《馬太福音》Day40
《真正的預備》
1 「那時，天國好比十個童女拿著燈出去迎接新郎。2 其中有五個是愚拙的，五個是聰明的。3 愚拙的拿著燈，卻不預備油；4 聰明的拿著燈，又預備油在器皿裏。5 新郎遲延的時候，她們都打盹，睡著了。6 半夜有人喊著說：『新郎來了，你們出來迎接他！』7 那些童女就都起來收拾燈。8 愚拙的對聰明的說：『請分點油給我們， 因為我們的燈要滅了。』9 聰明的回答說：『恐怕不夠你我用的；不如你們自己到賣油的那裏去買吧。』10 她們去買的時候，新郎到了。那預備好了的，同他進去坐席，門就關了。11 其餘的童女隨後也來了，說：『主啊，主啊，給我們開門！』12 他卻回答說：『我實在告訴你們，我不認識你們。』13 所以，你們要警醒；因為那日子，那時辰，你們不知道。」
14 「天國又好比一個人要往外國去，就叫了僕人來，把他的家業交給他們，15 按著各人的才幹給他們銀子：一個給了五千，一個給了二千，一個給了一千，就往外國去了。16 那領五千的隨即拿去做買賣，另外賺了五千。17 那領二千的也照樣另賺了二千。18 但那領一千的去掘開地，把主人的銀子埋藏了。19 過了許久，那些僕人的主人來了，和他們算帳。20 那領五千銀子的又帶著那另外的五千來，說：『主啊，你交給我五千銀子。請看，我又賺了五千。』21 主人說：『好，你這又良善又忠心的僕人，你在不多的事上有忠心，我要把許多事派你管理；可以進來享受你主人的快樂。』22 那領二千的也來，說：『主啊，你交給我二千銀子。請看，我又賺了二千。』23 主人說：『好，你這又良善又忠心的僕人，你在不多的事上有忠心，我要把許多事派你管理；可以進來享受你主人的快樂。』24 那領一千的也來，說：『主啊，我知道你是忍心的人，沒有種的地方要收割，沒有散的地方要聚斂，25 我就害怕，去把你的一千銀子埋藏在地裏。請看，你的原銀子在這裏。』26 主人回答說：『你這又惡又懶的僕人，你既知道我沒有種的地方要收割，沒有散的地方要聚斂，27 就當把我的銀子放給兌換銀錢的人，到我來的時候，可以連本帶利收回。28 奪過他這一千來，給那有一萬的。29 因為凡有的，還要加給他，叫他有餘；沒有的，連他所有的也要奪過來。30 把這無用的僕人丟在外面黑暗裏；在那裏必要哀哭切齒了。』」
31 「當人子在祂榮耀裏、同著眾天使降臨的時候，要坐在祂榮耀的寶座上。32 萬民都要聚集在祂面前。祂要把他們分別出來，好像牧羊的分別綿羊山羊一般，33 把綿羊安置在右邊，山羊在左邊。34 於是王要向那右邊的說：『你們這蒙我父賜福的，可來承受那創世以來為你們所預備的國；35 因為我餓了，你們給我吃，渴了，你們給我喝；我作客旅，你們留我住；36 我赤身露體，你們給我穿；我病了，你們看顧我；我在監裏，你們來看我。』37 義人就回答說：『主啊，我們甚麼時候見祢餓了，給祢吃，渴了，給祢喝？38 甚麼時候見祢作客旅，留祢住，或是赤身露體，給祢穿？39 又甚麼時候見祢病了，或是在監裏，來看祢呢？』40 王要回答說：『我實在告訴你們，這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上，就是做在我身上了。』41 王又要向那左邊的說：『你們這被咒詛的人，離開我！進入那為魔鬼和他的使者所預備的永火裏去！42 因為我餓了，你們不給我吃，渴了，你們不給我喝；43 我作客旅，你們不留我住；我赤身露體，你們不給我穿；我病了，我在監裏，你們不來看顧我。』44 他們也要回答說：『主啊，我們甚麼時候見祢餓了，或渴了，或作客旅，或赤身露體，或病了，或在監裏，不伺候祢呢？』45 王要回答說：『我實在告訴你們，這些事你們既不做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上，就是不做在我身上了。』46 這些人要往永刑裏去；那些義人要往永生裏去。」(馬太福音廿五1-46)
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and His angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”（Matthew 25:1-46）
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and His angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”（Matthew 25:1-46）
分享【警醒，不是臨時反應，而是事前的預備】
當主耶穌在《馬太福音》廿四章提醒門徒：「你們要警醒」，接著用十個童女與三個僕人的比喻指出 —— 警醒，不是等事情發生才反應，而是在未發生前已經忠心預備。
在童女的比喻中，十個童女其實有很多共通點：一同拿著燈迎接新郎、一同期待、一樣會打盹睡著。然而，當中卻顯出愚拙與聰明之間的距離 —— 不在於她們有沒有等候，也不在於她們有沒有軟弱，而是在於她們當中的五個童女錯誤地將「現在夠用」，當成「將來都夠用」。但當新郎來到，燈快要熄滅時，才想起要去買油，這刻已經太遲了。
接著，耶穌講到按才幹受託的僕人。第三個僕人將主人給他的一千銀子埋在地裡，看似保本，沒有損失，但問題正正出在這裡。他的錯，不單是懶惰，更用錯誤的心態——用恐懼取代信任，用保存取代回應，用不行動包裝順服。事實上，他沒有拒絕主人，但他亦沒有真正明白主人的心意。
童女的比喻提醒我們，不要等到燈快熄滅時，才想起要油；僕人的比喻提醒我們，不要將主人的期待理解為風險，最後將忠心理解為「只要不蝕就好」。信仰從來不是「到時先算」，而是今天就「忠心預備」。
【釋經亮點】
為何奪去一千，給那有一萬的？是否有欠公平？我們需要先留意主人對第三個僕人的評語：「你這又惡又懶的僕人。」(v. 26) 經文指出他的問題不在於賺得少，而在於他拒絕參與主人的工作。他說：「我就害怕，去把你的一千銀子埋藏在地裡。」(v. 25)「埋藏」在當時是一種合法的保本方式，顯示他不是不懂，而是刻意選擇最低程度的責任承擔。他的行動，反映出他對主人的錯誤理解 —— 主人的託付是一種壓力。因害怕而選擇不行動。
因此，主人奪去他的一千，並給那有一萬的，並非獎賞強者，而是因為這份託付已被他放棄。他雖保住銀子，卻沒有履行任何與主人使命相關的責任。所以，在29節所指的「有」與「沒有」，並非資源多寡，而是是否忠心運用託付。唯有願意回應的人，才會承擔更多；拒絕回應的人，即使手上仍有資源，在神國的角度看來，亦等同「沒有」。
反思：今天，我有沒有將「現在夠用」，誤當成「將來都夠」？有沒有正在拖延那些神早已感動我要回應的事呢？
禱告：鑒察人心的的主耶穌啊，求祢幫助我，不只是在口裡等候祢，而是在生命中預備自己。讓我不因恐懼而埋藏祢的託付，也不因拖延而錯過祢的時間。願我今日就忠心回應祢所交付的一切，在尚有時間時，活出警醒的生命。奉主名求，阿們。
Posted in 2026-01-Matthew-D