《約翰福音》Day30

《誰才是真王?》

28 眾人將耶穌從該亞法那裏往衙門內解去,那時天還早。他們自己卻不進衙門,恐怕染了污穢,不能吃逾越節的筵席。 29 彼拉多就出來,到他們那裏,說:「你們告這人是為甚麼事呢?」 30 他們回答說:「這人若不是作惡的,我們就不把祂交給你。」 31 彼拉多說:「你們自己帶祂去,按着你們的律法審問祂吧。」猶太人說:「我們沒有殺人的權柄。」 32 這要應驗耶穌所說自己將要怎樣死的話了。 33 彼拉多又進了衙門,叫耶穌來,對祂說:「祢是猶太人的王嗎?」 34 耶穌回答說:「這話是你自己說的,還是別人論我對你說的呢?」 35 彼拉多說:「我豈是猶太人呢?你本國的人和祭司長把祢交給我。祢做了甚麼事呢?」 36 耶穌回答說:「我的國不屬這世界;我的國若屬這世界,我的臣僕必要爭戰,使我不至於被交給猶太人。只是我的國不屬這世界。」 37 彼拉多就對祂說:「這樣,祢是王嗎?」耶穌回答說:「祢說我是王。我為此而生,也為此來到世間,特為給真理作見證。凡屬真理的人就聽我的話。」 38 彼拉多說:「真理是甚麼呢?」說了這話,又出來到猶太人那裏,對他們說:「我查不出祂有甚麼罪來。 39 但你們有個規矩,在逾越節要我給你們釋放一個人,你們要我給你們釋放猶太人的王嗎?」 40 他們又喊着說:「不要這人,要巴拉巴!」這巴拉巴是個強盜。(約翰福音十八28-40)

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?” 30“If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.” 31 Pilate said, “Take Him yourselves and judge Him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death He was going to die. 33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked Him, “Are You the king of the Jews?” 34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” 35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What is it You have done?” 36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” 37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” 38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against Him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” 40 They shouted back, “No, not Him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising. (John 18:28-40)

分享【被審問的君王】

耶穌被帶到彼拉多面前受審,看起來像是一個被定罪的人。但整段經文裡,真正充滿權柄的,反而是耶穌。彼拉多雖然代表羅馬政權,能決定人的生死,內心卻充滿猶豫與不安;相反,耶穌卻十分平靜,甚至主動指出:「我的國不屬這世界。」(v.36)

世界以為自己正在審判耶穌,但其實真正被顯露的,反而是人的內心。彼拉多明知道耶穌無罪,卻因害怕群眾與政治壓力,選擇妥協。原來,人很多時候不是看不見真理,而是不願意為真理付代價。

今天,世界仍然常常像彼拉多一樣,以為自己有權決定什麼是真理、什麼是對錯,甚至想把神排除在人生之外。然而,不論人是否承認,真正掌權的王仍然是耶穌。問題從來不是「耶穌是不是王」,而是我們願不願意順服祂作王。

【釋經亮點】

經文中,彼拉多問了耶穌一句:「真理是什麼呢?」 (v.38) 這不單是一個哲學問題,更反映當時世界對「真理」的混亂。

對猶太宗教領袖而言,「真理」很多時候變成維持宗教制度與自身地位的工具,所以即使知道耶穌沒有罪,仍然想除掉祂。對彼拉多而言,「真理」似乎並不重要,真正重要的是政治穩定與自己的利益。因此,即使他知道耶穌無罪,最後仍然選擇妥協。

但耶穌對真理的理解完全不同。祂不是單單教導真理,祂更說:「我就是道路、真理、生命。」 (參十四6) 原來,真理不是一套理論、一種觀點,甚至不只是對與錯,而是與耶穌有關。有意思的是,彼拉多問「真理是什麼」時,真理其實正站在他面前。問題從來不是世上沒有真理,而是人即使看見真理,也未必願意接受真理。今天,我又怎樣理解真理呢?

反思:我是否也像彼拉多一樣,明知道真理,卻因害怕代價而選擇妥協?我真正讓誰作我生命的王?

禱告:主耶穌,祢才是真正掌權的王,但很多時候,我卻仍然想按自己的意思生活。求祢赦免我明知道真理,卻仍然害怕順服祢。幫助我不只是在口裡承認祢,而是真正讓祢作我生命的主。即使世界充滿不同聲音,也求祢讓我願意站在真理裡,學習忠心跟隨祢。以上禱告,奉主耶穌的名求,阿們。

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