五月八日
那医好的人不知道是谁……（约5：13）
快乐和康健的人觉得岁月是不居的，但三十八年的病对于一个可怜的、虚弱的人是多么长久的磨难呀！当他躺在毕士大的池边，耶稣用一句话治好他的时候，他快乐地感到一种改变。罪人长久地受到绝望的折磨，因此发出了微弱的求救声，当主耶稣带能力的话一出口的时候，便把平安和喜乐赐给信的人，因此他也必感到自己突然改变。病痛的消逝是不能不晓得的一件大事；身体的瘫痪是一件明显的事，生命的改变也是不能不知道的奇事。但这位可怜的人并不知道那治好他的人，他不知道他是圣洁的神、他在人类中的职司和使命。人心中虽然不知道耶稣，但仍不能不感到他血的能力。我们不能因为人不知道耶稣就遽然定他们的罪，但当我们看到既然有人因信得救，就当信救恩已经预备好了。圣灵在没有使人属神之前是先叫他们悔罪；而那信他所知道的，不久也必更清楚知道他所信的。无论如何，不知道乃是一种邪恶的事，因为这位可怜的人备受法利赛人的揶揄，并不能与他们抗辩。与问难的人对答如流是一件得意的事，但若我们不清楚了然地知道主耶稣就不能如此答辩了。耶稣在治好他的病之后，又治好他的不知道，因为主在殿里遇见了他；在主向他显明自己以后他才能见证说，使他痊愈的是耶稣。主啊！若你已救了我，求你也向我显现，好叫我对人讲说你。
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.
