《士師vs自私》Day 12
放縱私慾的參孫
1 參孫下到亭拿，在那裏看見一個女子，是非利士人的女兒。 2 參孫上來稟告他父母說：「我在亭拿看見一個女子，是非利士人的女兒，願你們給我娶來為妻。」 3 他父母說：「在你弟兄的女兒中，或在本國的民中，豈沒有一個女子，何致你去在未受割禮的非利士人中娶妻呢？」參孫對他父親說：「願你給我娶那女子，因我喜悅她。」4 他的父母卻不知道這事是出於耶和華，因為他找機會攻擊非利士人。那時，非利士人轄制以色列人。5 參孫跟他父母下亭拿去，到了亭拿的葡萄園，見有一隻少壯獅子向他吼叫。 6 耶和華的靈大大感動參孫，他雖然手無器械，卻將獅子撕裂，如同撕裂山羊羔一樣。他行這事並沒有告訴父母。 7 參孫下去與女子說話，就喜悅她； 8 過了些日子，再下去要娶那女子，轉向道旁要看死獅，見有一羣蜂子和蜜在死獅之內， 9 就用手取蜜，且吃且走；到了父母那裏，給他父母，他們也吃了；只是沒有告訴這蜜是從死獅之內取來的。
10 他父親下去見女子。參孫在那裏設擺筵宴，因為向來少年人都有這個規矩。 11 眾人看見參孫，就請了三十個人陪伴他。 12 參孫對他們說：「我給你們出一個謎語，你們在七日筵宴之內，若能猜出意思告訴我，我就給你們三十件裏衣，三十套衣裳； 13 你們若不能猜出意思告訴我，你們就給我三十件裏衣，三十套衣裳。」他們說：「請將謎語說給我們聽。」 14 參孫對他們說：吃的從吃者出來；甜的從強者出來。他們三日不能猜出謎語的意思。15 到第七天，他們對參孫的妻說：「你誆哄你丈夫，探出謎語的意思告訴我們，免得我們用火燒你和你父家。你們請了我們來，是要奪我們所有的嗎？」 16 參孫的妻在丈夫面前啼哭說：「你是恨我，不是愛我，你給我本國的人出謎語，卻沒有將意思告訴我。」參孫回答說：「連我父母我都沒有告訴，豈可告訴你呢？」 17 七日筵宴之內，她在丈夫面前啼哭，到第七天逼着他，他才將謎語的意思告訴他妻，他妻就告訴本國的人。 18 到第七天，日頭未落以前，那城裏的人對參孫說：有甚麼比蜜還甜呢？有甚麼比獅子還強呢？參孫對他們說：你們若非用我的母牛犢耕地，就猜不出我謎語的意思來。19 耶和華的靈大大感動參孫，他就下到亞實基倫，擊殺了三十個人，奪了他們的衣裳，將衣裳給了猜出謎語的人。參孫發怒，就上父家去了。 20 參孫的妻便歸了參孫的陪伴，就是作過他朋友的。(士師記十四1-20)
1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” 3 His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.” 4 (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.) 5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. 7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her. 8 Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey. 9 He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.
10 Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men. 11 When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions. 12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. 13If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.”14 He replied, “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.” For three days they could not give the answer. 15 On the fourth day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to steal our property?” 16Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me. You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.” “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?” 17 She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people. 18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.” 19 Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father’s home. 20And Samson’s wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast. (Judges 14:1-20)
10 Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men. 11 When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions. 12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can give me the answer within the seven days of the feast, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes. 13If you can’t tell me the answer, you must give me thirty linen garments and thirty sets of clothes.” “Tell us your riddle,” they said. “Let’s hear it.”14 He replied, “Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet.” For three days they could not give the answer. 15 On the fourth day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband into explaining the riddle for us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to steal our property?” 16Then Samson’s wife threw herself on him, sobbing, “You hate me! You don’t really love me. You’ve given my people a riddle, but you haven’t told me the answer.” “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?” 17 She cried the whole seven days of the feast. So on the seventh day he finally told her, because she continued to press him. She in turn explained the riddle to her people. 18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.” 19 Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father’s home. 20And Samson’s wife was given to one of his companions who had attended him at the feast. (Judges 14:1-20)
敵人：非利士人
士師：參孫 (Samson)
被欺壓時間：40年
國中太平時間：不詳
分享：昨天提到參孫輕忽了拿細耳人的身份，於是他只懂體貼自己的心意。我們可從《士師記》十四章看到他怎樣放縱私慾：他看見並喜歡一個非利士人的女兒，於是立即要求父母給他娶來為妻，父母的好言相勸自然是聽不進耳朵裡；然後在路上經歷了打死獅子的奇遇後，就從死獅子裡拿蜜糖吃；最後，因為筵宴中的謎語被猜出來 (嚴格來說是被誆哄出來)，就到了亞實基倫大開殺戒，殺了三十個人，奪了三十套衣裳。
關於罪的誘惑，其實聖經清楚明言：「因為，凡世界上的事，就像肉體的情慾、眼目的情慾，並今生的驕傲，都不是從父來的，乃是從世界來的。」(約翰壹書二16) 肉體與眼目的情慾讓參孫一生被女色控制，這可說是他的最大軟弱 (除了亭拿女子，還有迦薩妓女及大利拉)。另外，從死獅內用手取蜜也是滿足了肉體的情慾 (也反映了他無視拿細耳人的誡命)。最後，因為謎語被揭穿，就濫殺無辜，這種傲慢的復仇心理，就是源於今生的驕傲。
作為讀者，或許我們很容易對參孫作出批評。然而當這等情慾、驕傲的誘惑出現時，我們又是否能夠把持得住，對抗這些誘惑？ 聖經記載參孫的經歷，並不是讓我們有責備的對象，而是提醒我們要防患於未然。在罪的誘惑之前，我們必須要好好提防，不要像參孫般放縱私慾。
近年加州發生多了地震，讓更多人產生了防範的意識。其實「作好地震的準備」這提醒並不是一件新鮮事，也可以說是人人都知道的事。然而，真正作好準備的又有多少人呢？同樣的問題：我們今天有否作好對抗罪的準備呢？
反思與實踐： 對你來說，肉體的情慾、眼目的情慾，並今生的驕傲，那一個影響最大？你能夠作好什麼準備，提防罪的誘惑呢？(可重溫昨天的分享內容一同思考)
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢通過參孫的故事提醒我們，面對誘惑時要警醒。求祢賜給我們力量，抵擋肉體的情慾、眼目的情慾，並在今生中保持謙卑。求祢幫助我們常常記住我們被揀選的身份，在生活中榮耀祢。以上禱告，奉主耶穌得勝的名求，阿們。
Posted in CGCep12