Books
约翰福音生命读经 · 第44篇

生命经过死而复活的过程－为著繁增（三）

Life Processed for Multiplication (3
1在本篇信息中，我们来到约翰二十章，就是关于主复活的一章。主的死是为著祂的复活。在十二章二十四节，祂说祂是一粒麦子落在地里死了，好将自己释放出来，将生命分赐给许多的子粒。换句话说，祂必须死，才能复活成为许多子粒。对于人的心思，这似乎是希奇而奥秘的。人的心思从未想到死后有复活的事。甚至撒但也以为死能了结主耶稣。对撒但而言，死是终结；但对主而言，死不是终结，乃是祂进入复活的途径。因此，对于主，死不是失败，乃是达到得胜的途径。祂因著被摆在死地而得到了胜利，因为死成了祂复活的门和入口。的确，祂的死是为著祂的复活。没有死，祂绝不能产生出召会来。没有死，祂绝不能重生我们，使我们成为祂身体的肢体。所以一切都在于主那导致复活的死。约翰福音关于主复活的记载，与其他三卷福音书的不同。马太、马可和路加福音里对主复活的记载大致相同，然而，约翰福音的记载迥然不同。约翰福音始终有生命的观点。按照约翰福音，主来作神的彰显，给我们接受作生命；祂死而复活，将自己分赐到我们里面作生命。我们若要懂得这卷书，就必须记住这观点。这同一观点可在主复活的记载中看到。约翰二十、二十一章就是从这观点写出来的，给我们看见主如何藉著死得释放，并且藉著复活分赐到我们里面。这两章主要的目的乃是：主复活后，藉著祂的复活，祂要进入我们里面，与我们成为一。
1In this message we come to John 20, a chapter about the Lord’s resurrection. The Lord’s death was for His resurrection. In 12:24 He said that He was the grain of wheat which would fall into the ground and die that it might be released to impart its life into many other grains. In other words, He had to die that He might rise up and become many grains. This seems strange and mysterious to the human mind. The human mind has never entertained the thought that there is such a thing as resurrection following death. Even Satan thought that death would put an end to the Lord Jesus. To Satan, death was the end. But to the Lord, death was not the end; it was the pathway for Him to enter into resurrection. Thus, to the Lord, death was not a defeat but a way to victory. By being put into death, He gained the victory because death became a door and an entrance into resurrection. Indeed, His death was for His resurrection. Without death, He never could have produced the church. Without death, He never could have regenerated us to be the members of His Body. Therefore, everything was dependent upon the Lord’s death which led into resurrection. The record in the Gospel of John regarding the Lord’s resurrection is different from that in the other three Gospels. The record of the Lord’s resurrection in Matthew, Mark, and Luke is nearly the same. John’s record, however, is vastly different. The Gospel of John always has the viewpoint of life. According to John’s Gospel, the Lord has come to be the expression of God to be received by us as life, and He died and resurrected to impart Himself into us as life. If we would understand this book, we must keep this viewpoint in mind. This same viewpoint is seen in this record of the Lord’s resurrection. John 20 and 21 are written from this point of view, showing how the Lord was released by His death and imparted into us by His resurrection. The main purpose of these two chapters is that, after and by His resurrection, the Lord will come into us and be one with us
2整本约翰福音都是朝向复活的。主成为肉体来作人的目的，是要将祂自己分赐到许多人里面，产生神的众子。祂是神的独生子，但神需要祂的独生子繁增。惟一能使神的独生子繁增的方法，就是藉著死而复活。例如，一粒麦子要繁增成许多子粒，惟一可行的方法是死而复活。我们看过，整本约翰福音就是针对这一方向－朝向神独生子的繁增。这样，独生子成了众子。（罗八29。）神要得著祂团体的彰显，需要许多的儿子。为这目的，神的独生子必须藉著死得释放，并藉著复活分赐到我们里面。
2The whole Gospel of John is directed toward resurrection. The purpose of the Lord’s in carnation as a man was that He might impart Himself into many people and reproduce many sons of God. He was the only begotten Son of God, but God needed the reproduction and the multiplication of His only begotten Son. The only way in which the only begotten Son of God could be reproduced and multiplied was by death and resurrection. For example, the only possible way for a grain of wheat to be reproduced and multiplied into many grains is the way of death and resurrection. As we have seen, the entire Gospel of John points in this direction — toward the reproduction and multiplication of the only begotten Son of God. In this way, the only begotten Son becomes the many sons (Rom. 8:29). In order to have His corporate expression, God requires the many sons. For this purpose, the only begotten Son of God had to be released through death and imparted into us through resurrection.
柒 复活于神的荣耀中
VII. RESURRECTING IN DIVINE GLORY
3我们已看过生命如何经过死与复活的过程而繁增。祂经过察验、判刑和死亡的察验后，便在人的尊贵中安息了。随后，经过了这过程中死的部分后，基督复活于神的荣耀中。（约二十1～13，17。）如今，祂复活了，祂在神的荣耀里。
3We have been considering how life was processed for multiplication. After passing through the examination, the sentencing, and the testing of death, He rested in human honor. Then, after passing through the death portion of the process, Christ resurrected in divine glory (20:1-13, 17). Now, having resurrected, He is in the divine glory
一 『七日的第一日』
A. “On the First Day of the Week
4主在『七日的第一日』复活。（约二十1。）主的复活是一个新起头，开启达到新世代与新时代的路。这就是为甚么主在『七日的第一日』复活。这日是圣经中最大的日子。所谓『七日的第一日，』意即新的开始，一周有七日，第一日表明新开始。主为甚么不在七日的第六日或第七日，或别的日子复活?因为祂的复活引进新时期，新时代，新世代。在旧造里有七日。神用了六天创造，第七日就安息了。这七日是旧造的世代。藉著主耶稣的复活，开始了另一个新世代。旧造属于七日，如今，在七日之后，有了另一个第一日作新开始。换句话说，藉著主的复活，旧造过去了，新造开始了；旧世代过去了，新世代开始了。因此，另一周的第一日象征一个新造，新世代和新时代的开始。
4The Lord resurrected “on the first day of the week” (20:1). The resurrection of the Lord was a new start opening the way to a new generation and a new age. This is why the Lord resurrected “on the first day of the week.” This day is the greatest day in the Bible. That it is called “the first day of the week” means that it is a new beginning. A week is a period of seven days, and the first day denotes a new start. Why did the Lord not rise up on the sixth or seventh day, or on any other day of the week? Because His resurrection ushered in a new period, a new age, a new generation. In the old creation there were seven days. God created for six days and rested on the seventh. These seven days were the generation of the old creation. By the resurrection of the Lord Jesus another generation was newly started. The old creation belonged to the seven days. Now, after the seven days, there is a new start with another first day. In other words, by the resurrection of the Lord, the old creation has passed away and a new creation has begun; the old generation is over and the new generation has started. Thus, the first day of another week signifies the beginning of a new creation, a new generation, and a new age
5你曾否注意旧约的豫表，指明主要在七日的第一日复活。利未记二十三章十、十一和十五节说，要将初熟的庄稼一捆，在『安息日的次日，』当作摇祭献给耶和华。这捆初熟的庄稼，豫表基督在复活里是初熟的果子。（林前十五20，23。）基督正是在安息日的次日复活的。在利未记二十三章的这些经节中，没有用『七日的第一日』这辞，乃是用另一个辞－『安息日的次日。』安息日是第七日，安息日的次日就是七日的第一日。初熟的庄稼要在安息日的次日，意即下一周的第一日，献给主。初熟的庄稼豫表复活的基督，祂是复活的初熟果子。主既从死人中复活成了初熟的庄稼，那么初熟的庄稼是在甚么时候献给神的?是在安息日的次日，也就是七日的第一日。这不仅是豫表，也是豫言，在约翰二十章应验了。
5Have you ever noticed the type in the Old Testament which indicated that the Lord would resurrect on the first day of the week? In Leviticus 23:10, 11, and 15, a sheaf of the firstfruit of the harvest was offered to the Lord as a wave offering on the “morrow after the sabbath.” That sheaf of the firstfruits was a type of Christ as the firstfruit in resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20, 23). Christ resurrected exactly on the day after the Sabbath. In these verses in Leviticus 23, the term “the first day of the week” is not used; instead, another term is used — “the morrow after the sabbath.” The Sabbath is the seventh day, and the morrow after the Sabbath is the first day of the week. The firstfruits of the harvest were offered to the Lord “on the morrow after the sabbath,” meaning the first day of the following week. The firstfruits of the harvest typify the resurrected Christ. He is the firstfruit of resurrection. Since the Lord resurrected from the dead as the firstfruit of the harvest, when was the firstfruit of the harvest offered to God? It was on the morrow after the Sabbath, that is, on the first day of the week. This is not only a type but also a prophecy which was fulfilled in John 20.
6献给主的初熟庄稼是表征复活的摇祭。摇祭和举祭相对。献摇祭要前后摆动，表征复活里的基督；献举祭要上下摆动，表征升天里的基督。摇指明不断的动作。所以，基督在生命里活动，因为祂已经复活了。祂是七日的第一日所献的摇祭。在这里我们要看另一件事，就是以色列人的割礼。神吩咐他们要在那一天受割礼?在第八日。（创十七12。）在七日之后，有另一个七日的第一日－那就是第八日。主吩咐以色列人在第八日受割礼，意义是他们必须除去老旧的性情，活出复活的生命。他们在天然中出生，必须割除老旧的性情，并且得著凭复活生命而活的新性情。因此，以色列人受嘱咐在第八日受割礼。歌罗西二章十一、十二节宣告说，我们在基督里，藉著祂的十字架，都已经受了割礼。神的心意是要祂的百姓脱去老旧的性情，穿上新的性情，好活在复活的生命中。这就是第八日，也就是七日的第一日的意义。这乃是指明复活，因为复活是新造里新时代的新开始。基督藉著包罗万有的死，结束了旧造；旧造是用六日完成，而后有安息日的。祂在复活里，以神圣的生命产生了新造。因此，这是新周，新世代的开始。祂复活的这日，是118:24神所定的。诗篇一百十八篇二十四节说，『这是耶和华所定的日子；我们在其中要高兴欢喜。』我们若读这节的上下文，就会看见那是指主复活的日子。主复活的日子是特别的日子，是神所定的日子，诗篇二篇七节豫言为『今日，』行传十三章三十三节和希伯来一章五节都引用过这日。当主耶稣还行走在地上时，曾豫言祂要被钉十字架，第三日从死人中复活。（太十六，约二19，22。）这『第三日』乃是七日的第一日。后来，早期的基督徒称这日为『主日。』（启一10。）这是何等美妙的日子！
6The firstfruit of the harvest offered to the Lord was the wave offering signifying resurrection. The wave offering is contrasted with the heave offering. The wave offering was offered with a back - and - forth motion signifying Christ in resurrection; the heave offering was lifted with an up-and-down motion signifying Christ in ascension. To wave indicates constant motion. Hence, Christ is moving in life because He has resurrected. He is the wave offering on the first day of the week. Another matter to be considered here is the circumcision of the children of Israel. On what day did God instruct them to be circumcised? It was on the eighth day (Gen. 17:12). After a period of seven days, there is the first day of another period of seven days—that is, the eighth day. The significance of the Lord’s instructing the children of Israel to be circumcised on the eighth day was that they had to eliminate their old nature and live the resurrected life. They were born naturally and had to cut off their old nature and have a new nature which lives by the resurrection life. Thus, the Israelites were commanded to be circumcised on the eighth day. Colossians 2:11 and 12 declare that in Christ we all have been circumcised by His cross. It is God’sin tent i on that His people put off the old nature and put on the new nature that they might live in the resurrection life. This is something of the eighth day, the first day of the week. This simply denotes resurrection because resurrection is a new beginning for a new generation in a new creation. By His all-inclusive death, Christ terminated the old creation, which had been completed in six days plus one Sabbath day. In His resurrection, He germinated the new creation with the divine life. Hence, it is the beginning of a new “week” — a new age. The day of His resurrection was appointed by God. Psalm says, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” If we read this verse in its context, we shall see that it refers to the day of the Lord’s resurrection. The day of His resurrection was a special day, a day appointed by God. The day of the Lord’s resurrection was prophesied as being “this day” in Psalm 2:7, which is quoted in Acts 13:33 and Hebrews 1:5. When the Lord Jesus was still walking on earth, He prophesied that He would be crucified and that He would rise up from the dead on the third day (Matt. 16:21; John 2:19, 22). This “third day” was 21 the first day of the week. Later, this day was called by the early Christians “the Lord’s day” (Rev. 1:10). What a wonderful day it was!
7我们也该指出，主复活不但是在七日的第一日，也是在一天的第一部分。祂是在清晨，不是在傍晚复活的。这也表征新起头、新开端、新时期、新世代、新时代、新创造和新日子。主的复活是新日子的开始，因为祂是在第一日的清晨复活的。
7It should also be pointed out that the Lord was not only resurrected on the first day of the week, but also during the first part of the day. He resurrected in the morning, not in the evening. Once again this signifies a new start, a new beginning, a new period, a new generation, a new age, a new creation, and a new day. The resurrection of the Lord is the beginning of a new day because He resurrected early in the morning of the first day
二 『复活』的『初熟果子』
B. As “the Firstfruit” of “Resurrection
8基督复活，成了『复活』的『初熟果子。』（林前十五20～23。）祂在复活里生为神的长子。祂是神惟一的独生子，无须为神所生；但独生子要成为长子，就必须在复活里出生。（徒十三33，来一5。）在祂复活那天，基督生为神的长子，和『死人中的首生者，』以成为召会身体的头。（西一18。）
8Christ resurrected as “the firstfruit” of “resurrection” (1 Cor. 15:20-23). In resurrection He was begotten as the firstborn Son of God. As the unique, only begotten Son of God, He did not need to be begotten, but in order for the only begotten Son to become the firstborn Son He had to be born in resurrection (Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5). On the day of His resurrection, Christ was born to be the firstborn Son of God and “the Firstborn from among the dead” in order to be “the Head of the Body, the church” (Col. 1:18
三 将旧造撇在坟墓中
C. Leaving the Old Creation in the Tomb
9主耶稣复活时，将旧造留在坟墓中。（约二十1～10。）彼得进坟墓里去，就『看见细麻布还放著，又看见耶稣的裹头巾，没有和细麻布放在一起，是另在一处卷著。』（约二十6～。）耶稣的身体在埋葬前，是用细麻布里好的。（约十九40。）这意思是祂带著一些旧造的东西进入坟墓；指明旧造藉著祂的埋葬，被带进坟墓里。凡从主复活的身体上去掉而撇在坟墓里的，都是象征祂进入坟墓时所穿的旧造。祂带著旧造钉十字架，也带著旧造埋葬。但祂从旧造里复活，将旧造撇在坟墓里，成了新造的初熟果子。
9When the Lord Jesus resurrected, He left the old creation in the tomb (20:1-10). Peter entered into the tomb and “beheld the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief which was on His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place apart” (vv. 6-7). Before the body of Jesus was buried, it was 7 bound in linen (19:40). This means that He went into the tomb with something of the old creation, indicating that the old creation was brought into the tomb by His burial. All the things which were cast off from the Lord’s resurrected body and left in His tomb signify the old creation, which He wore into the tomb. He was crucified with the old creation and buried with it. But He resurrected from within it, leaving it in the tomb and becoming the firstfruit of the new creation.
10一切撇在坟墓里的，都是主复活的见证。若没有这些整整齐齐的留在那里，彼得、约翰就很难相信（约二十）主不是被人取去，乃是自己复活了。这些东西是主的两个门徒，约瑟和尼哥底母，献给主包裹祂身体的。（约十九38～42。）他们在爱里作在主身上的，在主的见证上是非常有用的。主从死人中复活，将祂带进坟墓里的一切旧造撇下，作为祂从死里走出来的证据。在神眼中，整个旧造都埋葬在那坟墓里。这是奇妙的事实，不论你信或不信，那旧造，包括你的旧人旧己，已经与耶稣一同埋葬并留在坟墓里了。当包罗万有的基督进入坟墓时，我们都同祂进去了。当祂复活时，祂将我们留在那里。在这宇宙中有这样奇妙、包罗万有的坟墓，我们的旧人已经埋葬在那里，且仍然留在那里。如今我们的旧人在坟墓里，我们复活的新人却在召会中。那布和裹头巾整整齐齐的留在坟墓里。（约二十7。）是谁从主耶稣身上取下细麻布和裹头巾?又是谁卷起那裹头巾，整整齐齐的放著?这不是天使，乃是主耶稣自己作的。十一章里拉撒路的复活证明这事。拉撒路从死人中复活，从坟墓出来后，『手脚裹著布，脸上包著手巾。』（约十一44。）因此，耶稣对人说，『解开，让他走。』（约十一44。）拉撒路需要人帮忙解去埋葬用的布，因为拉撒路是被复活者，不是复活者。但主耶稣是复活者，不是被复活者，祂自己活过来，不需要天使帮忙。天使只是观看者。若是天使解开裹尸布，意思就是主不能自己从死人中复活。我相信主在某一时刻曾对死说：『死阿，你的时间已经过了。现在我要起来，从你的领域中走出去，除去我身上的包扎，将一切整整齐齐的留在坟墓中，作为我自己从死人中复活的见证。』然后，主就与死告别，走开了。至少在原则上，事情必是这样的。主并不急忙。祂不是兴奋的从坟墓跑开，像被绑架的人，被释放后就急忙逃跑。不，主很镇静且极其从容。祂也许仔细的打量死，发觉死没有能力对祂作甚么了。死虽然尽力要拘留祂，但这是不可能的。主极其从容的除去了包扎，卷起了裹头巾，将这些东西放得整整齐齐的。祂轻易的作，死注视著祂。祂并不害怕，没有甚么能吓倒祂。祂也许曾说，『死，我的使命完成了。你不能对我作甚么，我不怕你。现在是我走出你领域的时间了。我并不急忙。我若愿意，我可以在这里再留一日，但现在是离开的时候了。』这是主从死人中复活时的真实情况。主复活的见证来自人和天使两面。我们看过，包扎用的东西全是那两个尊贵的门徒献给主的。至终，凡他们出于爱所供给主的，都成了主复活那坚固且实在的见证。这是从人一面来的见证。以后我们会看见神差遣两个天使，作了从诸天之上来的见证。因此，主复活有两面的见证：一面来自地上的人，另一面来自天上的天使。赞美主，人和天使，地和天，都为主耶稣的复活作见证。
10Everything left in the tomb was a testimony to the Lord’s resurrection. If these things had not been left there in a good order, it would have been difficult for Peter and John to believe (v. 8) that the Lord had not 8 been taken away by someone but had resurrected by Himself. These things were offered to the Lord and wrapped about Him by His two disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus (19:38-42). What they wrought on the Lord in their love to Him became very useful in the Lord’s testimony. The Lord resurrected from the dead, leaving all the old creation which He had brought into the tomb as a testimony that He had walked away from death. In the eyes of God, the entire old creation was buried in that tomb. This is a wonderful fact, whether you believe it or not. The old creation, including your old man and your old self, was buried in the tomb with Jesus and left there. When the all - inclusive Christ went into the tomb, we went there with Him. When He resurrected, He left us there. In this universe there is such a wonderful, all-inclusive tomb where our old man has been buried and still remains. Now our old man is in the tomb, and our resurrected new man is in the church. The cloths and the handkerchief were left in the tomb in a very good order (v. 7). Who took the linen cloths and the handkerchief from off the Lord Jesus, and who folded the handkerchief and left it in a good order? It was not done by angels but by the Lord Jesus Himself. The proof of this is the resurrection of Lazarus in chapter eleven. After Lazarus had been raised from the dead and had come out of the tomb, he was “bound hands and feet with burial cloths, and his face was bound about with a handkerchief” (11:44). Hence, Jesus said to the people, “Loose him and let him go” (11:44). Lazarus needed help to be released from his burial cloths because he was the resurrected one, not the resurrecting One. But the Lord Jesus was the resurrecting One, not the resurrected one. He rose up by Himself and did not need the help of angels. The angels were merely observers. If the angels had removed the wrappings, it would have meant that the Lord was unable to rise up from the dead Himself. I believe that at a certain point the Lord might have said to death, “Death, your time is over. Now I shall rise up, walk out of your domain, remove the wrappings from off My body, put everything in a good order, and leave it in the tomb as a testimony that I have raised Myself up from among the dead.” Then the Lord might have said good-bye to death and walked away. In principle, at least, it must have been this way. The Lord was not in a rush. He did not run excitedly away from the tomb like a kidnap victim who hurriedly flees after he has been released. No, the Lord was at peace and very much at ease. He might simply have taken a good look at death, finding that it was powerless to do anything with Him. Although death tried its best to retain Him, this was impossible. Being very much at ease, the Lord removed the wrappings, folded the handkerchief, and put them in a good order. Death watched Him as He easily did this. He was unafraid and nothing threatened Him. He might have said, “Death, I have finished My mission. You can do nothing with Me, and I am not afraid of you. Now is the time for Me to walk out of your domain. I am not in a hurry. I could stay here for another day if I wanted to, but now it’st i me to leave.” This was the true situation when the Lord rose from the dead. The testimony of the Lord’s resurrection was from two sides—from man and from the angels. As we have seen, all the wrappings were offered to the Lord by two honorable disciples. Eventually, what they provided the Lord out of their love for Him became a solid and substantial testimony of His resurrection. This was the testimony from man’ss i de. As we shall see later, God sent two angels to be a testimony from the heavens. Hence, there were two sides of the testimony of the Lord’s resurrection, one from man on earth and the other from the angels in heaven. Praise the Lord that both man and angels, earth and heaven, are a testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.