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创世记生命读经 · 第92篇

成熟的过程（一）

Being matured-the process of maturity (1)
1在本篇信息中，我们来看创世记中最令人喜悦的一段，就是三十七至五十章。所有的孩子都喜爱这些章节里的故事。作者写到本段时，改了写法。前三十六章的记载简明有力，但末了十四章的记载非常详细。例如，三十七章内含许多细节。本段写得十分详细，因其对我们的为人生活非常实际。在创世记这本书中，没有一段比末了十四章这一段更实际。在我们来看三十七章以前，我要请你们回顾本书的开始。我们读任何一本书，都必须明白那本书的主题、目的。创世记有五十章，你读过以后，也许还不知道牠的主题。本书的主题是甚么？我年轻的时候，有人告诉我，创世记说到两件主要的事－神的创造和人的堕落。创世记开头的话是『起初神创造，』结束的话是『把他收殓在棺材里，停在埃及。』有人告诉我，因为一节说到神的创造，末节说到约瑟被收殓在棺材里，停在埃及，所以创世记是一本说到神的创造和人的堕落的书。这观点虽然没有错，但是对本书的领会非常不彀。要明白圣经并不容易。事实上，甚至要明白我们自己都很困难。虽然我们头上有头发，脚上有十个脚趾，但头发和脚趾就构成一个完整的人么？这是一个完全的人么？当然不是。所有重要的部分和器官，就如心和肺，都在头发和脚趾之间。照样，创世记最重要的部分，乃是在本书一节和末节之间。创世记一章二十六节是非常重要的一节：『神说，我们要照著我们的形像，按著我们的样式造人，使他们管理...』请注意这里两个重要的辞－形像和管理。不错，人是神造的，人堕落了。但我们必须想想，人是按看甚么作法，为著甚么目的造的。圣经说，人是照著神的形像造的。没有甚么比神更高。因此，人是照著至高者的形像造的。也许你以前从来没有这样高估自己过。因为我们有神的形像，所以我们应当高估自己。我们不是低级的受造之物；我们受造的目的乃是为著彰显神并执行祂的权柄。创世记的主题是人具有神的形像，并且执行神的权柄管理万有。我们有神的形像，使我们能彰显祂；我们有神的权柄，使我们能代表祂。所以，我们是神的彰显和代表。这是创世记的中心。
1In this message we come to the most pleasant section of the book of Genesis, chapters thirty-seven through fifty. All children like the stories in these chapters. When the writer came to this section, he changed his way of writing. The record of the first thirty - six chapters is brief and emphatic, but the record of the last fourteen chapters is very detailed. Chapter thirty-seven, for example, contains many details. This section is so detailed because it is very practical for our human life. No section in the book of Genesis is more practical than this last section of fourteen chapters. Before we consider chapter thirty-seven, I would like to call your attention back to the beginning of this book. In the reading of any book we must understand the subject, the purpose, of that book. After reading through the book of Genesis, a book of fifty chapters, you still may not know the subject. What is the subject of this book? When I was young, I was told that Genesis covers two main things—God’s creation and man’s fall. Genesis begins with the words, “In the beginning God created,” and it ends with the words, “He was put in a coffin in Egypt.” I was told that because the first verse speaks of God’s creation and the last verse speaks about Joseph’s being put in a coffin in Egypt, Genesis is a book about God’s creation and man’s fall. Although this view is not wrong, it is a very inadequate understanding of this book. It is not easy to understand the Bible. In fact, it is even difficult to understand ourselves. Although we have hair on our heads and ten toes on our feet, do hair and toes make a whole man? Is this a complete person? Certainly not. All the crucial parts and organs, such as the heart and the lungs, are between the hair and the toes. Likewise, the most important parts of Genesis are between the first verse and the last verse of the book. Genesis 1:26 is a very crucial verse. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion...” Notice two significant words here—image and dominion. Yes, man was created by God, and he fell. But we must consider in what way and for what purpose man was created. The Bible says that man was made in the image of God. Nothing is higher than God. Thus, man was made in the image of the highest One. Perhaps you have never regarded yourself this highly before. Because we bear the divine image, we should have a high regard for ourselves. We are not low creatures; we were made for the purpose of expressing God and exercising His dominion. The subject of Genesis is man bearing the image of God and exercising God’s dominion overall things. We bear God’sim age that we might express Him, and we have God’s dominion that we might represent Him. Therefore, we are God’s express i on and representation. This is the heart of Genesis.
2要逐步明白这事，需要本书全部五十章。本书中记载的一切世代－亚当、亚伯、以挪士、以诺、挪亚、亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各和约瑟－都是为著一个目的，表明神在宇宙中的经纶乃是藉著人彰显祂自己。这是神的目的、神的目标、以及神心头的愿望。神的目的和经纶乃是在人身上。本书所包含各世代的记载，乃是神神圣经纶的一幅图画。在亚当身上，我们看不见多少神的彰显和权柄。亚伯相信神，但我们在他身上也看不清楚神的彰显和权柄。以挪士认识自已是脆弱、软弱的，开始呼求主的名，但我们在他身上也几乎看不见神的彰显或权柄。以诺与神同行，所以我们在他身上看见一点神的彰显，但我们看不见神的权柄。在挪亚身上，我们确实看见一点神的彰显和权柄，但是相当模糊，不很确定、深刻或清楚。我们在亚伯拉罕身上所看见神的彰显和权柄，比在挪亚身上所看见的更少。许多基督徒过于高举亚伯拉罕，但他不过是在基督道理的初阶。亚伯拉罕是因信称义的父，这仅仅是基督道理的开端。不但如此，我们在以撒身上，也几乎看不见神的彰显和权柄。以撒从父亲承受了一切，他只关心吃。只要人给他好东西吃，他就盲目的给人祝福。
2In order to know this in a progressive way, we need all fifty chapters of this book. All the generations recorded in it—Adam, Abel, Enosh, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—are for one purpose: to show that God’secon o my in the universe is to express Himself through man. This is God’s purpose, God’s goal, and the desire of God’she art. God’s purpose and economy are related to man. The record of all the generations included in this book is a portrait of God’s divine economy. In Adam we do not see much of God’sex press i on and dominion. Although Abel believed in God, we do not clearly see in him God’sex press i on and dominion. Enosh realized that he was fragile and weak, and he began to call on the name of the Lord. But in him we scarcely see God’sex press i on or dominion. Enoch walked with God. Therefore, we see in him a little of God’sex press i on; however, we see nothing of God’s dominion. Although with Noah we do see a little of God’sex press i on and dominion, it is rather vague; it is not definite, impressive, or clear. In Abraham we see less of God’sex press i on and dominion than we do in Noah. Although many Christians have overly exalted Abraham, he was only on the first level of the doctrine of Christ. Abraham was the father of faith for justification, which is merely the beginning of the doctrine of Christ. Furthermore, we can hardly see God’sex press i on and dominion in Isaac. Isaac, the one who inherited everything from his father, only cared for eating. As long as he was given something good to eat, he would grant his blessing blindly
3我们乃是在雅各身上，看见神的彰显。不过，在本书末了的十四章以前，我们在雅各身上还看不见多少神的彰显。乃是在这末了的十四章，我们在他身上确实看见许多神的彰显和神的权柄。在本段雅各已经年老，但他属灵的眼睛非常锐利。他无论到那里，都能察觉出真实的情况，而给人适当的祝福。不仅如此，他的祝福也成了神的豫言。雅各的确有神的形像，彰显神。甚至当时最高的统治者法老，也在雅各的祝福之下。当雅各被带到法老面前，雅各没有说，『喂，你好么？你今年几岁？』他乃是伸出手来祝福他。（创四七7，10。）这指明法老是在这一位作神彰显的雅各之下。
3It is in Jacob that we see the expression of God. However, prior to the last fourteen chapters of this book, we do not see much of God’s express i on in Jacob. But in these last chapters we do see in him very much of the expression of God and the dominion of God. Although in this section Jacob was old in years, his spiritual eyes were very keen. Wherever he went, he perceived the real situation and blessed people accordingly. Moreover, his blessing became God’s prophecy. Jacob truly bore the image of God and expressed Him. Even Pharaoh, the highest ruler at that time, was under Jacob’s blessing. When Jacob was brought into the presence of Pharaoh, Jacob did not say, “Hello, how are you? How old are you?” Rather, he stretched forth his hand and blessed him (47:7, 10). This indicates that Pharaoh was under Jacob, the one who was God’sex press i on.
4雅各给约瑟的两个儿子－以法莲和玛拿西－祝福的话，也是一个豫言。以撒为雅各所欺骗，盲目的祝福他。然而，雅各祝福以法莲和玛拿西，却大不相同。约瑟把他的两个儿子带到雅各面前，盼望长子玛拿西得著长子的名分。但雅各剪搭过右手来，按在次子以法莲的头上。（创四八14。）约瑟想要把雅各的手从以法莲头上挪到玛拿西头上，雅各不从，说，『我知道，我儿我知道。』（创四八19。）雅各似乎说，『我儿，你不知道我所作的，但我知道。我知道神的心。我的祝福就是神的彰显和神的说话。我祝福的话就是神的豫言。』在雅各身上，我们看见一个与神是一而彰显神的人。雅各的说话就是神的说话。不要以为说话是微不足道的事。照著新约，子主要是藉著说话彰显父。主耶稣说，『我在父里面，父在我里面，你不信么？我对你们所说的话，不是我从自己说的，乃是住在我里面的父作祂自己的事；』又说，『你们所听见的话不是我的，乃是差我来之父的。』（约十四10，24。）因此，彰显神主要是为神说话，并向别人说出神。我们已经看见雅各－神的彰显－有神的形像。但神的权柄如何？创世记结束于约瑟掌权管理全地。虽然法老是王。但他不过是傀儡。代理的王是约瑟，他在生命的经历上是雅各的一部分。在雅各同约瑟身上，我们看见神的彰显连同神的权柄。绝不要把约瑟和雅各分开。创世记末了十四章的记载，把这两个人相题并论。这指明约瑟是雅各掌权的部分，我们不该把雅各和约瑟看为分开的人。
4Jacob’s blessing upon the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, was also a prophecy. Isaac, cheated by Jacob, blessed him blindly. However, Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh was much different. Joseph brought his two sons to Jacob, expecting that Manasseh, the firstborn, would receive the birthright. But Jacob placed his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, the younger, “guiding his hands wittingly” (48:14). When Joseph attempted to move Jacob’s hand from Ephraim’s he ad to Manasseh’s, Jacob refused and said, “I know it, my son, I know it” (48:19). Jacob seemed to be saying, “My son, you don’t know what I am doing, but I know. I know God’she art. My blessing is God’sex press i on and God’s speaking. The word of my blessing is God’s prophecy.” Here in Jacob we see a man who was one with God and who expressed God. Jacob’s speaking was God’s speaking. Do not think that speaking is an insignificant matter. According to the New Testament, the Son expressed the Father mainly by His speaking. The Lord Jesus said, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words which I speak to you, I do not speak from Myself; but the Father who abides in Me, He does His works”; and, “The word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me” (John 14:10, 24). Thus, to express God is mainly to speak for God and to speak Him forth to others. We have seen that Jacob, God’sex press i on, bore the image of God. But what about God’s dominion? The book of Genesis ends with Joseph exercising dominion over the whole earth. Although Pharaoh was the king, he was merely a figurehead. The acting king was Joseph, who is a part of Jacob in the experience of life. In Jacob with Joseph we see the expression of God with the dominion of God. Never separate Joseph from Jacob. The record of the last fourteen chapters of Genesis mixes the two together. This indicates that Joseph is the reigning part of Jacob, and that Jacob and Joseph should not be considered as separate persons.
5在本段里，雅各在受苦，而约瑟在掌权。在三十七章，约瑟没有给人受苦的印象。本章启示雅各受苦，不是约瑟受苦。有些人也许争辩，说，『当约瑟被丢在坑里，他岂不是在受苦么？』这是你的解释，但本章没有这样告诉我们。反之，雅各却大大的受苦。在拉结死的时候，雅各没有哀哭；但是当雅各推测约瑟已经被野兽吞吃的时候，他哭得很悲痛。（创三七33～35。）圣经里的记载都有其目的。创世记这本神形像和权柄的书，展现一幅完整的图昼，说到人类如何能复造并变化，在神的形像上彰显神，并有神的权柄代表神。创世记末了的十四章指明，在雅各成为以色列以后，他带有神的形像，并且执行神的权柄。创世记很完全，牠如何开始，也如何结束。牠开始并结束于神的形像和权柄。在创世记结束的几章里，神必定很喜乐，祂能说，『现在我在地上得著一个彰显我并代表我的人了。这人带有我的形像，并且执行我的权柄。他的话就是我的豫言，他的行动就是我权柄的执行。』这就是创世记的主题。
5In this section Jacob was suffering, and Joseph was reigning. In chapter thirty-seven Joseph gave no impression that he was suffering. This chapter reveals that Jacob, not Joseph, was suffering. Some may argue and say, “When Joseph was cast into the pit, was he not suffering?” This is your interpretation, but this chapter does not tell us this. Jacob, on the contrary, suffered greatly. Although he did not weep at the death of Rachel, he wept sorrowfully when he concluded that Joseph had been devoured by a wild beast (vv. 33-35). The record in the Bible has a purpose. Genesis, a book of God’sim age and dominion, shows a complete picture of how human beings can be remade and transformed to express God in His image and to represent Him with His dominion. The last fourteen chapters of Genesis indicate that after Jacob had become Israel, he bore the image of God and exercised the dominion of God. The book of Genesis is complete; it ends the way it begins. It begins and ends with God’sim age and dominion. In the closing chapters of Genesis, God must have been happy, and He could have said, “Now I have a man on earth expressing Me and representing Me. This man bears My image and exercises My dominion. His words are My prophecy, and his actions are the exercise of My dominion.” This is the subject of the book of Genesis
（五） 成熟
f. Being Matured
（1） 成熟的过程
1) The Process of Maturity
6在三十七章，雅各是个老年人。无论就时间和地理而言，他都经过了漫长的路程，最终来到希伯仑。雅各经过了许多事情。也许在圣经中没有一个人像雅各一样，经历过那么多错综复杂的环境。他被神对付到一个地步，几乎失去了他心爱的一切。在三十七章的时候，拉结已经死了，雅各住在希伯仑，享受他列祖亚伯拉罕和以撒在那里所认识的交通。雅各在希伯仑似乎已经退休了。然而，在属灵生活上是没有退休的，神进来扰乱雅各似乎是退休的生活。
6In chapter thirty-seven Jacob was an old man. With respect to both time and geography, he had journeyed a long way and had finally come to Hebron. Jacob had passed through many things. Probably no one in the Bible has passed through as many intermixed and complicated situations as Jacob did. He was dealt with by God to such an extent that he had lost nearly all he had cared for. At the time of chapter thirty-seven, Rachel had died, and Jacob was living in Hebron, enjoying the fellowship that his forefathers Abraham and Isaac had known there. It seems that Jacob had retired at Hebron. However, there is no retirement in the spiritual life, and God intervened to upset what appeared to be Jacob’s retirement
7我相信雅各在希伯仑尽所能要过平静的生活。雅各在那里的交通中，也许有很多的回忆。他在宁静中也许会想：『我不该抓以扫的脚跟。我不该欺骗以扫或我的父亲。我也不需要失去母亲，逃到舅父拉班那里。不仅如此，我也不需要这样爱拉结。天哪，爱拉结给我惹来多少的麻烦！为甚么我这么愚昧？我不该受拉班欺骗。为甚么我为著得到拉结，应许在那些年间作工？在我与拉班一起的那些年间，我必须受炎热和寒冷之苦。』倘若你是雅各，你在退休的时候要作甚么？你也许会说，『从现在起，我只要过安静的生活。不再篡夺，不再抓脚跟。以扫、拉班、拉结，都过去了。现在是我安静享受生活的时候。』雅各在希伯仑那里必定享受著平静的生活。
7I believe that at Hebron Jacob tried his best to have a calm life. As Jacob was in fellowship there he may have had many memories. In the stillness he may have thought, “I shouldn’th ave grabbed Esau’she el. I shouldn’t have cheated Esau or my father. Also, there was no need for me to lose my mother and to flee to my uncle Laban. Moreover, I didn’t have to love Rachel so much. My, what trouble loving her caused me! Why was I so foolish? I shouldn’t have been cheated by Laban. Why did I promise to work all those years to get Rachel? During the years I was with Laban, I had to suffer the heat and the cold.” If you had been Jacob, what would you have done in your retirement? You might have said, “From now on, I simply want to lead a quiet life. There will be no more supplanting, no more heel-holding. Esau, Laban, and Rachel are all gone. Now is the time for me to be quiet and to enjoy life.” Surely Jacob must have been enjoying a calm life there in Hebron.
8雅各爱约瑟过于爱他的众子，他为约瑟作了一件彩衣。（创三七3。）倘若雅各没有退休，他就无法为约瑟作这样一件彩衣。一个忙碌的父亲不会花时间这样作。但雅各在享受生活，他有充分的时间为他的爱子作衣服。这是他已经退休的证明。圣经题起彩衣是一个小窗，藉此我们能看见雅各的性格、愿望、心意、目标和性情。
8Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons, and he made for him a coat of many colors (v. 3). If Jacob had not been in retirement, he would not have been able to make such a coat for Joseph. A busy father could not spend the time to do this. But Jacob was enjoying life and he had plenty of time to make the coat for his favorite son. This is a proof that he had retired. The mention of the coat of many colors is a little window through which we can see Jacob’s character, desire, intention, goal, and disposition
（a）最后阶段的对付
a) The Dealings in the Last Stage
9雅各在神手下有过这么多的对付以后，毫无疑问已经厌倦了人生。他倦于篡夺、欺骗、挣扎并奋斗。他的生活是平静的，他有一个爱子，是他心头的宝贝。因著他对约瑟的偏爱，他给约瑟作了一件彩衣。雅各这样作对么？为甚么他不为长子流便或幼子便雅悯作这样一件衣服？虽然流便因著与雅各的妾行淫玷污了自己，但便雅悯是家中的小孩，还太小没有作过甚么错事。然而，雅各的心第一是在约瑟身上，第二是在便雅悯身上。雅各是偏心的。我们看见，雅各对约瑟的偏心使自己受苦。在本章里，每件事都在神主宰的手下；没有一件事是巧合。例如，约瑟的哥哥们把他丢在坑里以后，立刻有一伙以实玛利人出现，他的哥哥们就定意把他卖给他们。然后约瑟被带到埃及，卖给法老的内臣波提乏。这一切都在神的主宰之下。事实上，甚至雅各对约瑟的偏心，也在神的主宰之下。在三十七章，神运用祂的主宰对付这种偏心，使雅各成熟。
9After having had so many dealings under God’s hand, Jacob was undoubtedly tired of human life. He was weary of supplanting, cheating, struggling, and fighting. His life was calm and he had a favorite son who was the treasure of his heart. Because of the partiality of his love for Joseph, he made him a coat of many colors. Was Jacob right in doing this? Why did he not make such a coat for Reuben, the oldest, or for Benjamin, the youngest? Although Reuben had defiled himself by committing adultery with Jacob’s concubine, Benjamin was the baby of the family and was too young to have done anything wrong. Nevertheless, Jacob’she art was set firstly on Joseph and secondly on Benjamin. Jacob was partial. As we shall see, Jacob’s partiality toward Joseph caused him to suffer. Everything in this chapter is under the sovereign hand of God; nothing is coincidental. For example, immediately after Joseph’s brothers had cast him into the pit, a company of Ishmaelites appeared on the scene, and his brothers decided to sell him to them. Then Joseph was taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s chamberlain. All this was under God’s sovereignty. In fact, even Jacob’s partiality toward Joseph was under God’s sovereignty. In chapter thirty- seven God exercised His sovereignty to deal with this partiality so that Jacob might mature
10在本章以前，雅各就是个变化过的人；然而，他还没有成熟。变化是我们天然的生命有改变，而成熟是我们被那改变我们的神圣生命所充满。我们也许在天然生命里有了变化，却没有被神圣生命所充满。三十七至四十五章乃是雅各成熟过程的记载。这段过程开始于三十七章一节，一直持续到四十五章二十八节。在本书末了五章，我们看见完全成熟的雅各。也许在雅各一生中，从来没有像在这九章受苦这么多。这九章的确是雅各受苦的故事。在这九章里，有雅各一生中最后阶段的对付。雅各在这里所受的苦，深深摸著他个人的感觉。在这几章以后，雅各再没有对付了。他完全成熟了，他被神圣生命所充满，他有神的彰显和神的权柄。为著神的彰显和权柄，需要成熟。惟有成熟的生命才能带有神的形像，并执行神的权柄。甚至在三十七章，雅各还不能带有神的形像，或执行神的权柄。虽然他变化了，但他还没有成熟。他对约瑟的偏心，证明他还没有成熟。这种偏爱是一种弱点。不要以为变化过的人不会偏爱，或没有别的弱点。所以，神主宰的把雅各放在祂手下，使他成熟。《一》在神主宰的手下，
10Prior to this chapter, Jacob was a transformed person; however, he was not yet mature. To be transformed is to be changed in our natural life, whereas to be matured is to be filled with the divine life that changes us. We may be transformed in our natural life, yet not be filled with the divine life. Chapters thirty-seven through forty-five are a record of the process of Jacob’s maturity. This process began in 37:1, and it lasted until 45:28. In the last five chapters of this book we see a Jacob who has fully matured. Probably in all his life Jacob never suffered as much as he did in these nine chapters. They are truly a story of Jacob’s suffering. In these chapters we have the dealings in the last stage of Jacob’s life. The sufferings he underwent here deeply touched his personal feelings. After these chapters, Jacob had no further dealings. Rather, he was fully matured, he was filled with the divine life, and he had the expression of God and the dominion of God. For God’sex press i on and dominion there is the need of maturity. Only a mature life can bear God’sim age and exercise His dominion. Even in chapter thirty - seven Jacob could not bear God’sim age or exercise God’s dominion. Although he was transformed, he was not yet mature. His partiality toward Joseph proves that he was not mature. This partial love was a weak point. Do not think that a transformed person cannot be partial in his love or have other weak points. Therefore, God sovereignly placed Jacob under His hand that he might become mature. (1) Jacob Being Robbed of the Treasure of His Heart
雅各心头的宝贝被夺去
under God’sS ove reign Hand
11雅各要成熟，首先必须失去他心头的宝贝－约瑟。约瑟似乎不可能失去。他可能容易生病而死，但雅各怎会失去他？虽然约瑟没有死－他还是非常有用－但他必须从雅各被夺去。现在我们需要来看。雅各失去约瑟的事是怎样发生的。
11In order to become mature, Jacob firstly had to suffer the loss of Joseph, the treasure of his heart. It seems impossible that Joseph could have been lost. He could easily have died of a certain illness, but how could Jacob have lost him? Although he was not to die, because he was still very useful, he had to be taken away from Jacob. Now we need to consider by what way Jacob’s loss of Joseph took place
《1》约瑟将他哥哥们的恶行报给他的父亲
a) Joseph Bringing His Father Evil Reports of His Brothers
12三十七章二节说，约瑟将他哥哥们的恶行，报给他的父亲。在雅各十二个儿子中，只有两个是好的，就是十七岁的约瑟，和他的弟弟便雅悯；便雅悯仍是一个小孩。其他十个兄弟是既污秽又邪恶，约瑟时常将他们的恶行报给他的父亲。在这十个兄弟中，老大流便，与父亲的妾行淫；（创三五22；）老四犹大，与装扮成妓女的儿妇行淫。（创三八12～26。）利未和西缅是残忍的，报复他们的妹子底拿所受的玷污，杀了哈抹和示剑，并且掠夺他们的城。（创三四25～29。）这些兄弟甚至同谋杀害自己肉身的兄弟，指明他们是何等的有罪。我们很难相信他们是蒙拣选、圣别的家庭中的众子，并且成为神所拣选的以色列各支派的祖先。然而，约瑟的哥哥们若是善良的，不是邪恶的，约瑟绝不会失去。《2》以色列爱约瑟过于爱他的众子我们已经看见，『以色列原来爱约瑟过于爱他的众子，因为约瑟是他年老生的，他给约瑟作了一件彩衣。』（创三七3。）因著雅各对约瑟的偏爱，他必须失去约瑟，才能成熟。约瑟的失去主要是由于雅各对他的偏爱。
12Verse 2 says that Joseph brought to his father evil reports regarding his brothers. Of all the twelve sons of Jacob, only two were good — Joseph, who was seventeen years of age, and his younger brother, Benjamin, who was still a small child. The other ten brothers were dirty and evil, and Joseph constantly brought to his father evil reports about them. The first of these ten brothers, Reuben, committed adultery with his father’s concubine (35:22); and the fourth, Judah, committed fornication with his daughter-in- law, who was disguised as a harlot (38:12-26). Levi and Simeon were cruel, having avenged the defilement of their sister, Dinah, by slaying Hamor and Shechem and plundering their city (34:25-29). The fact that these brothers conspired to slay their own brother in the flesh indicates how sinful they were. It is difficult to believe that they were the sons of a chosen, holy family and that they were to become the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel chosen of God. However, had his brothers been good instead of evil, Joseph would never have been lost. (b) Israel Loving Joseph More Than All His Sons As we have seen, “Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors” (v. 3, Heb.). Because of the partiality of Jacob’s love for Joseph, he had to lose him in order to mature. The loss of Joseph was mainly due to Jacob’s partial love for him.
《3》约瑟的哥哥们恨他
c) Joseph’s Brothers Hating Him
13四节说，『约瑟的哥哥们见父亲爱约瑟过于爱他们，就恨约瑟，不与他说和睦的话。』雅各对约瑟的偏爱，使其他的儿子们恨约瑟。因著偏爱一个孩子，造成了其他孩子们中间的仇恨，作父母的该避免这事。我们的爱必须公平不偏。约瑟的哥哥们恨他，也因为他善良，并且将他们的恶行报给父亲。
13Verse 4 says, “And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.” Jacob’s partial love for Joseph caused his other sons to hate Joseph. Because a partial love for a child creates hatred among the other children, parents should avoid it. Our love must be equal and impartial. Joseph’s brothers also hated him because he was good and because he gave evil reports about them to their father
《4》约瑟作了两个梦，使他的哥哥们越发恨他
d) Joseph Having Two Dreams that Caused His Brothers to Hate Him More
14约瑟作了两个梦，使他的哥哥们越发恨他。（创三七5～11。）这些梦是从神来的。有两个梦，因为二是证实和见证的数字。两个梦都是指一件事，因为禾捆和众星都向约瑟下拜。在我们眼中，约瑟的哥哥们是奸淫的、淫乱的、杀人的、恨人的，应当下地狱。但约瑟没有梦见荆棘和强盗围著一个十几岁的温良少年。他乃是梦见禾捆和众星。禾捆是收割以后捆在一起的麦子。这指明在神眼中，雅各的众子乃是祂在地上的庄稼。不仅如此，他们不是青嫩的庄稼，乃是成熟收割，已经捆成禾捆的庄稼。在第二个梦里，雅各的家人由日头、月亮和十一个星所表征。他们是在天上发光的光体。启示录十二章和创世记三十七章的日头、月亮和众星，代表神的全体子民。在约瑟时代，他的家就是神在地上的全体子民。照著我们的观点，他们是邪恶污秽的；然而照著神的观点，他们是光明属天的。同样，照著我们人的性情，我们是丑陋、邪恶、不洁的。然而，我们已经蒙拣选、蒙救赎、得赦免、得重生、被变化了。因此，我们是神的农场，神的庄稼。最终，我们要成为神的收获物；我们要被祂收割，成为禾捆。不仅如此，我们也是属天的光体。这是何等的异象！神主宰的给了约瑟这些梦，因为这些梦启示神在地上子民的性质、地位、功用和目标。神的子民乃是祂的庄稼和祂的光体。他们是庄稼，有生命；他们是天上的星体，有光。在第一个梦里有生命，在第二个梦里有光。生命和光乃是神子民的两个特征。在第一个梦里，众禾捆向约瑟的禾捆下拜；在第二个梦里，日头、月亮和十一个星向他下拜。约瑟将他第二个梦告诉他父亲和哥哥们，雅各就责备他，说，『你作的这是甚么梦？难道我和你母亲，你弟兄，果然要来俯伏在地，向你下拜么？』（创三七10。）约瑟不耍政治，他乃是真实、坦白、忠信、正直的。他若不将他的梦坦白的告诉他们，就不会产生难处。在召会生活中，我们该像约瑟，不该像政客。然而，我们中间少有坦白、正直的约瑟；反之，我们多是『智慧的』政客。也许你作了一个梦，但你绝不会将这梦告诉别人。反之，约瑟是真实、坦白、敞开、明朗的；他乐于将他的梦告诉他的哥哥们。但这越发激起他们的恼恨，约瑟的明朗使他被『钉十字架。』许多时候，我也因著我的明朗被『钉十字架。』然而，我若耍政治，我就不再像约瑟一样了。按人来说，约瑟将他的梦告诉他的哥哥们是不对的。我们若是约瑟，也许我们很多人会说，『你知道我昨晚作了一个好梦。』别人若问起那梦，我们会说，『原谅我，我不能告诉你。』这是今天基督徒政治的『智慧。』你要作政客，还是要作约瑟？倘若你是约瑟，你会因著你的坦白被『钉十字架。』因著约瑟的梦，他的哥哥们越发恨他。
14Joseph had two dreams that caused his brothers to hate him even more (vv. 5-11). These dreams came from God. There were two dreams because two is the number of confirmation and testimony. Both dreams refer to one thing, for both the sheaves and the stars bowed down to Joseph. In our eyes Joseph’s brothers, being adulterers, fornicators, murderers, and haters, should have been condemned to hell. But Joseph did not dream about thorns and robbers surrounding a gentle teenager. Rather, he dreamed of sheaves and stars. A sheaf is a bundle into which wheat is bound after reaping. This indicates that, in God’se yes, Jacob’ss ons were His crop on earth. Moreover, they were not a green crop; they were a ripened and harvested crop that had been bound into sheaves. In the second dream the members of Joseph’s family are signified by the sun, the moon, in the heavens. We have pointed out in the life-study of Revelation that the sun, the moon, and the stars in Revelation 12 and Genesis 37 represent the totality of God’sp eople. During Joseph’st i me, his family was the totality of God’sp eople on earth. According to our view, they were evil and dirty, but according to God’s view, they were bright and heavenly. Likewise, according to our human nature, we are ugly, evil, and unclean. Nevertheless, we have been chosen, redeemed, forgiven, regenerated, and transformed. Thus, we are God’s farm, God’s crop. Eventually, we shall be God’s harvest; we shall be reaped by Him and become sheaves. Furthermore, we are heavenly lights. What a vision this is! God was sovereign in giving Joseph these dreams, for they reveal the nature, the position, the function, and the goal of God’sp eople on earth. God’s people are His harvest and His lights. As the harvest, they have life, and as the heavenly hosts, they have light. In the first dream there is life, and in the second, light. Life and light are two characteristics of God’sp eople. In the first dream the sheaves bowed down to Joseph’s sheaf, and in the second, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to him. When Joseph told his father and brothers about his second dream, Jacob rebuked him and said, “What is this dream that thou has dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (v. 10). Joseph was not political; rather, he was genuine, frank, faithful, and straight. If he had not frankly told them about his dreams, there would have been no problem with this. In the church life we should be like Joseph, not like politicians. However, not many among us are frank, straight Josephs; instead, most of us are “wise” politicians. You may have a dream, but you would never tell others about it. Joseph on the contrary was genuine, frank, open, and transparent; he was happy to tell his brothers about his dreams. But this provoked their hatred even more, and Joseph’s transparency caused him to be “crucified.” Many times I also have been “crucified” for my transparency. However, if I become political, I shall no longer be like Joseph. Humanly speaking, Joseph was wrong in telling his brothers about his dreams. If we had been Joseph, many of us probably would have said, “You know, I had a good dream last night.” When others asked us about the dream, we would say, “Forgive me, I can’t tell you about it.” This is the political “wisdom” of today’s Christians. Will you be a politician or a Joseph? If you are a Joseph, you will be “crucified” for your frankness. Because of Joseph’s dreams, his brothers hated him more than ever.
《5》约瑟的哥哥们去牧羊
e) Joseph’s Brothers Going Shepherding
15约瑟的哥哥们往示剑去，放他们父亲的羊。（创三七12。）牧羊是他们谋生的凭藉。他们藉著这种谋生方式，就在神的主宰里得著机会，使约瑟离开雅各。
15Joseph’s brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem (v. 12). Shepherding was their means of making a living. Through this livelihood of theirs they sovereignly had the opportunity to put Joseph away from Jacob
《6》约瑟被打发去看他的哥哥们
f) Joseph Sent to See His Brothers
16后来约瑟被父亲打发去看他的哥哥们。（创三七13～17。）这也是主的主宰。雅各打发约瑟去看他的哥哥们，也指明雅各在享受生活。倘若他很忙，他不会想到打发约瑟去作这事。但因为他无所事事，因此想起他的儿子们，并且挂念他们。约瑟被打发去看他的哥哥们，他顺服了。他没有闲谈或说闲话。他乃是接受父亲的话，去寻找他的哥哥们。《7》约瑟的哥哥们同谋要害死他约瑟的哥哥们『远远的看见他，趁他还没有走到跟前，大家就同谋要害死他。』(创三七18。）他们给约瑟取了一个绰号，彼此说，『你看，那作梦的来了。』（创三七19。）他们同谋要害死约瑟，然后将所发生的事蒙骗他们的父亲。（创三七20。）
16Later Joseph was sent by his father to see his brothers (vv. 13-17). This also was sovereign of the Lord. The fact that Jacob sent Joseph to see his brothers is another indication that Jacob was enjoying life. If he had been busy, he would not have thought of sending Joseph to do this. But because he had nothing to do, he suddenly thought about his sons and was concerned for them. When Joseph was asked to go to his brothers, he was obedient. He did not gossip or speak idle words. Rather, he took his father’sword and went to find his brothers. (g) Joseph’s Brothers Conspiring to Slay Him When Joseph’s brothers “saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him” (v. 18). They gave Joseph a title, saying to one another, “Behold, this master of dreams cometh” (v. 19, Heb.). They conspired together to slay Joseph and then to deceive their father about what had happened (v. 20
《8》流便要救约瑟脱离他兄弟的手
h) Reuben Wanting to Deliver Joseph out of His Brothers’ Hands
17长兄流便要救约瑟脱离他们的手。他听见了他们的计谋，『要救他脱离他们的手，说，我们不可害他的性命…不可流他的血，可以把他丢在这野地的坑里，不可下手害他。』（创三七21～22。）流便的意思是要救他脱离他们的手，把他交给父亲。
17Reuben, the eldest brother, wanted to deliver Joseph out of their hands. When he heard of their plot, “he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him....Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him” (vv. 21-22). Reuben’sin tent i on was to take him out of their hands and to deliver him to his father.
《9》犹大题议将他卖掉，不可杀害他
i) Judah Proposing to Sell Him and Not to Slay Him
18流便不在的时候，第四个兄弟犹大题议将约瑟卖给以实玛利人，不可杀害他。（创三七25～27。）犹大说，『我们杀我们的兄弟，藏了他的血，有甚么益处呢？我们不如将他卖给以实玛利人，不可下手害他，因为他是我们的兄弟，我们的骨肉。』（创三七26～27。）《10》约瑟被卖给米甸的以实玛利人约瑟被卖给米甸的以实玛利人。（创三七28。）以实玛利是亚伯拉罕藉夏甲生的儿子，而米甸是亚伯拉罕藉最后一个妻子基土拉生的儿子。以实玛利人和米甸人都代表肉体。恨联于肉体，而肉体联于埃及所代表的世界。由于约瑟哥哥们的恼恨，约瑟被交给肉体，肉体又把他带到埃及。但神是主宰一切的。在祂的主宰里，祂使用一切，包括约瑟哥哥们的肉体和恼恨。本章每件消极的事－恼恨、肉体、法老、法老的内臣波堤乏－都被神主宰的用来达成祂的目的。
18In Reuben’s absence Judah, the fourth brother, proposed that instead of slaying Joseph, they sell him to the Ishmaelites (vv. 25-27). Judah said, “What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh.” (vv. 26-27). (j) Joseph Being Sold to Ishmaelites of Midian Joseph was sold to Ishmaelites from Midian (v. 28). Ishmael was the son of Abraham by Hagar, and Midian was the son of Abraham by his last wife, Keturah. Both the Ishmaelites and the Midianites represent the flesh. Hatred is related to the flesh, and the flesh is connected to the world represented by Egypt. Due to his brothers’ hatred, Joseph was handed over to the flesh, and the flesh brought him down to Egypt. But God is sovereign over all. In His sovereignty, He used everything, including the flesh and the hatred of Joseph’s brothers. Every negative thing in this chapter—the hatred, the flesh, Pharaoh, and Pharaoh’s chamberlain, Potiphar—was sovereignly used by God to fulfill His purpose
《11》雅各失去他心头的宝贝
k) Jacob Losing the Treasure of His Heart
19藉著神在这一切似乎是偶发事件中所动用的主宰，雅各失去了他心头的宝贝。（创三七31～35。）拉结死后，雅各的心完全在约瑟身上。忽然间，令他大吃一惊，约瑟被取去了。雅各的儿子欺骗他，使他相信约瑟已经被恶兽吞吃了。（创三七32～33。）雅各听见这消息，『便撕裂衣服，腰间围上麻布，为他儿子悲哀了多日。』（创三七34。）对雅各而言，地上再没有甚么了。他不但被破碎了，他也被剥夺到一个地步，甚么都没有留下。他的儿女想要安慰他，他却不肯受安慰，说，『我必悲哀著下阴间到我儿子那里。』（创三七35。）雅各全然沮丧，没有甚么能安慰他。他已经失去了他心头的宝贝。这次对付是何等深切！
19Through God’s sovereignty, which was exercised in all these seemingly coincidental matters, Jacob lost the treasure of his heart (vv. 31-35). After the death of Rachel, Jacob’she art was wholly set upon Joseph. Suddenly and much to his surprise, Joseph was snatched away. Jacob’ss ons deceived him into believing that Joseph had been devoured by an evil beast (vv. 32-33). When Jacob heard this news, he “rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days” (v. 34). To Jacob, there was nothing more on earth. He was not only broken; he had been robbed to the point where he had nothing left. Although his children tried to comfort him, he refused to be comforted and said, “I will go down into Sheol unto my son mourning” (v. 35, Heb.). Jacob was utterly despondent, and nothing could comfort him. He had lost his heart treasure. How deep and personal was this dealing!
20原则上，迟早我们都要经过这样的对付。但不要因豫计这事而惧怕。赞美主，我们不仅有三十七章，还有四十七章，在那里我们看见荣耀的结局。三十七章不过是一条窄小的地下道。雅各必须走这条地下道，经历那深刻摸著他心的苦难，使他成熟。在他的一生中，没有甚么比失去约瑟更深刻的摸著他了。
20In principle, sooner or later we all shall pass through such a dealing. Do not be frightened at the prospect of this. Praise the Lord that we not only have chapter thirty-seven, but also chapter forty-seven, where we see a glorious result. Chapter thirty-seven is simply a narrow underpass. Jacob had to walk this narrow underpass and experience a suffering that touched his heart profoundly that he might mature. Nothing in his entire life touched him as personally and as deeply as the loss of Joseph
《12》米甸人把约瑟带到埃及，卖给波提乏
l) The Midianites Bringing Joseph to Egypt and Selling Him to Potiphar
21然而，约瑟并没有失去。神在埃及保守他。约瑟被带到埃及，实际上是从『中学』升到『大学。』在埃及他要接受更高的教育，就是豫备他作王的教育。当然，雅各不知道这事。在雅各眼中，约瑟已经被野兽吞吃了。但在神眼中，约瑟是在豫备著作王。所以神能说，『雅各，你不需要悲痛，反而必须欢乐，因为你的儿子在埃及正豫备著作王。』
21Joseph, however, was not lost. God was preserving him in Egypt. Joseph’s being brought to Egypt was actually his transfer from “high school” to the “university.” In Egypt he would receive his higher education, the education which would prepare him for kingship. Jacob, of course, did not know this. In Jacob’se yes, Joseph had been devoured by a beast. But in God’se yes Joseph was being prepared for kingship. Therefore, God could say, “Jacob, there is no need to mourn. Instead, you must rejoice because your son is in Egypt being prepared to be a king