馬可福音3:1-6

 

3:1 耶穌又進了會堂，在那裡有一個人枯乾了一隻手。
3:2 眾人窺探耶穌，在安息日醫治不醫治，意思是要控告耶穌。
3:3 耶穌對那枯乾一隻手的人說：「起來，站在當中。」
3:4 又問眾人說：「在安息日行善行惡，救命害命，哪樣是可以的呢？」他們都不作聲。
3:5 耶穌怒目周圍看他們，憂愁他們的心剛硬，就對那人說：「伸出手來！」他把手一伸，手就復了原。
3:6 法利賽人出去，同希律一黨的人商議怎樣可以除滅耶穌。

 

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. ² Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. ³ Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

 

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    主耶穌雖然在之前宣告過安息日是為人設立，意思是說安息日要為人效力，而不是人被安息日限制。然而猶太人似乎沒有聽進去，仍然處處對抗主耶穌的安息日觀點，甚至要以此來控告主耶穌，要使他因此被列為罪人。

 

    所以，利用手枯乾的人來試探主耶穌。然而主耶穌知道上帝是看重人的靈魂過於律法的規條，尤其是這受枯乾的人，生活是多麼不方便，要是他的手能恢復正常就可以養活自己，活出人的尊嚴！也因此主耶穌反問他們：「在安息日行善行惡，救命害命，哪樣是可以的呢？」

 

    然而這一群以受律法為義的人，內心已經剛硬到超過對人靈魂的關心，從來沒有想到：這人的病痛，能一天早得醫治，生命可以過得更幸福，該有多好！也應此經文會說：「憂愁他們的心剛硬！」

 

    今日教會是不是和當時的猶太人一樣，只注重信仰表面的純正，而失去關係人靈魂的需要，只是一味的指責與控告然沒有正確的信仰，卻沒有用愛心挽回迷失的人呢？相信主耶穌的作為讓我們有許多的反思！