Manna issue 67 - The Christ in the Book of Numbers—Part 5: The Bronze Serpent 民數記中之基督 - 第5期：銅蛇
Look unto Christ and be ye saved. 仰望基督，就必得救；
A Bible Study Series
based on “The Christ in the Book of Numbers” by Shen Chuan Chen
參考台灣 陳勝全長老編著的查經系列民數記中之基督一書
Numbers 21:4–9 records an incident
similar to a number of others during
the wilderness years. In each case,
discouragement and anxiety from an
arduous journey led to rash words
followed by punishment from God—this
time involving fiery serpents.
民數記21章4-9節記載一個事件，
和其他在曠野時的很多事件很類似。
每一件案例中，艱苦旅程所帶來的沮喪和憂慮，
導致說出一些魯莽的話，而受到神的處罰 -
而這次的事件和火焰般的銅蛇有關。
The people had traveled north from
Mount Hor towards Edom, by the Way
of the Red Sea, a difficult and desolate
route. Not only was the journey itself
trying, so were the circumstances. The
nation had been left bereft from the
passing of Miriam in Kadesh (Num 20:1)
and Aaron on Mount Hor (Num 20:22–
29). At the same time, the king of Edom
refused them passage through his land,
meaning they had to change course
(Num 20:14–21).
百姓從何珥山朝北往以東地行走，
經過往紅海的路上，是一個困難又荒涼的路徑。
這次的旅程不只讓人很難受，而四處環境土地也很貧瘠。
因著米利暗死在加低斯(民 20：1)和亞倫死在何珥山(民 20：22-29)，
整個百姓就好像剛才失去親人一樣。
同時，以東王拒絕他們經過其境內，
代表他們要改變路線。
(民 20：14-21)
We can imagine that morale was at
its lowest ebb, hence the harsh words
directed at God and Moses: “Why have
you brought us up out of Egypt to die
in the wilderness? For there is no food
and no water, and our soul loathes this
worthless bread” (Num 21:5). The
murmuring incurred God’s wrath, such
that He sent fiery serpents to bite the
people, causing many to die. While it is
uncertain what the serpents were, we can
speculate they were so-called because of
their venom’s effect.1
我們可以想見，百姓的士氣很低落，
因此會向神和摩西發出刺耳的話來：
"5就怨讟神和摩西說：你們為甚麼把我們從埃及領出來、使我們死在曠野呢？
這裡沒有糧，沒有水，我們的心厭惡這淡薄的食物。"
(民 21：5)
他們發怨言而引起神的憤怒，
以致於神叫火蛇咬百姓，讓許多人死了。
雖然我們不太確定，這些到底是那一種蛇，
我們卻能推測會被這麼稱呼，是因為他們的毒液會產生作用。1
Moses, on his part, bore patiently
with his brethren’s castigations and even
agreed to intercede on their behalf before
God—the Lord of life and death—asking
Him to forgive their sins and to remove
the fiery serpents from their midst.
Eventually, God instructed Moses to
make a bronze serpent set on a pole, so
that those who were bitten could look up
at it and live (Num 21:8).
摩西在他的職份上，有耐心的認受自已弟兄的嚴責，
甚至同意在神面前，為他們代求 - 向掌管生命和死已的神代求 -
求神來赦免他們的罪過，從他們之中，把火蛇移去。
最後，神指示摩西制作一隻銅蛇，架在桿子上，
這麼一來，那些被蛇咬到的人，才能抬頭看它，並且活下來。
(民 21：8)
PREFIGURATION OF CHRIST 基督的預表
Viewed in isolation, God’s method of
deliverance seems strange and even
somewhat arbitrary. However, with the
benefit of hindsight, we understand
that the bronze serpent prefigured the
salvation of Jesus Christ.
若單獨來看，神拯救人的方法，看起來很奇怪，
甚至好像有點任性。
然而，若是事後來看，我們就明白，
銅蛇預表了耶穌基督的拯救。
In a conversation between Jesus and
Nicodemus about spiritual rebirth, Jesus
referred him to this particular episode
in history, saying: “And as Moses lifted
up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:14–15).
As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would have
been familiar with this story. However,
there was a gap in his knowledge,
which was the significance of the bronze
serpent—a thousand-year-old enigma.
Jesus explained that the serpent, far
from being an inconsequential detail,
prefigured the Son of Man. It revealed
the mystery of God’s salvation plan and
His transcendental wisdom.
在耶穌和尼哥底母的對話中，他們討論到靈裡的重生，
耶穌指著自已就是這個歷史上的特別事件，
14摩西在曠野怎樣舉蛇，人子也必照樣被舉起來，
15叫一切信他的都得永生（或作：叫一切信的人在他裡面得永生）。
身為法利賽人，尼哥底母一定對這個故事很熟悉。
然而在他的知識之中，卻有一個斷層，
也就是銅蛇其所代表的重要性 -
是一個千年難解的謎。
耶穌解釋，那隻銅蛇，非但不是無關緊要的事，
而是預表了人子。
它揭露了神的奧秘，就是神救贖的計劃和超越人類的知慧。
For some of us, there may be an
inherent difficulty in accepting that
the bronze serpent represents Christ.
We cannot help but recall that our first
ancestors were tempted by the serpent
in the garden of Eden. For this reason,
we have the notion that the serpent is
exclusively a symbol of Satan. However, in
ancient Near Eastern culture, the serpent
was a symbol of power. The Egyptians,
for example, revered the serpent, along
with the eagle, two regal animals of the
desert. Both coalesced in the persona of
the pharaoh, highlighting his political and
religious supremacy.
對我們一些人而言，或許內心會有困難來接受，
這隻銅蛇就是代表基督。
我們不得不要想，在伊甸園中，我們第一個始姐受到蛇的引誘。
因為這個原因，我們有一種想法，蛇特別是撒旦的象徵。
然而在古代近東文明中，蛇是力量的象徵。
例如，埃及人，一起敬畏蛇和鷹，這二樣象徵沙漠皇室的動物。
二種動物都連接到法老的人格角色，
強調法老在政治及宗教的至高無上。
God Himself utilized the serpent as a
symbol of His divine power prior to the
exodus (cf. Ex 7:8–12). When He sent
Moses and Aaron to meet Pharaoh, He
told Aaron to cast down his rod before
Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.
However, Pharaoh’s magicians were able
to do the same. Pharaoh, possessing a
powerful combination of political and
religious clout, was determined to show
that he was not to be defied by anyone,
least of all Moses and Aaron who dared
to ask for the freedom of his slaves. Yet
Aaron’s rod swallowed up Pharaoh’s,
demonstrating God’s superior authority.
Despite this, Pharaoh refused to give in,
thereby incurring trouble for himself and
the whole land of Egypt.
神在出埃及之前，親自用蛇作為祂天上權能的象徵。
(參考，出 7：8-12)
當神叫摩西和亞倫去見法老的時候，
祂告訴亞倫，要在法老面前，把更丟在地上，
讓亞倫的杖變成一條蛇。
然而，法老的術士也能作相同的事情。
法老的地位，具有政治及宗教上，雙重的影響力，
決心要表露出，自已不可以被任何人所蔑視，
最少對於摩西和亞倫，他們敢來求釋放自已奴隸自由，是不可以被他們輕視的。
然而亞倫的杖卻吞了摩西的杖，
顯示了神無上的權力。
雖然有這件事，法老仍然拒絕屈服，
因此為自已和全埃及地，招來困難。
From the afore-mentioned story, we
see that the serpent does not always
represent Satan; it is also a symbol of
authority. Unknown to Moses, the
bronze serpent prefigured the Messiah:
just as the serpent was lifted up in the
wilderness, so Jesus Christ would be lifted
up on the cross, so that sinners can look
up at Him and be saved.
從前面所提到的故事裡，
我們看見蛇不一定代表撒旦；
它也是權柄的象徵。
雖然摩西不知道，這銅蛇預表了彌賽亞：
就如同這條蛇在曠野中被舉起，
同樣耶穌基督會被放在十字架上被高舉，
因為如此，許多罪人才能抬頭仰望耶穌，
並且得到拯救。
Unfortunately the bronze serpent later
became an idol to which the Israelites
offered sacrifices for seven hundred
years. When Hezekiah ascended to
the throne in Judah, “he did what
was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father David
had done. He removed the high
places and broke the sacred pillars,
cut down the wooden images and
broke in pieces the bronze serpent
that Moses had made; for until
those days the children of Israel
burned incense to it, and called
it Nehushtan” (2 Kgs 18:3–4). In
short, Hezekiah put an end to the
Israelites’ deviation of faith, at least
for a time.
很不幸的是，銅蛇後來成為以色列人的偶像，
以色列人向其獻祭達七百多年
當希西家登基成為猶大的王，
"3希西家行耶和華眼中看為正的事，效法他祖大衛一切所行的。
4他廢去邱壇，毀壞柱像，砍下木偶，打碎摩西所造的銅蛇，
因為到那時以色列人仍向銅蛇燒香。希西家叫銅蛇為銅塊(或作人稱銅蛇為銅像)。"
(王下 18：3-4)
簡言之，希西家王終結以色列人的信仰終結之路，
最少讓他們不再偏離一段時間。
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the
Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish
but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:14–15)
14摩西在曠野怎樣舉蛇，人子也必照樣被舉起來，
15叫一切信他的都得永生（或作：叫一切信的人在他裡面得永生）。
(約 3：14-15)
Man’s perspective is limited and partial. Hence, it is difficult for many
to grasp the truth of the Godhead, particularly the fact that God is
self-existent and eternal. Yet the Bible is clear that He was the one true
God in the past; He is the one true God in the present time; and He will
be the one true God in the future.
人的觀點是有限和倫頗的。
因此，對許多人而言，要掌握神性的真理是很困難的，
特別是，神是自存，並且是永存的事實。
然而聖經很清楚的說到，
祂是過去以來，唯一的真神；
祂是現在唯一的真神；
祂也將會是未來的時候，唯一的真神。
THE BRONZE SERPENT SET
ON A POLE
裝在杆子上的銅蛇
Hidden within the miracle of the
bronze serpent are a number of
teachings and insights for Christians.
隱藏在銅蛇裡的神蹟，
是一連串基督徒的教導和領悟
One Bronze Serpent 一座銅蛇
Therefore the people came to Moses, and
said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken
against the LORD and against you; pray to
the LORD that He take away the serpents
from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a
fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it
shall be that everyone who is bitten, when
he looks at it, shall live.”
(Num 21:7–8)
7百姓到摩西那裡，說：我們怨讟耶和華和你，有罪了。
求你禱告耶和華，叫這些蛇離開我們。於是摩西為百姓禱告。
8耶和華對摩西說：你製造一條火蛇，掛在杆子上；凡被咬的，一望這蛇，就必得活。
(民 21：7-8)
Aside from symbolizing the suffering
Messiah, the bronze serpent also revealed
His uniqueness. For this reason, God told
Moses to make only one.
除了象徵彌賽亞的受苦之外，
銅蛇也表現其獨一性。
因為這個原因，神告訴摩西只做一隻銅蛇。
Satan can be likened to the fiery
serpents in the wilderness, harming
the elect during their journey. At the
beginning of time, he had also tempted
Adam and Eve to sin (Gen 3). However,
because Christ was lifted up, we are
granted new life and forgiveness of sins
if we believe in Him. Hence, Peter and
John testify for the Savior, saying, “This
is the ‘stone which was rejected by you
builders, which has become the chief
cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any
other, for there is no other name under
heaven given among men by which we
must be saved” (Acts 4:11–12).
撒旦可以比擬在曠野中的火蛇，
他們在選民的曠野旅程中，傷害選民。
在人的歷史剛開始的時候，
他也引誘亞當和夏娃去犯罪。
(創 3)
然而因為基督被高舉了，
若我們相信祂，
我們就會得到神賞賜新的生命，
並且身上的罪可以得到赦免。
因為，彼得和約翰為這位救主作見証，說，
"11他是你們匠人所棄的石頭，已成了房角的頭塊石頭。
12除他以外，別無拯救；因為在天下人間，沒有賜下別的名，我們可以靠著得救。"
(徒 4：11-12)
In the 1400 years from the time of
Moses until the birth of Christ, the Jews,
as a nation, upheld the belief in the one
true God through the Law of Moses. For
this reason, they found it hard to accept
that Jesus, the Son of Man, was “the
Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt
16:16), that He was one with God (Jn
10:30) and was God manifested in the
flesh (1 Tim 3:16). Due to their unbelief,
the Jews were constantly trying to find
fault with Him and were convinced that
eliminating Him equated to zeal and piety
towards God.
從摩西的時代到基督的降生的1400年中，
猶大人成為一個國家，
經由摩西的律法，得以堅守獨一真神的信仰。
因為這個理由，他們覺得很難去接受，
耶穌，身為人子，就是
"基督，是永生神的兒子"，
(太 16：16)
30我與父原為一
(約 10：30)
16就是神在肉身顯現。
(提前 3：16)
因為他們的不信，
猶太人一直試著想在耶穌身上找到錯誤，
並且相信，若能把耶穌消滅的話，
就等於是對神的熱心首虔誠。
Even so, God, in His loving kindness,
did not abandon them. Indeed, He went
on to fulfill His salvation plan, first alluded
to 1400 years earlier by the bronze
serpent set on a pole.
即使如此，神，因著祂的慈愛，並沒有放棄他們。
是的，祂繼續完成祂拯救人類的計劃，
而這個計劃首先在1400多年前，
藉著掛在桿子上的銅蛇，預示出來。
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man
be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have eternal life. For
God so loved the world that he gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes
in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
(Jn 3:14–16)
14摩西在曠野怎樣舉蛇，人子也必照樣被舉起來，
15叫一切信他的都得永生（或作：叫一切信的人在他裡面得永生）。
16「神愛世人，甚至將他的獨生子賜給他們，叫一切信他的，不至滅亡，反得永生。
(約 3：14-16)
This extraordinary prefiguration
revealed the will and plan of God,
and reminds us of prophet Isaiah’s
words:
這個超乎平常的預表，
揭露了神的旨意和計劃，
提醒我們想起先知以賽亞的話：
Remember the former things of old,
for I am God, and there is no other; I
am God, and there is none like Me,
declaring the end from the beginning,
and from ancient times things that
are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel
shall stand, and I will do all My
pleasure’.
(Isa 46:9–10)
9你們要追念上古的事。因為我是神，並無別神；我是神，再沒有能比我的。
10我從起初指明末後的事，從古時言明未成的事，說：我的籌算必立定；凡我所喜悅的，我必成就。
(賽 46：9-10)
Man’s perspective is limited and
partial. Hence, it is difficult for many
to grasp the truth of the Godhead,
particularly the fact that God is selfexistent
and eternal. Yet the Bible is clear
that He was the one true God in the past;
He is the one true God in the present
time; and He will be the one true God
in the future. When elder John wrote
the Book of Revelation, he documented
these words of Jesus: “ ‘I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the Beginning and the
End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was
and who is to come, the Almighty’ ” (Rev
1:8). Accepting that Jesus Christ is the
one true God is a condition of grace for
both Jews and Gentiles.
人的觀點是有限和倫頗的。
因此，對許多人而言，要掌握神性的真理是很困難的，
特別是，神是自存，並且是永存的事實。
然而聖經很清楚的說到，
祂是過去以來，唯一的真神；
祂是現在唯一的真神；
祂也將會是未來的時候，唯一的真神。
當約翰長老寫啟示錄的時候，
他記錄了這些耶穌的話：
8主神說：我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛，（阿拉法，俄梅戛：是希利尼字母首末二字），
是昔在、今在、以後永在的全能者。
(啟 1：8)
接受耶穌基督是獨一真神，
是猶太人和外邦人兩方，可以得到恩典的條件。
Set on a Pole 掛在杆子上
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a
fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it
shall be that everyone who is bitten, when
he looks at it, shall live.”
(Num 21:8)
8耶和華對摩西說：你製造一條火蛇，掛在杆子上；凡被咬的，一望這蛇，就必得活。
(民 21：8)
Before the arrival of God’s saving grace,
the world was under the power of sin. Its
effects could be likened to the venom of
the fiery serpents, bringing about man’s
certain doom. However, Christ died on
the cross to save us from the bondage of
sin and to give us the chance of renewal:
“For He made Him who knew no sin to
be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor
5:21). This is the key significance of the
bronze serpent.
在神拯救人恩典降臨人世之前，
世界都在罪的權柄控制之中。
罪的攻效就好像是火蛇的毒液，
帶來人類所要面對的惡運。
然而，基督死在十字架上，拯救我們脫離非的束縛，
讓我們可以得到重生的機會：
21神使那無罪（無罪：原文是不知罪）的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。
(林後 5：21)
這就是銅蛇最關鍵的意義。
To Look and Live 一看就活
As the poison of the fiery serpents acted
on the Israelites, Moses worked swiftly
to make a bronze serpent according
to God’s instruction (Num 21:9). This
method of deliverance must have seemed
improbable at the time, but it worked.
正當火蛇的毒液在以色列百姓中發生作用的時候，
摩西根據神的指示，很快作出一條銅蛇。
(民 21：9)
這種拯救的方法，在當時一定被認為是沒有什麼用，
但實際上卻真的發生作用。
In truth, the instruction to look up at
the bronze serpent was nothing short of
a test of faith—of the people’s willingness
to believe and act upon Moses’ words.
We can imagine that perhaps there
were some who, even under the dire
circumstances, judged the situation on
the basis of their own logic and concluded
that it was impossible for the bronze
serpent to save them. If this was the case,
they would have forfeited their lives.
事實上，抬頭看銅蛇的指示，是不折不扣信仰的考驗 -
用來考驗百姓是不是會相信，並且遵行摩西所說的話。
我們可以想像，或許有一些人，即使在這惡劣的情況下，
會根據自已的思考邏輯來判斷情勢，
會作出結論，認為銅蛇是不可以可以拯救他們的。
若真是這種情況的話，
他們就會失喪自已的生命。
There is a vast difference between
God’s thinking and man’s, and this
is particularly apparent in the New
Testament period. Despite the fact that
Jesus ushered in a new era of grace, the
scribes and Pharisees held on tightly to
their Old Testament laws and traditions.
In effect, their stance excluded them
from the blessing of justification by faith
in Jesus Christ (Rom 4:1–16).
神的想法和人的思考，有著巨大的差異，
這種情況在新約的時代是特別的明顯。
雖然事實是，耶穌引領了一個新的恩典時代，
但文士和法利賽人卻堅持舊約律法和傳統。
實際上，他們的立場，把自已排除於在耶穌基督裡，
因信稱義的祝福之外。
The situation is similar today. Many
people still find it hard to accept that they
can be saved by simply believing in Jesus.
However, the story of the bronze serpent
reveals that salvation is appointed by
God; everyone can have easy access to
this grace. All we need to do is believe:
“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those
who fear Him, on those who hope in His
mercy” (Ps 33:18). Such truths could
neither be grasped by the Jews with their
legalistic mindset, nor by those who later
advocated complex and ascetic forms of
religion. For them, God’s salvation grace
was a stumbling block.
今日的情況是一樣的。
許多人仍然很難去接受，
只要他們相信耶穌，就可以得救。
然而，銅蛇的故事告訴我們，得救是由神所指定的；
每個人都可以很容易接受這個恩典。
我們一切所需要的，就是要相信：
18耶和華的眼目看顧敬畏他的人和仰望他慈愛的人。
(詩 33：18)
這種真理即不能被猶太人，用他們的律法思考所了解
也不能為後來那些宗教苦修形式和複雜想法的人所接受。
對他們而言，神的拯贖就像拌腳石一樣。
We may wonder whether the bronze
serpent had any inherent powers to
heal those who had been bitten. The
answer is no. Healing came simply
from the people’s belief in God’s word.
The lesson for Christians is that we, too,
can be renewed in our spiritual lives if
we look up at the bronze serpent set
on the pole. We don’t need to look
towards Moses, who represented the
Old Testament Law, nor Aaron, who
represented the sacrificial system. Rather,
we should look upon Jesus Christ who
died on the cross, and we will be assured
of victory over death.
我們或許會想，是不是在銅蛇裡面有任何內在的力量，
可以救那些被咬的人。
答案是沒有。
得到醫治的原因，就只因為百姓相信神的話，這麼簡單。
而基督徒的課程就是，若我們要抬頭仰望掛在桿子上的銅蛇的話，
我們也能讓自已的靈命得到更新。
我們不需要把頭轉去看摩西，因為他代表舊約的律法，
也不是轉頭看亞倫，因為他代表獻祭的宗教系統。
反過來，我們應該要仰望耶穌基督，
因為他為我們死在十字架上，
因此我們可以確信得到勝過死望的勝利。
“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is you victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength
of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who
gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.
(1 Cor 15:55–57)
55死阿！你得勝的權勢在那裡？死阿！你的毒鉤在那裡？
56死的毒鉤就是罪，罪的權勢就是律法。
57感謝神，使我們藉著我們的主耶穌基督得勝。
(林前 15：55-57)
Salvation was once shrouded in
mystery, but God in His wisdom chose to
reveal its path in different ways over the
generations. One by one, His revelations
pointed to the coming of Christ.
救贖曾經是隱藏在奧秘之中，
但神用自已的智慧，在不同的世代之中，
選擇了不同的方式，來揭露他所用的道路。
一個接著一個，
神很多的啟示，都指向基督的降臨。
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus
whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.
Him God has exalted to His right hand to
be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to
Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are
His witnesses to these things, and so also is
the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those
who obey Him.
(Acts 5:30–32)
30你們掛在木頭上殺害的耶穌，我們祖宗的神已經叫他復活。
31神且用右手將他高舉（或作：他就是神高舉在自己的右邊），叫他作君王，作救主，將悔改的心和赦罪的恩賜給以色列人。
32我們為這事作見證；神賜給順從之人的聖靈也為這事作見證。
As we have since received the salvation
of Jesus through repentance and belief, we
should hold on to it tightly by looking to
Him each day of our faith journey.
即然我們經由悔改和相信，才得到這個救贖，
就應該在我們信仰旅程的每一天來仰望祂，
把這份信仰牢牢的守住。
1 See “Serpent, Fiery” in Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia,
eds., Charles F. Pfeiffer, Howard F. Vos, John Rea (Chicago:
Moody Press, 1983).
1. 參考威克里夫聖經百科全書的章節，"蛇，火焰"，
Charles F. Pfeiffer, Howard F. Vos, John Rea
(Chicago 芝加哥: Moody Press 穆迪出版社, 1983)
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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