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马太福音生命读经 · 第36篇

国度奥秘的揭示（二）

The Unveiling Of The Kingdom’s Mysteries (2)
1在本篇信息中，我们来到马太十三18章三至八节，和十八至二十三节所论到国度的第一个奥秘。
1We come in this message to the first mystery of the kingdom, covered in 13:3 through 8 and through 23.
2在关于国度奥秘的七个比喻中，主在第一个比喻的开头，没有说『诸天的国好比...，』如祂在另外六个比喻中所说的，（太十三24，31，33，44～45，）因为诸天的国开始于第二个比喻。在第一个比喻里，主出去只是为国度撒了种，那时种子还没有长成庄稼，形成国度。正如主在那时传道所说的，国度还没有来到，不过是已经近了。（太四17。）
2At the beginning of the first of the seven parables concerning the mysteries of the kingdom, the Lord did not say, “The kingdom of the heavens was likened unto,” as He did in the other six parables (vv. 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47), because the kingdom of the heavens began with the second 47 parable. In the first parable, the Lord was going out only to sow the seed for the kingdom. The seed had not yet grown to be the crop for the formation of the kingdom. Hence, the kingdom had not yet come, but had only drawn near in the Lord’sp reaching (4:17).
五 、撒种者的比喻－
E. The Parable of the Sower
3王为著国度初步的工作
3the Preliminary Work of the King for the Kingdom
4当主耶稣来时，祂来为著国度的建立作初步的工作。在祂整个为人生活中，从祂出生到祂复活，诸天的国仍没有来到。祂一生所作的，乃是为著诸天之国的建立而豫备。
4When the Lord Jesus came, He came to do the preliminary work for the establishment of the kingdom. Throughout His human life, from His birth to His resurrection, the kingdom of the heavens still had not come. What He did in His life was a preparation for the establishment of the kingdom of the heavens
撒种的撒了种
1. The Sower Having Sown the Seeds 1.
5三、四节说，有一个撒种的出去撒了一些种子。在祂为著建立诸天之国所作的初步工作中，主耶稣来作撒种的人。主耶稣好几次被称为夫子，但在这里，祂不是将自己比喻为夫子，乃是比喻为撒种的人。三节里那撒种的乃是主自己。（太十三37。）实际上，主不是来施教，乃是来撒种。种子是甚么？种子是国度的道，（太十三19，）在这道里有主作生命。种子也是国度之子，国度子民。（太十三38。）我们若核对自己的经历，就会领悟主耶稣撒进我们人性里的种子，就是祂自己这生命，使我们成为国度的种子。这里有三样东西彼此相关：国度之道、国度之子、以及在种子里面作生命的基督自己。这三样不能分开。国度的道其实就是基督自己这生命的话。这种子最终产生国度之子，就是信徒。所以，种子是指国度的道，指基督自己这生命，也指我们这些国度之子。藉著基督作生命的活话撒在我们这人里面，我们就成为国度之子。
5Verses 3 and 4 say that a sower went out to sow some seeds. In His preliminary work for the establishment of the kingdom of the heavens, the Lord Jesus came as a sower. Several times the Lord was called a teacher. But here He likens himself not to a teacher, but to a sower. The sower in verse 3 is the Lord Himself (v. 37). Actually, the Lord did not come to teach, but to sow the seed. What is this seed? It is the word of the kingdom with the King in it as life (v. 19). The seed is also the sons, the people, of the kingdom (v. 38). If we check with our experience, we shall realize that the seed sown by the Lord Jesus into our humanity is just Himself as life to make us the seed of the kingdom. Here three things are interrelated: the word of the kingdom, the sons of the kingdom, and Christ Himself as the life within the seed. These three cannot be separated. The word of the kingdom actually is Christ Himself as the word of life. This seed eventually produces the sons of the kingdom, who are the believers. Therefore, the seed refers to the word of the kingdom, to Christ Himself as life, and to us, the sons of the kingdom. By Christ’s being the living word of life sown into our being, we are made the sons of the kingdom.
6在这比喻里，我们看见基督建立诸天的国不是藉著争战或施教，乃是藉著把祂自己当作生命的种子撒在相信的人里面，好叫诸天的国可以长大。诸天之国的建立完全是在生命里长大的事。建立国度就是长出国度。国度的建立不是藉著外面的工作，乃是藉著里面的长大。我们需要一再强调这件事。因为许多基督教工人没有看见这事，他们仍然以为召会是藉著工作与劳苦建造的。但召会的产生只能藉著把基督当作种子撒在人性里。这种子要在人里面生长，并且产生召会。生命的种子－在话里的基督自己－撒在人性里，就会长出召会。召会不是藉著工作产生的；召会完全是藉著在生命里长大而产生的。因此，诸天之国的产生不是藉著教训或工作，乃是藉著把基督当作生命的活话撒在人性里。这种子要生长，其中的生命要产生国度。国度完全是已经长大的生命的事。国度的源头是基督这生命的种子。愿我们对国度是生命的事都有深刻的印象。
6In this parable we see that Christ establishes the kingdom of the heavens not by fighting or teaching, but by sowing Himself as the seed of life into believing people so that the kingdom of the heavens may grow up. The establishment of the kingdom of the heavens is absolutely a matter of growth in life. To establish the kingdom is to grow the kingdom. The kingdom is not established by outward working, but by inward growing. We need to emphasize this matter again and again. Because many Christian workers have not seen this, they still think that the church is built up by work and labor. But the church can be produced only by sowing Christ as the seed into humanity. This seed will grow within people and produce the church. The seed of life, Christ Himself in the word, sown into humanity will grow the church. The church is not produced by work; it is altogether produced by the growth in life. Therefore, the kingdom of the heavens is brought into being not by teaching or by working, but by sowing Christ as the living word of life into humanity. This seed will grow, and the life in it will produce the kingdom. The kingdom is absolutely a matter of life which has grown. The source of the kingdom is Christ as the seed of life. May we all be deeply impressed with the fact that the kingdom is a matter of life
7在这清楚描绘国度初步工作的比喻里，基督来作撒种者。凡撒过种的人都晓得，种子里面若没有生命，甚么事都不会发生。没有生命，就不可能生长。在这比喻里，基督既不是作大申言者来申言，也不是作大能的君王来治理。不错，祂是申言者，是君王；但在这比喻里，祂不是以申言者或君王的身分，乃是以撒种者的身分出现。祂手里没有权杖来治理或行使权柄，却有种子来产生生命。祂来是作撒种的人，把自己当作种子撒出去。哦，愿我们都看见这事!这异象要更新我们的观念和我们基督徒的工作。我们若看见这异象，就不再信靠我们所作的，因为我们晓得国度是生命的事，召会是那撒在我们人性里生命种子生长的事；所以我们会完全信靠生命的长大。那些多年和我们在一起的人能见证，我没有教训人该作甚么，没有给他们行为上的指导。但在一次又一次的聚会、特会和训练中，我一直供应基督这包罗万有、赐生命的灵。我们所供应的，始终是基督、生命、那灵和召会。
7In this parable, which gives us a clear picture of the preliminary work of the kingdom, Christ came as a sower, Everyone who has sown seed knows that if there is no life in the seed, nothing will happen. Without life, it is impossible to have growth. In this parable Christ came neither as a great prophet to prophesy nor as a mighty king to rule. Yes, He was a prophet and a king, but in this parable He appears as a sower, not as a prophet or a king. In His hand there is not a scepter for ruling or for exercising authority, but seed for producing life. He came as a sower to sow Himself as the seed. Oh, may we all see this! This vision will revolutionize our concept and our Christian work. If we see this vision, we would no longer trust in what we do because we would know that the kingdom is a matter of life, that the church is a matter of growth in the life seed sown into our humanity. Therefore, we would trust completely in the growth of life. Those who have been with us for a number of years can testify that I do not teach others what they should do. I do not give them instructions regarding their behavior. But in meeting after meeting, conference after conference, and training after training, I have ministered Christ as the all-inclusive, life-giving Spirit. It has always been a matter of Christ, life, the Spirit, and the church.
8我们都需要看见这基本的异象：国度就是生命在我们里面长大。对校园有负担的青年人必须看见这异象。青年人，你们若去校园作工，那就没有意义。你们不该去那里作工，而该去撒种，作撒种的人。我在中国与倪弟兄在一起的年间，我看他不是在作工，乃是在撒播基督这种子。他告诉我，和受恩（M．E．Barber）教士不是来中国作工，她在中国乃是撒播基督，甚至是在基督里把她自己撒出去。她是一粒种子撒在中国那地区。至终，从那粒种子长出了东西。今天主的恢复就是和教士与倪弟兄所撒的种子产生出来的。不要以为我们的工作很有意义。不，我们的工作毫无意义。你若再读福音书，就会看见第一个基督徒工人就是基督自己。然而，祂没有作多少工作，祂乃是在撒种。
8We all need to see this basic vision that the kingdom is a matter of life growing in us. The young people who are burdened for the campuses must see this vision. Young people, if you go to the campuses to do a work, that will mean nothing. You should not go there to work, but to sow the seed, to be a sower. During the years I was with Brother Nee in China, I saw that he was not working; he was sowing Christ as a seed. He told me that Miss M. E. Barber did not come to China to work. She was in China sowing Christ, even sowing herself in Christ. She was a seed sown into that district in China. Eventually, something grew out of that seed. The Lord’s recovery today is the produce of the seed sown by Sister Barber and Brother Nee. Do not think that our working means very much. No, our working does not mean anything. If you study the Gospels again, you will see that the first Christian worker was Christ Himself. However, He did not work very much. Instead, He was sowing
9在撒种者的比喻里，主给我们一幅祂来作甚么的图画。祂来作撒种的人。这比喻对那些骄傲的人是个奥秘。法利赛人可能会说，『这一切我们都知道，我们不想听。我们知道甚么是撒种的人。我们知道撒种的人只是撒种，并且这种子落在各种土里。这是基本的。我们想听深奥的事，富有哲理的事。对我们讲摩西的律法罢！耶稣，你没有读过摩西和诗篇么？我们想要听这个。我们不要听种子落在路旁、石头地上、荆棘里和好土里。你只是幼稚园的老师。』但对那些灵里贫穷、清心的人，这比喻比摩西的教训和所有的诗篇深奥多了。为著撒种者、种子和好土阿利路亚！这完全是生命的事。我们需要更多说到撒种者、撒种、种子和生长的诗歌。我再说，国度是长出来的，不是藉著我们的劳苦建造的。不要想去建造召会，因为召会所需要的是长大。一天过一天，我们需要撒播基督。
9In the parable of the sower the Lord gives us a picture of what He came to do. He came as a sower to sow the seed. To those who are proud this parable is a mystery. The Pharisees would probably say, “We know all about this and don’t want to hear of it. We know what a sower is. We know that a sower simply sows seed and that this seed fall son various types of soil. This is elementary. We want to hear something deep, something philosophical. Speak to us about the laws of Moses. Jesus, have you never read Moses and the Psalms? We would like to hear about this, not about some seed falling on the wayside, rocky places, thorns, and good soil. You are just a kindergarten teacher.” But to those who are poor in spirit and pure in heart this parable is much more profound than the teaching of Moses and all the Psalms. Hallelujah for the sower, the seed, and the good earth! This is altogether a matter of life. We need more hymns on the sower, the sowing, the seed, and the growth. Again I say, the kingdom grows; it is not built by our labor. Do not try to build the church, for what the church needs is growth. Day after day we need to sow Christ.
10最近，一个反对者告诉一位弟兄：『我们要使你们销声匿迹。』他说他们正在计画使主的恢复销声匿迹。反对者若想要这么作，就会发现他们自找麻烦。不要摸生命的东西，因为你越摸它，它越繁增。你若不去管它，它可能一直是静止的。但你若摸它，它就会长大。假定你对一粒种子说，『种子，我要阻挡你，我要把你埋在土里。』那对种子是何等美好！但你若把种子放在台子上，欣赏它们，观看它们，宝贵它们，那将是阻挡它们最有效的作法。但你若把种子埋在地里，想要了结他，种子就会生长。反对者简直不知道甚么是主的恢复。主的恢复不是工作、教训或神学，乃是种子，就是活的基督这粒种子。我有把握向全宇宙宣告，包罗万有的基督这赐生命的灵，已经撒在千万的美国人里面。不要摸他们。你若想要逼迫他们，或埋葬他们，一粒麦子就要繁增成为许多子粒。谁能阻挡主的恢复？种子已经撒下去了。主来到地上作撒种者，把祂自己撒出去。阿利路亚，耶稣已经撒在人性里！今天在主的恢复里，原则是一样的。主的恢复就是生命的种子，已经撒在美国、欧洲、巴西和许多其他的地方。无人无物能阻挡它。主的恢复不是运动，乃是基督自己这生命的种子撒在我们这人里面。撒种者是基督，种子也是基督，基督在话里撒在我们里面，使我们成为国度之子。
10Recently an opposer told a brother, “We are going to stop you.” He said that they were planning to stop the Lord’s recovery. If the opposers try to do this, they will find themselves in trouble. Do not touch anything of life, for the more you touch it, the more it multiplies. If you leave it alone, it may remain dormant. But if you touch it, it will grow. Suppose you say to some seed, “Seed, I shall stop you. I shall bury you in the earth.” How good that would be for the seed! But if you leave the seeds on a pedestal, appreciating them, looking at them, and treasuring them, that will be the most effective way to stop them. But if you try to terminate the seed by burying it in the earth, the seed will grow. The opposers simply do not know what the Lord’s recovery is. The Lord’s recovery is not work, teaching, or theology. It is a seed; it is the living Christ as a seed. I have the assurance to declare to the whole universe that the all- inclusive Christ as the life-giving Spirit has been sown into thousands of Americans. Do not touch them. If you try to persecute them or bury them, the one grain will be multiplied into many more grains. Who can stop the Lord’s recovery? The seed has already been sown. The Lord came to the earth as a sower to sow Himself. Hallelujah, Jesus has been sown into humanity! The principle is the same in the Lord’s recovery today. The recovery as the seed of life has been sown in America, Europe, Brazil, and many other places. No one and nothing can stop it. The Lord’s recovery is not a movement. It is Christ Himself as the seed of life sown into our being. The sower is Christ, and the seed is also Christ, Christ in the word sown into us to make us the sons of the kingdom
11照著这比喻和主自己的解说，这种子是撒在我们心里。（太十三19。）过去我们曾指出，我们的心不是接收的器官，乃是爱的器官，接收的器官是我们的灵。我们根据以西结三十六章这样说，在那里神应许要赐给我们新灵和新心。新灵是要接受神，新心是要爱神。在这里主耶稣没有题到灵的事；但祂的确说种子撒在心里。没有一样东西，不先经过我们的心，就能进入我们的灵。在彼前三章四节，我们的灵称为心里的人。这指明我们的灵被我们的心包围。心的三个主要部分是心思、情感和意志。我们相信主耶稣时，不觉得自己在运用灵，但我们的确领悟，自己用心相信祂。换句话说，我们相信祂时，就敞开了我们的心。然而，结果是祂进入了我们灵里。当我们敞开心相信祂，祂就进入我们灵里。但我们的灵不是生长基督的地土。地土是我们的心。这比喻完全指明我们的心是土，是地，是种子撒播并生长的地方。所以，在这比喻里，主不是对付我们的灵；祂主要的是摸我们的心。
11According to this parable and the Lord’s own interpretation of it, this seed is sown into our heart (v. 19). In the past we have pointed out that our heart is not the receiving organ, but the loving organ, and that our receiving organ is our spirit. We say this based upon Ezekiel 3 6, where God promises to give us a new spirit and a new heart, a new spirit to receive God and a new heart to love Him. Here the Lord Jesus does not mention anything about the spirit; but He does say that the heart is the place where the seed is sown. Nothing can enter our spirit without first passing through our heart. In 1 Peter 3:4 our spirit is called the inner man of our heart. This indicates that our spirit is surrounded by our heart. The three main sections of the heart are the mind, the emotion, and the will. When we believed in the Lord Jesus, we had no awareness that we were exercising our spirit. But we did realize that we believed in Him with our heart. In other words, when we believed in Him, we opened our heart. The result, however, was that He came into our spirit. When we opened our heart to believe in Him, He came into our spirit. But our spirit is not the soil for growing Christ. The soil is our heart. This parable makes it perfectly clear that our heart is the soil, the earth, the very place where the seed is sown and where it grows. Therefore, in this parable the Lord does not deal with our spirit; He mainly touches our heart.
有的种子落在路旁
2. Some Seeds Falling beside the Way 2.
12四节说，『撒的时候，有的落在路旁，飞鸟来吃尽了。』路旁就是路边的地，给路上的交通弄硬了，使种子难以落进去。这种路旁，象征有的心为属世的交通往来所硬化，无法敞开以领悟、领略国度的道。（太十三19。）飞鸟象征撒但那恶者，他来把撒在硬心里国度的道夺了去。
12Verse 4 says, “ And as He sowed, some seeds indeed fell beside the way, and the birds came and devoured them.” Beside the way is the place close to the way. Because it is hardened by the traffic of the way, it is difficult for the seeds to penetrate it. This kind of wayside signifies the heart that is hardened by the worldly traffic and does not open to understand, to comprehend, the word of the kingdom (v. 19). The birds signify the evil one, Satan, who came and snatched away the word of the kingdom sown in the hardened heart
13你若比较诸天之国的宪法和撒种者的比喻，就会看见这比喻是基于宪法的观念。宪法说到灵里贫穷和清心。那些在路旁的人，不能接受种子，因为他们灵里不贫穷，也不清心。路旁是耕地的一部分，因为靠近交通要道，就为交通往来所硬化，这使种子不可能落进去，因此种子仍留在路旁地面上。这表征那些灵里不贫穷或不清心的人，因为他们有许多属世的交通往来。教育、商业、政治、科学、事业、和其他各种属世的交通，在他们的心思、情感和意志里来来去去。他们为升迁、地位和野心所霸占。因这缘故，要向那些政界里的人传福音很难，政治家里面有太多属世的交通往来。那些在政界里寻求进展的人，野心勃勃要得著地位，或要凌驾别人。同样的，要向那些华尔街的人传福音也很难。他们太硬了，不能把话接受到他们里面，除非主把他们打倒。他们日夜都被数字、钱财、事业所霸占，他们无法灵里贫穷或清心。华尔街的交易使他们心里刚硬。你想把种子撒在他们里面，种子却落不进去。他们里面没有空间容纳这种子。在教育界，特别是在攻读博士学位的人中间，也是这样。他们心里已经有许多的交通往来，以致他们的心硬化了，正如主比喻中的路旁。他们也许听见基督的福音，但没有一个字能进入他们心里。
13If you compare the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens with the parable of the sower, you will see that this parable is based upon the concept of the constitution. The constitution covers the matters of being poor in our spirit and pure in our heart. Those who are the wayside cannot receive the seed because they are neither poor in spirit nor pure in heart. Because the wayside, part of the soil for farming, was so close to the traffic, it became hardened by the traffic. This made it impossible for the seed to penetrate it. Thus, the seed remained on the surface of the wayside. This signifies those who are not poor in spirit or pure in heart because they have so much worldly traffic. Education, commerce, politics, science, business, and other kinds of worldly traffic go back and forth within their mind, emotion, and will. They are occupied with promotion, position, and ambition. For this reason, it is very difficult to preach the gospel to those in politics. The politicians have too much worldly traffic in their being. Those seeking advancement in politics are ambitious to gain a position or to surpass others. Likewise, it is difficult to preach the gospel to those on Wall Street. Unless the Lord knocks them down, they are too hard to receive the word into them. Day and night they are preoccupied with figures, money, and business. They cannot be poor in spirit or pure in heart. The Wall Street traffic makes them hard in their heart. When you attempt to sow the seed into them, the seed cannot penetrate them. There is no room in them for the seed. This is also true among so many in education, especially those pursuing a doctoral degree. There has been so much traffic in their heart that their heart has been hardened, just like the wayside in the Lord’sp arable. Although they may hear the gospel of Christ, not a word can penetrate their heart
14我们感谢主，在祂的怜悯里，当福音传给我们时，我们灵里贫穷，并且清心。在我蒙主拯救的那天，我对祂说，『如果全世界都能成为我的，我也不会接受。我不要世界，我也不喜欢世界。主，我要为你保留我的心。我不喜欢我心里有任何属世的交通往来。』在耕地上有交通往来并不好，没有一个农夫许可这事。你是路旁的一部分么？不要靠近路旁，要留在耕地中央，然后属世的交通往来就不会摸著你。
14We thank the Lord that, in His mercy, when the gospel was preached to us, we were poor in spirit and pure in heart. On the day I was saved by the Lord, I said to Him, “If the whole world could be mine, I would not take it. I don’t want it and I don’t like it. Lord, I want to keep my heart for You. I don’t like to have any worldly traffic in my heart.” It is never good to have traffic through farmland. No farmer would allow this. Are you part of the wayside? Do not stay close to the way. Stay in the center of the farm. Then the worldly traffic will not touch you
有的落在土浅石头地上
3. Some Falling on Rocky Places 3.
15五、六节说，『又有的落在土浅石头地上，土既不深，立刻发苗；等日头一出来，就晒焦了，又因没有根，便枯干了。』土浅石头地，象征有的心接受国度的道是肤浅的，因为深处有石头，就是隐藏的罪、个人的欲望、自私和自怜，阻挠种子在心的深处扎根。日头及其炙热象征患难或逼迫。（太十三21。）这日头的炙热将生根不深的苗晒干了。苗只要深深的扎根，日头的热就使庄稼长大并成熟。但由于苗扎根不深，日头那助长成熟的热，反成了庄稼致命的打击。
15Verses 5 and 6 say, “And others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much earth, and immediately they sprang up because they did not have depth of earth; but when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they were dried up.” The rocky places that do not have much earth signify the heart that is shallow in receiving the word of the kingdom, because deep within are rocks—hidden sins, personal desires, self - seeking, and self - pity— which frustrate the seed from gaining root in the depth of the heart. The sun with its scorching heat signifies affliction or persecution (v. 21), which dries up the seed that is not rooted. The heat of the sun is for the growth and ripening of the crop once the seed is deeply rooted. But due to the seed’s lack of root, the sun’s growing and ripening heat becomes a death blow to the seed.
16石头所象征的东西，符合诸天之国宪法里补充的律法所论到的。（太五17～48。）第二种地符合脾气、情欲、己和肉体，这些隐藏在我们心里的东西。我们中间也许很少人是路旁的部分，但我很关心有好些人可能是士浅石头地。表面看来他们和别人一样，因为土在表面上。但他们不深，仍有情欲、脾气、己和肉体。这一切都是隐藏在土下面的石头。所以，第一种土符合那些灵里不贫穷，也不清心的人；第二种土符合那些在表面之下有脾气、情欲、罪、己和肉体的人。你们有些人也许仍然隐藏著情欲、自私和肉体。你在聚会中也许呼喊阿利路亚，但你没有甚么深度，反而有石头。这些石头迟早都要被暴露，因为撒在你里面的话，不能在你里面扎根。你也许很高兴喜乐，呼喊赞美主，但你里面没有根。因此，当患难和逼迫临到时，你就枯干了，好像没有根的植物，在日头的炙热之下枯萎了。愿主怜悯我们，挖出所有隐藏的石头。愿主挖出我们的脾气、情欲、己、肉体和其他消极的事物，好使我们的心有空间，让种子在我们里面深深扎根。
16The things signified by the rocks correspond to what is covered by the complemented laws in the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens (5:17-48). The second type of earth corresponds to the temper, lust, self, and flesh—the things hidden in our heart. Perhaps not many among us are part of the wayside, but I am very concerned that a good number may be rocky places. In appearance they are the same as others, for the soil is on the surface. But they have no depth. Rather, they have lust, temper, self, and flesh. All these are rocks hidden beneath the soil. Therefore, the first type of soil corresponds to those who are not poor in spirit and pure in heart, and the second corresponds to those who still have their temper, lust, sin, self, and flesh beneath the surface. Some of you may still be hiding your lust, your selfishness, and your flesh. You may shout hallelujahs in the meetings, but you do not have much depth. Instead of depth, there are rocks. Sooner or later, all these rocks will be exposed because the word that has been sown into you will not be able to be rooted in you. You may be happy and joyful, shouting praises to the Lord, but there is no root in you. Hence, when the affliction and persecutions come, you will be dried up like a plant without root that withers under the scorching heat of the sun. May the Lord have mercy upon us and dig out all the hidden rocks. May He dig out our temper, lust, self, flesh, and any other negative things o that there may be room in our heart for the seed to be rooted deeply within us.
有的落在荆棘里
4. Some Falling on the Thorns 4.
17七节说，『还有的落在荆棘里，荆棘长起来，就把它挤住了。』荆棘象征今世的思虑和钱财的迷惑。这荆棘把道全然挤住了，使道不能在心里长大并结实。荆棘，就是今世的思虑和钱财的迷惑，符合宪法中论到国度子民对财物的态度那一段。（太六19～34。）在宪法的那一段，好几次使用『忧虑』这辞。主告诉我们，不要为我们的生活忧虑，吃甚么，喝甚么，或穿甚么。第三种土不像第二种那么坏，但因著思虑和钱财的迷惑，种子还是很难在其中生长。这一切荆棘都必须连根拔除。今世的思虑和钱财的迷惑若能从我们心里根除，种子就会生长。
17Verse 7 says, “And others fell on the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.” The thorns here signify the anxiety of the age and the deceitfulness of riches, which choke the word from growing in the heart and cause it to become unfruitful. The thorns, the anxiety of this age and the deceitfulness of riches, match the section in the constitution covering the attitude of the kingdom people toward riches (6:19-34). Several times in that section of the constitution the words “anxious” or “anxiety” are used. The Lord tells us not to be anxious about our living, about what we shall eat, drink, or wear. The third type of soil is not as bad as the second, but it is still difficult for the seed to grow in it because of anxiety and the deceitfulness of riches. All these thorns must be uprooted. If the anxiety of this age and the deceitfulness of riches are rooted out of our heart, the seed will grow.
18撒种者的比喻似乎很简单，实际上却很高深奥妙。这比喻把我们心里真实的光景暴露在属天君王的面前，凡在我们里面的都被暴露了。这比喻说到因属世的交通往来而刚硬；隐藏的情欲、己和肉体；以及今世的思虑和钱财的迷惑。这些就是路旁、石头和荆棘。只要你是路旁，是有隐藏的石头的地，或是有荆棘的地，国度就不能在你里面生长。换句话说，召会不能在那几种土地上生长。召会要生长，种子必须落在好土里。
18The parable of the sower seems very simple, but it is actually deep and profound. It exposes the real condition of our heart in the presence of the heavenly King. Whatever is in us is exposed. This parable covers the hardness by the worldly traffic; the hidden lust, self, and flesh; and the anxiety of the age and deceitfulness of money. These are the wayside, the rocks, and the thorns. As long as you are either the wayside, the soil with hidden rocks, or the soil with thorns, the kingdom cannot grow in you. In other words, the church cannot grow in those types of soil. In order for the church to grow, the seed must fall on good earth.
有的落在好土里
5. Others Falling on Good Earth 5.
19八节说，『但有的落在好土里，就结果实，有的一百倍，有的六十倍，有的三十倍。』好土象征好的心，没有为属世的交通往来所硬化，没有隐藏的罪，也没有今世的思虑和钱财的迷惑。这样的心让出每一寸的地土，接受主的话，使主的话可以长大，结出果实，甚至结了百倍。（太十三23。）好的心没有属世的交通往来，没有石头，也没有荆棘。好的心没有隐藏的罪、自私、情欲或肉体，也没有今世的思虑或钱财的迷惑。这种心真是纯洁，与灵配合。这样的心是生长基督的好土。基督这生命的种子，只能在这样的心，这样的土里生长。这是能生长国度的土。
19Verse 8 says, “And others fell on the good earth and gave fruit, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.” The good earth signifies the good heart that is not hardened by worldly traffic, that is without hidden sins, and that is without the anxiety of the age and the deceitfulness of riches. Such a heart gives every inch of its ground to receive the word that the word may grow, bear fruit, and produce even a hundredfold (v. 23). The good heart is a heart which has no worldly traffic, no rocks, and no thorns. It has no hidden sins, selfishness, lust, or flesh and no anxiety of the age or deceitfulness of money. This kind of heart is truly pure to match the spirit. Such a heart is the good soil that grows Christ. Christ as the seed of life can grow only in this kind of heart, this kind of soil. This is the soil that can grow the kingdom
20美国有无数的基督徒。最近有一份杂志说，在这个国家里有五千万重生的基督徒。只有主知道其中有多少真基督徒。虽然有这么多基督徒，但我怀疑有多少是好土。有多少人没有属世的交通往来，没有隐藏的罪、肉体、情欲或己，没有思虑或钱财的迷惑？有多少人灵里贫穷并且清心？这样的基督徒很难找到。我们周围也许都是基督徒，但我们很难找到一个真正灵里贫穷并且清心的人。你如何呢？你心里还有属世的交通往来么？你真是灵里贫穷并且清心么？你里面深处有任何隐藏的石头么？今世的思虑和钱财的迷惑呢？虽然我们必须思想这些问题，但我们不该沮丧，反而该受鼓励。没有甚么能阻挡神的经纶。至少有一些人是好土。照著主的比喻所指明的百分比，有百分之二十五的信徒是好土。甚至只有百分之五的信徒是好土，我也会很喜乐。在所有的真基督徒当中，若有百分之五灵里贫穷，清心，没有隐藏的己、肉体或罪，并且没有思虑或钱财的迷惑，那是何等美好！若有百分之五是纯洁的，让基督在他们里面长大，那是何等美妙！在许多大城市中，主要到处寻见好土。主是满有怜悯的。我们也许有过太多的交通往来，但主拯救我们脱离路旁，把我们放在耕地中央。我知道主在许多弟兄姊妹里面，挖出了所有隐藏的事物，根除了所有的荆棘，使他们的心成为好土。为著这事赞美主！毫无疑问，我们当中有许多人是好地，好土。国度和召会都在这里生长。在召会生活这里，我们生长基督，并且生长国度。国度的来临不是藉著我们的工作。国度的来临惟有藉著基督在我们里面的长大。愿我们都有深刻的印象，今天在主的恢复里，主正把祂自己撒在人里面，使祂能得著好土，把祂自己长到国度里。这是第一个比喻，也是为著建立诸天之国初步的工作。
20In the United States of America there are millions of Christians. Recently a magazine said that there are fifty million regenerated Christians in this country. Only the Lord know show many among this number are genuine Christians. Although there are so many Christians, I wonder how many are the good earth. How many have no worldly traffic, no hidden sins, flesh, lusts, or self, and no anxiety or deceitfulness of money? How many are poor in spirit and pure in heart? It is very difficult to find such Christians. Although we may be surrounded with Christians, we rarely find one who is truly poor in spirit and pure in heart. How about you? Do you still have worldly traffic in your heart? Are you truly poor in spirit and pure in heart? Are there any hidden rocks deep within? What about the anxiety of this age and the deceitfulness of money? Although we must consider these questions, we should not be discouraged. Rather, we should be encouraged. Nothing can stop God’secon o my. There will be at least some who are the good earth. According to the percentage indicated by the Lord’sp arable, this is twenty-five percent of the believers. I would be happy with even five percent. How good it would be if among all the real Christians five percent were poor in spirit and pure in heart, had no hidden self, flesh, or sin, and had no anxiety or deceitfulness of money! How wonderful it would be if five percent were pure for Christ to grow in them! Here and there, in so many major cities, the Lord will find the good earth. The Lord is merciful. We might have had too much traffic, but the Lord saved us from the wayside and placed us in the center of the farmland. I know of many brothers and sisters in whom the Lord has dug out all the hidden things and uprooted all the thorns to make their heart the good earth. Praise the Lord for this! There is no doubt that among us a good many are the good earth, the good soil. The kingdom and the church are growing here. Here in the church life we are growing Christ, and we are growing the kingdom. The kingdom does not come by our working. It comes only by the growth of Christ within us. May we all be impressed that today in the Lord’s recovery the Lord is doing the work of sowing Himself into people so that He may have the good earth to grow Himself into the kingdom. This is the first parable, and this is the preliminary work for the establishment of the kingdom of the heavens.