以斯帖記5:1-14

 

5:1 第三日，以斯帖穿上朝服，進王宮的內院，對殿站立。王在殿裡坐在寶座上，對著殿門。
5:2 王見王后以斯帖站在院內，就施恩於她，向她伸出手中的金杖；以斯帖便向前摸杖頭。
5:3 王對她說：「王后以斯帖啊，你要甚麼？你求甚麼，就是國的一半也必賜給你。」
5:4 以斯帖說：「王若以為美，就請王帶著哈曼今日赴我所預備的筵席。」
5:5 王說：「叫哈曼速速照以斯帖的話去行」。於是王帶著哈曼赴以斯帖所預備的筵席。
5:6 在酒席筵前，王又問以斯帖說：「你要甚麼，我必賜給你；你求甚麼，就是國的一半也必為你成就。」
5:7 以斯帖回答說：「我有所要，我有所求。
5:8 我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若願意賜我所要的，准我所求的，就請王帶著哈曼再赴我所要預備的筵席。明日我必照王所問的說明。」
5:9 那日哈曼心中快樂，歡歡喜喜地出來；但見末底改在朝門不站起來，連身也不動，就滿心惱怒末底改。
5:10 哈曼暫且忍耐回家，叫人請他朋友和他妻子細利斯來。
5:11 哈曼將他富厚的榮耀、眾多的兒女，和王抬舉他使他超乎首領臣僕之上，都述說給他們聽。
5:12 哈曼又說：「王后以斯帖預備筵席，除了我之外不許別人隨王赴席。明日王后又請我隨王赴席；
5:13 只是我見猶大人末底改坐在朝門，雖有這一切榮耀，也與我無益。」
5:14 他的妻細利斯和他一切的朋友對他說：「不如立一個五丈高的木架，明早求王將末底改掛在其上，然後你可以歡歡喜喜地隨王赴席。」哈曼以這話為美，就叫人做了木架。

 

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. ² When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

³ Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”

⁴ “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

⁵ “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”

So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. ⁶ As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

⁷ Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: ⁸ If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”

⁹ Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. ¹⁰ Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.

Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, ¹¹ Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. ¹² “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. ¹³ But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”

¹⁴ His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits,^[a] and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.

 

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    以斯帖雖然美貌，卻仍然有智慧和計謀在她的心中。她一出手，真的是讓人意料之外！就連仇敵哈曼都不知她的用心，還自以為了不得，認為王后也要給他尊榮，甚至回家炫耀！只是偏偏又看見末底改心中不悅！

 

    然而回家將這事訴苦的時候，家中這一群人和他一樣惡劣，竟然說：「不如立一個五丈高的木架，明早求王將末底改掛在其上，然後你可以歡歡喜喜地隨王赴席。」

 

    哈曼聽了這段話，竟然以為美，真是物以類聚啊！

 

    上帝啊！人真是可悲，一直在為自己掘墳墓，走向滅亡之路，還自以為事做對的事情、做有益於自己的事情，真是是非不分了！求者幫助我們，讓我們因為敬畏祢而有智慧的心，能夠出死入生，到祢的榮耀境！

 

羅馬書2:17-29

 

2:17 你稱為猶太人，又倚靠律法，且指著上帝誇口；
2:18 既從律法中受了教訓，就曉得上帝的旨意，也能分別是非（或譯：也喜愛那美好的事）；
2:19 又深信自己是給瞎子領路的，是黑暗中人的光，
2:20 是蠢笨人的師傅，是小孩子的先生，在律法上有知識和真理的模範。
2:21 你既是教導別人，還不教導自己嗎？你講說人不可偷竊，自己還偷竊嗎？
2:22 你說人不可姦淫，自己還姦淫嗎？你厭惡偶像，自己還偷竊廟中之物嗎？
2:23 你指著律法誇口，自己倒犯律法、玷辱上帝嗎？
2:24 上帝的名在外邦人中，因你們受了褻瀆，正如經上所記的。
2:25 你若是行律法的，割禮固然於你有益；若是犯律法的，你的割禮就算不得割禮。
2:26 所以那未受割禮的，若遵守律法的條例，他雖然未受割禮，豈不算是有割禮嗎？
2:27 而且那本來未受割禮的，若能全守律法，豈不是要審判你這有儀文和割禮竟犯律法的人嗎？
2:28 因為外面作猶太人的，不是真猶太人；外面肉身的割禮，也不是真割禮。
2:29 惟有裡面作的，才是真猶太人；真割禮也是心裡的，在乎靈，不在乎儀文。這人的稱讚不是從人來的，乃是從上帝來的。

 

¹⁷ Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; ¹⁸ if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”^[b]

²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. ²⁶ So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? ²⁷ The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the^[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

²⁸ A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. ²⁹ No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

 

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    保羅在這裡提醒猶太人：「你若是行律法的，割禮固然於你有益；若是犯律法的，你的割禮就算不得割禮。所以那未受割禮的，若遵守律法的條例，他雖然未受割禮，豈不算是有割禮嗎？而且那本來未受割禮的，若能全守律法，豈不是要審判你這有儀文和割禮竟犯律法的人嗎？因為外面作猶太人的，不是真猶太人；外面肉身的割禮，也不是真割禮。惟有裡面作的，才是真猶太人；真割禮也是心裡的，在乎靈，不在乎儀文。這人的稱讚不是從人來的，乃是從上帝來的。」

 

    保羅這段話就是提醒猶太人不可以徒有割禮的記號，卻沒有上帝子民的實際！然而上帝子民的實際就是要和上帝有合宜的關係，就是透過主耶穌與上帝和好，讓主耶穌行律法的義臨到。因為人無法行得完全，只有讓主耶穌所完成的實現在我們身上，就是將律法刻在我們心版，讓我們靠聖靈的能力來行律法！而不是以自義的心來行律法！

 

    這有甚麼差別呢？靠自己的力量行律法就會自以為了不起，以為有能力行善是自己的功勞，榮耀歸自己；靠主耶穌的義來行律法，是相信上帝的助力在我們身上，是我們可以行出來，會將榮耀歸給上帝，會相信一切都是靠耶穌基督的救恩才有的！

 

    也唯有能歸榮耀於上帝的，才是真的是內心受割禮的人，是上帝所喜悅的兒女！

 

 ** 繼續閱讀:      羅馬書2章

 

羅馬書2:1-16

2:1 你這論斷人的，無論你是誰，也無可推諉。你在甚麼事上論斷人，就在甚麼事上定自己的罪；因你這論斷人的，自己所行卻和別人一樣。
2:2 我們知道這樣行的人，上帝必照真理審判他。
2:3 你這人哪，你論斷行這樣事的人，自己所行的卻和別人一樣，你以為能逃脫上帝的審判嗎？
2:4 還是你藐視他豐富的恩慈、寬容、忍耐，不曉得他的恩慈是領你悔改呢？
2:5 你竟任著你剛硬不悔改的心，為自己積蓄忿怒，以致上帝震怒，顯他公義審判的日子來到。
2:6 他必照各人的行為報應各人。
2:7 凡恆心行善、尋求榮耀、尊貴和不能朽壞之福的，就以永生報應他們；
2:8 惟有結黨、不順從真理、反順從不義的，就以忿怒、惱恨報應他們；
2:9 將患難、困苦加給一切作惡的人，先是猶太人，後是希臘人，
2:10 卻將榮耀、尊貴、平安加給一切行善的人，先是猶太人，後是希臘人。
2:11 因為上帝不偏待人。
2:12 凡沒有律法犯了罪的，也必不按律法滅亡；凡在律法以下犯了罪的，也必按律法受審判。
2:13 （原來在上帝面前，不是聽律法的為義，乃是行律法的稱義。
2:14 沒有律法的外邦人若順著本性行律法上的事，他們雖然沒有律法，自己就是自己的律法。
2:15 這是顯出律法的功用刻在他們心裡，他們是非之心同作見證，並且他們的思念互相較量，或以為是，或以為非。）
2:16 就在上帝藉耶穌基督審判人隱祕事的日子，照著我的福音所言。

 

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. ² Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

⁵ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. ⁶ God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”^{[a] 7} To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. ⁸ But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. ⁹ There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; ¹⁰ but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ¹¹ For God does not show favoritism.

¹² All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. ¹⁴ (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) ¹⁶ This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

 

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    保羅在此向人提出一項很嚴重的事實：就是沒有一個人有資格批評別人的行為。為什麼會如此呢？難道沒有所謂德高望重的人嗎？難道沒有行為完全的人嗎？保羅沒有說有沒有，但是他用強烈的口吻表達，當人講論別人行為不好、道德低下時，自己也差不多！

 

    別人要為罪懊悔，求上帝原諒時，這樣的人更是如此！保羅警告他們說：「你這人哪，你論斷行這樣事的人，自己所行的卻和別人一樣，你以為能逃脫上帝的審判嗎？還是你藐視他豐富的恩慈、寬容、忍耐，不曉得他的恩慈是領你悔改呢？你竟任著你剛硬不悔改的心，為自己積蓄忿怒，以致上帝震怒，顯他公義審判的日子來到。」

 

    這也就是提醒我們，看到別人行為敗壞、道德低落時，我們自己也要警戒，要向上帝求赦免！別人的行徑就是一面鏡子，看到別人如何，自己也如何！我們絕對、絕對沒有比別人好！不然，我們就不須樣耶穌基督的救恩了！

 

    當然生面的改變是來自信靠主耶穌與祂聯合，讓祂的義來改變我們、更新我們，不是自以為是的修改行為或做甚麼操練！

 

 ** 繼續閱讀:      羅馬書2章