约十二24 我实实在在地告诉你们，一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。

　　弗三1 因这缘故，我这为你们外邦人作基督耶稣囚犯的保罗，为你们祈求。

　　四1 所以我这在主里的囚犯劝你们，行事为人要与你们所蒙的呼召相配。

　　小麦代表基督的哪一面呢？从约翰十二章二十四节我们能看见，主是一粒麦子落在地里死了，埋葬了。小麦是代表基督成为肉体。基督乃是神成了肉体，成为一个人，落到地里来受死，被埋葬。这就是小麦。它预表那位成为肉体的基督，受死的基督，被埋葬的基督（包罗万有的基督，五一页）。

　　John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

　　Eph. 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you, the Gentiles.

　　4:1 I beseech you therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called.

　　What aspect of Christ does wheat represent? From John 12:24 we can see that the Lord is a grain of wheat falling into the earth to die and to be buried. The wheat represents Christ incarnated. Christ is God incarnated as man to fall into the earth—to die and to be buried. This is the wheat. It typifies the Christ who was incarnated, the Christ who died, and the Christ who was buried. (CWWL, 1961-1962, vol. 4, “The All-inclusive Christ,” pp. 232-233)

　　〔我们来看小麦的经历。〕弟兄姊妹们，无论何时当神主宰的权柄把你摆在一种处境中，使你受限制，使你受压迫，你就能经历主作小麦。当你在那种受限制、受压迫的处境中，你来接触主，祂之于你就像一粒小麦。当你接触了主，马上你能完全满意于你的处境和你的限制。哦，在你里面的生命就是基督自己，乃是一粒小麦。这生命是一个小木匠，成为肉体者，受限制者的生命。当你在某一种环境中受到限制和压制，而你与基督有了一次活的接触，你就要说，“主啊，你是无限的神，你却成了一个有限的人。在你里面有能力忍受任何一种的限制。”你就经历了基督作小麦。

　　对于我们许多人，在许多环境中，主耶稣就是一粒的小麦。我们越多经历祂，我们越认识祂是这样的一位。祂活在我们里面。祂是我们的生命，使我们愿意受限制，愿意死，愿意被埋葬，愿意成为无有。

　　你有这样的经历么？你有的是什么经历呢？是与妻子或丈夫争吵么？若是这样，你与基督的关系就了结了。你必须丰富地经历基督。你必须经历祂是活水，也是小麦。当你受到限制，感到困惑时，你要注视主。我确信祂要指示你，祂曾经受限制，摆在死地，又埋葬了。祂要指示你，祂就是这样的一位来活在你里面。祂要支持你，使你能以受限制。祂要供应你，使你能被摆在死地，并且埋下去。祂要加力你到这地步，加强你成为这样的一个人。这样，你就经历基督是一粒麦子（包罗万有的基督，五三至五五页）。

　　使徒保罗认为自己是基督的囚犯〔弗三1〕。表面上他是拘禁在监牢里，实际上他是被囚在基督里。凭着这样的身分，就是他实际生活的身分，他劝勉众圣徒。……他作主囚犯的身分，说出他在主里的行事为人，使他借此能激发并劝勉圣徒，像他一样在主里行事为人。

　　后来在四章一节，他说自己是“在主里的囚犯”。基督是保罗的囚牢。有一天，你所爱的基督要成为你的囚牢。每一个神的管家，每一个供应神丰富的执事，每一个忠信爱基督的人，迟早不仅要受基督监禁，也要被监禁在基督里。你越爱祂，你就越在祂里面。至终，你在祂里面会到一个地步，祂成了你的囚牢。……在此你能享受基督到极致（以弗所书生命读经，二九二至二九三页）。

　　参读：包罗万有的基督，第四章；以弗所书生命读经，第二十八篇。

　　Let us consider the experience of wheat. Brothers and sisters, whenever you are put into a situation by the Lord’s sovereignty in which you are limited, in which you are pressed, you may experience the Lord as wheat. When in the midst of that limiting and pressing situation you contact the Lord, He is just as a grain of wheat to you. Immediately upon contacting Him, you can be completely satisfied with your situation and your limitation. That life which is Christ Himself within you is a grain of wheat. It is the life of the little carpenter, the incarnated One, the limited One. When you are in a certain environment in which you are restricted and suppressed, if you have a living touch with Christ, you will say, “O Lord, You are the infinite God, but You did become a finite man. There is power in You to suffer any kind of limitation.” You will experience Christ as the wheat.

　　To many of us in many circumstances, the Lord Jesus is just as a grain of wheat. The more we experience Him, the more we realize that He is such a One. He lives in us. He is our life to make us willing to be limited, willing to die, willing to be buried, willing to be nothing.

　　Do you have this experience? What kind of experience do you have? Do you quarrel with your wife or your husband? If so, you are finished with Christ. You must experience Him in such a rich way. You must experience Him both as the living water and as the grain of wheat. If you would look to the Lord when you are so limited and perplexed, I am sure He will show you that He has been limited, put to death, and buried. He will show you that as such a One He lives in you. He will sustain you that you might be limited. He will support you that you might be put to death and buried. He will energize you to such an extent and strengthen you to be such a person. Then you will experience Christ as a grain of wheat. (CWWL, 1961-1962, vol. 4, “The All-inclusive Christ,” pp. 234-235)

　　The apostle Paul considered himself the prisoner of Christ [Eph. 3:1]. Apparently he was confined in a physical prison; actually he was imprisoned in Christ. On the basis of such a status, the status of his actual living as a prisoner in Christ, he besought the saints…. His status as the prisoner of the Lord demonstrated his walk in the Lord, by which he could inspire and beseech the saints to walk in the Lord as he did.

　　Later, in 4:1 Paul refers to himself as “the prisoner in the Lord.” Christ was Paul’s prison. One day, the very Christ whom you love will become your prison. Sooner or later, every steward of God, every minister of God’s riches, every faithful lover of Christ, will be imprisoned not only by Christ but also in Christ. The more you love Him, the more you will be in Him. Eventually, you will be in Him to such an extent that He will become your prison…. Here you enjoy Christ to the uttermost. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 242-243)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1961-1962, vol. 4, “The All-inclusive Christ,” ch. 4; Life-study of Ephesians, msg. 28