【读圣经学英语】有一个池子

【读圣经学英语】有一个池子

约翰福音-John 5 章 1~5节

5:1 这事以后,到了犹太人的一个节期,耶稣就上耶路撒冷去。
After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 
5:2 在耶路撒冷靠近羊门有一个池子,希伯来话叫作毕士大,旁边有五个廊子。
Now there is in Jerusalem near the sheepgate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. 
5:3 里面躺着许多病弱的、瞎眼的、瘸腿的、枯干的,等候水动。
In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 
5:4 因为有天使时常下池子搅动那水,水动之后,谁先下去,无论患什么病,都会痊愈。
For an angel went down from time to time in the pool and stirred up the water; the first then to step in after the stirring up of the water was made well of whatever disease he was being held by. 
5:5 在那里有一个人,病了三十八年。
And a certain man was there, who had been thirty-eight years in his sickness.

亮光

要人守律法的宗教,乃是羊圈。羊门(约五2)象征这种宗教羊圈的门。(约十1。)池子名叫毕士大,意怜悯之家,表征那些守律法的人,需要神的怜悯,因为他们无能、软弱、且苦恼,正如罗马七章七至二十四节所描述的。廊子象征守律法之宗教的庇护,就像羊圈一样;五这数字表示负责任。那搅动池水的使者,象征颁赐律法的经手人,这律法不能赐人生命。(加三19,21。)搅动池水使人痊愈,表征实行守律法,想要使人完全。我们查考这些方面,就能看见守律法-典型宗教的主要事物-的光景。

这软弱的人已经病了三十八年,他无力行动。他看见水动的时候就充满了期望,但他无法及时赶上前去。因为他无能,不能行动,所以他得不到医治。照样,因着我们的软弱,我们不能遵守律法。律法是好的,圣别的,属灵的;律法本身没有问题,问题在于我们。

要人遵守律法是不可能的。没有人能作得到。就如人无法步行上天,人也无法遵守律法。罗马八章三节说,遵守律法是不可能的,因为律法因肉体而软弱。所有的肉体都软弱得不能守律法。这一点在这软弱人的事例中描绘得很清楚。

 Enlightenment:

The sheepgate (5:2) signifies the entrance to the law-keeping religion’s sheepfold (10:1). The name of the pool, Bethesda, means house of mercy, signifying that the people who practiced law-keeping realized that they needed the mercy of God because they were impotent, weak, and wretched, as portrayed in Romans 7:7-24. The porches, like a sheepfold, signify the law-keeping religion’s shelter, and the number five denotes responsibility. The angel who stirred up the water signifies the agent through which the law, which could not give life, was given (Gal. 3:19, 21). The stirring up of the water to make people well signifies the practice of the law-keeping trying to make people perfect. By considering these aspects, we can see the situation of law-keeping, which is the major thing in the typical religion.

The impotent man had been sick for thirty-eight years. He was unable to move. He was filled with expectation when he saw the waters stirring, but it was impossible for him to get there in time. Because he was impotent, unable to move, he could not receive healing. Likewise, due to our impotence, we cannot keep the law. The law is good, holy, and spiritual. There is no problem with the law; the problem is with us.

It is impossible for man to keep the law. No one can do it. Just as people cannot walk up to the heavens, neither can they keep the law. Romans 8:3 says that it is impossible to keep the law, because the law is weak through the flesh. All flesh is too weak to keep the law. This is clearly portrayed in the case of the impotent man.