(利11）活的圣言如洁净之水
(Leviticus 11) The Living Torah as Purifying Water
（Applied Grok，edited by mijiale, 中文在后面）
In 2025, Resurrection Day, celebrating Christ’s resurrection on April 20, aligns closely with the Jewish reading of Shemini, the weekly Torah portion from Leviticus 9:1–11:47 (BibleGateway), named “eighth” for the eighth day of Aaron’s consecration (Leviticus 9:1). This portion includes Leviticus 11:36’s reference to pure spring water, highlighting water as a symbol of purification in Jewish and Christian traditions. In Judaism, the Torah, likened to water, purifies the soul, while in Christianity, Christ, the living Torah, cleanses humanity from sin. Through the Midrashic water metaphor, Leviticus 11:36, and a cycle of Christ’s Incarnation as rain, death as absorbed water, and resurrection as spring water, we explore divine purification across these faiths.
The Torah as Purifying Water
* The Midrash Rabbah on Shir HaShirim 1:2:8 compares the Torah to water:
Just as water purifies a person from impurity, as it is stated: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean” (Ezekiel 36:25), so too, Torah purifies the impure from his impurity, as it is stated: “The words of the Lord are pure words” (Psalms 12:6). Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:2:8
This Midrash shows the Torah cleansing spiritual impurity (tumah), akin to water in a mikveh, a theme echoed in Taanit 7a and Chabad.org.
* Spring Water in Leviticus 11:36
Leviticus 11:36, in Shemini, states:
“Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean.”
This spring water, pure despite impurity, symbolizes the Torah’s cleansing power, read near Resurrection Day in 2025.
Christ as the Living Torah: A Water Cycle
Christ, the Word incarnate (John 1:1-14), fulfills the Torah’s purifying role, mirrored in a water cycle:
- Incarnation as Rain: Christ’s descent from heaven is like rain, bringing grace, as God’s word waters the earth (Isaiah 55:10-11).
- Death as Absorbed Water: His death and burial are like water seeping into the ground, overcoming tumah through sacrifice.
- Resurrection as Spring Water: His resurrection, celebrated on Resurrection Day, is like pure spring water rising, untainted, offering eternal life (Leviticus 11:36). Christ cleanses tumah, as in Ephesians 5:25-26: “Christ… gave himself… to sanctify and cleanse [the church] with the washing of water by the word,” and offers “living water” (John 4:10-14).
Jewish and Christian Purification
The Torah purifies through study (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:2:8), while Christ, the living Torah, cleanses all through His life, death, and resurrection. This water cycle—rain, absorption, spring water—links Leviticus 11:36 to Christ’s work, resonant as Resurrection Day nears Shemini.
Conclusion
The Torah, like water (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:2:8), and the spring water of Leviticus 11:36 purify the soul. Christ, as living Torah, embodies this through His Incarnation, death, and resurrection, cleansing tumah and offering living water for salvation, celebrated near Shemini in 2025.
Sources:
- Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:2:8 on Sefaria
- Leviticus 11:36 on BibleGateway
- Leviticus 9:1–11:47 (Shemini) on BibleGateway
- Ezekiel 36:25 on BibleGateway
- Psalms 12:6 on BibleGateway
- Isaiah 55:10-11 on BibleGateway
- John 1:1-14 on BibleGateway
- John 4:10-14 on BibleGateway
- Ephesians 5:25-26 on BibleGateway
- Taanit 7a on Sefaria
- Chabad.org: Why Is Torah Compared to Water?
Disclaimer: Biblical quotations are from the King James Version, public domain. The Midrashic quote from Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:2:8 is from Sefaria.org under Creative Commons CC BY, used with attribution.
(利11）活的圣言如洁净之水
（应用了Grok与ChatGPT，经mijiale修改）
2025年复活节在4月20日，这一天恰与犹太传统的每周读经进度“第八”（Shemini）相近，对应利未记9:1–11:47（BibleGateway），此段落因亚伦奉献祭司职分的“第八日”而得名（利未记9:1）。其中包括利未记11:36对清泉水的提及，强调水在犹太与基督信仰中作为洁净象征的重要地位。在犹太传统中，主的话被比作水，可洁净灵魂；在基督信仰中，基督是“道成肉身”活出的圣言，洁净人类脱离罪恶。借助米大示的“水”比喻、利未记11:36，以及基督的“降生如从天而降之雨、死亡如渗入地下之水、复活如地中涌出之泉”的循环，我们得以跨越犹太传统，探索神圣的洁净之道。
圣言如水
- 米大示拉巴对《雅歌》1:2:8的解释将主的话比作水：
“正如水可洁净人使其脱离污秽，如经上所说：‘我必用清水洒在你们身上，你们就洁净了’（以西结书36:25）；同样，圣言可使污秽者脱离污秽，如经上所说：‘耶和华的言语是纯净的言语’（诗篇12:6）。”
——《雅歌拉巴1:2:8》
这段米大示展示了圣言可洁净属灵的污秽（tumah），如同人进入“洁净池”（mikveh）中的水一样。这一主题也出现在塔木德《塔安尼特 7a》以及 Chabad.org 的解读。
- 利未记11:36中的泉水
“第八”读经段中，利未记11:36写道：
“但是泉源或是聚水的池子仍是洁净，惟挨了那死的，就不洁净。”
这处提到的泉水，即便面对污秽仍保持洁净，象征圣言拥有超然的洁净能力。这节经文恰在2025年复活节前后被宣读，令人深思基督复活所带出的洁净与生命。
基督为活出的圣言：如水的循环
基督是“道成肉身”（约翰福音1:1-14），祂成全了圣言所象征的洁净作用，这在“水的循环”中可以形象表达：
- 道成肉身如雨从天而降：基督降临，如同雨水滋润大地，正如神的话语降临使地得生（以赛亚书55:10-11）。
- 受死埋葬如水渗入土中：基督的死亡与埋葬好似雨水被土地吸收，在阴间败坏死权。
- 复活如清泉从地中涌出：复活节庆祝基督复活，如地下水重新涌出，不被玷污（利未记11:36），成为带来永恒生命的“活水”甘泉（约翰福音4:10-14）。正如以弗所书5:25-26所说：“基督……为教会舍己，要用水借着道把教会洗净。”
犹太与基督信仰中的洁净
圣言借着学习带来洁净（雅歌拉巴1:2:8），而基督——活的圣言，成为肉身的道——通过祂的生命、死亡与复活，使众人得洁净。水的循环（降雨、吸收、泉水）将利未记11:36的象征意义与基督的工作连接起来，尤在复活节与读经进度“第八”相近时格外令人印象深刻。
结语
圣言如水（雅歌拉巴1:2:8），而利未记11:36的泉水意象预示灵魂的洁净。基督作为道成肉身，借由降世、牺牲、复活而完成这一洁净工作，除去污秽，赐下“活水”作救恩——这一切在2025年复活节临近阅读“第八”读经进度之际，再次焕发出救赎的光辉。
参考资料：
- 雅歌拉巴 1:2:8 – Sefaria
- 利未记11:36 – BibleGateway
- 利未记9:1–11:47（第八）– BibleGateway
- 以西结书36:25 – BibleGateway
- 诗篇12:6 – BibleGateway
- 以赛亚书55:10-11 – BibleGateway
- 约翰福音1:1-14 – BibleGateway
- 约翰福音4:10-14 – BibleGateway
- 以弗所书5:25-26 – BibleGateway
- 塔安尼特 7a – Sefaria
- Chabad.org：Why Is Torah Compared to Water?
免责声明：圣经引用来自公有领域的《钦定版圣经》（KJV）；米大示引文来自 Sefaria.org，遵循 Creative Commons CC BY 授权条款使用并注明出处。