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以弗所书生命读经 · 第53篇

基督与召会奥秘的豫表

A MYSTERIOUS TYPE
OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
1使徒在以弗所五章的劝勉里，陈明召会是基督的新妇。召会的这一面启示：召会出自基督，如同夏娃出自亚当；（创二21～22；）召会与基督有同一的生命和性情，并作祂的配偶，与祂成为一，如同夏娃与亚当成为一体。（24。）召会是新人，是恩典和实际的事；召会是基督的新妇，是爱和光的事。使徒在四章劝勉的中心是新人，以恩典和实际为基本元素；而他在五章劝勉的中心是基督的新妇，以爱和光为基本本质。在恩典和实际里，我们的行事为人该是新人；在爱和光里，我们的生活该是基督的新妇。
1In his exhortation in chapter five, the apostle presents the church as the Bride of Christ. This aspect of the church reveals that the church comes out of Christ as Eve came out of Adam (Gen. 2:21-22), that she has the same life and nature as Christ, and that she, as His counterpart, becomes one with Him as Eve became one flesh with Adam (Gen. 2:24). The church as the new man is a matter of grace and truth, whereas the church as the Bride of Christ is a matter of love and light. The apostle’s exhortation in chapter four is focused on the new man with grace and truth as its basic elements, but his exhortation in chapter five is focused on the Bride of Christ with love and light as its basic substances. In grace and truth we should live as the new man, and in love and light we should conduct ourselves as the Bride of Christ
2许多基督徒知道，丈夫和妻子是基督与召会的豫表，然而，他们多半只肤浅的知道这豫表。他们对这奥秘豫表的认识，没有摸著他们全人，也没有影响他们的生活。我们需要进入这豫表的深处，好使我们全人和我们的生活能因而改变。
2Many Christians know that husband and wife are a type of Christ and the church. However, most know this type only in a superficial way. Their knowledge of this mysterious type does not touch their being or affect their living. We need to get into the depths of this type in order that our being and our life may be changed by it
3基督与召会的一幅完整图画
3A COMPLETE PICTURE OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
4圣经的头一对夫妇，亚当和夏娃，陈明基督与召会一幅满了意义且完整的图画。按照创世记，神不是同时，也不是用同样的方式造男造女。首先，神用地上的尘土造了男人的身体。然后，祂将生命之气吹进他的鼻孔里，那人就成了活的魂。（创二7。）神造了男人之后，说，『那人独居不好，我要为他造一个配偶帮助他。』（18。）鸟兽被带到亚当面前，亚当给牠们起名。但是亚当『没有遇见配偶帮助他』。（20。）亚当里面渴望得著一个配偶，得著与他相配的人。牲畜、野兽、飞禽当中，没有亚当的配偶。为要产生这样的配偶，『耶和华神使他沉睡。』（21。）在亚当沉睡时，耶和华取了亚当的一条肋骨，并用这条肋骨建造成一个女人。（22，原文。）女人在生命、性情、和形状上都和男人一样。因此，当神把女人带到亚当面前时，亚当惊奇的说，『这是我骨中的骨，肉中的肉。』（23。）亚当知道他终于找到了他的配偶。
4The first couple in the Bible, Adam and Eve, present a significant and complete picture of Christ and the church. According to the book of Genesis, God did not create man and woman at the same time and in the same way. Firstly, God formed man’s body from the dust of the ground. Then He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul (Gen. 2:7). After God created man, He said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helpmeet for him” (Gen. 2:18). The animals and the fowl were brought to Adam, and Adam named them. But for Adam “there was not found a help meet for him” (Gen. 2:20). Within Adam there was the desire to have a counterpart, to have someone to match him. Among the cattle, the beasts, and the fowl, there was no counterpart to Adam. In order to produce such a counterpart, “the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam” (Gen. 2:21). While Adam slept, the Lord took one of Adam’s ribs and used it for the building of a woman (Gen. 2:22, Heb.). In life, nature, and form the woman was the same as the man. Therefore, when God brought the woman to Adam, Adam exclaimed, “This time it is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:23, Heb.). Adam knew that at last he had found his counterpart.
5创世记二章二十四节指明，男人和他的妻子乃是一体。我们不该把丈夫和妻子当作两个分开的人，乃该当作一个完整的人，当作一个完整单位的两半。丈夫和妻子是一个完整的单位，这是一幅美妙的图画，说出基督与召会乃是一个实体。因为在受造的宇宙中没有基督的配偶，神就使基督死在十字架上。当祂睡在那里，祂的肋旁裂开，有血和水流出来。（约十九34。）在创世记二章，罪的难处还没有进来，所以那里只题到从亚当身上取下肋骨，一点也没有说到血。但是约翰十九章说到那解决罪之难处的血。水表征基督涌流的生命，就是那产生召会的永远生命。这生命也由肋骨所表征。按照约翰十九章，当主在十字架上时，祂的骨头一根也没有折断。这应验了经上所说的：『祂一身的骨头，连一根也不折断。』（诗三四20。）基督那没有折断的骨头，表征基督那不能毁坏的永远生命。因此，亚当的肋骨表征基督那不能毁坏的永远生命。召会乃是以这永远的生命建造成为新妇，就是为基督所豫备的配偶。这新妇被建造，基督就为自己得著召会作祂的配偶。我们已经指出，夏娃和亚当有同样的生命和性情。这表征召会与基督有同样的生命与性情。不仅如此，正如夏娃和亚当实际上有相同的形像，召会和基督也有同样的形像。再者，夏娃和亚当在身量上也极其相似，这指明召会和基督有一样的身量。
5Genesis 2:24 indicates that a man and his wife are one flesh. We should regard a husband and wife not as two separate persons, but as one complete person, as two halves of a whole unit. A husband and a wife as a complete unit are a marvelous picture of Christ and the church as one entity. Because there was no counterpart for Christ in the created universe, God caused Christ to die on the cross. As He slept there, His side was opened, and blood and water came forth (John 19:34). Because in Genesis 2 the problem of sin had not come in, that chapter mentions only the rib that was taken out of Adam; it says nothing about blood. But John 19 speaks of blood, which solves the problem of sin. The water signifies the flowing life of Christ, the eternal life, which produces the church. This life is also typified by the rib. According to John 19, not one of the Lord’s bones was broken when He was on the cross. This was a fulfillment of the Scripture which said, “Not a bone of him shall be broken” (Psa. 34:20). The unbroken bone of Christ signifies Christ’sun breakable eternal life. Hence, Adam’s rib typifies the unbreakable eternal life of Christ. It is with this eternal life that the church is built up as the Bride, the counterpart prepared for Christ. In this building up of the Bride, Christ gains the church as a match for Himself. We have pointed out that Eve had the same life and nature that Adam had. This signifies that the church has the same life and nature that Christ has. Furthermore, just as Eve had virtually the same image as Adam, so the church bears the same image as Christ. Moreover, in stature Eve was very nearly the same as Adam. This indicates that the church has the same stature as Christ
一个完整的单位
a complete unit
6亚当和夏娃合成一个完整的单位。同样的原则，基督与召会合成一个完整的单位。召会是基督的另一半。亚当和夏娃成为一体，但基督与召会乃是成为一灵。（林前六17。）我们可以对主说，『主耶稣，若没有召会，你只不过是一半，你不完整。照样，若没有你，我们也不完整。』赞美主，基督与召会联结为一，成了一个完整的单位！
6To gether Ad am and Eve made a complete unit. In the same principle, Christ and the church make a complete unit. The church is Christ’s other half. Ad am and Eve became one flesh, but Christ and the church are one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). We can say to the Lord, “Lord Jesus, without the church, You are just a half. You are not complete. Likewise, without You, we are not complete either.” Praise the Lord that when Christ and the church are joined as one, they make a complete unit!
7在召会中，我们天然的生命和堕落的人性没有地位。人的生命和性情不足以与基督相配。我们要成为基督的配偶，就需要在生命上和性情上与祂成为一。这意思是说，基督与召会是一个单位，有同样的生命和性情。不仅如此，基督与召会有同样的形像和身量。我们不该只把这事当作道理来认识，乃要看见这是个属天的异象。我们需要看见，为甚么我们必须接受基督作我们的生命，并有分于祂神圣的性情，不仅如此，更要变化成为祂的形像，从荣耀到荣耀。我们也需要看见，我们必须达到基督丰满之身材的度量，因为我们要成为基督的配偶。我们若看见这异象，就能明白以弗所五章里基督与召会的豫表。
7In the church there is no place for our natural life and fallen human nature. The human life and nature are not adequate to match Christ. In order to be His counterpart, we need to be one with Christ in life and in nature. This means that Christ and the church as one unit have the same life and nature. Furthermore, Christ and the church have the same image and stature. We should not merely know this as a doctrine, but see it as a heavenly vision. We need to see why we must receive Christ as our life and partake of His divine nature and, furthermore, be transformed into His image from glory to glory. We also need to see that we must attain to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ because we are to be Christ’s counterpart. If we see this vision, we shall be able to understand the type of Christ and the church in chapter five of Ephesians.
基督保养召会
CHRIST NOURISHING THE CHURCH
8现在我们要往前来看基督如何保养顾惜召会。当我们得了保养，有些东西就进到我们里面，应付我们的需要。所以，保养必定出自供应。没有供应，就不可能有保养。
8At this point we need to go on to consider how Christ nourishes and cherishes the church. When we are nourished, something enters into our being to meet our need. Nourishment, therefore, must come out of a supply. Without a supply, it is impossible to have nourishment
9基督以父的一切丰富来保养召会。基督是神格丰满的具体化身。因此，神一切的丰富都在祂里面，祂也享受这些丰富。然后祂以自己所享受的神格丰富，来保养召会。这从约翰十五章可以得著证明。在这章里，主耶稣说祂是葡萄树，父是栽培的人。父是耕种者、栽种者，也是农夫。我们这些在基督里的信徒乃是枝子。葡萄树以从土里所吸收的，来滋养枝子。父神乃是作葡萄树之基督的土壤、水和一切。葡萄树从土壤和水吸取丰富，消化之后，又输送到枝子里。这就是滋养。基督以祂从父所吸收且消化的丰富，来保养召会。藉著保养召会，基督应付了召会的内里需要。基督以祂的生命和祂的话保养召会，这样说是对的。但生命和话都不是源头；源头乃是父。基督从父所领受的，成了那具体化于话里的生命和生命的供应。因这缘故，神的话就是生命的话，也就是生命的粮或生命的供应。今天我们若要得著基督的保养，就需要住在祂里面，吸取祂的成分进到我们的所是里，作生命和生命的供应。我们要实际的经历这事，就需要天天接触活的话，因为神的话乃是生命和生命供应的具体化。我们越住在主里面，越接触神的话，就越经历祂的保养。这就是基督保养召会的路。
9Christ nourishes the church with all the riches of the Father. Christ is the embodiment of the fullness of the Godhead. Hence, all the riches of God are in Him, and He enjoys these riches. Then He nourishes the church with the very riches of the Godhead that He Himself has enjoyed. This is proved by John 1 5. In this chapter the Lord Jesus says that He is the vine and that the Father is the husbandman. The Father is the cultivator, the planter, the farmer. We, the believers in Christ, are the branches. The vine nourishes the branches with what the vine absorbs from the soil. God the Father is the soil, the water, and everything to Christ as the vine. The vine absorbs the riches from the soil and the water, digests them, and then transmits them to the branches. This is the nourishing. Christ nourishes the church with the riches of the Father which He has absorbed and assimilated. By nourishing the church, Christ meets the inward need of the church. It is correct to say that Christ nourishes the church with His life and with His word. But neither life nor His word is the source. The source is the Father. What Christ receives of the Father becomes the life and the life supply which are embodied in the Word. For this reason, the Word is the word of life, even the bread of life or the supply of life. If we would be nourished by Christ today, we need to abide in Him to absorb His content into our being as life and the life supply. In order to experience this in a practical way, we daily need to contact the living Word, for the Word is the embodiment of life and of the life supply. The more we abide in the Lord and contact the Word, the more we experience His nourishing. This is the way Christ nourishes the church.
10召会所有的肢体都必须操练住在主里面。我们和主之间不该有绝缘体，不该有分隔，也不该与祂脱节。一旦我们与祂脱了节，滋养的供应就断绝了。我们要不断的住在主里面，同时也必须天天来到主的话前，接受话作我们的生命和生命的供应。这样，我们就得到滋养。不仅如此，召会一切的聚会都该是滋养的聚会。晨更以及我们与圣徒的交通，也该是滋养的时刻。当我们得著生命和生命供应的滋养时，我们就得以长大且被洁净。在下一篇信息里，我们将看到滋养的话也是洗涤的话、洁净的话。我们所喝的水，洁净我们里面的每一部分。当我们住在主里面，接受父的丰富，并且当我们接触神的话，以接受生命和生命的供应时，我们就得著基督的保养。基督乃是这样保养祂所爱的召会。
10All the members of the church need to practice abiding in the Lord. There should be no insulation, no separation, between us and the Lord and no detachment from Him. As soon as we are detached from Him, the supply of nourishment is cut off. Along with abiding in the Lord constantly, we must daily come to the Word and take it in as our life and life supply. Then we shall receive nourishment. Furthermore, all the meetings of the church should be meetings of nourishment. Morning watch and our fellowship with the saints should also be times of nourishment. As we are nourished by the life and the life supply, we grow and we are purified. In the following message we shall see that the nourishing word is also the washing word, the cleansing word. The water we drink cleanses the fibers of our inner being. As we abide in the Lord to receive the riches of the Father and as we contact the Word to receive the life and the life supply, we are nourished by Christ. In this way Christ nourishes the church He loves
基督顾惜召会
CHRIST CHERISHING THE CHURCH
11按照新约，基督对召会的照顾有两方面。内里的一面是保养，外在的一面是顾惜。得著保养就是有一些东西内在的分赐到我们里面，得著顾惜就是在外面得著温暖和安慰。顾惜与环境有关。在我们的环境或景况中，主耶稣对我们常是那样真实，就像一阵温暖的微风，吹在我们身上。当这阵温暖的微风吹到我们身上时，我们就觉得受到柔和的抚慰。虽然这是在环境里发生的，却是多过于环境本身。这甚至超过了主的同在。当主的同在成了温和的微风时，我们就经历了祂的顾惜。这顾惜包含了抚慰、安慰和安息。在召会生活的环境里，虽然我们甚或感觉不到，但我们却是常常经历主的顾惜。然而我们若在一个没有召会的环境里一段时间，我们就会感觉气候改变了，环境不同了。我们才开始觉得失去一些东西，那柔和、温暖的微风不再吹在我们身上了。我们物质上的需要可能样样具备，但我们知道，我们原先所享受的一些东西已经失去了。当我们回到召会生活时，我们立刻自然而然的进入主顾惜的环境和气氛里。我们再一次被温暖、受抚慰、并得安慰。这就是顾惜。
11According to the New Testament, Christ’s care of the church has two aspects. The inner aspect is the nourishing, and the outer aspect is the cherishing. To be nourished is to have something imparted into us inwardly, whereas to be cherished is to be warmed and comforted outwardly. Cherishing is related to environment. In our environment or circumstances the Lord Jesus is often real to us as a warm, tender breeze blowing upon us. As this warm breeze comes upon us, we have the sense of being soothed tenderly. Although this takes place in the environment, it is something more than the environment itself. It i seven something that surpasses the Lord’s presence. When the Lord’s presence becomes a gentle breeze, we experience His cherishing. This cherishing includes soothing, comfort, and rest. In the environment of the church life, we often experience the Lord’s cherishing, although we may not even be conscious of it. However, if for any length of time we are in an environment where there is no church, we sense that the climate has changed and that the environment is different. Then we begin to sense that we have lost something, that the tender, warm breeze is no longer blowing upon us. We may have everything necessary for our material existence, but we know that something we formerly enjoyed is missing. When we return to the church life, we immediately and spontaneously enter into the environment and atmosphere of the Lord’s cherishing. Once again we are warmed, soothed, and comforted. This is cherishing.
12正如一个孩子因他母亲的同在得了顾惜，我们也因主的同在得了顾惜。我的小孙女常常只渴望和她母亲亲密的同在。只要有她母亲的同在，对她就是安慰。她母亲的同在给她一种柔和温暖的气氛。照样，主的同在产生一种柔和温暖的气氛，顾惜我们全人。我们乃是在召会的聚会里经历这样的气氛。每当有圣徒不关心聚会，只喜欢在他们家里交通时，我就难过。在你家里的交通不论有多享受，那里的气氛都不像在聚会里那样能顾惜人。在圣徒的聚集里，属灵的气氛是何等的令人愉快！只要我们一进入这气氛，我们就得到主同在的顾惜。主乃是藉著祂覆翼的同在所产生的气氛，来顾惜召会。在这种空气、这种气氛、这种环境里，我们就得著安息、安慰、医治、洁净和鼓励。没有一种气氛能与召会聚会的气氛相比。为这缘故，我不愿意漏掉任何一次召会的聚会。
12Just as a child is cherished by the very presence of his mother, so we are cherished by the Lord’s presence. My little granddaughter often desires simply to be intimately in her mother’s presence. Simply to be in the presence of her mother is a comfort to her. The presence of her mother provides a tender, warm atmosphere. In like manner, the Lord’s presence produces an atmosphere of tenderness and warmth to cherish our very being. We experience such an atmosphere in the church meetings. I am saddened whenever there are saints who do not care for the meetings, but prefer simply to have fellowship in their homes. No matter how enjoyable the fellowship may be in your home, the atmosphere there is not nearly as cherishing as the atmosphere in the meetings. How pleasant is the spiritual climate in the gathering of the saints! As soon as we enter this atmosphere, we are cherished by the Lord’s presence. It is by the atmosphere produced by the Lord’s brooding presence that the Lord cherishes the church. To be in this climate, this atmosphere, this environment, gives us rest, comfort, healing, cleansing, and encouragement. No atmosphere can compare to the atmosphere of the church meetings. For this reason I do not want to miss even one meeting of the church
13保养和顾惜是并行的。藉著保养，我们在内里享受生命的供应；藉著顾惜，我们在外面经历抚慰、安慰的空气。每当我们在顾惜的气氛里，我们就能吸收职事的每一句话。这指明在顾惜之下，我们得著保养。这样得著保养和顾惜的召会，必是刚强而健康的。保养和顾惜乃是召会的分；在每一次聚会中，都该有保养和顾惜。在聚会中若没有保养和顾惜，那就有问题了。然而，这问题也许在你身上，不在召会身上。你若是正确、正当并健康的，你就会享受召会中主同在的顾惜气氛，并且在这气氛里接受生命𫗪养的供应。为著主如此照顾召会，赞美祂！召会的人有特权在这种美好、柔和、亲密且真实的方式下享受主。
13Nourishing and cherishing go together. Through the nourishing we enjoy the supply of life inwardly, and through the cherishing we experience the soothing, comforting atmosphere outwardly. Whenever we are in an atmosphere of cherishing, we can absorb every word of the ministry. This indicates that under the cherishing we receive nourishing. A church that is nourished and cherished in such a way will be strong and healthy. The nourishing and the cherishing are the church’sport i on, and they should be found in every meeting. If there is no nourishing and cherishing in the meetings, then there is a problem. The problem, however, may be with you and not with the church. If you are proper, normal, and healthy, you will enjoy the cherishing atmosphere of the Lord’s presence in the church and in this atmosphere receive the nourishing supply of life. Praise the Lord for the way He cares for the church! The church people have the privilege of enjoying the Lord in such a fine, tender, intimate, real way
基督的扩增
CHRIST’SIN CREASE
14正如夏娃是亚当的妻子，召会也照样是基督的新妇。（约三29，启十九7，二一2，9。）不仅如此，夏娃是亚当的扩增，召会也是基督的扩增。（约三30。）当人告诉施浸者约翰，众人都到基督那里去了，约翰说，『娶新妇的，就是新郎。』（29。）然后他继续说，『祂必扩增，我必衰减。』（30。）三十节的扩增就是二十九节的新妇。主要得著扩增，意思就是说，祂必要得著新妇。凡跟随的人，必须到祂那里去。所有信祂的人都该跟随祂，作祂的扩增。虽然约翰在这事上说了清楚的话，但他不愿意这样实行。这就是神许可他被下在监里，后来被斩首的原因。至终，施浸者约翰甚么也没有得著；一切的扩增，就是新妇，都到新郎那里，成为祂的扩增。正如夏娃是亚当的扩增，作基督新妇的召会也照样是基督的扩增。
14As Eve was Adam’s wife, so the church is Christ’s Bride (John 3:29; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9). Furthermore, Eve was Adam’sin crease, and the church is Christ’sin crease (John 3:30). When John the Baptist was told of the many who were coming to Christ, John said, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom” John 3:29). Then he went on to say, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (v. 30). The increase in verse 30 is the Bride in verse 29. For the Lord to increase means that He must have the Bride. All the following must go to Him. All those who believe in Him should follow Him to be His increase. Although John spoke a clear word regarding this, he was not willing to practice it. This was the reason that God allowed him to be imprisoned and later beheaded. Eventually, John the Baptist received nothing, and all the increase, the Bride, went to the Bridegroom to be His increase. Just as Eve was Adam’sin crease, so the church as the Bride of Christ is Christ’sin crease
15婚姻生活和召会生活以弗所五章揭示基督与召会这奥秘豫表的许多方面，这些方面若印在我们里面，我们就不仅会有正确的召会生活，也会有正确的婚姻生活。作妻子的会知道她们的职责是甚么，作丈夫的也会知道他们的职责是甚么。保罗在这里的负担，是同时顾到婚姻生活和召会生活。在他的著作里，他没有把婚姻生活和召会生活分开，反而把这二者调和在一起，因为他知道，婚姻生活实际上就是召会生活的一部分。没有正确的婚姻生活，就很难有正确的召会生活。我们感谢主，藉著正确的召会生活，我们的婚姻生活也能变得正确。何等奇妙！这就是基督与召会奥秘的豫表。
15THE MARRIED LIFE AND THE CHURCH LIFE If we are impressed with the various aspects of the mysterious type of Christ and the church unveiled in this chapter of Ephesians, we shall have not only a proper church life, but also a proper married life. The wives will know what their responsibility is, and the husbands will know their responsibility. Paul’s burden here was to cover both married life and the church life at the same time. In his writing he did not separate married life from the church life. Rather, he blended the two together, for he knew that married life is actually part of the church life. Without the married life being proper, it is difficult to have a proper church life. We thank the Lord that through the proper church life our married life also can become proper. How wonderful! This is a mysterious type of Christ and the church