约翰福音生命读经 · 第49篇

复活中的生命（四）

Life in Resurrection (4)

1陆同信徒工作行走

1VI. WORKING AND WALKING WITH THE BELIEVERS

2在二十一章一至十四节，我们看见主21:15-在复活里同信徒生活行动。现今，在二十一章十五至二十五节，我们看见祂也同信徒工作行走。

2In 21:1-14 we saw that, in resurrection, the Lord moved and lived with the believers. Now, in 25, we see that He is also working and walking with the believers.

一以好牧人、大牧人、和牧长的身分工作

A. Working as the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd

3主以牧人的身分工作，藉著牧养祂的羊群以建造召会。（约二一15～17，十16。）主是牧人，有三方面：好牧人、（约十11、）大牧人、（来十三、）和牧长。（彼前五4。）牧养不是为著个人，乃是为著群羊。群羊就是召会，而召会就是建造。我们读约翰二十一章和彼得前书，就能看见牧养乃是为著召会的建造。

3The Lord is working as the Shepherd to build up the church by shepherding His flock (21:15-17; 10:16). There are three aspects of the Lord as the Shepherd: the good Shepherd (1 0:1 1), the great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20), and the chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4). 20 Shepherding is not for individuals; it is for the flock. The flock is the church, and the church is the building. By reading John 21 and 1 Peter we can see that shepherding is for the building of the church.

1 激起门徒对祂的爱

1. Stirring Up the Disciples’ Love toward Him

4在二十一章十五节，主耶稣对西门彼得说，『约翰的儿子西门，你爱我比这些更深么?』主在这里恢复彼得对祂的爱。彼得的确有心爱主，但他太信任自己的力量，天然的力量。他对主的爱是可贵的，但他天然的力量必须被否认、受对付。主许可他彻底失败，三次当面否认主，（约十八17，25，27，）好使他天然的力量和自信受到对付。不仅如此，他刚刚还领头从主的呼召退后，他在爱主的天然自信上，也必因著这次失败受到对付；这使他多少有点灰心。因此，主来恢复彼得对祂的爱，嘱咐他牧养主的召会，并为日后的殉道豫备他，使他不再信靠天然的力量跟从主。

4In 21:15 the Lord Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” The Lord was here restoring Peter’s love toward Him. Peter did have a heart to love the Lord, but he was too confident of his own strength, his natural strength. His love for the Lord was precious, but his natural strength had to be denied and dealt with. The Lord allowed him to utterly fail by denying Him to His face three times (18:17, 25, 27) so that his natural strength and his self- confidence might be dealt with. Furthermore, Peter had just taken the lead in backsliding from the Lord’scall. His natural confidence in his love toward the Lord must also have been dealt with by this failure. Since he might have been somewhat disappointed, the Lord came to restore his love toward Him, to charge him with the shepherding of His church, and to prepare him for his martyrdom, so that he would not follow Him with any confidence in his natural strength

5在二十一章十五至十七节，主对彼得说话时，没有称呼他『彼得，』那是他重生的名字，就是他重生之人的新名。主称呼他『西门；』西门是他的旧名，这名描述他天然的人。因为彼得仍是天然的人，主就问他说，『约翰的儿子西门，你爱我比这些更深么？』主首先问彼得这个问题，原因是他在主被出卖的那天晚上，曾大胆的告诉主，即使其他的门徒都弃绝了主，他总不会弃绝。（太二六33。）彼得曾说他要至死跟从主。（约十三37，太二六35。）彼得说这话，使他自己与其他的门徒有所不同。是的，他与他们不同－在他的软弱上，而不是在他的刚强上。当主问他说，『你爱我比这些更深么?』主是在题醒彼得他是怎样的人。他是一个如此自信且骄傲的人。

5When the Lord spoke to Peter in 21:15-17, He did not call him “Peter,” which was his regenerated name, the new name of his regenerated person. The Lord called him “Simon.” Simon was his old name, the name depicting his natural person. Because Peter was still a natural person, the Lord asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” The reason the Lord asked him this question first was because Peter had boldly told the Lord on the eve of His betrayal that he would not give up the Lord, even though all the other disciples would forsake Him (Matt. 26:33). Peter had said that he would follow the Lord unto death (John 13:37; Matt. 26:35). By saying this, Peter made himself different from the other disciples. Yes, he was different from them — in his weakness, not in his strength. When the Lord asked him, “Do you love Me more than these?” the Lord was reminding Peter of what he was. He was a man so self-confident and proud.

6彼得对主的爱是可贵的，但他天然的力量必须受对付。彼得的力量在两方面受到对付：在他否认主的事上，以及在他领头从主的呼召退后的事上。彼得在第一个试验上，因著三次否认主而失败；在第二个试验上，因著去打鱼而失败。门徒去打鱼的原因是他们没有食物。当亚伯拉罕在迦南地时，也因著同样的难处受到试验，他因饥荒就下到埃及去。同样的原则，彼得和其他的门徒到海边打鱼，也是因著缺乏食物而受试验。彼得认为他是刚强的，能耐得住任何的试验，甚至死也不在乎。他曾对主说，他要至死跟从祂。因此，主两次试验彼得，而他这两次试验都失败了。主如何对付彼得天然的力量?乃是藉著暂时放开祂在彼得身上的手。在十章二十八节主说，谁也不能从祂手里把信徒夺去。当彼得背弃主，当面三次否认主时，这意思就是主暂时放开祂在彼得身上的手。主似乎说，『彼得，你太信任自己了。你不知道，你能站住是在于我将你握在我的手中。我若不握住你，你就无法站住。让我暂时挪开我的手，看看你能不能站住。』于是，主稍一退后，彼得就跌倒了。不要以为你有能力站住。不，有一只看不见的手始终托著我们。我很感激一件事，就是多年以来，甚至现在，许多圣徒一直为我祷告。当我在灵里与主交通时，我有很深的感觉和感激，有这么多亲爱的圣徒在为我祷告。凭我自己，我无法站立；凭我自己，我不能尽职。我知道职事能力的源头。我知道使我站住之力量的源头不在我里面，乃在祂里面。我们都需要领悟这点。因著彼得太强，太信任自己，所以主被迫暂时挪开祂的手。结果，彼得跌倒了，并三次否认主。不仅如此，他也经不起日常生活的考验，领头退后，到海边去。或许彼得认为他如此作是有理由的，因为那时他并没有看见主的供应。但无论如何，他因著退后而被暴露。主暂时挪开祂的手，彼得就完全被暴露了。这乃是主的对付。

6Peter’s love toward the Lord was precious, but his natural strength had to be dealt with. Peter’s strength was dealt within two ways: in his denying the Lord and in his taking the lead to backslide from the Lord’scall. Peter failed the first test by denying the Lord three times, and he failed the second test by going fishing. The reason the disciples went fishing was because they were without food. When Abraham was in Canaan, he also was tested by the same problem and went down to Egypt because of the famine. In the same principle, Peter and the other disciples went to the sea to fish, being tested by the lack of food. Peter thought that he was strong, and able to withstand any test, even death itself. He had told the Lord that he would follow Him even unto death. Thus, the Lord tested Peter twice, and Peter failed both tests. How did the Lord deal with Peter’s natural strength? By temporarily taking His hand off him. In 10:28, the Lord said that no one is able to snatch the believers out of His hand. When Peter betrayed the Lord, denying Him to His face three times, it meant that the Lord had taken His hand off him for a while. The Lord seemed to be saying, “Peter, you have too much confidence in yourself. You don’t know that your standing depends upon My holding you in My hand. If I don’th old you, you cannot stand. Let Me take My hand away for a while and see if you are able to stand.” Then the Lord stood back a little, and Peter fell. Do not think that you have the power to stand. No, an unseen hand upholds us all the time. I appreciate the fact that throughout the years, and even now, many saints have been praying for me. In my fellowship with the Lord in the spirit, I have the deep sense and appreciation that so many dear ones are praying for me. By myself, I cannot stand. By myself, I cannot minister. I know the source of the power of ministry. And I know that the source of the strength to stand is not in me—it is in Him. We all need to realize this. Because Peter was so strong, having too much confidence in himself, the Lord was forced to temporarily remove His hand. As a result, Peter fell and denied the Lord three times. Moreover, Peter could not stand the test of his daily living and took the lead to backslide to the sea. Perhaps Peter thought that he had reason to do this because, at that point, he had not seen the supply of the Lord. Nevertheless, by his backsliding Peter was exposed. The Lord withdrew His hand for a little while, and Peter was fully exposed. This was the Lord’s dealing.

7在二十一章，彼得谦卑，且十分低微。无疑的，他相当灰心。所以，主来恢复他，加强他，并挽回他。主当著所有其他门徒的面，问彼得说，『你爱我比这些更深么?』这是很有意义的。主似乎是说，『西门，你忘了几天前你在所有的人面前，说即使他们弃绝我，你至死也要跟从我么?那是你的话。现在，西门，我问你，你爱我比这些更深么?』如果我是彼得，我真没有脸说甚么。彼得只回答说，『主阿，是的，你知道我爱你。』（约二一15。）彼得无法用清楚的话答覆主，因为他处在很为难的情况中。他没有说，『主，我爱你。』或『主，我不爱你。』你若是彼得，你要如何回答主？你会不会说，『主阿，是的，我爱你比这些更深』？你会不会说，『主，对不起，我不爱你』？或『主，对不起，我说了大话，却不能兑现』？彼得失去了自信，除了说『主阿，你知道我爱你』以外，甚么也说不出来。换句话说，彼得似乎说，『我不知道我到底爱不爱你。主阿，你知道。我若说我爱你，我知道这并没有甚么意义。从前，我曾告诉你我爱你，但我失败了。事实上，你曾告诉我，我会失败，并三次否认你，事情果真如此。主阿，一切都在于你。你知道－我不知道。』这里我们看见一个受过试验且破碎的人。在十六、十七节，我们看见主又问了彼得两次：『约翰的儿子西门，你爱我么?』当主第三次问他时，他深觉忧愁。有两个原因使他忧愁：第一，是主一连三次问了他这问题。倘若我一连三次问你同样的问题，你也会感到十分烦恼。彼得忧愁的第二个原因是：主藉著三次问他这问题，题醒他曾经三次否认主。当彼得否认主时，他是在烤火。（约十八25。）约翰二十一章也有火。主的行动是很有意义的；现在有火题醒彼得，主似乎说，『彼得，你记得那火么?你记得就是在火旁你否认了我么?你在那火旁否认我，我却在这火旁供应你。』这样，主使彼得想起他在那火旁所作的，并使他知道他是甚么和他在那里。彼得完全学了那功课。在全本新约圣经里，彼得最好的图画是在约翰二十一章的这一幅。我真喜欢这章中的彼得弟兄。这里，他是柔软、温和、且破碎的人，他真正学了被主试验并破碎的功课。

7In chapter twenty - one, Peter was humble and very low. Undoubtedly he was quite disappointed. Thus, the Lord came in to recover, strengthen, and restore him. It is quite meaningful that, in front of all the other disciples, the Lord asked Peter, “Do you love Me more than these?” The Lord seemed to be saying, “Simon, have you forgotten that a few days ago you said, in the presence of all the others, that although they would forsake Me, you would follow Me to death? That was your word. Now, Simon, I ask you if you love Me more than these do?” If I had been Peter, I would not have had the face to say anything. Peter simply replied, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You” (v. 15). Peter could not answer the Lord with a clear word, for he was in a very perplexing situation. He did not say, “Lord, I love You,” or, “Lord, I don’t love You.” How would you have answered the Lord if you had been Peter? Would you have said, “Yes, Lord, I love You more than all of these”? Would you have said, “Lord, I’m sorry I don’t love You,” or, “Lord, I’m sorry that I boasted and was unable to fulfill it”? Peter had lost his self-confidence and could say nothing except, “Lord, You know that I love You.” In other words, Peter seemed to be saying, “I don’t know whether I love You or not. Lord, You know. If I say that I love You, I know that this does not mean anything. Formerly, I told You that I loved You, but I failed. In fact, You told me that I would fail and deny You three times, and it was so. Now, Lord, it is up to You. You know—I don’t.” Here we see a man who had become a tested and broken person. In verses 16 and 17, we see that the Lord twice more asked Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” When the Lord asked him this the third time, Peter was deeply grieved. He was grieved for two reasons. The first was that the Lord asked him this question three times. If I asked you the same question three times, you also would feel quite troubled. The second reason Peter was grieved was that by asking him this question three times, the Lord was reminding Peter that he had denied Him three times. When Peter denied the Lord, he was warming himself by a fire (18:25). There was also a fire in John 21. The Lord’s action was very meaningful, for now, having a fire to remind Peter, He seemed to be saying, “Peter, do you remember that fire? Do you remember that it was by a fire that you denied Me? By that fire you denied Me, but by this fire I supply you.” Thus, the Lord caused Peter to remember what he did by that fire and to realize what he was and where he was. Peter fully learned that lesson. In the whole New Testament, the best picture of Peter is the one in John 21. I do like Brother Peter in this chapter. Here he is a soft, meek, and broken person, a man who has truly learned the lesson of being tested and broken by the Lord.

2 嘱咐他们𫗪养小羊并牧养群羊

2. Charging Them with Lamb-feeding and Sheep-shepherding

8主耶稣恢复了彼得对祂的爱之后，就嘱咐他，说，『𫗪养我的小羊，』『牧养我的羊，』并『𫗪养我的羊。』约翰前二十章著重信入子以得生命这件事。（约三15。）但在本章不是信的事，乃是爱的事。在十五章里，结果子是里面生命之丰富的流出。这里的𫗪养小羊，是用里面生命的丰富滋养人。我们要𫗪养别人，就需要享受主神圣生命的丰富。这需要我们爱祂。信主是接受祂，爱主是享受祂。主来作我们的生命和生命的供应，我们需要对祂有信心，向祂有爱心。约翰福音表明，我们要有分于主，需要这两个条件。𫗪养小羊是用里面生命的丰富滋养人，牧养群羊是为了建造召会。牧养是为著羊群，（约十14，16，）就是召会。（徒二十28。）所以牧养与神的建造有关。（太十六18。）彼得后来在书信中指明这点，说到吃纯净的话奶长大，乃是为著神居所的建造；（彼前二2～5；）并且嘱咐长老务要牧养神的群羊。（彼前五1～4。）得滋养而长大乃是为著建造。主同祂的门徒仍然这样工作。今天，藉著𫗪养小羊和牧养群羊，主同我们工作，以建造召会。

8After restoring Peter’s love toward Him, the Lord Jesus charged him, saying, “Feed My lambs,” “Shepherd My sheep,” and “Feed My sheep.” The first twenty chapters of the Gospel of John stress the matter of believing in the Son that we may have life (3:15). But in this chapter it is not a matter of believing but of loving. The fruit-bearing in chapter fifteen is the outflow of the riches of the inner life. Here the lamb- feeding is the nourishing with the riches of the inner life. In order to feed others we need to enjoy the riches of the Lord’s divine life. This requires that we love Him. To believe in the Lord is to receive Him, and to love the Lord is to enjoy Him. The Lord came as life and as the life supply to us. We need to have faith in Him and love toward Him. According to the Gospel of John, these are the two requirements for participating in the Lord. Lamb-feeding is by the nourishing with the riches of the inner life, and sheep-shepherding is for the building of the church. Shepherding is for the “flock” (10:14, 16), which is the church (Acts 20:28). Therefore, it is related to God’s building (Matt. 16:18). Later, in his first Epistle, Peter indicated this by saying that growth, by feeding on the pure milk of the Word, is for the building of God’sho use (1 Pet. 2:2-5) and by charging the elders to shepherd the flock of God (1 Pet. 5:1-4). The growth by nourishing is for the building. The Lord is still working with His disciples in this way. Today, by lamb-feeding and sheep-shepherding, the Lord is working with us for the building of the church

9我们若思想约翰十章、彼前二章和五章这三章，就会看见𫗪养小羊并牧养群羊乃是为著召会的建造。根据约翰十章，主舍去了祂的魂生命，使祂的羊得著祂神圣的生命，并且集合成为一群。将祂所有的羊集合成为一群，就是真正的建造。在彼前二章彼得说，我们像才生的婴孩一样，必须用纯净的话奶得𫗪养，叫我们长大，建造在一起成为属灵的。最后，在彼前五章，作为长老之一的彼得，嘱咐长老们要藉著𫗪养和牧养照管群羊。𫗪养群羊和牧养群羊不同。在二十一章十五节主说，『你𫗪养我的小羊；』在二十一章十六节祂说，『你牧养我的羊；』在二十一章十七节祂说，『你𫗪养我的羊。』牧养意即照管群羊，𫗪养意即供应食物给群羊。我们今天事奉主，不可仅仅照管祂的群羊，还要用属灵的食物𫗪养他们。单单照管、看顾弟兄姊妹是不彀的，还必须𫗪养他们。在十五节主说，『你𫗪养我的小羊；』在十七节主说，『你𫗪养我的羊。』藉此，我们看见，幼嫩的信徒和较为成熟的信徒都需要𫗪养。如果主把对祂羊群的负担托付我们，我们就必须确实作两件事－𫗪养他们并照管他们。二同跟从祂的门徒行走

9By considering three chapters, John 10, and 1 Peter 2 and 5, we shall see that feeding the lambs and shepherding the sheep are for the building up of the church. According to John 10, the Lord laid down His soulish life that His sheep might have His divine life and be brought together as one flock. To bring all His sheep together as one is truly the building. In 1 Peter 2, Peter says that we, as newborn babes, must be fed with the pure milk of the Word that we might grow up to be built up together as a spiritual house. Finally, in 1 Peter 5, Peter, as one of the elders, charges the elders to care for the sheep by feeding and shepherding them. Feeding the sheep is different from shepherding them. In 21:15 the Lord said, “Feed My lambs”; in 21:16, He said, “Shepherd My sheep”; and in 21:17, He said, “Feed My sheep.” To shepherd means to take care of the sheep, and to feed means to supply food to the sheep. While we are serving the Lord today, we must not only care for His sheep, but also feed them with spiritual food. It is not sufficient simply to care for and to look after the brothers and sisters; we must also feed them. In verse 15 the Lord said, “Feed My lambs,” and in verse 17 He said, “Feed My sheep.” By this we see that both the young believers and the more matured believers need the feeding. If the Lord has committed to us the burden of His flock, we must be sure to do two things—to feed them and to care for them. B. Walking with the Disciples as His Followers

1 教导他们至死跟从祂

1. Instructing Them to Follow Him to Death

10在二十一章十八至二十三节，我们看见主耶稣同跟从祂的门徒行走。主恢复了彼得对祂的爱，并嘱咐他𫗪养小羊并牧养群羊之后，就豫言彼得的殉道，藉此教导祂的门徒要至死跟从祂。在十八节主对彼得说，『我实实在在的告诉你，你年轻的时候，自己束上带子，随意往来；但年老的时候，你要伸出手来，别人要把你束上，带你到不愿意去的地方。』主对彼得说这话，是『指明彼得要怎样死荣耀神。』后来，在彼后一章十四节，彼得曾题到这一点。本章主在这里是要豫备彼得不凭自己，也不照自己的意愿，至死跟从祂。主似乎对彼得说，『彼得，你没有遵守你的话，但我要遵守我的话。你说过你甚至要为我死，但你没有遵守你的话。有一天，你要为我死，因为你要以死荣耀神。你年轻的时候是自由的，但日子将到，你年老的时候，人要捉住你，捆绑你，带你到不愿去的地方。』彼得听了这些话，知道他要为主殉道。那时，彼得没有说要或不要。

10In 21:18-23, we see that the Lord Jesus walks with the disciples as His followers. After restoring Peter’s love for Him and charging him with lamb-feeding and sheep-shepherding, the Lord, by predicting Peter’s martyrdom, instructed the disciples to follow Him to death. In verse 18 the Lord said to Peter, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” In saying this to Peter, the Lord was “signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.” Later, in 2 Peter 1:14, Peter referred to this. Here in this chapter the Lord was preparing Peter to follow Him to death, but not by anything of himself nor according to his own will. The Lord seemed to be saying, “Peter, you did not keep your word, but I will keep My word. You said that you would even die for Me, but you did not keep your word. One day you will die for Me, for you will die to glorify God. While you are young, you will be free. But the day will come when you are old. Then people will catch you, bind you, and bring you to a place where you do not want to go.” After hearing these words, Peter realized that he would be martyred for the Lord. At that time, Peter did not say either yes or no

11主豫言彼得殉道之后，就对他说，『你跟从我罢。』我们都必须跟从主这位内住者。我们所要跟从的那位『我，』就在我们里面。如十八节所指明的，我们不可凭自己的意愿跟从主，乃要照著祂的带领。我们至死跟从祂，就是荣耀神。（约二一19。）不仅如此，我们必须跟从主，而不注意别人。主告诉彼得来跟从祂之后，彼得转身看著约翰，对耶稣说，『主阿，这人怎么样?』（约二一21。）对此主回答说，『我若要留他直到我来的时候，与你何干?你跟从我罢。』（约二一22。）主告诉彼得，约翰将要遭遇甚么事，一点都与他无关，他必须跟从祂。这章是一幅图画，表明在我们重生并受主使命之后，必须不计代价爱主，并且不惜任何牺牲跟从祂到底。如此跟从主，我们就会完成主的定旨，以𫗪养祂的小羊并𫗪养、牧养祂的群羊。

11After predicting Peter’s martyrdom, the Lord said to him, “Follow Me!” We all must follow the Lord as the indwelling One. The “Me” whom we are to follow is in us. As verse 18 indicates, we must not follow the Lord by our own will but according to His leading. Our following Him even unto death is to glorify God (v. 19). Furthermore, we must follow Him without paying attention to others. After the Lord told Peter to follow Him, Peter turned to John and said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” v. 21). To this, the Lord replied, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” (v. 22). The Lord was telling Peter that what would happen to John was none of his business and that he had to follow Him. This chapter is a picture showing that after we have been regenerated and commissioned by the Lord, we must love the Lord at any cost and follow Him to the end at any sacrifice. By following the Lord in this way, we shall accomplish the Lord’s purpose to feed His lambs and to feed and shepherd His sheep

2 指明有些跟从祂的人要活著直到祂来

2. Indicating that Some of His Followers Will Live Until He Comes

12关于主对彼得论到约翰的话，二十三节说，『于是这话传在弟兄中间，说那门徒不死。其实耶稣不是说他不死，乃是说，我若要留他直到我来的时候，与你何干。』主这句话指明有一些跟从祂的人，要活著直到祂来。

12Verse 23, referring to what the Lord had said to Peter about John, says, “This word therefore went forth among the brothers that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” In this word the Lord indicates that some of His followers will live until He comes

3 门徒在主看不见的同在中跟从祂，与祂同活；并等候祂在祂看得见的同在中来临

3. The Disciples Following Him and Living with Him in His Invisible Presence and Waiting for Him to Come in His Visible Presence

13这段话似乎有些矛盾。当主说『跟从我』的时候，祂正与门徒同在，祂怎能说『直到我来的时候?』祂既已在那里，就不需要来。如果祂的意思是要离开他们，以后再回到他们那里，又怎能对他们说『跟从我？』他们怎能跟从祂?我年轻时，曾为这事感到困扰，我对自己说，『倘若主在这里给我们跟从，祂就不需要来。祂已经在这里了。但祂若是要来，祂就必须离开我们。那么祂如何能要我们跟从祂？』这一切问题的答案，全在于祂看不见的同在。照著祂看得见的同在说，祂要离开，以后再回来；但照著祂看不见的同在说，祂要一直与他们同在。祂一面要与他们同在，另一面却要离开他们。所以门徒一面能跟从祂，另一面又要等候祂回来。

13It seems that in this portion of the Word there are some contradictory elements. When the Lord said, “Follow Me,” He was there with the disciples. How then could He say, “Until I come”? Since He was there, He need not come. If He meant that He would leave them and later come back to them, how could He say to them, “Follow Me”? How could they follow Him? When I was young, I was troubled by this and said to myself, “If the Lord is here for us to follow Him, then there is no need for Him to come. He is here already. But if He is coming, then He must be away from us. How then can He ask us to follow Him?” The answer to all these questions is the Lord’sin visible presence. According to His visible presence, He would leave the disciples and come back later. But according to His invisible presence, He would be with them all the time. On the one hand, He would be with them, and on the other hand, He would be away from them. Therefore, on the one hand, they could follow Him, and on the other hand, they would have to wait for His coming back.

14主的同在有两面，祂看不见的同在和祂看得见的同在。因著主看不见的同在，我们能跟从祂。就看不见的一面说，主在这里，我们跟从祂。就看得见的一面说，主不在这里，我们必须等候祂，直到祂来。关键就在于主奇妙的同在。在这时代中，祂看不见的同在比祂看得见的同在更好。祂看不见的同在是更宝贵、更便利、更优越、更丰富也更真实。我盼望我们都领会主同在的这两面。就看得见的一面说，我们在等候祂；就看不见的一面说，祂在同我们行走，我们在跟从祂。主复活以后，与门徒同在四十天之久，（徒一3～4，）为要训练他们领悟并习惯祂看不见的同在，而凭此活著。在二十三节，主指明有些信徒要至死跟从祂，有些要存留，活著直到祂来。约翰二十一章是非常实际的一章。我们已经看见，我们都已重生为神的众子，并有神的生命和性情。因此，我们是神的彰显。神已托付我们属天、神圣的使命，我们必须有所作为，以完成主的定旨－𫗪养祂的羊并牧养祂的羊群，直到所有的羊集合成一个身体，成为一个属灵的殿。虽然我们必须作这些事，但还有实际的生活问题。在这章中，我们看见主会供应我们的需要，顾到我们的生活。我们只须将我们生活的事交托在主手中，不去管牠。如果我们是在祂的旨意中，主必定会维持我们的生活。不仅如此，我们也必须知道，我们必须为著主的见证受苦并牺牲，至死跟从祂。

14There are two aspects of the Lord’s presence—His invisible presence and His visible presence. Because of the Lord’sin visible presence, we can follow Him. Invisibly, the Lord is here, and we follow Him. Visibly, He is not here, and we must wait until He comes. The key is the Lord’s wonderful presence. In this age, His invisible presence is better than His visible presence. His invisible presence is more precious, available, prevailing, rich, and real. I hope that we all understand these two aspects of the Lord’s presence. Visibly speaking, we are waiting for Him; invisibly speaking, He is walking with us and we are following Him. After His resurrection, the Lord remained with the disciples for forty days (Acts 1:3-4) in order to train them to realize, practice, and live by His invisible presence. In verse 23 the Lord indicated that some of His believers would follow Him to death and that some would remain, would live until He comes. John 21 is a very practical chapter. We have seen that we have been regenerated as the sons of God and have the life and nature of God. Thus, we are the manifestation of God. God has committed to us His heavenly and divine commission, and we must do something to accomplish the Lord’s purpose—feed His sheep and shepherd His flock until all the sheep are brought together as one Body to be a spiritual house. Although we must do these things, there is still the practical matter of our living. In this chapter we see that the Lord will provide for our needs and take care of our living. We must simply commit the matter of our living into His hands and leave it there. If we are under His will, the Lord will certainly maintain our living. Furthermore, we must also realize that we must suffer and sacrifice for the Lord’s testimony, following Him even unto death

15约翰二十、二十一章所包括的事非常广泛，开始于发现主的复活，结束于主的再来。这两章表明了在主复活和祂再来之间，所要发生在我们身上的每一件事。在这两件事之间，就是召会时代一切与基督徒生活有关的事：爱主而寻求主，特别是在个人的晨更中；看见在复活里的主；藉著经历主的显现接受启示，看见主复活的结果，就是使祂的父成为我们的父，使我们成为祂的众弟兄；与信徒聚集，享受主的同在；让主将圣灵吹进里面，并受差遣，有祂的使命和权柄，以代表祂；学习如何在主里凭信而活，在日常生活中信靠祂；天然的力量受了对付而爱主；并且学了被破碎，失去自信以及信靠主等功课；为著建造召会而牧养群羊；习惯主看不见的同在；在这看不见的同在中，有些人不凭著自己的意愿，乃照著主的引导，至死跟从祂荣耀神，还有些人要活著直到主来。我们已经看见，约翰福音开始于已过永远里的话。经过了成为肉体、钉十字架、并复活的漫长过程之后，这话成了赐生命的灵，圣纽玛，圣气。（约二十22。）在希腊文里，纽玛一字可用作『气』和『灵。』永远的话成了这样的一口气，这样的一位灵。这就是经过过程，供我们享受的神。祂现今在复活里乃是生命和灵，同我们行动、生活、工作并行走。不仅如此，祂一直与我们相聚。祂是生命、灵、圣气，在复活里一直无形的与我们同在。祂要一直无形的与我们同在，同我们相聚、行动、生活、工作并行走，直到祂可见的再来。这就是我们所信入的耶稣基督，我们所接受的主，我们所事奉、敬拜并享受的神，也是那一直与我们同在，并在我们里面的包罗万有的灵。赞美祂！约翰福音没有终结。这卷书没有结束，牠仍在那灵的编纂中。或许今天的约翰福音有两、三千章。这卷书还在编纂，我们都包括在其中。赞美主。

15The span of things covered in John 20 and 21 is very broad. It begins with the discovery of the Lord’s resurrection and ends with His coming back. These two chapters show everything that will happen to us between the Lord’s resurrection and His coming back. Between these two events are all the things related to the Christian life during the church age: seeking the Lord with love toward Him, especially in the personal morning watch; seeing the Lord in resurrection; receiving the revelation of the issue of the Lord’s resurrection concerning the “brothers” and the “Father” by experiencing His manifestation; meeting with the believers to enjoy the Lord’s presence; being breathed on by the Lord with the Holy Spirit and being sent by the Lord with His commission and authority to represent Him; learning how to live by faith in the Lord and to trust in Him for our daily living; loving the Lord with our natural strength having been dealt with and having learned the lesson of being broken, of losing our self - confidence, and of putting our trust in the Lord; shepherding the flock for the building of the church; practicing the Lord’sin visible presence in which some follow Him even to death to glorify God, not by self - will but according to His leading, and some live until He comes back. As we have seen, the Gospel of John begins with the Word in eternity past. After passing through the long process of incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, this Word has become the life-giving Spirit, the holy pneuma, the holy breath (20:22). In Greek, the word pneuma is used for both breath and spirit. The very eternal Word has become such a breath, such a Spirit. This is the processed God for our enjoyment. He is now the life and the Spirit in resurrection, moving, living, working, and walking with us. Furthermore, He meets with us all the time. As the life, the Spirit, the holy breath, in resurrection He is constantly with us invisibly. He will continue with us invisibly, meeting, moving, living, working, and walking with us, until He comes visibly. This is the very Jesus Christ in whom we believe; the very Lord whom we have received; the very God whom we serve, worship, and enjoy; and the very all-inclusive Spirit who is always with us and within us. Praise Him! The Gospel of John has no conclusion. This book is not closed; it is still under the Spirit’s composition. Perhaps today’s Gospel of John has two or three thousand chapters. This book is still being composed, and we are included in its composition. Praise the Lord!