聖經註釋書

3. The First Day

4. And God said] Observe here that the spoken Word is the only means employed throughout the six days’ Creation, cf. Psalm 33:6; Psalm 33:9, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.… For he spake, and it was done: he commanded, and it stood fast.” Creation by a word combines the idea of perfect facility with that of absolute power.

It is only through the Revelation of the N.T. that we learn to identify the work of Creation with the operation of the Personal Word (John 1:3): “All things were made through him (ὁ Λόγος); and without him was not anything made that hath been made,” cf. Colossians 1:16, “For in him [the Son] were all things created … all things have been created through him, and unto him.” Hebrews 1:2, “through whom [his Son] also he made the worlds.”

Let there be light] This command, in the Hebrew, consists of two short words, y’hi ’ôr. Light is the first created thing, that upon which depends all life and growth known to us on earth.

For “light” as the symbol of the Divine presence in the Revelation of the N.T., cf. John 1:4, “in him was life; and the life was the light of men,” cf. Genesis 1:9, and Genesis 8:12, “I am the light of the world.”

and there was light] Literally, “and light came into existence.” Apparently the primitive conception of the Hebrews was that light and darkness were separate things, incomprehensible indeed, but independent of the sun, cf. Job 26:10; Job 38:19, “where is the way to the dwelling of light, and as for darkness, where is the place thereof?” The unscientific notions of the Israelite have received in regard to light an unexpected illustration from modern discovery; but we must be careful not to suppose that there is any resemblance between the Hebrew picture of the creation of light, and modern theories respecting light and the ether of infinite space. The Hebrew view of the universe was (cf. Genesis 1:6-8) extremely limited; the modern scientific view of the universe is practically infinite in its capacity for development, and is continually being enlarged. There is little room for comparison between them.

Genesis 1:3. God said — Not by an articulate voice; for to whom should he speak? but in his own eternal mind. He willed that the effect here mentioned should be produced, and it was produced. This act of his almighty will is termed, Hebrews 1:3, the word of his power. Perhaps, however, his substantial Word, his Son, by whom he made the worlds, Hebrews 1:2, and Psalm 33:6; Psalm 33:9, is here intended, and whom the ancient fathers of the Christian Church thought to be termed the Word, John 1:1, chiefly for this reason. Let there be light, &c. — The noted critic, Longinus, in his celebrated Treatise on the Sublime, expresses his admiration of this sentence, as giving a most just and striking idea of the power of God. In bringing order out of confusion, and forming the sundry parts of the universe, God first gave birth to those that are the most simple, pure, active, and powerful; which he, probably, afterward used as agents or instruments in forming some other parts. Light is the great beauty and blessing of the universe; and as it was the first of all visible things, so, as the firstborn, it most resembles its great parent in purity and power, in brightness and beneficence. Probably the light was at first impressed on some part of the heavens, or collected in some lucid body, the revolution of which distinguished the three first days. On the fourth it was condensed, increased, perfected, and placed in the body of the sun and other luminaries.

Genesis 1:3. And God said— To speak and to will, with the Almighty, is to command. His word is with power. Struck with the grandeur of this passage, the celebrated Grecian critic Longinus produces it as an instance of the true sublime. "So likewise," says he, "the Jewish legislator, no ordinary person, (ουχ ο τυχων ανηρ, ) having conceived a just idea of the power of God, has nobly expressed it in the beginning of his law. And God said—What? Let there be light: and there was light." We may here truly say with Boileau, "Whatever noble and majestic expression, elevation of thought, and importance of sentiment, can contribute to sublimity, may be found in this passage."

Said— By אמר amar, the Hebrews often express internal volition, as well as outward speaking, as both Mr. Locke and M. Le Clerc observe. So Exo 2:14 it is translated, intendest thou to kill me? 2 Samuel 21:16. He thought, designed (διενοειτο LXX) to have slain David. The Greeks also often use the word φημι, to speak, in this sense. This observation will be of frequent and general use. Moses means here, that God having purposed to create the light, no sooner willed it to shine forth, than it shone.

Let there be light: and there was light— Many have been the questions, and great the triumph of unbelievers, upon this declaration in the Mosaic account, "that there was light three days before there was any sun." But the objection is founded on a gross misconception, that light is nothing more than an emanation from the sun, or other luminaries: according to which there can be no light, where there is no sun, &c. But is it not easy to conceive, that God, the light of the world, might either sustain this light, in the first act of creation, by his own immediate power; or that, in consequence of that original motion, impressed on the chaotic mass, those particles of matter which we call fire, (whose known properties are light and heat,) being the lightest, strongest, and most active of the elements, disuniting themselves from the grosser parts, ascended, and constituted that light, which, in the fourth day, was compressed and consolidated, if we may so speak, into the body of the sun? It seems probable, that after the first vivifying motion impressed by the Spirit of God, the material atoms or elements were left, in some measure, to their natural and regular operation, under the direction of the Supreme Creator. For you observe the light first appears, as consisting of the subtlest matter; next the air or firmament; next the waters; and so the earth, the most gross of all. But after all, I may say with Le Clerc, "that it is unnecessary to philosophize too subtilly concerning the cause and nature of this light; since the solutions of the most learned are attended with difficulties; and we cannot but expect to be ignorant of various things respecting the origin of the world."

REFLECTIONS.—1. Light is the great beauty and blessing of the universe: like the first-born, it doth, of all visible beings, most resemble its great Parent in purity and power, brightness and beneficence. By beholding it therefore let us be led to, and assisted in, the believing contemplation of him who is light, infinite and eternal light, and the Father of Lights, and who dwells in inaccessible light. 2. What a striking emblem is this natural light of Christ, in whom was light, and who is the true Light, the Light of the world? Darkness had been perpetually upon the face of fallen man, if the Son of God had not come, and given us an understanding, that we might know him that is true.

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And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

And God saith, Let there, … — He commanded the "light to shine out of darkness." 2 Corinthians 4:6 "He spake the word, and it was done." Psalms 33:9 ; Psalms 148:5 Dei Dicere est Efficere. "of God to speak is to accomplish" Creation is no motion, but a simple and bare emanation; which is, when without any repugnancy of the patient, or labour of the agent, the work or effect doth voluntarily and freely arise from the action of the working cause, as the shadow from the body. So God’s irresistible power made this admirable work of the world, by his bare word, as the shadow and obscure representation of his unsearchable wisdom and omnipotency.

And there was light. — This first light was not the angels, as Augustine would have it; nor the element of fire, as Damascene; nor the sun, which was not yet created, nor a lightsome cloud, nor any such thing; but the "first day," which God could make without means, as Calvin well observeth. This light was the first ornament of the visible world, and so is still of the "hidden man of the heart," the new creature. Acts 26:18 The first thing in St Paul’s commission there, was to "open men’s eyes, to turn them from darkness to light," … To dart such a saving light into the soul, as might illighten both organ and object. In which great work also, Christ’s words are operative, together with his commands, in the mouths of his ministers. "Know the Lord; understand, O ye brutish among the people," … Psalms 94:8 There goes forth a power to heal, as it did in Luke 5:17 ; or as when he bade Lazarus arise, he made him to arise, so here the word and the Spirit go together; and then what wonder that the spirit of darkness falls from the heaven of men’s hearts, "as lightning". Luke 10:18 So as that they that erst "were darkness, are now light in the Lord," Ephesians 5:8 and do "preach forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light". εξαγγεληζε , 1 Peter 2:9

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創造（主前4004年）

³ 神說：「要有光」，就有了光。 ⁴ 神看光是好的，就把光暗分開了。 ⁵ 神稱光為「晝」，稱暗為「夜」。有晚上，有早晨，這是頭一日。

我們在此進一步讀到第一日之工的記載，其中當注意：1. 神所造的一切可見之物中，首先就是光；並非藉此他自己可以看見來作工（因為黑暗和光明在他看來都是一樣），而是藉此我們可以看見他的作工和其中的榮耀，並趁著白晝作我們的工。撒但和他僕役的作為都是黑暗之作；但那行真理、行善的，必來就光，並渴慕光，「使他的作為顯明出來」（約3:21）。光是宇宙的大美和福分。如同首生的，它在一切可見之物中最像它那位偉大的源頭——在純潔和能力、光明和恩慈上；它與靈極為相近，僅次於靈；雖然我們藉它看見別的東西，並確知它的存在，卻不知道它的本性，也不能描述它是甚麼，或「光被分開的道路」（伯38:19,24）。藉着看見它，願我們被引向、並得着幫助去相信並默想那本身就是光——無限而永遠之光（約壹1:5），「眾光之父」（雅1:17），並住在人不能靠近之光中的那一位（提前6:16）。在新的創造中，在靈魂裏作成的第一件事就是「光」：蒙福的聖靈藉着光照悟性來俘擄意志和情感，這樣從門進入心中，如同羊也屬於他的好牧人；而罪和撒但卻像盜賊和強盜，從別處爬進去。那些因罪成為黑暗的人，因恩典在世上成為光。2. 光是藉着神大能的話造成的。他說：「要有光」；他如此命定、如此安排，事就成了：「就有了光」——這樣的一個副本，完全吻合那在永恆心意中的原本意念。神話語的能力何等大！「他說有，就有」——真實地有、有效地有、永遠地有，不是徒有外表、不是只為眼前的用處，因為「他命立，就立」；在他dictum, factum——一句話，一個世界*。神的道（即他的旨意和他所喜悅的）是活潑而有功效的。基督就是那道，那本質的永恆之道，光就是藉着他而產生的，因為「生命在他裏頭，這生命就是人的光」，他「是真光，照亮一切生在世上的人」（約1:9，9:5）。那照在成聖靈魂中的屬神之光，是藉着神的能力作成的——就是他話語的能力，和那賜人智慧與啟示之聖靈的能力，開啟悟性，驅散無知和錯謬的迷霧，賜下「神榮耀的光顯在耶穌基督的面上」的知識，正如起初「神……吩咐光從黑暗裏照出來」（林後4:6）。若不是神的兒子「已經來到，且將智慧賜給我們」（約壹5:20），黑暗就必永遠停留在墮落之人的面上。3. 神所命定的光，造成之後，他加以稱許：「神看光是好的。」它正如他所設計的，也適於達成他設計它的目的。它是有用而有益的；世界如今雖是宮殿，若沒有它就必是地牢。它是可愛而令人愉悅的。「光是甘甜的」（傳11:7）；「能悅人的眼目」（箴15:30，原文作「使眼目歡喜」）。神所吩咐的，他必稱許並恩典地悅納；他必喜悅自己手中所作的工。在神眼中看為好的，實在是好的，因為他「不像人看人」。若光是好的，那作為光之源頭、我們從他領受光、又當因光向他獻上一切讚美、並藉光作一切服事的他，是何等好呢！4. 神「把光暗分開了」——將之分置，使之永不能聯合、不能和解；因為「光和暗有甚麼相交呢？」（林後6:14）。然而他卻把時間分配給它們——白晝歸光，黑夜歸暗——使之彼此恆常而有規律地交替。黑暗雖然此時被光驅散，卻未被定罪永遠放逐，而是與光輪流，有其地位，因為有其用途；因為正如晨光有利於白日的工夫，暮色也有利於夜晚的安息，並為我們拉上帳幔，使我們睡得更好。見伯7:2。神如此把時間分配給光和暗，因為他要每日提醒我們：這是一個攙雜和變遷的世界。天堂有完全而永遠的光，毫無黑暗；地獄有全然的黑暗，毫無一絲光明。在那介於兩者之間的世界裏，有深淵限定；但在這世上，兩者交替，我們每日從一者經過到另一者，好叫我們學會期待神的護理也有同樣的更迭——平安與患難、喜樂與憂愁——並把一者與另一者相對，如我們適應光暗那樣適應兩者，歡迎兩者，善用兩者。5. 神藉着分別的名字將它們彼此分開：「他稱光為晝，稱暗為夜。」他以兩者的主身分給它們起名；因為「白晝屬你，黑夜也屬你」（詩74:16）。他是時間的主，並要如此直到晝夜來到盡頭，時間的長河被永恆的海洋吞沒。願我們在晝夜不息的更迭中承認神，並藉着每日為他作工、每夜在他裏面安息、晝夜默想他的律法，將兩者都獻給他為聖。6. 這是第一日之工，而且是美好的一日之工。「有晚上，有早晨，這是頭一日。」傍晚的黑暗在早晨的光明之先，為要襯托它、使之更加明亮。這不僅是世界的第一日，更是一週的第一日。我為記念這日而提出，因為新世界也同樣在一週的第一日開始——基督作為世界之光，在清晨復活。在他裏面，「清晨的日光從高天臨到我們」；我們是有福的，永遠有福的，若那「晨星在我們心裏升起」。

4. 把光暗分開了——是指光與暗因着地球每日繞軸自轉所產生的交替或接續。

於是神看光是好的。——神默觀自己的工作，並從察覺其卓越之中生出滿意的情感。在此我們看到神裏面顯出的另外兩種原型能力，它們隨後也在人的本性中出現：理解力與判斷力。

感知自己以外的事物，是創造者與受造者關係中的一個重要事實。它表明受造之物有別於創造的存有，並在祂以外；因此它否斥一切形式的泛神論。

判斷不過是領悟或認知能力的另一分支，我們藉它留意事物的物理與倫理關係及區別。觀察這如今被召入存在的物件時，判斷便立即進入視野。神看「是好的」。一般而言，凡成全其存在之目的者即為善。善惡的關係在物質世界中自有其地位與應用，但它貫穿理智與道德的一切階層而上升。判斷中認知道德區別的那一形式極其重要，因而得到一個特別的名稱——良知，或道德感。

在此，神的道德正直得到辯明，因為祂大能之作顯然是善的。這駁斥了二元原理之說——一波斯智者為了解釋我們現今世界的狀況中，道德與物理之惡何以與善並存，而設想出一善一惡兩個原理的學說。

「把光暗分開了。」——神隨即把光與暗分開，指定各自在時間與空間中的相對位置。正如下一節讓我們知道的，這無疑指晝夜的交替：