五月八日

那醫好的人不知道是誰……（約5：13）

快樂和康健的人覺得歲月是不居的，但三十八年的病對於一個可憐的、虛弱的人是多麼長久的磨難呀！當他躺在畢士大的池邊，耶穌用一句話治好他的時候，他快樂地感到一種改變。罪人長久地受到絕望的折磨，因此發出了微弱的求救聲，當主耶穌帶能力的話一出口的時候，便把平安和喜樂賜給信的人，因此他也必感到自己突然改變。病痛的消逝是不能不曉得的一件大事；身體的癱瘓是一件明顯的事，生命的改變也是不能不知道的奇事。但這位可憐的人並不知道那治好他的人，他不知道他是聖潔的神、他在人類中的職司和使命。人心中雖然不知道耶穌，但仍不能不感到他血的能力。我們不能因為人不知道耶穌就遽然定他們的罪，但當我們看到既然有人因信得救，就當信救恩已經預備好了。聖靈在沒有使人屬神之前是先叫他們悔罪；而那信他所知道的，不久也必更清楚知道他所信的。無論如何，不知道乃是一種邪惡的事，因為這位可憐的人備受法利賽人的揶揄，並不能與他們抗辯。與問難的人對答如流是一件得意的事，但若我們不清楚了然地知道主耶穌就不能如此答辯了。耶穌在治好他的病之後，又治好他的不知道，因為主在殿裡遇見了他；在主向他顯明自己以後他才能見證說，使他痊癒的是耶穌。主啊！若你已救了我，求你也向我顯現，好叫我對人講說你。

May 8

"He that was healed wist not who it was." -- John 5:13

Years are short to the happy and healthy; but thirty-eight years of disease must have dragged a very weary length along the life of the poor impotent man. When Jesus, therefore, healed him by a word, while he lay at the pool of Bethesda, he was delightfully sensible of a change. Even so the sinner who has for weeks and months been paralyzed with despair, and has wearily sighed for salvation, is very conscious of the change when the Lord Jesus speaks the word of power, and gives joy and peace in believing. The evil removed is too great to be removed without our discerning it; the life imparted is too remarkable to be possessed and remain inoperative; and the change wrought is too marvellous not to be perceived. Yet the poor man was ignorant of the author of his cure; he knew not the sacredness of His person, the offices which he sustained, or the errand which brought Him among men. Much ignorance of Jesus may remain in hearts which yet feel the power of His blood. We must not hastily condemn men for lack of knowledge; but where we can see the faith which saves the soul, we must believe that salvation has been bestowed. The Holy Spirit makes men penitents long before He makes them divines; and he who believes what he knows, shall soon know more clearly what he believes. Ignorance is, however, an evil; for this poor man was much tantalized by the Pharisees, and was quite unable to cope with them. It is good to be able to answer gainsayers; but we cannot do so if we know not the Lord Jesus clearly and with understanding. The cure of his ignorance, however, soon followed the cure of his infirmity, for he was visited by the Lord in the temple; and after that gracious manifestation, he was found testifying that "it was Jesus who had made him whole." Lord, if Thou hast saved me, show me Thyself, that I may declare Thee to the sons of men.