約翰福音11:1-16

 

11:1 有一個患病的人，名叫拉撒路，住在伯大尼，就是馬利亞和她姊姊馬大的村莊。
11:2 這馬利亞就是那用香膏抹主，又用頭髮擦他腳的；患病的拉撒路是她的兄弟。
11:3 她姊妹兩個就打發人去見耶穌，說：「主啊，你所愛的人病了。」
11:4 耶穌聽見，就說：「這病不至於死，乃是為上帝的榮耀，叫上帝的兒子因此得榮耀。」
11:5 耶穌素來愛馬大和她妹子並拉撒路。
11:6 聽見拉撒路病了，就在所居之地仍住了兩天。
11:7 然後對門徒說：「我們再往猶太去吧。」
11:8 門徒說：「拉比，猶太人近來要拿石頭打你，你還往那裡去嗎？」
11:9 耶穌回答說：「白日不是有十二小時嗎？人在白日走路，就不至跌倒，因為看見這世上的光。
11:10 若在黑夜走路，就必跌倒，因為他沒有光。」
11:11 耶穌說了這話，隨後對他們說：「我們的朋友拉撒路睡了，我去叫醒他。」
11:12 門徒說：「主啊，他若睡了，就必好了。」
11:13 耶穌這話是指著他死說的，他們卻以為是說照常睡了。
11:14 耶穌就明明地告訴他們說：「拉撒路死了。
11:15 我沒有在那裡就歡喜，這是為你們的緣故，好叫你們相信。如今我們可以往他那裡去吧。」
11:16 多馬，又稱為低土馬，就對那同作門徒的說：「我們也去和他同死吧。」

 

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ² (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) ³ So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, ⁷ and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

⁸ “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. ¹⁰ It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

¹¹ After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

¹² His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” ¹³ Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

¹⁴ So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵ and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

¹⁶ Then Thomas (also known as Didymus^[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

 

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    這會不會太奇怪了，拉撒路還生病的時候主耶穌不去，竟然死了以後主耶穌才去！要是主耶穌在拉撒路生病的時候去，就可以的醫治，也就不會損失一條生命，這樣是不是主耶穌對拉撒路「無情」？

 

    照基督徒的信仰而言，基督徒對死亡並不覺得可怕，而且是應該勇敢面對的，在希伯來書也說：「按著定命，人人都有一死，死後且有審判。」(9:27)這裡還用很「時髦」的基督徒話語「命定」呢

 

    既然命定都有一死，就不需要害怕刀劍、瘟疫、洪水、猛獸、…，等等。因為，早死晚死都是死，死後還回到主耶穌那裏，有甚麼好怕兇死或病死？甚至主所愛的拉撒路生病，主都等到他死了才去看他！

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，主耶穌這樣的做法是不是「無情」？當然不是！而是要行更大的事，只是在當時不知道！

 

 

 

歷代志下19章

     歷代志下19:1-11  ,

歷代志下19:1-11

 

19:1 猶大王約沙法平平安安地回耶路撒冷，到宮裡去了。
19:2 先見哈拿尼的兒子耶戶出來迎接約沙法王，對他說：「你豈當幫助惡人，愛那恨惡耶和華的人呢？因此耶和華的忿怒臨到你。
19:3 然而你還有善行，因你從國中除掉木偶，立定心意尋求上帝。
19:4 約沙法住在耶路撒冷，以後又出巡民間，從別是巴直到以法蓮山地，引導民歸向耶和華─他們列祖的上帝；
19:5 又在猶大國中遍地的堅固城裡設立審判官，
19:6 對他們說：「你們辦事應當謹慎；因為你們判斷不是為人，乃是為耶和華。判斷的時候，他必與你們同在。
19:7 現在你們應當敬畏耶和華，謹慎辦事；因為耶和華─我們的上帝沒有不義，不偏待人，也不受賄賂。」
19:8 約沙法從利未人和祭司，並以色列族長中派定人，在耶路撒冷為耶和華判斷，聽民間的爭訟，就回耶路撒冷去了。
19:9 約沙法囑咐他們說：「你們當敬畏耶和華，忠心誠實辦事。
19:10 住在各城裡你們的弟兄，若有爭訟的事來到你們這裡，或為流血，或犯律法、誡命、律例、典章，你們要警戒他們，免得他們得罪耶和華，以致他的忿怒臨到你們和你們的弟兄；這樣行，你們就沒有罪了。
19:11 凡屬耶和華的事，有大祭司亞瑪利雅管理你們；凡屬王的事，有猶大支派的族長以實瑪利的兒子西巴第雅管理你們；在你們面前有利未人作官長。你們應當壯膽辦事，願耶和華與善人同在。」

 

When Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem, ² Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love^[a] those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you. ³ There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.”

⁴ Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. ⁵ He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. ⁶ He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. ⁷ Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

⁸ In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. ⁹ He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. ¹⁰ In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.

¹¹ “Amariah the chief priest will be over you in any matter concerning the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will be over you in any matter concerning the king, and the Levites will serve as officials before you. Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well.”

 

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    約沙法雖然被先知責罵，但是仍然存謙卑的心，敬畏耶和華，繼續過敬拜上帝的生活。

 

    他不僅自己敬畏上帝，也教導他的臣子：「你們辦事應當謹慎；因為你們判斷不是為人，乃是為耶和華。判斷的時候，他必與你們同在。現在你們應當敬畏耶和華，謹慎辦事；因為耶和華─我們的上帝沒有不義，不偏待人，也不受賄賂。」

 

    相信上帝必定透過他大大賜福給猶大國！

 

    他對臣子的教導，也可以成為我們做人處事的原則，要清楚我們所作的一切，都是為上帝而做，不是為討人喜歡而做！也因此，我們要兢兢業業在我們的工作，因為我們是做給上帝看的！

 

 

約翰福音10:22-42

 

10:22 在耶路撒冷有修殿節，是冬天的時候。
10:23 耶穌在殿裡所羅門的廊下行走。
10:24 猶太人圍著他，說：「你叫我們猶疑不定到幾時呢？你若是基督，就明明地告訴我們。」
10:25 耶穌回答說：「我已經告訴你們，你們不信。我奉我父之名所行的事可以為我作見證；
10:26 只是你們不信，因為你們不是我的羊。
10:27 我的羊聽我的聲音，我也認識他們，他們也跟著我。
10:28 我又賜給他們永生；他們永不滅亡，誰也不能從我手裡把他們奪去。
10:29 我父把羊賜給我，他比萬有都大，誰也不能從我父手裡把他們奪去。
10:30 我與父原為一。」
10:31 猶太人又拿起石頭來要打他。
10:32 耶穌對他們說：「我從父顯出許多善事給你們看，你們是為哪一件拿石頭打我呢？」
10:33 猶太人回答說：「我們不是為善事拿石頭打你，是為你說僭妄的話；又為你是個人，反將自己當作上帝。」
10:34 耶穌說：「你們的律法上豈不是寫著『我曾說你們是神』嗎？
10:35 經上的話是不能廢的；若那些承受上帝道的人尚且稱為神，
10:36 父所分別為聖、又差到世間來的，他自稱是上帝的兒子，你們還向他說『你說僭妄的話』嗎？
10:37 我若不行我父的事，你們就不必信我；
10:38 我若行了，你們縱然不信我，也當信這些事，叫你們又知道又明白父在我裡面，我也在父裡面。」
10:39 他們又要拿他，他卻逃出他們的手走了。
10:40 耶穌又往約旦河外去，到了約翰起初施洗的地方，就住在那裡。
10:41 有許多人來到他那裡。他們說：「約翰一件神蹟沒有行過，但約翰指著這人所說的一切話都是真的。」
10:42 在那裡，信耶穌的人就多了。

 

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication^[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. ²⁴ The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, ³² but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’^[d]? ³⁵ If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? ³⁷ Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. ³⁸ But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” ³⁹ Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And in that place many believed in Jesus.

 

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    主耶穌面對一群猶太人：他們雖然相信有上帝，但是不能接受耶穌基督也是上帝，他們因為不信向主耶穌說：「我們不是為善事拿石頭打你，是為你說僭妄的話；又為你是個人，反將自己當作上帝。」

 

    然而主耶穌並不否認自己的地位，他說：「你們的律法上豈不是寫著『我曾說你們是神』嗎？經上的話是不能廢的；若那些承受上帝道的人尚且稱為神，10:36 父所分別為聖、又差到世間來的，他自稱是上帝的兒子，你們還向他說『你說僭妄的話』嗎？我若不行我父的事，你們就不必信我；我若行了，你們縱然不信我，也當信這些事，叫你們又知道又明白父在我裡面，我也在父裡面。」

 

    主耶穌是完全的上帝也是完全的人，若不信祂是上帝，就無法領受永生，這也是許多人的障礙；但是對基督徒而言，我們必定相信主耶穌是「神人二性、一位格」，不然我們無法肯定我們可以靠主耶穌而得救！