《聖誕配角外傳》Day05
《 東方博士 —— 看似不相干的遠方來者 》
1 當希律王的時候，耶穌生在猶太的伯利恆。有幾個博士從東方來到耶路撒冷，說：2「那生下來作猶太人之王的在哪裏？我們在東方看見祂的星，特來拜祂。」3 希律王聽見了，就心裏不安；耶路撒冷合城的人也都不安。4 他就召齊了祭司長和民間的文士，問他們說：「基督當生在何處？」5 他們回答說：「在猶太的伯利恆。因為有先知記著，說：6猶大地的伯利恆啊，你在猶大諸城中並不是最小的；因為將來有一位君王要從你那裏出來，牧養我以色列民。」7 當下，希律暗暗地召了博士來，細問那星是甚麼時候出現的，8 就差他們往伯利恆去，說：「你們去仔細尋訪那小孩子，尋到了就來報信，我也好去拜祂。」9 他們聽見王的話就去了。在東方所看見的那星忽然在他們前頭行，直行到小孩子的地方，就在上頭停住了。10 他們看見那星，就大大地歡喜；11 進了房子，看見小孩子和他母親馬利亞，就俯伏拜那小孩子，揭開寶盒，拿黃金、乳香、沒藥為禮物獻給他。12博士因為在夢中被主指示不要回去見希律，就從別的路回本地去了。(馬太福音二1-12)
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:1-12)
分享：你知道嗎？東方博士並沒有見證耶穌的出生，他們找到耶穌後，主已經是個小孩子了。這可能因他們從東方朝著星的方向來到耶路撒冷時，實際上已走了好些年頭。這是何等大的渴慕。然而，若仔細閱讀東方博士尋找星的歷程，卻驚訝於這故事是一群看似不相干的人，基於與他們人生不相干的理由，作出不相干的行動，但最終因目標明確，仍能尋著耶穌！
這裡所謂的博士，大多認為是來自遙遠東方的占星家；但他們卻到耶路撒冷希律王面前來找生下來作猶太王的。這段記述其實有點「無厘頭」：猶太王與他們有甚麼關係？他們尋找一位不屬於他們的國王呢！
但離開希律王後，這些博士找尋救主的故事卻忽然走上了正軌。博士因星停住了，便大大地歡喜，因為他們終於尋見了；儘管王還只是小孩子，但博士俯伏敬拜，獻上黃金、乳香和沒藥作為禮物；最後順服主夢中的指示，沒有向希律報信耶穌的消息，只從別的路回去。一個充斥著不相干的起始，最後因喜樂、敬拜和順服逆轉成為偉大而美好的故事。
或許我們最初的信主、返教會，也有著一些不相干的原因，甚至錯誤的認知。但只要我們朝著主，就像博士追隨著那星一樣，便會因尋見主而歡喜快樂，漸漸地由衷地敬拜渴慕神，最終甘心順服神的教導。這樣，我們因著福音的緣故，便不再是不相干的人了。「你看父賜給我們是何等的慈愛，使我們得稱為神的兒女！我們也真是祂的兒女。世人所以不認識我們，是因未曾認識祂。」(約翰壹書三1)
行動：回想初接觸福音的各種不相干的想法和行動，我究道如何在尋找神的旅程中學懂喜樂、敬拜和順服呢？我能從中見到神的恩典嗎？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢透過博士追星的故事，讓我們見到父神祢的信實和慈愛：就在我們還未認識祢的時候，祢已呼召我們，讓我們接觸到福音；也使我們在追尋祢的過程越來越認識祢，學懂喜樂、敬拜和順服。就讓我們在這紀念主耶穌降生的日子裡，重新思想祢的恩典，繼續堅定不移地追隨祢。奉主名求，阿們。
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