創世記結晶讀經(36): 生命樹與善惡樹_2
創二 17『只是善惡知識樹上的果子，你不可吃，因為你吃的日子必定死。』
林後三 6『他使我們夠資格作新約的執事，這些執事不是屬於字句，乃是屬於靈，因為那字句殺死人，那靈卻叫人活。』
生命樹是一個表號，表徵神是那正確的源頭。…我們若只讀創世記二章，就不會領會生命樹的意義。然而約翰福音卻把生命樹所表明的生命，具體的啟示出來。一章四節說，『生命在他裡面。』十五章五節告訴我們，主耶穌是葡萄樹。我們把這兩節擺在一起，就領會基督是生命樹。主耶穌，神的具體表現，乃是生命樹。因此，創世記二章的生命樹，乃是神這生命源頭的表號。
除了這源頭，在宇宙中還有另一棵樹，另一個源頭─死亡。然而，這樹不叫死亡樹，而叫善惡知識樹。在宇宙中有這樣一棵樹。這兩棵樹彼此對抗，生命樹指明神這生命的源頭；知識樹指明撒但這死亡的源頭。…因此，在二章我們看到由兩棵樹所表徵的兩個源頭。
生命樹的原則就是倚靠。我們必須倚靠；不要走知識的路，因為那條路的結果乃是死。
知識樹（創二 17）…是和生命樹相反的。…這棵樹稱為善惡知識樹，而不僅是惡的知識樹。善的知識和惡的知識都出自同一棵樹。不管知識是善的或是惡的，只要是知識就不屬於生命樹，而屬於知識樹。
雖然善惡知識樹表徵撒但，但不是直接表徵。這樹首先表徵神以外的一切事物，然後間接表徵撒但，因為撒但躲藏在一切神以外的事物背後。撒但喜歡隱藏自己。
神總是坦率的，且從正面而來；然而，撒但是狡猾的，總是躲在背後。…因為撒但是狡猾的，知識樹並不直接表徵他，乃是表徵神以外的一切事物，包括美好的事物、合乎聖經的事物以及宗教的事物。不管是好是壞，只要不是神自己，都會被撒但利用。
在神之外，一切的事物可分為知識、善、惡這三類。假設你打算作一件好事，然而在你靈的深處卻覺得不要碰，也不要作。…不要應用善惡的原則，乃要與生命的原則合作；你裡面若沒有平安，就表示生命之靈不贊同你的打算，你必須與他合作。你若肯，就能得着生命。
知識樹首先是表徵被撒但利用的一切事物，不管這些事物是好是壞。它不是直接表徵撒但，因為撒但喜歡躲藏。當撒但第一次進到人裡面的時候，他不是公然而來，乃是取了蛇的形狀而來。在聖經的開頭，蛇非常靈巧，在表面上相當吸引人（創三1），不像在神咒詛下醜陋的蛇。當夏娃與蛇交談時，她不知道撒但在蛇裡面。在這事上含着撒但出現的原則：他永不公然的出現，乃是詭秘的出現。
知識樹的內容是一切神以外的事物。甚至連神所默示的聖經，和神所頒賜的律法，都會在字句上被撒但利用，作為知識樹〔而帶進死〕（創世記生命讀經，二○五至二○八頁）。
參讀：創世記生命讀經，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
- 未完待續
創世記結晶讀經(37): 生命樹與善惡樹_3
創世記結晶讀經(35): 生命樹與善惡樹_1
