歷代志下27:1-9

 

27:1 約坦登基的時候年二十五歲，在耶路撒冷作王十六年，他母親名叫耶路沙，是撒督的女兒。
27:2 約坦行耶和華眼中看為正的事，效法他父烏西雅一切所行的，只是不入耶和華的殿。百姓還行邪僻的事。
27:3 約坦建立耶和華殿的上門，在俄斐勒城上多有建造，
27:4 又在猶大山地建造城邑，在樹林中建築營寨和高樓。
27:5 約坦與亞捫人的王打仗勝了他們，當年他們進貢銀一百他連得，小麥一萬歌珥，大麥一萬歌珥；第二年、第三年也是這樣。
27:6 約坦在耶和華─他上帝面前行正道，以致日漸強盛。
27:7 約坦其餘的事和一切爭戰，並他的行為，都寫在以色列和猶大列王記上。
27:8 他登基的時候年二十五歲，在耶路撒冷作王十六年。
27:9 約坦與他列祖同睡，葬在大衛城裡。他兒子亞哈斯接續他作王。

 

Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. ² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the Lord. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices. ³ Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel. ⁴ He built towns in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers in the wooded areas.

⁵ Jotham waged war against the king of the Ammonites and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents^[a] of silver, ten thousand cors^[b] of wheat and ten thousand cors^[c] of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years.

⁶ Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.

⁷ The other events in Jotham’s reign, including all his wars and the other things he did, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸ He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. ⁹ Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

 

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    約坦是接續烏利亞做王，因為敬畏耶和華，所以國家繼續強盛。可見猶大國的蒙福之關鍵在於王是否敬畏上帝！這是君王重要之責任；今日教會的興盛與否更是如此！

 

 

 

約翰福音18:28-40

 

18:28 眾人將耶穌從該亞法那裡往衙門內解去，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。
18:29 彼拉多就出來，到他們那裡，說：「你們告這人是為甚麼事呢？」
18:30 他們回答說：「這人若不是作惡的，我們就不把他交給你。」
18:31 彼拉多說：「你們自己帶他去，按著你們的律法審問他吧。」猶太人說：「我們沒有殺人的權柄。」
18:32 這要應驗耶穌所說自己將要怎樣死的話了。
18:33 彼拉多又進了衙門，叫耶穌來，對他說：「你是猶太人的王嗎？」
18:34 耶穌回答說：「這話是你自己說的，還是別人論我對你說的呢？」
18:35 彼拉多說：「我豈是猶太人呢？你本國的人和祭司長把你交給我。你做了甚麼事呢？」
18:36 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。」
18:37 彼拉多就對他說：「這樣，你是王嗎？」耶穌回答說：「你說我是王。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。」
18:38 彼拉多說：「真理是甚麼呢？」說了這話，又出來到猶太人那裡，對他們說：「我查不出他有甚麼罪來。
18:39 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？」
18:40 他們又喊著說：「不要這人，要巴拉巴！」這巴拉巴是個強盜。

 

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.

 

 

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     彼拉多說：「真理是甚麼呢？」

 

    這是多麼諷刺的話！因為彼拉多知道這是一種不符合真理的場合，是一個荒謬的審判，簡直是借刀殺人！因為猶太人說：「我們沒有殺人的權柄。」

 

    然而彼拉多卻是身不由己，不得不審判，所以他意識到必須順應猶太人的需求，不然他這個總督的官是做不下去。他只好不負責任地說：「我查不出他有甚麼罪來。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？」

 

    他們又喊著說：「不要這人，要巴拉巴！」

 

    這是讓彼拉多無奈卻又必須面對的答案！然而這卻完成了上帝的心意，因為上帝本要透過主耶穌的死拯救萬民！也要向世人宣告：有死亡，才會有復活！甚至用腦筋急轉彎的說法：「怎樣才能復活？就是必須死！」

 

    您有這樣的認識嗎？

 

 

約翰福音18:25-27

 

18:25 西門•彼得正站著烤火，有人對他說：「你不也是他的門徒嗎？」彼得不承認，說：「我不是。」
18:26 有大祭司的一個僕人，是彼得削掉耳朵那人的親屬，說：「我不是看見你同他在園子裡嗎？」
18:27 彼得又不承認。立時雞就叫了。

 

²⁵ Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.”

²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” ²⁷ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

 

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    彼得真的在雞叫以前三次不認主！

 

    我們真的要向主承認我們的軟弱，求主不斷的保守不失落！

 

 

約翰福音18:19-24

 

18:19 大祭司就以耶穌的門徒和他的教訓盤問他。
18:20 耶穌回答說：「我從來是明明地對世人說話。我常在會堂和殿裡，就是猶太人聚集的地方教訓人；我在暗地裡並沒有說甚麼。
18:21 你為甚麼問我呢？可以問那聽見的人，我對他們說的是甚麼；我所說的，他們都知道。」
18:22 耶穌說了這話，旁邊站著的一個差役用手掌打他，說：「你這樣回答大祭司嗎？」
18:23 耶穌說：「我若說的不是，你可以指證那不是；我若說的是，你為甚麼打我呢？」
18:24 亞那就把耶穌解到大祭司該亞法那裡，仍是捆著解去的。

 

¹⁹ Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

²⁰ “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

²² When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

²³ “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” ²⁴ Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

 

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    主耶穌知道自己的身分，他也不辯解，更不屈服，因為祂本是主，人立的大祭司有怎麼樣呢？

 

    我們成為主耶穌的門徒更不可以苟且偷生，討好上位的人。因為主耶穌告訴我們：在將來上帝國實現的時候，我們要同基督做王，同享榮耀呢！

 

    重要的是我們要在眾人面前認耶穌基督為主，主在榮耀中才會認我們！