24:1 耶穌出了聖殿,正走的時候,門徒進前來,把殿宇指給他看。
24:2 耶穌對他們說:「你們不是看見這殿宇嗎?我實在告訴你們,將來在這裡沒有一塊石頭留在石頭上,不被拆毀了。」
24:3 耶穌在橄欖山上坐著,門徒暗暗地來說:「請告訴我們,甚麼時候有這些事?你降臨和世界的末了有甚麼預兆呢?」
24:4 耶穌回答說:「你們要謹慎,免得有人迷惑你們。
24:5 因為將來有好些人冒我的名來,說:『我是基督』,並且要迷惑許多人。
24:6 你們也要聽見打仗和打仗的風聲,總不要驚慌;因為這些事是必須有的,只是末期還沒有到。
24:7 民要攻打民,國要攻打國;多處必有饑荒、地震。
24:8 這都是災難(災難:原文是生產之難)的起頭。
24:9 那時,人要把你們陷在患難裡,也要殺害你們;你們又要為我的名被萬民恨惡。
24:10 那時,必有許多人跌倒,也要彼此陷害,彼此恨惡;
24:11 且有好些假先知起來,迷惑多人。
24:12 只因不法的事增多,許多人的愛心才漸漸冷淡了。
24:13 惟有忍耐到底的,必然得救。
24:14 這天國的福音要傳遍天下,對萬民作見證,然後末期才來到。」
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
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聖殿的被毀是在主後70年左右,而被毀的情形正如主耶穌所說:「你們不是看見這殿宇嗎?我實在告訴你們,將來在這裡沒有一塊石頭留在石頭上,不被拆毀了。」
因為希律王建造聖殿的時候,石頭和石頭之間的連接物是黃金,羅馬軍隊攻進耶路撒冷之後,為了得其中的黃金,就一塊一塊石頭拆下來,以至於:沒有一塊石頭留在石頭上,不被拆毀了。
然而對我們而言主耶穌降臨就是末世了,不是在聖殿被毀的時間。聖殿被毀只是進到上帝國的完全實現之過程之一,提醒我們末世正在進行中!為何說主耶穌降臨就是末世了?是依據彼得前書1章20節所說:「基督在創世以前是預先被上帝知道的,卻在這末世才為你們顯現。」
主耶穌也要我們透過自然的災害和人之間的戰爭,來警醒預備上帝國的完全實現!正如主耶穌所提:「你們也要聽見打仗和打仗的風聲,總不要驚慌;因為這些事是必須有的,只是末期還沒有到。民要攻打民,國要攻打國;多處必有饑荒、地震。這都是災難(災難:原文是生產之難)的起頭。」
不過我們盼望上帝國的完全實現,更要關心的就是福音的傳揚!正如主耶穌在此的提醒:「惟有忍耐到底的,必然得救。這天國的福音要傳遍天下,對萬民作見證,然後末期才來到。」
主耶穌這樣的提醒是告訴我們,福音的傳揚才是推動上帝國完全實現的動力!因此,我們盼望上帝國的完全實現,就必須讓自己投入福音的傳揚,讓人認識耶穌基督是上帝的兒子,是全人類的救主!這一切就要靠聖靈的能力了,使徒行傳1章7-8節說:「父憑著自己的權柄所定的時候、日期,不是你們可以知道的。但聖靈降臨在你們身上,你們就必得著能力,並要在耶路撒冷、猶太全地,和撒馬利亞,直到地極,作我的見證。」