96 Lessons Volumn 2

A Pattern of the Healthy Words

(96 Lessons)

Series Two—

A Guide to Pursuing Christ

(Lessons 25-48)

Living Stream Ministry

Anaheim, California

© 2004 Living Stream Ministry

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including

photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems—

without written permission from the publisher.

First Edition, September 2004

ISBN 978-0-7363-2271-3

Living Stream Ministry

2431 W. La Palma Avenue

Anaheim, California 92801

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS

Series Two—A Guide to Pursuing Christ

Preface ... v

A Word to the Serving Ones ...vii

Lesson Twenty-five

The Essence of the Bible... 197

Lesson Twenty-six

The Subjects of the Books of the Bible ... 205

Lesson Twenty-seven The Principles in Interpreting the Bible (1) ... 209

Lesson Twenty-eight The Principles in Interpreting the Bible (2) ... 219

Lesson Twenty-nine How to Study the Bible—an Adequate Person ... 227

Lesson Thirty

The Four Crucial Elements of the Bible—

Christ, the Spirit, Life, and the Church ... 235

Lesson Thirty-one

The Life-study of the Bible (1)... 245

Lesson Thirty-two

The Life-study of the Bible (2)... 251

Lesson Thirty-three

The High Peak of God’s Revelation (1)

The Ultimate Goal of God’s Economy ... 255

Lesson Thirty-four

The High Peak of God’s Revelation (2)

The Ministry of Christ in His Three Stages ... 265

Lesson Thirty-five

The Beliefs in the Lord’s Recovery ... 273

Lesson Thirty-six

The Revelations Received by

Brother

Watchman Nee... 279

Lesson Thirty-seven The Truths Recovered by the Ministry of

Brother Witness Lee ... 283

Lesson Thirty-eight

The Complete Vision of the Age ... 291

Lesson Thirty-nine

Knowing the Present Religious Age... 299

Lesson Forty

Heresies concerning the Trinity and

the Person of Christ... 307

Lesson Forty-one

How to Use the Recovery Version of the Bible ... 315

Lesson Forty-two

How to Use the Outlines in the

Recovery Version of the New Testament... 321

Lesson Forty-three

How to Use the Footnotes in the

Recovery Version of the New Testament... 325

Lesson Forty-four

How to Use the Cross References of

the New Testament Recovery Version... 331

Lesson Forty-six

How to Enter into the Riches of

the New Testament Ministry ... 349

Lesson Forty-seven

How to Pray-Read, Study, Recite, and Prophesy ... 355

Lesson Forty-eight

Concerning the Use of Reference Books

PREFACE

Timothy was charged to “hold a pattern of the healthy words” (2 Tim. 1:13) taught by Paul and to commit these things to faithful men, who would be competent to teach others also (2:2). Likewise, the saints in the churches need to be perfected according to the pattern of the healthy words regarding God’s economy that they may receive the Lord’s commission in His move and function organically in the Body of Christ. This curriculum, entitled A

Pattern of the Healthy Words, has been compiled and edited with this goal in view. It

comprises a total of ninety-six lessons in four series, or four lines, as follows: Series One—The Preparation of the Vessel

Series Two—A Guide to Pursuing Christ Series Three—The Fundamental Truths

Series Four—The Practice of the God-ordained Way

The contents of this curriculum are taken from the ministry of Brothers Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. Each lesson includes hymns, Scripture readings, an outline with Scripture references, a bibliography, ministry excerpts, and crucial questions related to the lesson.

Concerning the need for training and some matters that require the attention of the serving ones, please refer to “A Word to the Serving Ones,” which immediately follows this preface.

A WORD TO THE SERVING ONES

THESAINTS IN THE LORD’SRECOVERY NEEDING PROPER EDUCATION

To carry out this New Testament ministry we must first get into this ministry. After getting into it, we must have some proper way or the best way to help the saints in the recovery to get solidly educated in this New Testament ministry.…It is crucial for us to find out what the best way is to help the saints in each local church to get into the same things which we ourselves have gotten into.…Based upon our experience over the years, a good number of saints have been meeting with us year after year, yet if you check with them today, you would discover that not much intrinsic element of the divine revelation has been really wrought and constituted into their being,…even more in the matter of truth. I am really concerned that not many among us can present particular truths in an adequate way.

We want to have a meeting…so living and so full of nourishment. But still, we must carry out the saints’ education in the basic truths. Then all the saints who have been meeting in the Lord's recovery with us for many years will get the adequate, solid, and basic education of the New Testament economy. Eventually, they will have the New Testament ministry to minister these truths to the unbelievers, to the believers who do not meet with us, and also to minister life to all the people.…We need a new start. After three years of meeting with us, the saints should have received some solid education of the New Testament ministry. (Elders’

Training, Book 3: The Way to Carry Out the Vision, pp.87-88, 98-99)

THENEWBELIEVERSNEEDING A PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION

[In 1984] when I went back to Taipei, I said that some of you have been listening to my speaking for thirty-seven years. Back then you were still young brothers and sisters, and most of you were not yet married. Today even your sons and daughters have graduated from universities and many of them have become elders. Before they were born, you were already listening to my preaching here, but until today you have not graduated from “elementary school.” Why do I say this? The human educational research has worked out a system of six years of elementary school, six years of high school, and four years of college, with a set curriculum every year. A person proceeding through this curriculum in a sequential way will definitely graduate from college after sixteen years and will have systematically assimilated the general knowledge prevalent in the human race. However, we have been speaking to you under this roof for these thirty-seven years, mostly according to inspiration and not in a systematic way. Therefore, although you have been listening to this day, you still cannot utter one sentence if I were to ask you to speak on justification by faith. This may be compared to listening to mathematics for thirty-seven years and, even though you know that three plus two is five, when you are asked to go teach others, you do not know how. (Rising Up to Preach

the Gospel, p.124)

THENEWBELIEVERSNEEDING TO BEGIVEN FOOD AT THE PROPERTIME ACCORDING TO THE TIME AND NEED

The elders and co-workers should…carefully choose various kinds of messages and materials for the purpose of pursuing. You have to spend enough time to pray thoroughly, observe closely the condition of the brothers and sisters, understand all kinds of needs, know their situation in the meetings, and find the proper materials from the ministry’s publication. Just like a mother, when she prepares food for her family, she takes care of everyone’s situation. Sometimes when a family member is sick, she has to prepare something special for him or her; sometimes with the change in weather, she has to buy something appropriate for the weather. You have to study and have some common knowledge of all these things.

Matthew 24:45 says that the faithful and prudent slave is able to give food to the children of God at the proper time. Here “to give them food at the proper time” has a deep significance. We not only give people different food at different times, but we also prepare different food for people according to their need. This matter requires our time to study. Sometimes when you meet a new believer, regardless of his condition, you speak to him about the seventy “sevens.” It is true that what you speak is the word of God, but this portion of food does not nourish him but kills him. The word of God is life, but if you use it improperly, it becomes something that kills people and ruins their appetite. In this way, they may not have the desire to come to the meetings because what they hear is not profitable to them. Perhaps I am too much, but I just want to show you that based on the principle of giving food at the proper time, we have to prepare messages for the pursuing in different kinds of meetings. This matter is critical in the progress of the meetings. Whether a meeting is profitable or attractive to man all depends on this matter. (

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Vision and Specific Steps for the Practice of the New Way])

TEACHING THE NEWBELIEVERSREQUIRINGWEOURSELVES TOKNOW THE TRUTH THOROUGHLY

The foremost thing is that we need to know the truth. This is like teaching mathematics; if we are not good in mathematics, it is very difficult to teach it. The truth that we must know is first the truth concerning the church. We should help others to know the church in a thorough way.

TEACHING THE NEWBELIEVERSREQUIRINGCONCISENESS AND CLARITY

When we teach others, we need to make everything simple. Again we can compare this to a coach teaching his players. The coach first needs to teach them the basic movements, expecting that they would practice these basic matters thoroughly. When they play on the field, they do not need to perform every move that the coach taught them. They need only to apply them with flexibility according to the real situation with the goal of shooting the ball into the basket. I hope we all understand these two sides. On one side, we need to know and be equipped with the truth; on the other side, we need to speak the truth in a simplified and concise way, presenting it clearly to the new believers. (Bearing Remaining Fruit, vol. 1, pp.103-104)

TEACHING THE NEWBELIEVERSREQUIRING THE TRANSMISSION OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE

One thing we have to pay special attention to is that the messages which we choose must contain a few crucial verses at the beginning. Every time we gather together, we have to pray-read these verses so as to allow the Lord’s word to be sowed into us. The Lord’s word is living, operative, and full of power. I hope that when people come to our meeting, they will receive nourishment and truth and be able to testify that we are for the preaching of the gospel and the expounding of the truth. Both spirit and life are in the truth. The reality of the truth is spirit and life. Thus, the genuine teaching of the truth is:

First, to transmit and dispense into people the spirit and life which are in the truth. For this reason, we must be one who lives in spirit and life.

Second, the curriculum itself is a series of messages, and there is no need for the teachers to explain anything or add notes. The material is already very rich and clear. What the teachers have to do is to take the lead to learn together. If the teachers take the lead to learn the line, the main focus, the general outline, the big points, and the small items of the curriculum, read them out one by one, and read them into people, then it will be their supply.

Third, the teachers’ spirit has to be released, and they should not be shy or cowardly. Only when your spirit comes out can it stir up the saints’ spirit. Then everyone will be sobered to practice seriously and receive the transmission.

Fourth, prior to your teaching, the teachers first have to be prepared, not only on the material, but to have a thorough study of the outline and learn how to work the outline into people and leave them with a deep impression. (

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NOTTEACHINGTHEOLOGY BUT MINISTERING THE TRIUNEGOD AS SPIRITUAL FOOD

The nature of the Summer School of Truth actually is not a matter of teaching but of ministering or serving.…We may use a restaurant as an illustration. A restaurant is not for teaching about food but for serving food. Those who serve in a restaurant do not merely give people a menu and then teach them about food. Instead, the serving ones supply others with different courses of food for eating. The principle should be the same with what we call the Summer School of Truth.…Our intention is not to give people a “menu” and then teach them about God. Our intention is to serve, to minister, God as different “dishes” for eating.

The situation of today’s seminaries is very different from this. Seminary instructors…mainly teach theology, the mere knowledge about God. They do not minister God Himself to the students. We do not want…to resemble a theological school. Our school should actually be a “restaurant” serving the Triune God to the…saints.

BRING PEOPLE TO THE TRIUNEGOD

Our goal is to bring…people not to the lesson books but to bring them to the Triune God through the lesson books. Our lesson books should be a channel through which…people are brought to the Triune God.…This means that your aim is not to teach the lesson book but to bring…people to God through a channel of the lesson book.

Through your teaching, your serving,…everyone in your class should be brought to God. You need to labor to bring every…person in your class to the Triune God, so that by the time you have finished all the lessons, the students in your class will have gained the Triune God and will have been filled with God, not with mere knowledge about God in letter. (Teacher’s

Training, p. 10)

NOTTEACHINGDIFFERENTLY FROM GOD’SECONOMY

In 1 Tim. 1:3-4 Paul spoke to Timothy, one of his closest co-workers, saying, “Even as I exhorted you, when I was going into Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach different things.” We must take heed to Paul’s charge not to teach differently from God’s economy. We believe that since the time of the apostles God’s economy has not been stressed as much as it has been stressed in the Lord’s recovery, especially in the past twenty years. God has a great plan—to dispense Himself in His Trinity into His chosen people. Our teaching must be governed by a view of God’s economy.

You should not have any burden, any view, or any vision other than God’s economy. You need to be not only burdened with God’s economy but also soaked and saturated with God’s economy. In your teaching you should know only one thing—God’s economy. You should be able to declare, “God’s economy is my burden, my view, and my vision. My entire being has been soaked in God’s economy, and I know nothing else.” To be sure, you will teach many different lessons, but every lesson will be structured with God’s economy.

FANNING INTO FLAME THE GIFT OF GOD

In 2 Tim. 2:2 Paul charged Timothy to commit to faithful men the things which he had heard from Paul. These faithful men should be those who are competent to teach others. In order to fulfill this commission, Timothy himself had to be on fire. This is the reason Paul reminded him to “fan into flame the gift of God” which was in him (1:6).

God has given us two precious things—His divine life and His divine Spirit. Now we need to fan the gift of God into flame.…We need to open our entire being. Open your mind, emotion, and will. Open your entire soul, open your heart, and open your spirit. Every morning we need to go to the Lord and open ourselves to Him.…Before you go to teach, you must first fan the gift into flame. The more you open, the more the fire will burn.…If your being is closed, you need to call on the name of the Lord Jesus. As you call on the Lord, open not only your mouth but also your spirit and your heart…that will fan into flame the eternal life and the eternal Spirit within you. Fan into flame the gift which you have received from God. Let the gift become a flame. Then go to teach…people not with an “ice-cold” mind but with a flame.

BEING A PERSON OF PRAYER, BRINGING IN A SPIRIT OF PRAYER

If you would go to your class…with a flame, you must be a person of prayer. If you are such a person, you will bring a spirit of prayer to your class.…This means that you need to create an atmosphere of prayer.

Do you know what a living meeting is? A living meeting is a meeting that has an atmosphere of prayer. All those who speak for the Lord know that it is easy to speak in a meeting where there is an atmosphere of prayer. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to speak, for you may feel as if you are speaking in a cemetery.…There is no need to fan the gift of God into flame in order to teach a class in a secular school. But to teach in our…school, you must be a person of prayer, a person with a flame who brings in an atmosphere of prayer. (pp. 29-33)

TEACHING IN AN EXPERIENTIALWAYRATHERTHAN IN A DOCTRINALWAY

In order to teach in an experiential way, you must convert every point in the lesson from doctrine into experience. Suppose a particular lesson has five points. In your preparation, you should try to convert every point of doctrine into experience. This requires practice. After making such a conversion during your time of preparation, you should then speak to…people about each point in the way of experience. The more you speak in this way, the more they will be unveiled. They will see a vision that will expose them, and spontaneously they will be ushered into the experience of the very matter you have been presenting.

However, if you teach in the way of merely imparting doctrines from the printed materials, you will do nothing more than impart some knowledge to the minds of your students. As a result, they will gain nothing in an experiential way. Moreover, the knowledge they gain may damage them.…In the ministry in the Lord’s recovery, we present our teachings not in the way of doctrine but in the way of life.…However, although we do not stress doctrine, our way of teaching conveys a great deal of doctrine. Every message of our life-study of the Scriptures conveys a certain amount of doctrine, yet the impression made upon the reader is not the impression of doctrine but the impression of the experience and enjoyment of God, Christ, and the Spirit. Outwardly one does learn some doctrine, but it is experiential doctrine, doctrine that is learned through experience.

If you try to convert every point in the lessons into experience, you yourself will be helped. You may realize that you do not know how to convert doctrine into experience, because you are lacking in experience. This will expose you, and then you will know where

you are.…Then as you are preparing a lesson, you may begin to check yourself regarding your experience. Point by point you may ask yourself, “Do I have the experience of this matter? Is my experience of this point adequate? Am I able to teach others about this point in an experiential way?”…This may cause you to pray, “Lord, have mercy upon me. I need some experience of this matter.” This is the way to prepare yourself to teach every lesson. (pp. 41-43)

Lesson Twenty-five

THE ESSENCE OF THE BIBLE

Scripture Reading:

Hymns, #801

2 Tim. 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

2 Pet. 1:21 For no prophecy was ever borne by the will of man, but men spoke from God while being borne by the Holy Spirit.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Matt. 4:4 …Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God.

I. The origin of the Bible:

A. The Bible being God-breathed—2 Tim. 3:16.

2 Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

B. The Bible being the speaking from God by men borne by the Holy

Spirit—2 Pet. 1:20-21.

2 Pet. 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of one’s own interpretation; for no prophecy was ever borne by the will of man, but men spoke from God while being borne by the Holy Spirit.

C. The Bible being God’s speaking in the prophets and in the Son—Heb.

1:1-2.

Heb. 1:1-2 God, having spoken of old in many portions and in many ways to the fathers in the prophets, has at the last of these days spoken to us in the Son, whom He appointed Heir of all things, through whom also He made the universe.

D. The Bible being the Holy Spirit’s revelation—John 16:13; Rev. 22:18-19.

Rev. 22:18-19 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this scroll; and if anyone takes away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and out of the holy city, which are written in this scroll.

II. The essence of the Bible:

A. The Word of God being the breathing out of God—2 Tim. 3:16.

2 Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

B. The Word of God being the spiritual milk—1 Pet. 2:2.

1 Pet. 2:2 As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word in order that by it you may grow unto salvation.

C. The Word of God being the spiritual food—Matt. 4:4.

Matt. 4:4 But He answered and said, It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God.”

D. The Word of God being spirit and life—John 6:63.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

E. God being the Word, and the Word being God—John 1:1.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

III. The function of the Bible:

A. Testifying concerning the Lord Jesus—John 5:39.

John 5:39 You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that testify concerning Me.

B. Making men wise unto salvation—2 Tim. 3:15.

2 Tim. 3:15 And that from a babe you have known the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

C. Causing men to be regenerated—1 Pet. 1:23.

1 Pet. 1:23 Having been regenerated not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God.

D. Being the believers’ spiritual milk—1 Pet. 2:2.

1 Pet. 2:2 As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word in order that by it you may grow unto salvation.

E. Being the believers’ spiritual food—Matt. 4:4.

Matt. 4:4 But He answered and said, It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God.”

F. Making the believers complete—2 Tim. 3:16-17.

2 Tim. 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

IV. The preciousness and sweetness of the Bible:

A. Every word of the Lord being a pure word—Psa. 12:6; 119:140.

Psa. 12:6 The words of Jehovah are pure words, / Silver refined in a furnace on the earth, / Purified seven times.

119:140 Your word is very pure, / And Your servant loves it.

B. The word of the Lord being sweeter than honey—Psa. 119:103.

Psa. 119:103 How sweet are Your words to my taste! / Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

C. The word of the Lord being better than thousands of pieces of gold and

silver—Psa. 119:72.

Psa. 119:72 The law of Your mouth is better to me / Than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

D. The word of the Lord being our heritage forever—Psa. 119:111.

Psa. 119:111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever, / For they are the gladness of my heart.

E. No word being impossible with God—Luke 1:37.

References: Truth Lessons, level 1, vol. 1, ch. 1; The Full Knowledge of the Word of God,

Excerpts from the Ministry:

After we are saved, in order to have spiritual growth, we must know the Bible. For two thousand years Christians have acknowledged one thing, that no one can know the Lord well without knowing the Bible.

The spiritual inheritance which God has given to us includes, on the one hand, the invisible Holy Spirit and, on the other hand, the visible Holy Bible. On the one hand, the Spirit is within us; on the other hand, the Scripture is outside of us. A proper Christian must be balanced in these two sides….If you are filled with the Holy Spirit within and you also know the Bible without, then, as a Christian, you are living and stable, and you are also active and accurate. You are a Christian who is living and stable as well as active and accurate. (Truth Lessons, level 1, vol. 1, p. 2)

THE ORIGIN OF THE BIBLE THEBIBLEBEING GOD-BREATHED

The Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16). This tells us that the Scripture did not come out of man’s thought, man’s mind, but rather, it is God’s breathing His thought and His word through His Spirit into and out of the writers. Hence, the Bible contains God’s elements and carries His flavor. (p. 2)

THEBIBLEBEING THE SPEAKING FROM GOD BY MENBORNE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Since the Scripture is God’s breathing His word out from men through His Spirit, no word of the Scripture can be of man’s will; rather, men were borne by the Spirit and spoke out of God. The word, “men spoke from God while being borne by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21), has a twofold meaning: first, men were borne by the Spirit; second, men spoke from God. In the original Greek, being borne by the Holy Spirit means being carried along as a ship by the wind. The writers of the Bible received God’s inspiration, and they were under the power of the Holy Spirit, being borne and carried along by Him to speak out God’s word. Furthermore, when they spoke, they spoke from within God. It was the Spirit of God carrying men along to speak, and it was also men speaking from within God.

THEBIBLEBEING GOD’SSPEAKING IN THE PROPHETS AND IN THE SON

The Old Testament is God’s speaking in the prophets; the New Testament is God’s speaking in the Son, our Lord Jesus (Heb. 1:1-2).

THEBIBLEBEING THE HOLYSPIRIT’SREVELATION

[The Bible is the Holy Spirit’s revelation.] John 16:13 says, “But when He, the Spirit of reality, comes, He will guide you into all the reality; for He will not speak from Himself, but what He hears He will speak; and He will declare to you the things that are coming.” The Lord’s word here also proves that after the Spirit’s descension, what His disciples spoke and wrote was disclosed to them by the Spirit. Hence, the Lord’s word here proves that after His ascension, all the books of the New Testament, written by His disciples, were of the Spirit’s revelation and their divine authority was acknowledged by Him. (pp. 3-4)

THE ESSENCE OF THE WORD

THEWORD OF GODBEING THE BREATHINGOUT OF GOD

The Word of God is the Bible. Its essence is: [first,] God’s Word is God’s breathing out (2 Tim. 3:16). The Bible is God’s breathing out; that is, it is the breath breathed out by God. The Bible is God’s breathing. To God it is a matter of breathing out; to us it is a matter of breathing in. Through God’s breathing out and our breathing in, God’s word enters into us and becomes our life and life supply. Therefore, when we read the Bible, we must understand that the Bible is not merely black words on white paper, but it is the breathing out of God. It is full of spiritual breath. Therefore, we must not only understand the Bible with our mind, but we also must contact the word of the Bible with our spirit. Whenever we read the Bible we come to contact God.

THEWORD OF GODBEING THE SPIRITUALMILK

[Second,] the Bible is the spiritual milk. In 1 Peter 2:2 Peter said that we need to be like newborn babes desiring the guileless milk of the Word. In the Word of God there is the element of milk. This is also implied in Hebrews 5:12, which says, “You…have become those who have need of milk and not of solid food.” God’s Word is our spiritual breath; therefore, we must breathe it in. God’s Word is also our milk; hence, we must drink it. We must desire the guileless milk of the Word.

THEWORD OF GODBEING THE BREAD OF LIFE

[Third,] God’s Word is our bread of life, our food of life. This is indicated in Matthew 4:4, a word out of the Lord’s mouth and a quote of Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God.” Therefore, whenever we read the Bible, we must breathe in the spiritual air, that is, the Spirit of God. We also must drink the spiritual milk and eat the bread of life, which is the Lord Himself.

THEWORD OF THE LORDBEINGSPIRIT AND LIFE

[Fourth,] the word of the Lord is spirit and life. In John 6:63 the Lord Jesus said, “The words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

GODBEING THE WORD,THE WORD ALSO BEING GOD

[Fifth, God is the Word, and the Word also is God.] The consummation of the Word is Christ Himself, because Christ is the Word of God. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word…and the Word was God.” This Word became flesh, and His name is Jesus Christ. Ultimately, the word in the Bible is God Himself. It is the embodiment of God Himself. This does not mean that we consider the words in black and white as the living God. What we mean is that the words in black and white contain God Himself. This God is Christ; He is our bread of life. This Christ is also the Spirit, who becomes our spiritual milk and our spiritual breath.

Therefore, when we come to read the Bible and learn to understand the Bible, we must have the attitude that the Bible is different from the textbooks in the schools. They are merely black words on white paper, simply a matter of knowledge. The essence of God’s Word,

however, is the breathing out of God, God’s spiritual breath. God’s Word is also the spiritual milk and the bread of life. It is spirit and life, and it is even God Himself. Therefore, we need to understand God’s Word and also enter into the essence of God’s Word.

God has worked in a wonderful way. He has given us both the Bible and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is contained within the Bible, and the Bible is carried within the Holy Spirit. They are mutually in one another; hence, the two are inseparable.

When we read the Bible, we touch the Spirit. When we touch the Spirit, the Bible is there as our practical support. We not only breathe in the spiritual breath, drink the spiritual drink, eat the spiritual food, and receive the Spirit and life, but we also have the clear Word to be our support, to satisfy our thinking and our thoughts. Here we can see the wonderful work of God. Not only do we have the Holy Spirit, but we also have the Bible. We cannot separate the two. If we read the Lord’s Word daily, the Lord’s Word will enter into us. Then we will know it and understand it. (The Full Knowledge of the Word of God, pp. 16-18)

THE FUNCTION OF THE BIBLE TESTIFYINGCONCERNING THE LORDJESUS

The first function of the Bible is to testify concerning the Lord Jesus (John 5:39). The Lord Jesus is the subject and contents of the Bible; the Bible is the explanation and expression of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is God’s living Word; the Bible is God’s written Word. The Bible, God’s written Word, must have the Lord Jesus, the living Word, as its reality; otherwise, it is but mere doctrines and empty letters.

MAKINGMENWISE UNTO SALVATION

The [second] function of the Bible toward us is to make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15); it reveals to us how God saves men in Christ, and how men may be saved by faith, so that we may know the way of salvation.

CAUSINGMEN TO BEREGENERATED

[The third function of the Bible is] to cause us to be regenerated (1 Pet. 1:23). The Bible is the Word of the living God, and it contains the life of the living God. When we receive the word of the Scriptures into us by faith, it comes into us like a seed of life, sowing God’s life into us; thus, we have God’s life and are regenerated.

BEING THE BELIEVERS’ SPIRITUALMILK

When we first get saved, we do not have a strong enough comprehension concerning spiritual things. Some portions of the Scriptures are like milk that can nourish us and make us grow in our spiritual life (1 Pet. 2:2).

BEING THE BELIEVERS’ BREAD OF LIFE

The word of the Scriptures is also our spiritual bread of life (Matt. 4:4) [which supplies the need of our spiritual life]. The nourishment of our spiritual life can only be supplied by the word of the Bible. In order to be living and strong before God, we cannot depend on bread alone, but on every word, that is, the word of the Bible, that proceeds out through the mouth of God.

MAKING THE BELIEVERSCOMPLETE

The teachings of the Bible can give us endurance, encouragement, and hope (Rom. 15:4). Many Christians have fallen into tribulation and sickness. Being unable to bear it, they feel sorrowful and hopeless, but when they read a portion or a sentence of the Bible, they have the enduring strength in their hearts, or they receive unspeakable comfort, and thus obtain hope that is beyond their expectation.…After our regeneration, the Bible is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that we, the men of God, may be complete (2 Tim. 3:16-17). (Truth Lessons, level 1, vol. 1, pp. 4-7)

THE PRECIOUSNESS AND SWEETNESS OF THE BIBLE

Although there are sixty-six books in the Bible, every sentence is pure, like silver that has been purified seven times. Therefore, it is refined and pure. There are no unnecessary words.

Every person who has earnestly read the Bible confesses that no other book in the world is as perfect and sure as the Bible. No other book in the world is as right, clean, and true as the Bible. Whether it is about matters concerning God or man, whether it is about the origins of the heavens and the earth or the end of all things, whether it is about the meaning of human life or the duty of being a man, whether it is concerning matters in this life or the things of the coming age, the Bible clearly explains all matters related to man. It is truly perfect and sure. Furthermore, the words of the Bible are not crooked in intent, nor filthy in nature, nor false in reasoning. The Bible truly is right, clean, and true.

Whoever has truly tasted the flavor of the Bible knows how precious and sweet the Bible is! It truly is more to be desired than gold and sweeter than honey from the honeycomb (Psa. 119:103). If you still do not feel that the Bible is precious and desirable, sweet and lovely, if the word of the Bible is not more precious than gold in your heart and sweeter than honey in your mouth, this proves that you have not tasted the flavor of the Bible yet. You still cannot appreciate the value of the Bible. I hope that you would ask God for the grace to know how precious and sweet His word—the Bible—really is.

The value of the Bible is greater than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. Thousands of people from the past to the present all confess and testify to this fact. Why have so many people throughout the ages valued the Bible more than anything else, even more than their own lives? Why were so many people martyred for the Bible during the time of the Reformation? It is because the Bible is priceless.

The spiritual blessings we receive in the Lord are all heavenly; they cannot be seen by our physical eyes today. The Bible is the only visible, spiritual heritage we have on the earth today. All the things on this earth will pass away; nothing is ours. The Bible is our only true heritage on earth today; it will last forever. Therefore, all those who truly know God treasure the Bible, looking upon it as a priceless eternal heritage.

No word in the Bible is powerless. This is a characteristic of the Bible. The worldly books do not emphasize power, and they are truly powerless. But the Bible emphasizes power, and it truly is powerful. Frequently, one sentence of the Bible can cause a vile sinner to repent and be saved. And one sentence of the Bible frequently changes the life of a person completely. If anyone genuinely touches the word of the Bible, he will feel that the Bible is powerful. This is because the Bible is the word of God. The word of God is as powerful as God is. God accomplished His creation and now rules over everything through His word (Heb. 11:3; 1:3).

The word of God is the power of God. Since the Bible is the word of God, it has the power of God, and even is the power of God. This power is limitless! (

ᆣᆖ૞ሐ

Fundamental Truths in the Scriptures])

Questions:

1. What, according to the Scriptures, is the origin of the Bible?

2. Explain what the essence of the Bible is based on the key verses in the Scriptures. 3. What are the functions of the Bible?

Lesson Twenty-six

THE SUBJECTS OF THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

Hymn:

I. The subjects of the books of the New Testament:

A. Matthew—The gospel of the kingdom—proving that Jesus Christ is the

King-Savior.

B. Mark—The gospel of God—proving that Jesus Christ is the

Slave-Savior.

C. Luke—The gospel of the forgiveness of sins—proving that Jesus Christ

is the Man-Savior.

D. John—The gospel of life—proving that Jesus Christ is God the Savior

coming as life to propagate Himself.

E. The Acts—The propagation of the resurrected Christ in His ascension,

by the Spirit, through the disciples, for the producing of the churches—

the kingdom of God.

F. Romans—The gospel of God—to make sinners sons of God to constitute

the Body of Christ, which is expressed as the local churches.

G. 1 Corinthians—Christ and His cross as the solution to all problems in

the church.

H. 2 Corinthians—The new covenant ministry and its ministers.

I. Galatians—Christ replacing the law and being versus religion and

tradition.

J. Ephesians—The church—the mystery of Christ, the Body of Christ as

the fullness of Christ, becoming the fullness of God.

K. Philippians—Experiencing Christ—taking Christ as our living, pattern,

goal, power, and secret.

L. Colossians—Christ—the all-inclusive One, having the first place in all

things as the mystery and embodiment of God, as the Head and

constituent of the church, as the allotted portion, life, constituent, and

hope of the saints, and as the body of all positive things.

M. 1 Thessalonians—A holy life for the church life—serving the living God,

conducting ourselves in a holy manner, and waiting for the Lord’s

coming.

N. 2 Thessalonians—Encouragement and correction concerning the holy

life for the church life.

O. 1 Timothy—God’s economy concerning the church.

P. 2 Timothy—Inoculation against the decline of the church.

Q. Titus—The maintenance of order in the church.

R. Philemon—An illustration of the believers’ equal status in the new

man.

S. Hebrews—Christ being superior to Judaism and everything related to

it, and the new covenant which He consummated being better than the

old covenant.

T. James—Practical Christian perfection.

V. 2 Peter—The divine provision and the divine government.

W. 1 John—The fellowship of the divine life.

X. 2 John—Prohibition against participation in heresy.

Y. 3 John—Encouragement to the fellow workers in the truth.

Z. Jude—Contending for the faith.

AA. Revelation—Christ as the center of God’s administration according to

God’s eternal economy.

II. The subjects of the books of the Old Testament:

A. Genesis—God created, Satan corrupted, man fell, and Jehovah

promised to save.

B. Exodus—Christ is the redemption, salvation, and supply of God’s people

and the means for them to worship and serve God so that in Him they

may be built up with God together for them and God to meet,

communicate, and dwell mutually.

C. Leviticus—Christ is everything in the fellowship, service, and life of

God’s redeemed.

D. Numbers—Christ is the meaning of life, the testimony, the center of

God’s people, and the Leader, the way, and the goal of their journey and

fighting.

E. Deuteronomy—Christ is the Instructor and Leader of the people of God

that they may be able to enter into the heavenly territory and

participate in His riches.

F. Joshua—Israel’s occupying and possessing the good land for the

carrying out of God’s economy.

G. Judges—Israel’s forsaking God, suffering defeat by their enemies, and

becoming rotten.

H. Ruth—A complete prefigure of the Gentile sinners’ being brought, with

Israel, God’s elect, into the divine inheritance through the redemption

of Christ in their union with Him.

I. 1 & 2 Samuel—The illustrations of the way to enjoy the God-given good

land.

J. 1 & 2 Kings—God’s governmental dealing in God’s economy, with the

devastation and ruin of the divine kingship on earth by the kings and

the tragic issue of the just dealing of God.

K. 1 & 2 Chronicles—A full chronology of God’s move in man’s history from

Adam through Samuel to Israel’s return from their captivity, with a

presentation of some of the important details of God’s dealing with the

kings of Judah.

L. Ezra—The return of the children of Israel from their captivity and the

rebuilding of the house of God as the initiation of God’s recovery among

His elect for His testimony on the earth according to His economy.

M. Nehemiah—The rebuilding of the wall of the city of Jerusalem as a

continual recovery among God’s elect for His testimony for the

accomplishment of His economy.

N. Esther—The very God who chose Israel as His elect becoming a hidden

God to them to take care of them secretly and to save them openly but

in secrecy during their captivity among the Gentile nations.

O. Job—The purpose of God’s dealing with His holy one.

P. Psalms—The expressions of the sentiments, feelings, impressions, and

experiences of godly men seeking and contacting God through their

praises, prayers, and singing with exultation.

Q. Proverbs—Words of wisdom teaching people how to behave and how to

build up their character in the human life.

R. Ecclesiastes—The teachings of Solomon, showing that the human life in

the corrupted world is a vanity, a chasing after the wind.

S. Song of Songs—The history of love in an excellent marriage, revealing

the progressive experience of an individual believer’s loving fellowship

with Christ.

T. Isaiah—The salvation of Jehovah through the incarnated, crucified,

resurrected, ascended, and coming Christ.

U. Jeremiah—Christ being made the righteousness of Jehovah to God’s

elect as their center and circumference, in God’s dealings with Israel

and the nations.

V. Lamentations—The expression of Jeremiah’s sorrow and love over the

holy city and the holy people of God.

W. Ezekiel—God’s appearing to man in glory, His judgment upon both His

people and the nations, and His recovery of His chosen people for the

building up of a dwelling place as a mutual abode and complete

expression for and of Himself.

X. Daniel—The destiny of Israel apportioned out by God—the contents of

the seventy weeks.

Y. Hosea—Jehovah as the salvation to the adulterous and apostate Israel

in receiving her back and restoring her.

Z. Joel—The devastation of the human government on Israel in four

stages and the destruction of Christ over the devastators and His reign

among Israel in the restoration.

AA. Amos—Jehovah’s judgments on Israel and the surrounding nations,

with the issue of restoration.

BB. Obadiah—Jehovah’s dealing with Esau, and Jacob’s victory for the

kingdom of Jehovah.

CC. Jonah—Jehovah’s salvation reaching even unto the Gentile city

Nineveh.

DD. Micah—Jehovah’s reproof on Israel and His restoration of Israel.

EE. Nahum—Jehovah’s judgment on Nineveh as the capital of the evil

Assyria.

FF. Habakkuk—The righteous judgment of God first on Israel by the

Chaldeans and then on the Chaldeans by the nations.

GG. Zephaniah—Jehovah’s judgment on Israel and on the nations and His

salvation to the Gentiles and to Israel.

HH. Haggai—Jehovah’s dealing with the returned captives for the building

of His house.

II. Zechariah—Jehovah’s hearty consolation and promise to His chastised

chosen people through the redemption of Christ, who in His humiliation

became their suffering companion in their captivity.

JJ. Malachi—Jehovah’s dealing with the sons of Levi (the priests among

Israel) and with the sons of Jacob (the people of Israel).

Reference: The Holy Bible, Recovery Version. Questions:

1. How many books are there in the Old and the New Testaments? How many books are there altogether?

2. What are the names of the books in the New Testament? 3. What are the names of the books in the Old Testament?

Lesson Twenty-seven

THE PRINCIPLES IN INTERPRETING THE BIBLE (1)

Scripture Reading:

Hymns, #816

Psa. 119:130 The opening of Your words gives light, / Imparting understanding to the simple.

2 Pet. 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of one’s own interpretation.

2 Tim. 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman, cutting straight the word of the truth.

I. As literally as possible—Isa. 7:14; Zech. 9:9b:

A. Example 1: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold,

the virgin will conceive and will bear a son, and she will call his name

Immanuel.” The Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 concerns the

Lord Jesus being born of a virgin. When this prophecy was fulfilled

(Matt. 1:23), it was fulfilled literally. The virgin referred to an actual

virgin.

B. Example 2: “Now your King comes to you. / He is righteous and bears

salvation, / Lowly and riding upon a donkey, / Even upon a colt, the foal

of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9b). The book of Zechariah in the Old Testament

prophesied that the Lord Jesus would enter Jerusalem the last time on

a colt. When the prophecy was fulfilled in Matthew 21:5, it was fulfilled

literally in every way. The word was colt, and it was in fact a colt.

II. No literal and spiritual interpretation within the same sentence,

verse, or section—John 3:5b; Matt. 3:11:

A. Example 1: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter

into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5b). Many Bible expositors have

interpreted the water here spiritually as referring to the word of God.

However, in the next phrase, they take the Spirit literally, referring to

it as the Holy Spirit. This kind of interpretation is wrong and is against

the principle of Bible interpretation.

B. Example 2: “I baptize you in water unto repentance, but He who is

coming after me.…He Himself will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and

fire, whose winnowing fan is in His hand.…but the chaff He will burn

up with unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:11-12). Some expositors have

interpreted the fire here spiritually as tribulations and trials. Some

have even interpreted this to be the Holy Spirit burning as a fire. All

these have interpreted the word fire spiritually. But in this verse, the

water mentioned by John is actual water, and the Holy Spirit is the

Holy Spirit, literally. Therefore, the fire in the latter part should not be

interpreted spiritually, but rather, literally.

III. One portion not sufficient to represent a whole truth—Matt. 4:5-7:

Matt. 4:5-7 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and set Him on the wing of the temple, and said to Him, If You are the Son of God, cast Yourself down; for it is written, “To His angels He shall give charge concerning You, and on

their hands they shall bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a

stone.” Jesus said to him, Again, it is written, “You shall not test the Lord your God.”

Example: “Jesus said to him, Again, it is written…” (Matt. 4:7). In

reading and interpreting the Bible, we should pay attention to the words

“again, it is written.” This shows how the devil tempted the Lord Jesus

with an isolated passage of the Old Testament. When the Lord heard

that, He answered right away, “Again, it is written, You shall not test

the Lord your God.” Any one portion of the Bible cannot represent the

whole truth, and we have to be balanced in every way. Hence, we have

to remember the principle of “again, it is written.”

IV. Every verse containing all the truths—Gen. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:20:

Gen. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 Pet. 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of one’s own interpretation.

A. No single verse can include the whole truth, and to understand a truth,

one cannot rely on one verse alone, but has to consider many other

verses. On the other hand, in determining any truth, one has to

consider every verse. Each verse in the Bible contains all the truths.

B. Any single verse in the Bible requires the whole Bible to explain it. If

one wants to understand Genesis 1:1, he has to understand the whole

Bible. On the one hand, Genesis 1:1 cannot contain the whole truth. On

the other hand, Genesis 1:1 includes all the truths of the Bible—Gen.

1:1.

C. Therefore, in determining any truth, we cannot rely on one portion of

the Bible alone. Instead, we have to depend on all the words of the

Bible—2 Pet. 1:20.

V. Not sacrificing any portion of the word:

A. In determining a truth, sometimes many related verses indicate a

certain meaning, but two or three among them cannot be explained in

that kind of way. One cannot say that because there were only one or

two verses that could not be explained that way, one can therefore

sacrifice them and base the exposition on the majority of the verses. If

one does that, he is sacrificing a small number of verses. We cannot do

this.

B. We have to respect every portion of the Bible. Only when an

interpretation harmonizes with the whole Bible can this interpretation

be considered reliable.

VI. All appositional expressions being equal—Matt. 5:3-11; Isa. 9:6:

Matt. 5:3-11 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. Blessed are you when they reproach

and persecute you, and while speaking lies, say every evil thing against you because of Me.

Isa. 9:6 For a child is born to us, / A Son is given to us; / And the government / Is upon His shoulder; / And His name will be called / Wonderful Counselor, / Mighty God, / Eternal Father, / Prince of Peace.

Example: Matthew 5 speaks of nine blessings. It says, “Blessed are the

poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens,” and “Blessed are

the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” These are matching

expressions, with the first expression matching the second one. In this

case, with every blessing, there is first the condition for blessing and

then the blessing itself. All matching expressions are equal.

VII. Neither being confined by the background nor ignoring the

background—Matt. 5:23-24:

Example: “Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there

you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your

gift there before the altar, and first go and be reconciled to your brother,

and then come and offer your gift” (Matt. 5:23-24). In the Lord’s sermon

on the mount, many words are spoken with a Jewish background. This

offering of the gift at the altar is based wholly on the background of

Judaism. If you grasp hold of this principle, you will realize that the

Lord’s words refer to a man offering something before God and

fellowshipping with God. Therefore, we cannot neglect the background.

On the other hand, we should not be confined to the background. We

cannot teach people to go to the altar to offer gifts now just because the

Lord Jesus has spoken such a word. If you are confined by this

background, you will have a big problem.

VIII. Paying attention to the differences in the dispensations—Exo. 20:8;

Mark 2:27-28; Matt. 19:21:

Exo. 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day so as to sanctify it.

Mark 2:27 And He said to them, The Sabbath came into being for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

28 So then the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

Matt. 19:21 Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come, follow Me.

A. Example 1: The Sabbath—God’s words to man are divided into

dispensations. When we try to understand these words, we must

differentiate between the different dispensations. We should not apply

the words spoken in the dispensation of the law to the dispensation of

grace. Keeping the Sabbath is a commandment that God gave to man in

the dispensation of the law. When one comes to the age of grace, it is a

different matter altogether. Keeping the Sabbath is a matter in the

dispensation of the law and not in the dispensation of grace.

B. Example 2: Prosperity and the enlargement of territory—God promised

His chosen people in the Old Testament that they would prosper and

enlarge their territory on the earth. But it is exactly the opposite in the

New Testament. There is such a promise in the Bible, but this promise

is not under grace, but under the law. In the New Testament age, God

said that we should forsake our land and sell it to give to the poor. This

is exactly opposite to the Old Testament age.

IX. Taking care of the difference in the persons being addressed—

1 Cor. 10:32; Matt. 24—25:

A. Example 1: First Corinthians 10:32 says, “Do not become a stumbling

block, both to Jews and to Greeks [referring to the nations] and to the

church of God.” In the Bible, there are at least these three kinds of

people to whom God speaks His words: the Jews, the nations, and the

church. In the Old Testament, the majority of the words were spoken to

the Jews. In the New Testament, there are many words that are spoken

to the church. At the same time, whether in the New Testament or the

Old, there are some words spoken to the nations.

B. Example 2: Matthew 24:1-31 is spoken to the Jews. Matthew 24:32 to

25:30 is spoken to the church. Matthew 25:31 to 46 is spoken to the

nations.

X. Persons, events, and objects in the Old Testament, not clearly

referred to as types, not to be treated as types but as illustrations:

A. In the Old Testament, many persons, events, and objects are types. But

if there is no mention in the New Testament of the object, the events, or

the person as a type, then we should not rashly surmise that they are a

type. At the most, we can only borrow these persons, events, and objects

as illustrations and use them to explain the truths in the New

Testament.

B. Examples of types:

1. Persons—Isaac, who typified the Lord Jesus as the inheriting son,

and Rebecca, who typified the bride gained by Christ, the church.

2. Events—the passover of the Israelites, which signifies our salvation

before God when we received the slain Christ as our Savior, and the

children of Israel’s exodus from Egypt, which signifies our going out

from the world.

3. Objects—the lamb, typifying Christ, and the brass serpent, also

typifying Christ.

References: On Knowing the Bible, ch. 4; Elders’ Training, Book 4: Other Crucial Matters concerning the Practice of the Lord’s Recovery, ch. 1.

Excerpts from the Ministry:

If we want to study the Bible, we have to understand the Bible. In order to understand the Bible, we need to interpret it. If there is no interpretation and no explanation, naturally we will have no way to understand the Bible. We know everything has its own principles. The more esteemed and important a matter is, the stricter are its governing principles and laws.

The Bible is an extremely great item in the universe. Besides our Lord and God of glory, I believe the greatest item in the universe is the Bible we have before our eyes and in our

hands. Since the Bible is so important, we need the proper interpretation before we can study or understand it. This interpretation must be governed by definite rules, laws, and principles. We cannot interpret it in this or that or any way we like. (On Knowing the Bible, p. 53)

All rules are a kind of protection. If a train has no railroad tracks to run on, not only will it be unable to run smoothly, but it will also be without protection. When there are railroad tracks, the train will move smoothly and will have the proper protection. This is the same way with the study of the Bible. If one studies the Bible and expounds it blindly and carelessly, the result will be inconceivable and even dangerous. Our thoughts are often without restraints. It is very dangerous for a person to judge according to what he thinks and to interpret according to what he perceives. If we want to study the Bible properly and understand it accurately, there must be the restrictive interpretation. If we want a restrictive exposition of the Bible, we need to find out the principles and laws of Bible interpretation. Here we will point out ten such principles.

AS LITERALLY AS POSSIBLE

The first principle is to interpret and understand the Bible as literally as possible. We have to grasp firmly the fact that when God inspired men to write the Bible, He used words that are fully comprehensible to man. When we attempt to understand the Bible today, we must understand the thought of God strictly and accurately according to the letter of the words. We should not think that since the Bible is inspired by God, it will always transcend human language, and is therefore open for spiritual interpretation. This is a dangerous proposition. We should interpret the Bible according to the literal meaning of the words. No matter how difficult or out of place a literal interpretation appears to us, we have to adhere strictly to the literal meaning. (pp. 53-54)

One has to consider carefully whether a passage should be interpreted literally or spiritually.…We should hold fast to the principles and adhere to the literal meanings as much as possible. It is only when a literal interpretation of some words in some visions, prophesies, and parables becomes too absurd and silly that we can interpret them spiritually. (p. 55)

NO LITERAL AND SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION WITHIN THE SAME SENTENCE, VERSE, OR SECTION

We cannot interpret a sentence, a verse, or a section of the Bible spiritually for the first part and literally for the second part. We should not do that the other way around either. If a passage is to be interpreted spiritually, it should be interpreted spiritually throughout. If a passage is to be interpreted literally, it must be interpreted literally throughout. For example, the Lord Jesus said in John 3 that unless one is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Many Bible expositors have interpreted the water here spiritually as referring to the word of God. However, in the next phrase, they take the Spirit literally, referring to it as the Holy Spirit. This kind of interpretation is wrong and is against the principle of Bible interpretation. If one would interpret the Spirit in the second part literally, he must interpret the water in the first part literally also. If one interprets the water spiritually, he must interpret the Spirit spiritually also. Since one cannot interpret the Spirit spiritually, neither can he interpret the water spiritually; it must be interpreted literally.…This is an important principle in the interpretation of the Bible. For the different parts within a same passage, either they must all be interpreted literally, or they must all be interpreted spiritually. They cannot be interpreted both ways. (pp. 56-57)

ONE PORTION NOT SUFFICIENT TO REPRESENT A WHOLE TRUTH

In interpreting the Bible, we have to pay attention to one more thing: one portion of the Word is not sufficient to represent the whole truth. In other words, there is no truth that can be fully explained in a single portion of the Word. Therefore, in reading and interpreting the Bible, we should pay attention to the words “again, it is written.” This is the word spoken by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 4:7. When the Lord was tempted,…the devil tempted the Lord Jesus with an isolated passage of the Old Testament. When the Lord heard that, He answered right away, “Again, it is written, You shall not test the Lord your God.” This shows us that we cannot consider one isolated portion of the Bible alone. Instead, we must consider two, three, or more portions of the Word together.

If we neglect the principle of “again, it is written,” but apply the words of the Bible in an isolated way, we will easily be deceived by the wiles of the devil. If the devil cannot stop someone from following the Bible, he will cause that one to quote the Bible in an isolated way.…This shows us that when we follow the Bible, we should not do so in an isolated way. We should consider both sides and even all sides. No single portion of the Bible can represent the whole truth.…Any single side of a man cannot represent the whole person. The same can be said of the words of the Bible. Any one portion of the Bible cannot represent the whole truth, and we have to be balanced in every way. Hence, we have to remember the principle of “again, it is written.” (pp. 57-58)

EVERY VERSE CONTAINING ALL THE TRUTHS

No single verse can represent the whole truth. However, every verse of the Bible contains all the truths. On the one hand, no single verse can include the whole truth, and to understand a truth, one cannot rely on one verse alone, but has to consider many other verses. On the other hand, in determining any truth, one has to consider every verse. Each verse in the Bible contains all the truths.

One brother once said that any single verse in the Bible requires the whole Bible to explain it. This is very true. If one wants to understand Genesis 1:1, he has to understand the whole Bible. On the one hand, Genesis 1:1 cannot contain the whole truth. On the other hand, Genesis 1:1 includes all the truths of the Bible.

Therefore, in determining any truth, we cannot rely on one portion of the Bible alone. Instead, we have to depend on all the words of the Bible. In a similar way, the exposition of any single verse cannot be based on its own context; instead it must be based on the whole Bible. Second Peter 1:20 says that no prophecy of the Scripture is of one’s own interpretation. The original meaning of this verse is that the prophecy of the Bible should not be interpreted according to its own context. This means that to interpret any prophecy, one has to study all the prophecies in the Bible, and has to make decisions based on all the prophecies of the Bible. Only then will the interpretation be complete. (pp. 58-59)

NOT SACRIFICING ANY PORTION OF THE WORD

In determining a truth, sometimes many related verses indicate a certain meaning, but two or three among them cannot be explained in that kind of way. One cannot say that because there were only one or two verses that could not be explained that way, one can therefore sacrifice them and base the exposition on the majority of the verses. If one does that, he is sacrificing a small number of verses. We cannot do this. As long as one or two verses do not allow a certain interpretation, we have to give up that interpretation. We have to respect

every portion of the Bible. Only when an interpretation harmonizes with the whole Bible can this interpretation be considered reliable. Any verse that forbids a certain interpretation of the truth must not be sacrificed. Instead, that certain interpretation must be abandoned, and we must wait for God’s further revelation. If we study the Bible this way, we will not fall easily into error. (p. 59)

ALL APPOSITIONAL EXPRESSIONS BEING EQUAL

There are many expressions in the Bible that are in apposition one to another. All these appositional expressions are equal and are not different. For example, Matthew 5 speaks of nine blessings. It says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens,” and “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” These are matching expressions, with the first expression matching the second one. In this case, with every blessing, there is first the condition for blessing and then the blessing itself. All matching expressions are equal. If the first part of one expression specifies a condition, then all first parts of matching expressions specify conditions also. If the second part of one expression specifies a blessing, then the second parts of all expressions specify blessings also. This is another principle or rule. (p. 59)

Since [Isaiah 9:6] is written in the Hebrew poetic way of expression, and Hebrew poetry goes often in pairs, the first two clauses, “For a child is born to us, / A Son is given to us,” form one pair….A child is born, but a son is given.

The son as the son of Mary with the human nature was born, and the son as the Son of the Most High with the divine nature was given through the son of Mary’s being born. This wonderful Son was not only born of the human source, but also given from the divine source. He is both human and divine. This is the very God-promised Messiah to Israel (John 1:41, 45), who is Jehovah Himself to become, by being born of a human virgin (Isa. 7:14), a man by the name Jesus—Jehovah the Savior (Matt. 1:21-23)—to be the Christ in God’s New Testament economy (Matt. 1:16). As such a one, His name is called: “Wonderful Counselor, / Mighty God, / Eternal Father, / Prince of Peace.” According to the composition, “Wonderful Counselor” and “Mighty God” should be one pair, and “Eternal Father” and “Prince of Peace” should be another pair. This wonderful Messiah, as the child born to the children of Israel and a son given to them, is a Counselor, even a wonderful Counselor to them, who gives them the wonderful counsels all the time and does everything for them. To them He is also God, even the mighty God, who is able to carry out whatever counsel He makes for them as their Counselor. In addition, He is also their Father, from eternity as their source, who fosters them and takes care of them all the time from eternity and through all the generations. He is also a Prince to them, who is their peace, gives them peace, and brings them into peace.

The Messiah, who is the Wonderful Counselor and the mighty God to His people, Israel, is not eternity’s Father, but His people’s eternal Father. According to the context of Isaiah 9:6, whatever Messiah is is His people’s. He is His people’s wonderful Counselor, His people’s mighty God, His people’s peaceful Prince, and His people’s eternal Father, not eternity’s Father. This corresponds with the context of the entire book of Isaiah in 63:16 and 64:8.

(Elders’ Training, Book 4: Other Crucial Matters concerning the Practice of the Lord’s Recovery,