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约翰福音生命读经 · 第17篇

干渴人的需要－生命的解渴（一）

The Need of the Thirsty— Life’s Quenching (1
1我们已经看过这卷福音书九个事例中的五个。在第一个事例中，主和一位德高望重的人谈论生命的重生。藉著新生，主作了我们第二个生命，就是神圣的生命。在第二个事例中，主和一个卑贱不道德的女子谈论生命的满足。主自己是活水，使不满的心得到满足。在第三个事例中，主医治了一个垂死的孩子。主用祂赐生命的话，藉著人的信，医治了垂死的人。在第四个事例中，主点活一个病了三十八年的软弱人。这表明主藉著生命点活了软弱的人。在第五个事例中，主用生命的粮给五千人吃饱。这指明主是活的、属天的粮，使饥饿的群众饱足。所以，简单的说，在第一个事例中，主用神圣的生命使人重生；在第二个事例中，主赐人活水；在第三个事例中，主用赐生命的话医治了垂死的人；在第四个事例中，主点活软弱的人；在第五个事例中，主用生命的粮给群众吃饱。如今在七章，我们来看第六个事例－干渴人的需要。这事例与第五个事例－饥饿人的需要－成为对比。前一个事例中，清楚启示祂是生命的粮，满足我们的饥饿；在这个事例中，主带来活水的流，解我们的干渴。在第五个事例中，人是饥饿的；在第六个事例中，人是干渴的。第五个事例陈明了活粮，第六个事例引进了活水。生命的粮是为著饥饿的人，活水的江河是为著干渴的人。对于干渴者，基督是解渴的生命。祂是那能解人干渴的生命。
1We have covered five of the nine cases in this gospel. In the first case, the Lord talked with a superior, moral man about the regeneration of life. Through the new birth, the Lord is our second life, the divine life. In the second case, the Lord spoke to an inferior, immoral woman about the satisfaction of life. The Lord Himself is the living water which satisfies the dissatisfied hearts. In the third case, the Lord healed a dying child. The Lord heals the dying people by His life-giving word through believing. In the fourth case, the Lord enlivened an impotent man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. This shows that the Lord enlivens the impotent by life. In the fifth case, the Lord fed the five thousand with the bread of life. This indicates that He is the living, heavenly bread with which to satisfy the hungry multitude. Therefore, in brief, the Lord regenerates with His divine life in the first case, gives the living water in the second case, heals the dying by the life-giving word in the third case, enlivens the impotent in the fourth case, and feeds the multitude with the bread of life in the fifth case. Now in chapter seven we come to the sixth case— the need of the thirsty. This case is in contrast with the fifth case, the need of the hungry. In the previous case the Lord is clearly revealed as the bread of life to satisfy our hunger, but in this case the Lord brings the flow of living water to quench our thirst. In the fifth case the people are hungry, but in the sixth case they are thirsty. The fifth case presents the living bread, and the sixth case introduces the living water. The bread of life is for hungry people, and the rivers of living water are for thirsty people. For the thirsty, Christ is the quenching life. He is the very life that is able to quench man’s thirst
2主是我们的食物和水，这思想在整本圣经中都可看到。例如，在创世记二章，生命树就是主作供应我们生命之食物的图画。在创世记二章的生命树旁有一道河，描绘出主带给我们活水的江河。换句话说，这描绘出主造人的目的－人必须吃喝；他若不吃就会饥饿；他若不喝就会干渴。主是满足我们饥饿的食物，也是解我们干渴的活水。
2The thought that the Lord is our food and water is seen throughout the Scriptures. For example, in Genesis 2 the tree of life is a picture of the Lord as our life supply of food. Beside the tree of life in Genesis 2 there is the river of water, which is a portrait of the Lord bringing us the rivers of living water. In other words, this pictures the Lord’s purpose in the creation of man—man must eat and drink. If he fails to eat, he will become hungry, and if he fails to drink, he will become thirsty. The Lord is the food to satisfy our hunger, and He has the living water to quench our thirst.
3圣经以后说到，以色列人行经旷野时，也有食物和水。一面，他们有来自天上的吗哪作每日的食物；（出十六14～15；）另一面，他们有那从被击打的磐石流出的活水解他们的干渴。（出十七6。）在约翰福音中，主也是活粮，并供应活水，满足群众的饥饿与干渴。父、子、灵，三一神的三者，都与食物和水这事有密切的关联。父神是源头，子神是食物，灵神是饮料。三一神的第一者是那作食物之第二者的源头，从第二者又流出作饮料的第三者来。林前十章三至四节也指出这两件事：基督自己是灵食，祂也是被击打的磐石，从其中流出灵水来。圣灵就是从钉十字架的基督所流出的灵水。所以，基督是我们的食物，而从基督流出的圣灵是我们的饮料。
3Later in the Scriptures, the children of Israel, as they traveled through the wilderness, also had both food and water. On the one hand, they had the manna from heaven as their daily food (Exo. 16:14-15); on the other hand, they had the living water flowing from the smitten rock to quench their thirst (Exo. 17:6). In the Gospel of John, the Lord also is the living bread and He offers the living water to satisfy the hunger and the thirst of the multitude. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit, the three Persons of the Triune God, are very much related to this matter of food and water. God the Father is the source, God the Son is the food, and God the Spirit is the drink. The first Person of the Triune God is the source of the second Person as the food, from whom the third Person flows out as the drink. First Corinthians 10:3-4 also points out these two things. There, Christ Himself is the spiritual food and He is the smitten rock from which flows the spiritual drink. The Holy Spirit is the spiritual drink flowing out of the crucified Christ. Therefore, Christ is our food, and the Holy Spirit who flows out of Christ is our drink.
4最后，到了圣经末了，我们看见新耶路撒冷。我们再次看到，生命水的河是圣灵，长在河中的生命树是基督。（启二二1～2。）因此，有一条贯串整本圣经的线，给我们看见，基督是我们的灵食，圣灵是我们的灵水，而人既需要吃又需要喝，才能消饥解渴。约翰福音是一卷图画的书。作者不仅用明言，也用譬喻和图画，因为生命的事太深奥、太抽象了。约翰若只用明言，人就很难探入其丰富。所以在神的默示下，约翰用了各种的图画。四章有干渴的救主与干渴的罪人，在雅各井旁相会。在五章，我们看见一群患病的、瞎眼的、瘸腿的和枯干的人，等在池边。在六章，我们看见旷野、山和风暴的海。在海上有被风浪打得摇幌不定的船，船上的人都惊惶不已。忽然有一个人在海浪上向他们走来。这就是用五饼二鱼使饥饿的群众吃饱的人。到了七章，我们又看见另一幅图画。
4Finally, we come to the end of the Scriptures, where we see the New Jerusalem. Again, the flow of the living water is the Holy Spirit, and the tree of life growing in the flow is Christ (Rev. 22:1-2). Hence, there is a line running throughout the whole Scriptures showing us that Christ is our spiritual food, that the Holy Spirit is our spiritual drink, and that man needs both to eat and to drink in order to satisfy his hunger and thirst. The Gospel of John is a book of pictures. The writer used figures and pictures as well as plain words because the matters of life are too deep, profound, mysterious, and abstract. If John had only used plain words, it would have been difficult for people to probe into the riches. So John, under God’sin spiration, used various pictures. In chapter four we have a picture of a thirsty Savior and a thirsty sinner meeting at Jacob’swell. In chapter five we see a multitude of sick, blind, lame, and withered people waiting by a pool. In chapter six we see a wilderness, a mountain, and a stormy sea. On the sea is a boat, tossed to and fro, and the people in the boat are terrified. Suddenly a man comes to them walking upon the waves. This is the man who fed the hungry crowd with five loaves and two fishes. In chapter seven we see still another picture
壹 住棚节的情景
I. THE SCENE OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES
一 与六章逾越节的情景成对比
A. In Contrast with the Scene of the Feast of the Passover in Chapter Six
5第六个事例是第五个事例的延续，因为食物的问题与水相关。在这一关联上，还有另一个对比。六章的事例发生在逾越节，七章的事例发生在住棚节。逾越节是犹太人每年的第一个节期，住棚节是他们每年的最后一个节期。（利二三5，34。）逾越节是一年当中的第一个节期，含示人生的开始，（参出十二2～3，6，）说到人寻求满足，结果却是饥饿。住棚节是一年当中的最后一个节期，含示人一生的完满和成功，（参出二三16，）这一切都要到尽头，结果仍是干渴。在逾越节的情景中，主说到自己是生命的粮，满足人的饥饿。在住棚节的情景中，主应许要流出活水，解除人的干渴。
5The sixth case is a continuation of the fifth case, because the matter of food is related to water. In this connection, there is also another contrast. In the scene of the fifth case, there was the feast of the Passover. In the scene of this case in chapter seven, there is the feast of Tabernacles. The feast of the Passover is the first of the annual Jewish feasts, and the feast of Tabernacles is the last (Lev. 23:5, 34). The feast of the Passover, as the first feast of the year, implies the beginning of man’s life (cf. Exo. 12:2-3, 6), which involves man’ss eeking for satisfaction and results in man’s hunger. The feast of Tabernacles, as the last feast of the year, implies the completion and success of man’s life (cf. Exo. 23:16), which will end and result in man’s thirst. In the scene of the feast of the Passover, the Lord presented Himself as the bread of life, which satisfies man’s hunger. In the scene of the feast of Tabernacles, the Lord promised that He would flow forth the living water, which quenches man’s thirst
6逾越节在年首来临，那时人忙著劳苦工作。在食饱五千人的事例中，我们看见人工作以免挨饿，却不得饱足。他们劳苦工作，想要得饱却得不到。反之，住棚节是在收割结束时，人已收藏了五谷和酒。（申十六13～14。）所有的庄稼都已收割了，人聚在一起守住棚节，与家人甚至仆人共享一切。我们必须知道，在住棚节时，人不再劳苦，因为工作已经完毕，庄稼都已收割，谷和酒都已收藏了。那是他们欢腾享受的时候，但他们仍是干渴！第六个事例启示，甚至他们的成功也不能解除他们的干渴。你若读出埃及十二章关于逾越节的经节，就会看出逾越节指明或含示生命的开始。当然，逾越节是为著得救。我们得救时，有了新的起头。逾越节总是在每年的正月，因此标明新的起头。就某种意义说，所有的青年人都在过逾越节，因为他们的生命刚开始，他们有许多很高的期望。也许你还未从大学毕业，但你盼望毕业后作大学教授、医生或律师。这就是逾越节。我们已经看见，逾越节的结果总是饥饿。你毕业后没有别的，只有饥饿。你在你的职业中，地位爬得越高，就越感到饥饿。钱赚得越多，就越感到不满足。在约翰六章，逾越节是生命的起步，结果却是饥饿。二表征一生的完满和成功
6The feast of the Passover occurred early in the year, when the people were working and laboring hard. The case of the feeding of the five thousand finds the people working to fill their hunger, but failing to be satisfied. They labored, they worked, they sought something to satisfy, but they failed. The feast of Tabernacles, on the contrary, occurred at a time when the harvest was over. The people had reaped the corn and the wine (Deut. 16:13-14). Everything of the harvest had been reaped, and the people were to come together at the feast of Tabernacles and enjoy everything with their families and even with their servants. We must realize that during the feast of Tabernacles the people do not labor because the work is over, the crop has been reaped, and the corn and wine have been harvested. That was the time to rejoice in their enjoyment — but they were still thirsty! The sixth case reveals that their thirst was not quenched even by their success. If you read the verses concerning the Passover in Exodus 12, you will see that the Passover indicates or implies the beginning of life. The Passover, of course, is for salvation. When we were saved, we had a new start. The Passover was always in the first month of the year. Hence, it marked a new beginning. In a sense, all of the young people are in the Passover, for their life has just begun and they have many high expectations. Although perhaps you have not yet graduated from college, you expect that after graduation you will be a professor, doctor, or attorney. This is the feast of the Passover. We have already seen that the feast of the Passover always ends in hunger. After your graduation there will be nothing but hunger. The higher position you attain in your profession, the more hunger you feel. The more money you earn, the more dissatisfied you will be. In John 6, the feast of the Passover, as the initial step in life, ends in hunger. B. Signifying the Completion and Success of Life
及其宗教式的享受
with Its Enjoyment in a Religious Way
7庄稼完全收割后，犹太人就守住棚节，敬拜神并享受他们的收成。（出二三16，申十六13～15。）因此，这节表征人在事业、学业和人生其他事（包括宗教）上的完满、成就和成功，及其快乐与享受。所以住棚节含示你在职业、工作和事业上的完满。你在职业或事业上也许很成功，但你必须知道成功的结局还是干渴。最终，你劳苦了一生，还是干渴，因为每件事都有末日，每件事都有结束。末日总是大日子。人有了相当成就后，别人就会为他们安排一个纪念日。人的纪念日总是他的末日。这就是结局，结局是虚空的，结果乃是干渴。约翰六章有人生的起始，结果是饥饿；约翰七章有人生的成功和完满，结果是干渴。前一事例说出人为要得饱足而劳苦、工作、寻求、奋斗，可是并没有得到。这事例说出人已经有了所需要的一切，但这一切都没有解除他们的干渴。他们得到了一切，享受了一切，但这一切的成功、名利、甚至和节期有关的宗教及圣殿，都不能解除他们的干渴。所以，这两个事例将工作的人和安歇的人相比。可是，不论你在工作或安歇，你都无法解除饥渴。
7After the full harvest of their crops, the Jewish people observed the feast of Tabernacles to enjoy what they had reaped in the worship of God (Exo. 23:16; Deut. 16:13-15). Hence, this feast signifies the completion, achievement, and success of man’s career, study, and other matters of human life, including religion, with the joy and enjoyment thereof. Thus, the feast of Tabernacles implies the completion of your job, achievement, and career. Although you may be successful in your occupation or career, you must realize that it will all issue in thirst. Eventually, after working your entire life, you will be thirsty, because everything has a last day. Everything ends. The last day is always a great day. After people attain a certain success, other people will give them a memorial day. A person’s memorial day is always his last day. It is the end, and the end is empty. It results in thirst. In John 6 we have the beginning of life, which results in hunger; in John 7 we have the success and completion of life, which end in thirst. The previous case sets forth the people laboring, working, seeking, and striving to find something to satisfy their hunger, but they fail to get it. This case sets forth the people already having everything they need, but they find that it does not quench their thirst. They have obtained everything; they have enjoyed everything. But with all of their success, with all of their gain, even with all of the things connected with their feasts—their religion and their temple—their thirst cannot be quenched. Therefore, these two cases compare those who are working with those who are resting. Nevertheless, regardless of whether you are working or resting, you cannot fill your hunger or quench your thirst
8然而，主对于劳苦的人是食物，对于安息的人就供应活水。实际上，人类只生存于两种情况中的一种，其一是：他们有所缺乏，所以必须寻求、工作、奋斗并劳苦。其二是：他们有了一切，所以他们可以欢乐并享受他们的财富。换句话说，起先，你觉得甚么都没有，所以你必须工作并努力劳苦。比方，也许你在大学一年级，你必须用功读书。这就像逾越节。你毕了业，得了学位，有了好职业，以后你就富有了。这就像住棚节，因为劳苦工作已经过去了。你现在得了安息，在欢乐并享受劳苦成果的地位上。
8However, the Lord is the food to the people who labor and He will afford living water to those who rest. Actually, humanity exists in only one of two conditions. One is that because they lack something they must seek, work, strive, and labor; the other is that because they have everything they may rejoice and enjoy their riches. In other words, at first you find that you do not have anything; therefore, you must work and labor hard. For example, perhaps you are in the first year of college and you have to labor over your studies. This is like the feast of the Passover. After you have graduated and received your degree and have an excellent occupation, you are rich. This is like the feast of Tabernacles because the work and labor are over. Now you are at rest and are in the position to rejoice and enjoy the benefits of your labor.
9你现今在过甚么节－逾越节还是住棚节?不论你在过甚么节，你仍是饥饿或干渴的。不论你是贫是富，不论你是在困苦还是在富余的光景中，你都会领悟你不是饥饿就是干渴。很多外国学生来到富裕的美国求学，但实际上，他们只是饥饿的。在他们苦读几年之后，终于得到了博士学位，有些人会变成很富有，但他们仍旧是干渴的。也许你是青年人，正考虑结婚。这启示你是饥饿的－你需要妻子、伴侣、家庭和儿女。也许你娶了最好的妻子，有了最好的儿女，也有了一切最好的东西，但我必须告诉你，你至终将是七、八十岁了。那将是你的住棚节，你在其中要欢乐并享受一切。那时你会发现，没有一样东西能解除你的干渴。在逾越节时，你是饥饿的；但在住棚节后，你仍是干渴的。你申请进大学时是饥饿的，但你毕业后仍是干渴的。你初结婚时是饥饿的；但现在成家后，你觉得仍是干渴的。赞美主，对于在逾越节时劳苦的人，基督是生命的粮。大学教育绝不能成为生命的粮，只有主自己能成为我们的满足。不仅如此，只有基督能为那些在住棚节时安息享乐的人解除干渴。人即使有了一切，谷也有了，酒也有了，但他们仍感到里面干渴。他们可以欢乐并享受手中的出产，但惟有主有活水解除他们的干渴。
9Which feast are you attending—the feast of the Passover or the feast of Tabernacles? Regardless of which feast you are attending, you are still hungry or thirsty. Whether you are in a poor or rich condition, whether you are in a state of poverty or plenty, you will realize that you are either hungry or thirsty. Many foreign students come to the rich country of the United States for an education, but in reality, they are simply hungry. After they work hard for several years and finally achieve their Ph.D. degree, some will become very wealthy, but they will still be thirsty. Perhaps as a young person you are considering marriage. This reveals that you are hungry for a wife, hungry for a helpmate, hungry for a family and children. I must tell you that although you may marry the best wife, have the best children, and possess the best of everything, you will eventually be seventy or eighty years old. That will be your feast of Tabernacles in which you will rejoice in everything and enjoy everything. At that time, you will discover that nothing has been able to quench your thirst. At the Passover, you were hungry, but after the feast of Tabernacles, you were still thirsty. When you made out your application for college, you were hungry, but after your graduation, you were still thirsty. When you were first married, you were hungry, but now, after you are married, you sense that you are still thirsty. Praise the Lord that Christ is the bread of life for those who are laboring at the feast of the Passover. A college education can never be the bread of life. Only the Lord Himself can be our satisfaction. Furthermore, only Christ can quench the thirst for those who are resting and rejoicing at the feast of Tabernacles. Even when people have everything, the corn and the wine, they realize that an inner thirst still persists. They may rejoice and enjoy the produce that is in their hands, yet only the Lord has the living water to quench their thirst
10你若看见这两个节期的思想，就会看出人生两个阶段的情况和基督作我们生命供应的两方面。一面当我们在劳苦时，祂是我们生命的粮；另一面当我们安息时，祂供应我们活水。你一旦看见这思想，你就领会约翰七章全章。这虽是很长的一章，思想却很简要，这思想乃是：你在一切的成就上有了成功，享受了一切所有，并在你一切美好的环境中欢乐时，你会领悟你的干渴尚未解除。任何东西都不足以解除你的干渴，只有主能藉著供应你活水，解你干渴。三题醒人需要永远的帐幕，
10If you see the thought concerning these two feasts, you will see the two phases of man’s condition and the two aspects of Christ as our supply of life. On one hand, He is the bread of life while we are laboring; on the other hand, He supplies us with the living water while we are resting. Once you see this thought, you will understand the whole of John 7. Although it is a long chapter, it is brief in thought. The thought is that when you have succeeded in all of your achievements, when you have enjoyed all of your possessions, when you have rejoiced in all of your best circumstances, you will then realize that your thirst has not been quenched. Nothing is adequate to quench your thirst. Only the Lord can quench your thirst by affording you the living water. C. A Reminder of the Need of the Eternal Tabernacle
其中有生命水涌流
with the Water of Life Flowing in It
11神设立这住棚节，是要以色列子民记念他们的祖宗在旷野飘流时，曾如何住在帐棚里，（利二三39～43，）期望进入美地的安息。因此，这节也是题醒：人今天仍在旷野里，需要进入新耶路撒冷的安息，就是进入永远的帐幕。（启二一2～3。）亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各也曾住在帐棚里，盼望这永远的帐幕，（来十一9～，）其中有『一道生命水的河，…从神和羔羊的宝座流出来，』解除人的干渴。（启二二1，17。）在这样一个节期的末日，以及这样的背景里，基督喊出了活水江河的应许，这活水的江河要满足人的期望，直到永远。（约七37～39。）
11God ordained this feast of Tabernacles so that the children of Israel would remember how their fathers, while wandering in the wilderness, lived in tents (Lev. 23:39-43) with the expectation of entering into the rest of the good land. Hence, this feast is also a reminder that people today are still in the wilderness and need to enter into the rest of the New Jerusalem, which is the eternal tabernacle (Rev. 21:2-3). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob also lived in tents, looking forward to this eternal tabernacle (Heb. 1 1:9-1 0), in which there 10 will be “a river of water of life, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb” to quench man’s thirst (Rev. 22:1, 17). At the end of such a feast with such a background, Christ cried out the promise of the rivers of living water, which will satisfy man’s expectation for eternity (John 7:37-39).
12住棚节题醒人需要永远的帐幕，其中有生命河涌流。多年前，我读过几篇文章说，古时以色列人在耶路撒冷庆祝住棚节，他们摆出一块大磐石，使水在上面流过，作为题醒：他们的祖宗曾在旷野飘流，并饮于从裂开的磐石所流出的水。在磐石旁也许还有帐棚，表明他们的祖宗如何住在帐棚里，在旷野飘流，却从裂开的磐石得著活水解渴。这一切表征人生都是在旷野里。不论你是清道夫或总统，是劳工或教授，你都是在旷野里飘流。不论你住在高楼大厦或贫民住宅中，你都是住在帐棚中。帐棚表征短暂的住处。与新耶路撒冷相比，即使王宫也是帐棚。我们都是在旷野飘流的天路客，住在帐棚里，需要喝从磐石出来的活水。这题醒我们，有一天真正的住棚节会来到。那将是在新天新地里，其中有成为永远帐幕的新耶路撒冷。启示录二十一章三节说，新耶路撒冷是神的帐幕与人同在。那是真正、恒久、永远的帐幕。在新耶路撒冷的帐幕中，将有水河不断涌流，以解除神选民的干渴。所以，住棚节题醍我们有这样的未来，使我们知道，今世的事物绝不能满足我们；那些是我们天路旅程中的东西，那一切都将结束。我们是客旅，我们正走向我们最终的目标－新天新地中新耶路撒冷的永远帐幕。我们在这里没有真正解渴的水，在新耶路撒冷里才有。
12The feast of Tabernacles reminded the people of their need of the eternal tabernacle with the river of life flowing in it. Many years ago I read some articles that said that when the Israelites celebrated the feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem in the ancient times, they set up a huge rock and over the rock they had waters flowing as a reminder that their forefathers wandered in the wilderness and drank of the waters that flowed out of the cleft rock. Near the rock there might also have been tents showing how the forefathers lived in tents and wandered in the wilderness, but had the cleft rock with the living water to quench their thirst. All of this signifies that all of human life is in the wilderness. Whether you are a trash man or the President, a laborer or a professor, you are wandering in the wilderness. Whether you live in a high-rise apartment or a brick house, you are living in a tent. A tent signifies a temporary dwelling. Compared to the New Jerusalem, even a palace is a tent. We all are pilgrims wandering in the wilderness, living in tents, and needing to drink living water out of the rock. This reminds us that one day the real feast of Tabernacles will come. That will be in the new heaven and new earth within which the New Jerusalem will be the eternal tabernacle. Revelation 21:3 says that the New Jerusalem is the tabernacle of God with man. It is the real, constant, eternal tabernacle. In the tabernacle of the New Jerusalem there will be the river of water flowing continually to quench the thirst of God’select. Thus, the feast of Tabernacles reminds us that we have such a future and causes us to realize that we can never be satisfied with the things of this age. Those things are the things of our pilgrimage. All of them will end. We are travelers. We are journeying toward our final goal— the eternal tabernacle of the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and the new earth. We do not have the real quenching water here; it is there in the New Jerusalem.