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马可福音生命读经 · 第15篇

国度的比喻（三）

The Parables of the Kingdom (3)
1读经：马可福音四章一至三十四节。马可福音给我们一部奴仆救主活动的记载。我们已经指出，这卷书不是给我们一部奴仆救主话语或教训的记载。当然，这卷福音书的确告诉我们，主耶稣教训人；然而，马可没有强调主的话。
1Scripture Reading: Mark 4:1-34 The Gospel of Mark gives us a record of the activities of the Slave-Savior. As we have pointed out, it is not the intention of this Gospel to give us a record of the Slave-Savior’swords or teaching. Of course, this Gospel does tell us that the Lord Jesus taught. However, Mark does not emphasize the Lord’swords
2第四章可以当作一段插进来的话，与马可福音其余的部分不同，其中记载了主的四个比喻。四章一至三十四节没有描绘奴仆救主的活动或行动，却记述了奴仆救主讲论神国度的教训。论到教训的这一章，是非常重要的。我们如果把马可四章与马太十三章作比较，就会看见马可四章比马太十三章简短。马太十三章有七个比喻，马可四章只有四个比喻：撒种的比喻、（1～20、）灯的比喻、（21～25、）种子的比喻、（26～29、）与芥菜种的比喻。（30～。）在这四个比喻当中，只有灯的比喻是马太十三章没有题到的。
2Chapter four, which may be regarded as an insertion, differs from the rest of the Gospel of Mark in that it gives us a record of four of the Lord’s parables. In 4:1-34 we do not have a description of the activity or move of the Slave-Savior. Rather, in this chapter we have an account of the Slave-Savior’ste aching concerning the kingdom of God. This chapter, a chapter of teaching, is crucial. If we compare chapter four of Mark with chapter thirteen of Matthew, we shall see that Mark 4 is much shorter than Matthew 13. In Matthew 13 we have seven parables, but in Mark 4 we have only four: the parable of the sower (vv. 1-20), the parable of the lamp (vv. 21-25), the parable of the seed (vv. 26-29), and the parable of the mustard seed (vv. 30-34). Of these four parables, only the parable of the lamp is not included 34 in Matthew 13.
国度种子的生长与发展
THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEED OF THE KINGDOM
3马可四章启示一件重要的事，就是国度的种子或国度的基因。神的国不是靠活动或组织产生的。实际上，神的国乃是神自己种到人里面，而在人里面发展成为国度。
3The crucial matter revealed in chapter four of the Gospel of Mark is the kingdom seed or kingdom gene. The kingdom of God is not produced by activity or organization. The kingdom of God is actually God Himself sown into human beings and developing in them into a kingdom
4我们需要对一个事实有深刻的印象，就是神的国不是教训、活动或组织。相反的，神的国乃是三一神成为肉体，种到祂的选民里面，并在他们里面生长，发展成为国度。在国度的这个简单定义里，我们说到整本新约教训的内在元素。新约教导我们甚么？新约教导我们：三一神已经成为肉体，为要撒到祂所拣选的人里面，在他们里面发展成为国度。这就是新约教训的内在元素。
4We need to be impressed with the fact that the kingdom of God is not a matter of teaching, activity, or organization. On the contrary, the kingdom of God is the Triune God in His incarnation sown into His chosen people to grow and develop in them into a kingdom. In this brief definition of the kingdom we have a statement of the intrinsic element of the entire teaching of the New Testament. What does the New Testament teach us? The New Testament teaches us that the Triune God has been incarnated in order to be sown into His chosen people and then develop within them into a kingdom. This is the intrinsic element of the New Testament teaching.
5如果我们在这光中来读新约，就会看见三一神成了人。当这人耶稣基督开始传扬福音并教训真理时，祂一直把自己撒到人里面。这意思是说，祂传扬福音并教训真理，实际上就是把祂自己撒到听祂说话的人里面。当祂传扬并教训时，祂一直把祂的话撒到祂的听众里面。祂的话把祂自己传输到人里面。因此，藉著祂的话，祂自己这位神人，也就是在人性中的三一神，就撒到祂所拣选的人里面。传扬与教训乃是祂把自己当作国度种子撒出去的路。当神所拣选的人听见这位神人的话，也接受了这话，他们实际上乃是接受一个奇妙的人位；这个人位就是三一神，又是真正的人。这是四卷福音书里所记载的。四福音里启示三一神成为肉体。至终这位神人出来，藉著传扬与教训，将祂自己撒到神所拣选的人里面。当神所拣选的人听见并接受祂的话时，他们就接受了国度的种子，就是国度的基因。这种子、基因乃是成为肉体的神，也就是在人性里的三一神。在福音书里，我们看见国度种子的撒播。使徒行传有这撒播的繁殖和开展。福音书中已经有一些开展，首先是从一个撒种的人，增加到十二个撒种的人；再从十二个撒种的人，增加到七十个。但是使徒行传里有几百个，甚至几千个撒种的人兴起来。所有这些撒种的人都是接受了种子、基因的人。他们接受种子，就成了一班也能把种子撒到别人里面的人。藉此，撒种与种子都繁殖了。
5If we read the New Testament in this light, we shall see that the Triune God became a man. When this man, Jesus Christ, began to preach the gospel and teach the truth, He was sowing Himself into others. This means that His preaching of the gospel and His teaching of the truth were actually a sowing of Himself into those who heard Him. While He was preaching and teaching, He was sowing His word into His hearers. His word conveyed Himself into them. Hence, through His word He Himself as the God - man, the Triune God in humanity, was sown into His chosen people. Preaching and teaching were His way of sowing Himself as the seed of the kingdom. When God’s chosen people heard the word of this God-man and received it, they were actually receiving a wonderful Person, the One who is both the Triune God and a real man. This is what is recorded in the four Gospels. The four Gospels reveal the Triune God incarnated. This God-man eventually came forth to sow Himself into God’s chosen people by preaching and teaching. When those who had been chosen by God heard His word and received it, they received the seed, the gene, of the kingdom. This seed, this gene, is the incarnated God, the Triune God in humanity. In the Gospels we have the sowing of this seed of the kingdom. In the Acts we have the propagation and spreading of this sowing. In the Gospels we do have some spreading, first from one Sower to twelve sowers and then from twelve sowers to seventy sowers. But in Acts hundreds and even thousands of sowers were raised up. All these sowers were those who received the seed, the gene. By receiving the seed they became those who could then sow it into others. In this way we have the propagation of the sowing and of the seed.
6我们在书信里看见国度基因（种子）的生长。我们特别在林前三章看见这生长。保罗在林前三章九节下半说，『你们是神的耕地。』保罗在同一章又说，『我栽种了，亚波罗浇灌了，惟有神叫他生长。』（6。）我们在这一章里看见种子的生长与发展。国度基因的进一步发展，可以在彼后一章看见。彼后一章三节说，『神的神能…已将一切关于生命和敬虔的事赐给我们。』一切关乎神圣生命的事都赐给了我们，目的是为著这种子能彀发展。彼后一章五至七节描绘这发展说，『在你们的信上，充足的供应美德，在美德上供应知识，在知识上供应节制，在节制上供应忍耐，在忍耐上供应敬虔，在敬虔上供应弟兄相爱，在弟兄相爱上供应爱。』这里有种子发展到成熟阶段的步骤。彼得指明，我们若有这种发展，『就必得著丰富充足的供应，以进入我们主和救主耶稣基督永远的国。』（11。）因此，书信里清楚的说到国度种子的发展。
6In the Epistles we see the growing of the seed, the gene of the kingdom. We see this growth, in particular, in chapter three of 1 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 3:9b Paul says, “You are God’s farm.” Elsewhere in the same chapter Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God made to grow” (v. 6). Here in this chapter we have the growth, the development, of the seed. Further development of the kingdom gene is seen in chapter one of 2 Peter. According to 2 Peter 1:3, God’s “divine power has granted to us all things which relate to life and godliness.” All things pertaining to the divine life have been given to us for the purpose of development. We have a description of this development in 2 Peter 1:5-7: “Supply bountifully in your faith virtue, and in virtue knowledge, and in knowledge self - control, and in self - control endurance, and in endurance godliness, and in godliness brotherly love, and in brotherly love love.” Here we have the steps of the development of the seed unto maturity. Peter indicates that if we have this development, “So shall be richly and bountifully supplied to you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 11). Hence, we clearly have in the Epistles the development of the seed of the kingdom.
7这种子的收成是在新约最后一卷书－启示录中。按照启示录十四章，我们先有初熟的果子，然后有收成。启示录十四章四节说到那班『从人间买来的，作初熟的果子归与神和羔羊』。然后我们在十五节看见，『地上的庄稼已经熟了。』14启示录十四章所说，那些是初熟果子的人，要在千年国里与基督一同作王。千年国将是国度基因的完全发展。在这一千年间，许多接受国度基因的人要与基督一同作王。那时，我们的父可能向祂的仇敌夸口说，『小撒但，你在那里？你在无底坑里。撒但，我要你看我的国度；我特别请你看所有现在与基督一同作王的人。许多信入我的儿子、接受国度基因的人，已经与祂一同作王。我的儿子是王，所有得胜的信徒也与祂一同作王。撒但，看看王与一同作王的人罢。这是何等奇妙的国度！』
7The harvest of this seed is found in the last book of the New Testament, the book of Revelation. According to Revelation 14, we first have the firstfruit and then the harvest. Revelation 14:4 speaks of those who “were purchased from among men as firstfruit to God and to the Lamb.” Then in verse 15 we see that the “harvest of the earth is ripe.” Those who are the firstfruit spoken of in Revelation will be among those who will be co-kings with Christ in the millennium. The millennium, the thousand years, will be the full development of the gene of the kingdom. During the millennium many of those who have received the kingdom gene will be co-kings with Christ. At that time our Father might boast to His enemy, “Little Satan, where are you? You are in the abyss. I ask you, Satan, to look at My kingdom. I especially ask you to look at all those who are now co-kings with Christ. Many who have believed in My Son and received the gene of the kingdom have become co-kings with Him. My Son is the King, and all the overcoming believers are His co-kings. Satan, look at the King and the co- kings. What a wonderful kingdom this is!”
8我们的神是永存的神，是那永远者，在祂没有时间的因素，『在主一日如千年，千年如一日。』（彼后三。）从神的眼光来看，千年国的一千年只是一天，要用来展示祂奇妙的国度。但是对撒但来说，国度的展示是一千年的。撒但在那段时间要被拘禁在无底坑里。在千年国末了，撒但会被释放，并再次背叛。启示录二十章七至八节论到这一点说，『那一千年完了，撒但必从监牢里被释放，要出来迷惑地上四方的列国，就是歌革和玛各，叫他们聚集争战。』虽然撒但要挑动列国背叛，却丝毫不能摸著与主同作王的人，因为他们已经被国度的基因变化了，他们堕落人性的背叛元素已经被国度的基因吞没了。因此，那恶者撒但不可能再挑动这班有『国度基因的人』来背叛神。虽然如此，在复兴的列国中，仍会有许多人跟随他。启示录二十章九节告诉我们最后一次背叛的结果：『他们上来遍满了全地，围住圣徒的营，与蒙爱的城，就有火从天降下，烧灭了他们。』在复兴的列国中那些不参与背叛的人，将要迁入新地。
8Our God is the everlasting God, the eternal One, and with Him there is no element of time. “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Pet. 3:8). From God’s point of view, the8 thousand years of the millennium will simply be one day for Him to display His wonderful kingdom. But for Satan that display of the kingdom will last a thousand years. During that time Satan will be bound in the abyss. At the end of the millennium, Satan will be released and allowed to rebel again. Concerning this, Revelation 20:7 and 8 say, “And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog.” Although Satan will instigate rebellion among the nations, he will not be able to touch the co-kings, for they will have been transformed by the kingdom gene. All the rebellious element that is in the fallen humanity of these co - kings will have been swallowed up by the kingdom gene. Therefore, it will be impossible for Satan, the evil one, to instigate the “kingdom-gene people” to rebel against God. However, a large number of those in the restored nations will follow him. Revelation 20:9 tells us the outcome of this last rebellion: “And they went up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city; and fire came down out of heaven and devoured them.” Those of the restored nations who do not join in the rebellion will be transferred into the new earth.
9在新天新地里，神要得著永远的国，以新耶路撒冷为京城。新耶路撒冷将由众王所组成，这些王要管治完全复兴的列国。这样，神就会有一个永远的国，是那在福音书中拿撒勒人耶稣（祂是在人性里的三一神）所撒之基因的完全发展。在福音书里所撒的国度基因是何等的奇妙！至终，这基因要发展成为启示录二十章所说的千年国，与启示录二十一、二十二章所说神永远的国。为著这幅国度基因及其发展的图画，赞美主！
9In the new heaven and the new earth God will have an eternal kingdom with the New Jerusalem as the capital. The New Jerusalem will be a composition of kings, and these kings will rule over the fully restored nations. Then God will have an eternal kingdom as the full development of the gene sown in the Gospels by Jesus the Nazarene, who was the Triune God in humanity. How wonderful is the kingdom gene that was sown in the Gospels! Eventually this gene will develop into the millennial kingdom spoken of in Revelation 20 and into God’s eternal kingdom in Revelation 21 and 22. Praise the Lord for this picture of the kingdom gene and its development
召会生活里的生长与变化
GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION IN THE CHURCH LIFE
10在国度基因及其发展与终极完成的这幅图画中，召会在那里？召会是处于基因发展的时期中。这发展乃是藉著生长与变化而有的。我们在召会生活里，就一直不断的在生长并变化。
10Where does the church stand in this picture of the kingdom gene and its development and consummation? The churches are in the period of the development of the gene. This development takes place by growth and transformation. In the church life we are growing and being transformed
11保罗在哥林多前后书论到我们今天在召会生活里所经历的生长与变化。林前三章说到生命的长大，林后三章说到生命的变化。保罗在林前三章七节论到『那叫他生长的神』，我们在这里看见生命的长大。然后他在林后三章十八节说，『但我们众人既然以没有帕子遮蔽的脸，好像镜子观看并返照主的荣光，就渐渐变化成为与祂同样的形像，从荣耀到荣耀，乃是从主灵变化成的。』我们在这里看见生命的变化。所以，哥林多前后书有一章是论到生命的长大，另外一章是论到生命的变化。我们在召会生活里，现今正在经历生命的长大与生命的变化。
11In 1 and 2 Corinthians Paul speaks of the growth and transformation we are experiencing today in the church life. In 1 Corinthians 3 we have the growth in life, and in 2 Corinthians 3 we have the transformation of life. In 1 Corinthians 3:7 Paul speaks of “the One who makes to grow, God.” Here we have the growth in life. Then in 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul says, “And we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.” Here we have the transformation of life. Therefore, in 1 and 2 Corinthians we have one chapter concerned with the growth in life and another chapter concerned with the transformation of life. Now in the church life we are experiencing this growth in life and transformation of life.
12我们已经指出，召会是国度基因之结果的延续。这延续至终会使基因完全得著发展。然后，国度要在千年国彰显出来。历代以来，所有接受基因的人，藉著他们里面基因的发展，会使他们将来作王。这些王的总和就是神永远的国。因此，神永远的国，就是神人拿撒勒人耶稣所撒之基因的完全发展。今天我们在召会生活里，藉著生命的长大与生命的变化，正经历国度基因的发展。至终，这长大与变化将达到终极的完成。然后，我们这些经历国度的基因完全得发展的人，将与基督一同作王。我们目前都在发展的过程中，但有一天我们的确都要与基督一同作王。到了那一天，我们也许会面对面说，『弟兄，你记得我们在那些聚会中，听见国度的基因么？我们在召会生活里，就是在基因发展的过程中。如今，我们在这里都与基督一同作王，并且能看见国度基因的完全发展。』国度基因的那个完全发展，要给列国、天使、与魔鬼撒但观看。
12We have pointed out that the church is the continuation of the issue of the kingdom gene. This continuation eventually will reach the full development of the gene. Then the kingdom will be manifested during the millennium. All those who throughout the centuries have received the gene will become kings through the development of the gene within them. The totality of all these kings will be God’s eternal kingdom. Therefore, the eternal kingdom of God is the full development of the gene sown by the God-man, Jesus the Nazarene. In the church life today we are experiencing the development of the gene of the kingdom through the growth in life and transformation of life. Eventually, this growth and transformation will reach its ultimate consummation. Then we shall all be co-kings with Christ, those who have experienced the full development of the kingdom gene. At present, we are undergoing the process of development. But it is certain that one day we shall all be co-kings. When that day comes, we may look at one another and say, “Brother, do you remember those meetings in which we heard about the gene of the kingdom? When we were in the church life, we were undergoing the development of the gene. Now we are all here as co-kings of Christ. Now we can see the full development of the kingdom gene.” That full development of the kingdom gene will be an exhibition to the nations, to the angels, and to the Devil, Satan
13我们需要在前面所看见关于国度基因的光中，来读马可四章。我们若在这光中读这一章，就会看见马可四章含有福音的内在元素。
13We need to read chapter four of the Gospel of Mark in the light of what we have seen concerning the gene of the kingdom. If we read this chapter in this light, we shall realize that in Mark 4 we have the intrinsic element of the gospel
神国的奥秘
THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
14主在四章一至八节讲撒种之人的比喻，在四章十一节接著告诉祂的门徒，说，『神国的奥秘，只给你们知道，但对外人，凡事就用比喻。』神关于祂国的经纶，是个隐藏的奥秘，这奥秘已经向奴仆救主的门徒揭示出来。然而，因著神国的性质和特性完全是神圣的，并且神的国所藉以产生的元素，乃是神圣的生命和神圣的光，所以神的国，尤其神国的实际，就是今世真正的召会，（罗十四17，）对天然的人还全然是个奥秘。这是需要神
14In 4:1-8 the Lord tells the parable of the sower. In 4:11 He goes on to say to His disciples, “To you the mystery of the kingdom of God has been given, but to those outside, all things are in parables.” God’secon o my concerning His kingdom was a hidden mystery, which has been unveiled to the disciples of the Slave-Savior. Yet, since the nature and character of the kingdom of God are wholly divine, and the elements through which it is brought forth are the divine life and the divine light, the kingdom of God, especially in its reality as the genuine church in this age (Rom. 14:17), is still all a mystery to the natural man
15圣的启示，才能明白的。灯的比喻
15the parable of the lamp
16马可四章二十一至二十五节是灯的比喻。主在二十一至二十二节说，『灯拿来，岂是要放在斗底下，或床底下？不是要放在灯台上么？因为隐藏的事没有不被显明的，隐瞒的事没有不暴露出来的。』发光的灯指明奴仆救主福音的服事，不仅把生命撒在祂所服事的人里面，也把光带给他们。因此，这样神圣服事的结果，就使信徒成为发光之体，（腓二15，）召会成为灯台，（启一20，）照耀在这黑暗的时代，作祂的见证，并完成于具有生命和光之显著特征的新耶路撒冷城。（启二二1～2，二一11，23～24。）
16In 4:21-25 we have the parable of the lamp. In verses 21 and 22 the Lord says, “Does the lamp come that it should be placed under the bushel or under the bed? Is it not that it should be placed on the lampstand? For nothing is hidden except that it may be manifested, nor has become concealed but that it should become manifest.” The lamp which shines light indicates that the Slave - Savior’s gospel service not only sows life into the people that He serves, but also brings light to them. Hence, such a divine service issues in the believers as luminaries (Phil. 2:15) and the churches as lampstands (Rev. 1:20), shining in this dark age as His testimony and consummating in the New Jerusalem with the outstanding characteristics of life and light (Rev. 22:1-2; 21:11, 23-24).
17马可四章二十四至二十五节说，『又对他们说，你们要留心所听的。你们用甚么量器量给人，也必用甚么量器量给你们，并且要加给你们。因为有的，还要给他；没有的，连他所有的，也要从他夺去。』主在马太七章二节和路加六章三十八节所说量给人的话，是应用于我们如何待人。在马可四章二十四节这里，这话是应用于我们如何听主的话。主能给我们多少，在于我们听话的度量。照样，主在二十五节的话，也是说到我们如何听主的话。马太十三章十至十三节与路加八章十八节也是如此。
17Mark 4:24 and 25 say, “And He said to them, Take heed what you hear. With what measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and it will be added to you. For he who has, it will be given to him; and he who has not, even what he has will be taken away from him.” In Matthew 7:2 and Luke 6:38 the Lord’sword about measuring is applied to the way we treat others. Here in Mark 4:24 it is applied to the way we hear the word of the Lord. How much can be given to us by the Lord depends upon the measure with which we hear. Likewise, the Lord’sword in verse 25 is also concerned with how we hear the word of the Lord. The same is true in Matthew 13:10-13 and Luke 8:18
种子的比喻
the parable of the seed
18马可四章二十六至二十九节说到种子的比喻。二十六节说，『耶稣又说，神的国是这样，如同人把种子撒在地上。』神的国乃是召会的实际，藉著福音，由基督复活的生命所产生；（林前四15；）重生是其入门，（约三5，）而信徒里面神生命的长大是其发展。（彼后一3～11。）
18In Mark 4:26-29 we have the parable of the seed. Verse 26 says, “And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed on the earth.” The kingdom of God is the reality of the church brought forth by the resurrection life of Christ through the gospel (1 Cor. 4:15). Regeneration is its entrance John 3:5), and the growth of the divine life within the believers is its development (2 Pet. 1:3-11
19马可四章二十六节的人是指奴仆救主作撒种的人。二十六节的人就是三节那撒种的。那撒种的乃是奴仆救主，祂是神的儿子，在祂的道
19The man in Mark 4:26 is the Slave-Savior as the Sower. The man in verse 26 is the sower in verse 3. This sower is the Slave-Savior, who was the Son of God coming to sow Himself as the seed of life
（14） 里将自己当作生命的种子，撒在人的心里，使祂能生长并活在
in His word (v. 14) into men’s hearts so that He might grow and live in them and be expressed from
20
20within them.
21他们里面，且从他们里面彰显出来。
21
22二十六节的种子乃是撒在奴仆救主之信徒里面那神圣生命的种子。（约壹三9，彼前一23。）这里的撒种指明神的国（奴仆救主福音的结果和目标），以及今世的召会，（罗十四17，）都是生命，就是神生命的事。这生命发芽、长大、结果、成熟并产生收成。神的国和召会，都不是人的智慧和能力所产生无生命的组织。使徒在林15-前三章六至九节以及启示录十四章四节、十五至十六节的话，证实这点。马可四章二十七节接著说，『黑夜睡觉，白日起来，这种子就发芽渐长，怎么会这样，他并不知道。』『黑夜睡觉，白日起来，』以及『怎么会这样，他并不知道』，这些话不该应用在奴仆救主身上。本节乃是说明种子长大是自然的。（28。）这里的『渐长』指明长大。二十八节说，『地生五谷，是出于自然的：先发苗，后长穗，再后穗上结成饱满的子粒。』这一节的地，即好土，（8，）象征神所创造的好心，（创一31，）为著神圣的生命在人里面长大。这样的好心与撒在其中神圣生命的种子合作，使这种子自然的长大并结实，叫神得著彰显。这里的话，使我们对生命这样的自然生长有信心。因此，这里没有说到消极方面的稗子，如在马太十三章二十四至三十节者。『出于自然的』，或自发的，意即生长是自然而然的。
22The seed in verse 26 is the seed of the divine life (1 John 3:9; 1 Pet. 1:23) sown into the believers of the Slave - Savior. The casting of the seed here indicates that the kingdom of God, which is the issue and goal of the Slave-Savior’s gospel, and of the church in this age (Rom. 14:17), are a matter of life, the life of God, which sprouts, grows, bears fruit, matures, and produces a harvest. They are not a matter of lifeless organization through man’s wisdom and ability. The apostles’ words in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 and Revelation 14:4, 16 confirm this. Mark 4:27 goes on to say, “And sleep and rise night and day, and the seed sprouts and lengthens — how, he does not know.” The words “sleep and rise night and day” and “how, he does not know,” should not be applied to the Slave-Savior. This verse illustrates the spontaneity of the growth of the seed (v. 28). The word “lengthens” here indicates growth. Verse 28 says, “The earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then a near, then full grain in the ear.” The earth here is the good earth (v. 8) and signifies the good heart created by God (Gen. 1:31) for His divine life to grow in man. Such a good heart works together with the seed of the divine life sown into us to grow and bear fruit spontaneously for the expression of God. The word here enables us to have faith in this spontaneity. Thus, tares are not mentioned here, on the negative side, as in Matthew 13:24-30. The words “by itself” mean that the growth is spontaneous.
23二十九节下结语说，『谷既熟了，他立刻用镰刀去割，因为收割的时候到了。』用镰刀去割，直译，差出镰刀。镰刀象征天使受主差遣去收割庄稼。（启十四16，太十三39。）
23Verse 29 concludes, “But when the fruit permits, immediately he sends forth the sickle, because the harvest has come.” The sickle signifies the angels sent by the Lord to reap the harvest (Rev. 14:16; Matt. 13:39
芥菜种的比喻
the parable of the mustard seed
24马可四章三十至三十四节有芥菜种的比喻。主在三十至三十二节说，『神的国我们可以比作甚么？可用甚么比喻表明？好像一粒芥菜种，种在地里的时候，比地上百种都小，种下以后，生长起来，却比各样的菜都大，且长出大枝子，甚至天空的飞鸟可以栖宿在牠的荫下。』三节和二十六节里的种子，以及二十一节里的灯，二者的意义揭示神国的性质和内里的实际；芥菜种不从其类的长大，以及飞鸟栖宿在其荫下，二者的意义说出神国的外表及其败坏。
24In 4:30-34 we have the parable of the mustard seed. In verses 30 through 32 the Lord says, “How shall we liken the kingdom of God, or in what parable shall we put it? It is as a grain of mustard, which when it is sown on the earth is smaller than all the seeds on the earth, and when it is sown, it comes up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shade.” The significance of the seed in verses 3 and 26 and the lamp in verse 21 is that it discloses the nature and inward reality of the kingdom of God. However, the significance of the mustard seed becoming great not after its kind, and the birds roosting under its shade, is that they speak of the corruption and outward appearance of the kingdom of God.
25我们在马太十三章三十一至三十二节看见，芥菜种不但比各样的菜都大，至终更成为一棵树。召会是国度的具体表现，该像菜蔬一样生产食物，却成了树，作飞鸟的宿处，其性质和功用都变了。（这违反神创造的律，植物必须各从其类－创一11～12。）这事发生在第四世纪初叶，康士坦丁大帝把世界搀入召会时。他把成千成万的假信徒带进召会，使其变成基督教国，而不再是召会了。因此，芥菜种的比喻相当于启示录二、三章里，七个召会的第三个，在别迦摩的召会。（启二12～17。）芥菜是一年生的菜蔬，树是多年生的植物。召会按其属天、属灵的性质，该像芥菜一样寄居地上。但召会的性质改变了，像树一样深深扎根、定居地上，其事业繁茂如同枝条，许多恶人、恶事栖宿其上。这形成了神国度外表的外在组织。在撒种的比喻里，『飞鸟来吃尽了』落在路旁的种子。（可四4。）照十五节，这指明撒但来把撒在人里面的话夺去。这个比喻中的飞鸟既象征那恶者撒但，芥菜种的比喻所说『天空的飞鸟』，就必是指撒但的邪灵，和邪灵所煽惑的恶人和恶事。他们栖宿在大树的枝条上，就是基督教国的事业里。四章三十三至三十四节是马可福音这一段神国度比喻的结语：『耶稣用许多这样的比喻，照他们所能听的，对他们讲道；若不用比喻，就不对他们讲；私下里才把一切讲解给自己的门徒听。』这些比喻显示奴仆救主神圣的智慧和知识。（太十三34～35。）
25In Matthew 13:31 and 32 we see that the grain of mustard seed not only becomes greater than all the herbs, but eventually becomes a tree. The church, which is the embodiment of the kingdom, should be like an herb to produce food. But it became a tree, a lodge for birds, having its nature and function changed. (This is against the law of God’s creation that every plant must be after its kind—Gen. 1:11-12.) This happened when Constantine the Great mixed the church with the world in the first part of the fourth century. He brought thousands of false believers into Christianity, making it Christendom, no longer the church. Hence, the parable of the mustard seed corresponds to the third of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, the church in Pergamos (Rev. 2:12-17). The mustard is an annual herb, whereas the tree lives on year after year. The church, according to its heavenly and spiritual nature, should be like the mustard, sojourning on the earth. But with its nature changed, the church became deeply rooted and settled in the earth as a tree, flourishing with its enterprises as the branches to lodge many evil persons and things. This has formed the outward organization of the outward appearance of the kingdom of God. In the parable of the sower, “the birds came and devoured” the seed that fell beside the way (Mark 4:4). According to verse 15, this indicates that Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown into certain ones. Since the birds in this parable signify the evil one, Satan, the “birds of heaven” in the parable of the mustard seed must refer to Satan’s evil spirits with the evil persons and things motivated by them. They lodge in the branches of the great tree, that is, in the enterprises of Christendom. In 4:33 and 34 we have the conclusion of this section in the Gospel of Mark on the parables of the kingdom of God: “And in many such parables He spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear; and without a parable He did not speak to them, but privately to His own disciples He explained all things.” These parables displayed the Slave-Savior’s divine wisdom and knowledge (Matt. 13:34-35