農夫的比喻 THE PARABLE OF THE FARMER - (賽 Isaiah 28:23-290

 

農夫的比喻 THE PARABLE OF THE FARMER

讀經: 賽廿八23~29

SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah 28:23-29

釋義 : 以色列人多數是農夫, 所以聖經也經常用耕種來比喻屬靈教訓。 例如士師記九章, 樹木選王的寓言; 詩篇第一篇以果榭和糠比喻義人和惡人; 耶穌用農夫撒種、芥棻種、麥子和稗子比喻天國等。 以賽亞書也曾兩次以葡萄園為喻, 講論耶和華與以色列人的關係。

INSIGHT: Most Israelites were farmers. So, agriculture is often used in the Bible to symbolize a spiritual lesson. For example, the parable of the trees selecting their king in Judges Chapter 9 and the parallel of fruits and chaff to the righteous and the wicked in Psalm 1. In the teaching of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus told parables of the farmer sowing seeds and of various plants such as mustard seeds, wheat and weeds, etc. Also, in the Book of Isaiah, the parable of the vineyard is used twice to speak of the relationship between the Lord and the Israelites.

本段以耕種的比喻, 預言以色列人經過審判的恐怖(17-22)後，事情會好轉:

Using references to agriculture, this passage prophesies that things will turn around for the better after the horror of God’s judgment (17-22):

1) 首先是耕地的季節 - 當然耕地是生動地象徵可怕的壓迫(詩一廿九 3)。 但正如耙地一樣，這不會永遠繼續下去(24)。

1) THE SEASON OF PLOWING - Plowing surely is a vivid symbol of dreadful affliction (Psalm 129:3). But just as plowing, this will not continue forever (24).

2) 接著就是開始播種的季節(25) - 這些經節的準確程度十分重要， 因為農夫與神的智慧是相應的。 例如，小茴香與大茴香一類的多產 香草是隨意撒種，而小麥、大麥與粗麥則是較為有秩序地按行列種。 同樣, 當收割後，處理這些穀物的不同技術也有仔細描述： 大茴香可 以輕易地用一枝幼棒來分開嫩穀，但小茴香則要用略粗的杖來打出種子, 而麥子是以馬車輥過，或在打穀場打散。

2) THE SEASON OF SOWING (25) – The accuracy of these verses is very important; because the wisdom of the farmers and that of God are corresponding. For example, prolific herbs such as dill and cumin are sowed randomly; whereas wheat, barley, and emmer are planted orderly in rows. In a similar manner, the different ways of handling them after harvest are also described in detail – for cumin, a thin stick can easily separate the grain from the plant; but for dill, it needs a sturdier rod to loosen the seed; as for wheat, it is rolled over by cart wheel or beaten on a threshing floor.

「打穀」隱喻折磨與壓迫(例摩一3；四十一15), 而比喻的教訓十分清晰: 神以祂無比的智慧，像熟練的農夫那樣，不會使我們忍受無法承擔的痛苦。 祂知道我們每個人的力量與軟弱；不會施刑罰過於我們所能受的(林前十13)。 像耕耘與打穀，痛苦將會停止。

“Threshing” metaphors torture and oppression (examples, Amos 1:3, 41:15), and the teaching is fairly clear: God, being magnificent in wisdom, like an experienced farmer, will not let us suffer beyond our ability. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of each of us; He will not punish more than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). Just as plowing and threshing, pain will stop.

憫農 - 李紳

Sympathy for the Peasants

~ Poem by Shen Li

鋤禾日當午，汗滴禾下土

誰知盤中餐，粒粒皆辛苦

Hoeing millet in mid-day heat,

Sweat dripping to the earth beneath.

Do you know the food on your plate,

Each grain was hard-earned!

農夫辛勞耕種, 才能從地土收成殼粒。同樣地, 生命的果子也得來不易。 耶穌將生命埋在地裡死了, 長出種籽。 還有保羅栽種, 亞波羅澆灌。 經過多番辛勞, 仍只有神才能使它生長(林前三7)。 能夠參與耕耘、 看到聖靈果子的成長, 豈可不讚嘆神恩典的豐盛?

Farmers have to work hard in order to have good harvest. In the same way, the fruit of life does not come easily. Jesus laid down His life to produce the seed; then Paul planted and Apollos watered. However, even after all this, only God can make it grow (1 Corinthians 3:7). Blessed with the opportunity to participate in the cultivation and seeing the fruit of the Holy Spirit grow, how can we not be in awe of God’s abundant grace?

每日讀經 by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung