【读圣经学英语】那灵，仿佛鸽子从天降下

约翰福音-John 1 章30~34节

1:30	这就是我曾说，有一个人在我以后来，成了在我以前的，因祂原是比我先的。 This is He of whom I said, A man is coming after me who has become ahead of me, because He was before me.
1:31	我先前不认识祂，但为了叫祂显明给以色列人，所以我来在水里施浸。 And I did not know Him, but in order that He might be manifested to Israel, for this reason I came baptizing in water.
1:32	约翰又作见证说，我曾看见那灵，仿佛鸽子从天降下，停留在祂身上。 And John testified, saying, I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He abode upon Him.
1:33	我先前不认识祂，只是那差我来在水里施浸的，对我说，你看见那灵降下来，停留在谁身上，谁就是在圣灵里施浸的。 And I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water, He said to me, He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and abiding upon Him, this is He who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.
1:34	我看见了，就见证这是神的儿子。 And I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.

亮光

约翰不仅介绍基督是神的羔羊，更是带着鸽子的羔羊。（约一32～33。）羔羊除去人的罪，鸽子将神带给人作生命。羔羊是为着救赎，要把堕落的人赎回归给神；鸽子是为着生命的分赐和施膏，以神的所是涂抹人，将神带进人里面，也将人带进神里面，并且使信徒在神里面联结一起。人要有分于神，这二者都是不可少的。鸽子是圣灵的象征，其工作是将神带给人，并使神联于人。羔羊在消极一面，解决人罪的问题；鸽子在积极一面，将神带给人。羔羊把人与罪分开，鸽子使神联于人。

　约翰介绍主耶稣是带着鸽子的羔羊，不是带着老鹰的羔羊。有些基督徒似乎有老鹰，而不是有鸽子。鸽子不大也不野。鸽子是小的，是柔顺的。这里的鸽子表征圣灵，是为着分赐生命、重生、膏抹、变化、联结和建造。鸽子不是为着能力，乃是为着生命。鸽子没有能力；却满了生命和洞察力。圣经称赞鸽子的眼睛，因为鸽子最美丽的部分就是它的眼睛。在雅歌里，主赞美祂的追求者有鸽子眼。（歌一15。）鸽子不是能力的象征，而是生命的象征。鸽子是可爱、微小、且满了生命的。

　当我们来到约翰十二章，我们会看见主耶稣甚至把自己比喻为比鸽子还要小的－一粒麦子。（约十二24。）麦子既不是为外观，也不是为能力。满了生命的麦子，是为着生命的复制与繁殖，为着生命里的繁增。所以，约翰福音是一卷生命的书，不是一卷能力的书。羔羊不是为了能力，而是为救赎。假使主耶稣作狮子而来，就没有人能把祂钉在十字架上。可是，祂作小羔羊而来，被牵到宰杀之地，为我们的救赎被杀了。（赛五三7。）生命与宗教是多么不同！宗教是为着能力、运动和伟大的首领。生命需要为着救赎的羔羊，除去一切有罪的事物；也需要充满生命的鸽子，分赐生命、重生、施膏、变化、联结并建造。然后神就有了一个家，就是伯特利。我们都必须看见这个。

Enlightenment:

John not only recommended Christ as the Lamb of God, but also as the Lamb with the dove (1:32-33). The Lamb takes sin away from man, and the dove brings God as life to man. The Lamb is for redemption, to redeem fallen man back to God, and the dove is for life-giving, for anointing, to anoint man with what God is, to bring God into man and man into God, and for uniting the believers in God. Both are needed for man to participate in God. The dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit, whose work is to bring God and join God to man. The Lamb, on the negative side, solves the problem of man’s sin; the dove, on the positive side, brings God to man. The Lamb separates man from sin, and the dove joins God to man.

John recommended Jesus as the Lamb with a dove, not with an eagle. It seems that some Christians have an eagle instead of a dove. A dove is not large and wild. A dove is small and gentle. The dove here signifies the Holy Spirit and is for life-giving, regenerating, anointing, transforming, uniting, and building. The dove is not for power but for life. A dove has no power; it is full of life and insight. The Bible appreciates the dove’s eyes, for the most beautiful part of a dove is its eyes. In the Song of Songs, the Lord praises His seeker for her doves’ eyes (1:15). The dove is not a symbol of power, but of life. A dove is lovely, small, and full of life.

When we come to John 12, we shall see that the Lord Jesus likens Himself to something even smaller than a dove—a grain of wheat (12:24). A grain of wheat is neither for outward appearance nor for power. A grain of wheat, which is full of life, is for the reproduction and propagation of life, for the multiplication in life. Thus, the Gospel of John is a book of life, not of power. The Lamb is not for power, but for redemption. If Jesus had come as a lion, no one could have put Him on the cross. However, He came as a little Lamb who was led to the slaughter and killed for our redemption (Isa. 53:7). What a difference between life and religion! Religion is for power, for movements, and for great leaders. Life needs a Lamb for redemption to remove all sinful things and a dove full of life to impart life, regenerate, anoint, transform, unite, and build. Then God will have a house, a Bethel. We all must see this.