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约翰福音生命读经 · 第12篇

不道德人的需要－

The Need of the Immoral—
生命的满足（二）
Life’s Satisfying (2
参 取用活水的路
III. THE WAY TO TAKE THE LIVING WATER
1在约翰四章十五至二十六节，我们看见取用活水的路。活水是好的，但是我们若没有取用的路，牠对我们就毫无意义了。如果在天上有非常美妙的东西，是我们搆不到的，那对我们有甚么益处?但在这里我们看到活水以
1In John 4:15-26 we see the way to take the living water. The living water is good, but if we do not have a way to take it, it means nothing to us. What good is it to have something marvelous and excellent in the heavens if we cannot reach it? But here we find the living water and the way to take it
2及取用活水的路。
2
3主耶稣的讲道简单、扼要又中肯，祂不长篇大论。祂不过与撒玛利亚妇人简短的说几句话，她就被吸引了。我盼望所有的青年人都要学约翰四章传福音的方法，这一章是传福音的好榜样。我们都必须学习如何与罪人谈话。
3The Lord Jesus was a simple, brief, yet prevailing preacher. He did not give a sermon; He simply had a short talk with the Samaritan woman. By that short talk, she was attracted. I hope that all the young people will learn the way of preaching the gospel from John chapter four. This chapter is a good example of gospel preaching. We all must learn how to talk with a sinner
一 罪人要求活水
A. The Sinner Asked for the Living Water
4撒玛利亚妇人受到吸引，就要求主给她活水。『妇人说，先生，请把这水赐给我，叫我不渴，也不用来这里打水。』（约四15。）主是优秀的传道人。祂似乎说，『你若知道我是谁，你若知道神的恩赐，并且知道我所赐的活水，你必求要得著牠。』妇人马上就求了。在我们和人愚蠢的谈话里，我们越谈，就越使他们远离。但是主耶稣说得非常简单，妇人就被吸引了，并且求活水。
4The Samaritan woman was attracted and asked the Lord for the living water. “The woman said to Him, Sir, give me this water so I will not thirst, nor come here to draw” (4:15). The Lord was a good preacher. He seemed to say, “If you knew who I am and if you knew God’s gift, and if you knew the living water that I give, you would certainly ask for it.” The woman asked for it immediately. In our foolish talk with people, the more we talk, the more we keep them away. But the Lord Jesus spoke very briefly and the woman was attracted and asked for the living water
二 救主告诉她取用活水的路
B. The Savior Told Her the Way to Take It
1 悔改并承认她的罪－『丈夫』
1. To Repent of and Confess Her Sins— “Husbands
5当那妇人向主求活水时，主并未责备她，要她悔改，彻底认罪。没有，主轻柔的说，『你去叫你的丈夫，然后到这里来。』（约四16。）主似乎在说，『我要你的丈夫。你要求活水，我要求你的丈夫。让我们作个交易，你用丈夫换取活水。』这话是要用她不道德的历史摸她的良心，使她为自己的罪行悔改。『妇人回答说，我没有丈夫。耶稣说，你说没有丈夫，是不错的；因为你有过五个丈夫，现在有的，并不是你的丈夫，你所说的是真的。』这妇人是撒谎，还是说真话?是真话，可是又是谎话。她说真话来撒谎，这是真实的谎话。这就是堕落之人的欺诈本性。然而主对她非常温柔，也不责备她。主甚至欣赏她，说，『你说没有丈夫，是不错的；因为你有过五个丈夫，现在有的，并不是你的丈夫，你所说的是真的。』（约四17～18。）妇人对祂说，『先生，我看出你是申言者。』主的话震惊了她。她似乎说，『这人不是犹太人么?祂从来没有住过我们这城，祂怎会知道我的背景？谁告诉祂我有过五个丈夫，现在有的还不是我的丈夫?』这就是福音谈话的诀窍。不要与人空谈，乃要摸他们的良心；不是用责备的方式，乃是显明他们的隐情。因主满有恩典而又智慧的话，那妇人的良心被摸著了。传福音的正确途径乃是摸人的良心。这撒玛利亚妇人的干渴引她陷入好些错误的事里，诸如有过五个丈夫，又与一个不是她丈夫的人同居。那就是她生活的圈子。她寻求看得见的东西来满足自己，结果还是不满足。那六个男人代表看得见和物质的事物，那永远不能满足人。除了这些看得见的东西以外，她也在宗教中寻求满足。虽然她是这样一个简单的人，她也是热心宗教的。她很软弱，但是很希奇，她还谈论宗教。单单宗教绝不能帮助人。再者，她还有传统，因为雅各井代表传统的事物。她有一个传统的遗产，是从她先祖承受的。但不久她就发觉她传统中的虚空。因此这撒玛利亚妇人有三类东西－物质的东西、宗教的东西、以及传统的东西。这三类东西代表我们从人的生命所能得到的。人的生命里除了物质、宗教或传统的东西以外，就没有别的了。这些物质、宗教或传统的东西，没有一样能满足人，因为人越得到这些，越变得干渴。他们的干渴从不止息。
5When the woman asked the Lord for the water, He did not rebuke her, telling her to repent and make a thorough confession of her sins. No, the Lord spoke softly and gently, saying, “Go, call your husband and come here” (4:16). The Lord seemed to be saying, “I want your husband. You ask Me for the living water, and I ask you for your husband. Let us trade. You trade your husband for the living water.” This word was intended to touch her conscience with her immoral history that she might repent of her sins. “The woman answered and said, I don’th ave a husband. Jesus said to her, You have well said, I don’th ave a husband; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.” Did the woman lie or tell the truth? It was a truth, yet it was a lie. She told a lie by speaking the truth. It was a truthful lie. This is the deceptive nature of fallen man. However, the Lord was gentle with her and did not rebuke her. He even appreciated her, saying, “You have well said, I don’th ave a husband; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband; this you said truly” (4:17-18). The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet.” The Lord’swords frightened her. She seemed to say, “Isn’tt his man a Jew? He has never lived in our town. How did he get to know my background? Who told him that I had five husbands and that the one I have now is not my husband?” This is the way to have a gospel talk. Do not talk vainly to people, but touch their conscience, not in the way of rebuking them, but in the way of unveiling them. By the Lord’s gracious and wise words that woman’s conscience was touched. The proper way to minister the gospel is to touch people’s conscience. The thirst of this Samaritan woman had led her to many wrong things, such as having five husbands and living with a man who was not her husband. That was the kind of life she found herself in. She sought the physical things to satisfy her, but found only dissatisfaction. The six men represent the physical and material things, which could never satisfy people. Besides the physical things, she also had sought satisfaction in religion. Although she was such a simple person, she was also religious. She was very weak, yet it is strange that she talked about religion. Mere religion can never help. Furthermore, she had tradition, for the well of Jacob represents the traditional things. She had a traditional heritage which she inherited from her forefathers. But soon she found emptiness in her tradition. Therefore, this Samaritan woman had three categories of things—the physical things, the religious things, and the traditional things. These three categories represent everything we can get out of human life. There is nothing else in human life other than that which is physical, religious, or traditional. None of these physical, religious, or traditional matters can ever satisfy people, for the more they get these things, the more they become thirsty. There is never an end to their thirst.
6这妇人的诸多丈夫乃是一个表号。基督该是那独一的丈夫。在林后十一章，使徒保罗告诉我们说，他将我们许配了基督。换句话说，他已使我们与基督订了婚。基督是真正的丈夫。但这妇人除了现有的一人之外，已经有过五个丈夫。这妇人之所以邪恶、不道德，乃是由于她的干渴。因为她的许多丈夫不能满足她，她一直不满足。当第一个丈夫不能满足她，她就寻求从第二个丈夫得著满足。但是她的第二个丈夫也没有满足她里面的干渴。然后她嫁了第三个，但是这一个也不能满足她；第四、第五个也不能，因为只有活水才是她惟一的需要。不管她从那许多丈夫喝了多少属地的水，她仍感到干渴。因此主告诉她说，凡喝这水的还要再渴。凡喝这物质、宗教、传统事物之水的人，还要再渴。惟有主耶稣有活水，能解我们的干渴。
6The husbands of this woman are a sign. Christ should be the only husband. In 2 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul told us that he has espoused us to Christ. In other words, he has engaged us to Christ. Christ is the real husband. But this woman had five husbands besides one other man. The reason this woman was wicked and immoral was because she was thirsty. Because her many husbands could not satisfy her, she remained dissatisfied. When the first husband did not satisfy her, she sought satisfaction from her second husband. But her second husband did not satisfy her inner thirst either. Then she married the third one, but this one also could not satisfy her; neither could her fourth and fifth husbands satisfy, because the living water was her only need. Regardless of how much she drank the earthly water in her many husbands, she still felt thirsty. Therefore, the Lord told her that whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again. Anyone who drinks the water of physical, religious, and traditional things will thirst again. Only the Lord Jesus has the living water that can quench our thirst.
7她的丈夫表征甚么?他们表征一切在基督之外的事物。在基督之外的任何事物都可能成为罪恶的。我们若在基督之外倚靠任何人或任何事，那可能是十分罪恶的。撒玛利亚妇人的许多丈夫成了她整个罪恶生活的历史。我们已经看见，主非常智慧的摸著她罪恶的历史。祂并没有定罪她是罪人，或呆板的叫她悔改，承认她实际的罪，就如一些布道家所作的。因为主知道一切，祂单单要求她把丈夫带来，就摸著了她的良心。就是用这方式，主帮助她承认她的罪，并且悔改。因为主所说关于她丈夫的话摸著了她的良心，她立刻转开话题到敬拜的事上。她这样作非常聪明。虽然她是这样一个不道德的女人，她竟然还谈论到敬拜神的事。这证明宗教在那里。人可能讨论宗教，却仍活在不道德中。这妇人并没有承认她的罪，却将话题从她丈夫转到敬拜神的事上，说，『我们的祖宗在这山上敬拜，你们倒说，敬拜的地方必须在耶路撒冷。』这话题的转变乃是这撒玛利亚妇人的巧计。这妇人所谈关于敬拜的问题，是对错的问题，与八章三至五节，九章二至三节一样，属于知识树；但主把她转到灵，（约四21～24，）这是属于生命树。（参创二9，17。）当妇人将她的话题从她丈夫转到敬拜的事上，主耶稣就抓住机会向她启示接受活水的正当途径。
7What do her husbands signify? They signify anything that is other than Christ. Anything outside of Christ may become sinful. If we depend upon anyone or anything other than Christ, that may be quite sinful. The husbands of the Samaritan woman became the history of her whole sinful life. As we have seen, the Lord touched her sinful history in a very wise way. He did not condemn her sinfulness as a sinner or legally make her repent and confess her sins practically as some evangelists would. Since the Lord knows everything, He simply touched her conscience by asking her to bring her husband. By this way, the Lord helped her to confess her sins and repent. Because the Lord’s word about her husbands touched her conscience, she immediately changed the conversation to the matter of worship. She was quite clever in doing this. Although she was such an immoral woman, she still talked about the worship of God. This proves where religion is. People may discuss religion and still live in immorality. This woman did not confess her sins, but turned the subject from her husbands to that of worshipping God, saying, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men must worship.” This change of subject was the subtlety of the Samaritan woman. The woman’s problem with the matter of worship, like the questions in 8:3-7 and 9:2-3, was a matter of yes or no, which belongs to the tree of knowledge; but the Lord turns her to the spirit (vv. 21-24), which belongs to the tree of life (cf. Gen. 2:9-17). When the woman changed the subject from her husband to worship, the Lord Jesus took the opportunity to reveal to her the proper way of receiving the living water.
2 接触是灵的神
2. To Contact God the Spirit
8请听主关于敬拜的话：『耶稣说，妇人，你当信我，时候将到，那时你们敬拜父，不在这山上，也不在耶路撒冷。你们敬拜你们所不知道的，我们敬拜我们所知道的，因为救恩是从犹太人出来的。时候将到，如今就是了，那真正敬拜父的，要在灵和真实里敬拜祂，因为父寻找这样敬拜祂的人。神是灵；敬拜祂的，必须在灵和真实里敬拜。』（约四21～。）这话是教导她，需要用她的灵接触是灵的神。用她的灵接触是灵的神，就是喝活水，这样才是真正敬拜神。
8Listen to the Lord’s words about the matter of worship. “Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem shall you worship the Father. You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know; for salvation is of the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and reality; for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is Spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and reality” (4:21-24). This word was given to instruct her regarding the need for exercising her spirit to 24 contact God the Spirit. To contact God the Spirit with her spirit is to drink the living water, and to drink the living water is to render real worship to God.
9在豫表里，敬拜神应该：（一）在神所选立为祂居所的地方；（申十二5，11，13～14，18；（二）带著祭物。（利一～六。）神所选立为祂居所的地方，豫表人的灵，就是神今日的居所。（弗二22。）祭物豫表基督，祂是百姓用以敬拜神之一切祭物的应验与实际。因此，主教导那妇人，要在灵和真实里敬拜是灵的神，意思是说，她不该在特定的地方，乃该在她的灵里接触是灵的神；并且不该藉著祭物，乃该藉著基督；因为现今基督这实际已经来到，（约四25～26，）一切影儿、豫表都过去了。主耶稣告诉撒玛利亚妇人说，神是灵，敬拜神的意思就是接触祂；这个与祂的接触不是地方的问题，乃是人灵的问题。当祂说，『时候将到，如今就是了，』就是说时代已经转变了。在过去，按照摩西的律法，神命定祂的百姓要在特定的地方，就是祂立为祂名之居所的地方，（申十二5，）敬拜祂。所有敬拜神的人必须到那独一的地方去。那是一个豫表。现今时代已经转变了，并且豫表已经应验了。按豫表的意义说，敬拜的地方不该再是一个地方，而必须是人的灵，在那里神要设立祂名的居所。今天神百姓独一敬拜的地方是在那里?乃是在我们人的灵里。按照以弗所二章二十二节，神的居所就在我们的灵里。
9In typology, the worship of God should be (1) in the place chosen by God to set His habitation there (Deut. 12:5, 11, 13-14, 18), and (2) with the offerings (Lev. 1 — 6). The place chosen by God for His habitation typifies the human spirit, where God’s habitation is today—Ephesians 2:22, “an habitation of God through the spirit” (KJV), should read “a dwelling place of God in spirit.” The offerings typify Christ; Christ is the fulfillment and reality of all the offerings with which the people worshipped God. Hence, when the Lord instructed her to worship God the Spirit in spirit and reality, it meant she should contact God the Spirit in her spirit instead of in a specific place, and through Christ, instead of with the offerings, for now, since Christ the reality has come (vv. 25-26), all the shadows and types are over. The Lord Jesus told the Samaritan woman that God is Spirit, that worshipping God means to contact Him, and that contacting Him is not a matter of place, but a matter of the human spirit. When He said, “An hour is coming and now is,” it meant that the age had changed. In the past, according to the Law of Moses, God ordained that His people worship Him at a specific place where He would establish His habitation with His name (Deut. 12:5). All of God’s worshippers had to go to that unique place. That was a type. Now the age has been changed, and the type is fulfilled. Typically speaking, the place of worship should not be a place any longer; it must be the human spirit, where God is going to set up His habitation with His name. Where is the unique place for God’s people to worship Him today? It is our human spirit. According to Ephesians 2:22, God’s habitation is in our spirit.
10为何神在古时命定祂的百姓要在一个地方敬拜祂？那是为著保守一。神绝不许可祂的百姓在祂所拣选的地方以外，去任何地方敬拜祂。若有人在别处敬拜祂，祂百姓中间的一就会被破坏。今天我们在何处能保守这个一?乃在我们人的灵里。在我们的心思、悟性、教训、道理和观念里，我们是彼此不同的。我不相信有一对夫妇，他们的想法是完全相同的。每个人都有不同的观念。你有你的观念，我有我的观念。你有你的作法，我有我的作法。你有你的看法，我有我的看法。按照我们不同的观念、作法、看法，我们怎可能是一？我们必须将这些统统忘了，并来到我们的灵中。当我们众人都转到我们的灵中，我们就是一了。因此要学习绝不与人辩论道理，总要引人到他们的灵里。我们都必须受题醒，我们有灵，其中有神的居所。我们的灵是敬拜神，就是接触神的地方。每逢我们在我们灵中敬拜神的时候，那就是我们饮于这位作活水的神。当你用你的灵赞美神，你就立刻有所饮。你若肯从你的灵里说，『赞美神！父阿！我敬拜你，』你就会喝到活水。主也说，如今那些真正的敬拜者，不只是在他们的灵里敬拜神，也是在真实里敬拜神。这对今日的基督徒来说是难以领悟的。可是，如果我们来看豫表，我们就领会，主所说的是甚么意思。古时，神命定祂的子民在所指定的地点，带著祭物敬拜祂。百姓不能在自己所拣选的地方敬拜神，也不能不带著祭物敬拜祂。他们需要祭物，因为他们有罪。当他们来接触神的时候，他们必须献上好多样祭物－赎愆祭、赎罪祭、平安祭、素祭、燔祭、摇祭、举祭。所有的祭物都是基督各方面的豫表。基督是我们真正的赎愆祭，祂是我们真正的赎罪祭、素祭、平安祭、以及燔祭。今天我们不该在特定的地方敬拜神，乃该在我们的灵里敬拜祂。再者，我们不该献祭物，乃该以基督作各种祭物的实际敬拜祂。
10Why did God ordain in the ancient times that His people had to worship Him in one place? It was for the purpose of keeping unity. God would never allow His people to worship Him in any place other than the place He had chosen. If anyone had worshipped Him in another place, the unity among His people would have been damaged. Where can we keep the unity today? In our human spirit. In our mind, understanding, teaching, doctrine, and concept we all differ from one another. I do not believe that there is even one couple where the husband and wife think exactly the same. Everyone has different concepts. You have your concepts and I have mine. You have your way and I have mine. You have your view and I have mine. How could we ever be one according to our differing concepts, ways, and views? We must forget about them all and come to our spirit. When we all turn to our spirit, we are one. So, learn never to argue with people about doctrine, but always direct them to their spirit. We all must be reminded that we have a spirit wherein is God’s habitation. Our spirit is the place to worship God, that is, to contact Him. Whenever we worship God in our spirit, it means that we drink God as the living water. When you praise God with your spirit, you immediately have a drink. If you would say, “Praise God! O Father, I worship You,” from your spirit, you would be drinking living water. The Lord also said that now is the time for the true worshippers to worship God not only in their spirit, but also in reality. This is difficult for today’s Christians to understand. However, if we consider the type, we shall understand what the Lord was talking about. In ancient times, God ordained that His people worship Him at the appointed place and with the offerings. The people could not worship God at any place they chose and they could not worship Him without the offerings. They needed the offerings because they were sinful. When they came to contact God, they had to offer many types of offerings—the trespass offering, the sin offering, the peace offering, the meal offering, the burnt offering, the wave offering, and the heave offering. All the offerings were types of the various aspects of Christ. Christ is our real trespass offering. He is also our real sin offering, meal offering, peace offering, and burnt offering. Today, instead of worshipping God in a specific place, we should worship Him in our spirit. Furthermore, instead of offerings, we should worship Him with Christ as the reality of all the offerings
11现今就是那个时候或时代，我们敬拜神，必须在我们的灵这独一的地方，并带著基督作实际。我们怎能这样行？我们如何应用在我们灵中敬拜父这事?假定一些弟兄为著敬拜神来在一起，却不运用他们的灵，反而运用他们的心思。他们开始讨论敬拜神的事，不久就因著冲突的意见而分裂。他们彼此之间很不愉快，也就分开了。这些弟兄们所需要作的乃是要运用灵，赞美主，呼求祂的名，并且看祂要作甚么。他们不该藉谈论运用他们的心思，他们应该藉呼求主运用他们的灵。我们怎样应用第二点，就是怎样用基督敬拜神？传统的作法是先点一首诗，唱完诗歌后就向天上的父献上祷告。这是传统宗教的路。可是我们聚在一起敬拜，必须运用我们的灵。我们若这样作，那住在我们灵里的圣灵就有机会运行。祂也许在一位弟兄里面运行，给他负担献上关于基督活的见证。于是那位弟兄就见证他对基督活的经历。他这样作，就是献上基督作一种祭物。当你见证你对基督的经历时，在神眼中那就是献上基督给神。最终，这样一个祭物就成为那作见证之弟兄的食物，也成为其他所有敬拜者的食物。这不是敬拜神的传统作法，乃是在灵里，以所经历的基督献上给神，作祂的满足，并作其他所有敬拜者的食物。这是对神真正的敬拜。愿主叫我们有深刻的印象，看见甚么是正确的敬拜。正确的敬拜乃是不断喝活水。那是灵的神就是活水，我们喝活水的器官乃是我们人的灵。每当我们运用我们人的灵接触神这活灵时，我们就在祂儿子耶稣基督里饮于祂作活水。
11Now is the hour, or the age, in which we must worship God in our spirit as the unique place and with Christ as the reality. How can we do it? How shall we apply the matter of worshipping the Father in our spirit? Suppose several brothers come together for the purpose of worshipping God, yet they do not exercise their spirit. Instead they exercise their minds. They begin to discuss the matter of worshipping God and soon are divided due to their conflicting opinions. They become unhappy with one another and separate. What these brothers need to do is simply to exercise the spirit, praise the Lord, call upon His name, and see what He will do. They should not exercise their mind by talking. They should exercise their spirit by calling on the Lord. How shall we apply the second point, that is, to worship God with Christ? The traditional way is to call a hymn and then, after the hymn has been sung, to offer a prayer to our Father in heaven. That is the traditional religious way. However, when meeting together for worship, we must exercise our spirit. If we do this, the Holy Spirit who indwells our spirit will have the opportunity to move. He may move in one brother, giving him a burden to offer a living testimony of Christ. Then that brother will testify of his living experience of Christ. In doing so, he will offer Christ as one of the offerings. When you give a testimony of your experience of Christ, in the eyes of God, that is offering Christ to God. Eventually, such an offering will become food to the brother who gave the testimony and to all of the other worshippers. This is not the traditional way of worshipping God; this is the way of worshipping in the spirit with the experienced Christ offered to God for His satisfaction and as food for all the other worshippers. This is the real worship of God. May the Lord impress us with what is proper worship. The proper worship is continually to drink the living water. God the Spirit is the living water, and our organ for drinking the living water is our human spirit. Whenever we exercise our human spirit to contact God, the living Spirit, we drink of Him as the living water in His Son, Jesus Christ
3 相信耶稣是基督，
3. To Believe That Jesus Is the Christ
好得著永远的生命
That She May Have Life Eternal
12现在我们来看取用活水之路的末了一面－相信耶稣是基督。当撒玛利亚妇人听见主答覆她关于敬拜的问题之后，她还想转到另一个题目。她说，『我知道弥赛亚（就是那称为基督的）要来；祂来了，必将一切的事都告诉我们。』（约四25。）她似乎说，『你告诉我那么多事，但是我们在等弥赛亚来。祂来了，必要显明一切的事。』这是怎样的托辞！于是主回答她说，『这和你说话的就是祂。』（约四26。）耶稣用这句话引导她信祂是基督，好叫她得著永远的生命。（约二十31。）从二十九节我们看见她信了。虽然这撒玛利亚妇人尽所能的要逃避主，主却用智慧将她抓住。永远不要想逃避主的手。撒玛利亚妇人被说服了，相信了祂，并接受了活水。在她的人生中有了一个大转变。她是这样一个不道德的人，可是仍在宗教传统的影响之下关心对或错，这里或那里，这样或那样。她完全在死的光景中。可是主摸著了她，并将她从死亡转到生命。无疑，她从前是在知识树之下，但主将她转到生命树。祂已将她的死亡变为永远的生命。主向撒玛利亚妇人启示，人生真正的满足乃是主自己。关于祂自己，主向她启示了三方面：祂是恩赐，是赐恩者，又是得恩赐之路。关于祂自己，主至少题起三件事。在十节祂说，『你若知道神的恩赐，』指明神的恩赐就是主自己作永远的生命。祂也告诉她说，『你必早求祂，祂也必早给了你活水，』表明主自己就是赐恩者。最后，我们仔细读就会发现，妇人得这恩赐的路乃是接触或饮于这赐恩者自己。
12Now we come to the last aspect of the way to take the living water—believing that Jesus is the Christ. When the Samaritan woman heard the Lord’s answer to her question about worship, she still tried to turn away to another subject saying, “I know that Messiah is coming, He who is called Christ; when He comes, He will declare all things to us” (4:25). She seemed to be saying, “You are telling me so many things, but we are waiting for the Messiah to come. When He comes, He will manifest everything.” What an excuse! Then the Lord answered her, “I who speak to you am He” (4:26). By this word, Jesus led her to believe that He is the Christ in order that she might have eternal life (20:31). We see from verse 29 that she believed. Although the Samaritan woman tried every way to escape the Lord, He, in His wisdom, caught her. Never try to escape the hand of the Lord. The Samaritan woman was convinced, believed in Him, and received the living water. There was a great change in her life. She was such an immoral person, but was still under the influence of religious tradition, taking care of yes or no, here or there, this way or that way. She was absolutely in a death situation. However, the Lord touched her and turned her from death to life. Undoubtedly, she was under the tree of knowledge, but the Lord turned her to the tree of life. He changed her death into life eternal. The Lord revealed to the Samaritan woman that the real satisfaction in human life is the Lord Himself. The Lord revealed to her three aspects about Himself: that He is the gift, the Giver, and the way to obtain the gift. The Lord mentioned at least three things about Himself. In verse 10 He said, “If you knew the gift of God,” indicating that the gift of God was the Lord Himself as life eternal. He also told her, “You would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water,” showing that the Lord Himself is the Giver. Finally, by careful reading, we shall discover that the way for the woman to obtain the gift was to contact or drink the Giver Himself.
肆 活的见证
IV. A LIVING TESTIMONY
及惊人的收成
WITH A MARVELOUS HARVEST
一 罪人相信，得著满足，撇下从前霸占她的事物并作见证
A. The Sinner Believed, Was Satisfied, Left Her Preoccupation, and Testified
13那妇人听见主耶稣就是那要来的基督，就相信了；在她生命中有了一个大转变。她留下水罐子往城里去，向人作了活的见证。这见证带来惊人的收成。（约四28～42。）
13After the woman heard that the Lord Jesus was the Christ who was coming, she believed. There was a great change in her life. She left her waterpot, went into the city, and gave a living testimony to the people. This testimony brought in a marvelous harvest (4:28-42).
14按照我们天然的观念，帮助人得救需要花时间。我们必须抛弃这观念。人能在顷刻之间改变。主能这样迅速转变人，因为祂称无为有，正如在创造时所作的，无需时间的元素。按照我们的观念，罪人需要时间考虑、相信并转变。这观念阻挠我们传福音，使之软弱无能。我们必须有信心，就是当我们与人谈话时，主已在得胜的作工了。撒玛利亚妇人是在顷刻之间转变的。在已过，我们见过好些人这样转变，超过我们所信的，主转变人的路是在灵里，是生命之法，不是教育之法。教育需要时间，教训人需要时间。然而主重生人的时候，使他们成为新造，并且称无为有。每当我们与罪人谈话时，我们必须有这得胜的信心。当我们和人说话时，我们必须运用我们的灵相信主在他里面作工。很自然的，有些事要发生在他身上，他要从死亡转到生命。虽然这撒玛利亚妇人这么不道德并低下，且深深陷在罪中，她却能在几分之一秒间转变了。她的整个人生改变了。她去对人说，『你们来看，有一个人将我素来所行的一切事，都给我说出来了，这岂不就是基督么?』（约四29。）这指明这妇人信耶稣是基督，因著这样信，她接受了活水，就得著了满足。她确知耶稣就是基督，并且那灵进到了她里面。约翰四章的图画也给我们看见，这妇人与主接触之后，她丢弃了一切。她撇下了井和水罐。她撇下了一切，到城里告诉人关于基督的事；那就是说，她一接触了基督，就丢弃了一切，要单单得到基督作她的满足。当她对城里的人说，『这岂不就是基督么?』她已认出祂就是基督。在神的眼中，她已经有了基督，并且将基督带给她同城的人。这是何等的见证！只有当我们接触基督、认识基督、并接受基督的时候，我们才能得满足。然后自然而然的，我们就会丢弃在基督之外的一切。1937我永远不能忘记在一九三七年发生的一件事；那时我到中国的首都有几晚聚会。末了一次聚会之后，一位受高等教育之人的妻子对我说，『李先生，你讲的道使我十分感动，我想要信耶稣。但是我有个问题，我喜欢看戏。我若成为基督徒，我甘愿放弃我所有的不良嗜好。但是有一件事我不能放弃，那就是看戏。这一件事我不能放弃。我怎么办?』她说得很认真。我怕告诉她说，基督徒去看戏不好，因为那么一来她就不肯成为基督徒了。当然，我不能告诉她说，成了基督徒再去看戏是对的。我祷告求主给我智慧。最后我说，『假定你的孩子喜欢他手中一把危险的刀子，你想要拿下他这把刀，最好的办法是甚么?』她说，『那很简单，只要在他四周地板上丢下好些糖果就行了。』我问这怎么会有用。她回答说，『孩子会丢下刀子去拣糖。除非他两只手装满了糖，不然，即使你叫他放下刀子，他是不会放下的。』我将她所答覆的办法介绍给她，说，『你知道么?一旦你接受了基督，在你身上也会发生同样的事。』她马上清楚了，并且当晚就得救了。你知道为甚么人在基督之外渴望那么多的东西?就是因为他们没有基督来满足。他们若有基督作满足，就会把所有其他的东西忘掉。对撒玛利亚妇人而言，井与水罐太要紧了，但是当她认识了基督，她自然就放弃那些心爱的东西，跑到人那里见证说，基督现今是满足她的生命。在你的人生中有满足么?你因甚么而满足？因基督还是因物质、宗教、以及传统的东西？我们只能因基督而满足，不是因任何别的事物。我们若要帮助别人，我们必须先因基督满足，这样才能将基督带给人，作人的满足。只有当我们因基督满足，我们才能让别人知道如何接受基督，并接触祂。撒玛利亚妇人不是带著基督的道理到她同城的人那里；她是先得著了基督，然后带著基督到他们那里。
14According to our natural concept, it takes time to help a person to be saved. We must drop this concept. People can be changed in a second. The Lord can turn people in such a fast way because, just as He did in His creation, He calls things not being as being. There is no need of the time element. According to our concept, a sinner needs time to consider, believe, and turn. This concept frustrates our gospel preaching and makes it impotent. We must have the faith that while we are talking with people, the Lord is working in a prevailing way. The Samaritan woman was turned in an instant. In the past, beyond our belief, we have seen many people turn in such a way. The Lord’s way to turn people is in the Spirit, in the way of life, not in the way of education. Education takes time. It takes time to teach people. However, when the Lord regenerates people, He makes them a new creation and calls things not being as being. We must have this prevailing faith whenever we talk to a sinner. While we are speaking with him, we must exercise our spirit to believe that the Lord is working in him. Spontaneously, something will happen to him, and he will be turned from death to life. Although the Samaritan woman was so immoral, low, and deep in sin, she was turned within a fraction of a second. Her whole life was changed. She went to the people and said, “Come, see a man who told me all that I have done; is this not the Christ?” (4:29). This indicates that the woman believed that Jesus was the Christ and that by believing she received the living water and was satisfied. She was certain that Jesus was the Christ, and the Spirit came into her. The picture in John 4 also shows us that after the woman contacted Christ, she gave up everything. She left both the well and the waterpot. She left everything and went into the city to tell the people about Christ, which means that once she contacted Christ, she gave up everything in order to have only Christ as her satisfaction. When she told the people in the city, “Is this not the Christ?” she recognized that He was the Christ. In the eyes of God, she had Christ already and was bringing Christ to her people. What a testimony! It is only when we contact Christ, recognize Christ, and receive Christ that we can be satisfied. Then spontaneously we shall give up everything that is other than Christ. I can never forget an incident that occurred in when I went to the capital of China for several nights of meetings. After the last meeting, a young wife of a highly educated man said to me, “Mr. Lee, I am much influenced by your preaching and desire to believe in Christ. But I have a problem. I like to go to the theaters and see the operas. If I am going to be a Christian, I am willing to give up all of my bad habits. But there is one thing that I cannot give up—that is the dramas and operas. This I could not give up. What shall I do?” She was very serious. I was afraid to tell her that it is not right for a Christian to go to the Chinese operas, because she would refuse to become a Christian. Of course, I could not tell her that it was all right for her to become a Christian and still go to the theaters. I prayed that the Lord would give me wisdom. Finally, I said, “Suppose your little child is fond of a dangerous knife that is in his hands. What is the best way to take that knife out of his hands?” She said, “That would be easy to do, if you would scatter a lot of candy on the floor around him.” I asked how that would help, and she replied, “The child would drop the knife in order to take the candy. Unless his two hands were full of candy, he would not drop the knife even if you told him to.” I commended her on her answer and said, “Do you realize that once you receive Christ the same thing will happen to you?” Immediately, she became clear and was saved that very night. Do you know why people are thirsting after so many things other than Christ? Simply because they are not satisfied with Christ. If they were satisfied with Christ, all of the other things would be forgotten. The well and the waterpot meant so much to the Samaritan woman, but after she recognized Christ, she spontaneously gave up those cherished things and went to the people, testifying that Christ was now her satisfying life. Do you have satisfaction in your human life? With what are you satisfied — with Christ, or with the physical, religious, and traditional things? We can be satisfied only with Christ and not with any other thing. If we are going to help others, we must first be satisfied with Christ in order to bring Christ as satisfaction to others. Only when we are satisfied with Christ can we let others know how to receive Christ and contact Him. The Samaritan woman did not go to her people with the doctrine of Christ; she first gained Christ and then went to them with Christ.
二 救主因实行神的旨意满足罪人而得著满足
B. The Savior Satisfied with God’s Will in Satisfying the Sinner
15在撒玛利亚妇人的事例里，我们看见一幅图画：有一个干渴的罪人，并一位干渴的基督。他们都是疲累的，因为他们都走了好远的路程，来到井边。结果，主耶稣与妇人彼此同情。两位都是又渴又累，并且主还饥饿。主饿了，因此打发门徒去买食物。祂也渴了，因此向妇人要水喝。可是非常希奇，他们都未吃未喝，却都满足了。得救的罪人因救主得到满足，救主因得救的罪人而满足。我们所以知道这事，是因为一个事实，就是妇人撇下了井和她的水罐，跑到城里告诉人关于基督的事。她是如此满足，以致人都来看，到底这一位是不是基督。我们知道主耶稣得了满足，因为祂告诉门徒（他们已经带著食物回来，并且要祂吃）说，『我有食物吃，是你们不知道的。』（约四32。）门徒彼此问说，是否有人拿东西给祂吃，祂就对他们说，『我的食物就是实行差我来者的旨意，作成祂的工。』（约四34。）主的食物就是实行差祂来者的旨意，这就是说，祂的食物就是拯救并满足罪人。我们罪人乃是救主的满足。你的饥饿表明主是饥饿的，你的干渴也表明主是干渴的。但是当你满足了，主也满足了。只要在地上有干渴的罪人，主在天上就是干渴的。当罪人满足了，救主就满足了。主来撒玛利亚是带著一个目的－寻找那罪人，并且满足她。祂这样作，就是实行神的旨意。而实行神的旨意就是祂的食物与满足。
15In the case of the Samaritan woman we see the picture of a thirsty sinner and a thirsty and hungry Christ. Both of them were tired because both had walked a long distance to that well. Consequently, the Lord Jesus and the woman were very sympathetic with one another. Both were thirsty and weary, and the Lord was hungry. The Lord was hungry, so He sent the disciples to buy food. He was also thirsty, so He asked the woman for a drink. However, it is very strange to note that neither of them ate or drank, yet both of them were satisfied. The saved sinner was satisfied with the Savior, and the Savior was satisfied with the saved sinner. We know this by the fact that the woman gave up the well and her waterpot and ran into the city to tell about Christ. She was so satisfied that the people came to see if this was the Christ. We know that the Lord Jesus was satisfied because He told the disciples, who had returned with food and had asked Him to eat, “I have food to eat of which you have no knowledge” (4:32). When the disciples asked each other whether anyone had brought Him food to eat, He said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (4:34). The Lord’s food was to do the will of Him who sent Him, which means that His food was to save and satisfy sinners. We sinners are the satisfaction to the Savior. Your hunger signifies that the Lord is hungry, and your thirst signifies that the Lord is thirsty. But when you are satisfied, the Lord also is satisfied. As long as there are thirsty sinners on earth, the Lord is thirsty in heaven. When sinners are satisfied, then the Savior is satisfied. The Lord had come to Samaria with a purpose—to find that sinner and to satisfy her. In doing this, He did God’s will. And doing God’s will was His food and satisfaction.
三 庄稼惊人的收成
C. A Marvelous Harvest Was Reaped
16在三十五节主说，『你们岂不是说，到收割的时候，还有四个月么?看哪，我告诉你们，举目向田观看，庄稼已经发白，可以收割了。』主对门徒说，庄稼已经发白了，因此他们必须去收割庄稼。今天原则也是一样。我们永远不要说，这不是传福音的时机。我们若向田观看，就会看见有些人真是干渴要基督。因此，我们必须将基督带给他们，也将他们带给基督。这就是如何将他们收割归给基督。在三十六节主说，『收割的人得工价，收积五谷归入永远的生命。』『归入永远的生命』这辞，原文同十四节的『入永远的生命。』主在这章两次用这话。第一次是说，我们若接受祂，祂就要在我们里面成为泉源，直涌入永远的生命。（约四14。）基督要在我们里面成为泉源，直涌入永远的生命。祂第二次用这话，是祂催促门徒出去收割庄稼，好收积五榖归入永远的生命。换句话说，你得救并因基督而得著满足之后，你必须将人带到基督跟前，归入永远的生命。首先，你必须为自己接受基督，归入永远的生命；然后你必须带别人接受基督，归入永远的生命。有一位基督给你接受，作你里面的泉源，直涌入永远的生命；还有庄稼给你收割，收积五榖归入永远的生命。撒玛利亚妇人正好作了这两件事。一面她接受基督作内里的泉源，永远的生命；另一面她到庄稼的田里，收积同城的人作五谷，归入永远的生命。
16In verse 35 the Lord said, “Do you not say, There are yet four months and then the harvest comes? Behold, I tell you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are already white for harvest.” The Lord told His disciples that the fields were already white. Hence, they must go and reap the harvest. The principle is also true today. We must never say that it is not the time to preach the gospel. If we look on the field, we will see certain people who are really thirsty for Christ. Therefore, we must bring Christ to them and them to Christ. This is how to reap them for Christ. In verse 36 the Lord said, “He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit unto eternal life.” The phrase “unto eternal life” is the same in Greek as “into eternal life” used in verse 14. It is used twice by the Lord in this chapter. The first time He said that if we receive Him, He will be a fountain, or a spring within us, bubbling up into eternal life (4:14). Christ will be a well or spring in us, bubbling up into eternal life. The second time He used this phrase was when He urged the disciples to go out and reap the harvest in order to gather fruit unto eternal life. In other words, after you have been saved and satisfied with Christ, you must bring people to Christ unto eternal life. Firstly, you must receive Christ unto eternal life for yourself; then you must bring others to receive Christ unto eternal life. There is a Christ for you to receive as the spring within you bubbling up into eternal life, and there is a harvest for you to reap as fruit unto eternal life. The Samaritan woman did exactly these two things. On one hand, she received Christ as the inner spring unto eternal life, and on the other hand, she went to the harvest field to gather her people as fruit unto eternal life.
17在三十六、三十七节，主题起撒种的事。是谁撒了种？施浸者约翰并没有去过撒玛利亚。有人想，施浸者约翰的门徒或主耶稣的门徒，先前去撒玛利亚传过福音，但我不相信这说法。我们可以相信，种子是藉著旧约撒的。撒玛利亚人对旧约头五卷书相当熟悉。因此，他们知道神，以及关于弥赛亚（基督）的事，虽然所知道的并不清楚或透切。撒玛利亚人不像异教徒。他们藉著旧约得到一些神和基督的知识。我信那就是种子。不错，乃是主那无往不透的灵在撒玛利亚妇人身上作工。可是她若像异教徒那样对圣经一无所知，我想这个工作在她身上就不会那么有效并快速。主耶稣无须说到任何有关神的话，直到她先说到神。在对话中乃是她先发起说到神和基督的事。主耶稣没有说，『妇人，你信有神么？你认识基督么？』主只向她要一点水喝。当她责怪祂向一个撒玛利亚妇人要水喝时，祂对她说到神的恩赐。我们可由主的话看出，那妇人对神和基督的事已经略有所知。那就是旧约头五卷书起功用的结果，这五经是他们所有的。因此在主耶稣和祂门徒来到之先，好些人已经豫备好了。
17In verses 36 and 37 the Lord mentions sowing. Who did this sowing? John the Baptist did not go to Samaria. Some people think that some disciples of John or of the Lord Jesus went to Samaria and preached the gospel before that time, but I do not believe that. We may believe that the seed was sown by the Old Testament. The Samaritans were familiar with the first five books of the Old Testament. Thus, they came to know God and also something concerning the Messiah, the Christ, although it was not very clear or thorough. The Samaritans were not the same as the heathen. Through the Old Testament they obtained some knowledge of God and of Christ. I believe that that was the seed. Yes, it was the prevailing Spirit of the Lord that worked on the Samaritan woman. However, if she had been the same as a heathen without any knowledge of the Bible, I do not think that the work could have been done on her in such a prevailing and fast way. The Lord Jesus did not have to say anything about God until she first said something. She initiated the conversation about God and Christ. The Lord Jesus did not say, “Woman, do you believe that there is a God? Do you know Christ?” The Lord only asked her for a drink of water. When she rebuked Him for asking water of a Samaritan woman, He spoke to her about the gift of God. We can see by the Lord’swords that the woman already knew something about God and Christ. That was the result of the functioning of the first five books of the Old Testament, which they had. Therefore, before the Lord Jesus and His disciples came, many people had already been prepared
18美国也是这样。种子已经撒在全国各处。我们必须看见，庄稼的确已经成熟，可以收割了。在已过这些年间，好些人已被别的职事并许多主的仆人豫备好。好些人在心里、灵里已经豫备好，接触并接受基督作他们的满足，但是他们不知道怎样接触并接受。在美国，连不信的人和无神论者，多少也知道一点关于神和基督的事。他们甚至还听到救恩。我们所需要作的就是收割所已经种下的。撒玛利亚妇人并不是带著关于基督的道理到本城的人那里；她是首先得著了基督，然后带著基督到他们那里。
18The same is true in the United States. The seed has been sown throughout the country. We must realize that the harvest is truly ripe for reaping. Many people have been prepared by other ministries and by many of the Lord’s servants during the past years. Many people have been prepared in their hearts and spirits to contact and receive Christ as their satisfaction, but they do not know how to do it. In the United States, even unbelievers and atheists know something about God and about Christ. They have even heard about salvation. What we need to do is to reap whatever has been sown. The Samaritan woman did not go with the doctrine about Christ to her people; she first gained Christ and then went to them with Christ.
19三十九节说，『那城里有好些撒玛利亚人信入了耶稣，因为那妇人作见证。』藉著撒玛利亚妇人活的见证，更多的罪人被带到主面前。他们接触到主，就都相信并接受祂作他们的救主。这是藉著她活的见证而有的惊人收成。总括来说，我们能看见头两个事例非常清楚的说到两件事。第一个事例给我们看见，藉著重生，基督带给我们神的生命；第二个事例给我们看见，基督带给我们满足。这两面可由我们的经历得到印证。当我们最初接受基督时，我们由神圣的生命所重生。然后我们因活水而满足。这两个事例乃是两个表号，指明基督作我们生命的两个不同方面。我们不该只把福音书当作神迹的故事念一念。我们必须把这些记述当作图画的说明，并且我们必须发掘这些表号的属灵意义。然后我们就要看出关于基督作人生命与满足，那属灵并活的原则。
19Verse 39 says, “Many of the Samaritans from that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified.” Through the living testimony of the Samaritan woman, many more sinners were brought to the Lord. When they contacted the Lord, they all believed and received Him as their Savior. It was a marvelous harvest through her living testimony. In conclusion, we can see that the first two cases are distinctly clear about two things. The first case shows that Christ brought us the divine life through regeneration or rebirth; the second case shows that Christ brought us satisfaction. These two aspects can be confirmed according to our experience. When we first received Christ, we were reborn or regenerated with the divine life. Then we were satisfied with the living water. These two cases are signs pointing to two different aspects of Christ being our life. We should not merely read the gospel as stories about miracles. We must read these narratives as figurative statements and we must discover the spiritual significance of these signs. Then we shall discover the spiritual and living principles concerning Christ who is life and satisfaction to man