分享一個人都能想出有自動更正能力的方法,神一定會做的更完善。

        這方法能比較清楚的描述是基於編碼理論(coding theory),對不懂編碼理論的人,我們就先敍述其基本原理,然後用類比的方式來說明一個聖經可能的寫法。

        我們現在就用地球和遠處太空船之間的通信,來說明編碼理論的基本原理,在這種情況下,因距離遠、而要相當長的時間、才能從地球上發給太空船一個指令。換句話說,基本上就是一個指令没有機會送第二次,一次就要對,當發覺一些(不是所有)錯誤時,要能自動的更正這些錯誤。這不是和聖經只有一次默示的機會相似嗎?不同的地方是印刷術在有原版聖經時還沒有發明,只能抄寫,尤其在舊約原文聖經抄寫時非常嚴格,有錯誤的機會非常小,而通訊管道則一定有產生多重錯誤的較高可能性,所以兩者最多只是相似,不是相同。

        現在我們就把編碼理論的基本原理用一個簡單的例子來說明。在計算機裏,任何的訊息都是用一長串的零和壹來表示,要送一個訊息,如果零或壹的輸送沒有錯誤的話,這個訊息的輸送就不會有錯,所以最簡單要輸送的訊息就是零或壹,我們就用輸送零或壹作為例子,看看編碼理論怎麼能夠自動更正某些錯誤的基本原理。

        當要輸送零時,就連續輸送三個零,這就是輸送的信號。同樣的,當要輸送一個壹時,就連續的輸送三個壹。也就是說,要輸送這樣的訊息,實際上輸送的信號,比輸送只一次的原先的訊息,就慢了三倍,我們就看看帶有錯誤的接收信號,如何能自動更正某些錯誤。

        當零經由傳輸管道到接收器時,可能會產生錯誤而變為壹,同樣的,壹會因錯誤而變為零。如果傳輸的是零,而現在收到的信號只有一個錯誤,就會有兩個零一個壹,我們就知道原先的訊息是零,也就是說自動的更正了一個錯誤。當然傳輸壹也是一樣的只能更正一個錯誤。要想如此的更正兩個錯誤,就要慢五倍。以此類推,傳輸的信號愈慢,就能更正越多的錯誤,也就是以時間來換取錯誤的減少。

        在聖經中,一些概念會以不同的方式重複的出現,所以會比只說一次就會篇幅長了不少,但錯誤就會因此而自動更正。以編碼理論作為類比,編碼理論是以時間換取錯誤的減少,聖經則是以篇幅長而達到同樣的效果。我要再次強調,全部聖經不見得都是以編碼理論的方式寫的,我們在這裏只是分享一個人都能想出的方法,神一定是會做的更完善。

(經文除了特別註明外,是基於和合本。)

(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』。)

1141 What we can do regarding Holy Spirit leads us to study Bible (by Whirlwind)

In the preface, we mentioned that Jesus said that the purpose of reading the Bible is to have life, and that Paul said that life can only come from God. Now we can only have life if we are guided by the Holy Spirit in the Triune God. So here we have always emphasized that our sharing is at most at the level of knowledge, hoping that through it we can bring everyone to God and have life. For example, we have seen that when we are truly willing to open our hearts, He will definitely work in us, but He does not say when. In the second part, we mentioned a method used by the Holy Spirit to enable us to keep God’s word in our hearts. This is a prelude to the Holy Spirit leading us in Bible study. Because the Holy Spirit has absolute sovereignty, all we can do is to know that the Holy Spirit is leading us in Bible study and wants us to work with Him. Also because of His absolute sovereignty, we can only give some examples in the third part to illustrate how to know that God is leading us in Bible study. Among them, we also saw Balaam in the Old Testament, who was a fallen prophet and refused to repent. Finally, we saw that the writing style of part of the Bible is similar to coding theory, which explains the basic principle of the automatic error correction ability, and then mentioned why that part of the Bible also has the ability to automatically correct errors by analogy.

1. Preface 

We said last time that Christians believe that both the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God, and therefore know that “what God tells us through the Bible is consistent” and “does not discount the words of the Bible.” When we use these two as logical axioms, we will find how logical the Bible is. As long as non-Christians can make the same assumptions as logical axioms, they will reach the same conclusion. In “1140 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth – Genesis(1)1”, we explained this concept using the first sentence of the Bible. Please go to the website “https://a-christian-voice.com/” and click “Understanding of Spiritual Life” to find this article. Today we’re going to look at how this can actually be done.

Jesus said 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.”(John 5:39-40) We know that life can only come from God, “I (Paul) 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.”(1 Corinthians 3:6-7) In today’s world, “…Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”(Romans 8:34) Jesus said, “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.”(John 15:26) The Holy Spirit not only bears witness, but also “…when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; …”(John 16:13)

In short, the only existence for us in this world today is the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised in the Great Commission, “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”(Matthew 28:20) It is accomplished by the indwelling Holy Spirit, for the Bible says, “…do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, …”(1 Corinthians 6:19) The Bible does not lie to us. Whether we feel it or not, the Holy Spirit lives in Christians. At this point, when I hear others praying for the Holy Spirit to be with us during meetings, such people are clearly discounting the words of the Bible, because Jesus said very clearly, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”(Matthew 18:20) There is really no need to pray for the Holy Spirit to be with us. If we do pray, we should ask the Holy Spirit to work among us.

Peter said, “…our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”(2 Peter 3:15-16) If we want to avoid distorting the Bible to as Peter said, we can only let the Holy Spirit lead us in Bible study. In fact, we can only understand what the Holy Spirit wants us to know, which is what Paul said, “If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know.”(1 Corinthians 8:2)

We also know that the Holy Spirit is one of the Trinity and has absolute sovereignty, because “…one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”(1 Corinthians 12:11) Obviously, it means to do ‘as He wills.’ In this case, the Triune God has the full authority to decide whether or not to lead us in Bible study. What can we do then? It is not about lying down and doing nothing, but about working together with God. We will see how to work together with God shortly.

In fact, as long as we are truly willing to open our hearts, He will definitely work, because this is Jesus’ promise. The church in Laodicea in the Book of Revelation shut Jesus out, but He still said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”(Revelation 3:20) Here it only says to dine with me; it does not say that He will definitely work. But He will definitely work, otherwise how could it be possible, “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”(Revelation 3:21) The only thing it doesn’t say is when that will happen, so He still has absolute sovereignty. This is another example regarding what God tells us through the Bible is consistent.

What we want to emphasize here is that we must truly open the door of our hearts, because ““The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”(Jeremiah 17:9) One can deceive himself! Only when we act can we be sure of our true thoughts. No wonder James said, “…faith without works is useless?”(James 2:20) This is the first step we can take, to act in accordance with His will, that is, to keep His words in our hearts. The second step is that sovereignty lies with Him. When His time comes, He will naturally lead us in Bible study. What we can do is to know that God is leading us in Bible study and to work with Him.

2. Keep God’s Word in your heart

A definite way in the Bible writing is to use a little here and a little there, because the Old Testament clearly states, “So the word of the LORD to them will be, “Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there,” …”(Isaiah 28:13) Therefore, we must read the entire Bible in order to keep God’s words in our hearts and understand the Bible’s ideas. This is exactly the first step that the Triune God took to teach me to read the Bible through a brother! Why can I be so sure that it is the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Because the brother did something in me that was foreknowledge that only the Holy Spirit could do. In the YouTube video “201011 Creating a God Not Said in the Bible from Two Miracles”, we start describing this incident in detail in Chinese about 7:15, and the link is “https://youtu.be/_ZdullOIWTA?si=mgg3Gxb7uhZ6CnK7“.

To be sure that we have not missed any words of the Bible, we can start from the first verse of the first chapter of the Old Testament until the end of the Old Testament, and then start from the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament until the last verse of the Book of Revelation. This is counted as one time reading. Then repeat until God thinks we have His Word in our hearts. He is sovereign and decides when to lead us in Bible study. Once we know that God is leading us in Bible study, we should work with Him.

Because it is repetitive, we can also start with the New Testament which is easier to read. In this way, there will be differences only in the first time. Once you finish reading the New Testament, it will be the same as what was described in the previous one. One point we want to mention is that if you feel that you don’t understand the Bible when you are reading it like this, it doesn’t matter. Just read it forwards. You must know that the purpose is to keep God’s words in your heart. In the second step, when the Holy Spirit leads us to study the Bible, we will naturally understand some of the scriptures that He wants us to understand. This kind of reading of the Bible must be done with faith, and even if you don’t understand it, you must continue moving forward.

If we read the Bible in this way, spending about an hour a day, we can read the entire Bible about three times a year. This does not mean that you can divide the number of chapters in the Bible by three, then divide that by the number of days in a year, and then read that fixed number of chapters every day, so you can read the Bible three times a year. This is the law. It is impossible to read the Bible willingly just to obey such a law. At most, one can only reluctantly fulfill this law, let alone learn to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

If you are willing to spend about an hour every day, you cannot know in advance which chapter you will start and end with. This is just like when the Israelites left Egypt, “Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp.”(Numbers 9:15-17) They were following God’s guidance. When we read the Bible in this way, we are also learning to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

One point that needs to be emphasized is that when we read the Bible willingly in this way, the enemy will not let us go. The closer we are to God, the more temptations we will experience, because “Truly, truly, I (Jesus) say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.”(John 13:16) When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted after his baptism, “When the devil (Satan) had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.”(Luke 4:13) It was only a temporary departure, and then the book of Hebrews clearly stated, “…we do not have a high priest (Jesus) who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”(Hebrews 4:15) So we should not be surprised when we are tempted, but we should deeply believe the words of the Bible, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”(1 Corinthians 10:13)

For a normal person, seeing and hearing are different. In the process of reading the scriptures, you may find that it is not enough to just hear, you must see, because this is related to the structure of the human body. Hearing and seeing have different mechanisms. Hearing cannot achieve the same purpose as seeing, so we will briefly explain what seeing can achieve.

A person’s brain is like a biological computer, but current technology does not know where the program is stored. The human body is so complex that it is most likely that we will never know. If we take human vision as an example, to put it simply, the eye is like a camera, taking a picture of what it sees, which is then converted into electrical signals through the retina and finally stored in the memory. If this process is really like a computer, you only need to watch it once to store exactly what you have seen. But in fact, we are different because our nerves are not all connected together. The signal transmission between nerves in the neural network is through ions. Such transmission will cause uncertainty, so we must read it many times before we can store God’s words in our hearts.

I don’t know how many times each person should read it. Some people say that it should be read at least ten times. This is just encouragement without an upper limit. My own experience is that it needs to be read more times than this. But I don’t know how many times I read it in the end. I just remember telling my sister one day that I couldn’t understand the Bible and could only know whether what others said was in the Bible. It was a long time later that I truly discovered that if God allowed, I could indeed know whether what others said was mentioned in the Bible.

Let’s look at how computers retrieve data. Basically, data is stored in a hierarchical manner. If we need to retrieve certain data, we must know where the data is stored. That is, we must know the path where the data is stored, that is, the file name of each level, until we finally find the data. So unless we know the path to the data, we won’t be able to find it even if it exists there.

If the brain’s storage system is similar to this, then we need to know the path in order to find the information. When we have the words of the Bible stored in our hearts, the Holy Spirit only needs to tell us the path, and we can find the corresponding information. If our heads are empty and we have nothing, how can the Holy Spirit lead us to study the Bible? Please note that I did not say that it is like this exactly, it is just the best explanation I can give based on what I know so far!

As for how the Holy Spirit began to lead me in Bible study, it was only after a very long time after it started. I realized that it was related to the second miracle mentioned in the “201011” mentioned earlier at about 11:50. In 2018, I was still suffering from depression. That was the year my mother-in-law passed away and my sister was in Taiwan. At that time, I thought I was not yet able to read the Bible. Spiritual life without spiritual food would die one day, just like worldly life without food. By

When another sister knew that my sister was not at home and thought that I needed food due to depression, she insisted on sending me food out of brother’s love. After delivering the meal, we had a very brief fellowship. At the end I said that I still couldn’t read the Bible from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation as I did before. Then I suddenly realized that I was reading the Bible in a thematic way, sometimes looking at an event, sometimes looking at a person, and so on. From then on, I no longer read the Bible from the beginning to the end. After a long time, I realized that this was the work of the Holy Spirit and that it was definitely the Holy Spirit who was leading me in reading the Bible.

3. How do we know God is leading us to study the Bible?

Since He is sovereign, He will lead us in Bible study only when His time comes. All we can do is to know that He is leading us in Bible study and wants us to work with Him. Even if we cannot see the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must stand on His side and work with Him, because His guidance includes us taking the first step. For example, as we have shared before, in Acts 16, the Holy Spirit forbade Paul and Silas to preach in Asia and to go to Bithynia, and then appeared to Paul in a vision and went to Macedonia. Wasn’t this to correct them after they took the first wrong step? Also because He has absolute sovereignty, we can only cite some examples of what He has done, but cannot talk about rules that limit His sovereignty. In “1133 Examples about if it is God’s words and actions that God wants,” we gave three examples of the Holy Spirit leading us, and attached the time when they happened, so you know that this happened recently. You can find this article as before. Please note that I emphasize here that these are recent events because some people teach about things that happen have to wait for a while before they can be witnessed. It is not right. God is a true and living God. As long as our motive is not to deceive ourselves for our own glory, but for His glory, He will lead us to bear witness.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit’s guidance is divided into more than one step. Let me give you an example that happened not long ago to illustrate this point. One of the two criminals crucified with Jesus “was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.””(Luke 23:42-43) Some people see this verse and think that all Christians will go to paradise after they die. At that time, I saw that the criminal was just a special case who was not baptized, and it took great faith to speak like that, so Jesus directly told him that he would be with Him in paradise after he died. The Bible definitely does not say that all Christians will go to paradise after they die. We need to distinguish between special cases and general situations, and this was also shared at that time. In “7. True faith before death is absolutely valid, but you should be baptized when you have the opportunity” of “1063 Introduction to the Christian Faith,” we look at this matter from the perspective of baptism.

Not long ago, I realized that the prisoner had greater faith than I thought! Jesus was not far from death at that time, and the criminal said to Him that when You come into your kingdom, dead people cannot do that, so he believed that the Lord would die and be resurrected, and would come again, and only God could do that. No wonder Jesus said to him, “today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” We also noticed that the second sight was just an addition to the first sight, as if this example was specially created for this sharing! I am very clear that this is the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but like any other testimony, some parts cannot be shown to others. So far, the only testimony that can be shown to others is the objective facts recorded in the medical system, which is shared in “1123 God reveals His existence through objective facts that are visible to others.”

We need to discern that even those who once had a close relationship with God may not necessarily avoid falling. There is an obvious example in the Old Testament, that is, the fallen prophet Balaam, the son of Beor. We say he is a prophet because the New Testament says, “…Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet (G4396).”(2 Peter 2:15-16)

We do not know when he completely fell. Before his fall, he was very close to God. We can see this when Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, asked him to curse the Israelites. The Bible clearly says, “And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.”(Numbers 24:2) After he finally refrained from cursing the Israelites, “Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.”(Numbers 24:25)

After his complete depravity, he returned to the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites at some point, and among those killed at that time “The sons of Israel also killed Balaam the son of Beor, the diviner (H7080), with the sword among the rest of their slain.”(Joshua 13:22) So even a prophet who was once very close to God could fall. We must repent. The New Testament clearly says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”(1 John 1:9) Don’t be like Balaam, who refused to repent! Therefore, once you realize that you have committed a sin, you should at least repent before God. More likely, you should also repent in front of everyone like David did. After David had sex with Bathsheba, Nathan came to him and made him realize that he had committed a serious sin. David then wrote Psalm 51, not only completely repenting before God but also handing it over to the choir director and not hiding his faults.

4. A possible way to write the Bible: with the ability to automatically correct errors

Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by God. The Triune God knew long ago that it was impossible for the Bible to be passed down to the present day in its original form. He must take this into consideration when He inspired the Bible, so that people who do not force their interpretations of the Bible can see that the Bible has the ability to automatically correct errors. What I want to share now is such a method, which is seen from at least part of the Bible, to deal with this problem. I want to emphasize that I am not saying that the Bible is written this way, I am just sharing that if a person can come up with a method that has auto-correction capabilities, God will surely do a better job.

This method can be described more clearly based on coding theory. For those who do not understand coding theory, we will first describe its basic principles and then use analogies to illustrate how a Bible may be written.

We will now use the communication between the Earth and a distant spacecraft to illustrate the basic principles of coding theory. In this case, due to the long distance, it takes a considerable amount of time to send a command from the Earth to the spacecraft. In other words, basically there is no chance to send a command a second time, it must be correct the first time, and when some (not all) errors are found, they must be able to be corrected automatically. Isn’t this similar to the Bible having only one chance to be inspired? The difference is that printing had not yet been invented when the original Bible was available, so it could only be copied by hands. Especially when copying the original Old Testament, the copying was very strict, and the chance of error was very small. However, communication channels would definitely have a higher possibility of producing multiple errors, so the two are at most similar, not identical.

Now let us illustrate the basic principles of coding theory with a simple example. In a computer, any message is represented by a long string of zeros and ones. To send a message, if there is no error in the transmission of zero or one, then there will be no error in the transmission of the message. Therefore, the simplest message to be transmitted is zero or one. We will use the transmission of zero or one as an example to see the basic principles of how coding theory can automatically correct certain errors.

When zero is to be transmitted, three zeros are transmitted continuously, which is the transmission signal. Similarly, when you need to deliver a one, deliver three ones in succession. That is to say, to transmit such a message, the signal actually transmitted is three times slower than the original message transmitted only once. Let’s see how a received signal with errors can automatically correct certain errors.

When a zero passes through the transmission pipeline to the receiver, it may cause an error and become a one. Similarly, a one may cause an error and become a zero. If zero is transmitted and the received signal has only one error, there will be two zeros and only a one, and we will know that the original message was zero, which means that one error was automatically corrected. Of course, the same is true for transmitting one, which can only correct one error. To correct two errors in this way would be five times slower. By this way, the slower the transmitted signal, the more errors can be corrected, which means that time is exchanged for a reduction in errors.

In the Bible, some concepts appear repeatedly in different ways, so the text will be much longer than if it were only mentioned once, but the errors will be automatically corrected. Using coding theory as an analogy, coding theory trades time for fewer errors, while the Bible achieves the same effect by being longer. I want to emphasize again that the entire Bible is not necessarily written in the form of coding theory. We are just sharing a method that people can come up with. God will definitely do it better.

(Verses refer to those in NASB95 unless otherwise specified.)

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

1140 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth – Genesis(1)1 (by Whirlwind)

When Paul said, “All Scripture is inspired by God …”(2 Timothy 3:16), the New Testament had not yet been written, and some parts, such as the Book of Revelation, had not even been written, so he was referring to the Old Testament. But Christians live in faith and believe that both the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God. Because the Bible is inspired by God, they believe that God is not ambiguous, so they believe that “what God tells us through the Bible is consistent.” Also, because the Bible is inspired by God, we “do not discount the words of the Bible.” In other words, we must read the Bible based on these two. In short, if we take these two as axioms in our logical deductions and do not force our interpretation of the Bible, we will find how much the Bible conforms to logical principles.

Today we will use the first sentence of the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”(Genesis 1:1), to illustrate this concept. For a non-Christian, if he could assume that these two are indeed logical axioms, he would come to the same conclusion through logical deduction. If we do not assume that such axioms are correct and only use logical deduction, we will reach the conclusion of agnosticism and not know whether God exists.

We know that although the Bible was written by different people, because the Bible is inspired by God, there is only one ultimate author, who is the Triune God. This means that Christians must live in faith and believe in this in faith. Therefore, when studying the Bible, we must read the Bible as a whole, and the New and Old Testaments must be read in conjunction with each other. Here we mentioned that God is a Triune God. We will discuss this concept in detail later, so we will not go into details now.

First, through an introduction to the first three chapters of the Book of Genesis, we can see why God’s will is mentioned in these first three chapters. We can understand it by looking at the logic. Second, let us look at what the Bible says about the situation before the creation of the heavens and the earth. It is God who created time and space. For people like me who do not understand the original text, the arrangement and use of the reference book Strong’s Concordance are briefly introduced so that when necessary, we can look up the meaning of the original text to read the Bible. Third, we described that from the perspective of man and from the perspective of Satan, time and space are different, and time can only move forward. From two passages in the Bible, we can see that God can control time, so from God’s perspective, time is a dimension, but we are not. Finally, we discussed the heavens and the earth mentioned in the first section, and explained why the Bible says that there are only three dimensions that are consistent with the facts.

1. God’s Will being in the first three chapters of the Book of Genesis

Why do we say that God’s will is in the first three chapters of the Book of Genesis? The reason is simple, because Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden at the end of Chapter 3, and starting from the first verse of Chapter 4, it talks about life after being driven out of the Garden of Eden. Logically, this is an obvious conclusion. If His will had been fulfilled and Adam and Eve had not eaten the fruit of the tree of life, they would have lived forever and would not have died, and there would have been no salvation plan as it exists now! So, God’s Will is quite clear in the first three chapters of Genesis.

Here, we will briefly introduce what the first three chapters are about, and then look at each verses carefully. First, in all the scriptures on the first day, we saw the difference between the two words “create (H1254)” and “make (H6213)”. We will see the meaning in brackets later. Through the word “light”, we can see the existence of the previous world. From the scriptures related to the second day to the seventh day, we see that “God said” is very powerful, and we also see that “each according to his kind” is a principle of God’s work, that is, the principle of separation. We also know that fish and birds are “created”, while animals and plants are merely “made”. “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”(Genesis 2:3)

The scripture also states that Adam was created in the image and likeness of God, while Eve was made from the pre-existing Adam. We also noticed that image and likeness are two different words. Although the Bible does not directly say what likeness is, it talks a lot about image because we already have the sinless likeness of Jesus, but we need to put to death the old self and allow the new self of the indwelling Holy Spirit to grow up and be conformed to the image of Jesus.

The scriptures also discussed Adam and Eve’s fall from disobedience to God on the sixth day and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden that same day. We have seen that when Satan tempted Eve, he used a strategy that mixed right and wrong. People often only see the right part and think that the wrong part is also right. We must carefully discern them. In the process, we also see why Eve was tempted. From the command God gave to Adam, “but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”(Genesis 2:17) We can see from it and the Old and New Testaments that when a person dies, the spirit leaves the body first, and when the soul leaves the body, the person dies. So we can see that a person has three parts: spirit, soul, and body. This is the so-called tripartite, which is what the Bible says.

Although God’s punishment for their disobedience was clear, He is a merciful and gracious God, and He began His plan of salvation in a prophetic way at that time before He drove them out of the Garden of Eden for the reason stated in the Scripture, “Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever””(Genesis 3:22) We will see later how terrible it is to commit the sin of disobeying God and yet live forever.

2. Before the creation of the heavens and the earth

Before the creation of the heavens and the earth, when there was neither time nor space, the Triune God already existed, with equal dignity and honor, and united by love, just as Jesus Himself said, “…You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”(John 17:24) Therefore, in Genesis 1:1 it says, “In the beginning God (H430, plural) created (H1254, singular) the heavens (H8064, plural) and the earth (H776, singular).” The word “beginning” in “create” refers to the beginning before God created the world, so it was God who created time and space. Without discounting the words of the Bible, we can see that the word “create” (H1254) refers to the creation out of nothing. Please note that in the first verse, we have already seen the concept of God being a multi-person God, because in this sentence, the subject is in the plural and the verb is in the singular. As to why it is three, it will not become clear until we discuss it in detail later.

Here, for those who do not know the Strong’s Concordance system, we would like to explain briefly. Basically, every word in the Bible has a corresponding number. For example, God’s number here is H430. Since most of the Old Testament is written in Hebrew, and only a very small part is written in Aramaic, the numbers all begin with H. The New Testament was written in Greek, so the numbers all begin with G. For example, this verse, “Just as the Father has loved (G25, verb) Me, I have also loved (G25) you; abide in My love (G26, noun).”(John 15:9) Please note that different tenses have different numbers even though they mean the same thing.

This arrangement makes it easy to find all the verses with the same number in the Strong’s Concordance. After looking at these verses and their context, we can basically know how this word is used in the Bible. But sometimes we have to look at how it is used in the Bible to see its meaning. For example, if a word only appears once, we can only look at how it is used in the Bible to determine its meaning, rather than just looking at a root-based dictionary in the Concordance.

3. Time and Space

We live in three-dimensional space, and time can only move forward. Satan is the same as us, and time can only move forward. This is clearly stated in the scriptures: “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”(Revelation 12:12) If Satan’s time could be delayed, there would be no such thing as knowing that its time is short. Satan can do more things than we can, but time can only move forward just like us.

For God, it is different from us. He is in the four-dimensional space. For Him, time is just one-dimensional and is no different from any other dimensions. That is to say, in three-dimensional space, if there is no obstruction, we can move freely from one point to another, and we can freely choose the origin as the standard for describing the points. While in this dimension of time, we can only move forward, and He can do whatever we can do in the other three dimensions. There are two places in the Bible where it is said that He can indeed control time, that is, choose the origin. Since He can control the choice of the origin, He can naturally move forward and backward on the timeline. Therefore, Jesus would say during the time of His incarnation, “…Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”(John 8:58)

Some people may say that God can live in four dimensions or higher than four dimensions in addition to time, but the Bible says that He also lives in three dimensions in this world in addition to time. God originally created the world by “calling into being something that is not there”, and then He restricted Himself to abide by this rule and no longer “calling into being something that is not there” because the work of creation and making had been completed on the seventh day. In fact, we can also see this in the New Testament, because even a miracle like the five loaves and two fishes starts with the five loaves and two fishes, not “calling into being something that does not exist.” In fact, no one has ever been to such a space of four dimensions or higher in addition of time, so such a space only exists in mathematics. He will not lie. We must believe what the Bible says. He did not create lies, because Satan is the father of lies. The scripture says very clearly, “…the devil (Satan)… Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”(John 8:44)

There are two places that mention that He can control time. One is, “Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.”(Joshua 10:12-13) Another place is “Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD the third day?” Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” So Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” Isaiah the prophet cried to the LORD, and He brought the shadow on the stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.”(2 Kings 20:8-11) So God does have control over time.

4. The heavens, the earth, and three-dimensional space

“In the beginning God (H430, plural) created (H1254, singular) the heavens (H8064, plural) and the earth (H776, singular) …”(Genesis 1:1) @The word “earth” is singular, so there is only one “earth”, which refers to the Earth. But “heavens” is plural, referring to there are many heavens. What exactly does this mean? Let us first give a wrong but seemingly reasonable explanation, and then share with you what the Bible is actually saying!

First, we can see from the following verses that Jesus’ body had no restrictions on moving around on earth after His resurrection, and the physical door obviously could not limit Him. For example, the scripture says, “After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.””(John 20:26) The doors are closed, but Jesus could come and stood among them. In fact, Jesus had gone down to Hades as well, “…I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”(Revelation 1:18) And “…Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, …”(1 Peter 3:21-22) Jesus’ body after resurrection is a spiritual body, which can move freely in the world, Hades, and heaven. We seem to be able to expand this vision and assume that there are no restrictions on the activities of spirits in the same dimensional space, that is, to expand this statement into an axiom of logical deduction.

Based on this axiom, the following scriptures can tell us that there is at least four dimensions of space that do not include time. “But Abraham said (to the rich man in Hades), ‘…between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’” (Luke 16:25-26) Abraham was in the spirit body at that time, for the Bible says, “…the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”(Philippians 3:20-21) Therefore, all those who are saved have a spiritual body. Based on the axiom that there are no restrictions on the activities of spirit body in the same dimensional space, how can there is a great chasm between them in the same space? It must be in spaces of different dimensions, which means that at least four dimensions exist, otherwise it is inconsistent with the axiom. Without this axiom, it would be impossible for us to use the words in the Bible and logic to conclude that the fourth dimension exists.

The problem with this statement lies in the axioms of logic. We cannot expand it into an axiom with just one example. This is illogical. In fact, if there is only three-dimensional space, we can easily explain the chasm mentioned in Luke 16:25-26. As long as Abraham and the rich man are on different distant planets in three-dimensional space, there will naturally be a chasm separating them. In this situation, spirit body can still communicate. The Bible does not say how Abraham communicated with the rich man, but it was obviously not with words.

In short, we cannot say in the beginning in the first verse that no matter how vast the universe is beyond our imagination, it is only a part of the sky we see, and there are heavens as seen from the earth, because only when reaching Genesis 1:3, it starts to talk about the creation and making of the present world. From the first verse, we see the power of God’s creation and making.

(Verses refer to those in NASB95 unless otherwise specified.)

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

3140 起初神创造天地 – 创(1)1 (旋风著)

    当保罗说,『圣经都是神所默示的,…』(提摩太后书 3:16),那时还没有新约的圣经,部份如启示录根本还没开始写,所以他当时的这句话是指旧约而言。但基督徒是活在信心里面,相信新旧约都是神所默示的,因为圣经是神所默示的,相信神不是模梭两可的神,所以相信「神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的」,也因为圣经是神所默示的,所以我们「不把圣经的话打折扣」,换句话说,我们必须基于这两者去看圣经。简言之,我们在逻辑的推导中,如果把这两者作为公理,且不强解圣经,就会发觉圣经是多么的符合逻辑的原则。    

    我们今天会用圣经的第一句话,起初神创造天地,来阐述这概念。对一个非基督徒而言,如果能假设这两者的确是逻辑的公理,会用逻辑的推导得出同样的结论。如果没有假设这样的公理是正确的,而只用逻辑的推导,就会得到不可知论的结论,不知道神是否存在。    

    我们知道,圣经虽是不同的人写的,因圣经是神所默示的,所以终极的作者只有一位,就是三位一体的神,也就是说基督徒必须生活在信心里面,是在信心里面如此的相信。因此查经的时候,我们必须把圣经作为一个整体来读,新旧约必须彼此之间相互呼应的来读。在这里我们提到了神是三位一体的神,我们以后会详细谈这概念,现在就不多说了。

    首先,我们透过简介创世记的前三章,看到为什么神的旨意在这前三章都提到过,看逻辑就知道了。第二,我们来看圣经是怎么说在没有创造天地之前的情景,是神创造了时间和空间,并对不懂原文的人如我般,简介了工具书汇编的安排和使用,使得有需要的时候,能查原文字的意义来读经。第三,我们叙述了从人和从撒但的角度看,时间和空间是不同的,时间只能往前。从两处经文,我们可以看到神能控制时间,所以从神的角度看,时间是一度空间,我们不是。最后我们讨论了第一节提到的诸天及地,也说明了为什么圣经是说,只存在符合事实的三度空间。

1. 神的旨意在创世记的前三章           

    为什么我们说神的旨意在创世记前三章呢?原因很简单,因为亚当和夏娃在第三章结束时就被赶出了伊甸园,从第四章的第一节开始,就说到了被赶出伊甸园后的生活。从逻辑上来说,这是是很显然的结论,如果祂的旨意达到了,亚当和夏娃没有吃生命树上的果子,就会永远活著,没有死就不会有如现在般的救恩计划了!所以神的旨意在创世记的前三章中说得相当清楚。          

    在这里,我们就简单的介绍一下前三章都讲了些什么,然后一节一节的相当仔细看。先是从第一日所有的经文中,我们看到了「创造(H1254)」和「造(H6213)」这两个字的不同,等会我们会看到括弧中的意义。透过「光」这个字,我们就可看见有先前世界的存在。从第二日到第七日相关的经文中,我们看到了「神说」是大有能力的,也看到了「各从其类」是神做事的一个原则,就是分别的原则,且知道鱼和鸟是「创造」的,而动植物只是「造」的。到第七日,造(H6213)物的工作完毕了,并定了安息日为圣日。           

    经文也叙述了亚当是按著神的形像和样式创造的,而夏娃则是从已存在的亚当中造的。我们也注意到形像和样式是两个不同的字,虽然圣经没有直说样式是什么,但形像讲得很多,因为我们已有了耶稣无罪的样式,但需要治死老我,让内住圣灵的新人长大成人,模成耶稣的形像。       

    经文也讨论了亚当和夏娃在第六日时不顺服神的堕落,并在当天被赶出了伊甸园。我们看到了撒但引诱夏娃时,是用对错相杂的策略,人常常只看见对的部份就以错的部份也是对的,要小心的分辩,其间也看到了夏娃为什么会被引诱。从神给亚当的命令,『只是分别善恶树上的果子,你不可吃,因为你吃的日子必定死。』(创世记 2:17) 我们从其中和新旧约中就能看到,人死时,是灵先离开,等魂离开身体后,人就死了,所以我们能看到,人有灵魂体三部份,就是所谓的三分法,是圣经所说的。        

    虽然神对他们的不顺服的惩罚很清楚,但祂是有怜悯有恩典的神,那时就以预言的方式开始了救恩的计划,然后才把他们赶出伊甸园,原因就像经文所说的,『耶和华神说:「那人已经与我们相似,能知道善恶。现在恐怕他伸手又摘生命树的果子吃,就永远活著。」』(创世记 3:22) 我们以后会看到,犯了不顺服神的罪,而又永远活著时,是一件多么可怕的事情。

2. 没有创造天地之前           

    在没有创造天地之前,既没有时间,也没有空间,三位一体的神就已存在,是同尊同荣的,是以爱为联结的,就如耶稣自己所说的,『…创立世界以前,你已经爱我了。』(约翰福音 17:24) 所以,在创世记 1:1 说,『起初神 (H430, 复数) 创造 (H1254, 单数) 天(H8064, 复数) 地(H776, 单数) 。』的起初,是指神创立世界以前的起初,所以是神创造了时间和空间,因为不把圣经的话打折扣,我们可以看到,创造 (H1254) 这个字是指无中生有的创造。请注意,在第一节中,我们已经看到神是多位一体的神的概念,因为在这句子中,主词用的是复数,而动词则是用单数,至于为什么是三,要等到以后我们详谈时才会清楚。              

    在这里,对不知道汇编(Strong’s Concordance)系统的人,我们要稍做解释,就是圣经的每一个字基本上都有一个相应数目的编号。譬如神在此处的编号为H430,因旧约大部份是用希伯来文(Hebrew)写的,只有极少的部份是用亚兰文,所以编号都是以H为开头。新约都是用希腊文(Greek)写的,所以编号都是以G为开头。譬如这句经文,『我爱(G25, 动词)你们,正如父爱(G25)我一样,你们要常在我的爱(G26, 名词)里。』(约翰福音 15:9) 请注意,不同的词类虽然意义相同,但会有不同的编号。           

    这样的安排使汇编可以很容易找到同一编号的所有经文,看这些经文及其上下文后,我们基本上就可以知道这字在圣经中怎么使用,但有时要看它在圣经中如何使用来看它的意思。譬如说,如果一个字只出现一次,我们只能看它在圣经中如何使用来看它的意思,而不能只看汇编中基于字根的字典。

 3. 时间和空间              

    我们生活在三度空间中,时间只能往前,撒但和我们相同,时间只能往前,这点经文说得很清楚,『所以诸天和住在其中的,你们都快乐吧!只是地与海有祸了,因为魔鬼(撒但)知道自己的时候不多,就气忿忿地下到你们那里去了。』(启示录 12:12) 如果牠的时间能够往后,就不会有知道自己时候不多的事情。撒但可以做比我们多的事情,但时间只能往前是和我们一样。              

    神和我们不同,是在四度空间中,因时间对祂来说是一度空间,和其他的空间没有任何的不同。也就是说,我们在三度空间中,如果没有阻拦,可以自由的从一点到另一点,且可以自由的选择原点作为我们描述点的标准。而在时间的这一度上,我们就只能往前,而祂可以做我们在其他三度空间能做的事情。在圣经上有两处地方说到祂的确能控制时间,也就是选择原点。祂既然能控制原点的选择,自然也能在时间轴上前后移动,所以耶稣在道成肉身的时间中会说,『…我实实在在地告诉你们:还没有亚伯拉罕就有了我。』(约翰福音 8:58)     

    有人可能会说,神是能活在除时间之外的四度或高于四度的空间,但圣经是说祂也在这世界上活在除时间之外的三度空间里。神本是「使无变为有」的这样创立了世界,然后自己限制自己遵守这规则,不再「使无变为有」,因为创世的工作已在第七日完成了。其实在新约中就可看到这点,因为即使是像五饼二鱼的神迹,也是要从五饼二鱼开始,不是「使无变为有」。事实上,没有人到过除时间之外的这样四度或更高度的空间,所以这样的空间只在数学中存在。祂不会说谎,我们要相信圣经怎么说,谎言不是祂创造的,因撒但是谎言之父,经文说得很清楚,『…魔鬼(撒但)…说谎是出于自己,因他本来是说谎的,也是说谎这样的空间之人的父。』(约翰福音 8:44)              

    关于两处地方提到祂能控制时间,一是『当耶和华将亚摩利人交付以色列人的日子,约书亚就祷告耶和华,在以色列人眼前说:「日头啊,你要停在基遍;月亮啊,你要止在亚雅仑谷。」于是日头停留,月亮止住,直等国民向敌人报仇。 这事岂不是写在雅煞珥书上吗? 日头在天当中停住,不急速下落,约有一日之久。』(约书亚记 10:12-13) 另外一处是在『希西家问以赛亚说:「耶和华必医治我,到第三日,我能上耶和华的殿,有甚么兆头呢?」以赛亚说:「耶和华必成就他所说的,这是他给你的兆头:你要日影向前进十度呢?是要往后退十度呢?」希西家回答说:「日影向前进十度容易,我要日影往后退十度。」先知以赛亚求告耶和华,耶和华就使亚哈斯的日晷向前进的日影,往后退了十度。』(列王纪下 20:8-11) 所以神的确是能控制时间的。

4. 诸天及地、和三度空间          

    『起初神创造天(H8064, 复数)地(H776, 单数)。…』(创世记 1:1) 地是单数,所以只有一个地,就是指地球。但天是复数,是指诸天,这究竟是指什么意思呢?我们就先给一个错误但好像是很合理的解释,然后和大家分享圣经究竟是在说什么!           

    首先,我们可以从下述经文中看到,耶稣复活后的身体在地上活动是没有限制的,物质的门显然不能限制祂。譬如经文说,『过了八日,门徒又在屋里,多马也和他们同在。门都关了。耶稣来站在当中说:「愿你们平安!」』 (约翰福音 20:26) 事实上耶稣曾下过阴间,『…我(耶稣)曾死过,现在又活了,直活到永永远远并且拿著死亡和阴间的钥匙。』(启示录 1:18) 又『耶稣已经进入天堂,在神的右边,…』(彼得前书 3:22) 耶稣复活后的身体是灵体,祂的灵体是可以在人间,阴间,和天堂自由活动的。我们似乎是可以扩展这看见,而假设灵体在同样维度的空间活动是没有限制的,也就是说扩展这叙述成为逻辑推导的公理。                

    基于这公理,下述的经文就可以告诉我们至少有不包括时间的四度空间的存在。『亚伯拉罕(对在阴间的财主)说:『…在你我之间,有深渊限定,以致人要从这边过到你们那边是不能的;要从那边过到我们这边也是不能的。』(路加福音 16:25-26)   亚伯拉罕那时是在灵体中,因圣经是这样说,『他(耶稣)要按著那能叫万有归服自己的大能,将我们这卑贱的身体改变形状,和他自己荣耀的身体相似。』(腓立比书 3:21) 所以得救的人是都有一个灵体的。基于灵体在同样维度的空间活动是没有限制的公理,在同一个空间怎么会有深渊限制呢,必须在不同维度的空间中才行,也就是说至少有四度空间的存在,否则和公理不合。没有这个公理,我们是不可能用圣经的话语和逻辑而得到四度空间存在的结论的。           

    这样说法的问题是出在逻辑的公理上,我们实在不能只用一个例子就扩展成为公理,这是不合逻辑的。其实在只有三度空间的情况下,我们也很容易解释以上提到的路加福音 16:25-26 所说的深渊,只要亚伯拉罕和财主在不同的三度空间的遥远星球上,他们中间自然有深渊相隔。在这种情况下灵体仍可交通,圣经没有说亚伯拉罕是怎么和财主交通的,显然不是用言语。       

    简言之,我们不能在第一节中的起初,说是从地球上看,说不论宇宙是如何超出我们想像的浩翰,这些都只是我们所看到的一个天空的一部份,从地球上看有诸天,因为创世记  1:3  才会讲到所创造的现今世界的事。我们从第一节中,看到了神创造的大能。

(经文除了特别注明外,是基于和合本。)

(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』。)  

2140 起初神創造天地 – 創(1)1 (旋風著)

               當保羅說,『聖經都是神所默示的,…』(提摩太後書 3:16),那時還沒有新約的聖經,部份如啓示錄根本還沒開始寫,所以他當時的這句話是指舊約而言。但基督徒是活在信心裏面,相信新舊約都是神所默示的,因為聖經是神所默示的,相信神不是模梭兩可的神,所以相信「神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的」,也因為聖經是神所默示的,所以我們「不把聖經的話打折扣」,換句話說,我們必須基於這兩者去看聖經。簡言之,我們在邏輯的推導中,如果把這兩者作為公理,且不強解聖經,就會發覺聖經是多麼的符合邏輯的原則。

     我們今天會用聖經的第一句話,起初神創造天地,來闡述這概念。對一個非基督徒而言,如果能假設這兩者的確是邏輯的公理,會用邏輯的推導得出同樣的結論。如果沒有假設這樣的公理是正確的,而只用邏輯的推導,就會得到不可知論的結論,不知道神是否存在。

     我們知道,聖經雖是不同的人寫的,因聖經是神所默示的,所以終極的作者只有一位,就是三位一體的神,也就是說基督徒必須生活在信心裏面,是在信心裏面如此的相信。因此查經的時候,我們必須把聖經作為一個整體來讀,新舊約必須彼此之間相互呼應的來讀。在這裏我們提到了神是三位一體的神,我們以後會詳細談這概念,現在就不多說了。

           首先,我們透過簡介創世記的前三章,看到為什麼神的旨意在這前三章都提到過,看邏輯就知道了。第二,我們來看聖經是怎麼說在沒有創造天地之前的情景,是神創造了時間和空間,並對不懂原文的人如我般,簡介了工具書彙編的安排和使用,使得有需要的時候,能查原文字的意義來讀經。第三,我們敍述了從人和從撒但的角度看,時間和空間是不同的,時間只能往前。從兩處經文,我們可以看到神能控制時間,所以從神的角度看,時間是一度空間,我們不是。最後我們討論了第一節提到的諸天及地,也說明了為什麼聖經是說,只存在符合事實的三度空間。

1. 神的旨意在創世記的前三章

           為什麼我們說神的旨意在創世記前三章呢?原因很簡單,因為亞當和夏娃在第三章結束時就被趕出了伊甸園,從第四章的第一節開始,就說到了被趕出伊甸園後的生活。從邏輯上來說,這是是很顯然的結論,如果祂的旨意達到了,亞當和夏娃没有吃生命樹上的果子,就會永遠活著,沒有死就不會有如現在般的救恩計劃了!所以神的旨意在創世記的前三章中說得相當清楚。

           在這裏,我們就簡單的介紹一下前三章都講了些什麼,然後一節一節的相當仔細看。先是從第一日所有的經文中,我們看到了「創造(H1254)」和「造(H6213)」這兩個字的不同,等會我們會看到括弧中的意義。透過「光」這個字,我們就可看見有先前世界的存在。從第二日到第七日相關的經文中,我們看到了「神說」是大有能力的,也看到了「各從其類」是神做事的一個原則,就是分別的原則,且知道魚和鳥是「創造」的,而動植物只是「造」的。到第七日,造(H6213)物的工作完畢了,並定了安息日為聖日。

           經文也敍述了亞當是按著神的形像和樣式創造的,而夏娃則是從已存在的亞當中造的。我們也注意到形像和樣式是兩個不同的字,雖然聖經沒有直說樣式是什麼,但形像講得很多,因為我們已有了耶穌無罪的樣式,但需要治死老我,讓內住聖靈的新人長大成人,模成耶穌的形像。

       經文也討論了亞當和夏娃在第六日時不順服神的墮落,並在當天被趕出了伊甸園。我們看到了撒但引誘夏娃時,是用對錯相雜的策略,人常常只看見對的部份就以錯的部份也是對的,要小心的分辨,其間也看到了夏娃為什麼會被引誘。從神給亞當的命令,『只是分別善惡樹上的果子,你不可吃,因為你吃的日子必定死。』(創世記 2:17) 我們從其中和新舊約中就能看到,人死時,是靈先離開,等魂離開身體後,人就死了,所以我們能看到,人有靈魂體三部份,就是所謂的三分法,是聖經所說的。

        雖然神對他們的不順服的懲罰很清楚,但祂是有憐憫有恩典的神,那時就以預言的方式開始了救恩的計劃,然後才把他們趕出伊甸園,原因就像經文所說的,『耶和華神說:「那人已經與我們相似,能知道善惡。現在恐怕他伸手又摘生命樹的果子吃,就永遠活着。」』(創世記 3:22) 我們以後會看到,犯了不順服神的罪,而又永遠活著時,是一件多麼可怕的事情。

2. 沒有創造天地之前

           在沒有創造天地之前,既沒有時間,也沒有空間,三位一體的神就已存在,是同尊同榮的,是以愛為聯結的,就如耶穌自己所說的,『…創立世界以前,你已經愛我了。』(約翰福音 17:24) 所以,在創世記 1:1 說,『起初神 (H430, 複數) 創造 (H1254, 單數) 天(H8064, 複數) 地(H776, 單數) 。』的起初,是指神創立世界以前的起初,所以是神創造了時間和空間,因為不把聖經的話打折扣,我們可以看到,創造 (H1254) 這個字是指無中生有的創造。請注意,在第一節中,我們已經看到神是多位一體的神的概念,因為在這句子中,主詞用的是複數,而動詞則是用單數,至於為什麼是三,要等到以後我們詳談時才會清楚。

              在這裏,對不知道彙編(Strong’s Concordance)系統的人,我們要稍做解釋,就是聖經的每一個字基本上都有一個相應數目的編號。譬如神在此處的編號為H430,因舊約大部份是用希伯來文(Hebrew)寫的,只有極少的部份是用亞蘭文,所以編號都是以H為開頭。新約都是用希臘文(Greek)寫的,所以編號都是以G為開頭。譬如這句經文,『我愛(G25, 動詞)你們,正如父愛(G25)我一樣,你們要常在我的愛(G26, 名詞)裏。』(約翰福音 15:9) 請注意,不同的詞類雖然意義相同,但會有不同的編號。

           這樣的安排使彙編可以很容易找到同一編號的所有經文,看這些經文及其上下文後,我們基本上就可以知道這字在聖經中怎麼使用,但有時要看它在聖經中如何使用來看它的意思。譬如說,如果一個字只出現一次,我們只能看它在聖經中如何使用來看它的意思,而不能只看彙編中基於字根的字典。

3. 時間和空間

              我們生活在三度空間中,時間只能往前,撒但和我們相同,時間只能往前,這點經文說得很清楚,『所以諸天和住在其中的,你們都快樂吧!只是地與海有禍了,因為魔鬼(撒但)知道自己的時候不多,就氣忿忿地下到你們那裏去了。』(啓示錄 12:12) 如果牠的時間能夠往後,就不會有知道自己時候不多的事情。撒但可以做比我們多的事情,但時間只能往前是和我們一樣。

              神和我們不同,是在四度空間中,因時間對祂來說是一度空間,和其他的空間沒有任何的不同。也就是說,我們在三度空間中,如果沒有阻攔,可以自由的從一點到另一點,且可以自由的選擇原點作為我們描述點的標準。而在時間的這一度上,我們就只能往前,而祂可以做我們在其他三度空間能做的事情。在聖經上有兩處地方說到祂的確能控制時間,也就是選擇原點。祂既然能控制原點的選擇,自然也能在時間軸上前後移動,所以耶穌在道成肉身的時間中會說,『…我實實在在地告訴你們:還沒有亞伯拉罕就有了我。』(約翰福音 8:58)

     有人可能會說,神是能活在除時間之外的四度或高於四度的空間,但聖經是說祂也在這世界上活在除時間之外的三度空間裏。神本是「使無變為有」的這樣創立了世界,然後自己限制自己遵守這規則,不再「使無變為有」,因為創世的工作已在第七日完成了。其實在新約中就可看到這點,因為即使是像五餅二魚的神蹟,也是要從五餅二魚開始,不是「使無變為有」。事實上,没有人到過除時間之外的這樣四度或更高度的空間,所以這樣的空間只在數學中存在。祂不會說謊,我們要相信聖經怎麼說,謊言不是祂創造的,因撒但是謊言之父,經文說得很清楚,『…魔鬼(撒但)…說謊是出於自己,因他本來是說謊的,也是說謊這樣的空間之人的父。』(約翰福音 8:44)

              關於兩處地方提到祂能控制時間,一是『當耶和華將亞摩利人交付以色列人的日子,約書亞就禱告耶和華,在以色列人眼前說:「日頭啊,你要停在基遍;月亮啊,你要止在亞雅崙谷。」於是日頭停留,月亮止住,直等國民向敵人報仇。 這事豈不是寫在雅煞珥書上嗎? 日頭在天當中停住,不急速下落,約有一日之久。』(約書亞記 10:12-13) 另外一處是在『希西家問以賽亞說:「耶和華必醫治我,到第三日,我能上耶和華的殿,有甚麼兆頭呢?」以賽亞說:「耶和華必成就他所說的,這是他給你的兆頭:你要日影向前進十度呢?是要往後退十度呢?」希西家回答說:「日影向前進十度容易,我要日影往後退十度。」先知以賽亞求告耶和華,耶和華就使亞哈斯的日晷向前進的日影,往後退了十度。』(列王紀下 20:8-11) 所以神的確是能控制時間的。

4. 諸天及地、和三度空間

          『起初神創造天(H8064, 複數)地(H776, 單數)。…』(創世記 1:1) 地是單數,所以只有一個地,就是指地球。但天是複數,是指諸天,這究竟是指什麼意思呢?我們就先給一個錯誤但好像是很合理的解釋,然後和大家分享聖經究竟是在說什麼!

           首先,我們可以從下述經文中看到,耶穌復活後的身體在地上活動是沒有限制的,物質的門顯然不能限制祂。譬如經文說,『過了八日,門徒又在屋裏,多馬也和他們同在。門都關了。耶穌來站在當中說:「願你們平安!」』 (約翰福音 20:26) 事實上耶穌曾下過陰間,『…我(耶穌)曾死過,現在又活了,直活到永永遠遠並且拿着死亡和陰間的鑰匙。』(啓示錄 1:18) 又『耶穌已經進入天堂,在神的右邊,…』(彼得前書 3:22) 耶穌復活後的身體是靈體,祂的靈體是可以在人間,陰間,和天堂自由活動的。我們似乎是可以擴展這看見,而假設靈體在同樣維度的空間活動是沒有限制的,也就是說擴展這敍述成為邏輯推導的公理。

                基於這公理,下述的經文就可以告訴我們至少有不包括時間的四度空間的存在。『亞伯拉罕(對在陰間的財主)說:『…在你我之間,有深淵限定,以致人要從這邊過到你們那邊是不能的;要從那邊過到我們這邊也是不能的。』(路加福音 16:25-26)   亞伯拉罕那時是在靈體中,因聖經是這樣說,『他(耶穌)要按着那能叫萬有歸服自己的大能,將我們這卑賤的身體改變形狀,和他自己榮耀的身體相似。』(腓立比書 3:21) 所以得救的人是都有一個靈體的。基於靈體在同樣維度的空間活動是沒有限制的公理,在同一個空間怎麼會有深淵限制呢,必須在不同維度的空間中才行,也就是說至少有四度空間的存在,否則和公理不合。沒有這個公理,我們是不可能用聖經的話語和邏輯而得到四度空間存在的結論的。

           這樣說法的問題是出在邏輯的公理上,我們實在不能只用一個例子就擴展成為公理,這是不合邏輯的。其實在只有三度空間的情況下,我們也很容易解釋以上提到的路加福音 16:25-26 所說的深淵,只要亞伯拉罕和財主在不同的三度空間的遙遠星球上,他們中間自然有深淵相隔。在這種情況下靈體仍可交通,聖經沒有說亞伯拉罕是怎麼和財主交通的,顯然不是用言語。

       簡言之,我們不能在第一節中的起初,說是從地球上看,說不論宇宙是如何超出我們想像的浩翰,這些都只是我們所看到的一個天空的一部份,從地球上看有諸天,因為創世記  1:3  才會講到所創造的現今世界的事。我們從第一節中,看到了神創造的大能。

(經文除了特別註明外,是基於和合本。)

(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』。)

3139 你爱我吗和读经不可随便划等号 – 约(21)1-25 (旋风著)

    首先我们来看看耶稣在提比哩亚海边显现的情景,看到祂是如何开他们的眼睛使他们能认识祂复活后的灵体,虽然这灵体不受物质的限制,但是和正常人一样可吃食物。第二,在这次显现时,耶稣问了彼得三次你爱我吗,按照圣经意思是很清楚的,但却成为一个有争议性的话题,我们会讲述其真谛,并讨论ー些不同的看法。最后我们叙述了彼得如何死的预言,和读经不可随便划等号的原因。

1. 耶稣复活后在提比哩亚海边向门徒的第三次显现        

   『这些事以后,耶稣在提比哩亚海边又向门徒显现。他怎样显现记在下面:有西门彼得和称为低土马的多马,并加利利的迦拿人拿但业,还有西庇太的两个儿子,又有两个门徒,都在一处。西门彼得对他们说:「我打鱼去。」他们说:「我们也和你同去。」他们就出去,上了船,那一夜并没有打著甚么。天将亮的时候,耶稣站在岸上,门徒却不知道是耶稣。耶稣就对他们说:「小子!你们有吃的没有?」 他们回答说:「没有!」耶稣说:「你们把网撒在船的右边,就必得著。」他们便撒下网去,竟拉不上来了,因为鱼甚多。耶稣所爱的那门徒对彼得说:「是主!」那时西门彼得赤著身子,一听见是主,就束上一件外衣,跳在海里。其余的门徒离岸不远,约有二百肘,就在小船上把那网鱼拉过来。他们上了岸,就看见那里有炭火,上面有鱼,又有饼。耶稣对他们说:「把刚才打的鱼拿几条来。」西门彼得就去,把网拉到岸上,那网满了大鱼,共一百五十三条。鱼虽这样多,网却没有破。耶稣说:「你们来吃早饭。」门徒中没有一个敢问他:「你是谁?」因为知道是主。耶稣就来拿饼和鱼给他们。耶稣从死里复活以后向门徒显现,这是第三次。』(约翰福音 21:1-14)        

    和这次的显现有份的人是:五个使徒 – 彼得、多马、拿但业、雅各、约翰,加上两个门徒,所以他们至少有职业的渔夫在里面,但那一夜的忙碌并没有打著甚么,直到耶稣告诉他们网要撒在船的右边。        

    我们看到耶稣站在岸上,门徒却不知道是耶稣,所以耶稣的灵体是不一样的,要祂主动的愿意让人看见是祂,人才看得见是祂。在去以马忤斯的两门徒身上,那时是用擘饼开他们的眼睛(参路加福音 24:13-31),而这次是用和以前在革尼撒勒湖边发生类似的事情开了他们的眼睛,因那时也是这样类似的按著耶稣所说的去做,就圈住许多鱼,网险些裂开,就使他们撇下所有的,跟从了耶稣。(参路加福音 5:1-11) 所以约翰就立刻意识到是主,而彼得一听见是主,就立刻采取了行动,其余的门徒就忙著去拉鱼。我们以前分享过,「立刻」是非常重要,一但知道是主的旨意,就要立刻去做,我们在这里就不多说了。        

    虽然这边只记载,『耶稣说:「你们来吃早饭。」…』(约翰福音 21:12) 和说到『他们吃完了早饭,…』(约翰福音 21:15) 但这他们应是包括了耶稣自己,因祂要他们相信是祂复活了,虽然耶稣的灵体不受物质的限制,但是和正常人一样可吃食物。路加福音就很清楚的记载了这点,『耶稣说:「你们为甚么愁烦?为甚么心里起疑念呢?你们看我的手,我的脚,就知道实在是我了。摸我看看!魂无骨无肉,你们看,我是有的。」说了这话,就把手和脚给他们看。他们正喜得不敢信,并且希奇,耶稣就说:「你们这里有甚么吃的没有?」他们便给他一片烧鱼,他接过来,在他们面前吃了。』(路加福音 24:38-43) 所以耶稣的灵体是和正常人一样可吃食物的。     

    在这里我们还看到一件事情,虽然耶稣告诉他们可以摸祂去证实的确是祂,但他们看见就信了,没说要模祂才信,只说了: 他们正喜得不敢信,并且希奇。这和『2138 复活及灵体、和多马没摸主就信 – 约(20)1-31』中的『5. 多马没摸耶稣就信了和约翰福音是为得生命而写』是同样的原因,在其中说到只要看见就信了,像耶稣说得一样。

2. 耶稣问彼得三次你爱我吗的真谛     

    『他们吃完了早饭,耶稣对西门彼得说:「约翰的儿子西门,你爱(G25, agapao, 神的爱, 动词)我比这些更深吗?」 彼得说:「主啊,是的,你知道我爱(G5368, phileo, 人间的爱)你。」 耶稣对他说:「你喂养(G1006)我的小羊。」耶稣第二次又对他说:「约翰的儿子西门,你爱(G25)我吗?」 彼得说:「主啊,是的,你知道我爱(G5368)你。」 耶稣说:「你牧养(G4156)我的羊。」第三次对他说:「约翰的儿子西门,你爱(G5368)我吗?」 彼得因为耶稣第三次对他说「你爱(G5368)我吗」,就忧愁,对耶稣说:「主啊,你是无所不知的,你知道我爱(G5368)你。」 耶稣说:「你喂养(G1006)我的羊。」』(约翰福音 21:15-17)        

    我们以前在 9/20/20 的油管(YouTube)上分享过这话题,但那时并没有放在网上,这次的讨论是基于那时的专题查经,加以重组及扩展。从这些经文中,我们看到有时非看原文不可,譬如,在希腊文中用不同的字把不同的爱分别出来,而中文和英文的翻译就一概用爱这个字。对不懂原文的人如我般,可以像我一样的使用工具书如汇编(Strong’s Concordance)看原文,在汇编里,很容易的找出含有某个字所有的经文,看那些经文可以比较准确看到那字在圣经中是如何使用,这样有时会看到翻译的错误,而有准确的看见。        

    我们首先来看看为彼得为什么三次都用人间的爱来回答耶稣,他不是已有内住的圣灵吗?因为耶稣在复活后,『…向他们吹一口气,说:「你们受圣灵。」』(约翰福音 20:22) 耶稣不会撒谎,彼得那时已有圣灵才对,尤其是『…因为所赐给我们的圣灵将神的爱(G26, 名词)浇灌在我们心里。』(罗马书 5:5) 他那时应该已知道什么是神的爱才对,怎么只知道人间的爱呢? 这情况类似于「从一信就有内住的圣灵」,但不能立刻达到标杆而模成耶稣的形像 (参罗马书 8:29),因为在开始时只是种子,需要时间去长大。同样的,彼得那时所得的是种子,要到耶稣复活后的第一个五旬节圣灵降临时才彰显出来 (参使徒行传 2:1-11),所以他那时只能用人间的爱来回答。     

    在这里我们要强调一点,圣经并没有接说,彼得为什么三次都用人间的爱来回答耶稣,但我们可以用逻辑如上的推导出原因,这就像圣经没有用过三位一体这个辞,但圣经绝对有这概念。在相信「神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的」和「不把圣经的话打折扣」的原则下,我们会发觉圣经的话语是多么的符合逻辑的原则。        

    第二要看的是,耶稣为什么前两次用神的爱问,到第三次用人间的爱来问彼得。有人就说,这不是耶稣降低了标去配合彼得的回答吗?这是错误的想法,因为耶稣从未降低过标准。又有人说,耶稣是因为彼得曾经三次不认主(参马太福音 26:69-75),祂要使彼得重新站稳,因祂曾说,『…我已经为你祈求,叫你不至于失了信心。你回头以后,要坚固你的弟兄。』(路加福音 22:32) 所以祂问了彼得三次,好像很合理,但圣经从来就没有这么说,这只是从人的角度看事情,是人的猜测。        

    那么圣经究竟是怎么说呢?我们就把耶稣的话放在一起看。在神的爱中,可以喂养(G1006)小羊,和牧养(G4156)羊,在人间的爱中,只能喂养(G1006)羊,我们也看到了小羊是要喂养的,『惟独长大成人的,才能吃干粮,…』(希伯来书 5:14) 我们也看到了彼得对牧养的回应,『务要牧养(G4156)在你们中间神的群羊,按著神旨意照管他们;不是出于勉强,乃是出于甘心;也不是因为贪财,乃是出于乐意;也不是辖制所托付你们的,乃是作群羊的榜样。』(彼得前书 5:2-3) 彼得是长老,他有负担牧养神的群羊,作他们的榜样,是对的榜样,不是错的榜样。

3. 彼得如何死的预言和读经不可随便划等号       

    『我实实在在地告诉你:你年少的时候,自己束上带子,随意往来;但年老的时候,你要伸出手来,别人要把你束上,带你到不愿意去的地方。」耶稣说这话,是指著彼得要怎样死,荣耀神。说了这话,就对他说:「你跟从我吧!」彼得转过来,看见耶稣所爱的那门徒跟著,就是在晚饭的时候,靠著耶稣胸膛说「主啊,卖你的是谁」的那门徒。彼得看见他,就问耶稣说:「主啊,这人将来如何?」耶稣对他说:「我若要他等到我来的时候,与你何干?你跟从我吧!」于是这话传在弟兄中间,说那门徒不死;其实耶稣不是说他不死,乃是说:「我若要他等到我来的时候,与你何干?」为这些事作见证,并且记载这些事的就是这门徒。我们也知道他的见证是真的。耶稣所行的事还有许多,若是一一地都写出来,我想,所写的书就是世界也容不下了。』(约翰福音 21:18-25)       

    在这些经文的前面,很清楚的描述了彼得会如何死去荣耀神的预言,当彼得很好奇约翰的结局如何时,耶稣告诉他不要好奇去管别人的闲事,管好去「跟从我」自己的事。       

    最后我们看到读经不可随便划等号,基督徒相信新旧约都是神所默示的,所以从圣经的角度看事情就是从神的角度看事情,也就是说,从圣经的角度看是从神的角度看的充分条件。但因神是无限而圣经的字句有限,无限的不可能等于有限的,这里就明说了,不是所有的事情都记载了。也就是说,从圣经的角度看不是从神的角度看的必要条件,也就是说从神的角度看事情是大于而不等于从圣经的角度看事情。而要两个叙述相等,必须是充分和必要条件,所以从圣经的角度看和从神的角度看是不能划等号的。圣经有太多只有充分或必要条件成立的叙述,我们就不多说了。所以读经时要非常小心,不要一不小心就在不该划等号的地方划了等号,这样会创造一个不是圣经所讲的神!

(经文除了特别注明外,是基于和合本。)

(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』。)  

2139 你愛我嗎和讀經不可隨便劃等號 – 約(21)1-25 (旋風著)

       首先我們來看看耶穌在提比哩亞海邊顯現的情景,看到祂是如何開他們的眼睛使他們能認識祂復活後的靈體,雖然這靈體不受物質的限制,但是和正常人一樣可吃食物。第二,在這次顯現時,耶穌問了彼得三次你愛我嗎,按照聖經意思是很清楚的,但卻成為一個有爭議性的話題,我們會講述其真諦,並討論ー些不同的看法。最後我們敍述了彼得如何死的預言,和讀經不可隨便劃等號的原因。

1. 耶穌復活後在提比哩亞海邊向門徒的第三次顯現

         『這些事以後,耶穌在提比哩亞海邊又向門徒顯現。他怎樣顯現記在下面:有西門彼得和稱為低土馬的多馬,並加利利的迦拿人拿但業,還有西庇太的兩個兒子,又有兩個門徒,都在一處。西門彼得對他們說:「我打魚去。」他們說:「我們也和你同去。」他們就出去,上了船,那一夜並沒有打着甚麼。天將亮的時候,耶穌站在岸上,門徒卻不知道是耶穌。耶穌就對他們說:「小子!你們有吃的沒有?」 他們回答說:「沒有!」耶穌說:「你們把網撒在船的右邊,就必得着。」他們便撒下網去,竟拉不上來了,因為魚甚多。耶穌所愛的那門徒對彼得說:「是主!」那時西門彼得赤着身子,一聽見是主,就束上一件外衣,跳在海裏。其餘的門徒離岸不遠,約有二百肘,就在小船上把那網魚拉過來。他們上了岸,就看見那裏有炭火,上面有魚,又有餅。耶穌對他們說:「把剛才打的魚拿幾條來。」西門彼得就去,把網拉到岸上,那網滿了大魚,共一百五十三條。魚雖這樣多,網卻沒有破。耶穌說:「你們來吃早飯。」門徒中沒有一個敢問他:「你是誰?」因為知道是主。耶穌就來拿餅和魚給他們。耶穌從死裏復活以後向門徒顯現,這是第三次。』(約翰福音 21:1-14)

        和這次的顯現有份的人是:五個使徒 – 彼得、多馬、拿但業、雅各、約翰,加上兩個門徒,所以他們至少有職業的漁夫在裏面,但那一夜的忙碌並沒有打着甚麼,直到耶穌告訴他們網要撒在船的右邊。

        我們看到耶穌站在岸上,門徒卻不知道是耶穌,所以耶穌的靈體是不一樣的,要祂主動的願意讓人看見是祂,人才看得見是祂。在去以馬忤斯的兩門徒身上,那時是用擘餅開他們的眼睛(參路加福音 24:13-31),而這次是用和以前在革尼撒勒湖邊發生類似的事情開了他們的眼睛,因那時也是這樣類似的按著耶穌所說的去做,就圈住許多魚,網險些裂開,就使他們撇下所有的,跟從了耶穌。(參路加福音 5:1-11) 所以約翰就立刻意識到是主,而彼得一聽見是主,就立刻採取了行動,其餘的門徒就忙著去拉魚。我們以前分享過,「立刻」是非常重要,一但知道是主的旨意,就要立刻去做,我們在這裏就不多說了。

        雖然這邊只記載,『耶穌說:「你們來吃早飯。」…』(約翰福音 21:12) 和說到『他們吃完了早飯,…』(約翰福音 21:15) 但這他們應是包括了耶穌自己,因祂要他們相信是祂復活了,雖然耶穌的靈體不受物質的限制,但是和正常人一樣可吃食物。路加福音就很清楚的記載了這點,『耶穌說:「你們為甚麼愁煩?為甚麼心裏起疑念呢?你們看我的手,我的腳,就知道實在是我了。摸我看看!魂無骨無肉,你們看,我是有的。」說了這話,就把手和腳給他們看。他們正喜得不敢信,並且希奇,耶穌就說:「你們這裏有甚麼吃的沒有?」他們便給他一片燒魚,他接過來,在他們面前吃了。』(路加福音 24:38-43) 所以耶穌的靈體是和正常人一樣可吃食物的。

     在這裏我們還看到一件事情,雖然耶穌告訴他們可以摸祂去証實的確是祂,但他們看見就信了,沒說要模祂才信,只說了: 他們正喜得不敢信,並且希奇。這和『2138 復活及靈體、和多馬沒摸主就信 – 約(20)1-31』中的『5. 多馬沒摸耶穌就信了和約翰福音是為得生命而寫』是同樣的原因,在其中說到只要看見就信了,像耶穌說得一樣。

2. 耶穌問彼得三次你愛我嗎的真諦

       『他們吃完了早飯,耶穌對西門彼得說:「約翰的兒子西門,你愛(G25, agapao, 神的愛, 動詞)我比這些更深嗎?」 彼得說:「主啊,是的,你知道我愛(G5368, phileo, 人間的愛)你。」 耶穌對他說:「你餵養(G1006)我的小羊。」耶穌第二次又對他說:「約翰的兒子西門,你愛(G25)我嗎?」 彼得說:「主啊,是的,你知道我愛(G5368)你。」 耶穌說:「你牧養(G4156)我的羊。」第三次對他說:「約翰的兒子西門,你愛(G5368)我嗎?」 彼得因為耶穌第三次對他說「你愛(G5368)我嗎」,就憂愁,對耶穌說:「主啊,你是無所不知的,你知道我愛(G5368)你。」 耶穌說:「你餵養(G1006)我的羊。」』(約翰福音 21:15-17)

        我們以前在 9/20/20 的油管(YouTube)上分享過這話題,但那時並沒有放在網上,這次的討論是基於那時的專題查經,加以重組及擴展。從這些經文中,我們看到有時非看原文不可,譬如,在希臘文中用不同的字把不同的愛分別出來,而中文和英文的翻譯就一概用愛這個字。對不懂原文的人如我般,可以像我一樣的使用工具書如彙編(Strong’s Concordance)看原文,在彙編裏,很容易的找出含有某個字所有的經文,看那些經文可以比較準確看到那字在聖經中是如何使用,這樣有時會看到翻譯的錯誤,而有準確的看見。

        我們首先來看看為彼得為什麼三次都用人間的愛來回答耶穌,他不是已有內住的聖靈嗎?因為耶穌在復活後,『…向他們吹一口氣,說:「你們受聖靈。」』(約翰福音 20:22) 耶穌不會撒謊,彼得那時已有聖靈才對,尤其是『…因為所賜給我們的聖靈將神的愛(G26, 名詞)澆灌在我們心裏。』(羅馬書 5:5) 他那時應該已知道什麼是神的愛才對,怎麼只知道人間的愛呢? 這情況類似於「從一信就有內住的聖靈」,但不能立刻達到標桿而模成耶穌的形像 (參羅馬書 8:29),因為在開始時只是種子,需要時間去長大。同樣的,彼得那時所得的是種子,要到耶穌復活後的第一個五旬節聖靈降臨時才彰顯出來 (參使徒行傳 2:1-11),所以他那時只能用人間的愛來回答。

     在這裏我們要強調一點,聖經並沒有接說,彼得為什麼三次都用人間的愛來回答耶穌,但我們可以用邏輯如上的推導出原因,這就像聖經沒有用過三位一體這個辭,但聖經絕對有這概念。在相信「神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的」和「不把聖經的話打折扣」的原則下,我們會發覺聖經的話語是多麼的符合邏輯的原則。

        第二要看的是,耶穌為什麼前兩次用神的愛問,到第三次用人間的愛來問彼得。有人就說,這不是耶穌降低了標去配合彼得的回答嗎?這是錯誤的想法,因為耶穌從未降低過標準。又有人說,耶穌是因為彼得曾經三次不認主(參馬太福音 26:69-75),祂要使彼得重新站穩,因祂曾説,『…我已經為你祈求,叫你不至於失了信心。你回頭以後,要堅固你的弟兄。』(路加福音 22:32) 所以祂問了彼得三次,好像很合理,但聖經從來就沒有這麼說,這只是從人的角度看事情,是人的猜測。

        那麼聖經究竟是怎麼說呢?我們就把耶穌的話放在一起看。在神的愛中,可以餵養(G1006)小羊,和牧養(G4156)羊,在人間的愛中,只能餵養(G1006)羊,我們也看到了小羊是要餵養的,『惟獨長大成人的,才能吃乾糧,…』(希伯來書 5:14) 我們也看到了彼得對牧養的回應,『務要牧養(G4156)在你們中間神的羣羊,按着神旨意照管他們;不是出於勉強,乃是出於甘心;也不是因為貪財,乃是出於樂意;也不是轄制所託付你們的,乃是作羣羊的榜樣。』(彼得前書 5:2-3) 彼得是長老,他有負擔牧養神的羣羊,作他們的榜樣,是對的榜樣,不是錯的榜樣。

3. 彼得如何死的預言和讀經不可隨便劃等號

       『我實實在在地告訴你:你年少的時候,自己束上帶子,隨意往來;但年老的時候,你要伸出手來,別人要把你束上,帶你到不願意去的地方。」耶穌說這話,是指着彼得要怎樣死,榮耀神。說了這話,就對他說:「你跟從我吧!」彼得轉過來,看見耶穌所愛的那門徒跟着,就是在晚飯的時候,靠着耶穌胸膛說「主啊,賣你的是誰」的那門徒。彼得看見他,就問耶穌說:「主啊,這人將來如何?」耶穌對他說:「我若要他等到我來的時候,與你何干?你跟從我吧!」於是這話傳在弟兄中間,說那門徒不死;其實耶穌不是說他不死,乃是說:「我若要他等到我來的時候,與你何干?」為這些事作見證,並且記載這些事的就是這門徒。我們也知道他的見證是真的。耶穌所行的事還有許多,若是一一地都寫出來,我想,所寫的書就是世界也容不下了。』(約翰福音 21:18-25)

       在這些經文的前面,很清楚的描述了彼得會如何死去榮耀神的預言,當彼得很好奇約翰的結局如何時,耶穌告訴他不要好奇去管別人的閒事,管好去「跟從我」自己的事。

       最後我們看到讀經不可随便劃等號,基督徒相信新舊約都是神所默示的,所以從聖經的角度看事情就是從神的角度看事情,也就是說,從聖經的角度看是從神的角度看的充分條件。但因神是無限而聖經的字句有限,無限的不可能等於有限的,這裏就明說了,不是所有的事情都記載了。也就是說,從聖經的角度看不是從神的角度看的必要條件,也就是說從神的角度看事情是大於而不等於從聖經的角度看事情。而要兩個敍述相等,必須是充分和必要條件,所以從聖經的角度看和從神的角度看是不能劃等號的。聖經有太多只有充分或必要條件成立的敍述,我們就不多說了。所以讀經時要非常小心,不要一不小心就在不該劃等號的地方劃了等號,這樣會創造一個不是聖經所講的神!

(經文除了特別註明外,是基於和合本。)

(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』。)

1139 Do you love Me and Bible verses cannot be equated casually – John(21)1-25 (by Whirlwind)

First, let us look at the scene of Jesus appearing by the Sea of ​​Tiberias and see how He opened their eyes so that they could know His resurrected spirit body. Although this spirit body was not restricted by matter, it could eat food like normal people. Second, during this appearance, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” The meaning is very clear according to the Bible, but it has become a controversial topic. We will talk about its true meaning from Jesus’ viewpoint and discuss some different views. Finally, we described the prophecy of how Peter would die and why the Bible verses cannot be equated casually.

1. Jesus’ third appearance to His disciples after His resurrection at the Sea of ​​Tiberias

“After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish. So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.”(John 21:1-14)

Those involved in this appearance were the five apostles – Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, and John, plus two disciples with unknown names, so they had at least professional fishermen among them, but they caught nothing that night until Jesus told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. We emphasize that the names of two disciples are unknown since the Bible thinks their names aren’t important so they are not recorded.

We saw Jesus standing on the shore, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus’ spiritual body was different. He had to actively let people see that it was Him, and only then could people see it was Him. In the case of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, their eyes were opened by breaking bread (see Luke 24:13-31), and this time their eyes were opened by something similar to what happened before at the Lake of Gennesaret. Because they did what Jesus said at that time, they caught a lot of fish, and the net was about to break, so they left everything and followed Jesus. (See Luke 5:1-11) So John immediately realized that it was the Lord, and when Peter heard that it was the Lord, he immediately took action, and the other disciples were busy pulling in the fish. We have shared before that “immediately” is very important. Once we know it is the Lord’s will, we must do it immediately. We will not elaborate on it here.

Although it is only recorded here, “Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” …”(John 21:12) and “So when they had finished breakfast, …”(John 21:15), but “they” should include Jesus Himself, because He wanted them to believe that it was He who was resurrected. Although Jesus’ spirit body was not restricted by matter, it could eat food like normal people. The Gospel of Luke records this very clearly, “And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them.”(Luke 24:38-43) Therefore, Jesus’ spirit body can eat food like a normal person.

Here we can also see one thing. Although Jesus told them that they could touch Him to confirm that it was indeed Him, they believed when they saw Him. The Bible does not say that they had to touch Him before they would believe. It is only said: While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement. This is the same reason as “5. Thomas believed in Jesus without probing Him and the Gospel of John was written for having life” in “1138 Resurrection and Spirit, and Thomas without probing Lord – John(20)1-31,” which only says that “Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? …”(John 20:29)

2. The true meaning of Jesus asking Peter three times: “Do you love me?”

“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love (G25, agapao, God’s love, verb) Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (G5368, phileo, human love) You.” He said to him, “Tend (G1006) My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (G25) Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (G5368) You.” He said to him, “Shepherd (G4156) My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (G5368) Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love (G5368) Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love (G5368) You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend (G1006) My sheep.””(John 21:15-17)

We have previously shared this topic on YouTube on 9/20/20, but it was not posted online at that time. This discussion is based on the topicwise Bible study at that time, and has been reorganized and expanded. From these scriptures, we see that sometimes we have to look at the original text. For example, in Greek, different words are used to distinguish different kinds of love, while the Chinese and English translations all use the word love. For people like me who do not understand the original text, you can use reference books such as the Strong’s Concordance to read the original text. In the Concordance, it is easy to find all the scriptures containing a certain word. By reading those scriptures, you can see more accurately how the word is used in the Bible. This way, you can sometimes see translation errors and have an accurate view.

Let us first look at why Peter answered Jesus three times with human love. Didn’t he already have the Holy Spirit living in him? Because after Jesus’ resurrection, “…He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.””(John 20:22) Jesus would not lie, Peter must have already had the Holy Spirit at that time, especially “…because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”(Romans 5:5) He should have known what God’s love was at that time, so how could he only knew human love? This situation is similar to “from the moment of believing, the Holy Spirit dwells in us”, but we cannot immediately reach the standard and be conformed to the image of Jesus (see Romans 8:29), because at the beginning it is only a seed and it takes time to grow. Likewise, what Peter received at that time was a seed, which would not be manifested until the coming of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection (see Acts 2:1-11), so he could only respond with human love at that time.

Here we have to emphasize that the Bible does not directly tell us why Peter answered Jesus three times with human love, but we can use the logic above to deduce the reason. This is just like the Bible has never used the term Trinity, but the Bible has this concept. Under the principle of believing that “what God tells us through the Bible is consistent” and “do not discount the words of the Bible”, we will find how the words of the Bible are in line with logical principles.

The second thing to look at is why Jesus asked Peter using God’s love the first two times and used human love the third time. Some people said, isn’t this Jesus lowering the standard to match Peter’s answer? This is a wrong idea because Jesus never lowered His standards. Others say that Jesus came to Peter because Peter had denied Him three times (see Matthew 26:69-75), and He wanted to help Peter stand firm again, because He once said, “but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”(Luke 22:32) So He asked Peter three times, which seems reasonable, but the Bible never says this. This is just looking at things from a human perspective and is human speculation.

So what does the Bible say? Let us look at Jesus’ words together. In God’s love, we can tend (G1006) the lambs and shepherd (G4156) the sheep. In human love, we can only tend (G1006) the sheep. We also see that the lambs need to be tended and fed, “But solid food is for the mature, …”(Hebrews 5:14) We also see Peter’s response to shepherding, “shepherd (G4156) the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.”(1 Peter 5:2-3) Peter is an elder. He has the burden to shepherd God’s flock and be an example to them, a right example, not a wrong example.

3. The prophecy of how Peter would die and Bible verses cannot be equated casually 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!” Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.”(John 21:18-25)

In the beginning of these verses, there was a clear prophecy about how Peter would die to glorify God. When Peter was curious about John’s end, Jesus told him not to be curious and meddle in other people’s affairs, but to mind his own business of “following me.”

Finally, we see that Bible verses cannot be equated casually. Christians believe that both the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God, so looking at things from the perspective of the Bible is looking at things from God’s perspective. In other words, looking at things from the perspective of the Bible is a sufficient condition for looking at things from God’s perspective. But because God is infinite and the words of the Bible are finite, the infinite cannot be equal to the finite, and it is clearly stated here that not everything is recorded in the Bible. In other words, seeing things from the perspective of the Bible is not a necessary condition for seeing things from the perspective of God, which means that seeing things from the perspective of God is greater than, but not equal to, seeing things from the perspective of the Bible. For two statements to be equal, there must be sufficient and necessary conditions, so the Bible’s perspective and God’s perspective cannot be equated. The Bible contains too many statements that are only true under sufficient or necessary conditions, thus we will not go into detail. So be very careful when reading the Bible, and don’t accidentally draw an equal sign where it shouldn’t be drawn, as this will create a God that is not the God described in the Bible!

(Verses refer to those in NASB95 unless otherwise specified.)

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

3138 复活及灵体、和多马没摸主就信 – 约(20)1-31 (旋风著)

    第一,我们来看看耶稣复活首先发生的事情,看到彼得和约翰不知道耶稣必要从死里复活。第二,我们引用了以前讨论过耶稣复活的细节去讨论接著的经文,在其中讨论了一个关于圣经默示的可能方法,只是强调神早已经知道,圣经不可能以最开始的原版无误的传下来,祂一定在默示时就已考虑过这问题,这里只是分享一个人都可以想得到的可能解决的方法,祂一定会做得更周全。第三,我们看到耶稣复活后的灵体不受物质的限制,也看到如果在圣灵中,要赦免谁的罪,谁的罪就赦免了。第四,我们提到了多马的不信和其个性。最后,按照耶稣的话,我们看到多马没有摸主耶稣就信了,和提到约翰福音是为著得生命而写。

1. 耶稣的复活          

    『七日的第一日清早,天还黑的时候,抹大拉的马利亚来到坟墓那里,看见石头从坟墓挪开了,就跑来见西门彼得和耶稣所爱的那个门徒,对他们说:「有人把主从坟墓里挪了去,我们不知道放在哪里!」彼得和那门徒就出来,往坟墓那里去。两个人同跑,那门徒比彼得跑得更快,先到了坟墓,低头往里看,就见细麻布还放在那里,只是没有进去。西门彼得随后也到了,进坟墓里去,就看见细麻布还放在那里,又看见耶稣的裹头巾没有和细麻布放在一处,是另在一处卷著。先到坟墓的那门徒也进去,看见就信了。因为他们还不明白圣经的意思,就是耶稣必要从死里复活。于是两个门徒回自己的住处去了。』(约翰福音 20:1-10)        

    这里很清楚的叙述了七日的第一日清早,抹大拉的马利亚来到坟墓那里的情况,她是以为有人把主从坟墓里挪了去,就连忙跑去告诉彼得和约翰,他们也立刻跑去看坟墓的情况,也如此相信了,『因为他们还不明白圣经的意思,就是耶稣必要从死里复活。』(约翰福音 20:9) 就只好回去了。     

    请注意,她和他们一知道这事就用跑的,这就作了我们的榜样,使我们知道,一意识到是主的旨意,就应该立刻的快快去做。而且我们也再次看到了彼得那时的个性和约翰不同,他那时是不管情况如何,先做了再说,就像当耶稣被捕时,『西门彼得带著一把刀,就拔出来,将大祭司的仆人砍了一刀,削掉他的右耳,那仆人名叫马勒古。』(约翰福音 18:10) 最后是耶稣行了神迹,『…就摸那人的耳朵,把他治好了。』(路加福音 22:51) 才把这件事情摆平。

2. 耶稣复活后显现的情景          

    『马利亚却站在坟墓外面哭,哭的时候,低头往坟墓里看,就见两个天使,穿著白衣,在安放耶稣身体的地方坐著,一个在头,一个在脚。天使对她说:「妇人,你为甚么哭?」 她说:「因为有人把我主挪了去,我不知道放在哪里。」说了这话,就转过身来,看见耶稣站在那里,却不知道是耶稣。耶稣问她说:「妇人,为甚么哭?你找谁呢?」 马利亚以为是看园的,就对他说:「先生,若是你把他移了去,请告诉我你把他放在哪里,我便去取他。」耶稣说:「马利亚!」 马利亚就转过来,用希伯来话对他说:「拉波尼!」(拉波尼就是夫子的意思。)耶稣说:「不要摸我,因我还没有升上去见我的父。你往我弟兄那里去,告诉他们说:我要升上去见我的父,也是你们的父;见我的神,也是你们的神。」抹大拉的马利亚就去告诉门徒说:「我已经看见了主!」她又将主对她说的这话告诉他们。』(约翰福音 20:11-18)     

    首先我们再一次看到耶稣复活后的灵体是很不一样的,除非祂愿意打开我们的眼睛,让我们真正能看见,我们只能是视而不见!你看,马利亚『…看见耶稣站在那里,却不知道是耶稣。』(约翰福音 20:14) 她怎么不认识死前的耶稣呢?在这里,我们看到了耶稣是如何的开了她的眼睛。     

    以前我们在『3085 耶稣的死、安葬、和有争议性的复活的细节 -耶稣(37) 』中的『3. 耶稣的复活的细节』,详细的讨论过这些经文和相关的经文,请到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』,按『对属灵生命的了解』,找到这篇文章。     

    在这篇文章中,我们是依照圣经在汇编中的原文中,看到了耶稣复活后事情发生的次序。首先我们看到,『安息日将尽,七日的头一日,天快亮的时候,抹大拉的马利亚和那个马利亚来看坟墓。』(马太福音 28:1) 所以她们知道主的复活,但没有说看见耶稣的显现。她们第一次并没有进到坟墓里,因有主的使者把石头滚开,坐在上面。然后她们兵分两路,抹大拉马利亚去见彼得和约翰, 那个马利亚去见其他的妇女,我们详细的讨论了为什么会这样说,我们也看见了彼得会在较晚的时间第二次跑到坟墓那里,在这里就不多讲了。

    我们刚才讨论到抹大拉的马利亚去见彼得和约翰时,他们在坟墓里相信了她的话就只好回去了,也就是说,整个过程需要花一些时间,等到耶稣向她显现时天已经亮了,这也可由神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的看出来。耶稣住在加利利的时候耶稣曾预言说,『…人子将要被交在人手里。他们要杀害他,第三日他要复活。…』(马太福音 17:22-23) 犹太人的一天是从黄昏到第二个黄昏,耶稣是预备日的黄昏前死的 (参约翰福音 19:31-33),所以算是死了的第一天,而后是第二天的安息日,要主日算一天必须要天亮以后才行,所以耶稣的预言要三天后复活,也就是说耶稣向抹大拉的马利亚显现是在天亮时。        

    请注意,我们在这篇文章中说到并解释除了马可福音是大部份一致外,其他三本福音书都是完全一致的,因而想到一个关于圣经默示的可能方法。请注意,我们并没有说圣经是这样写的,只是强调神早已经知道,圣经不可能以最开始的原版无误的传下来,祂一定在默示时就已考虑过这问题,这里只是分享一个人都可以想得到的方法,祂一定会做得更周全。            

    这方法就是我们用编码理论(coding theory)的基本理论来说明这个问题的解决方式之一,在编码理论中,我们是因发讯号慢,用时间换取减少错误,并有自动更正一些错误的功能。圣经的一致性告诉我们,用不同的经文可达到同样的结论,这种写法,比较只要写一次就可以的写法,篇幅是增加了,但错误会因此而减少,并能更正一些错误。也就是说,在这里我们是用篇幅长,而达到同样的效果。

3. 耶稣的灵体不受物质的限制和圣灵          

    『那日(就是七日的第一日)晚上,门徒所在的地方,因怕犹太人,门都关了。耶稣来站在当中,对他们说:「愿你们平安!」说了这话,就把手和肋旁指给他们看。门徒看见主,就喜乐了。耶稣又对他们说:「愿你们平安!父怎样差遣了我,我也照样差遣你们。」说了这话,就向他们吹一口气,说:「你们受圣灵。你们赦免谁的罪,谁的罪就赦免了;你们留下谁的罪,谁的罪就留下了。」』(约翰福音 20:19-23)        

    首先我们注意到耶稣的灵体是不受物质的限制的,因为门关了,祂仍可来到他们中间!主在以前的分离的祷告中对十一个使徒说,『你怎样差我到世上,我也照样差他们到世上。』(约翰福音 17:18) 祂这次是差遣了门徒,且要他们领受了圣灵,因主不会去做虚工,他们已有了内住的圣灵,但是要主复活后的第一个五旬节才因圣灵降临而彰显出来。不要讶会是这样!我们一信主就有内住的圣灵,但我们不可能就立刻就模成耶稣的形像的。(参罗马书 8:29) 这不就是和这是相同的情况吗?     

    他们要先受圣灵,然后才说,『你们赦免谁的罪,谁的罪就赦免了;你们留下谁的罪,谁的罪就留下了。』(约翰福音 20:23) 所以必须要在圣灵中才能如此。

4. 多马的不信及其个性

    『那十二个门徒中,有称为低土马的多马,耶稣来的时候,他没有和他们同在。那些门徒就对他说:「我们已经看见主了。」 多马却说:「我非看见他手上的钉痕,用指头探入那钉痕,又用手探入他的肋旁,我总不信。」』(约翰福音 20:24-25)        

    我们来看看多马的个性,当『耶稣就明明地告诉他们说:「拉撒路死了。」』(约翰福音 11:14) 时,『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 11:16) 他直接把他的反应说出来了。当耶稣说,『我往哪里去,你们知道;那条路,你们也知道。』(约翰福音 14:4) 『多马对他说:「主啊,我们不知道你往哪里去,怎么知道那条路呢?」』(约翰福音 14:5) 他也是有问题就直接反应出来了。这次,他也是将他的直接反应立刻说出来了,等下我们会看到圣经明说,他最后是看到就信了,跟本不需要探入耶稣的钉痕。

5. 多马没摸耶稣就信了和约翰福音是为得生命而写          

    『过了八日,门徒又在屋里,多马也和他们同在。门都关了。耶稣来站在当中说:「愿你们平安!」就对多马说:「伸过你的指头来,摸我的手;伸出你的手来,探入我的肋旁。不要疑惑,总要信!」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!」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 20:26-31)           

    首先,再一次的确定耶稣的灵体是不受物质的限制的,因门都关了。第二,我们可能会很好奇,到底多马有没有摸主的手,探祂的肋?答案是没有。上次主来时,多马连看都没看见,这次看见了就信了,说我的主,我的神!因主是说,你因看见了才信,没有说到需要摸和探,耶稣是不会说谎的。从他的个性和信心看来,他也是不需要摸主耶稣的,也符合了主的话,真是神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的。在这里圣经是明说的,只有不相信主的话,或看不清楚的人才会有这样的问题。简言之,就是强解圣经的人。        

    这里很清楚的说出约翰只记载八个神迹的原因,因为他相信这些神迹足够使人相信,耶稣是基督,是神的儿子,可以悔改得生命。这正如耶稣所说,查经的目的本是要得生命,『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。』(约翰福音 5:39-40) 不论是犹太人或是外邦人都是一样,尤其是外邦人,圣经更明白的记载了哥尼流事件(参使徒行传 10:1-48)。 事后,彼得对犹太人说,『我就想起主的话说:『约翰是用水施洗,但你们要受圣灵的洗。』神既然给他们恩赐,像在我们信主耶稣基督的时候给了我们一样,我是谁,能拦阻神呢?」众人听见这话,就不言语了,只归荣耀与神,说:「这样看来,神也赐恩给外邦人,叫他们悔改得生命了。」』(使徒行传 11:16-18)        

    这就是保罗说的,『如此说来,因一次(亚当)的过犯,众人都被定罪;照样,因一次(耶稣)的义行,众人也就被称义得生命了。因一人的悖逆,众人成为罪人;照样,因一人的顺从,众人也成为义了。』(罗马书 5:18-19) 耶稣是因顺服神就除掉罪了,这也就是为什么我们花了不少时间在『3096 于宏洁的新人门训 – 不合乎圣经的地方 (1)』,去说明罪的定义就是不顺服神,请到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』的网站后,按『对属灵生命的了解』,找到这篇文章。

(经文除了特别注明外,是基于和合本。)

(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』。)  

2138 復活及靈體、和多馬沒摸主就信 – 約(20)1-31 (旋風著)

       第一,我們來看看耶穌復活首先發生的事情,看到彼得和約翰不知道耶穌必要從死裏復活。第二,我們引用了以前討論過耶穌復活的細節去討論接著的經文,在其中討論了一個關於聖經默示的可能方法,只是强調神早已經知道,聖經不可能以最開始的原版無誤的傳下來,祂一定在默示時就已考慮過這問題,這裏只是分享一個人都可以想得到的可能解決的方法,祂一定會做得更週全。第三,我們看到耶穌復活後的靈體不受物質的限制,也看到如果在聖靈中,要赦免誰的罪,誰的罪就赦免了。第四,我們提到了多馬的不信和其個性。最後,按照耶穌的話,我們看到多馬沒有摸主耶穌就信了,和提到約翰福音是為著得生命而寫。

1. 耶穌的復活

          『七日的第一日清早,天還黑的時候,抹大拉的馬利亞來到墳墓那裏,看見石頭從墳墓挪開了,就跑來見西門彼得和耶穌所愛的那個門徒,對他們說:「有人把主從墳墓裏挪了去,我們不知道放在哪裏!」彼得和那門徒就出來,往墳墓那裏去。兩個人同跑,那門徒比彼得跑得更快,先到了墳墓,低頭往裏看,就見細麻布還放在那裏,只是沒有進去。西門彼得隨後也到了,進墳墓裏去,就看見細麻布還放在那裏,又看見耶穌的裹頭巾沒有和細麻布放在一處,是另在一處捲着。先到墳墓的那門徒也進去,看見就信了。因為他們還不明白聖經的意思,就是耶穌必要從死裏復活。於是兩個門徒回自己的住處去了。』(約翰福音 20:1-10)

        這裏很清楚的敍述了七日的第一日清早,抹大拉的馬利亞來到墳墓那裏的情況,她是以為有人把主從墳墓裏挪了去,就連忙跑去告訴彼得和約翰,他們也立刻跑去看墳墓的情況,也如此相信了,『因為他們還不明白聖經的意思,就是耶穌必要從死裏復活。』(約翰福音 20:9) 就只好回去了。

     請注意,她和他們一知道這事就用跑的,這就作了我們的榜樣,使我們知道,一意識到是主的旨意,就應該立刻的快快去做。而且我們也再次看到了彼得那時的個性和約翰不同,他那時是不管情況如何,先做了再說,就像當耶穌被捕時,『西門彼得帶着一把刀,就拔出來,將大祭司的僕人砍了一刀,削掉他的右耳,那僕人名叫馬勒古。』(約翰福音 18:10) 最後是耶穌行了神蹟,『…就摸那人的耳朵,把他治好了。』(路加福音 22:51) 才把這件事情擺平。

2. 耶穌復活後顯現的情景

          『馬利亞卻站在墳墓外面哭,哭的時候,低頭往墳墓裏看,就見兩個天使,穿着白衣,在安放耶穌身體的地方坐着,一個在頭,一個在腳。天使對她說:「婦人,你為甚麼哭?」 她說:「因為有人把我主挪了去,我不知道放在哪裏。」說了這話,就轉過身來,看見耶穌站在那裏,卻不知道是耶穌。耶穌問她說:「婦人,為甚麼哭?你找誰呢?」 馬利亞以為是看園的,就對他說:「先生,若是你把他移了去,請告訴我你把他放在哪裏,我便去取他。」耶穌說:「馬利亞!」 馬利亞就轉過來,用希伯來話對他說:「拉波尼!」(拉波尼就是夫子的意思。)耶穌說:「不要摸我,因我還沒有升上去見我的父。你往我弟兄那裏去,告訴他們說:我要升上去見我的父,也是你們的父;見我的神,也是你們的神。」抹大拉的馬利亞就去告訴門徒說:「我已經看見了主!」她又將主對她說的這話告訴他們。』(約翰福音 20:11-18)

     首先我們再一次看到耶穌復活後的靈體是很不一樣的,除非祂願意打開我們的眼睛,讓我們真正能看見,我們只能是視而不見!你看,馬利亞『…看見耶穌站在那裏,卻不知道是耶穌。』(約翰福音 20:14) 她怎麼不認識死前的耶穌呢?在這裏,我們看到了耶穌是如何的開了她的眼睛。

     以前我們在『2085 耶穌的死、安葬、和有爭議性的復活的細節 -耶穌(37) 』中的『3. 耶穌的復活的細節』,詳細的討論過這些經文和相關的經文,請到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』,按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』,找到這篇文章。

     在這篇文章中,我們是依照聖經在彙編中的原文中,看到了耶穌復活後事情發生的次序。首先我們看到,『安息日將盡,七日的頭一日,天快亮的時候,抹大拉的馬利亞和那個馬利亞來看墳墓。』(馬太福音 28:1) 所以她們知道主的復活,但沒有說看見耶穌的顯現。她們第一次並沒有進到墳墓裏,因有主的使者把石頭滾開,坐在上面。然後她們兵分兩路,抹大拉馬利亞去見彼得和約翰, 那個馬利亞去見其他的婦女,我們詳細的討論了為什麼會這樣說,我們也看見了彼得會在較晚的時間第二次跑到墳墓那裏,在這裏就不多講了。

     我們剛才討論到抹大拉的馬利亞去見彼得和約翰時,他們在墳墓裏相信了她的話就只好回去了,也就是說,整個過程需要花一些時間,等到耶穌向她顯現時天已經亮了,這也可由神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的看出來。耶穌住在加利利的時候耶穌曾預言說,『…人子將要被交在人手裏。他們要殺害他,第三日他要復活。…』(馬太福音 17:22-23) 猶太人的一天是從黄昏到第二個黃昏,耶穌是預備日的黃昏前死的 (參約翰福音 19:31-33),所以算是死了的第一天,而後是第二天的安息日,要主日算一天必須要天亮以後才行,所以耶穌的預言要三天後復活,也就是說耶穌向抹大拉的馬利亞顯現是在天亮時。

        請注意,我們在這篇文章中說到並解釋除了馬可福音是大部份一致外,其他三本福音書都是完全一致的,因而想到一個關於聖經默示的可能方法。請注意,我們並沒有說聖經是這樣寫的,只是强調神早已經知道,聖經不可能以最開始的原版無誤的傳下來,祂一定在默示時就已考慮過這問題,這裏只是分享一個人都可以想得到的方法,祂一定會做得更週全。

       這方法就是我們用編碼理論(coding theory)的基本理論來說明這個問題的解決方式之一,在編碼理論中,我們是因發訊號慢,用時間換取減少錯誤,並有自動更正一些錯誤的功能。聖經的一致性告訴我們,用不同的經文可達到同樣的結論,這種寫法,比較只要寫一次就可以的寫法,篇幅是增加了,但錯誤會因此而減少,並能更正一些錯誤。也就是說,在這裏我們是用篇幅長,而達到同樣的效果。

3. 耶穌的靈體不受物質的限制和聖靈

          『那日(就是七日的第一日)晚上,門徒所在的地方,因怕猶太人,門都關了。耶穌來站在當中,對他們說:「願你們平安!」說了這話,就把手和肋旁指給他們看。門徒看見主,就喜樂了。耶穌又對他們說:「願你們平安!父怎樣差遣了我,我也照樣差遣你們。」說了這話,就向他們吹一口氣,說:「你們受聖靈。你們赦免誰的罪,誰的罪就赦免了;你們留下誰的罪,誰的罪就留下了。」』(約翰福音 20:19-23)

        首先我們注意到耶穌的靈體是不受物質的限制的,因為門關了,祂仍可來到他們中間!主在以前的分離的禱告中對十一個使徒說,『你怎樣差我到世上,我也照樣差他們到世上。』(約翰福音 17:18) 祂這次是差遣了門徒,且要他們領受了聖靈,因主不會去做虛工,他們已有了内住的聖靈,但是要主復活後的第一個五旬節才因聖靈降臨而彰顯出來。不要訝會是這樣!我們一信主就有内住的聖靈,但我們不可能就立刻就模成耶穌的形像的。(參羅馬書 8:29) 這不就是和這是相同的情況嗎?

     他們要先受聖靈,然後才說,『你們赦免誰的罪,誰的罪就赦免了;你們留下誰的罪,誰的罪就留下了。』(約翰福音 20:23) 所以必須要在聖靈中才能如此。

4. 多馬的不信及其個性

          『那十二個門徒中,有稱為低土馬的多馬,耶穌來的時候,他沒有和他們同在。那些門徒就對他說:「我們已經看見主了。」 多馬卻說:「我非看見他手上的釘痕,用指頭探入那釘痕,又用手探入他的肋旁,我總不信。」』(約翰福音 20:24-25)

        我們來看看多馬的個性,當『耶穌就明明地告訴他們說:「拉撒路死了。」』(約翰福音 11:14) 時,『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 11:16) 他直接把他的反應說出來了。當耶穌說,『我往哪裏去,你們知道;那條路,你們也知道。』(約翰福音 14:4) 『多馬對他說:「主啊,我們不知道你往哪裏去,怎麼知道那條路呢?」』(約翰福音 14:5) 他也是有問題就直接反應出來了。這次,他也是將他的直接反應立刻說出來了,等下我們會看到聖經明說,他最後是看到就信了,跟本不需要探入耶穌的釘痕。

5. 多馬沒摸耶穌就信了和約翰福音是為得生命而寫

          『過了八日,門徒又在屋裏,多馬也和他們同在。門都關了。耶穌來站在當中說:「願你們平安!」就對多馬說:「伸過你的指頭來,摸我的手;伸出你的手來,探入我的肋旁。不要疑惑,總要信!」多馬說:「我的主,我的神!」耶穌對他說:「你因看見了我才信,那沒有看見就信的有福了!」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 20:26-31)

           首先,再一次的確定耶穌的靈體是不受物質的限制的,因門都關了。第二,我們可能會很好奇,到底多馬有沒有摸主的手,探祂的肋?答案是沒有。上次主來時,多馬連看都沒看見,這次看見了就信了,說我的主,我的神!因主是說,你因看見了才信,沒有說到需要摸和探,耶穌是不會說謊的。從他的個性和信心看來,他也是不需要摸主耶穌的,也符合了主的話,真是神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的。在這裏聖經是明說的,只有不相信主的話,或看不清楚的人才會有這樣的問題。簡言之,就是強解聖經的人。

        這裏很清楚的說出約翰只記載八個神蹟的原因,因為他相信這些神蹟足夠使人相信,耶穌是基督,是神的兒子,可以悔改得生命。這正如耶穌所說,查經的目的本是要得生命,『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。』(約翰福音 5:39-40) 不論是猶太人或是外邦人都是一樣,尤其是外邦人,聖經更明白的記載了哥尼流事件(參使徒行傳 10:1-48)。 事後,彼得對猶太人說,『我就想起主的話說:『約翰是用水施洗,但你們要受聖靈的洗。』神既然給他們恩賜,像在我們信主耶穌基督的時候給了我們一樣,我是誰,能攔阻神呢?」眾人聽見這話,就不言語了,只歸榮耀與神,說:「這樣看來,神也賜恩給外邦人,叫他們悔改得生命了。」』(使徒行傳 11:16-18)

        這就是保羅說的,『如此說來,因一次(亞當)的過犯,眾人都被定罪;照樣,因一次(耶穌)的義行,眾人也就被稱義得生命了。因一人的悖逆,眾人成為罪人;照樣,因一人的順從,眾人也成為義了。』(羅馬書 5:18-19) 耶穌是因順服神就除掉罪了,這也就是為什麼我們花了不少時間在『2096 于宏潔的新人門訓 – 不合乎聖經的地方 (1)』,去說明罪的定義就是不順服神,請到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』的網站後,按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』,找到這篇文章。

(經文除了特別註明外,是基於和合本。)

(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』。)

1138 Resurrection and Spirit, and Thomas without probing Lord – John(20)1-31 (by Whirlwind)

First, let’s look at what happened first after Jesus’ resurrection and see that Peter and John did not know that Jesus would be resurrected from the dead. Second, we quoted our previous article regarding the details of Jesus’ resurrection to discuss the passages followed the first one, in which we discussed a possible method of inspiration for the Bible, emphasizing only that God already knew that the Bible could not be passed down in its original form without error, and that He must have considered this issue when He inspired it. Here we are only sharing a possible solution that men can think of, and that He will surely do a more thorough job. Third, we see that Jesus’ spirit body after His resurrection is not restricted by matter, and we also see that if we are in the Holy Spirit, anyone’s sins we forgive will be forgiven. Fourth, we mentioned Thomas’ unbelief and his character. Finally, according to Jesus’ words, we see that Thomas believed in the Lord Jesus without probing Him, and that the Gospel of John was written for the purpose of having life.

1. Jesus’ Resurrection

“Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.”(John 20:1-10)

It is clearly described here that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning of the first day of the week while it was still dark. She thought someone had taken the Lord away from the tomb, so she ran to tell Peter and John. They also ran to see the tomb and believed what she thought, “For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.”(John 20:9) So they had to go back.

Please note that she and they ran as soon as they knew about this. This is an example for us, letting us know that once we realize that it is the Lord’s will, we should do it immediately and quickly. And we also see again that Peter’s personality at that time was different from John’s. He did it first and then thought about it regardless of the situation. Just like when Jesus was arrested, “Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.”(John 18:10) Finally, Jesus performed a miracle, “…He touched his ear and healed him.”(Luke 22:51) Only then the matter was settled.

2. Jesus’ appearances after His resurrection

“But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.”(John 20:11-18)

First of all, we can see once again that Jesus’ spirit body is very different from His early body after His resurrection. Unless He is willing to open people’s eyes and allow them to truly see, they can only turn a blind eye! You see, Mary “…saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.”(John 20:14) She knew Jesus very well before He died, and she didn’t recognize Him before her eyes were opened. Here we see how Jesus opened her eyes.

We have previously discussed these and related verses in detail in “3. Details of Jesus’ Resurrection” of “1085 Jesus’ death, burial, and the controversial issue in resurrection – Jesus(37).” Please go to “https://a-christian-voice.com/” and click “Understanding of Spiritual Life” to find this article.

In this article, we see the order of events after Jesus’ resurrection according to the original text of the Bible in the Strong’s Concordance. First we see, “Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.”(Matthew 28:1) So they knew about the Lord’s resurrection, but they did not say that they saw the appearance of Jesus. They did not enter the tomb the first time, for an angel of the Lord rolled back the stone and sat on it. Then they split into two groups, Mary Magdalene went to meet Peter and John, and the other Mary went to meet the other women. We have discussed in detail why this is said, and we also saw that Peter would run to the tomb a second time at a later time, so I will not go into details here.

We just discussed that when Mary Magdalene went to see Peter and John, they believed her words about carrying Him away from the tomb. That is to say, the whole process took some time, and it was already daybreak when Jesus appeared to her. This can also be seen from what God tells us through the Bible is consistent. While living in Galilee, Jesus prophesied, “…The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day. …”(Matthew 17:22-23) The Jewish day is from dusk to the second dusk. Jesus died before dusk on the day of preparation (see John 19:31-33), so it was counted as the first day of His death. Then came the Sabbath on the second day. To count the Lord’s Day as a day, it must be after dawn. Therefore, Jesus’ prophecy was that He would be resurrected three days later, which means that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene already at daybreak.

Please note that in this article we have spoken and explained that except for the most parts agreed in the Gospel of Mark, the other three Gospels are completely consistent, thus coming to a possible approach to the inspiration of Scripture. Please note that we are not saying that the Bible is written in this way. We are just emphasizing that God already knew that the Bible could not be passed down in its original form without error. He must have considered this issue when He inspired it. Here we are just sharing a method that men can think of. He will definitely do a more thorough job.

This method is one of the possible solutions to this problem that we explain using the basic theory of coding theory. In coding theory, we use time to reduce errors by sending signals slowly, and have the function of automatically correcting some errors. The consistency of the Bible tells us that the same conclusion can be reached using different scriptures. Compared with writing only once, this writing method increases the length, but it will reduce errors and can correct some errors. That is to say, here we use a longer article to achieve the same effect.

3. Jesus’ spiritual body is not limited by matter and the Holy Spirit

“So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.””(John 20:19-23)

First we notice that Jesus’ spiritual body was not restricted by matter, because even though the door was closed, He could still come among them! In the high priestly prayer, the Lord said to the eleven apostles, “for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.”(John 17:8) This time He sent the disciples and asked them to receive the Holy Spirit, because the Lord would not do work in vain. They already had the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, but it would not be manifested until the first Pentecost after the Lord’s resurrection when the Holy Spirit came. Don’t be surprised this is the case! As soon as we believe in the Lord, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, but it is impossible for us to be conformed to the image of Jesus immediately. (See Romans 8:29) Isn’t this the same situation?

They must first receive the Holy Spirit, and then “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”(John 20:23) So this can only be done in the Holy Spirit.

4. Thomas’s unbelief and his personality

“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.””(John 20:24-25)

Let’s look at Thomas’ personality. When “…Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.””(John 11:14), “…Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.””(John 11:16), he directly expressed his reaction. When Jesus said, “And you know the way where I am going.”(John 14:4) “Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?””(John 14:5) He also responded directly when he had a problem. This time, he also expressed his direct reaction immediately. Later we will see that the Bible clearly states that he believed when he saw Him in the end, and there was no need for him to probe into the nail scars of Jesus.

5. Thomas believed in Jesus without probing Him and the Gospel of John was written for having life

“After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” 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.”(John 20:26-31)

First, it was confirmed once again that Jesus’ spirit body was not restricted by matter because the doors were closed. Second, we may be very curious, did Thomas prob the scars of the Lord? The answer is no. The last time the Lord came, Thomas didn’t even see Him, but this time he saw Him and believed, saying, “My Lord and my God!” Because the Lord said that you would believe because you saw, and did not mention the need to probe. Jesus will not lie. Judging from his personality and faith, he did not need to probe the Lord Jesus, and this is consistent with the Lord’s words. It is indeed consistent with what God tells us through the Bible is consistent. The Bible is clear said here. Only those who do not believe in the Lord’s words or cannot see clearly will have such a problem. In short, they are people who force their interpretation of the Bible.

It is clearly stated here why John only recorded eight miracles, because he believed that these miracles were sufficient to convince people that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that they can repent and have life. This is just as Jesus said, the purpose of studying 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.”(John 5:39-40) This is true for both Jews and Gentiles, especially Gentiles. The Bible records the incident of Cornelius more clearly (see Acts 10:1-48). Afterwards, Peter said to the Jews, “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.””(Acts 11:16-18)

This is what Paul is saying, “So then as through one (Adam) transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one (Jesus) act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.”(Romans 5:18-19) Jesus took away sin by obeying God. This is why we spent a lot of time in “1096 Yu Hongjie’s Discipleship of Newcomers – Unbiblical Places (1)” to explain that the definition of sin is disobedience to God. Please go to the website “https://a-christian-voice.com/” and click on “Understanding of Spiritual Life” to find this article.

(Verses refer to those in NASB95 unless otherwise specified.)

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

3137 耶稣钉十字架和明显的矛盾 – 约(19)1-42 (旋风著)

    首先,我们看耶稣在彼拉多和希律前受的戏弄,并指出和讨论了一个明显的矛盾,看到了圣经的无误不是指字句上的,而是指神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的,不要自己骗自己的说慌。第二,我们看看彼拉多原先是要做不是死刑的审判,并指出和讨论了另一个明显的矛盾。第三,我们叙述了彼拉多交耶稣给犹太人钉十字架的过程。第四,我们描述了耶稣钉十字架的详情。第五,从耶稣在十字架上托付母亲给约翰的这事,看到祂也尽了人间该有的义务,做了我们的榜样,并看到了祂的死开始了救恩,一直要到祂复活,救恩的计划才能全部完成。第六,我们看到旧约的预言,耶稣的骨头一根也不可折断,是如何成就的。最后,我们简单的提到耶稣的安葬和复活,到复活时救恩的计划就全部完成了。

1. 戏弄耶稣和一个明显的矛盾          

    『当下彼拉多将耶稣鞭打了。兵丁用荆棘编作冠冕戴在他头上,给他穿上紫袍(G4210),又挨近他说:「恭喜犹太人的王啊!」他们就用手掌打他。』(约翰福音 19:1-3)    

    我们分享过,在彼拉多审判耶稣的中间曾送祂到希律那儿,所以祂不仅是遭到彼拉多的兵丁戏弄,也遭到希律和他的兵丁戏弄,就像经文所说,『希律和他的兵丁就藐视耶稣,戏弄他,给他穿上华丽衣服,把他送回彼拉多那里去。』(路加福音 23:11) 所以耶稣受彼拉多的兵丁戏弄这事,在其他的三本福音书都有记载,而这里只记载了,其他三本福音书没有的耶稣在希律处受了戏弄。简言之,耶稣被捕后受戏弄这事,四本福音书都有记载。           

    在马太福音是这样说,『巡抚的兵就把耶稣带进衙门,叫全营的兵都聚集在他那里。他们给他脱了衣服,穿上一件朱红色(G2847)袍子;用荆棘编作冠冕,戴在他头上;拿一根苇子放在他右手里,跪在他面前,戏弄他说:「恭喜,犹太人的王啊!」又吐唾沫在他脸上,拿苇子打他的头。戏弄完了,就给他脱了袍子,仍穿上他自己的衣服,带他出去,要钉十字架。』(马太福音 27:27-31)           

    在马可福音这样的记载著,『兵丁把耶稣带进衙门院里,叫齐了全营的兵。他们给他穿上紫袍,又用荆棘编作冠冕给他戴上,就庆贺他说:「恭喜,犹太人的王啊!」又拿一根苇子打他的头,吐唾沫在他脸上,屈膝拜他。戏弄完了,就给他脱了紫(G4210)袍,仍穿上他自己的衣服,带他出去,要钉十字架。』(马可福音 15:16-20)           

    如果我们比较马太福音用的是朱红色袍子,而马可福音和约翰福音用的是紫袍,就可以看到有明显的矛盾。如果我们真正相信圣经是神所默示的,就不会认为这是圣经的错误,而会想到神为什么要这样默示明显的矛盾?我们也显然的看到了圣经的无误不是指字句上的,而是神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的。当我们不把圣经的话打折扣时,自然会看到神默示这明显的矛盾是为什么?我们以前在『2111 圣经无误论的真谛』中详细的讨论到过这点,请到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』的网站后,按『对属灵生命的了解』,找到这篇文章。谢谢。     

    在认为圣经是在字句上无误的教会中,说没有明显的矛盾是自己在欺骗自己,是在说谎,而『…魔鬼…本来是说谎的,也是说谎之人的父。』(约翰福音 8:44) 也就是说这样的教会在认贼作父。相对起来,大卫不过是『…藐视耶和华的命令,行他眼中看为恶的事呢?你借亚扪人的刀杀害赫人乌利亚,又娶了他的妻为妻。』(撒母耳记下 12:9) 就『…叫耶和华的仇敌大得亵渎的机会,…』撒母耳记下 12:14) 这样的认贼作父,不是更使神有被撒但大得亵渎的机会吗?而且也会如彼得所说般的去强解圣经,『…我们所亲爱的兄弟保罗,照著所赐给他的智慧写了信给你们。他一切的信上也都是讲论这事。信中有些难明白的,那无学问、不坚固的人强解,如强解别的经书一样,就自取沉沦。』(彼得后书 3:15-16)     

    在这里我们会注意到,不论朱红或是紫色,都是尊贵的颜色,甚至紫色为王所用,『…米甸王所戴的月环、耳坠和所穿的紫色衣服,…』(士师记 8:26)  所以虽然兵丁是在戏弄耶稣,却是真正的跪下了,在把祂当作王般的在戏弄,这不就是符合祂所说的,『….你(彼拉多)说我是王,我为此而生,也为此来到世间,特为给真理作见证。凡属真理的人就听我的话。』(约翰福音 18:37) 那戏弄祂的人显然是不属于真理的人。

2. 彼拉多原先要做的审判和又一个明显的矛盾

    『彼拉多又出来对众人说:「我带他出来见你们,叫你们知道我查不出他有甚么罪来。」耶稣出来,戴著荆棘冠冕,穿著紫袍(G4210)。彼拉多对他们说:「你们看这个人!」祭司长和差役看见他,就喊著说:「钉他十字架!钉他十字架!」 彼拉多说:「你们自己把他钉十字架吧!我查不出他有甚么罪来。」犹太人回答说:「我们有律法,按那律法,他是该死的!因他以自己为神的儿子。」彼拉多听见这话,越发害怕。又进衙门,对耶稣说:「你是哪里来的?」耶稣却不回答。彼拉多说:「你不对我说话吗?你岂不知我有权柄释放你,也有权柄把你钉十字架吗?」耶稣回答说:「若不是从上头赐给你的,你就毫无权柄办我,所以把我交给你的那人,罪更重了。」从此彼拉多想要释放耶稣,无奈犹太人喊著说:「你若释放这个人,就不是凯撒的忠臣。凡以自己为王的,就是背叛凯撒了。」』(约翰福音 19:4-12)           

    既然彼拉多查不出耶稣有什么罪,因此彼拉多原先的意思是,『…我要责打他,把他释放了。』(路加福音 23:16) 这里的经文很清楚的说明犹太是如何的鼓动他,也看见了他实在是很想释放耶稣,『巡抚原知道,他们是因为嫉妒才把他解了来。』(马太福音 27:18) 尤其是他们说了犹太人的律法,更使他心中害怕,只是耶稣的时间到了,即使祂是神的儿子,他也可以钉祂十字架。所以这里的上头不光是指罗马行政的权柄,而且是指神要完成救恩必须允许撒但这样做,犹如约伯记起头所叙述的。在这里我们也看到了,犹太人守字句上的律法会是多么可怕!所以当耶稣说,『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 5:18) 这是说要守律法的真谛,就像耶稣给我们做的榜样一样,祂守的是安息日的真谛,并不是守律法上安息的时间,而顺服圣灵就会自动的守了律法的真谛。           

    在这里我们又看见了一个明显的矛盾,在马太福音和马可福音说,『戏弄完了,就给他脱了袍子,仍穿上他自己的衣服,带他出去,要钉十字架。』(马太福音 27:31)  及『戏弄完了,就给他脱了紫袍,仍穿上他自己的衣服,带他出去,要钉十字架。』(马可福音 15:20) 然而约翰福音却说,『耶稣出来,戴著荆棘冠冕,穿著紫袍。彼拉多对他们说:「你们看这个人!」』(约翰福音 19:5) 有人就可能会问,到底祂出来时穿什么样的衣服?这明显的矛盾是要我们注意到,约翰是唯一经过整个过程的人,约翰福音又是最后写的,就更正了原先错误的记载,这也说明了默示这明显矛盾的原因。有一点你可能注意到,明显的矛盾通常会是这么容易看到,而且常是在不重要的地方,就像现在说的是耶稣到底穿什么衣服出来,实在是不重要,但会因这明显的矛盾使我们注意到该注意的事情!

3. 彼拉多交耶稣给犹太人钉十字架          

    『彼拉多听见这话,就带耶稣出来,到了一个地方,名叫铺华石处,希伯来话叫厄巴大,就在那里坐堂。那日是预备逾越节的日子。约有午正,彼拉多对犹太人说:「看哪,这是你们的王!」他们喊著说:「除掉他!除掉他!钉他在十字架上!」 彼拉多说:「我可以把你们的王钉十字架吗?」 祭司长回答说:「除了凯撒,我们没有王!」于是,彼拉多将耶稣交给他们去钉十字架。』(约翰福音 19:13-16)         

    『正坐堂的时候,他的夫人打发人来说:「这义人的事你一点不可管,因为我今天在梦中为他受了许多的苦。」』(马太福音 27:18-19)   即使如此,『他们大声催逼彼拉多,求他把耶稣钉在十字架上。他们的声音就得了胜。』(路加福音 23:23)     

    最后是『彼拉多见说也无济于事,反要生乱,就拿水在众人面前洗手,说:「流这义人的血,罪不在我,你们承当吧!」众人都回答说:「他的血归到我们和我们的子孙身上。」于是彼拉多释放巴拉巴给他们,把耶稣鞭打了,交给人钉十字架。』(马太福音 27:24-26) 彼拉多洗手了,但洗不了他的罪,因他还是昧著良心做了这样的决定!

4. 耶稣钉十字架的详情          

    『他们就把耶稣带了去。耶稣背著自己的十字架出来,到了一个地方,名叫髑髅地,希伯来话叫各各他。他们就在那里钉他在十字架上,还有两个人和他一同钉著,一边一个,耶稣在中间。彼拉多又用牌子写了一个名号,安在十字架上,写的是:「犹太人的王,拿撒勒人耶稣。」有许多犹太人念这名号,因为耶稣被钉十字架的地方,与城相近,并且是用希伯来、罗马、希腊三样文字写的。犹太人的祭司长就对彼拉多说:「不要写『犹太人的王』,要写『他自己说我是犹太人的王』。」彼拉多说:「我所写的,我已经写上了。」兵丁既然将耶稣钉在十字架上,就拿他的衣服分为四份,每兵一份;又拿他的里衣,这件里衣原来没有缝儿,是上下一片织成的。他们就彼此说:「我们不要撕开,只要拈阄,看谁得著。」 这要应验经上的话说:「他们分了我的外衣,为我的里衣拈阄。」 兵丁果然做了这事。』(约翰福音 19:17-24)          

    耶稣是刚开始时自己背的十字架,后来是古利奈人西门背的 (参马太福音 27:32, 路加福音 23:26),最后在髑髅地(各各他)钉了十字架。和祂同钉的是两个强盗,我们以前在『2084 耶稣钉十字架的过程和升到乐园的强盗 -耶稣(36)』中的 『5. 一个犯人没有受洗而升到乐园』,讨论过当时的情景,请到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』的网站后,按『对属灵生命的了解』,找到这篇文章。           

    我们看到彼拉多虽是昧者良心钉耶稣于十字架,但由牌子写的名号看来,他是用三种文字写『犹太人的王』,他是相当容易重写的,但他没这样做,他该是深怕别人不知道,犹太人是选择了钉死自己的王,实在是极尽讽剌!至于兵丁所作分里衣的事是非常合理的决定,但旧约的预言就因此而成就了,就是『他们分我的外衣,为我的里衣拈阄。』(诗篇 22:18)

5. 托付母亲给约翰及救恩成了          

    『站在耶稣十字架旁边的,有他母亲(G3384)与他母亲的姊妹,并革罗罢的妻子马利亚和抹大拉的马利亚。耶稣见母亲和他所爱的那门徒(约翰)站在旁边,就对他母亲说:「母亲(G1135, 妇人),看,你的儿子!」又对那门徒说:「看,你的母亲(G3384)!」从此那门徒就接她到自己家里去了。这事以后,耶稣知道各样的事已经成了,为要使经上的话应验,就说:「我渴了。」有一个器皿盛满了醋,放在那里,他们就拿海绒蘸满了醋,绑在牛膝草上,送到他口。耶稣尝了那醋,就说:「成了!」便低下头,将灵(魂)交付神了。』(约翰福音 19:25-30)          

    我们看到约翰是在十字架前和进衙门的唯一使徒,也看到了耶稣托付祂的母亲给约翰,尽了在人世间该尽的孝道。神说:『当孝敬父母』,…』(马太福音 15:4) 请注意,圣经都是用孝敬这辞,而从没说到要守中国式的孝顺。在这里,祂做了我们的榜样,但祂很清楚的知道,她不是祂在天上的母亲,因为祂特别用了妇人(G1135)这字,对约翰时则是说母亲。     

    关于救恩的成就的这事,我们以前讨论过,『耶稣被交给人,是为我们的过犯;复活,是为叫我们称义。』(罗马书 4:25) 所以在祂复活后,救恩的计划才全部完成了。           

    祂真是『…为我们的过犯受害,为我们的罪孽压伤。因他受的刑罚,我们得平安;因他受的鞭伤,我们得医治。』(以赛亚书 53:5) 祂已经为我们受了刑罸,钉上了十字架,我们能得到属灵和属世上的平安。而祂已为我们受了鞭伤,我们能确定我们在属灵上已经得了医治,但事实上不是每次属世上的病都得医治,三位一体的神不会骗我们,所以这是指属灵上的医治。至于属世的病有时会得医治,这是展示了祂有绝对的主权,不要自己骗自己,以为祂已受了鞭伤,我们在世上的病就一定会得医治。

6. 耶稣的骨头一根也不可折断          

    『犹太人因这日是预备日,又因那安息日是个大日,就求彼拉多叫人打断他们的腿,把他们拿去,免得尸首当安息日留在十字架上。于是兵丁来,把头一个人的腿,并与耶稣同钉第二个人的腿都打断了。只是来到耶稣那里,见他已经死了,就不打断他的腿。惟有一个兵拿枪扎他的肋旁,随即有血和水流出来。看见这事的那人就作见证,他的见证也是真的,并且他知道自己所说的是真的,叫你们也可以信。这些事成了,为要应验经上的话说:「他的骨头一根也不可折断。」经上又有一句说:「他们要仰望自己所扎的人。」』(约翰福音 19:31-37)           

    这是指在逾越节时,『…羊羔的骨头一根也不可折断。』(出埃及记 12:46) 因为耶稣是真正逾越节的羔羊,就如经文所说,『何况基督借著永远的灵,将自己无瑕无疵献给神,他的血岂不更能洗净你们的心,除去你们的死行,使你们事奉那永生神吗?』(希伯来书 9:14)  在这里明说了祂的腿不被打断的原因。至于仰望所扎的人是在说这经文,『我必将那施恩叫人恳求的灵,浇灌大卫家和耶路撒冷的居民。他们必仰望我,就是他们所扎的;…』(撒迦利亚书 12:10)           

    最后我们看到,『这借著水和血而来的,就是耶稣基督;不是单用水,乃是用水又用血,并且有圣灵作见证,因为圣灵就是真理。作见证的原来有三:就是圣灵、水与血,这三样也都归于一。』(约翰一书 5:6-8) 这不就是这样吗?经文说,『惟有一个兵拿枪扎他的肋旁,随即有血和水流出来。』(约翰福音 19:34)     

    其实我们也可看到神借著圣经告诉我们是一致的一个例子。为什么呢?耶稣当时的体力一定是非常的虚弱,要不然,罗马的兵丁不会勉强古利奈人西门帮祂背十字架。另一方面,兵丁应该是不期望祂已死了,因为他们打断了两个还没有死的强盗的腿。但为了要确定祂已死,就扎了祂的肋旁,才会有血和水流出来。很显然,祂的衰弱体力造成了祂已死的事实,所以全部的描述都是一致的。

7. 耶稣的安葬和复活       

    『这些事以后,有亚利马太人约瑟,是耶稣的门徒,只因怕犹太人,就暗暗地作门徒。他来求彼拉多,要把耶稣的身体领去。彼拉多允准,他就把耶稣的身体领去了。又有尼哥德慕,就是先前夜里去见耶稣的,带著没药和沉香约有一百斤前来。他们就照犹太人殡葬的规矩,把耶稣的身体用细麻布加上香料裹好了。在耶稣钉十字架的地方有一个园子,园子里有一座新坟墓,是从来没有葬过人的。只因是犹太人的预备日,又因那坟墓近,他们就把耶稣安放在那里。』(约翰福音 19:38-42)           

    这里说到暗暗作门徒的至少有两人,亚利马太人约瑟和尼哥德慕(尼哥底母),他们在耶稣死后,反而有极大的勇气表明了门徒的身份。我们又看见祂的坟地所在好像是巧合,但一切早就安排好了,应验了先知在旧约指著祂说的话,『他虽然未行强暴,口中也没有诡诈,人还使他与恶人同埋;谁知死的时候与财主同葬。』(以赛亚书 53:9)   祂的坟墓是在约瑟『…自己的新坟墓里,就是他凿在磐石里的。他又把大石头滚到墓门口,就去了。』(马太福音 27:59-60)  不是财主那会事先准备好这样的新坟墓呢?     

    祂也在这坟墓中死而复活,就如经文所说,『安息日将尽,七日的头一日,天快亮的时候,抹大拉的马利亚和那个马利亚来看坟墓。忽然,地大震动,因为有主的使者从天上下来,把石头滚开,坐在上面。…天使对妇女说:「不要害怕!我知道你们是寻找那钉十字架的耶稣。他不在这里,照他所说的,已经复活了。你们来看安放主的地方。』(马太福音 28:1-6) 救恩的计划在祂死而复活后全部完成了。

(经文除了特别注明外,是基于和合本。)

(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』。)  

2137 耶穌釘十字架和明顯的矛盾 – 約(19)1-42 (旋風著)

    首先,我們看耶穌在彼拉多和希律前受的戲弄,並指出和討論了一個明顯的矛盾,看到了聖經的無誤不是指字句上的,而是指神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的,不要自己騙自己的說慌。第二,我們看看彼拉多原先是要做不是死刑的審判,並指出和討論了另一個明顯的矛盾。第三,我們敍述了彼拉多交耶穌給猶太人釘十字架的過程。第四,我們描述了耶穌釘十字架的詳情。第五,從耶穌在十字架上托付母親給約翰的這事,看到祂也盡了人間該有的義務,做了我們的榜樣,並看到了祂的死開始了救恩,一直要到祂復活,救恩的計劃才能全部完成。第六,我們看到舊約的預言,耶穌的骨頭一根也不可折斷,是如何成就的。最後,我們簡單的提到耶穌的安葬和復活,到復活時救恩的計劃就全部完成了。

1. 戲弄耶穌和一個明顯的矛盾

          『當下彼拉多將耶穌鞭打了。兵丁用荊棘編作冠冕戴在他頭上,給他穿上紫袍(G4210),又挨近他說:「恭喜猶太人的王啊!」他們就用手掌打他。』(約翰福音 19:1-3)

     我們分享過,在彼拉多審判耶穌的中間曾送祂到希律那兒,所以祂不僅是遭到彼拉多的兵丁戲弄,也遭到希律和他的兵丁戲弄,就像經文所說,『希律和他的兵丁就藐視耶穌,戲弄他,給他穿上華麗衣服,把他送回彼拉多那裏去。』(路加福音 23:11) 所以耶穌受彼拉多的兵丁戲弄這事,在其他的三本福音書都有記載,而這裏只記載了,其他三本福音書沒有的耶穌在希律處受了戲弄。簡言之,耶穌被捕後受戲弄這事,四本福音書都有記載。

           在馬太福音是這樣說,『巡撫的兵就把耶穌帶進衙門,叫全營的兵都聚集在他那裏。他們給他脫了衣服,穿上一件朱紅色(G2847)袍子;用荊棘編作冠冕,戴在他頭上;拿一根葦子放在他右手裏,跪在他面前,戲弄他說:「恭喜,猶太人的王啊!」又吐唾沫在他臉上,拿葦子打他的頭。戲弄完了,就給他脫了袍子,仍穿上他自己的衣服,帶他出去,要釘十字架。』(馬太福音 27:27-31)

           在馬可福音這樣的記載著,『兵丁把耶穌帶進衙門院裏,叫齊了全營的兵。他們給他穿上紫袍,又用荊棘編作冠冕給他戴上,就慶賀他說:「恭喜,猶太人的王啊!」又拿一根葦子打他的頭,吐唾沫在他臉上,屈膝拜他。戲弄完了,就給他脫了紫(G4210)袍,仍穿上他自己的衣服,帶他出去,要釘十字架。』(馬可福音 15:16-20)

           如果我們比較馬太福音用的是朱紅色袍子,而馬可福音和約翰福音用的是紫袍,就可以看到有明顯的矛盾。如果我們真正相信聖經是神所默示的,就不會認為這是聖經的錯誤,而會想到神為什麼要這樣默示明顯的矛盾?我們也顯然的看到了聖經的無誤不是指字句上的,而是神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的。當我們不把聖經的話打折扣時,自然會看到神默示這明顯的矛盾是為什麼?我們以前在『2111 聖經無誤論的真諦』中詳細的討論到過這點,請到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』的網站後,按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』,找到這篇文章。謝謝。

     在認為聖經是在字句上無誤的教會中,說沒有明顯的矛盾是自己在欺騙自己,是在說謊,而『…魔鬼…本來是說謊的,也是說謊之人的父。』(約翰福音 8:44) 也就是說這樣的教會在認賊作父。相對起來,大衞不過是『…藐視耶和華的命令,行他眼中看為惡的事呢?你借亞捫人的刀殺害赫人烏利亞,又娶了他的妻為妻。』(撒母耳記下 12:9) 就『…叫耶和華的仇敵大得褻瀆的機會,…』撒母耳記下 12:14) 這樣的認賊作父,不是更使神有被撒但大得褻瀆的機會嗎?而且也會如彼得所說般的去強解聖經,『…我們所親愛的兄弟保羅,照着所賜給他的智慧寫了信給你們。他一切的信上也都是講論這事。信中有些難明白的,那無學問、不堅固的人強解,如強解別的經書一樣,就自取沉淪。』(彼得後書 3:15-16)

     在這裏我們會注意到,不論朱紅或是紫色,都是尊貴的顏色,甚至紫色為王所用,『…米甸王所戴的月環、耳墜和所穿的紫色衣服,…』(士師記 8:26)  所以雖然兵丁是在戲弄耶穌,卻是真正的跪下了,在把祂當作王般的在戲弄,這不就是符合祂所說的,『….你(彼拉多)說我是王,我為此而生,也為此來到世間,特為給真理作見證。凡屬真理的人就聽我的話。』(約翰福音 18:37) 那戲弄祂的人顯然是不屬於真理的人。

2. 彼拉多原先要做的審判和又一個明顯的矛盾

          『彼拉多又出來對眾人說:「我帶他出來見你們,叫你們知道我查不出他有甚麼罪來。」耶穌出來,戴着荊棘冠冕,穿着紫袍(G4210)。彼拉多對他們說:「你們看這個人!」祭司長和差役看見他,就喊着說:「釘他十字架!釘他十字架!」 彼拉多說:「你們自己把他釘十字架吧!我查不出他有甚麼罪來。」猶太人回答說:「我們有律法,按那律法,他是該死的!因他以自己為神的兒子。」彼拉多聽見這話,越發害怕。又進衙門,對耶穌說:「你是哪裏來的?」耶穌卻不回答。彼拉多說:「你不對我說話嗎?你豈不知我有權柄釋放你,也有權柄把你釘十字架嗎?」耶穌回答說:「若不是從上頭賜給你的,你就毫無權柄辦我,所以把我交給你的那人,罪更重了。」從此彼拉多想要釋放耶穌,無奈猶太人喊着說:「你若釋放這個人,就不是凱撒的忠臣。凡以自己為王的,就是背叛凱撒了。」』(約翰福音 19:4-12)

           既然彼拉多查不出耶穌有什麼罪,因此彼拉多原先的意思是,『…我要責打他,把他釋放了。』(路加福音 23:16) 這裏的經文很清楚的說明猶太是如何的鼓動他,也看見了他實在是很想釋放耶穌,『巡撫原知道,他們是因為嫉妒才把他解了來。』(馬太福音 27:18) 尤其是他們說了猶太人的律法,更使他心中害怕,只是耶穌的時間到了,即使祂是神的兒子,他也可以釘祂十字架。所以這裏的上頭不光是指羅馬行政的權柄,而且是指神要完成救恩必須允許撒但這樣做,猶如約伯記起頭所敍述的。在這裏我們也看到了,猶太人守字句上的律法會是多麼可怕!所以當耶穌說,『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 5:18) 這是說要守律法的真諦,就像耶穌給我們做的榜樣一樣,祂守的是安息日的真諦,並不是守律法上安息的時間,而順服聖靈就會自動的守了律法的真諦。

           在這裏我們又看見了一個明顯的矛盾,在馬太福音和馬可福音說,『戲弄完了,就給他脫了袍子,仍穿上他自己的衣服,帶他出去,要釘十字架。』(馬太福音 27:31)  及『戲弄完了,就給他脫了紫袍,仍穿上他自己的衣服,帶他出去,要釘十字架。』(馬可福音 15:20) 然而約翰福音卻說,『耶穌出來,戴着荊棘冠冕,穿着紫袍。彼拉多對他們說:「你們看這個人!」』(約翰福音 19:5) 有人就可能會問,到底祂出來時穿什麼樣的衣服?這明顯的矛盾是要我們注意到,約翰是唯一經過整個過程的人,約翰福音又是最後寫的,就更正了原先錯誤的記載,這也說明了默示這明顯矛盾的原因。有一點你可能注意到,明顯的矛盾通常會是這麼容易看到,而且常是在不重要的地方,就像現在說的是耶穌到底穿什麼衣服出來,實在是不重要,但會因這明顯的矛盾使我們注意到該注意的事情! 

3. 彼拉多交耶穌給猶太人釘十字架

          『彼拉多聽見這話,就帶耶穌出來,到了一個地方,名叫鋪華石處,希伯來話叫厄巴大,就在那裏坐堂。那日是預備逾越節的日子。約有午正,彼拉多對猶太人說:「看哪,這是你們的王!」他們喊着說:「除掉他!除掉他!釘他在十字架上!」 彼拉多說:「我可以把你們的王釘十字架嗎?」 祭司長回答說:「除了凱撒,我們沒有王!」於是,彼拉多將耶穌交給他們去釘十字架。』(約翰福音 19:13-16)

         『正坐堂的時候,他的夫人打發人來說:「這義人的事你一點不可管,因為我今天在夢中為他受了許多的苦。」』(馬太福音 27:18-19)   即使如此,『他們大聲催逼彼拉多,求他把耶穌釘在十字架上。他們的聲音就得了勝。』(路加福音 23:23)

     最後是『彼拉多見說也無濟於事,反要生亂,就拿水在眾人面前洗手,說:「流這義人的血,罪不在我,你們承當吧!」眾人都回答說:「他的血歸到我們和我們的子孫身上。」於是彼拉多釋放巴拉巴給他們,把耶穌鞭打了,交給人釘十字架。』(馬太福音 27:24-26) 彼拉多洗手了,但洗不了他的罪,因他還是昧著良心做了這樣的決定!

4. 耶穌釘十字架的詳情

          『他們就把耶穌帶了去。耶穌背着自己的十字架出來,到了一個地方,名叫髑髏地,希伯來話叫各各他。他們就在那裏釘他在十字架上,還有兩個人和他一同釘着,一邊一個,耶穌在中間。彼拉多又用牌子寫了一個名號,安在十字架上,寫的是:「猶太人的王,拿撒勒人耶穌。」有許多猶太人念這名號,因為耶穌被釘十字架的地方,與城相近,並且是用希伯來、羅馬、希臘三樣文字寫的。猶太人的祭司長就對彼拉多說:「不要寫『猶太人的王』,要寫『他自己說我是猶太人的王』。」彼拉多說:「我所寫的,我已經寫上了。」兵丁既然將耶穌釘在十字架上,就拿他的衣服分為四份,每兵一份;又拿他的裏衣,這件裏衣原來沒有縫兒,是上下一片織成的。他們就彼此說:「我們不要撕開,只要拈鬮,看誰得着。」 這要應驗經上的話說:「他們分了我的外衣,為我的裏衣拈鬮。」 兵丁果然做了這事。』(約翰福音 19:17-24)

          耶穌是剛開始時自己背的十字架,後來是古利奈人西門背的 (參馬太福音 27:32, 路加福音 23:26),最後在髑髏地(各各他)釘了十字架。和祂同釘的是兩個強盜,我們以前在『2084 耶穌釘十字架的過程和升到樂園的強盜 -耶穌(36)』中的 『5. 一個犯人沒有受洗而升到樂園』,討論過當時的情景,請到『 https://a-christian-voice.com/ 』的網站後,按『對屬靈生命的瞭解』,找到這篇文章。

           我們看到彼拉多雖是昧者良心釘耶穌於十字架,但由牌子寫的名號看來,他是用三種文字寫『猶太人的王』,他是相當容易重寫的,但他沒這樣做,他該是深怕別人不知道,猶太人是選擇了釘死自己的王,實在是極盡諷剌!至於兵丁所作分裏衣的事是非常合理的決定,但舊約的預言就因此而成就了,就是『他們分我的外衣,為我的裏衣拈鬮。』(詩篇 22:18)

5. 托付母親給約翰及救恩成了

          『站在耶穌十字架旁邊的,有他母親(G3384)與他母親的姊妹,並革羅罷的妻子馬利亞和抹大拉的馬利亞。耶穌見母親和他所愛的那門徒(約翰)站在旁邊,就對他母親說:「母親(G1135, 婦人),看,你的兒子!」又對那門徒說:「看,你的母親(G3384)!」從此那門徒就接她到自己家裏去了。這事以後,耶穌知道各樣的事已經成了,為要使經上的話應驗,就說:「我渴了。」有一個器皿盛滿了醋,放在那裏,他們就拿海絨蘸滿了醋,綁在牛膝草上,送到他口。耶穌嘗了那醋,就說:「成了!」便低下頭,將靈(魂)交付神了。』(約翰福音 19:25-30)

          我們看到約翰是在十字架前和進衙門的唯一使徒,也看到了耶穌託付祂的母親給約翰,盡了在人世間該盡的孝道。神說:『當孝敬父母』,…』(馬太福音 15:4) 請注意,聖經都是用孝敬這辭,而從沒說到要守中國式的孝順。在這裏,祂做了我們的榜樣,但祂很清楚的知道,她不是祂在天上的母親,因為祂特別用了婦人(G1135)這字,對約翰時則是說母親。

     關於救恩的成就的這事,我們以前討論過,『耶穌被交給人,是為我們的過犯;復活,是為叫我們稱義。』(羅馬書 4:25) 所以在祂復活後,救恩的計劃才全部完成了。

           祂真是『…為我們的過犯受害,為我們的罪孽壓傷。因他受的刑罰,我們得平安;因他受的鞭傷,我們得醫治。』(以賽亞書 53:5) 祂已經為我們受了刑罸,釘上了十字架,我們能得到屬靈和屬世上的平安。而祂已為我們受了鞭傷,我們能確定我們在屬靈上已經得了醫治,但事實上不是每次屬世上的病都得醫治,三位一體的神不會騙我們,所以這是指屬靈上的醫治。至於屬世的病有時會得醫治,這是展示了祂有絕對的主權,不要自己騙自己,以為祂已受了鞭傷,我們在世上的病就一定會得醫治。

6. 耶穌的骨頭一根也不可折斷

          『猶太人因這日是預備日,又因那安息日是個大日,就求彼拉多叫人打斷他們的腿,把他們拿去,免得屍首當安息日留在十字架上。於是兵丁來,把頭一個人的腿,並與耶穌同釘第二個人的腿都打斷了。只是來到耶穌那裏,見他已經死了,就不打斷他的腿。惟有一個兵拿槍扎他的肋旁,隨即有血和水流出來。看見這事的那人就作見證,他的見證也是真的,並且他知道自己所說的是真的,叫你們也可以信。這些事成了,為要應驗經上的話說:「他的骨頭一根也不可折斷。」經上又有一句說:「他們要仰望自己所扎的人。」』(約翰福音 19:31-37)

           這是指在逾越節時,『…羊羔的骨頭一根也不可折斷。』(出埃及記 12:46) 因為耶穌是真正逾越節的羔羊,就如經文所說,『何況基督藉着永遠的靈,將自己無瑕無疵獻給神,他的血豈不更能洗淨你們的心,除去你們的死行,使你們事奉那永生神嗎?』(希伯來書 9:14)  在這裏明說了祂的腿不被打斷的原因。至於仰望所扎的人是在說這經文,『我必將那施恩叫人懇求的靈,澆灌大衞家和耶路撒冷的居民。他們必仰望我,就是他們所扎的;…』(撒迦利亞書 12:10)

           最後我們看到,『這藉着水和血而來的,就是耶穌基督;不是單用水,乃是用水又用血,並且有聖靈作見證,因為聖靈就是真理。作見證的原來有三:就是聖靈、水與血,這三樣也都歸於一。』(約翰一書 5:6-8) 這不就是這樣嗎?經文說,『惟有一個兵拿槍扎他的肋旁,隨即有血和水流出來。』(約翰福音 19:34)

     其實我們也可看到神藉著聖經告訴我們是一致的一個例子。為什麼呢?耶穌當時的體力一定是非常的虛弱,要不然,羅馬的兵丁不會勉強古利奈人西門幫祂背十字架。另一方面,兵丁應該是不期望祂已死了,因為他們打斷了兩個還沒有死的強盜的腿。但為了要確定祂已死,就扎了祂的肋旁,才會有血和水流出來。很顯然,祂的衰弱體力造成了祂已死的事實,所以全部的描述都是一致的。

7. 耶穌的安葬和復活

       『這些事以後,有亞利馬太人約瑟,是耶穌的門徒,只因怕猶太人,就暗暗地作門徒。他來求彼拉多,要把耶穌的身體領去。彼拉多允准,他就把耶穌的身體領去了。又有尼哥德慕,就是先前夜裏去見耶穌的,帶着沒藥和沉香約有一百斤前來。他們就照猶太人殯葬的規矩,把耶穌的身體用細麻布加上香料裹好了。在耶穌釘十字架的地方有一個園子,園子裏有一座新墳墓,是從來沒有葬過人的。只因是猶太人的預備日,又因那墳墓近,他們就把耶穌安放在那裏。』(約翰福音 19:38-42)

           這裏說到暗暗作門徒的至少有兩人,亞利馬太人約瑟和尼哥德慕(尼哥底母),他們在耶穌死後,反而有極大的勇氣表明了門徒的身份。我們又看見祂的墳地所在好像是巧合,但一切早就安排好了,應驗了先知在舊約指著祂說的話,『他雖然未行強暴,口中也沒有詭詐,人還使他與惡人同埋;誰知死的時候與財主同葬。』(以賽亞書 53:9)   祂的墳墓是在約瑟『…自己的新墳墓裏,就是他鑿在磐石裏的。他又把大石頭滾到墓門口,就去了。』(馬太福音 27:59-60)  不是財主那會事先準備好這樣的新墳墓呢?

     祂也在這墳墓中死而復活,就如經文所說,『安息日將盡,七日的頭一日,天快亮的時候,抹大拉的馬利亞和那個馬利亞來看墳墓。忽然,地大震動,因為有主的使者從天上下來,把石頭滾開,坐在上面。…天使對婦女說:「不要害怕!我知道你們是尋找那釘十字架的耶穌。他不在這裏,照他所說的,已經復活了。你們來看安放主的地方。』(馬太福音 28:1-6) 救恩的計劃在祂死而復活後全部完成了。

(經文除了特別註明外,是基於和合本。)

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