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约翰福音生命读经 · 第27篇

生命在爱中维持交通的洗涤（一）

Life’s Washing in Love to Maintain Fellowship (1)
1在本篇信息中，我们来看约翰十三章，这是很有趣、很有意义的一章。基督徒或许都知道，在福音书中有这么一章，记载主替门徒洗脚。看起来人很容易领会这一章，但实际上要了解其真正的意义一点也不容易。基督徒通常只相信，洗别人的脚是表示爱他们。有些信徒每次来到主的桌子前，甚至还坚持要洗脚。在主的桌子跟前，他们彼此洗脚，以表示彼此相爱。事情若没有弄成律法，这是没有错的。若不将事情弄成律法，那么像这种彼此洗脚以表示相爱的情形是很好的。过去我也曾几次洗过别人的脚，也有别人洗过我的脚。有时候，我们必须让主带领并引导我们彼此这样作。但洗脚表征了更重要的事。我们看过，在这卷福音书中所题到的每件事都是表号，指明一些更深且属灵的事。因此，洗脚也是表号，表征了更深且属灵的事。但要发现这表号的属灵意义，颇不容易。究竟牠更深、属灵的意义是甚么呢?在回答这问题之前，我们必须先领悟，这一章在整卷约翰福音中的地位。牠在约翰福音中是个转捩点。约翰福音前一段，一至十三章，说到主如何是神自己，是神子，来成为肉体，将神带进人里面，作人的生命，以产生召会。后一段，十四至二十一章，说出主如何是人子，经过死与复活，将人带进神里面，使人和神、神和人建造在一起，成为相互的住处。十三章在前一段的结尾，是分界线，也是转捩点。牠将书中的记载从一个方向转到另一个方向。
1In this message we come to John 13, a very interesting and meaningful chapter. Probably all Christians know that such a chapter about the Lord’s washing of the disciples’ feet exists in the Gospels. It seems easy for anyone to understand this chapter, but actually it is not at all easy to realize its true meaning. Usually Christians merely believe that to wash the feet of others is to show love to them. Some believers even insist on the washing of feet every time they come to the Lord’stable. At the Lord’stable they wash one another’s feet to express their love for one another. This is not wrong unless it is made legalistic. If it is not made legalistic, then these occasions of showing love to one another by washing one another’s feet are all right. Several times in the past I have washed the feet of others, and others have washed my feet. At times, we must allow the Lord to lead and guide us to do this to one another. But this matter of foot-washing signifies something more important. As we have seen, everything mentioned in this Gospel is a sign that indicates something deeper and spiritual. Therefore, foot-washing is also a sign signifying something deeper and spiritual. But it is rather difficult to discover the spiritual significance of this sign. What is its deeper, spiritual significance? Before answering this question, we must first realize the position of this chapter in the Gospel of John as a whole. It is positioned as a turning point in the Gospel. The Gospel of John is divided mainly into two sections. The first section, composed of chapters one through thirteen, tells how the Lord as the eternal Word, which is God Himself, and as the Son of God came through His incarnation to bring God into man to be man’s life to produce the church. The second section, composed of chapters fourteen through twenty-one, unveils how the Lord as the Son of Man went through His death and resurrection to bring man into God, that man and God, God and man, may be built together as a mutual abode. Chapter thirteen, at the end of the first section, is a dividing line and a turning point. It turns the record from one direction to another
2约翰福音前一段的中心思想是甚么?那就是：主是永远的话，（就是神的彰显，）来作我们的生命，应付我们一切的需要，并使我们成为祂身体的肢体。一章启示主是永远的话，就是神的彰显。然后我们看见主来作我们的生命，主来好使我们接受祂进来作我们的生命，以应付我们一切的需要。所选出的九个事例显示，作生命的主能应付我们一切的需要。十二章启示主是一粒麦子，必须经过死与复活，产生我们这许多的子粒，把我们调和在一起，成了一个饼，就是祂的身体－召会。
2What is the central thought of the first part of the Gospel of John? It is the Lord as the eternal Word, who is the expression of God, coming to be our life, meeting all of our needs, and making us the members of His Body. Chapter one reveals the Lord as the eternal Word, that is, as the expression of God. Then we see the Lord coming to be our life, coming that we might take Him in as our life to meet all our needs. The nine cases selected show that the Lord as life can meet all of our needs. Then chapter twelve reveals that the Lord, as a grain of wheat, has to pass through death and resurrection to produce us, the many grains, who are being blended together as one loaf, which is His Body, the church.
3后一段的中心点是：那成为肉体、钉十字架、复活的主，已变化形像，从肉体变化为灵。祂从彰显神的那肉体变化为灵，好进入我们里面作生命。请注意我用了变化形像一辞。主从肉体变化为灵，这样就能进入我们的灵，在我们灵里作我们的生命，并在我们灵里与我们是一。祂是那灵，在我们里面，我们也在祂里面。现今祂和我们，我们和祂，能调和为一。在约翰福音前一段，主来将神带进我们里面；在后一段，主去将我们带进神里面。在前十二章，主藉著成为肉体，来将神带进人里面；在后八章，主藉著死与复活，去将人带进神里面。前一段给我们看见祂如何来，后一段给我们看见祂如何去。祂藉著成为肉体而来，将神带进我们里面；祂藉著死与复活而去，将我们带进神里面。在这两段之间，十三章是转捩点。三节说，『耶稣知道…自己是从神出来的，又要往神那里去。』祂从神那里来，又要往神那里去。为这缘故，我说十三章是这卷福音书的转捩点。
3The central point of the second part is that the Lord who was incarnated, crucified, and resurrected was transfigured from the flesh into the Spirit. He was transfigured from the expression of God in the flesh into the Spirit so that He could come into us as life. Please notice that I use the word transfigured. The Lord was transfigured from the flesh into the Spirit so that He might be able to come into our spirit, be our life in our spirit, and be one with us in our spirit. As the Spirit, He is in us and we are in Him. Now He and we, we and He, can be mingled together as one. In the first part of John’s Gospel the Lord comes to bring God into us, and in the last part the Lord goes to bring us into God. In the first twelve chapters the Lord comes by incarnation to bring God into man; in the last eight chapters the Lord goes by death and resurrection to bring man into God. The first section shows how He comes, and the last section shows how He goes. He comes by incarnation that He may bring God into us. He goes by death and resurrection that He may bring us into God. Between these two sections chapter thirteen stands as the turning point. Verse 3 says, “Jesus, knowing...that He had come forth from God, and was going to God.” He had come from God and was going to God. For this reason I say that chapter thirteen is the turning point in the Gospel
4有相当长的时间，我对这一章深感困惑。我不懂为甚么洗脚不记载在十一章之前，或十四章之后，而记载在十三章中。我对这一章的地位感到困惑，因为我已知道在一至十二章，主是话，已经来将祂自己当作生命分给许多人，至终召会得以产生。在十二章，已经有了召会。主是神的羔羊，除去了罪；祂在蛇的形状里被举起来，以对付蛇性；祂也是那一粒麦子，落在地里死了，结出许多子粒来。就某种意义来说，到了十二章时，一切都完成了。照我看十三章是不必要的。故此我很困惑，认为十四章应紧接在十二章之后，而十三章根本不必要。我在主面前花了很多时间，要找出为何需要十三章。至终主告诉我为何在十二章后需要有十三章。洗脚放在十三章是很有意义的。在十三章，这卷福音书的转捩点，主为祂的门徒洗脚，这是深具意义的。
4For quite a long time I was deeply bothered by this chapter. I wondered why foot-washing was not recorded before chapter eleven or after chapter fourteen. I wondered why it was there in chapter thirteen. I was troubled by the position of this chapter because I had come to realize that from chapter one through twelve the Lord as the Word had come to impart Himself as life to many people and that eventually the church came out. The church is there in chapter twelve. The Lord was the Lamb of God taking away sin, He was lifted up in the form of a serpent to deal with the serpentine nature, and He was also the grain of wheat that fell into the ground and died to bring forth many grains. In a sense, by the time of chapter twelve everything is completed. It seemed to me that there was no need for chapter thirteen. So I was troubled, thinking that chapter fourteen should immediately follow chapter twelve and that there was no need for chapter thirteen at all. I spent much time with the Lord to find out why chapter thirteen was necessary. Eventually, the Lord told me why we need to have chapter thirteen after chapter twelve. It is very significant that foot - washing is found in chapter thirteen. In chapter thirteen, the very turning point of the Gospel of John, the Lord washed His disciples’ feet. The significance of this is deeply meaningful.
壹 主亲自的洗涤
I. WASHING BY THE LORD HIMSELF
一 爱到底
A. Loving to the Uttermost
5一节说，主『既爱世间属自己的人，就爱他们到底。』由于这爱，主替门徒洗脚。因此，洗脚是一个爱的故事，这爱是爱到底的爱。没有这个洗脚，主对我们的爱就不是爱到底的爱，将不足以应付我们的需要。由此可见洗脚的重要。这是我们终极的需要。在前面九个事例中，主应付了我们一切的需要。在这一切之后，我们还有洗脚的需要。因此，主仍需顾到此点，以竭力显示祂的爱。
5Verse 1 says that the Lord “loved His own who were in the world” and that “He loved them to the uttermost.” Because of this love the Lord washed the disciples’ feet. Hence, the foot-washing is a matter of love, a love to the uttermost. Without this, the Lord’s love toward us would not have been to the uttermost but would have fallen short of our need. This shows the importance of foot-washing. This is our uttermost need. In the nine foregoing cases, the Lord has met all our needs. After all this, we still have the need of foot- washing. Therefore, the Lord has to take care of this by showing us His love to the uttermost
二 知道万有已交给祂
B. Knowing All Had Been Given to Him
6三节指明主为门徒洗脚的原因，那是因为祂『知道父已将万有交在祂手里，且知道自己是从神出来的，又要往神那里去。』（约十三3。）那时，祂领悟了三件事：一，父已将万有交在祂手里；二，祂是从神出来的；三，祂又要往神那里去。由于这三件事，祂才洗门徒的脚。父所交给祂的『万有，』主要的就是门徒。祂从神出来，已将神带进门徒里；祂往神那里去，要留下这些门徒。父已将门徒赐给主，主也已将神带进门徒里面；但现在祂要离开他们。因著祂从神出来，又将神带进门徒里面，在祂里面，门徒与神之间便有了关系。现在祂要离开他们。祂离开他们之后，门徒与神之间的关系如何才能维持？这要藉著洗脚来维持。洗脚是洗去脚上一切的污秽，这污秽阻挠了神与人之间的交通。在洗脚时，主叫祂的门徒看见，如何在祂里面维持门徒与神的关系。
6Verse 3 indicates the reason why the Lord washed the disciples’ feet. It was because He knew “that the Father had given all into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going to God.” At that time He realized three things: (1) that the Father had given all into His hands; (2) that He had come forth from God; and (3) that He was going to God. Because of these three things He washed the feet of His disciples. The “all” that the Father had given Him was mainly the disciples; His coming forth from God had brought God into His disciples; and in His going to God He was to leave these disciples. The Father had given the disciples, and the Lord had brought God into them, but now He was going to leave them. By His coming forth from God and His bringing God into them, a relationship between the disciples and God in Him came into existence. Now He was going to leave them. After He had left them, how could this relationship between the disciples and God be maintained? It is to be maintained by the foot- washing. Foot-washing is the washing away from the feet of all the dirt that frustrates the fellowship of the relationship between God and man. In doing it, the Lord showed His disciples the way for them to maintain their relationship with God in Him.
7这种领会可由二节中消极的意义得著证实。二节说，那时候，魔鬼『已将出卖耶稣的意思，放在西门的儿子加略人犹大心里。』魔鬼的邪恶行径，目的是要使人与神脱离关系。但主洗门徒的脚，是要门徒在祂里面保持与神的关系。当魔鬼在作工使人脱离与神的关系，主也在作工，藉洗脚使门徒在祂里面保持与神的关系。
7This kind of understanding can be confirmed in a negative sense by verse 2, which says that at that time the devil had “already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, that he should betray Him.” The aim of the devil’s evildoing is to keep people away from the relationship with God. But what the Lord did in washing the disciples’ feet was to keep His disciples in the relationship with God in Him. While the devil was working to keep people away from this relationship with God, the Lord did the work of foot-washing as a way to keep His disciples in the relationship with God in Him
三 脱了外衣
C. Laying Aside His Garments
8当主耶稣要洗祂门徒的脚时，祂脱了外衣。（约十三4。）这里的外衣，象征主彰显出来的美德和属性。因此，祂脱了外衣，表征脱去祂彰显出来的所是。主若仍留在祂美德和属性的一切所是中，祂就不能替门徒洗脚了。
8When the Lord Jesus was about to wash His disciples’ feet, He laid aside His garments (v. 4). Garments here, in figure, signify the Lord’s virtues and attributes in His expression. Hence, the laying aside of His garments signifies the putting off of what He is in His expression. If the Lord had remained in all that He was in His virtues and attributes, He would have been unable to wash His disciples’ feet
四 束腰
D. Girding Himself
9主脱了外衣之后，便拿一条手巾束腰。（约十三4。）这表征主以谦卑约束、限制自己。（参彼前五5。）祂谦卑的舍弃了祂的自由，以便服事祂的门徒。
9When the Lord had laid aside His garments, He girded Himself with a towel (v. 4). Figuratively speaking, for the Lord to gird Himself meant that He was bound and restricted with humility (cf. 1 Pet. 5:5). In humility He gave up His liberty so that He might minister to His disciples
五 用水洗门徒的脚
E. Washing the Disciples’ Feet with Water
1 水象征圣灵、话和生命
1. Water Signifying the Holy Spirit, the Word, and the Life
10主用水洗门徒的脚。（约十三5。）这里的水象征圣灵、（多三5、）话（弗五26，约十五3）和生命。（约十九。）我们将看见，主藉著圣灵的工作、话的光照、和内在生命之律的运行，在属灵上洗我们。在圣经中，这三项都是用水象征的。
10The Lord washed the disciples’ feet with water (v. 5). Here water signifies the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5), the Word (Eph. 5:26; John 15:3), and the life (John 19:34). As we shall see, the Lord washes us spiritually by the working 34 of the Holy Spirit, by the enlightening of the Word, and by the operating of the inner law of life. In the Scriptures each of these three items is symbolized by water.
2 洗去因属地接触而有的污秽
2. Washing Away the Dirt of the Earthly Touch
11主藉著成为肉体而来，将神带进我们里面；又藉死和复活而去，将我们带进神里面。这两件事都是在我们灵里发生的。就我们的灵而言，神是藉著主的来被带进我们里面，我们是藉著主的去被带进神里面。但是就我们物质的身体而言，我们仍在这地上。我们在灵里，已经联于属天、属灵和永远的事物；但在我们的身体里，我们仍是在地上。在我们灵中，主已将神带进我们里面，又将我们带进神里面；在我们灵中，我们与神是一；在我们灵中，我们也在诸天界里，因为我们是在神里面。但在我们的身体里，我们仍在地上。就我们重生的灵而言，我们不再是旧造；我们是新造。然而，就我们的身体而言，我们仍在旧造中，并在地上。一面，我们是新造，我们在神里面，我们是在诸天界里。这是真的，是实际的。另一面，我们仍在旧造中，仍在地上。
11The Lord came through incarnation to bring God into us and He went through death and resurrection to bring us into God. Both transpire in our spirit. As far as our spirit is concerned, God has been brought into us by the Lord’s coming, and we have been brought into God by the Lord’s going. Yet, as far as our physical body is concerned, we are still here on this earth. In our spirit we have been joined to something heavenly, spiritual, and eternal, but in our body we are still on the earth. In our spirit the Lord has brought God into us and us into God, in our spirit we are one with God, and in our spirit we are in the heavenlies because we are in God. But in our body we are still on earth. As far as our regenerated spirit is concerned, we are no longer the old creation; we are the new creation. However, as far as our body is concerned, we are still in the old creation and on the earth. On the one hand, we are the new creation, we are in God, and we are in the heavenlies. This is true and this is a reality. On the other hand, we are still in the old creation, still on this earth.
12我们虽有了神圣的生命，并成了召会，却仍在地上，活在这堕落的肉体中。由于我们和地的接触，我们常是污秽的。这是无可避免的，因为我们无法不接触地。我们的脚是接触地的肢体，一天又一天，我们用脚接触地。古时在犹太地，人们来去大都靠步行，用脚接触地而行。每逢他们接触了地，他们的脚当然就肮脏了。因此，洗脚对他们是必需的。就属灵说，我们也是如此。肮脏和有罪不一样。有罪是一回事，肮脏是另一回事。可能你完全没有罪，却很肮脏。也许没有甚么错，但因著属地的接触，你就肮脏了。你知不知道我们仍在身体里，仍在这地上行走?我们一直接触地，这使我们肮脏。结果，许多时候我们是不洁净的。因此，我们需要洗脚。
12Although we have the divine life and have become the church, we are still living in this fallen flesh on the earth. Through the earthly touch we are often dirtied. This is inevitable, for we cannot avoid the earthly touch. Our feet are the members of our body that touch the earth. Day by day we are touching the earth with our feet. In the ancient days of Judea, the people went almost everywhere by walking, by contacting the earth with their feet. Whenever they contacted the earth, their feet certainly became dirty. Consequently, foot-washing was a necessity for them. Spiritually speaking, it is the same for us. Dirtiness is different from sinfulness. To be sinful is one thing and to be dirty is another. You may be absolutely sinless and yet be very dirty. Perhaps nothing is wrong, but you are dirty simply because of the earthly touch. Do you realize that we are still in the body and are still walking on this earth? We constantly touch the earth, and this makes us dirty. As a result, much of the time we are not clean. Therefore, we need foot-washing
3 维持与主并彼此之间的交通
3. To Maintain Fellowship with the Lord and with One Another
13你知道犹太人在甚么时候洗脚么?当他们赴席时，特别要洗脚。筵席是交通的中心。古时犹太人所穿的鞋，鞋帮是用条带作的，满了洞孔；由于路上尘埃多，脚很容易弄脏。他们赴席时，若在席间伸出脏臭的脚，就难免会阻挠交通。因此，要有愉快的筵席，就需要洗脚。当客人应邀赴席，在席上彼此交通，他们在交通之前必须洗脚，不然，就会妨碍他们的交通。他们聚在一起坐席交通之前，必须洗脚。不然，就无法有愉快的交通。此外，他们不像我们坐在桌前，他们没有椅子或板凳，只是半躺在地板上，伸出两脚来。他们的脚若是肮脏的，臭味自会令人难受。有时，他们走了很长的泥泞路，结果脚变得很脏，气味非常难闻。他们若聚在一起伸出脚来，他们的交通就不会很愉快。
13Do you know when the Jews washed their feet? They washed their feet especially when they came to a feast. A feast is a center for fellowship. At that time the Jews wore sandals, and since their roads were dusty, their feet easily became dirty. If, when they came to a feast, they would have sat at the table with dirty, outstretched feet, the dirt and smell would have frustrated the fellowship. Therefore, for a pleasant feast they needed foot-washing. When the guests were invited to a feast where they fellowshipped with one another, they had to wash their feet before the fellowship. Without the washing the fellowship would have been hindered. Before they could come together to feast and fellowship at the table, they had to be washed. Otherwise, they simply could not have had pleasant fellowship. Furthermore, they did not sit at the table like we do, with chairs or benches; rather, they reclined on the floor with their legs outstretched. If their feet had been dirty, the bad odor would have been awful. Sometimes they journeyed a long distance on a muddy road. As a result, their feet became very dirty and the smell was offensive. If they had come together and stretched out their feet, their fellowship would not have been very pleasant
14约翰福音既是一卷表号的书，这里关于洗脚的记载也必须视为具有属灵意义的表号。我们不该单就物质的意义，而该就属灵的意义，推究洗脚这件事。洗脚既是一个表号，其意义当是为著与主并彼此之间的交通。你若来到，伸出没有洗过的双脚，你与别人之间的交通就会受到妨碍。我们在世上，每天都接触地；我们所接触的这地使我们肮脏，并且妨碍我们与主并彼此之间的交通。所以，洗脚的意思就是当我们仍在地上时，主这位赐生命的灵洗我们的脚；也就是说，主使我们的行事为人不因属地的接触而沾染各种污秽。我们今天必须明白，主极欲洗我们，不让我们因接触地而沾染污秽。在十三章，主藉著为门徒洗脚立下了一个榜样，使门徒能有愉快的交通，享受主，也彼此享受。我们今天也需要这种洗脚。洗脚不该只是物质上的事，更该是属灵上的，这对我们属灵的生命有很大的关系。今天世界是污秽的，我们这些圣徒很容易被污染。我们要保持与主之间，并彼此之间愉快的交通，就需要属灵的洗脚。
14Since the Gospel of John is a book of signs, what is recorded here concerning foot-washing must also be considered a sign having a spiritual significance. We should not take foot-washing merely in a physical sense, but rather in a spiritual sense. Since this is a sign, the significance of foot-washing is that it is for fellowship with the Lord and with one another. If you just come and stretch out your feet without washing, the fellowship between you and others will be hindered. While we are in this world, we touch the earth day by day. This earth we touch makes us dirty and hinders the fellowship with the Lord and with one another. Therefore, foot-washing means that while we are still on this earth, the Lord as the life-giving Spirit washes our feet, that is, the Lord always keeps our walk clean from every kind of dirt due to the earthly touch. Today we must realize that the Lord is eager to wash and keep us clean from the dirt that we gather from our contact with the earth. In chapter thirteen the Lord established an example by washing the disciples’ feet that they might have a pleasant time of fellowship, enjoying the Lord and one another. We need such foot-washing today. Foot- washing should not be merely a matter in the physical way. It should be more in the spiritual way which means a great deal to our spiritual life. Today the world is dirty, and we, the saints, are easily contaminated. For us to maintain pleasant fellowship with the Lord and with one another we need spiritual foot-washing
4 与血的洗罪不同
4. Different from the Washing Away of Sin by the Blood
15我们已经指出，肮脏的意思不是有罪。很多时候你没有罪，却是肮脏的。尘埃到处都有，很容易就弄脏了。当你活在地上，即使坐著不动，也会变脏。这地上满了尘埃，所以你不论作甚么，都会弄脏。即使你驾车来聚会，在路上也可能偶然看见某样东西，使你污秽了。你上车之前，你的灵是活泼高昂的；等你驾车十分钟之后，你虽无意要看甚么东西，但只因你在去会所的路上看见某些东西，你就被污染了，你的灵也下沉了。有时，甚至在我们的交通中，我们也会变污秽了。
15As we have already pointed out, to be dirty does not mean that we are sinful. Many times you are not sinful, but you are dirty. Dust is everywhere. How easy it is to get dirty. While you are living on earth, even if you sit there without moving, you will become dirty. This earth is full of dirt. Thus, in doing anything, you will get dirty. Even as you are driving down the street on the way to the meeting, your eyes may accidentally see something that causes you to become dirty. Before you got into the car, your spirit was living and uplifted, but after driving for ten minutes, although you had no intention of seeing anything, simply by seeing certain things on the way to the meeting place you were dirtied and your spirit went down. Sometimes, even in our fellowship we can become dirty.
16罪恶的事需要血的洁净，但肮脏而非有罪的事，需要属灵的洗涤。我们需要圣灵、活话、和里面的生命洗涤我们。因为肮脏和有罪非常相近，所以二者很难区别，要举出清楚的例证很不容易。也许有一天，你和你的妻子之间不高兴。作丈夫的对太太不高兴不是罪过。他并不是恨她，也没有说她坏话或骂她。他不是向她生气，只是对她有些不高兴。许多时候作妻子的过于爱她们的丈夫。作丈夫的虽然需要妻子的爱，但有时妻子的爱太过分了。有时，妻子以一种爱来爱丈夫，实际上这种爱是不需要的。在有需要的时候，爱是甘甜的；但爱给得太多时，那就过分了。太多的爱会成为困扰。假定作妻子的为了关心丈夫的健康，要他穿上不是他真正需要的外衣。她怕他会著凉，要他多穿些。这种关心对丈夫是一种烦扰，使他不高兴。这种不高兴不是罪过。作丈夫的并没有说甚么，没有表达甚么，只是对妻子有点不高兴。这一点不高兴就会阻挠两人之间愉快的交通。
16For things that are sinful we need the cleansing of the blood, but for things that are dirty and not sinful we need the spiritual washing. We need a washing by the Holy Spirit, the living Word, and the inner life. Because being dirty is very close to being sinful, it is difficult to make a distinction between them. It is not easy to give a clear illustration. Perhaps one day you are unhappy with your wife. It is not sinful for a husband to be unhappy with his wife. He does not hate her or say anything bad about her or to her. He is not angry with her. He is simply somewhat unhappy with her. Many times the wives love their husbands excessively. Husbands need the love of their wives, but sometimes a wife’s love is excessive. Sometimes the wives love the husbands with a kind of love when there is no need of that kind of love. When love is needed, it is sweet, but when love is given overabundantly, it is excessive. Such overabounding love can become a disturbance. Suppose a wife, out of concern for her husband’she al th, wants him to wear a topcoat when he does not really need one. She fears that he will catch a cold and wants him to wear extra clothing. Such a concern is a bother to the husband and it causes him to be unhappy. Such unhappiness is not sinful. The husband does not say a word; he does not express anything. He is just a little unhappy with his wife. That little unhappiness will frustrate the pleasant fellowship between them
17在这种情形中，我们该怎么办？或许你会应用血说，『主阿，我对妻子不高兴，因为她过于爱我。我要在这情形中应用你的血。』但那是没有用的。你需要另一种洗涤，不是用血洗，乃是用那灵、活话、和里面的生命来洗。谁能给你这样的洗涤?第一是主耶稣自己，第二是满有生命的圣徒。你需要花时间在主面前，一直留在主面前，主就会临到你，洗涤你，不是用血，乃是用那灵、活话、和里面的生命。祂甚么时候洗完很难说。有时候只需要几分钟便将污垢洗净了，有时候也许需要半天。每当你需要这种洗涤时，只要将自己向主敞开，你花时间在主面前，让里面的生命在你里面流过，自然的，就有活的东西流通、滋润并洗涤你，你就再次洁净了。你的灵会高昂，你的全人也会在主面前感到愉快。这就是在主面前用活水洗涤。
17What should we do in such a case? Perhaps you will apply the blood, saying, “Lord, I was unhappy with my wife for loving me too much. I apply Your blood to this situation.” But that does not work. You need another kind of washing, not the washing by the blood, but the washing by the Spirit, the living Word, and the inner life. Who can afford you this kind of washing? First, the Lord Jesus Himself and second, a saint or saints who have much life. You need to spend time in the Lord’s presence. Remain in the Lord’s presence, and the Lord will come to you and wash you, not with the blood, but with the Spirit, the living Word, and the inner life. It is difficult to say just when He completes this washing. Sometimes it takes only a few minutes to wash the dirt away; at other times it may take half a day. Whenever you are in need of such a washing, just open yourself up to the Lord as you spend time in His presence, and allow the inner life to flow within you. Spontaneously, something living will flow, water, and wash you, and you will become clean again. Your spirit will be uplifted, and your whole being will be so pleasant in the Lord’s presence. This is the washing with the living water in the presence of the Lord.
18在一起生活事奉的弟兄姊妹，很容易在不知不觉中彼此得罪。他们也许不会彼此相争，因为相争是罪。他们仅是无意间得罪了对方。也许你不知道你得罪了我，然而我完全觉得你冒犯了我。结果，我们都有一点污染了，因此我们要维持彼此间愉快的交通就不容易。即使我们不说甚么，并且想要学习十字架的功课，我们仍发觉我们的交通是死沉的。我们需要洗涤。也许同住弟兄之家的弟兄们，聚在一起祷告，其中有些人很活，有些人因为弄脏了，所以灵下沉，一点也不活。有时候，所有的弟兄们灵里都发死下沉。那不是因为他们都犯了罪。他们没有彼此批评，或彼此相争，然而，所有的弟兄都是脏的，因为他们住在一起太久，没有好好的洗脚。所以他们也需要洗脚。污秽与罪非常接近。你如果污秽了，只要再走半步，就变成有罪了。这种污秽阻挠我们的交通。我越看你，我的灵越起不来。你越看我，你的灵也越下沉。即使我们要彼此谈话，也谈得不愉快。我们绝不能装作我们所不是的。我们的灵若是愉快的，那么我们的话也是愉快的。然而，我们若没有愉快的灵，而说话要装作愉快，情况就会更糟。你知道为甚么许多时候弟兄姊妹聚在一起无法祷告?那是因为他们都受了污染。他们都需要彼此洗脚。
18It is very easy for brothers and sisters who live and serve together to offend each other unconsciously. They may not fight with one another, for fighting is sinful. They simply offend one another unconsciously. Perhaps you offend me without being conscious of it. However, I am full of the consciousness of the offense. As a result, we both have become somewhat dirty. Thus, it will be difficult for us to maintain a pleasant fellowship with one another. Even if we say nothing and try to learn the lesson of the cross, we still find that our fellowship becomes dead. We need to be washed. Perhaps the brothers who live together in the brothers’ house come together to pray. Some of them are quite living, and others are not at all living because they have become dirtied and their spirits are down. Sometimes all of the brothers may be numb and down in their spirit. It is not because they all have become sinful. They do not criticize one another or fight with one another. Nevertheless, all the brothers have become dirty simply because they have lived together for a length of time without having the proper foot- washing. They also need to have their feet washed. To be dirty is very close to being sinful. If you go just a half of a step beyond being dirty, you will be sinful. This kind of dirt frustrates our fellowship. The more I look at you, the less my spirit is able to rise up. The more you look at me, the more your spirit goes down. Even if we speak to each other, we cannot speak pleasantly. We can never pretend to be what we are not. If our spirit is pleasant, then our words will also be pleasant. However, if we do not have a pleasant spirit yet we pretend to be pleasant in our words, the situation will become worse. Do you know why so many times the brothers and sisters cannot pray when they come together? It is because they all have become dirtied. They all need the foot-washing for one another
19主藉著圣灵的工作、话的光照、和内在生命之律的运行，洗我们的脚。今天，主总是藉著那在我们里面的圣灵、圣经中神话语的光照、和在我们里面运行的内在生命来施行洗涤。主可能一天多次洗我们。我能见证，主在一天之中，藉著那灵、活话、和内在的生命，数次洗涤我。我因著活在地上，必须在地上行走，就无法避免属地的接触。我必须和我的亲戚，和亲爱的弟兄姊妹来往。有时候，有朋友来看我，我不能不见他。但他走后，我就觉得污秽了。这就是属地的接触。此外，我每次去买东西，总得与商店打交道。我去过百货公司以后，就觉得我去了阴间。我一出店门，就立刻需要洗涤。每次我去买东西，我的脚就接触了地而变得很脏。但是圣灵、神的话和内在的生命作工、运行，不断的洗涤我。不然，我就无法维持和主的交通。当你累积了一周的属地接触之后，你主日来到主桌子跟前时，是否觉得需要洗涤?事实上，你的确觉得需要洗脚，以除去这一周来因属地接触所累积的尘埃。我们需要洗涤，不单需要血的洗净，来对付罪；也需要藉著圣灵的工作、神话语的光照、和内在生命的运行来洗净，好除去我们因属地接触而有的污秽。
19The Lord washes our feet by the working of the Holy Spirit, by the enlightening of the Word, and by the operating of the inner law of life. Today the Lord always exercises the washing by the Holy Spirit within us, by the Word of God in the Scriptures enlightening us, and by the inner life operating within us. The Lord may wash us many times a day. I can testify that the Lord washes me several times within one day by the Spirit, the Word, and the inner life. I must walk on the earth because I live on the earth. I cannot avoid the earthly touch. I have to deal with my relatives and with the dear brothers and sisters. Sometimes a friend comes to visit me. I cannot avoid meeting with him. But after his visit I feel dirty. This is the earthly touch. Moreover, I must deal with the stores whenever I go shopping. After I have been to a department store, I have the feeling that I have been to Hades. When I come out of that store, I need to be washed immediately. Every time I go shopping, my feet touch the earth and become very dirty. But the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the inner life are working and operating to wash me continually. Otherwise, I could not maintain my fellowship with the Lord. After one week’s accumulation of the earthly touch, do you feel the need of the washing when you come to the Lord’stable on the Lord’s Day? Indeed, you do feel the need for the foot-washing to cleanse you from the dirt that you have accumulated from the earthly touch during the week. We need the washing, not only the washing of the blood, which is for sins, but the washing by the work of the Holy Spirit, by the enlightenment of the Word, and by the operation of the inner life to cleanse away the dirt that comes from the earthly touch.
5 不仅仅是物质的，更是属灵的
5. Not Merely Physically, but Rather Spiritually
20现在我们明白了洗脚的真正意义。这是为了维持在生命中的交通。这不仅仅是物质的事，这必须成为属灵的实行。我们必须将这表号寓意化，而不仅仅按物质的意义来领会。按照这表号属灵的意义，我们需要让那灵、活话、和内在的生命洗去所有的尘埃，就是我们活在肉体中，行在满布尘埃的地上所累积的。
20Now we know the real meaning of foot-washing. It is a matter for maintaining fellowship in life. It is not merely a physical matter; rather it has to be a spiritual practice. We must allegorize this sign and not merely understand it in a physical way. According to the spiritual meaning of this sign, we need to allow the Spirit, the living Word, and the inner life to wash away all the dirt that we have accumulated while living in the flesh and walking on this dusty earth