【读圣经学英语】成为光的儿子

【读圣经学英语】成为光的儿子

约翰福音-John 12 章 36~40 节

12:36 你们应当趁着有光,信入这光,使你们成为光的儿子。耶稣说了这话,就离开他们,隐藏了。
While you have the light, believe into the light, so that you may become sons of light. Jesus said these things, and He went away and was hidden from them.
12:37 祂虽然在他们面前行了许多神迹,他们还是不信入祂。
But though He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe into Him,
12:38 这是要应验申言者以赛亚的话,说,“主啊,我们所传给人听的,有谁信?主的膀臂向谁显露?”
That the word of the prophet Isaiah which he said might be fulfilled, "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?''
12:39 他们所以不能信,因为以赛亚又说,
For this reason they could not believe, because again Isaiah said,
12:40 “主叫他们瞎了眼,硬了心,免得他们眼睛看见,心里明白,回转过来,我就医治他们。”
"He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, that they might not see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn, and I will heal them.''

亮光

祂到世上来作照耀的光,好叫人不住在黑暗里。(约十二46,36。)人若接受这光,就有神。祂作光是神的显现,你若接受祂作光,你就有神。人若信入祂,就不住在黑暗里。然而,你若不肯接受祂作光,你就是弃绝神,就要被黑暗所胜过。祂来作光,你若接受祂,你就有神,并且要成为光的儿子。

从三十六节下半至四十三节,说到宗教的不信,以及神对那不信的审判。不管作生命的主行了多少异能、神迹、奇事,热心宗教的人仍不肯与祂同行。不管主作了多少,热心宗教的人仍不肯有所响应。他们就是不接受祂,反倒弃绝祂。以赛亚早已预言这事。他说,『我们所传给人听的,有谁信?主的膀臂向谁显露?』(赛五三1,直译。)主的膀臂就是主耶稣自己。主就是神的膀臂来行事,来拯救,但在宗教世界中无人能认识这膀臂。没有人肯响应,接受,反倒弃绝了这膀臂。虽然这膀臂就是救恩,甚至就是救主,并拯救者本身,热心宗教的人却弃绝了祂。

结果,眼瞎与心硬临到了他们身上。(约十二40,赛六10。)这是神的审判施行在那不信、弃绝主的人身上。眼瞎与心硬二者是相联的,乃是对不信之人的惩罚。

Enlightenment:

He came to this world as the shining light that man might not remain in darkness (vv. 46, 36). If people will receive this light, they will have God. He is the manifestation of God as light, and if you receive Him as light, you will have God. If a man believes in Him, he will not remain in darkness. However, if you refuse to receive Him as light, you simply reject God and will be overtaken with darkness. He comes as light. If you receive Him, you will have God and will become one of the sons of light.

Verses 36b through 43 speak of the unbelief of religion and God’s judgment upon that unbelief. Regardless of how much the Lord as life worked in wonders, miracles, and signs, the religious people would not go along with Him. No matter how much the Lord did, the religious people would not respond. They simply did not receive Him, but on the contrary, they rejected Him. Isaiah had prophesied this already. He said, “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” (Isa. 53:1). The arm of the Lord is the Lord Jesus Himself. The Lord is the arm of God to do things and to deliver, but no one in the religious world could recognize this arm. No one would respond to, receive, or accept this arm. They simply rejected it. Although this arm is salvation, even the Savior and the Deliverer Himself, the religious people rejected Him.

As a result, blindness and hardness of heart have come upon them (v. 40; Isa. 6:10). This is God’s judgment exercised over their unbelieving rejection of the Lord. Blindness and the hardening of the heart are a punishment to the unbelieving ones.