8按照提前四章六节所说,我们也该在我们向来所紧紧跟随善美教训的话上,得着喂养。善美教训的话,乃是那些包含并传输基督的丰富,以喂养、造就并加强祂信徒之甜美的话。事实上,信仰的话与善美教训的话是指同样的事。我们要教导别人,自己必须先紧紧跟随这些话。我们紧紧跟随这些话,并得其喂养,然后才能喂养别人。譬如,母亲若不知道如何好好喂养自己,就不会知道如何将健康的食物喂养她的孩子。借着她自己得喂养的经历,她就会知道什么食物对她的孩子最好。这说明我们作基督的好执事,自己必须先在信仰的话,并我们向来所紧紧跟随善美教训的话上,得了喂养,然后我们才能喂养别人(提摩太前书生命读经,八八页)。
8According to 1 Timothy 4:6, we should also be nourished with the good teaching which we have closely followed. The words of the good teaching are the sweet words that contain and convey the riches of Christ to nourish, edify, and strengthen His believers. Actually, the words of the faith and the words of the good teaching refer to the same thing. If we would teach others, we ourselves must first follow these words closely. Following them closely and being nourished with them, we will then be able to feed others. For example, if a mother does not know how to nourish herself properly, she will not know how to feed healthy food to her children. Through her own experience of being nourished, she will know what food is best for her children. This illustrates the fact that as good ministers of Christ, we must first be nourished ourselves with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which we have closely followed, and then we will be able to nourish others. (Life-study of 1 Timothy, second edition, pp. 72-73)