190.如此思考之人想不到，主耶和华，天地之神，藉着摩西和众先知说出圣言，因此圣言只会是神圣真理，而非别的。因为主耶和华自己所说的话必是神圣真理。他也想不到，主救主和耶和华一样，祂在福音书中所说的圣言，有很多出自祂自己的口，剩下的则由祂口中的气，也就是圣灵，藉着祂的十二个门徒说出来。正因如此，如主自己所说，祂的话里面有灵和生命，祂就是那启示之光，祂就是真理。这从以下经文明显看出来：
耶稣说，我对你们所说的话就是灵，就是生命。（约翰福音6:63）
耶稣对雅各井旁的妇人说，你若知道神的恩赐，和对你说“给我水喝”的是谁，你必早求祂，祂也必早给了你活水。人若喝我所赐的水就永远不渴；我所赐的水要在他里头成为水泉，直涌到永生。（约翰福音4:6，10，14）
“雅各井”表圣言（如申命记33:28那样）。故主坐在那里与那妇人交谈，因为祂就是圣言。“活水”表圣言的真理。
耶稣，人若渴了，让他到我这里来喝。信我的人，就如经上所说，从他腹中要流出活水的江河来。（约翰福音7:37，38）
彼得对耶稣说，你有永生之道（或话语）。（约翰福音6:68）
耶稣说，天地要废去，我的话却不能废去。（马可福音13:31）
主的话是真理和生命，因为祂就是真理和生命，如祂在约翰福音所教导的：
我就是道路、真理、生命。（约翰福音14:6）
同一福音书：
太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。生命在祂里头，这生命就是人的光。（约翰福音1:1，4）
“道”（圣言）表主的神圣真理，唯独祂里面有生命和光。因此缘故，来自主并就是主的圣言（道）被称为活水的泉源（耶利米书2:13；17:13；31:9）；救恩的泉源（以赛亚书12:3）；泉源（撒迦利亚书13:1）；以及生命水的河（启示录22:1）。经上说：
宝座中的羔羊必牧养他们，领他们到生命水的泉源。（启示录7:17）
在其它经文中，圣言还被称为“圣所”和“帐幕”，主与人在里面同住（以西结书37:26－28；启示录21:3）。
190. 有這些想法之人沒有想到:是主耶和華, 天地之上帝, 藉著摩西和眾先知說出聖言。這些話不能是別的,只會是神性真理(或稱聖理), 因為主耶和華自己所說的是聖理。他們也沒有想到:與耶和華等同的主拯救者, 在福音書中說出聖言; 有很多出自祂自己之口, 其餘的話由祂口中之靈(就是聖靈),藉著祂的門徒說出。
這就是為何主自己說, 祂的話中有靈和生命, 祂是照耀的光, 祂是真理。這些可從下列內容明顯看出:
耶穌說:"我對你們所說的話, 就是靈, 就是生命"(約翰福音6:63)。耶穌在雅各的井邊對那婦人說:"你若知道上帝的恩賜, 和對你說'給我水喝'的是誰, 你必早求祂, 祂也必早給了你活水。人若喝我所賜的水必永遠不渴; 我所賜的水, 要在他裡頭成為泉源, 直湧到永生"(約翰福音4:6, 10, 14)。
"雅各井"的意思指聖言, 正如在申命記33:28(雅各的本源)中也有此意。主坐在此處與那婦人談話, 因為祂就是聖言。"活水"指聖言中的真理。
耶穌說:"人若渴了, 可以到我這裡來喝。信我的人, 就如經上所說, 從他腹中要流出活水的江河來"(約翰福音7:37-38)。彼得對耶穌說:"你有永生之道(或話語)"(約翰福音6:68)。耶穌說:"天地要廢去, 我的話不能廢去"(馬可福音13:31)。
主的話是真理和生命, 因為祂自己是真理和生命; 正如祂在『約翰福音』中教導:"我是道路,真理和生命。"(約翰福音14:6)。在同一福音書中還說:"太初有道, 道與上帝同在, 道就是上帝。生命在祂裡頭, 這生命就是人的光。"(約翰福音1:1, 4)。"道"指的就是作為聖理之本的主。祂獨自有生命和光。這就是為何由主而來,在主裡面的道被稱為活水的泉源(耶利米書2:13; 17:13; 31:9), 救恩的泉源(以賽亞書12:3), 泉源(撒迦利亞書13:1), 以及"生命水的河"(啟示錄22:1)。這就是為何說寶座中的羔羊必牧養百姓並領他們到生命水的泉源(啟示錄7:17)。在其它地方, 聖言還被稱為聖所和帳幕, 主在那裡與人同住(以西結書37:26-28;啟示錄21:3)。
190. People who think this way are not keeping in mind that it was the Lord Jehovah, the God of heaven and earth, who spoke the Word through Moses and the prophets. The Word could not be anything but divine truth, for what the Lord Jehovah himself says is divine truth. They are also not keeping in mind that the Lord the Savior, who is the same as Jehovah, spoke the Word to the Gospel writers. Much of it came from his own mouth, and the rest came from the Spirit of his mouth (which is the Holy Spirit) through his twelve apostles.
This is why the Lord says that there is spirit and life in his words, that he is the light that enlightens, and that he is the truth, as the following passages clearly show:
Jesus said, "The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life. " (John 6:63)
Jesus said to the woman by Jacob's well, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is who is saying to you, Give me something to drink, you would ask him and he would give you living water. Those who drink some of the water that I will give will not become thirsty to eternity. The water that I will give will become in them a well of water gushing for eternal life. " (John 4:6, 10, 14)
Here as in Deuteronomy 33:28, Jacob's well means the Word. The Lord sat at that location and spoke with the woman because he is the Word. The living water means the truth in the Word.
Jesus said, "If any are thirsty, they must come to me and drink. If any believe in me, as Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow out of their bellies. " (John 7:37-38)
Peter said to Jesus, "You have the words of eternal life. " (John 6:68)
Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away; my words will not pass away. " (Mark 13:31)
The Lord's words are truth and life because he himself is truth and life, as he teaches in John: "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Also in John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In it there was life, and that life was the light for humankind" (John 1:1, 4). "The Word" means the Lord in his role as divine truth. He alone has life and light. This is why the Word, which is from the Lord and is the Lord, is called the fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13; 31:9); the fountain of salvation (Isaiah 12:3); the fountain (Zechariah 13:1); and a river of water of life (Revelation 22:1). This is why it says that the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne will shepherd people and lead them to living fountains of waters (Revelation 7:17). There are other passages where the Word is also called the sanctuary and the tent where the Lord dwells with humankind [Ezekiel 37:26-28; Revelation 21:3].
190. The person who thinks like this fails to reflect that the Lord Jehovah, who is the God of heaven and earth, uttered the Word by means of Moses and the Prophets, and consequently it cannot be anything but Divine truth. For this is what everything is that the Lord Jehovah Himself speaks. He fails too to reflect that the Lord the Saviour, who is the same as Jehovah, uttered the Word in the Gospels, much of it from His own lips, and the remainder by the spirit of His mouth, which is the Holy Spirit, through His twelve Apostles. This is why, as He Himself says, His words contain spirit and life, and why He is the light that enlightens, and why He is truth. This is plain from the following passages:
Jesus said, The words which I speak to you are spirit and life, John 6:63. Jesus said to the woman at Jacob's well, if you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, Give me a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you living water. He who drinks of the water which I shall give, will never thirst, but the water which I shall give will become a well of water springing up in him to give everlasting life, John 4:6, 10, 14.
'Jacob's well' means the Word, as it also does in Deuteronomy 33:28. That is why the Lord, being the Word, sat down there, and talked with the woman. 'Living water' means the truth of the Word.
Jesus said, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and drink. If anyone believes in me, as the scripture says, streams of living water will flow from his belly, John 7:37-38.
Peter said to Jesus, You have the words of everlasting life, John 6:68. Jesus said, Heaven and earth will pass away; my words will not pass away, Mark 13:31.
The reason why the Lord's words are truth and life is that He is truth and life, as He teaches in John:
I am the way, truth and life, John 14:6.
In the same Gospel:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, John 1:1-4.
The Word means the Lord in respect of Divine truth, in which alone there is life and light. That is why the Word, which is from the Lord and is the Lord, is called 'a spring of living waters' (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13; 31:9), 'a spring of deliverance' (Isaiah 12:3), 'a spring' (Zechariah 13:1) and 'a river of the water of life' (Revelation 22:1); and it is said that 'the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, [and bring them] to living springs of water' (Revelation 7:17). There are other passages too where the Word is called a 'sanctuary' and 'tabernacle 1 ' in which the Lord dwells with man.
Footnotes:
1. Or: tent.
190. But he who so thinks does not consider that Jehovah the Lord, who is the God of heaven and earth, spoke the Word through Moses and the prophets, and therefore it cannot be other than Divine truth, for what Jehovah the Lord Himself speaks must be such. Neither does he consider that the Lord the Savior, who is the same with Jehovah, spoke the Word in the Gospels, much of it by His own mouth, and the rest of it by the breath of His mouth, which is the Holy Spirit, through His twelve disciples; whence it is, as He says, that in His words there is spirit and there is life, and that He is the Light that enlightens, and that He is the Truth; as is evident from the following passages:
Jesus said, The words that I speak unto you are spirit and are life (John 6:63).
Jesus said to the woman at Jacob's well, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of Him and He would give thee living water. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:6, 10, 11, 14);
"Jacob's well" signifying the Word. (As also in Deuteronomy 33:28). Therefore the Lord, because He is the Word, sat there and talked with the woman. "Living water" signifies the truth of the Word:
Jesus said, If any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:37, 38).
Peter said to Jesus, Thou hast the words of eternal life (John 6:68).
Jesus said, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away (Mark 13:31).
The Lord's words are Truth and Life because He is the Truth and the Life, as He teaches in John:
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (14:6);
and in the same:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (1:1, 4).
"The Word" means the Lord in respect to Divine truth, in whom alone there is life and there is light. For this reason the Word, which is from the Lord and which is the Lord, is called:
The fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13; 31:9)
The fountain of salvation (Isaiah 12:3)
A fountain (Zechariah 13:1)
And the river of the water of life (Revelation 22:1);
and it is said that:
The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall guide them unto living fountains of waters (Revelation 7:17)
with other things also in passages where the Word is also called "a sanctuary" and "a tabernacle," wherein the Lord dwells with man.
190. He who thinks in this way does not consider that Jehovah the Lord, who is God of heaven and earth, spoke the Word by Moses and the Prophets, and consequently that it must be Divine Truth, for that is what Jehovah the Lord Himself speaks; nor does he consider that the Lord the Savior, who is the same as Jehovah, spoke the Word written by the Evangelists, much of it from His own mouth, and the rest through His twelve Apostles inspired by the Spirit of His mouth, which is the Holy Spirit. For this reason, He Himself declares that in His words there is spirit and there is life, that He is the light which enlightens, and that He is the truth; as is evident from the following passages:
Jesus said: "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life" John 6:63.
Jesus said to the woman at Jacob's well: "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldst have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water... Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" John 4:8, 10, 14.
By Jacob's well is signified the Word,
as also in Deuteronomy 33:28;
therefore the Lord, because He is the Word, sat there, and spoke with the woman; and by living water is signified the truth of the Word.
Jesus said: "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" John 7:37-38.
Peter said unto Jesus: "Thou hast the words of eternal life" John 6:68.
Jesus said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away" Mark 13:31.
The words of the Lord are truth and life, because He is the truth and the life, as He teaches in John:
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life" 14:6,
and in the same Book:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... In Him was life; and the life was the light of men" 1:1, 4.
By the Word is understood the Lord as to Divine Truth, in which alone there is life and light. For this reason the Word, which is from the Lord, and which is the Lord, is called:
"a fountain of living waters," Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13; 31:9;
"a well (A.V., wells) of salvation" Isaiah 12:3,
"a fountain," Zechariah 13:1;
"a river of water of life," Revelation 22:1.
It is said also:
"The Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, (A.V., and shall lead them), unto living fountains of waters" Revelation 7:17.
Further quotations might be given where the Word is also called "the sanctuary and the tabernacle," in which the Lord dwells with man.
190. Sed qui ita cogitat, ille non considerat, quod Jehovah Dominus, qui est Deus Coeli et Terrae, loquutus sit Verbum per Mosen et Prophetas, et quod inde non possit esse quam Divinum Verum, nam quod Ipse Jehovah Dominus loquitur, hoc illud est: nec considerat, quod Dominus Salvator, qui est idem cum Jehovah, loquutus sit 1 Verbum apud Evangelistas, multa ex suo ore, et reliqua ex Spiritu oris sui, qui est Spiritus Sanctus, per duodecim suos Apostolos: inde est, ut Ipse dicit, quod in Verbis suis sit Spiritus et Vita, et quod Ipse sit Lux quae illustrat, et quod sit Veritas; quod patet a sequentibus his locis, Jesus dixit, verba quae Ego loquor vobis, Spiritus sunt, et Vita sunt, Johannes 6:63. Jesus dixit mulieri ad fontem Jacobi; si scires donum Dei, et quis est qui dicit tibi, da mihi bibere, tu peteres ab Illo; et daret tibi 2 Aquam viventem: qui bibit ex Aqua, quam Ego dabo, non sitiet in aeternum, sed Aqua, quam Ego dabo, fiet in illo fons Aquae salientis in vitam aeternam, Johannes 4:6, 10, 14; 3 per Fontem Jacobi significatur Verbum, ut quoque Deuteronomius 33:28, quare etiam Dominus, quia est Verbum, ibi sedit, et loquutus est cum muliere; et per Aquam viventem significatur verum Verbi. Jesus dixit, si quis sitiverit, venito ad Me, et bibito; quisquis credit in Me, sicut dicit Scriptura, flumina ex ventre illius fluent Aquae viventis, Johannes 7:37-38. Petrus dixit ad Jesum, verba Vitae aeternae habes, Johannes 6:68. 4 Jesus dixit, Coelum et Terra transibunt, verba mea non transibunt, Marcus 13:31. Quod verba Domini sint Veritas et Vita, est quia Ipse est Veritas et Vita, ut docet apud Johannem, Ego sum Via, Veritas, et Vita, 14:6. Et apud Eundem, In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum; in Illo Vita erat, et Vita erat Lux hominum, 5 Johannes 1:1, 4. 6 Per Verbum intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, in quo Solo Vita est, et Lux est. Inde est, quod Verbum, quod est a Domino, et quod est Dominus, dicatur FONS AQUARUM VIVARUM, Jeremias 2:13; 17:13; 31:9. FONS SALUTIS, Esaias 12:3. 7 FONS, Sacharia 13:1, ac FLUVIUS AQUAE VITAE, Apocalypsis 22:1 ac dicitur, Quod Agnus, qui in medio Throni, pascet illos [et deducet illos] ad vivos Fontes aquarum, Apocalypsis 7:17. Praeter aliis in locis, ubi Verbum etiam vocatur SANCTUARIUM et TABERNACULUM, in quo Dominus habitat cum homine.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: fit.
2. Prima editio: tibl.
3. Prima editio: Johannes 4:6, 10, 11.
4. Prima editio: 63.
5. Prima editio: bominum.
6. Prima editio: Johannes 1:1, 2, 3.
7. Prima editio: Esaias 11:1, 3.