约翰福音生命读经 · 第7篇

生命的目的

LIFE’S PURPOSE

贰生命的目的－

II. LIFE’S PURPOSE

建造神的家

TO BUILD THE HOUSE OF GOD

1约翰二章先有变水为酒的事例，（约二1～11，）然后紧接著有对付殿的事例，（约二12～22，）这是很有趣的。我们必须相信，这两件事例记在这里，不仅是一些历史事件的记述，更是为著表征一些事。为何对付殿紧接在变死亡为生命之后?这表明生命乃是为著神的殿（家）。换句话说，生命是为著神的建造。在主变水为酒的事件里，我们看见了生命的原则，就是变死亡为生命。如今在对付殿的事上，我们看见生命的目的乃是建造神的家。

1It is quite interesting to see that in John chapter two we firstly have the case of changing water into wine (2:1- 11) and then, following that, the case of dealing with the temple (2:12-22). We must believe that both of these cases were recorded for the purpose of signifying something beyond the mere account of historical events. Why does the dealing with the temple follow the changing of death into life? It shows that life is for God’stem ple. In other words, life is for God’s building. In the incident of the Lord’s changing water into wine, we saw the principle of life, that is, to change death into life. Now, in the case of the dealing with the temple, we see the goal, the purpose of life, that is, to build the house of God

一耶稣洁净殿

A. Jesus Cleansing the Temple

2约翰二章十二至二十二节给我们看见，主对付殿的两方面－洁净的一面和建造的一面。神的仇敌撒但总是想要破坏或拆毁神的殿。他企图用许多罪恶的东西玷污牠，这就是神的殿（家）需要洁净的原因。

2John 2:12-22 shows two aspects of the Lord’s dealing with the temple—the cleansing aspect and the building aspect. Satan, the enemy of God, is always trying to damage or to frustrate the temple of God. He attempts to defile it with many sinful things. This is the reason that the house of God needs cleansing

1 『逾越节近了』

1. “The Passover Was Near

3耶稣洁净殿是在『逾越节近了』的时候。（约二13。）那时，逾越节乃是记念神的救恩，（出十二2～11，申十六1～3，）藉著这记念，犹太人就在他们的殿里敬拜神。但是当主耶稣上耶路撒冷去，他们的殿里满了牛、羊、鸽子、和兑换银钱的人。因此殿需要洁净，主耶稣就这样行了。

3Jesus cleansed the temple at a time when “the Passover of the Jews was near” (2:13). The Passover at that time was a remembrance of God’ss alvation (Exo. 12:2-11; Deut. 16:1-3) through which remembrance the Jews worshipped God in their temple. But, when the Lord Jesus went up to Jerusalem, their temple was filled with oxen, sheep, doves, and money-changers. So, the temple needed a cleansing, and the Lord Jesus did it

4逾越节乃是我们记念主的一个豫表。（林前十一24～25。）我们就是神的殿。（林前三16。）我们很可能来到主的桌子前记念祂，却充满了属地的事物。因此我们也需要洁净，好叫我们成为神合式的殿。

4The Passover was a prefigure of our remembrance of the Lord (1 Cor. 11:24-25). And we are the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16). It is very possible that when we come to the Lord’stable to remember Him, we are filled with earthly things. So, we also need a cleansing that we may be the proper temple of God

2 洁净殿

2. The Cleansing of the Temple

用灯心草作的绳子当鞭子

a. With a Whip of Cords Made of Rushes

5我们读约翰二章十四至十六节：『祂看见殿里有卖牛羊鸽子的，并有兑换银钱的人坐在那里，就拿绳子作成鞭子，把众人连羊带牛都赶出殿去，倒出兑换银钱之人的钱币，推翻他们的桌子。又对卖鸽子的说，把这些东西从这里拿走，不要将我父的家，当作买卖的场所。』主对付神的殿（家），是用绳子作成鞭子来洁净牠。有些译本说，主用灯心草作的绳子来作鞭子，灯心草是不值钱的，平常的。主是用平常的东西，灯心草，作成鞭子来洁净殿。祂赶出牛、羊、鸽子和钱币，表征赶出所有属地的霸占。我们是神的殿，却没有被神充满，反而被许多神之外的事物充满。我们是神的殿，应该被神充满，可是事实上我们里面却充满了买卖、钱财、以及兑换银钱之人的桌子。因此主必须用绳子作鞭子，把这些东西从我们里面赶出去。主常常使用普通平常的东西，就如灯心草，来洁净我们。有时祂用平常的人洁净你－就如你的妻子或丈夫，你的父母或儿女，你的上司或属下。我们都经历过主用普通、平常的人事物作成鞭子洁净我们。有时主把事情弄得天翻地覆，来干涉我们的生活。祂来赶出牛羊鸽子，推倒桌子，要把整个局面搞得乱糟糟。比方去年你的生意赚了不少钱，但今年你统统蚀光－这就是主用来洁净你的一根鞭子。每个有追求的基督徒总有人事物来洁净他。一般说来，寻求神的妻子总是渴望她丈夫属灵、爱主，但有时正好事与愿违。爱主的丈夫总是仰望主叫他的妻子属灵、爱主，但有时事情也适得其反。照样，作父母的真诚寻求主，并天天为他们的孩子祷告，有时仍然难过的看著他们的孩子走错路。你经历的鞭子乃是主所作的。如果你的丈夫或妻子非常属灵，主就没有鞭子来洁净你。你的儿子若像彼得、约翰，你的女儿若像马利亚，就没有灯心草可以给主用来作成鞭子。你的父母若像亚伯拉罕和撒拉，就没有甚么来洁净你。一面你可以天天享受主作筵席，但另一面主会多次打发鞭子来洁净你。许多时候，主甚至会用召会中的弟兄姊妹作绳鞭来洁净你，赶走你里面的商品和兑换银钱的人。

5Let us read John 2:14-16. “And He found in the temple those selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money- changers sitting there. And having made a whip of cords, He drove them all, both the sheep and the oxen, out of the temple, and He poured out the coins of the money- changers and overturned the tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, Take these things away; do not make My Father’sho use a house of merchandise.” The Lord dealt with the house of God by cleansing it with a scourge or a whip made of cords. The King James Version says that the Lord made “a scourge of small cords,” but some versions say that the Lord made a scourge or whip out of rushes, which are inexpensive and ordinary. The Lord made a scourge or whip of ordinary things, of rushes, and used it to cleanse the temple. He drove out the oxen, sheep, doves, and coins. That signified the casting out of all earthly occupations. We are the temple of God, yet we are not filled with God. We are filled with so many things other than God. Although we, as the house of God, should be filled with God, yet the fact is that we are filled with merchandise, money, and tables of the money-changers. Therefore, the Lord must make a whip of cords to drive these things out of us. Often, the Lord uses the ordinary and common things, such as the rushes, to cleanse us. Sometimes He uses someone common to purge you — such as your wife or husband, your parents or children, your employer or employees. We all have experienced the whip of cords which the Lord has made of common persons or ordinary things to purge us. Sometimes the Lord comes to interfere with our lives by turning things upside down. He comes to cast out the sheep, oxen, and doves, and to overthrow the tables in order to bring confusion into the whole situation. For example, last year you gained a lot of money in business, but this year you lose everything—this is a scourge that the Lord uses to purge you. With every seeking Christian there is always someone or something purging him. Generally speaking, a wife who is a seeking child of God always longs for her husband to be spiritual and to love the Lord, but it sometimes turns out to be just the opposite. A husband who loves the Lord always looks to the Lord that his wife might be spiritual and love the Lord, but it is sometimes contrary to his desire. Also parents who sincerely seek after the Lord and pray daily for their children sometimes suffer to see their children going astray. The scourge you experience is made by the Lord. If your husband or wife is quite spiritual, the Lord would have no scourge to purge you. If your sons are like Peter and John and your daughter is like Mary, there would be no rushes available for the Lord to make a scourge. If your parents are like Abraham and Sarah, nothing would purge you. On the one hand, you may daily enjoy the Lord as a feast, but, on the other hand, the Lord will send a scourge a number of times to purge you. Many times the Lord will even use the brothers and sisters in the church as a whip of cords to purge away the merchandise and the money-changers that exist within you.

主为著神家的心愿

b. The Heart’s Desire of the Lord b for the House of God

6十七节说，『祂的门徒就想起经上记著；「我为你的家，心里焦急，如同火烧。」主耶稣里面为著神的家焦急。这焦急把祂昋噬了，烧起来了。祂绝对为著父的家。父的家乃是祂心所望。当祂看见殿中败坏的光景，祂无法忍受，甚至用鞭子来洁净。祂为父的家焦急，这心情驱使祂将一切污秽从这家赶出去。祂的心单纯为著父。祂看到殿，就是祂父的家，被人贪欲的事物所污染，就无法忍受，所以祂要洁净殿。

6Verse 17 says, “His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of Your house shall devour Me.” Within the Lord Jesus there was a zeal for the house of God. This zeal devoured Him, ate Him up, consumed Him. He was absolutely for the Father’sho use. The Father’sho use was His heart’s desire. When He saw the corrupted situation within the temple, He could not tolerate it, but cleansed it, even with a whip. He was driven by zeal for His Father’sho use to drive all the defilement out of it. His heart was pure for the Father. He could not suffer to see that the temple, His Father’sho use, was defiled, contaminated by the things of man’s greed. So, He cleansed it

7撒但竭尽所能，用许多罪恶、属世的事物玷污、污染召会生活。无论那里有地方召会，这事总会发生。但是赞美主，撒但的污染带进主的洁净。仇敌撒但总是忙碌的，他从不睡觉。无论何处一个地方召会建立起来，撒但就设法要玷污。我们若缺乏经历，就会为这事非常担心。我们会因召会被仇敌玷污了而感到困扰。让我说一句安慰你们的话，你所在的地方召会若被污染了，你不该灰心，你应该说，『主，现在是你的时候了。主，你进来。撒但的污染不过带进你的洁净。』

7Satan tries his best to defile and to contaminate the church life with so many sinful and worldly things. Wherever there is a local church this will always happen. But praise the Lord that Satan’s contamination brings in the Lord’s cleansing. The enemy, Satan, is always busy. He never sleeps. Wherever a local church has been established, Satan will try to defile it. If we lack experience, we shall be very concerned about this. We shall be troubled that the church has been contaminated by the enemy. Let me speak a word to comfort you. If your local church has been contaminated, you should not be discouraged. You should say, “Lord, now is Your time. Lord, come in. Satan’s contamination only brings in Your cleansing

二耶稣那是殿的身体被拆毁，在复活里被建立起来

B. The Body of Jesus Being the Temple Destroyed and Raised Up Again in Resurrection

8撒但的目的不仅要污染殿，更要拆毁殿。他最终的目的是要拆毁神的家。但是仇敌所拆毁的，主要在三日内建立起来。（约二。）这就是说，主在祂复活的生命里，将仇敌所拆毁的建造起来。我们无须为主召会的恢复忧虑，因为仇敌越破坏，主越在复活里建造。主的话乃是：『你们拆毁这殿，我三日内要将牠建立起来。』（约二19。）换句话说，仇敌可能破坏并拆毁召会，就是神的家；但主在复活里并藉著复活，要将她建立起来。在仇敌造成破坏之后，主在复活里要建立起更大的建筑。我们不该为召会中可能存在的混乱忧虑，因为主的身体，召会，在复活的过程中。仇敌的破坏是必需的，因为每样天然的东西都必须拆毁；也只有天然的东西能被仇敌拆毁。之后，主就要在复活里建立祂的召会。每一次当难处破坏召会之后，召会就在复活生命的新样中得到恢复并建立。已过我曾看见好些真正伤害召会的破坏工作，但是仇敌越破坏，主越在复活里并藉著复活建造祂的召会。

8Satan’s goal was not only to contaminate the temple, but to destroy it. His ultimate aim was to destroy the house of God. But what the enemy destroyed, the Lord raised up in three days (2:19). This means that in His resurrection life the Lord built up what was 19 destroyed by the enemy. It is needless for us to worry about the Lord’s recovery of the church, because the more the enemy damages, the more the Lord will build up in resurrection. The Lord’sword is, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (2:19). In other words, the enemy may damage and destroy the church, which is the house of God, but the Lord will build it up in resurrection and by resurrection. After the enemy has caused damage, the Lord, in resurrection, will rear up a building on a much larger scale. We should not worry about the confusion that may exist in the church, for the Lord’s Body, the church, is in the process of resurrection. The damage done by the enemy is necessary, because everything natural must be destroyed. Only that which is natural can be destroyed by the enemy. Afterward, the Lord will raise up His church in resurrection. Every time, after trouble damages the church, the church will be recovered and raised up in the newness of resurrection life. During the past, I have seen much damage that really hurt the church, but the more the enemy damaged, the more the Lord built up His church in and by His resurrection.

9十七年前，一九五八年，在台湾的众召会相当强。以后发生一些事情，让仇敌有机可乘，就有一场大风暴侵袭召会。那时我在那里，清楚看见那个情况，但是我不害怕。那次攻击开始于一九五八年。一九五九年，我带领一次约翰福音的生命读经，当我读到二章这里所谓的点时，我对他们说，『你们中间有人被仇敌利用，要拆毁召会。我要你们晓得，如果这里的召会是主所建造的，你们越要拆毁，她越要被建立。』以后我离开台湾，到了美国。我不怕那里的众召会被拆毁，所以我平安的离开那里，来到美国。之后，台湾众召会带头的人一再写信给我说，『仇敌作了很多工作。弟兄，请回来罢。』我四年没有回去。在那四年间，我收到好些台湾召会带头的弟兄们写来的信，说到仇敌所作破坏的工作，但是我每次回信都是说，『弟兄，安心罢。如果台湾岛上的众召会是主所建立的，就没有人能拆毁。他们越想拆毁召会，召会越要被建立。』现今到了一九七五年，在台湾的众召会刚强的被建立起来了。不要因今日基督徒的光景灰心，不要说情形太糟糕，这不过是图画的一面。赞美主，在已过二十个世纪，一直都有另一面。你信撒但能击败主耶稣么?这是不可能的。你信撒但强过主耶稣么?答案当然是否定的。根据这事实，我常常满了安息。不管召会中有多少麻烦，我内人可以见证，我总是睡得香甜。我有充分的把握，撒但绝不能打败主耶稣，而主总是胜过撒但的。

9Seventeen years ago, in 1958, the churches in Taiwan were quite strong. Then some things happened which opened the way for the enemy to come in. A great storm assailed the churches. I was there then and I saw the situation clearly, but I was not afraid. That attack began in 1958. In 1959 I was conducting a life-study of John. When I came to the very point in John 2 that I am covering in this message, I told the people, “Some of you are being used by the enemy to tear down the church. I would like to let you know that if the church here has been built by the Lord, the more you try to tear it down, the more it will be built up.” Later, I left Taiwan for the United States. I was not afraid that the churches there would be destroyed and so I left for the United States in peace. Afterward, the leading ones from the churches in Taiwan wrote me again and again, saying, “The enemy has done much. Brother, please come back.” I did not return for four years. During that four-year period, I received many letters from the leading brothers speaking of the damage that the enemy had done, but each time I wrote back, saying, “Brothers, be at peace. If the churches on the island of Taiwan were set up by the Lord, no one can tear them down. The more they attempt to destroy the churches, the more the churches will be built up.” Now, in the year 1975, all the churches in Taiwan are strongly established. Do not be disappointed at today’s Christian situation. Do not say that the situation is pitiful. That is only one aspect of the picture. Praise the Lord that during the past twenty centuries there has always been another aspect. Do you believe that Satan can defeat the Lord Jesus? This is impossible. Do you believe that Satan is stronger than the Lord Jesus? The answer, of course, is no. Based upon this fact, I have always been restful. Regardless of how much trouble there has been in the church, my wife can testify that I always sleep well. I have the full assurance that Satan can never defeat the Lord Jesus and that the Lord will always prevail over Satan.

10主耶稣告诉反对祂的人，他们若拆毁这殿，祂三日内要将牠再建立起来。（约二19。）他们不懂得祂在讲甚么。主是说，『你们可以将我治死，你们也能在十字架上杀死我的身体，但我要叫这身体三日内再建立起来。』不要仅仅照字句领会圣经，若是这样，你会自找麻烦。一面主耶稣告诉人，他们杀了祂以后，祂要叫自己复活。（太二十19。）另一面在新约别处告诉我们，神叫祂复活。（徒二24。）新约里有两种记载主复活的说法－神使祂复活，和祂自己复活。我们怎样来领会并解释这事呢?是神叫祂复活，或是祂自己复活?路加福音表明主耶稣是救主，为我们的罪作了牺牲，因此我们看见主需要神来使祂复活。（路九22。）但在约翰福音里，情形就不同了。主不是为罪被杀作牺牲，乃是祂自己将命舍了。主说，『因我将命舍去，好再取回来。没有人夺我的命去，是我自己舍的。我有权柄舍了，也有权柄再取回来。』（约十17～。）在约翰福音里，无需神来使祂复活。祂为罪作牺牲，就需要神叫祂复活；祂是那赐生命者，就能将命舍了，也能再取回来。祂能走进死亡里，也能再走出来。主似乎说，『就一面说，是你们杀了我；但在我这一面，是我走进死亡，在其中游历一番，又走出来了。』每年有许多观光客来到华府参观白宫。照样，主耶稣也游历了死域，参观了黑宫。主似乎说，『黑宫，我来瞧瞧你，看你能作甚么。你能在我身上作甚么？因为你无法在我身上作甚么，我游历之后就要向你告别，并且再回到生命里去。』这就是约翰福音里的复活。主耶稣舍了自己，又叫自己复活。

10The Lord Jesus told His opponents that if they destroyed this temple He would raise it again in three days (2:19). They did not understand what He was talking about. The Lord was saying, “You may put Me to death and you may kill My body on the cross, but I will raise it up again in three days.” Do not try to understand the Bible merely according to the black and white letters, for if you do, you will find yourself in difficulty. On the one hand, the Lord Jesus told the people that after they killed Him He would resurrect Himself (10:18). On the other hand, we are told elsewhere in the New Testament that God raised Him up (Acts 2:24). In the New Testament, there are two ways of recording the Lord’s resurrection—that God raised Him up and that He raised Himself up. How shall we understand or interpret this? Did God raise Him up or did He raise Himself up? In the Gospel of Luke, which shows the Lord Jesus as the Savior who was sacrificed for our sins, we see that the Lord needed God to raise Him up (Luke 9:22). In the Gospel of John the situation is different. In John, the Lord was not slain as a sacrifice for sins. Rather, He Himself laid down His life. Jesus said, “I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again” (10:17-18). In the Gospel of John, there was no 18 need for God to raise Him up. As the sacrifice for sins, He needed God to raise Him up; as the One who is the giver of life, He could lay down His life and take it up again. He could walk into death and walk out again. The Lord seemed to be saying, “In a sense, it is you that kill Me. But, in My sense, it is I who walk into death, take a tour of it, and walk out again.” Each year many tourists come to Washington, D.C. and look at the White House. Likewise, the Lord Jesus took a tour of the region of death and visited the Black House. The Lord seemed to be saying, “Black House, I have come to have a look at you and to see what you can do. Can you do anything with Me? Since you can do nothing with Me, after My tour I will bid you farewell and return to life again.” This is the resurrection in the Gospel of John. The Lord Jesus laid Himself down and raised Himself up again.

1 耶稣物质的身体在十字架上被犹太人拆毁

1. The Physical Body of Jesus Being Destroyed by the Jews on the Cross

11耶稣物质的身体在十字架上被犹太人拆毁。基督成为肉体时，穿上了物质的身体。约翰一章十四节清楚告诉我们，祂物质的身体乃是帐幕。按照约翰二章，祂物质的身体也是殿。我要指出，在整本新约，神的殿不是指一个地方，乃是指一个人。当耶稣在肉体里，祂的身体就是神的帐幕和神的殿。帐幕和殿都是神的居所。撒但知道这个。因著撒但知道耶稣物质的身体是神在地上的居所，他就尽所能的拆毁那身体；他藉著犹太人，在十字架上的确拆毁了那身体。就一面说，撒但拆毁了主物质的身体；就另一面说，主耶稣舍了祂的身体以至于死。主似乎对撒但说，『撒但，你尽力作罢。让我看你究竟能作甚么。不管你作甚么，不过给我更多作工的机会。』

11The physical body of Jesus was destroyed on the cross by the Jews. When Christ became flesh, He took on a physical body. In John 1:14 we are told clearly that His physical body was a tabernacle. According to chapter two of John, His physical body was also the temple. I wish to point out that throughout the New Testament, the temple of God does not denote a place; it denotes a Person. When Jesus was in the flesh, His body was the tabernacle and temple of God. Both the tabernacle and the temple are God’s dwelling place. Satan knew this. Since Satan realized that the physical body of Jesus was God’s dwelling place on earth, he did his best to destroy that body. And he did destroy it on the cross through the Jews. In a sense, Satan destroyed the Lord’s physical body; in another sense, the Lord Jesus gave up His body to death. The Lord seemed to be saying to Satan, “Satan, do your best. Let Me see what you can do. Whatever you do will just give Me an opportunity to do something further

2 耶稣在复活里使祂物质的身体复活成为神的殿

2. Jesus Raising Up His Physical Body in Resurrection to Be the House of God

12撒但在十字架上拆毁了主物质的身体以后，祂的身体被放在坟墓里，安息在那里。然后主耶稣进入死亡，游历了黑宫，就在复活里出来。当耶稣起来的时候，祂自己叫祂那死了、被埋葬的身体复活。耶稣在十字架上被拆毁的身体是微小软弱的；基督在复活里的身体是广大有能的。你要那一个－耶稣的身体，还是基督的身体?在主复活以后，祂的身体，就是殿，在更大的规模里被建立起来。仇敌藉钉十字架所拆毁的，仅仅是耶稣的身体；而主在复活里所复活的，不仅是祂自己的身体，更是每一位藉信与祂联合的人。（彼前一3，弗二6。）主复活之后，撒但不得不说，『我输了，我真笨。我不该拆毁祂。』可是撒但懊悔已为时太晚了。

12After Satan destroyed the Lord’s physical body on the cross, His body was put into a tomb and rested there. The Lord Jesus then went into death, took a tour of the Black House, and came out in resurrection. When Jesus arose, He Himself raised up His dead and buried body. The body of Jesus that was destroyed on the cross was small and weak; the Body of Christ in resurrection is vast and powerful. Which do you prefer to have—the body of Jesus or the Body of Christ? After the Lord’s resurrection, His Body, that is, the temple, was reared up on a much larger scale. The body the enemy destroyed by crucifixion was merely the body of Jesus; what was raised by the Lord in resurrection was not only His own body, but everyone who is joined to Him by faith (1 Pet. 1:3; Eph. 2:6). After the Lord’s resurrection, Satan would have had to say, “I lost my case. I was stupid. I shouldn’th ave destroyed Him.” Nevertheless, it was too late for Satan to repent

13一旦一个地方召会被破坏、被拆毁了；你可以确信，她在复活里，将比原初更扩大。主耶稣总是胜过仇敌的。不要因撒但的工作惊慌。许多时候我们无须这么迫切的祷告。我们只该说，『撒但，尽力作罢。无论你作甚么，不过给我们的主耶稣机会胜过你。』每当有难题临到召会，许多弟兄都觉得该马上召集聚会来祷告。然而不必那么急，安心罢。不要因撒但的活动惊慌。当主耶稣知道犹太人想要拆毁祂，祂并没有祷告说，『父阿，杀死这些犹太人。父阿，救我，保护我。』祂没有这样祷告，反而似乎告诉他们说，『尽所能的杀我罢。要确信，你们杀死我之后，我会得著机会扩增。』没有一个人能阻挠主的定旨。仇敌越想要阻挠，就越给主机会来作更多。主所作的总是在复活里。主『三日内』将殿建立起来，表征祂是在复活里建造。

13Once a local church has been damaged and destroyed, you can be assured that, in resurrection, it will become even larger than it was originally. The Lord Jesus is always more prevailing than the enemy. Do not be frightened by Satan’s work. Many times there is no need for us to pray so desperately. We should simply say, “Satan, do your best. Whatever you do will simply afford the opportunity for our Lord Jesus to overcome you.” Whenever a problem comes to the church, many brothers feel that they should immediately call a meeting and pray. However, you do not need to be that hasty. Be at peace. Do not be terrified by Satan’s activity. When the Lord Jesus knew that the Jews were attempting to destroy Him, He did not pray, “O Father, kill all these Jews. Father, save Me and protect Me.” Instead of praying that way, the Lord seemed to tell them, “Do your best to kill Me. Be assured that after you put Me to death I will have the opportunity to increase.” No one can frustrate the purpose of the Lord. The more the enemy tries to do, the more he affords the opportunity for the Lord to do something more. Whatever the Lord does is always in resurrection. The Lord builds the temple “in three days,” signifying that He builds it in resurrection.

3 耶稣的复活是惟一的神迹

3. The Resurrection of Jesus Being the Unique Sign

14犹太人求主显神迹给他们看。主回答说，『你们拆毁这殿，我三日内要将牠建立起来。』约二19。）主的复活是惟一的神迹。在召会的建造上，常常有人像犹太人一样向我们挑战，要看我们能行甚么神迹。我们不该受试诱想要行神迹。我们必须跟随主耶稣，让我们自己被治死，然后基督就要在复活里显明出来。这就是在召会的建造上所需要的神迹，表号。为著建造召会，惟一的神迹乃是在复活里的生命。

14The Jews asked the Lord Jesus to show them a sign. The Lord answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (2:19). The resurrection of the Lord is the unique sign. In the building up of the church, oftentimes people, like the Jews, will challenge us to see what miracles we can do. We should not be tempted to try to perform miracles. We have to follow the Lord Jesus and let ourselves be put to death. Then Christ will be manifested in resurrection. This is the miracle, the sign, that is needed in the building up of the church. The unique sign for the building up of the church is life in resurrection

4 神的家在复活里，仍与基督的身体一同扩增

4. The House of God Still Increasing in Resurrection with the Body of Christ

15自从祂物质的身体复活那一天，主耶稣一直在复活的生命里扩大祂的身体。今天基督在祂的复活里有何等大的身体！你能测量基督身体的大小么?虽然曾有一度，人可能测量耶稣物质的身体，但是你不可能测量基督身体的广大无边。主不断在复活里建造祂的身体，撒但是一直在帮这个忙。神的家在复活里仍与基督的身体一同扩增。（提前三15，彼前二5，林前二9，弗二21～22。）今天我们仍在『三日』内，因为主仍在复活的过程中，为著祂身体的建造作工。主的身体有一大部分已经复活，但还有一些肢体还没有复活。因此主的身体仍在复活的过程之中。甚至在你自己身上，也只有一部分是已经变化的；就是说，只有一部分是已经复活的。主继续藉著变化的过程，作工在你身上。你仍在复活的过程中。召会今天仍在那三日复活的过程中。

15Since the day of His physical resurrection, the Lord Jesus has been enlarging His Body in resurrection life. What an immense Body Christ has today in His resurrection! Can you measure the size of the Body of Christ? Although it once was possible to measure the size of the physical body of Jesus, it is impossible to measure the immensity of the Body of Christ. The Lord continues to build His Body in resurrection, and Satan keeps on helping this. The house of God is still increasing in resurrection with the Body of Christ (1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 2:5; 1 Cor. 3:9; Eph. 2:21-22). Today, we are still within “the three days,” because the Lord is still working for the building of His Body under the process of resurrection. A great part of the Lord’s Body has already been raised, but there are still some members of His Body who are not yet raised. Therefore, the Lord’s Body is still in the process of resurrection. Even with yourself, only a part has been transformed, which means that only a part has been resurrected. The Lord continues to work on you through the process of transformation. You are still in the process of resurrection. The church today is still in the three days’ process of resurrection.

16仇敌对召会一切的破坏，只是给主机会在复活里扩大祂的身体。从一九五八年起，若没有仇敌所兴起的风暴，拆毁在台湾的召会生活，也许今天我不会在美国。让仇敌畅所欲为罢，因为他的工作不过给主机会，在复活里作祂扩增的工作。赞美主，自从主在美国开始祂的恢复，好些消极的事已经发生了。但我们都必须为著祂的无往不胜敬拜祂。我没有看见一件事，在其中仇敌是得胜的。他帮助了主的恢复。仇敌永远不能胜过主耶稣。阴间的门永远不能胜过建造的召会。（太十六18。）召会仍在往前，仍在增长。阿利路亚！虽然仇敌会竭尽所能来拆毁，但我们要看见主的得胜。我们要看见，不只主耶稣自己是得胜的，召会也是得胜的。关于主的恢复，消极的话越多，祂的恢复就越得胜。

16All the damage that the enemy does to the church simply offers the Lord the opportunity to enlarge His Body in resurrection. If, since 1958, there had not been that storm caused by the enemy to destroy the church life in Taiwan, I might not be in this country today. Let the enemy do whatever he can, for his work simply gives the Lord the opportunity to do His increasing work in resurrection. Praise the Lord! Since the Lord started His recovery in the United States, many negative things have occurred. But we all must worship Him for His prevailing way. I have not seen one case in which the enemy has prevailed. He has helped the Lord’s recovery. The enemy can never defeat the Lord Jesus. The gates of hades can never prevail against the builded church (Matt. 16:18). The church is still going on and is still growing. Hallelujah! Although the enemy may try his best to tear it down, we shall see the victory. We shall see that not only the Lord Jesus Himself is prevailing, but that the church also is prevailing. The more negative talk there is about the Lord’s recovery, the more prevailing His recovery becomes

三变死亡为生命乃是为著建造神的家

C. The Changing of Death into Life Being for the Building of God’sHo use

17变水为酒的事立定了生命的原则。现在，在对付殿的事上，我们看见了生命的目的。生命的原则是变死亡为生命，生命的目的是建造神的家。生命的原则是为著生命的目的。变死亡为生命是为著生命的建造，就是神家的建造。这两点管治了整本约翰福音。这就是何以在一章的引言之后，二章接著就藉两件事给我们看见这两点。然后从三至十一章乃是九个事例的记载，证明主如何进到人各种不同的处境，变死亡为生命。在述说过这些事例之后，并在十四、十五、十六章释放过末了一篇信息之后，在十七章里主向父献上关于合一的祷告。这为著合一的祷告，就是为著建造的祷告。我们若没有建造在一起，我们绝不可能是一。比方说，一堆材料并不是一，因为这些材料没有建造在一起。一栋房子是由许多材料组成的，这些材料之所以是一，乃是因为建造在一起。只有材料建造在一起成为一个建筑时，才有一。一的意思就是被建造在一起。因此生命的目的乃是建造神的家，神的殿，作神的居所。主作我们生命的目的，乃为建造召会作神的居所。生命是为著建造，生命是为著召会。乃是为著建造召会，祂的身体，祂的家，主来作了我们的生命。

17In the changing of water into wine, the principle of life was set forth. Now, in the dealing with the temple, the purpose of life is shown. The principle of life is to change death into life. The purpose of life is to build the house of God. The principle of life is for the purpose of life. The changing of death into life is for life’s building, the building of God’sho use. These two points govern the whole Gospel of John. This is why after the introduction in the first chapter, the second chapter follows to show us these two points by two events. Then from chapter three through chapter eleven is the record of the nine cases proving how the Lord came into all kinds of human situations and changed death into life. After all of the cases have been related and after the last message has been given in chapters fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen, in chapter seventeen the Lord offered a prayer to the Father about oneness. This prayer for oneness was simply a prayer for the building. If we are not built together, we can never be one. For example, a heap of materials is not one, because the materials are not built together. A house is composed of many materials, and these materials are one because they are built together. Only when the materials are built up together as one building is there oneness. Oneness means to be built up together. Therefore, the purpose of life is to build up God’sho use, God’stem ple, for God’s habitation. The purpose of the Lord being life to us is to build the church as God’s dwelling place. Life is for the building. Life is for the church. It is for the building of the church, His Body and God’sho use, that the Lord has come to be our life.

18在约翰二章，作者从主所行的许多事中，挑选了两件事，给我们看见生命的原则和目的。我们必须应用生命的原则，为著生命的目的。然后我们就看见，在约翰福音以下各章，一面有第一件事所表明生命的原则，一面又有第二件事所显示生命的目的。

18In John 2 the writer selected two events of the many things done by the Lord to show us the principle and the purpose of life. We must apply the principle of life for the purpose of life. Then we shall see that in the following chapters of the Gospel of John there are both the principle of life as signified in the first event and the purpose of life as shown in the second event