14基督是牧人,被祂自己的百姓所杀。这启示在约翰十章,那里告诉我们,好牧人为羊舍命。耶稣来作牧人,并且被杀,为祂的羊群舍命。原则上,在创世记三十七章,同样的事发生在约瑟身上。他受差遣去牧养他的哥哥们,他们却几乎把他杀了。约瑟舍命为要完成这样的牧养。我们里面有牧养的生命,这是好的。但你若要牧养别人,你必须预备好,被你所照顾的人所杀。你渴望牧养的人,不会赏识你的牧养。反之,他们会把你杀了。他们会认为你是奇特、乖僻的人,会称你为“圣别的”弟兄。许多人曾对我说,“李弟兄,我若只管自己,不爱召会,不照顾圣徒,我就没有难处。然而我一旦爱召会,并照顾圣徒,圣徒却把我杀了。”他们把你杀了,因为你牧养他们(创世记生命读经,一六八二至一六八四页)。
14As the Shepherd, Christ was killed by His own people. This is revealed in John 10, where we are told that the good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. Jesus came as the Shepherd and was killed, giving His life for His flock. In principle, the same thing happened to Joseph in Genesis 37. Although he was sent to shepherd his brothers, they nearly killed him. Joseph gave his life in order to carry out this kind of shepherding. It is good that we have a shepherding life within. But if you are to shepherd others, you must be ready to be killed by those you are caring for. The very ones you desire to shepherd will not appreciate your shepherding. Instead, they will kill you. They may think of you as a strange, peculiar person, and they may call you a “holy” brother. Many have said to me, “Brother Lee, if I stay by myself and do not love the church and care for the saints, I have no problems. But when I begin to love the church and take care of the saints, the saints kill me.” They kill you because you shepherd them. (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 1410-1411)