耶十八6 耶和华说，以色列家啊，我待你们岂不能照这窑匠所作的么？以色列家啊，泥在窑匠的手中怎样，你们在我的手中也怎样。

　　赛六四8 耶和华啊，现在你仍是我们的父；我们是泥土，你是窑匠；我们都是你手的工作。

　　耶和华是窑匠，而我们这些祂所拣选的人，是祂手中的陶器。……我们的神是窑匠，对我们有完全的权利，……作祂所喜欢的。这思想不仅见于耶利米十八至二十章，也见于罗马九章。我信保罗写罗马九章关于神拣选的主宰时，就是想到耶利米书这几章。在罗马九章二十一节他问：“窑匠难道没有权柄，从同一团泥里，拿一块作成贵重的器皿，又拿一块作成卑贱的器皿么？”神这窑匠的确有这样的权柄。祂的拣选是照着祂完全的权利。祂可以拣选一个器皿，弃绝另一个。……神有完全的自由，对祂百姓作祂所要作的（耶利米书生命读经，一四七至一四八页）。

　　Jer. 18:6 Am I not able to do with you, O house of Israel, as this potter does? declares Jehovah. Indeed, as the clay is in the hand of the potter, so you are in My hand, O house of Israel.

　　Isa. 64:8 But now, Jehovah, You are our Father; we are the clay; and You, our Potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.

　　Jehovah is the Potter, and we, His chosen people, are the pottery in His hand. As the Potter our God has the absolute right over us…to do whatever He likes. This thought is found not only in Jeremiah 18 through 20 but also in Romans 9. I believe that Paul was considering these chapters of Jeremiah as he was writing Romans 9 concerning God’s sovereignty in His selection. In verse 21 he asks, “Does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?” God, the Potter, certainly has such authority. His selection is according to His absolute right. He may choose one vessel and reject another. God is absolutely free to do whatever He desires to His people. (Life-study of Jeremiah, pp. 121-122)

　　耶和华告诉耶利米，下到窑匠的家里去（耶十八1~2）。耶利米看见窑匠正在转轮边作陶器，又将陶器另作成别的器皿；窑匠看怎样好，就怎样作（3~4）。这指明窑匠有完全的权利，作他渴望对泥土所作的。

　　耶和华是主宰的窑匠，能照以色列的光景，用不同的方式对待以色列家，像祂手中的泥一样（6~10）。……这段给以色列的话也是给申言者的话，这话是要清理他的观念。耶和华似乎在对耶利米说，“不要拦阻我对以色列家所要作的。以色列是我手中的泥，我用不同的方式对付他们。我可以根据他们的光景，惩罚他们或高举他们。”（耶利米书生命读经，一四九页）

　　神不仅有荣耀、尊贵和尊大，也有主宰权柄。……主宰权柄指明神无限的权柄与能力。神的地位也是无限的。我们无法说神的地位有多高。同样，我们无法测度神的荣耀与尊大。祂是主宰一切者，祂的权柄、能力和地位没有限量。

　　罗马九章二十、二十一节虽然没有用“主宰一切”或“主宰权柄”这些辞，但这些经文的确是指神的主宰权柄：“人哪，你是谁，竟向神顶嘴？被塑造者岂能对塑造他者说，你为什么这样造我？窑匠难道没有权柄，从同一团泥里，拿一块作成贵重的器皿，又拿一块作成卑贱的器皿么？”我们都需要领悟我们是谁。我们是神的造物，祂是我们的创造者。我们是祂的造物，不该抗拒祂的旨意（19），或向祂这创造者顶嘴。……保罗指明，神是窑匠，有权柄从同一团泥里，拿一块作成贵重的器皿，又拿一块作成卑贱的器皿。神是窑匠，我们是泥土。神既是窑匠，就是主宰一切的。祂对泥土有权柄。祂若愿意，就能拿一块作成贵重的器皿，又拿一块作成卑贱的器皿。这不在于我们的选择，乃在于神的主宰权柄。

　　罗马九章的这些经文指明，神照着祂的预定，主宰地将我们造成祂的器皿，祂的容器。……作贵重的器皿〔提后二20~21〕不是我们选择的结果，乃是起始于神的主宰权柄。神造出蒙怜悯的器皿来盛装祂自己，借以彰显祂的荣耀，乃是出于祂的主宰权柄。这是深刻的话。神的主宰权柄是祂拣选的基础。祂的拣选在于祂的主宰权柄（新约总论第一册，一三三至一三五页）。

　　参读：保罗的完成职事，第九至十、十二章；倪柝声文集第三辑第十册，二二一至二三七页。

　　Jehovah told Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house (Jer. 18:1-2). Jeremiah saw that the potter was working and reworking the pottery at his wheel into another vessel, as it seemed good for him to make (vv. 3-4). This indicates that the potter has the full right to do whatever he desires with the clay.

　　Jehovah as the sovereign Potter is able to do with the house of Israel, as the clay in His hand, in changeable ways according to Israel’s condition (vv. 6-10)….This word to Israel was also a word to the prophet, a word that would clear up his concept. Jehovah seemed to be saying to Jeremiah, “Do not hinder Me from doing whatever I will to do with the house of Israel. Israel is clay in My hand, and I deal with them in changeable ways. Depending on their condition, I can punish them or exalt them.” (Life-study of Jeremiah, pp. 122-123)

　　God not only has glory, honor, and majesty; He also has sovereignty….Sovereignty indicates God’s unlimited authority and power. God’s position is also unlimited. We are not able to say how high is God’s position. Likewise, we cannot measure God’s glory and majesty. As the sovereign One, there is no limit to His authority, power, and position.

　　Although the words sovereign or sovereignty are not used in Romans 9:20 and 21, these verses certainly refer to God’s sovereignty: “But…, O man, who are you who answer back to God? Shall the thing molded say to him who molded it, Why did you make me thus? Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?” We all need to realize who we are. We are God’s creatures, and He is our Creator. As His creatures, we should not resist His purpose (v. 19) or answer back to Him, the Creator….Paul then goes on to indicate that as the Potter God has authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor. God is the Potter, and we are the clay. As the Potter, God is sovereign. He has authority over the clay. If He wills, He can make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor. This does not depend on our choice—it depends on God’s sovereignty.

　　These verses from Romans 9 indicate that God has sovereignly created us to be His vessels, His containers, according to His predestination….Being vessels unto honor [cf. 2 Tim. 2:20-21] is not the result of our choice; it originates with God’s sovereignty. It is of God’s sovereignty that He makes His glory known by creating vessels of mercy to contain Himself. This is a deep word. God’s sovereignty is the basis of His selection. His selection depends on His sovereignty. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 113-114)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1980, vol. 2, “The Completing Ministry of Paul,” chs. 9-10, 12; CWWN, vol. 56, pp. 446-456