创世记结晶读经(36): 生命树与善恶树_2
创二 17『只是善恶知识树上的果子，你不可吃，因为你吃的日子必定死。』
林后三 6『他使我们够资格作新约的执事，这些执事不是属於字句，乃是属於灵，因为那字句杀死人，那灵却叫人活。』
生命树是一个表号，表征神是那正确的源头。…我们若只读创世记二章，就不会领会生命树的意义。然而约翰福音却把生命树所表明的生命，具体的启示出来。一章四节说，『生命在他里面。』十五章五节告诉我们，主耶稣是葡萄树。我们把这两节摆在一起，就领会基督是生命树。主耶稣，神的具体表现，乃是生命树。因此，创世记二章的生命树，乃是神这生命源头的表号。
除了这源头，在宇宙中还有另一棵树，另一个源头─死亡。然而，这树不叫死亡树，而叫善恶知识树。在宇宙中有这样一棵树。这两棵树彼此对抗，生命树指明神这生命的源头；知识树指明撒但这死亡的源头。…因此，在二章我们看到由两棵树所表征的两个源头。
生命树的原则就是倚靠。我们必须倚靠；不要走知识的路，因为那条路的结果乃是死。
知识树（创二 17）…是和生命树相反的。…这棵树称为善恶知识树，而不仅是恶的知识树。善的知识和恶的知识都出自同一棵树。不管知识是善的或是恶的，只要是知识就不属於生命树，而属於知识树。
虽然善恶知识树表征撒但，但不是直接表征。这树首先表征神以外的一切事物，然后间接表征撒但，因为撒但躲藏在一切神以外的事物背后。撒但喜欢隐藏自己。
神总是坦率的，且从正面而来；然而，撒但是狡猾的，总是躲在背后。…因为撒但是狡猾的，知识树并不直接表征他，乃是表征神以外的一切事物，包括美好的事物、合乎圣经的事物以及宗教的事物。不管是好是坏，只要不是神自己，都会被撒但利用。
在神之外，一切的事物可分为知识、善、恶这三类。假设你打算作一件好事，然而在你灵的深处却觉得不要碰，也不要作。…不要应用善恶的原则，乃要与生命的原则合作；你里面若没有平安，就表示生命之灵不赞同你的打算，你必须与他合作。你若肯，就能得着生命。
知识树首先是表征被撒但利用的一切事物，不管这些事物是好是坏。它不是直接表征撒但，因为撒但喜欢躲藏。当撒但第一次进到人里面的时候，他不是公然而来，乃是取了蛇的形状而来。在圣经的开头，蛇非常灵巧，在表面上相当吸引人（创三1），不像在神咒诅下丑陋的蛇。当夏娃与蛇交谈时，她不知道撒但在蛇里面。在这事上含着撒但出现的原则：他永不公然的出现，乃是诡秘的出现。
知识树的内容是一切神以外的事物。甚至连神所默示的圣经，和神所颁赐的律法，都会在字句上被撒但利用，作为知识树〔而带进死〕（创世记生命读经，二○五至二○八页）。
参读：创世记生命读经，第十三篇。
Gen. 2:17 "But of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, of it you shall not eat; for in the day that you
eat of it you shall surely die."
2 Cor. 3:6 "Who has also made us
sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter
kills, but the Spirit gives life."
The tree of life was a symbol, signifying God as the proper source....If
we only read Genesis 2, we will be unable to understand the meaning of the tree
of life. However, the Gospel of John reveals the life denoted by the tree of
life in a concrete way. John 1:4 says, “In Him was life,” and John 15:5 tells
us that the Lord Jesus is a vine tree. If we put these two verses together, we
will realize that Christ is the tree of life. Jesus, the embodiment of God, is
the tree of life. Therefore, the tree of life in Genesis 2 is a symbol of God
as the source of life.
Besides this source, there is another tree, another source in the
universe─death.
However, this tree is not called the tree of death; it is called the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil. There is such a tree in this universe. These
two trees oppose one another, the tree of life denoting God as the source of
life, and the tree of knowledge signifying Satan as the source of
death....Therefore, in Genesis 2 we find two sources signified by two trees.
(Life-study of Genesis, pp. 161-162)
The principle of the tree of life...is dependence. We all must be
dependent. Do not take the way of knowledge, for the result of that way is
death.
The tree of knowledge (Gen. 2:17), which was the opposite of the tree of
life,...was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil, not simply the
knowledge of evil. Both the knowledge of good and the knowledge of evil come
from the same tree. It does not matter whether knowledge is the knowledge of
good or of evil. As long as it is knowledge, it does not belong to the tree of
life. It belongs to the tree of knowledge.
Although the tree of the knowledge of good and evil signifies Satan, it
does not signify him directly. It firstly signifies everything apart from God
and then it signifies Satan indirectly, because Satan is hidden at the back of
the things that are apart from God. Satan likes to conceal himself.
God is very frank and always comes to the front. Satan, however, is
subtle, always staying at the rear....Because Satan is subtle, the tree of
knowledge does not signify him directly. It signifies everything apart from
God, including good things, scriptural things, and religious things. Regardless
of whether a thing is good or evil, as long as it is not God Himself it can be
utilized by Satan.
The things apart from God fall into three categories: knowledge, good,
and evil. Suppose you have the intention of doing a certain good thing. Deep in
your spirit, however, you have the sense not to touch it and not to do it....Do
not employ the principle of good and bad, but cooperate with the principle of
life. If you do not have peace within, it means that the Spirit of life does
not agree with what you intend to do. You need to cooperate with Him. If you
do, you will receive life.
The tree of knowledge firstly signifies everything utilized by Satan,
regardless of whether it is good or evil. It does not signify Satan directly,
because he likes to hide. When Satan first entered into man, he did not do it
in a frank way. He came in the form of a serpent. At the beginning of the
Bible, the serpent was very cunning and apparently was quite attractive (Gen.
3:1), unlike the ugly serpents under God's curse. As Eve conversed with the
serpent, she did not realize that Satan was in it. Herein lies the principle of
Satan's appearing: he never appears frankly, but subtly.
The contents of the tree of knowledge are all things apart from God.
Even the Bible inspired by God and the law given by God may be utilized in
letters by Satan as the tree of knowledge. (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 165-167)
Further Reading:
Life-study of Genesis, msg. 13
- 未完待续
创世记结晶读经(37): 生命树与善恶树_3
创世记结晶读经(35): 生命树与善恶树_1
