3在林前三章,保罗也说到长大。在九节他指出信徒乃是神的耕地。在六节他说,『我栽种了,亚波罗浇灌了,惟有神叫他生长。』这含示圣徒乃是神耕地上的植物。在召会中,在神的耕地上,我们乃是生长的植物。像植物那样生长的观念,也见于罗马十一章;保罗在那里用野橄榄树的枝子接在好橄榄树上来作例证。在神眼中,我们都是植物或树木。在六章五节,保罗用了一个特别的希腊字指明长大(恢复本译为『联合生长』)。在英文中要找出相等的字很不容易;这字的意思是,藉著栽种或接枝而长大。栽种和接枝都是为著长大。一棵树栽种在土里便能长大;照样,接枝的目的也是长大。最近,一位弟兄指出,在哥迪特(FrederickLouisGodet)所著的罗马书评注中,对这希腊字有很特别的解释。根据哥迪特所说的,(二四三页,)这字指明:『一者有分于另一者的生命、长大、和生存状态而有的生机联结。』两棵植物藉著接枝而有了生机的联结,一棵植物就有分于另一棵植物的生命与特征。何等奇妙的长大方式!把这解释应用到我们的属灵经历中,我们可以说,我们已经接枝到包罗万有、赐生命、经过过程的三一神这棵『树』上了;祂乃是包罗万有的灵。我们已藉著接枝与祂成为一,现今就有分于这位包罗万有者的生命与特征,并且以这种方式长大。
3In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul also speaks of growth. In verse 9 he points out that the believers are God’s farm. In verse 6 he says, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the growth” (Gk.). This implies that the saints are plants in God’s farm. In the church, God’s farm, we are plants growing. The concept of growing like plants is also found in Romans 1 1, where Paul uses the illustration of grafting a branch from a wild olive tree into a cultivated olive tree. In the eyes of God, we all are plants, or trees. In Romans 6:5 Paul uses a particular Greek word to indicate growth. It is very difficult to find an English equivalent for this word, which means to grow by being planted or grafted. Both planting and grafting are for growth. A tree is planted in the soil so that it may grow. Like wise, the purpose of grafting is growth. Recently, a brother pointed out a marvelous definition of this Greek word found in Commentary on Romans by FrederickLouis Godet. According to Godet (p. 243), the word denotes “the organic union in virtue of which one being shares the life, growth, and phases of existence belonging to another.” Through the organic union of two plants, accomplished by grafting, the one plant partakes of the life and characteristics of the other plant. What a wonderful way of growth! Applying this definition to our spiritual experience, we may say that we have been grafted into the “tree” of the all-inclusive, life- giving, processed Triune God, who is the all-inclusive Spirit. Having become one with Him through grafting, we now partake of the life and characteristics of this all-inclusive One, and in this way we grow.