王上六7　 建殿是用采石场预备好的石头……。

　　彼前二4~5 你们来到祂这为人所弃绝，却为神所拣选所宝贵的活石跟前，也就像活石，被建造成为属灵的殿，成为圣别的祭司体系，借着耶稣基督献上神所悦纳的属灵祭物。

　　石头表征基督在变化里的人性，即表征经过变化的基督（王上六7、36，五17，代下三6）。基督是神，在祂成为肉体时穿上人的肉体（约一14，来二14）。基督既成了在肉体里的人，就是在旧造里的人，因此，祂人性的部分就需要变化。这样一位经过变化的基督，现今是在神的神圣建造里的基石、房角石、活石、宝贵的石头和顶石（赛二八16，林前三11，弗二20，彼前二4，启四3，亚四7）。殿里的石头也表征在基督里的信徒，被基督变化成为石头（太十六18，约一42，彼前二5，启二一11、14、19~20）（圣经恢复本，王上六7注1）。

　　1 Kings 6:7 And the house, when it was being built, was built of finished stone, cut at the quarry...

　　1 Pet. 2:4-5 Coming to Him, a living stone, rejected by men but with God chosen and precious, you yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

　　The stones signify Christ’s humanity in transformation, the transformed Christ (1 Kings 6:7, 36; 5:17; 2 Chron. 3:6). As God, Christ in His incarnation put on man’s flesh (John 1:14; Heb. 2:14). Having become a man in the flesh, that is, a man in the old creation, He needed to be transformed in His human part. Such a transformed Christ is now the foundation stone, the cornerstone, the living stone, the precious stone, and the topstone in God’s divine building (Isa. 28:16; 1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 4:3; Zech. 4:7). The stones in the temple also signify the believers in Christ who have been transformed by Christ as the stone (Matt. 16:18; John 1:42; 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 21:11, 14, 19-20). (1 Kings 6:7, footnote 1)

　　建造圣殿的材料，除了木头之外，大部分都是石头（王上五15~18）。石头原是从山野里采出来，加上一番功夫而凿成的（六7）。这说出建造召会所用的材料，乃是从世界里找出来，再加上一番功夫作成的。

　　每一个得救，有分于召会的人，都是召会中的一块石头。这些石头原都是在山野里，正如我们原都是在世界中。有一天，神的工人找到我们，或者说我们给神的工作找着了。工人及工作就在我们身上下功夫，作一番凿成的工作。……建造召会所用属灵的石头，一面要有里面的生命，另一面也要有外面的工作。所以

　　 新约说到活石（彼前二5）；旧约说到凿成的石头（王上五15、17~18，六7）。建造召会所用的石头，里面必须是活的，外面必须经过一番凿成。石头里面是活的，意思是人得着了重生；但在人重生之后，还需要一段时间，让神在他身上作凿成的工作。

　　当圣殿建造的时候，所有的石头都是预备好的。预备的工作是在山野里，首先将石头凿平、磨光，并切成一定的尺寸。等到建造时，就将石头一块一块砌上去，成为一座建筑。当日圣殿的造法，说出所有在召会里被建造的人，都得经过神一番凿成的工作。

　　圣殿建造的材料有木头，有石头。……木头，重在死而复活的原则；石头，说出人里面需要得重生，外面需要有对付。召会里的人不只是死而复活的人，也是有神生命而受过对付的人。凡没有受过对付的人，虽然已经得着重生，却无法被建造。

　　有些弟兄姊妹的光景，不能说他们不是石头，但只能说他们是没有受过对付的石头。……你想把自己摆在他们身上，也摆不牢。他们无法停下自己，与人一同配搭事奉，与人一同并肩作战，一同扛抬约柜。……他们可能很会作事，也很灵活，……却不能与你一同背负见证，因为他们身上没有受过对付。……有些弟兄姊妹太圆滑，他们……就像一块滚石，无论把他们放在哪里，总是会滚掉。……要在他们身上有一番厉害的切磋工作，使他们成为合用的尺寸，能与别人合得来。……这样一来，无论将他们摆在哪里，他们都能安稳地在那里，与人配搭，同被建造（召会的意义，二四二至二四四页）。

　　参读：罗马书的结晶，第十七篇。

　　In addition to wood, stone was used for the building of the temple (1 Kings 5:15-18). The stones were cut in a mountain quarry in the wilderness with much effort (6:7). This signifies that the materials for the building of the church are found in the world and cut with much effort.

　　Every saved one in the church is a stone in the church. Just as the stones were in the mountains of the wilderness, we were all in the world, but one day God’s workers found us; that is, we were found by God’s work. Then God’s workers and God’s work began to deal with us and do a cutting work upon us. The spiritual stones used for the building of the church must have life inwardly and be worked upon outwardly. Hence, the New Testament speaks of living stones (1 Pet. 2:5), and the Old Testament speaks of cut stones (1 Kings 5:15, 17-18; 6:7). The stones used for the building of the church must be living inwardly and must be cut outwardly. Living implies regeneration. However, after regeneration the stones still need to allow God to cut them over a long period of time.

　　By the time the temple was built, all the stones had been prepared. The preparation work was done at the quarry. The stones were cut and shaped into certain sizes. In the actual construction, the stones were laid on top of each other to form the building. The way of building the temple indicates that those who are built into the church must pass through a considerable amount of God’s cutting work.

　　Both the wood and stones... were used as building materials for the temple... Wood denotes death and resurrection, and stones denote man’s need to be regenerated inwardly and dealt with outwardly. People in the church must not only pass through death and resurrection but must also have God’s life and be dealt with by Him. Those who have been regenerated but not dealt with have no way to be built up.

　　When we consider the condition of some brothers and sisters, we cannot deny that they are stones; however, they are freshly cut stones... They are not stable enough to be built upon, nor are they stable enough to coordinate and serve with others, to fight the battle with others, or to bear the Ark with others... They may be capable and quick-witted, but they cannot bear the testimony because they have never been dealt with. Some brothers and sisters are too round and slippery. They are like rolling stones that can slip away no matter where they are placed... There is the need for much cutting in order for them to become a certain size to match others... In this way they will be able to coordinate and be built up with others wherever they are placed. (CWWL, 1956, vol. 2, “Three Aspects of the Church, Book 1: The Meaning of the Church,” pp. 204-205)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1994-1997, vol. 1, “Crystallization-study of the Epistle to the Romans,” ch. 17