以西結書1:15-21

  

1:15 我正觀看活物的時候，見活物的臉旁各有一輪在地上。

1:16 輪的形狀和顏色（原文是作法）好像水蒼玉。四輪都是一個樣式，形狀和作法好像輪中套輪。

1:17 輪行走的時候，向四方都能直行，並不掉轉。

1:18 至於輪輞，高而可畏；四個輪輞周圍滿有眼睛。

1:19 活物行走，輪也在旁邊行走；活物從地上升，輪也都上升。

1:20 靈往哪裡去，活物就往那裡去；活物上升，輪也在活物旁邊上升，因為活物的靈在輪中。

1:21 那些行走，這些也行走；那些站住，這些也站住；那些從地上升，輪也在旁邊上升，因為活物的靈在輪中。

 

15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

 

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    舊約所說的「靈」是上帝所賜予、能與祂相連的神性元素，又是人存在最核心且可回歸神的部分。這也反映出希伯來人對靈的理解，不是希臘化的抽象本體論，而是存在性、關係性與啟示性的綜合。

    因此，我們在解經上或神學的論述上，我們不要把「靈」等同於人的靈魂，或是童話故事的精靈之類的靈。雖然新約中稱「鬼」為「邪靈」，但是我們不必要特別強調「靈界」。

    正如這裡說到「活物的靈」，就是上帝賦予活物，使其有生命的現象，好彰顯上帝的榮耀。正如上帝在我們信主之後，就將聖靈賞賜給我們，使我們可以與上帝有連結的關係。