【读圣经学英语】赐人生命

约翰福音-John 5 章 17~21节

5:17	耶稣就对他们说，我父作工直到如今，我也作工。 But Jesus answered them, My Father is working until now, and I also am working.
5:18	所以犹太人就越发想要杀祂，因祂不但犯了安息日，并且称神为祂的父，将自己与神当作平等。 Because of this therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath but also called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
5:19	耶稣对他们说，我实实在在的告诉你们，子从自己不能作什么，惟有看见父所作的，子才能作；父所作的事，子也照样作。 Then Jesus answered and said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son can do nothing from Himself except what He sees the Father doing, for whatever that One does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
5:20	父爱子，将自己所作的一切事指示祂，还要将比这更大的事指示祂，叫你们希奇。 For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and greater works than these He will show Him that you may marvel.
5:21	父怎样叫死人起来，赐他们生命，子也照样随自己的意思赐人生命。 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wills.

亮光

热心宗教的犹太人逼迫耶稣，因为祂在他们的安息日作了工，将那软弱的人点活过来。耶稣回答他们说，『我父作工直到如今，我也作工。』（约五17。）在他们宗教的观念中，他们是为守安息日而安息。但他们不知道，只要还有可怜的罪人未蒙拯救，父和子就没有安息。当他们为守安息日而安息的时候，父和子仍旧在作工，要使罪人得着生命和安息。这不但触犯了热心宗教的犹太人，而且使他们认为耶稣是在亵渎神；因为按着他们的观念，祂『不但犯了安息日，并且称神为祂的父，将自己与神当作平等。』（约五18。）他们认为那是亵渎神；然而，乃是『亵渎』神的那一位，将那软弱的人点活了。祂点活了那人，见证在赐人生命的事上，祂与父神平等。

虽然神创造的工作已经完成，（创二1～3，）但父与子为着救赎和建造，仍然不断作工。（约五17，19～20。）热心宗教的犹太人遵守创造的安息日；他们不知道由于人的堕落，那安息日的安息已被破坏了。他们也不知道父和子仍在作工，要救赎堕落的人，好成就神建造永远居所的原初定旨。神已往所作的是旧造；父和子正在作的，乃是藉着救赎以完成神建造的新造。这工包括了子的赐人生命，就是这事例所显明的。在这事上，父与子是一。在赐人生命的事上，凡父要作的，子就照样作。

Enlightenment:

The religious Jews persecuted Jesus because on their Sabbath He worked to enliven the impotent man. Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (5:17). In their religious concept, they were resting in keeping their Sabbath. But they did not know that there was no rest for the Father and the Son as long as the poor sinners were not saved. While they were resting in keeping their Sabbath, the Father and the Son were still working that the sinners might receive life and have rest. This not only offended the religious Jews, but also caused them to consider that Jesus was blaspheming, because, according to their concept, He “not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” (5:18). In their consideration, that was a blasphemy to God. Yet, it was this “blaspheming” One who enlivened the impotent man. His enlivening of that man testifies that He is equal with God the Father in giving life to people.

Although God’s work in creation was finished (Gen. 2:1-3), the Father and the Son were still working for redemption and building (John 5:17, 19-20). The religious Jews kept the Sabbath of creation. They did not know that because of man’s fall the rest of that Sabbath was broken. Neither did they know that the Father and the Son were still working for fallen man’s redemption in order to fulfill God’s original purpose, which is the building of God’s eternal habitation. What God did was the old creation. What the Father and the Son are doing is the new creation through redemption for God’s building. This work includes the Son’s life-giving, which is manifested in this case. In this matter, the Father and the Son are one. Whatever the Father wants to do in the matter of life-giving, the Son does it accordingly.