88、当属灵人变得属天时，他就被称为“神的工”，因为唯独主为他争战，并创造、形成和作成了他；故此处经上说：“到第七日，神完成了祂的工”；又说：“神歇了祂的一切工”。先知书屡次将人称为“耶和华的手和手指的工作”；如在以赛亚书，经上论到重生之人说：
耶和华以色列的圣者，就是形成他的，如此说，关于我的众子，你们要从我这里寻求征兆吗？关于我手的工作，你们可以吩咐我吗？我造地，又创造人在地上；我亲手铺张诸天，又命定了天上的万象或众军。创造诸天的耶和华，形成大地、作成它的神自己如此说；祂坚立大地，并非创造它为空虚；祂形成大地，是要给人居住；我是耶和华，除我以外再没有别神。（以赛亚书45:11-12，18，21）
这段经文清楚表明，新造或重生唯独是主的作为。经上以完全不同的方式使用“创造”、“形成”、“作成”这些词，无论在上述以赛亚书的经文（创造诸天，形成大地、作成它）中，还是在该先知书的别处，如：
凡称我名下的人，是我为自己的荣耀创造的，是我所形成、所作成的。（以赛亚书43:7）
创世记头两章也是如此，如此处，经上说：“神歇了祂在创造中所作的一切工，就安息了。”就内义而言，这种用法总是传达一种不同的观念；主被称为“创造者”、“形成者”或“作成者”也是这种情况。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]88. Spiritual people are called God's work after they have developed a heavenly nature, because the Lord has fought for them all on his own. He is the one who has made, formed, and created them. That is why this verse says that God completed his work on the seventh day and, twice, that he rested from all his work. The prophets frequently call such people the work of Jehovah's hands or fingers. An example describing the regenerate person occurs in Isaiah:
This is what Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel and its fashioner, has said: "Do you seek signs from me concerning my children, and command me concerning the work of my hands? I made the earth, and the human being on it I myself created! My hands stretched out the heavens, and to their whole army I gave commands!" Because this is what Jehovah has said in creating the heavens (he is God, forming the earth and making it; he is firming it; he has not created it a void; he has formed it to be inhabited): "I am Jehovah, and no one is God except me." (Isaiah 45:11-12, 18, 21)
This passage shows how creating people anew — regenerating them — is the Lord's work alone.
The words create, form (or fashion), and make (or do) are used in fairly different ways, as in the preceding quotation from Isaiah, which says "creating the heavens, forming the earth, and making it."{*1} Likewise in another passage:
All have been called by my name, and I have created them for my glory; I have formed them; yes, I have made them. (Isaiah 43:7)
The same is true in Genesis 1 and 2, as for instance here, where it says, "He rested from all the work that he had done as God in creating it." The inner meaning maintains a distinct idea for each of these words. Similarly in places where the Lord is called Creator, or Fashioner, or Maker.{*2}
Footnotes:
{*1} For the three Hebrew words for creation that are referred to here, see note 2 in 16. [RS]
{*2} Passages in which the Lord is called Creator, Fashioner, or Maker include Isaiah 17:7; 22:11; 40:28; 42:5; 43:1, 15; 44:2, 24; 49:5; 54:5. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 88
88. When the spiritual man becomes celestial, he is called the "work of God" because the Lord alone has fought for him, and has created, formed, and made him; and therefore it is here said, "God finished His work on the seventh day;" and twice, that "He rested from all His work." By the Prophets man is repeatedly called the "work of the hands and of the fingers of Jehovah;" as in Isaiah, speaking of the regenerate man:
Thus hath said Jehovah the Holy One of Israel, and his Former, Seek ye signs of Me, signs concerning My sons, and concerning the work of My hands command ye Me. I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, even My hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their army have I commanded. For thus hath said Jehovah that createth the heavens, God Himself that formeth the earth and maketh it; He establisheth it, He created it not a void, He formed it to be inhabited; I am Jehovah and there is no God else besides Me (Isa. 45:11-12, 18, 21). Hence it is evident that the new creation, or regeneration, is the work of the Lord alone. The expressions to "create" to "form" and to "make" are employed quite distinctively, both in the above passage-"creating the heavens, forming the earth, and making it"-and in other places in the same Prophet, as:
Everyone that is called by My name, I have created him for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him (Isa. 43:7), and also in both the preceding and this chapter of Genesis; as in the passage before us: "He rested from all His work which God in making created." In the internal sense this usage always conveys a distinct idea; and the case is the same where the Lord is called "Creator" "Former" or "Maker."
Elliott(1983-1999) 88
88. When the spiritual man becomes celestial he is called 'God's work', because the Lord alone fought on his behalf and created, formed, and made him. This is why it is said here that 'God finished His work on the seventh day', and why it is twice said that 'He rested from all His work'. Time and again in the Prophets man is called 'the work of Jehovah's hands and fingers', as in Isaiah, when someone who is regenerate is the subject, Thus said Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and He who formed him, Seek signs from Me concerning My sons, and over the work of My hands command Me. I made the earth, and created man upon it; it was I, My hands stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. For thus said Jehovah who created the heavens and who is God,who formed the earth and made it: He who established it did not create it an emptiness; He formed it to be inhabited. It was I Jehovah, and no god else besides Me. Isa 45:11, 12, 18, 21.
It is clear from these verses that the new creation, or regeneration, is the work of the Lord alone. Each of the verbs, create, form, and make, is quite different in its usage, as in these verses from Isaiah where it is said that 'He created the heavens, formed the earth and made it'. Also elsewhere in Isaiah,
Every one who is called by My name, I have created him for My glory, I have formed him, I have also made him. Isa 43:7.
The same applies in the previous and in the present chapters, as for example here in verse 3, 'He rested from all His work which God had created when making it'. Wherever these verbs occur the internal sense possesses a distinct concept, as it also does when the Lord is called Creator, or Former, or Maker.
Latin(1748-1756) 88
88. Homo spiritualis cum fit caelestis, vocatur 'opus Dei' quia Dominus solus pugnavit pro eo, et eum creavit, formavit, et fecit; quare hic dicitur 'absolvit Deus in die septimo opus Suum,' et bis 'quievit ab omni opere Suo'. Apud prophetas passim appellatur 'opus manuum et digitorum Jehovae,' ut apud Esaiam ubi de regenerato agitur, Sic dixit Jehovah, Sanctus Israelis, et Formator ejus, Signa petite a Me super filiis Meis, et super opere manuum Mearum praecipite Mihi. Ego feci terram, et hominem super ea creavi Ego, manus Meae extenderunt caelos, et omni exercitui illorum praecepi....Quia sic dixit Jehovah, creans caelos, Ille Deus formans terram, et faciens illam; Ille firmans illam, non vacuitatem {x}creavit eam, ad habitandum formavit eam; Ego Jehovah,...et nemo praeterea Deus praeter Me, {x}xlv 11, 12, 18, 21:quod nova creatio, seu regeneratio, solius Domini opus sit, inde constat. Satis distincte adhibentur voces creare, formare, et facere, ut hic apud Esaiam, Creans caelos, formans terram, et faciens illam, tum alibi, Omnem vocatum nomine Meo, et ad gloriam Meam creavi illum, formavi illum, etiam feci illum, xliii 7;
similiter in praecedente capite, et in hoc, ut hic, 'quievit ab omni opere Suo, quod creavit Deus faciendo'; et hoc semper cum distincta idea in sensu interno; tum ubi Dominus appellatur Creator, aut Formator, aut Factor.