1. Manna issue 98 - Casting the Net 撒網
KC Tsai—Toronto, Canada 加拿大多倫多
Simon Peter was a fisherman from the small village of Bethsaida by the Sea of Galilee
(Jn 1:44).
He made his living by casting his net to catch fish,
but after meeting the Lord Jesus,
he became one of the fish caught in the net of God's salvation grace
(Mt 13:47–50).
西門彼得是加利利海邊伯賽大村的漁夫
(約 1：44)
他靠撒網捕魚為生，
但遇見主耶穌之後，
他成了神救贖恩典之網所捕獲的魚之一
(太 13：47-50)
So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God,
that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake.
...Then He got into one of the boats,
which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.
And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
When He had stopped speaking,
He said to Simon,
"Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."
(Lk 5:1–4)
1耶穌站在革尼撒勒湖邊，
眾人擁擠他，要聽神的道。
2他見有兩隻船灣在湖邊。
...3有一隻船是西門的，耶穌就上去，請他把船撐開，稍微離岸，
就坐下，從船上教訓眾人。
4講完了，
對西門說：
把船開到水深之處，下網打魚。
(路 5：1-4)
Peter, exhausted and disheartened, replied,
"Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing;
nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net"
(Lk 5:5).
Without expectations,
he and his companions let down their nets
and caught such a great number of fish
that their net was filled to bursting.
The massive haul filled two boats,
causing them to start sinking.
彼得筋疲力盡，灰心喪氣地回答：
“5夫子，我們整夜勞力，並沒有打著甚麼。
但依從你的話，我就下網。”
(路 5：5)
沒有帶著期待，
他和自已的同伴撒下他們的網子，
結果捕獲大量的魚，
他們的網子幾乎要撐破。
這些魚獲裝滿了兩艘船，
以至於船都開始下沉。
Peter personally experienced this miracle firsthand,
witnessing the power of the Lord Jesus.
At the same time,
he perceived his own sinfulness and felt extremely unworthy.
He fell at Jesus' knees and said,
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"
(Lk 5:8).
This miracle not only provided him with an unexpectedly huge catch of fish,
but also the realization that he was a sinner,
unable to stand before the Lord without any shame.
彼得個人親身體驗了這個神蹟，
見證了主耶穌的大能。
在此之時，
他查覺了自己的罪性，覺得極度不配。
他跪在耶穌膝前，說：
“8主阿！離開我，我是個罪人！”
(路 5:8)
這個神蹟不僅讓他意外捕獲大量的魚，
也讓他明白自己是個罪人，
亦無法坦然無懼的站在主面前。
LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP 開船入深海洋
"Launch out into the deep"
was the command the Lord gave to Peter.
His words carry great authority, beyond all human imagination
(Mt 8:8–12),
bestowing great grace upon those who believe.
For Peter, Jesus had already prepared a great catch in the deep waters
before he launched out.
Although Jesus' instruction to let down their nets
did not specify what would happen,
His commands always carry unimaginable promises.
Whoever believes in Him and follows His instructions will receive His blessings,
just as Peter did with his two boatloads of fish.
This is similar to God's command to Abram:
"Get out of your country,
from your family and from your father's house to a land that I will show you"
(Gen 12:1–3).
This simple command from God was followed by a series of promises
—that He would make Abram a great nation,
and all families of the earth would be blessed through him.
Sure enough, because of Abram's faith and obedience,
those promises were fulfilled
(Heb 11:8–12; Gal 3:7–8, 14).
“開船入深海洋”
就是主給彼得的命令。
祂的話語帶著權柄，遠超人類的理解
(太 8：8-12)
賜予信祂之人極大的恩典。
對彼得而言，耶穌已經在深水中預備了豐盛的漁獲，
在他開船出發之前，
雖然耶穌吩咐他們下網，
並沒有具體說明會發生什麼事，
但祂的命令總會帶著領人難以想像的應許。
凡信祂，遵行祂命令的人，必蒙祂的祝福，
就如彼得所行，捕獲了滿滿兩船的魚。
這與神對亞伯蘭的命令相同：
“1你要離開本地，本族，父家，往我所要指示你的地去。”
(創 12：1-3)
神這條簡單的命令，帶著是一系列的應許：
—祂要使亞伯蘭成為大國，
而地上萬族都要因他得福。
果然，因著亞伯蘭的信心與順服，
這些應許都實現了。
(來 11：8-12；加 3：7-8，14)
Life-Changing Grace 改變生命的恩典
Before we open our hearts to see the Lord's glory,
we often fail to recognize our own sins and shortcomings.
We become stuck in our routines, like Simon Peter,
who spent his days casting, hauling, washing, and mending nets.
When he obeyed the word of the Lord
to launch out into the deep and let down his net,
his expectations were upended.
He was astonished by the sight
of the heavy, straining nets being brought onto the boats.
在我們敞開心扉看見主的榮耀之前，
我們常常無法認清自己的罪惡和缺點。
我們被困在日常瑣事，就像西門彼得一樣，
他終日忙於撒網，收網，洗網和補網。
當他遵從主的吩咐，
開船駛入深水區再撒網時，
他的期望被徹底顛覆了。
他被眼前景象嚇呆了，
沉重而繃緊網子的漁網被拖上船。
Though the Lord Jesus' appearance and attire
did not change during the miracle,
the miracle itself revealed His spotless purity,
making Him seem too holy to look upon.
In fact, it was Peter's heart that changed
—he saw himself as a sinner
and recognized that the Lord Jesus was no ordinary Man.
This was the first grace he received.
雖然主耶穌容貌和衣著，
在行神蹟時並沒有改變，
但神蹟本身顯露了祂無瑕的純潔，
使祂顯得聖潔得令人不敢仰視。
事實上，改變的是彼得的內心，
他意識到自己是個罪人，
並體認到主耶穌絕非常人。
這是他所領受的第一份恩典。
Peter said,
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"
But the Lord did not leave him.
Instead, Jesus said to him,
"Do not be afraid.
From now on you will catch men."
So, Peter and his companions brought their boats to land,
forsook all, and followed Jesus
(Lk 5:10–11).
Thus, the second grace Peter received was his calling to follow the Lord
and be a fisher of men.
彼得說：
“8主阿！離開我，我是個罪人！”
但主沒有離開他。
反而耶穌對他說：
“10不要怕！
從今以後，你要得人了。”
於是，彼得和同伴把船靠岸，
撇下一切，跟隨了耶穌。
(路 5：10-11)
因此，彼得所領受的第二個恩典，就是蒙召跟隨主，
成為得人的漁夫。
"From now on you will catch men."
The task of casting a net is the same,
except the target would no longer be fish but human souls.
Being a fisher of men is the noble task of preaching the gospel,
allowing others to gain life by knowing the Prince of life.
It is a blessed and pleasing service in the sight of the Lord.
“從今以後，你們要得人如得魚。”
撒網的任務依然如常，
只不過目標不再是補魚，而是拯救人的靈魂。
要成得人的魚夫，就是傳揚福音的崇高使命，
讓許多人因認識生命之主而得著生命。
在主眼中這就是蒙福且蒙悅納的事奉。
CASTING THE NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE 往右側撒網
Peter did not become a fisher of men
during the three years of following the Lord Jesus.
It was after the Lord's ascension,
when Peter received the promised Holy Spirit,
that he became a fisher of men
and led three thousand souls to the Lord on the Day of Pentecost.
But before this point,
he became dangerously close to losing himself.
Despite having seen the resurrected Lord twice,
Peter told six companions by the Sea of Tiberias,
"I am going fishing."
His companions followed him in the opposite direction to their calling.
They planned to return to their old occupation
and resume their life as fishermen.
彼得並沒有成得人的漁夫，
在跟隨主耶穌的三年裡。
直到主升天之後，
當彼得領受了應許的聖靈，
他才成為得人的漁夫，
且於五旬節那天帶領三千人的靈魂歸向主。
但在此之前，
他曾一度頻危迷失自我。
雖他曾兩次看見復活的主，
彼得在提比瑞亞海邊卻對六個同伴說：
“我要去捕魚。”
他同伴跟隨他走向與他們的呼召相反的方向。
他們計劃重回自已的舊業，
繼續自已的生活，作為漁夫。
It was at this moment
that the Lord Jesus gave them another timely command:
就在這時，
主耶穌給他們另一個及時的命令：
And He said to then,
"Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some."
So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in
because of the multitude of fish.
...Then, as soon as they had come to land,
they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught."
(Jn 21:6, 9–10)
6耶穌說：
你們把網撒在船的右邊，就必得著。
他們便撒下網去，竟拉不上來了，
因為魚甚多。
…他們上了岸，
9他們上了岸，
就看見那裡有炭火，上面有魚，又有餅。
10耶穌對他們說：把剛才打的魚拿幾條來。
(約 21：6，9-10)
The Lord Jesus did not need the fish that they had caught.
He could obtain the fish He wanted by Himself,
even without lighting a fire to grill it.
Our gospel work is the same.
The Lord knows who His sheep are;
they hear His voice and follow Him
(Jn 10:27).
In preaching the gospel, He may not need human "help,"
but He is willing to give believers the opportunity to work with Him.
When He said,
"Bring some of the fish you have just caught,"
it was not because He lacked fish,
but because He wanted His disciples to participate.
The boatload of fish was His reward,
from which He expected His disciples to bring a few fish to share with Him.
If He is willing to accept the contribution of His disciples in providing breakfast,
how much more is He willing to accept their participation in the task of saving souls.
主耶穌並不需要他們所抓到的魚。
他自己就能得到自已想要的魚，
甚至無需生火來烤魚。
我們傳福音的工作也是如此。
主知道誰是祂的羊；
他們會聽從祂的聲音，跟隨祂。
(約 10：27)
傳福音的時候，祂可能不需要人的“幫助”，
但祂很樂意給信徒與祂同工的機會。
當祂說：
“把你們剛捕到的魚拿來一些”，
並不是因為祂缺少魚，
而是因為祂要自已的門徒參與其中。
滿船的魚獲就是祂的獎賞，
祂期望自已的門徒可從其中拿出一些魚來與祂分享。
如果祂很樂意接受自已門徒的付出來準備早餐，
那麼祂豈不更樂意去接受他們參與拯救靈魂的任務呢？
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A NET 天國就好比一張網
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet
that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,
which, when it was full, they drew to shore;
and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels,
but threw the bad away.
So it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,
and cast them into the furnace of fire.
There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
(Mt 13:47–50)
“47天國又好像網撒在海裡，
聚攏各樣水族，
48網既滿了，人就拉上岸來，
坐下，揀好的收在器具裡，
將不好的丟棄了。
49世界的末了也要這樣。
天使要出來，從義人中把惡人分別出來，
50丟在火爐裡；
在那裡必要哀哭切齒了。”
(太 13：47-50)
The parable of the dragnet describes the kingdom of heaven
as a net cast into the sea,
gathering all kinds of fish before the final judgment.
This net does not refer to the eternal kingdom
that believers will eventually enter after judgment,
but to the true church on earth, the kingdom of God.
In this parable,
there is only one net in the vast sea,
and it gathers various kinds of fish
—some good and some bad, to be later discarded.
This signifies that within the church,
there will be both righteous and wicked people.
God's salvation is highly selective.
There is only one true church where we can receive salvation,
but those who enter must rely on the Holy Spirit
to learn, pursue, and keep God's word,
becoming righteous and acceptable to God.
Not only must we enter the only true church,
but we must also humbly and diligently hold fast to the true faith
lest we lose our salvation.
撒網的比喻描述天國，
比喻為撒入大海的一張網，
在末日審判之前，網羅各種各樣的魚。
這張網並不是指永恆國度，
而信徒在審判後最終將要進入，
而是地上的真教會，神的國。
在這個比喻中，
在茫茫大海中只有一張網，
它會網羅各種各樣的魚，
—有好有壞，最終都要丟棄。
這象徵在教會中，
既有義人，也有惡人。
神的救恩是經過嚴格篩選的。
只有獨一真教會，我們才可以在那裡得拯救，
但那些進入教會的人必須依靠聖靈，
去學習，追求，並遵守神的話語，
成為義人，蒙神悅納。
我們不只要進入這間獨一真教會，
我們還要謙卑殷勤持守真道，
免得我們失去自已的救恩。
The Direction and Depth of Our Preaching 我們傳道的方向和深度
"Launch out into the deep"
signifies the direction and depth required by the Lord.
"Cast the net on the right side"
signifies having and obeying the word of the Lord.
The disciples had worked hard all night
and surely had cast their net on the right side already.
Therefore, the problem was not the location of the casting
but whether they had the Lord's word and obeyed it.
“開船入深海洋”
強調主所要求的方向和深度。
“在右邊撒網”
強調擁有遵行主的話語。
眾門徒已經整夜辛勤工作，
且一定曾把自已的網子撒向右邊。
因此，問題不在於撒網的位置，
而在於他們是否擁有主的話語並遵行它。
Preaching the gospel
requires the depth and direction demanded by the Lord.
Today, the testimonies presented at evangelistic services or truth-seeker classes
often focus on healings from illness and protection from accidents.
While miracles can confirm the preached word
(Mk 16:20),
they cannot replace the truth.
Although such testimonies can pique the interest of truth-seekers,
they are like shallow waters near the shore.
We must go deeper in preaching the truth of salvation.
傳講福音需要主所要求的深度和方向。
如今，在佈道會或慕道班中，大家分享的見證，
常常著重於疾病得醫治和意外受保護。
雖然神蹟可以印證所傳的道，
(可 16：20)，
但它們不能取代真理。
儘管這種見證可激發慕道者的興趣，
但它們就像岸邊的淺水。
我們必須更深入傳講救贖的真理。
The word of the Lord is the source of winning souls.
Therefore, we must be deeply rooted and established in God's word.
Some believers are enthusiastic about the gospel work and are eager to share,
but it is possible
that they only have a superficial understanding of our basic beliefs.
Due to worldly values and influences,
they may struggle to grasp spiritual principles from the Bible.
Some believers, after decades of believing,
still lack spiritual wisdom and understanding
and are unable to discern the truth clearly.
As warned by the apostle Paul,
they are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"
(2 Tim 3:7).
主的話語才是贏取靈魂的源頭。
因此，我們必須深入紮根並建立穩固在神的話語上。
有些信徒很熱心傳福音，渴望分享，
但他們很可能，
對我們的基本信條只有膚淺的理解。
由於世俗的價值觀和影響，
他們可能難以掌握聖經屬靈的原則。
有些信徒信主數十年了，
仍然缺乏屬靈的智慧和理解，
不能很清楚分辨真理。
正如使徒保羅所警告的，
他們
“7常常學習，終久不能明白真道。”
(提後 3：7)。
Thus, those involved in evangelism should not rely solely on eloquence and skills,
but on the Holy Spirit, praying for the Lord to draw people to Him.
They must diligently grow in the knowledge of the truth
and humbly submit to the guidance and training of the church.
Only then can they cast the net to win souls and share in the blessings of the gospel
(1 Cor 9:23).
因此，那些參與傳福音的人不該單單依靠口才和技巧，
而需依靠聖靈，祈求主引領人歸向祂。
他們必須殷勤增長真理的知識，
且謙卑順服教會的引導和訓練。
唯有如此，他們才能撒網贏取靈魂，並同享福音的祝福。
（林前 9：23）
CONCLUSION 結論
When Peter, dejected after a long and unsuccessful night of toil,
obeyed Jesus' command to launch out into the deep,
he could never have imagined the new direction his life would take.
From witnessing the impossible, to realizing the divinity of Jesus and his own sinfulness,
to accepting the call of becoming a fisher of men,
and finally living out his calling,
each step Peter took was guided by the word of the Lord Jesus
and brought him deeper into the grace and knowledge of God.
So in our role as fishers of men, let us follow the same trajectory
—to humbly follow God's calling and instructions;
to understand our status before the Lord Jesus and the grace of participating in His gospel work;
and to rely on the Holy Spirit to bring people into the dragnet of salvation
and guide them to deep understanding of God's word,
holding fast to the truth.
在漫長而徒勞的夜晚後彼得感到很沮喪，
他聽從耶穌的命令，開船駛向深海。
他從未想過，自己的人生將會行進的方向。
自從見證了不可能之事，直到明白耶穌的神性和自己的罪性，
到接受成為得人漁夫的呼召，
最終活出祂得呼召使命，
彼得踏出的每一步都得到主耶穌話語的指引，
使他可以更深地進入神的恩典與認知。
所以我們身為得人漁夫的角色，讓我們也走同樣的軌道，
—謙卑跟隨神的呼召和命令；
明白自已在主耶穌面前的身份，以及參與祂福音事工的恩典；
要靠著聖靈來帶人進入救恩的網中，
引導他們深刻了解神的話語，
堅定持守真理。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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