太二五1 那时，诸天的国好比十个童女，拿着她们的灯，出去迎接新郎。

　　约三29　 娶新妇的，就是新郎；新郎的朋友站着听祂，因着新郎的声音就欢喜快乐；所以我这喜乐满足了。

　　在马太九章十四节，约翰的门徒问主耶稣说，“为什么我们和法利赛人常常禁食，你的门徒倒不禁食？”主在祂的回答中启示自己是新郎〔15〕。……二十五章一节进一步……启示，主回来时是新郎，是令人喜悦，且富有吸引的人物。

　　作为新郎，祂是令人喜悦的人物，给我们享受。有祂同在，无需禁食。有祂同在，不该有任何悲伤；反之，每件事都该令人喜悦（新约总论第九册，三八页）。

　　Matt. 25:1 At that time the kingdom of the heavens will be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

　　John 3:29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. This joy of mine therefore is made full.

　　In Matthew 9:14 the disciples of John asked the Lord Jesus, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but Your disciples do not fast?” In His answer, the Lord revealed Himself as the Bridegroom [v. 15]…Matthew 25:1 is a further word… [which] reveals that the Lord will come back as the Bridegroom, as the pleasant and attractive person.

　　As the Bridegroom, He is the pleasant person for our enjoyment. When He is present, there is no need of fasting. When He is present, there should not be any sadness. Instead, everything should be pleasant. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 2783-2784)

　　主在对付自义的法利赛人时，指明祂是医生，要医治有病的人。祂在对付禁食的约翰门徒时，启示自己是新郎，要娶新妇。施浸者约翰曾告诉他的门徒说，基督是新郎（约三25~29），在马太九章十五节主耶稣将这事题醒他们。主首先医治跟从祂的人，然后使他们成为伴友，至终要使他们成为祂的新妇。他们不仅应当把祂当作医生，好得着生命的恢复，也应当把祂当作新郎，好在祂的同在里有活的享受。

　　约翰的门徒所问的，似乎是道理的问题，但主不以道理，却以启示祂自己是有伴友陪伴的新郎来答复。……“伴友”这辞是指主的门徒。主在地上尽职事的过渡时期中，祂的门徒是祂的伴友，就

　　 是在婚礼中与新郎同在，注视祂并享受祂同在的那一班人。以后他们要成为祂的新妇（约三29，启十九7）（新约总论第九册，三八至三九页）。

　　主的门徒充满喜乐，与约翰的门徒和法利赛人禁食恰成对比。新郎（就是他们喜乐的最主要因素）与他们同在的时候，他们岂能禁食？主在马可二章十九节……称祂的门徒为伴友。当新郎与伴友同在的时候，伴友若禁食，那是对祂的羞辱。

　　假设你在婚礼中当男傧相，但是婚礼进行时，你这男傧相却在禁食，这对新郎是侮辱。没有新郎愿意在婚礼中看见男傧相禁食，反而要他喜乐，穿着端庄得体，并欢享所摆出的食物。这是主在十九节所说之话的例证。在这里主似乎对约翰的门徒和法利赛人说，“你们为什么问说，我的门徒为什么不禁食？我是新郎，他们都是伴友，是团体的男傧相。税吏马太是伴友之一。我与他们同在的时候，他们不能禁食。”

　　你是约翰的门徒或法利赛人的门徒，还是主耶稣的伴友，就是团体“男傧相”的一部分？我们都该刚强地见证，我们是主团体男傧相的一部分。凡是蒙主耶稣赦罪的人，都成了伴友。在马可二章我们看见，连那些税吏和罪人都成了伴友（马可福音生命读经，九六至九七页）。

　　参读：新约总论，第二百一十篇。

　　In dealing with the self-righteous Pharisees, the Lord indicated that He is the Physician to heal the sick. In dealing with the fasting disciples of John, He revealed Himself as the Bridegroom coming for the bride. John the Baptist had indicated to his disciples that Christ is the Bridegroom (John 3:25-29), and in Matthew 9:15 the Lord Jesus reminded them of this. The Lord first healed His followers, then made them sons of the bridechamber. Eventually, He will make them His bride. Thus, they should appreciate Him not only as their Physician for the recovery of life but also as their Bridegroom for a living enjoyment in His presence.

　　The question raised by John’s disciples seems to be one of doctrine. However, the Lord did not answer with a doctrine but with the revelation of Himself as the Bridegroom with the sons of the bridechamber. The phrase sons of the bridechamber refers to the disciples of the Lord. In the transitory period of the Lord’s ministry on earth, His disciples were sons of the bridechamber, those who are with the Bridegroom in His chamber, gazing on Him and enjoying His presence. Later they would become the bride (John 3:29; Rev. 19:7). (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 2784)

　　In contrast to the disciples of John and the Pharisees, who were fasting, the Lord’s disciples were full of joy. How could they fast when the Bridegroom, the most important factor of their joy, was with them? In Mark 2:19…the Lord referred to His disciples as sons of the bridechamber. For them to fast when the Bridegroom was with them would be a shame to Him.

　　Suppose you are the best man at a wedding. While the wedding is taking place, you, the bridegroom’s best man, are fasting. That would be an insult to the bridegroom. No bridegroom wants to see his best man fasting during his wedding. Instead, he wants to see him joyful, properly dressed in good clothing, and enjoying the food provided. This is an illustration of the Lord’s word in 2:19. Here the Lord seemed to be saying to the disciples of John and the Pharisees, “Why do you ask Me why My disciples are not fasting? I am the Bridegroom, and they are all the sons of the bridechamber, a corporate best man. Matthew the tax collector is one of the sons of the bridechamber. They cannot fast when I am with them.”

　　Are you a disciple of John or of the Pharisees, or are you one of the sons of the bridechamber, part of the corporate “best man” of the Lord Jesus? We all should testify strongly that we are part of the Lord’s corporate best man. All of those who have had their sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus have become sons of the bridechamber. In the second chapter of the Gospel of Mark, we see that even those who were tax collectors and sinners became sons of the bridechamber. (Life-study of Mark, pp. 81-82)

　　Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 210