《馬太福音》Day19

《看清主作為》

耶穌吩咐完了十二個門徒,就離開那裏,往各城去傳道、教訓人。約翰在監裏聽見基督所做的事,就打發兩個門徒去, 3 問祂說:「那將要來的是祢嗎?還是我們等候別人呢?」 4 耶穌回答說:「你們去,把所聽見、所看見的事告訴約翰。 5 就是瞎子看見,瘸子行走,長大痲瘋的潔淨,聾子聽見,死人復活,窮人有福音傳給他們。 6 凡不因我跌倒的就有福了!」 7 他們走的時候,耶穌就對眾人講論約翰說:「你們從前出到曠野是要看甚麼呢?要看風吹動的蘆葦嗎? 8 你們出去到底是要看甚麼?要看穿細軟衣服的人嗎?那穿細軟衣服的人是在王宮裏。 9 你們出去究竟是為甚麼?是要看先知嗎?我告訴你們,是的,他比先知大多了。 10 經上記着說:『我要差遣我的使者在祢前面預備道路』,所說的就是這個人。 11 我實在告訴你們,凡婦人所生的,沒有一個興起來大過施洗約翰的;然而天國裏最小的比他還大。 12 從施洗約翰的時候到如今,天國是努力進入的,努力的人就得着了。 13 因為眾先知和律法說預言,到約翰為止。 14 你們若肯領受,這人就是那應當來的以利亞。 15 有耳可聽的,就應當聽! 16 我可用甚麼比這世代呢?好像孩童坐在街市上招呼同伴,說:17 我們向你們吹笛,你們不跳舞;我們向你們舉哀,你們不捶胸。18 約翰來了,也不吃也不喝,人就說他是被鬼附着的; 19 人子來了,也吃也喝,人又說他是貪食好酒的人,是稅吏和罪人的朋友。但智慧之子總以智慧為是 。」 (馬太福音十一1-19)

1 After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. 2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask Him, “Are You the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” 7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: “ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear. 16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” (Matthew 11:1-19)

分享【在疑問中,重新看見耶穌是誰】
曾經大聲見證耶穌的施洗約翰,卻在監裡發出疑問:「那將要來的是祢嗎?」(參v.3) 這不是背叛,而是人在黑暗處境中最真實的掙扎。等候未如預期、處境沒有改變,信心自然會被試煉。耶穌沒有責備約翰,反而用事實回應 —— 瞎子看見、瘸子行走、窮人有福音傳給他們。祂不是急於解釋自己,而是指向神正在成就的工作。

隨後,耶穌轉向群眾,為約翰作見證。祂肯定約翰的使命,稱他為先知,甚至說他是婦人所生中最大的。耶穌最後談到這世代的矛盾:約翰的嚴肅被嫌棄,耶穌的親近被誤解。無論方式如何,人心若拒絕,總能找到理由。真正的問題不在於信息的形式,而在於人是否願意回應神的作為。
在疑問、比較與誤解之中,耶穌呼召我們重新以神的工作來認識祂。

釋經亮點】
「天國裡最小的,比施洗約翰還大」究竟是什麼意思?請留意,耶穌並不是貶低約翰,反而是在高度肯定他。約翰是舊約時代最後、也是最偉大的先知,負責為彌賽亞預備道路。然而,他所處的時代,仍站在「門外」,尚未完全進入神國所帶來的新實況。

耶穌指出,神國的臨到,帶來了一個全新的時代轉換。在這新時代中,人的「大或小」不再取決於角色、成就或歷史地位,而是取決於是否活在神國的恩典裡。因此,即使是在天國中最不起眼的一位,因着親身經歷彌賽亞成就的救恩,也在身分與特權上,超越了站在舊時代門檻上的約翰。

這句話的重點不在比較,而在宣告:身份的轉變,源於神國的臨到,而非人的功績。神國一來,評價標準就被徹底更新了。

反思:當你的處境與期待不符,信心受到考驗時,你是否仍願意把心中的疑問帶到主面前,而不是轉身離開?在今天的生活中,耶穌是否正邀請你「去看看、去聽聽」——重新留意神正在你身邊、在他人生命中,甚至在你尚未察覺的地方所成就的工作?

禱告:施行奇事的主,當我在等候中感到困惑與不安時,求祢引導我重新看見祢正在做的事。幫助我不被處境左右,而是以祢的作為來認識祢。願我在疑問中仍然信靠,在比較中仍然忠心,單單回應祢的呼召。以上禱告,奉主耶穌的名求,阿們。