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马可福音生命读经 · 第16篇

召会与国度

The Church and the Kingdom
1读经：马可福音4:26-29，马太福音16:16-19，哥林多前书3:9下，启示录14:4，14-16。我们在前几篇信息里，已经交通过马可四章所启示神的国，其中特别注意国度的种子作为国度的内在元素。现在我们接下来要看召会与国度之间的关系。召会与国度是圣经中最大的题目之一。我们若详细且正确的研读新约，就会看见召会与国度的重要性。在很接近新约开头的马太三章，有一句话与国度有关。施浸者约翰来到犹太的旷野传道说，『你们要悔改，因为诸天的国已经临近了。』（2。）施浸者约翰的传讲引进神新约的经纶，他所传讲的悔改，乃是神新约经纶的开始，叫人转向诸天的国。这指明神新约经纶的中心点乃是祂的国度。
1Scripture Reading: Mark 4:26-29; Matt. 16:16-19; Cor. 3:9b; Rev. 14:4, 14-16 In the foregoing messages we have covered the kingdom of God as revealed in chapter four of the Gospel of Mark. In particular, we have paid attention to the seed of the kingdom as the intrinsic element of the kingdom. Now we shall go on to consider the relationship between the church and the kingdom. The church and the kingdom are among the greatest subjects in the Bible. If we read the New Testament carefully and properly, we shall see the importance of the church and the kingdom. In Matthew 3, very near the beginning of the New Testament, we have a word concerning the kingdom. John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near” (Matt. 3:2). John the Baptist’sp reaching was the initiation of God’s New Testament economy. Repentance in the preaching of John the Baptist, as the opening of God’s New Testament economy, was to have a turn for the kingdom of the heavens. This indicates that God’s New Testament economy is focused on His kingdom.
召会的根基
THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH
2主耶稣在马太十六章，把祂的门徒带到该撒利亚腓立比的境内，问他们说，『人说人子是谁？』（13。）他们回答后，主接著问说，『你们说我是谁？』（15。）西门彼得从父得著启示回答说，『你是基督，是活神的儿子。』（16。）按照以弗所五章三十二节来看，有一个极大的奥秘，这个奥秘有两个部分，就是基督与召会。父所启示的基督只是这极大奥秘的头一部分，所以主耶稣在马太十六章十八节论到召会说，『我还告诉你，你是彼得，我要把我的召会建造在这磐石上。』这有力的指明，召会必须是属于基督，并为著基督的。首先，基督被人承认，为人所知，甚至被人得著。接著主说，祂要把祂的召会建造在『这磐石』上。这磐石不仅是指基督，也是指彼得从父所领受关于基督的启示。召会乃是建造在基督和这关于基督的启示上。因此，这里的『磐石』不仅指基督自己，也指对基督的领会、认识、经历与得著。
2In Matthew 16 the Lord Jesus brought His disciples into the district of Caesarea Philippi and there asked them, “Who do men say that the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16:13). After they responded, the Lord went on to ask, “But you, who do you say that I am?” (v. 15). Receiving a revelation from the Father, Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). According to Ephesians 5:32, there is a great mystery of two parts, Christ and the church. Because the Father’sr evelation concerning Christ is only the first half of this great mystery, the Lord went on to speak concerning the church: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church” (v. 18). This indicates strongly that the church must be something of Christ and for Christ. First, Christ was recognized, known, and even possessed. Then the Lord said that on “this rock” He would build His church. This rock refers not only to Christ, but also to the revelation of Christ, which Peter received from the Father. The church is built on this revelation concerning Christ. Hence, the “rock” here is not merely Christ Himself; it is also the realization, knowledge, experience, and possession of Christ.
3今天许多人宣称他们承认基督是召会的根基；然而，他们没有看见，建造召会真正的根基，乃是对基督的认识。我们若不在经历中认识基督，我们就没有建造召会的根基。所以，我们必须认识基督。这样，我们对基督的认识、经历、享受与得著，就会成为祂建造召会的根基。
3Today many claim to recognize that Christ is the foundation of the church. However, they have not seen that the real foundation for the building of the church is the realization of Christ. If we do not realize Christ in our experience, we shall not have the foundation for the building of the church. Therefore, we must know Christ. Then our knowing, experiencing, enjoying, and possessing of Christ will be the foundation upon which He will build the church
国度的钥匙
THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
4在马太十六章十九节，主论到召会以后，立即就讲到国度：『我要把诸天之国的钥匙给你，凡你在地上捆绑的，必是在诸天之上已经捆绑的；凡你在地上释放的，必是在诸天之上已经释放的。』这里的『诸天之国』与前节的『召会』交互使用。我不能说，二者是同义辞；但二者在十八与十九节是交互使用的，这有力的证明，真正的召会就是今世的国度。罗马十四章十七节证实这点，那里说到正当的召会生活。主在马太十六章十九节对彼得所说诸天之国钥匙的话，应验于使徒行传。行传二章应验了第一方面，十章应验了第二方面。彼得在这两处使用了两把钥匙。主在马太十六章十九节论到的钥匙是复数的，不是一把钥匙。正如行传二章所记载的，彼得在五旬节那天用了一把，为犹太人开了进国度的门。十章记载，彼得在哥尼流的家用了另一把，为外邦人开了进国度的门。因此，我们在以弗所二章看见，犹太人和外邦人同被建造，成为一个召会：『这样，你们不再是外人和寄居的，乃是圣徒同国之民，是神家里的亲人，被建造在使徒和申言者的根基上，有基督耶稣自己作房角石。』（19～20。）我们必须对这个事实有深刻的印象，就是在马太十六章十八节我们看见召会，在下一节我们看见国度。这指明新约第一次题到召会，是与国度有关的。不仅如此，我们已经看见，这几节里的召会与国度，是交互使用的辞。
4In Matthew 16:19, immediately after speaking concerning the church, the Lord goes on to speak concerning the kingdom: “I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you bind on the earth shall be what has been bound in the heavens, and whatever you loose on the earth shall be what has been loosed in the heavens.” Here “the kingdom of the heavens” is used interchangeably for “church” in the previous verse. I would not say that these terms are synonymous; however, in verses 18 and 19 they are used interchangeably. This is strong proof that the genuine church is the kingdom in this age. This is confirmed by Romans 14:17, a verse that refers to the proper church life. The Lord’sword to Peter in Matthew 16:19 regarding the keys of the kingdom of the heavens was fulfilled in the book of Acts. We have the first aspect of this fulfillment in Acts 2 and the second aspect in Acts 10. In these two instances Peter used two keys. In Matthew 16:19 the Lord spoke of keys, not of one key. On the day of Pentecost, as recorded in chapter two of Acts, Peter used one of the keys to open the door for the Jewish people to come into the kingdom. Then in the house of Cornelius, as recorded in chapter ten of Acts, Peter used the second key to open the door for the Gentiles to come in. This is the reason that in Ephesians 2 we see that both Jews and Gentiles are built up together into the one church: “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow-citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone” (vv. 19-20). We need to be impressed with the fact that in Matthew 16:18 we have the church and then in the following verse we have the kingdom. This indicates that when the church is first mentioned in the New Testament, it is mentioned in relation to the kingdom. Furthermore, as we have seen, in these verses the church and the kingdom are interchangeable terms.
5召会里国度的实际马太十六章清楚的题到召会，但马可福音却只字不题。主特别在马可四章说到神的国。四章二十六至二十九节有种子的比喻。『耶稣又说，神的国是这样，如同人把种子撒在地上。』（26。）这比喻启示国度是生命的事，生命发芽、长大、结果、成熟、并产生收成。我们在二十七至二十八节看见种子自然长大；在二十九节则有收成。这比喻乃是国度的简略说明。
5THE REALITY OF THE KINGDOM IN THE CHURCH Although the church is clearly mentioned in Matthew 16, nothing is said concerning the church in the Gospel of Mark. In chapter four, in particular, the Lord speaks concerning the kingdom of God. In 4:26-29 we have the parable of the seed. “And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed on the earth” (v. 26). This parable reveals that the kingdom is a matter of life, which sprouts, grows, bears fruit, matures, and produces a harvest. In verses 27 and 28 we see the spontaneous growth of the seed. Then in verse 29 we have the harvest. This parable is a brief illustration of the kingdom
6这个种子的比喻有没有说到召会？当然，这里没有直接题到召会。虽然如此，这里多少也包括召会。这个比喻里有撒种的人、撒出去的种子、田地、种子的发展和收成。这是国度的一幅完整图画，但在这幅图画里能找到召会么？这件事值得我们思考。为了帮助我们解答马可四章二十六至二十九节中，召会到底在那里这个问题，我们可以思考保罗所说有关神的农场的话。保罗在林前三章九节下半告诉哥林多召会说，『你们是神的耕地。』『耕地』的原文意思就是农场。召会是神的农场、田地、耕地。我们若把保罗在林前三章九节，连同马可四章二十六至二十九节种子的比喻，联在一起来看，就会看见保罗的话帮助我们明白召会与国度的关系。我们可以用园艺来说明召会与国度之间的关系。我家的院子里有一个小花园，可以称之为国度，就是植物的国。这植物的国说明国度像一粒种子，在福音书里种下来。然后，这种子在书信里生长、发展，至终在启示录收成。启示录十四章说到初熟的果子，（4，）然后说到收割庄稼。（14～。）收成将是国度的完满发展，而根据林前三章九节，庄稼生长的田地乃是召会。因此，用我的花园作例证，我们可以说，花园本身是描绘召会，而在花园里生长的植物是描绘国度。这个例证帮助我们看见，国度如何在召会里。马太福音特别启示，我们在今天的召会中有国度的实际。
6Is the church included in any way in this parable of the seed? Of course, the church is not mentioned directly. Nevertheless, the church must be included here in some way. In this parable we have the sower, the seed sown, the field, the development of the seed, and the harvest. This is a full picture of the kingdom. But where in this picture do we have the church? This matter deserves our consideration. As a help in answering the question concerning where the church is in 4:26-29, we may consider Paul’s word about God’s farm. In 1 Corinthians 3:9b, a word addressed to the church in Corinth, Paul says, “You are God’s farm.” Literally, the Greek word translated “farm” means cultivated land. The church is God’s farm, His field, His cultivated land. If we consider Paul’sword in 1 Corinthians 3:9 along with the parable of the seed in Mark 4:26-29, we shall see that Paul’sword helps us understand the relationship between the church and the kingdom. We may use gardening as an illustration of the relationship between the church and the kingdom. In the yard of my home there is a little garden that we may call a kingdom— the kingdom of plants. This kingdom of plants illustrates the kingdom that was sown as a seed in the Gospels. In the Epistles this seed grows and develops, and, eventually, in the book of Revelation, there will be a harvest. Revelation 14 speaks of the firstfruit (v. 4) and then of the reaping of the harvest (vv. 14-16). That harvest will be the full development 16 of the kingdom, and, according to 1 Corinthians 3:9, the field in which the harvest is growing is the church. Hence, using the illustration of my garden, we may say that the garden itself portrays the church, and the plants growing in the garden portray the kingdom. This illustration helps us to see how the kingdom is in the church. The Gospel of Matthew especially reveals that in the church today we have the reality of the kingdom.
7假设我的院子只是一片空地满布土壤，没有植物生长在其中，那一片光秃的土地是花园么？不是，那不是花园，那只是一个满布土壤的院子。那么院子怎能成为花园？有植物生长在其中就会成为花园。院子里长的植物越多，那个院子就越成为花园。照样，国度的种子越在召会这耕耘的土地、农田里生长，召会就越是国度的实际。今天在召会生活里有好多『植物』在生长。如果我们没有重生，仅仅是世俗的人，那我们就不过是院子里的不毛之地。然而我们蒙了重生，都成了神耕地上生长的植物。所以，我们是神的田地、花园。那么，国度是甚么？国度实际上就是许多生长在神农场上植物的实际。我们的生命越长大，国度的实际就越显在我们中间。新约虽然说到神的国与诸天之国，然而这并不是说有两个国度。只有一个国度，就是神独一的国；诸天的国只是这独一之国的一部分。
7Suppose in my yard there was only the bare ground, the soil, without any plants growing. Would that bare ground be a garden? No, instead of being a garden, it would simply be a yard with soil. How, then, could such a yard become a garden? It becomes a garden only by having plants growing in it. The more plants grow in the yard, the more the yard becomes a garden. In a similar way, the more the seed of the kingdom grows in the tilled ground, the farm, of the church, the more the church is the reality of the kingdom. In the church life today, many “plants” are growing. If we had not been regenerated but were merely worldly people, we would simply be a yard of bare ground. But because we have been regenerated, we all are plants growing on God’s farm. Hence, we are God’s field, His garden. Then what is the kingdom? The kingdom is actually the reality of the many plants growing on God’s farm. The more we grow in life, the more the reality of the kingdom is present with us. The New Testament speaks of the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the heavens. This does not mean, however, that there are two kingdoms. There is only one kingdom, the unique kingdom of God, and the kingdom of the heavens is part of this unique kingdom
8我们可以把神的国比作美国，而将诸天的国比作首都华盛顿，就是联邦政府总部所在地。美国与华盛顿不是两个国家。不，华盛顿是美国国内的一个特区、行政区。我们可以说，诸天的国是一个属灵的华盛顿，是神国度的行政区。所以，神的国和诸天的国不是两个国度。神的国是独一的国，诸天的国是这国度的一部分。现在我要请你们查看附在本篇信息中的图表。按照这个图表，诸天的国由两个圆圈来代表，一个圆圈是恩典时代，另一个圆圈是国度时代。在恩典时代有召会；召会里（由虚线圆圈所表示）有得胜的信徒，就是一班有诸天之国实际的人。
8We may compare the kingdom of God to a nation such as the United States of America and the kingdom of the heavens to its capital, Washington, D. C., the district where the headquarters for the federal government are located. The United States and Washington, D.C., are not two nations. No, Washington, D.C., is a special district, a governing district, within the nation of the United States. We may say that the kingdom of the heavens is a spiritual Washington, D.C., the ruling district of the kingdom of God. Therefore, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the heavens are not two kingdoms. Rather, the kingdom of God is the unique kingdom, and the kingdom of the heavens is a part of this kingdom. At this point I would ask you to consult the chart of the kingdom printed with this message. According to the chart, two circles make up the kingdom of the heavens—one circle for the dispensation of grace and another circle for the dispensation of the kingdom. In the dispensation of grace we have the church, and within the church, as indicated by the dotted circle, we have the overcoming believers, those who are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.
9在我家院子里的花园这个例证中，诸天之国的实际是由生长的植物来描绘的。我家花园里的植物越生长，院子就越有花园的实际。假使我花园里的树木与植物都死光了，那么这个花园就毫无实际可言。我们需要来看，我们的召会生活究竟有多少实际。实际的多少全在于生命长大有多少。若你参观我的花园，看见花木茁壮、美丽，你也许会惊叹：『多漂亮的花园！』你会看见一个满了实际的花园。这个例子说明召会里国度的实际。
9In the illustration of the garden in the yard by my house, the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is portrayed by the growing of the plants. The more the plants in my garden grow, the more there is the reality of the garden in the yard. Suppose all the trees and plants in my garden died. In such a situation, the garden would not have any reality. We need to consider how much reality there is among us in the church life. The amount of reality depends on the amount of the growth in life. If you visit my garden and see healthy, beautiful plants and trees, you may exclaim, “What a lovely garden!” You would behold a garden full of reality. This is an illustration of what we mean by the reality of the kingdom in the church
完全是生命的事
ABSOLUTELY A MATTER OF LIFE
10召会是花园，而国度是圣徒像植物一样在园中生长。当圣徒（植物）成熟时，他们就有资格在神的国里与基督一同作王。主再来时，所有成熟的人都有资格在千年国时期诸天之国的实现里与祂一同作王。正如图表所指明的，国度的实现是在来世。新约不仅用客观的道理或豫言来陈明神的国。不，新约乃是教导人，关于国度是生命实际的真理。神的国完全是神圣生命的事。哥林多前书指明，神的国是神生命的事。林前一章二节说到召会，因为这封书信是写给『在哥林多神的召会』。保罗在这封书信一再题到召会或众召会。（四17，六4，七17，十，十一16，18，22，十二28，十四4～5，12，19，23，28，34～35，十五9，十六1，19。）我们已经强调一个事实，就是我们在林前三章九节看见召会是神的农场。保罗在六章九至十一节接著论到神的国，指出犯罪的信徒没有资格承受神的国。因此，一章有召会，三章有耕地，六章有国度。保罗在林前十五章再次讲到神的国。（24，50。）新约给我们一种思想，就是国度完全是生命的事。这生命的种子就是包罗万有的基督。这一位已经撒到我们里面作种子，现今这种子正在我们里面长大、发展，直到成熟。当种子在我们里面长大时，基督就以祂的自己来顶替我们。我们成熟时，基督就完全顶替了我们，并成了我们的一切。那时，将是收割的日子，也是我们有资格与基督一同作王的时候。我们在今世有神圣生命长大的实际，在来世就会有国度的实现。那时，基督和一班与祂一同作王的人要管治整个世界。我们都必须看见，国度乃是生命的事。神国的开始，是生命的种子撒到我们里面。这种子就是包罗万有的基督作生命的素质，在我们里面生长、发展并成熟。我们有这种子，就有了基督、召会与国度。基督是种子，召会是耕地、花园，而国度则是实际。
10The church is a garden, and the kingdom is the growing of the saints as the plants in this garden. When the saints, the plants, reach maturity, they will be qualified to be kings with Christ in the kingdom of God. When the Lord comes back, all those who have grown to maturity will be qualified to be kings with Him in the manifestation of the kingdom during the millennium. As the chart indicates, the manifestation of the kingdom will be in the coming age. The New Testament does not present the kingdom of God merely as an objective doctrine or prophecy. No, the New Testament teaches the truth of the kingdom as a reality of life. The kingdom of God is altogether a matter of the divine life. The book of 1 Corinthians indicates that the kingdom of God is a matter of the life of God. In 1 Corinthians 1:2 we have the church, for this Epistle is addressed to “the church of God which is in Corinth.” In this Epistle Paul refers again and again to the church or to the churches (4:17; 6:4; 7:17; 10:32; 11:16, 18, 22; 12:28; 32 14:4, 5, 12, 19, 23, 28, 33, 34, 35; 15:9; 16:1, 19). We have emphasized the fact that in 1 Corinthians 3:9 we see that the church is God’s farm. In chapter six, verses 9 through 11, Paul goes on to speak concerning the kingdom of God, pointing out that sinful believers will not be qualified to inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore, in chapter one we have the church; in chapter three, the farm; and in chapter six, the kingdom. In chapter fifteen of 1 Corinthians Paul again speaks regarding the kingdom of God (vv. 24, 50). In the New Testament we have the thought that the kingdom is absolutely a matter of life. The seed of this life is the all-inclusive Christ. This One has been sown into us as a seed, and this seed is now growing and developing in us until it reaches maturity. As this seed grows within us, Christ replaces us with Himself. When we reach maturity, we shall have Christ as our full replacement, and He will be everything to us. That will also be the time of the harvest and the time when we shall be qualified to rule with Christ. In this age we have the reality of the growing of the divine life, and in the next age we shall have the manifestation of the kingdom when Christ and the co-kings rule over the entire world. We all need to see that the kingdom is a matter of life. The kingdom of God has been initiated by the sowing of the seed of life into us. This seed is the all-inclusive Christ as the essence of life to grow in us, develop in us, and mature in us. In relation to this seed, we have Christ, the church, and the kingdom. Christ is the seed, the church is the farm or garden, and the kingdom is the reality.