【读圣经学英语】在旷野里呼喊者的声音

约翰福音-John 1 章19~23节

1:19	以下是约翰所作的见证：犹太人从耶路撒冷差祭司和利未人到他那里，问他说，你是谁？ And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?
1:20	他就承认，并不否认，承认说，我不是基督。 And he confessed and did not deny, and he confessed, I am not the Christ.
1:21	他们又问他说，那么你是谁？是以利亚么？他说，我不是。是那申言者么？他回答说，不是。 And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? And he answered, No.
1:22	于是他们说，你到底是谁？叫我们好回复差我们来的人。关于你自己，你怎么说？ They said then to him, Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?
1:23	他说，我就是那在旷野里呼喊者的声音：“修直主的道路！”正如申言者以赛亚所说的。 He said, I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord!'' as Isaiah the prophet said.

亮光

十九至二十五节启示出，热心宗教之人的观念与神圣的思想完全相反。热心宗教的人根据经书，期待一位伟大的首领，如弥赛亚、以利亚或那申言者。（但九26，玛四5，申十八15，18。）宗教的观念总是寻找一位像弥赛亚那样的大人物，或是一位像以利亚那样伟大的申言者。热心宗教的人总是想到一位伟大的首领，会行奇事，行神迹以拯救、释放他们。因此犹太首领差遣人去问施浸者约翰，他是不是弥赛亚？约翰当然回答说，『我不是。』然后他们又问，他是不是以利亚？他又回答说，『不是。』在申命记十八章，摩西应许以色列人，有一位大申言者要来。所以，从那一天起，以色列人一直期待那位申言者来临；当施浸者约翰出现的时候，他们就问他是不是那一位。但约翰说他不是那申言者。同样的原则仍旧存在于今天宗教的光景中。各处的人都期待有一位闻名世界的传道人。

约翰福音这一段里的对比，使人非常有印象。我们看见，热心宗教的人期待一位伟大的首领，他们询问施浸者约翰，他是不是弥赛亚、以利亚、或那申言者。约翰一再回答说『不是，』他们终于问他：『你到底是谁？ …关于你自己，你怎么说？』约翰回答说，『我就是那在旷野里呼喊者的声音。』什么是声音？声音就是什么也不是。你听到声音之后，它就消失了。你摸不着它。约翰好像说，『我什么也不是，我谁也不是，我只是一个声音。我不是弥赛亚，不是以利亚，也不是那申言者。』

Enlightenment:

Verses 19 through 25 reveal the concept of religious people, which is entirely contrary to the divine thought. The religious people were looking for a great leader such as the Messiah, Elijah, or the prophet (according to the Scriptures, Dan. 9:26; Mal. 4:5; Deut. 18:15, 18). The religious concept is that of always looking to a great one such as the Messiah or to a great prophet such as Elijah. Religious people always think in terms of a great leader who will do wonderful things and perform marvelous miracles to save and deliver them. The Jewish leaders, therefore, sent people to ask John the Baptist if he was the Messiah. John, of course, replied, “I am not.” Then they asked if he was Elijah, and again he answered, “No.” In the eighteenth chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses promised Israel that a great prophet would come. So, from that day, Israel continually looked for the coming of that prophet, and when John the Baptist came upon the scene, they asked him if he was the one. Nevertheless, John said that he was not that prophet. The same principle still exists in today’s religious situation. People everywhere expect to have a great world-famous preacher.

The contrast in this portion of the Gospel of John is very impressive. We have seen that the religionists were expecting a great leader and that they inquired of John the Baptist whether he was the Messiah, Elijah, or the prophet. When John repeatedly answered, “No,” they finally asked him, “Who are you? What do you say about yourself?” John answered, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness.” What is a voice? A voice is nothing. You hear it, and it is gone. You cannot touch it. John seemed to be saying, “I am nothing. I am nobody. I am just a voice. I am not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet.”