In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of spiritual life in understanding the Word of God. They explain that our understanding of the Bible is directly related to our spiritual growth. The speaker also highlights the significance of the final mention of a particular matter in the Bible, stating that it often holds the key to understanding all that has been said about it before. They urge the listeners to seek spiritual increase and to judge everything by its contribution to the ultimate purpose of God. The sermon concludes with a suggestion to read the first three chapters of the Prophet Ezekiel for further study.

We are going to occupy the first part of this morning with preparation for what we are going to consider later. 今天早晨第一堂,我們先來做一點預備的工作,為著我們以後所要看的事。 And I want to speak now about some principles of Biblical interpretation. 我現在願意說到一點聖經解釋的原則。 It is very important for us to be able to know how the Bible is to be interpreted. 我們若知道如何解釋聖經,這是非常重要的。 And this will be especially seen in what we have to consider later on. 在我們以後的日子中所要看的事,這個點是非常重要。 Unless we do understand these principles of the interpretation of the Bible, the Bible is not an open book. 除非我們曉得如何解釋聖經的原則,聖經向著我們就不能開啟。 We may know what is in the book as a book. 我們僅僅只能知道聖經裡所記載的,而得不出它的意義。 But we do not understand it until we have the principles of interpretation. 除非我們懂得解釋聖經的原則,我們就沒有辦法表達聖經。 So I ask you to try and remember what I am going to say now. 所以我就請大家盡力地記得我現在說的,and bring it over into our later study. 應該在我們以後的日子中來察看的時候要應用這些原則。 The first principle of the interpretation of the Bible is the eternity of God. 解釋聖經的原則第一個是神的永遠性。 We must always remember that all time is present time with God. 我們必須一直記得任何的時間在神看來都是現在。 There is no past and future with God. 在神並沒有以往和將來。 All that is past and future with us has been present with God always. 神在我們身上那是以往和將來,而在神的身上總是現在。 At any moment in what is time to us, eternity is present with God. 神在我們身上是思念的問題,而在神的身上都是永遠的。 The architect always has the completed plan before him. 一個建築師在未建築之前都是先有一個完全計劃的圖樣。 If he is the designer of a ship, he has a model made of that ship before anything is done. 若是他是一隻船的設計者,在那一隻船未到之前他就會先造出一個模型。 He sees in the model the completed object. 他在那個模型身上就完全看見了他是要造出來的那個東西。 That is exactly how the thing will appear when it is finished. 當那個要造出來的東西造成的時候,剛剛好就和那個模型一樣一致。 If it is a great building, or even a city, it is the same. 就是一座的建築,房屋,或是一座的城池,院子都是如此。 The architect draws what we call a scale model. 這個建築師他就畫出一個模型的圖樣來。 And he sees in that model exactly how the building or the city will be when it is finished. 在那個模型圖樣上他就能看見那一座將要完成的建築和城池和那個模型一樣一致。 The builder works day by day according to that completed plan. 那些建築人一天一天都是照著那個完全的模型來進行建造。 Those who only see the part cannot understand and must not take the part as being the whole. 有的人只看見那個建築的一部分,他們就不能完全懂得那個建築全個的意思。 有的人只看見那個建築的一部分,他們就不能完全懂得那個建築全個的意思。 Sometimes when you look at the top of a building, you cannot for the life of you understand what it is going to be. 你有的時候只看見一個建築物的一部分,如果僅僅是這樣,你一生一世也不能曉得那個建築物到底是怎樣一回事。 It is only as the completed thing is seen that you can understand the part. 只有你把全部的建築物都看過了,你才懂得那一部分是什麼意思。 The Bible is just full of parts. 全部的聖經就是這樣,滿了一部分一部分。 But they are all the parts of something that God sees in completion. 但是這些部分都是神在祂的眼光中所看見的前部分的一部分。 God is the great architect. 神乃是那個偉大的建築師。 He has the completed and perfect plan before him, before he begins any work. 在他創造之前,在他的眼前已經有了一幅完全精美的圖樣。 God's eternity is in every part. 神的那個永遠性,在這個建築的工作上,每一部分都看得出來。 So we must realize that God has His full mind behind everything that He does. 所以我們必須記得,神在祂任何一部分的工作背後都有祂完全的觀念。 God's full intention governs everything that He does. 神這個完全的觀念支配了祂所做的一切事情。 So we must realize that God's mind never grows. 我們必須記得,神的這個觀念永遠不增進的,不增加的。 God Himself is incapable of development. 神自己是不能發展的。 Now I think I would like to say at this point. 我想在這一點上,我還應該這樣說。 If you do not understand anything that I say, and would like something more said about it, just put up your hands. 若是你們有人不懂得我在這裡剛才說的什麼,或者還要我多說一點,請舉手表示。 I do not want to just go on and leave you not understanding what I am saying. 我不願意你們不曉得,我把你們撇下了就一直往前講去。 You will have an opportunity in the second session tomorrow to ask questions. 到明天早晨第二堂的時候,有一個機會給你們可以來發問。 But I do want to be sure that as we go on, you know what I am talking about. 但我確實願意知道,當我們完全講的時候,你們真是知道我們講的是什麼。 So if you would like anything repeated, just put up your hand and I will say it again. 所以只要你們有什麼一點需要我重新說,舉手表示,我就要再說一次。 Now we continue. 我們再接著講。 The temporary form of anything contains the eternal and true thought of God. 一切事情,那個暫時的形狀,裡面都包括著那個永遠的,完全的觀念。 You must realize that there are always two meanings in anything that is in the Bible. 我們一直要記得,在聖經中,任何的事有兩面的意義。 There is the present meaning. 有現在的一個意義。 That is, how that applies to the present situation. 那就是說,這個意義並要應用在現在的局面上。 But there is also the future meaning. 它有將來的一個意義。 Everything in the Bible, while it has a present application, has a fuller meaning in the future. 在聖經中,每一件事,裡面都有現在應用的意義,還有一個將來的意義。 That is the first law of interpretation. 這就是解釋聖經的第一個法則。 It is the eternity of God. 這就是神的那個永遠性。 The second law of interpretation is the comprehensiveness of Christ. 解釋聖經的第二個法則,就是主耶穌的那個包含性。 Christ is the interpretation of all the Bible. 主耶穌乃是全部聖經的解釋。 To know Christ is to understand the Bible. 要曉得基督,就是能懂得聖經。 Men like Peter and Paul knew the Bible. 像彼得和保羅那種人,他們是曉得聖經的。 But they did not understand it until they knew the Lord Jesus. 但是除了他認識了主耶穌之後,他們實在說來還不懂得聖經什麼。 We first know the Lord Jesus. 我們第一要認識主耶穌。 And then we take him back into the Bible. 而後我們就把他帶回到聖經來。 And he is the interpretation of the Bible. 他就成了聖經的解釋。 Therefore we cannot really understand the Bible until we know the Lord Jesus. 所以除非等到我們認識了主耶穌,我們並不能真實的曉得聖經。 That results in this, that the Bible is really a person and not a book. 這個結果就是告訴我們說,聖經實在說來是一個人而不是一本書。 The Bible is a living person and not a dead letter. 聖經乃是一個活的人而不是一本死的書。 Because this person is inexhaustible, he makes the Bible inexhaustible. 因為這個人是無限量,所以他就使聖經也成為無限量的。 Now that is a more important principle that I have to realize. 這是你們大家也許能領會的一個最重要的原則。 It is possible to exhaust the Bible as a book. 你可能把聖經研究盡了。 We have known great Bible teachers. 我們有知道一些聖經偉大的學者。 Who went through the Bible teaching it again and again. 他們把聖經教導過多少多少遍。 But at the end of their lives, they were having difficulty in finding something fresh. 但是在他們一生活了,他們就感覺為難。 因為他們發現了在聖經中很新鮮的東西。 And they were only repeating again and again things that they had said in past years. 他們在一過的年日中,一代的一代的說他們所知道的事。 That is because they dealt with the Bible as a book. 那是因為他們僅僅把聖經當成一本書來研究。 That will never happen if you know the Lord Jesus. 但你如果認識了主耶穌,你絕不會這樣做吧。 And see the Bible in him and him in the Bible. 你就在他的裡頭看見了聖經,也在聖經裡面看見了他。 I repeat that the Lord Jesus can never be exhausted. 我願意重複地說,主耶穌是無限良力。 是其之不盡,永之不絕的。 As the Holy Spirit reveals the Lord Jesus to us, the Bible is always more alive. 但聖靈把主耶穌起死,對我們來說,聖經永遠是更活的一本書。 So we have our first two principles of interpretation. 所以我們在這裡就聊我們解釋聖經的兩個原則。 一是神的永遠性。 二是基督的包含性。 我們現在來看第三個原則。 聖經裡解釋的乃是聖靈。 我說過了,基督乃是聖經裡解釋。 我現在是說,聖靈乃是聖經裡解釋者。 我們在更多書裡頭,有一句話都是屬實的。 But I think we might just look at them again now. 我想現在要請大家再看一下。 First letter to the Corinthians. 哥倫多信書, Chapter 2, 第二章, And verse 13, 十三節, Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the spirit teaches, combining spiritual things with spiritual words. Now, I don't know whether you have marginal references in your Bible. Well, the more correct translation of those words is this. Interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men. Let us read the whole passage again in that way. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the spirit teaches, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men. Well, that's a very important statement. 這是很重要的一個說法。 And it definitely affirms the principle that we are now setting forth. 這就把我們剛才說的這個原則確定了。 The interpreter of the Bible is the Holy Spirit. 聖經裡解釋者,乃是聖靈。 First of all then, the Bible is the Holy Spirit's book. 所以最重要的一點就是聖經乃是聖靈的一本書。 The Bible is not firstly man's book. 聖經首要的一點並不是人的一本書。 It is not our book. 並不是我們的一本書。 We have not got the book. 我們並沒有得到這一本書。 We have got certain writings which are called scriptures. 我們不過是得到一些的字句、條文、成所、聖經而已。 But in truth, we do not possess the book. 實在說來,我們還沒有得有這一本書。 You remember the case of the Ethiopian Eunuch? 你大家還記得那個安提阿伯的太監? When Phileas came near to his chariot, he heard him reading. 當Phileas靠近他車的時候,他就聽見那個太監在那裏讀書。 He was reading the book at Isaiah 53. 他正是讀以撒亞五十三章。 Phileas said to him, understand this thou art thou reader? Phileas said to him, 你是讀我的,你曉得他的意思嗎? He said, how can I except someone explain? 他說,沒有人曉得解釋,我怎樣能明白? Well, here is a man who had the book in a certain sense. 這裡有一個人,在某種意義裏頭,他有了這本聖經的書。 But in a real and profitable sense, he did not possess the book. 但是在實際有益的意念來說,他還沒有得到這本書。 We can have the book as a value. 我們能夠得到這本書,就是一件事而已。 And yet we may not possess the book. 但是我們還可能一點也沒有得到這本書。 Because the Bible is the Holy Spirit's book first. 因為聖經首要的乃是聖靈的一本書。 The mind of man and the mind of the Spirit are two altogether different things. 人的頭腦和聖靈的頭腦完全是兩件不同的東西。 You know, there are many many Christians who do not recognize that. 有許多的基督徒並不承認這一件事。 There are many Bible teachers who do not recognize that. 也有好多叫聖經的人也不承認這件事。 And this is the cause of very much confusion. 這就使我們的問題發生了很多紊亂的情形。 And the reason for very much spiritual smallness and weakness. 這就是書靈是變得非常的小,也非常的軟弱。 I think this may lie at the bottom of most of the controversy. 這就是許多衝突矛盾的地方最深處的一個原因。 The Bible is a closed book to all but spiritual man. 除非對於書靈的人,聖經對任何人都是一本關閉的書。 This is the principle that the Lord Jesus said before Nicodemus. 這就是主耶穌對一個地母所說的話的一個原則。 You must be born from above before you can see what is above. 你要曉得天上的事,你就必須從天上而生。 Our measure of understanding of the Bible will be just in accordance with the measure of our spiritual life. 我們能懂得聖經的程度完全是根據我們書靈的程度來定位。 That is why the Lord takes us through experiences in order to bring us to understanding. 這就說明為什麼我們的主常常要我們有一些經歷 是為了要我們來曉得聖經。 The measure of our depth to the natural mind will be the measure of our understanding of the things of the spirit. 我們向著我們天人的頭腦十秒有多少 真實程度斷定我們能曉得書靈的事有多少。 Please remember that in these days which are before us. 請把這一點在這些將要來的日子當中一直記牢。 Something has got to happen in us before we understand the scriptures. 必須有某種事在我們身上發生了 我們才能夠曉得聖經。 We cannot understand the word of God by just deciding that we are going to have a training course. 我們不能夠光是這樣定規要有一個訓練 就能明白神的話了。 We are going to have some classes for Bible teaching. 我們要來受一點聖經的教導 就能明白神的話了。 That is not the way in which we come to understanding of the word of God. 這一個方法不是我們能明白神話語的一個方法。 We shall only understand according to the measure of our spiritual life. 我們只能夠照著我們書靈生理程度來明白神的話語。 That is the third principle of Biblical interpretation. 這就是別時聖經的第三個原則。 Now number four. 我們再看第四個。 The final mention of any particular matter in the Bible is usually a key to all its meaning. 聖經中每一封祈禱一件事 最末後一次的祈求 乃是全個事情那個意義的一個所用。 That is something that you must just think about. 這一件事是大家現在要想一想的。 We find certain things mentioned again and again in the Bible. 我們在聖經裡看見有的事情一再一再的祈求。 But when we come to the final occasion where that thing is mentioned. 當我們到了末後一次看見它被祈求的時候。 We usually find the key to all that has been said about that matter before. 經常的我們就在末後那一次的訴說裡頭 找到了前面所有訴說的那個意義的所有。 If you take a particular matter. 你若是拿出某一件特別的事來 Where it is mentioned for the last time. 在哪裡末了一次說的時候 And then note the setting and the context and the relationship. 你就要注意它怎樣說法 它的前後文 它和前後的關係 You will get the full meaning of all that has been said about that before. 你就能得到了在這一次以前各次的說法它那個意義。 Now that is a statement that I have made. 這就是我剛才說的那個意思。 You need to work on that. 這個需要你們花一點功夫來研究它。 But I will help you by taking just one illustration. 我願意用一個例證來幫你們一下。 In the last chapter of the Bible 在聖經末了一章以後 Revelation 22 就是七十六二十二章 And verse 2 第二節 We have the last reference to the Tree of Life 我們在哪裡看見 聖經末了一次祈禱生命一束 Now when we go right back to the beginning of the Bible 我們要是直接回到聖經開頭去 We have the Tree of Life mentioned But we are told nothing about it 可是在那個開頭的地方 是告訴我們生命一束 但是沒有說出什麼意思了 It is just referred to as something that exists 那就是僅僅告訴我們一點 是那個時候有的東西而已 We have no explanation 沒有什麼解釋給我們 We are not told what that tree is 並沒有告訴我們那個樹是什麼樹 怎麼一回事 Or what it means 到底它的意義是什麼 也沒有告訴我們 It is just referred to as the Tree of Life 不過就是告訴我們說 有一個生命一束而已 We have to go to the end of the Bible For the explanation 我們需要到聖經末了 去找它的解釋 And when we come to this last chapter of the Bible 當我們來看聖經末了一章的時候 By the context and relationship We have a very large explanation 照著它的前後文和它前後的關係 我們就得到了一個很清楚的解釋 Supposing we look at the passage 我們來看那一書的聖經 Revelation 22 基督徒二十二章 And he shows me a river of water of life Bright as crystal Proceeding out of the throne of God And of the Lamb 第一點 天使又指使我 在城內皆在當中 一道聖水的河 明亮如水浸 從神和高陽的寶座流出來 Note the context 要注意這個前後文 The throne of God and of the Lamb 就是神和高陽的寶座 You've got to read the whole book of the Revelation To understand that 這需要大家 到多國才能明白這個寶座的歷史 There's a tremendous amount In the early chapters of this book About the throne of God and of the Lamb 在最近書開頭的時候 說了好多關乎 神的寶座和高陽的事 And you have to understand What the throne of God is 我們需要知道 神的寶座到底是怎樣一回事 And what is the significance Of the throne of the Lamb 並且也要特別知道 這個高陽寶座的意義是什麼 In the midst of the throne is a Lamb 在那個寶座的當中 有一個高陽 Now in relation to the throne of God and of the Lamb There is the river of water life 這裡給我們看見 和神與高陽的寶座相關聯的 這裡有一個生命的河 In the midst of the street thereof And on this side of the river And on that side Was the tree of life 接著接著 在河這邊與河那邊 有生命樹 Bearing twelve manner of fruit Yielding its fruit every month And the leaves of the tree Were for the healing of the nation 也十二樣果之 明月之結果之 樹上月之 乃為醫治萬民 And there shall be no curse anymore 以後再沒有救助 And the throne of God and of the Lamb Shall be therein And his servants shall serve him 在城裡有神與高陽的寶座 他的僕人都要俯視他 There is the tree of life 這裡有一棵生命樹 It bears immortal fruit 叫結出那個不死永存的果子 There is no place for death here 在這裡死亡沒有地位 Its fruits are born every month 這裡每一個月都結果子 This is fruit immortal or fruit without death 這就是無死沒有死亡的果子 The leaves of this tree Are for the health of the nation 樹上月之 乃為醫治萬民 I am sorry that in most versions The word is wrongly translated 我覺得在好些個譯本裡頭 這裡的話翻得不準確 I don't know what the word is in your translation 我不知道中文裡面是怎樣的翻法 But the original is not for the healing of the nation But for the health of the nation 這英文不是為了醫治萬民 乃是為了萬民的健康 You may ask what is the difference 你也許會問說 這兩個有什麼不同 Well, one is the removal of disease And the other is the prevention of disease 一個是消除了病症 一個是預防不治癒的病症 In this chapter we have come to the time When the spiritual diseases of the nation have been healed 當七十六二十二章的時候 那個列國樹林的病 實在說來已經都醫治了出征了 But the health of the nation needs to be preserved 但是這個列國的健康還需要保持 It is a state that is to be maintained 那就是說需要一種的保持就是了 So the leaves are not for healing They are for preservation 所以這些葉子不是為了醫治 乃是為了保持 And so it says and there shall be no more curse 因此他才接著說再沒有救主了 You see you've got the whole history of the Bible in those words 所以就在這簡單的話裡頭 你看你整本聖經的歷史 You have got all the shame on the nation through Adam's sin 我們曾看見因著亞當的犯罪 是領導列國萬民的救主 You have corruption and death 有了毀壞敗壞和死亡 Moral disease 有道德方面的病症 The result of a curse 也就是一種救主的結果 All that is now cleared up 現在到基督教社長這裡都清楚了 And the tree of life represents victory of life over all that 生命樹乃是代表勝過這一切的一個生命 Life triumphant and life abundant 生命得勝了 生命豐盛了 永存 Here the full meaning of the tree of life is revealed 在這裡生命樹那個完滿的意義其實出來了 And it is like that with all other matters 在別的一切事上也都是這種原則 When you come to the last mention You have the key to the whole subject 當你來到最後一次的搜索的時候 你就得到那件事一個所有 That is the principle of the interpretation of the Bible 這是解釋聖經的一個原則 Now I come to the last for the present 那現在我們就要來看第五個 Number five 就是幕後的一個 The only real value is the spiritual 那唯一的價值就是蘇聯語 You must remember this when you are reading and studying the Bible 當我們來研究讀聖經的時候 必須把這一點記牢 And you must keep this in mind In these times in which we are together 尤其在我們這些訓練的時候 應當把這個記牢了 You must not come here just with a thirst for more information 你們不應該來到這裡僅僅的只可要得一些知識而已 Or a craving for more knowledge 不過要先求一些知識 There are people who just want to get more and more knowledge and education 有的人不過就是要得到知識 受到一定教導 And I think that is a particular characteristic of the people in the Far East 我想特別是遠東邊是有一個特性 You will do anything to get education 你們願意盡一切的能力為了得到教導 You will go to the other side of the world if you can get more and better education 若是你們能得到更好的教導教育的話 你們寧可到另一半的世界去 Now that constitutes a danger 這個就構成了一個危險 Of course it is better than not wanting to know anything 那當然這個比不要知道什麼是好一點了 But there is a danger about this 可是在這裡有一個危險 We must not come to these classes with a craving for more knowledge 我們來到這裡受訓不應該僅僅就是為了尋求更多的知識 That is exactly how Adam was caught 這就是亞當給撒旦捉去的一個原因 You see Satan said if you take up this tree you will know 你還記得撒旦對他們說 你若是吃這個樹上的果子你就必定知道 It was the tree of knowledge 那就是那個知識的樹 我們就說三個知識的樹 And there is always a danger in eating of that tree 吃那種知識的樹總是有危險 It might just lead you into death and not into life 這就叫你有了算而不會得到生命 So I repeat this principle of biblical interpretation 所以我再重複說這個絕食聖餐的原則 The only real value is the spiritual 那個唯一的價值該是樹靈的 And spiritual value is just how it affects our life with God 這個樹靈的價值正正好影響我們和神之間的事 I do wish that Adam had recognized that 我實在是盼望亞當明白這件事 When Satan tempted him to take up the tree of knowledge 當撒旦引誘他來吃那個知識樹的時候 If only Adam had said How will this affect my life with God 如果亞當那時候命令會說 這件事如何影響我和神之間的生命 He and we should have been saved all the trouble 那麼他和我們定位就可以蒙徵救 免去許多的難求了 So let me say this again 所以讓我再把這事說一遍 Spiritual value is just in how it affects our life with God 樹靈的價值就是要看你說 它如何影響我們和神之間的事 Shall I put that in another way? 我願意換一個說法 Just how much it increases the measure of Christ 也就是來增加我們在基督裡的那個深淵 If Christ is the interpretation of the Bible 若是基督是聖經的解釋的話 The spiritual knowledge of the Bible Results in an increase of Christ 那麼我們對聖經那個樹靈的認識 定位是叫我們有更多基督的深淵增加的 If our days together now do not result in an increase of the measure of Christ We have missed the way 我們這些日子一再地修行 如果結果不是叫基督在我們裡面的深淵增加 那我們就是錯誤的 You may go away in two weeks time with your notebooks very full 過了兩個禮拜之後 也許你們可以回去你們的紀錄簿裡買了東西 And you may have an idea that you have got a lot more knowledge 你們可能有一個觀念 因為說你們得到了更多的知識量 But if we do not go away More Christ-like men and women With a larger measure of the Lord Jesus This training course has failed So I beg of you to pray all the way through That this time may mean spiritual increase 我們這些日子為這件事禱告 使我們這個訓練的結果 能叫基督的深淵在我們中間增加 Not intellectual enlargement But spiritual knowledge 不是我們頭腦擴大了 乃是我們屬靈的東西增加了 Everything has got to be judged By how much it contributes to the ultimate purpose of God 一切都需要來審斷 根據這件事如何能成就神的主義 We have to ask where does this lead us to 我們需要來問說 這件事要把我們帶到什麼地方 Is it leading us anywhere? 這能把我們帶到一個什麼地方嗎 What is it leading us to? 那它就要把我們帶到什麼地方呢 All spiritual knowledge leads to an increase of Christ 一切屬靈的知識 都是把我們帶到基督的深淵增加的地方 It contributes to the ultimate purpose of God 這就是完全為了完成神的最終的目的 The question always is How much of life is there in it? 我們應該一個問題一個問題解決的說 在這件事裡頭有多少的生命 It is not a matter of interest 這並不是一個興趣問題 It is not a matter of interest And the real value is the spiritual 那真實的價值乃是屬靈的 In our second hour we shall take that over Into our special subject for study in these coming days 我們到下一堂就要把這些做為我們特別的研究 在這事當中 Now you have a little over half an hour before we meet again 我們大家在上班之前可能有半小時的休息 May I suggest that if you can You will read some chapters 我願意向你們求語 若是可能請大家讀這張聖經 I would like you to read the first three chapters of the prophet Ezekiel 我願意大家讀一節出聖章 You will have to read them all at once in these coming days 當然在將來的這些日子當中你們要多讀幾遍 But it would be a help if you had refreshed your mind With what is in those three chapters 若是你們裡頭能記得這三章裡講什麼 就對於我們有很大的幫助 So we will come back with that in half an hour 所以過了半小時我們大家就要帶著這三章的聖經回來