We shall continue with
the study of the Book of Mark this week.
(1) What impact do you think the previous experience on the mountain had
on their understanding of the following?
a. Who Jesus is
b. Jesus’ mission in going to Jerusalem
Would it explain why they failed to understand what ”rising from the dead” meant?
(2) In v.11 the disciples asked Jesus a question about Elijah, only to be asked a question in return about the Son of Man in v. 12. How were the two questions related? (The link is in v. 13 which refers to the suffering and death of John the Baptist.)
(3) Jesus simply appeared in v.15 without having done anything, yet the crowd was overwhelmed with wonder at His sight. Why? Does it have anything to do with what happened to Jesus on the mountain? (See Exod. 34:29)
(4) In response to the news that His disciples failed to drive out the evil spirit, Jesus gave a seemingly frustrated reply in v.19. Was it directed to the disciples or to the people or both when he said, “O unbelieving generation”? What does it mean if it was directed to the disciples? What if it was directed to the people?
(5) Jesus obviously knew everything. Why then did He ask the father, “How long has it been like this?”? What did the father’s answer reveal about himself?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 這登山變像的經歷對耶穌三個愛徒而言會怎樣影響他們
a. 對耶穌是誰的認識及
b. 對人子要死亡這預告的接受？
以上兩個思想有助你明白為何他們仍在「議論從死裡復活是什麼意思」嗎？
(2) 門徒先問耶穌有關以利亞為何要來的問題，卻換來耶穌的反問：「經上不是(原文是為何)指著人子說，他要受許多的苦……」？既是這樣，耶穌的意思是祂與以利亞有共通之處。這共通點是什麼？(與9:13有關嗎？)
(3) 請細讀9:15。眾人一見耶穌(祂還未說一言、未動一手)都甚希奇(amazed) 。何故？(與出34:29之事相似嗎？)
(4) 請細味耶穌在9:19所說的幾句不大耐煩的話。是對誰說的：
a. 對門徒？原因何在？
b. 對眾人？原因又何在？
(5) 耶穌是全知的，故此祂的問題是教導的一部份。那麼，祂問那父親的問題的用意何在？(9:21)
(6) 今天你得到的主要信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what ‘rising from the dead’ meant.” (Mk. 9:10)
The transfiguration obviously left a deep impression on the mind of the three disciples, and it would take a long time, until after the death and resurrection of the Lord, for them to fully comprehend its meaning. It is interesting that, in spite of their inability to understand the experience, their focus seemed to be on Jesus’ comment about His death and resurrection afterwards.
Of course, it was not the first time Jesus told them about His death and resurrection. Earlier on, Peter was rebuked by Jesus as he tried to stop Jesus from talking about His death, as if it was something that did not befit “the Christ” (Mk. 8:29-33).
The transfiguration itself should have cast away all doubt about Jesus’ resurrection, but it deepened the mystery of His death. While resurrection demonstrates undoubtedly the power, glory and victory of God, death signifies weakness, shame and defeat, and that, even though followed by resurrection, death was not fitting when it pertained to God. This was hard for them to comprehend, and it is still for us.
No one welcomes the thought of suffering, let alone death—we find it especially unfitting for those who love the Lord.
Jerry
Sittser, a Christian and a professor of religion,
lost his wife, his mother and his daughter through a car accident. He penned a book, A Grace Disguised, and followed up with another book, A Grace Revealed. Christopher Hall, the dean of Palmer
Theological Seminary (my alma mater) wrote a short review of his last book in Christianity Today in which he said (quoting partly from Sittser’s latest book),
“As we surrender to Christ, God’s story, the story (of Christ’s death and resurrection), can envelop and transform all other stories, ‘however sensational or mundane, tragic or happy'. Sittser sees himself ‘as a witness to this truth: God redeems our stories through Him. If you dare to surrender yourself to God, He will take up the story of your life and integrate it into the great story of salvation, turning it into something so extraordinary that you will be tempted to think it was all a beautiful dream'.”
Hall ended his
review of the book with these words,
“Today’s wreckage may look like nothing but shattered glass. But there’s a beautiful window, a conduit of God’s light, well under construction.”
「門徒將這話存記在心，彼此議論從死裡復活是甚麼意思。」(可 9:10)
這登山變像的經歷，當然給三個門徒留下深刻的印象，但似乎要到主耶穌死而復活之後，他們才充份明白其意義。雖然他們未能充份了解這奇特的異象，在下山時他們所議論的，卻是主耶穌「從死裡復活」這句話。
當然，這並非主耶穌第一次論到這事，早在8:31時，祂已清楚的告訴他們；換來是彼得對主耶穌的責備(原文是責備、非勸導) ，以為「死亡」與「基督」的身份不相稱。
其實，登山變像的經歷，理應叫他們深信主必能復活，但卻未能解釋基督必死的疑團。復活固然顯出神的能力、榮耀和得勝；但死亡卻是輭弱、羞辱和失敗的象徵。就是死後會復活，始終是與神的身份不相稱。他們實在感到難明。就是今天我們對苦難與死亡也感到難以接受—縱然知道死後必有復活！
Jerry Sittser是一位神學教授，十多年前在車禍中失去了妻子、母親和女兒。在痛苦中，他寫了A Grace Disguised (恩典的偽裝) 一書，最近也寫了A Grace Revealed (恩典的彰顯) 一書。我的母校(Palmer Theological Seminary) 主任Dr. Christopher Hall在評論《恩典的彰顯》這書時，引用作者的話，說：「當我們向基督降服，神的故事—即基督死而復活這故事—能包括並改變所有的故事，不論我們的故事是怎樣的不凡或平凡、悽慘或快樂。作者看自己是“這真理的見證人：神藉基督救贖了我們。若果你勇敢的向神降服，祂會把你生命的故事溶入救恩更大的故事中，把它化成奇特的故事，甚至你以為自己在作美夢。” 」
Dr. Hall在書評結束時這樣說：「今天的殘破，看似是破碎的玻璃。但神是在用它，建造美麗之窗，讓祂的光透進。」
(1) Why did Jesus repeat the last words of the father and turn it into a rhetorical question?
(2) The father’s reply appears to be rather contradicting in v. 24 when he said, “I believe, help my unbelief” (literal translation). What did he mean by that? Did he believe that Jesus could help him? Then what was his “unbelief” then?
(3) Was Jesus driving out the evil spirit a result of his faith?
(4) Jesus said, “This kind (of spirit) can come out only by prayer.” How did the disciples drive out other spirits before (6:7-13)? Did they depend on prayer (What does prayer demonstrate as far as the attitude of the ones who pray is concerned?)
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 為何耶穌重複那父親的話：「你若能？」(原文沒有「信」字)
(2) 那父親立時的回答甚是矛盾：原文是：「我信，幫助我的不信！」(I believe, help my unbelief!) 他說「我信」是信什麼？他說「不信」又指什麼？這句話其實是什麼意思？
(3) 耶穌終於把鬼趕出來。這與他的信或不信有關嗎？為什麼？
(4) 耶穌說：「非用禱告，這一類的鬼，總不能出來」。換句話，門徒過往趕鬼是靠什麼？(參6:7-13) 他們有沒有禱告？「禱告」代表什麼？為何在趕(這類)鬼的事上如此重要？
(5) 今天你得到的主要信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mk. 9:22)
The father who made the above request to Jesus had demonstrated his faith already in bringing his demon-possessed son to the disciples of Jesus. It is natural to assume that, at this point, the man did not know who Jesus really was, and his faith in Him might not be anything more than a faith in any witch-doctor or miracle-worker.
The inability of the disciples to drive out the demon, perhaps, only served to reinforce this belief of his, except that his hope was revived as he saw the arrival of Jesus, the master himself. So, his request in Mark 9:22 amounted to saying, “Please give it a try!”
The response by Jesus was a very powerful one — “If you can?” In essence, Jesus was saying that he knew not whom he was asking. Jesus then followed up with this saying, “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
This statement echoes another statement that Jesus made later about the repentance of even the rich, “all things are possible with God.” (Mk. 10:27) Both statements need to be read together, because belief is not just belief, but “the” belief that Jesus is God Himself.
Then the man, probably out of fear that Jesus would not heal his son, “immediately” exclaimed, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.” On the one hand, we have to appreciate his honesty, because ultimately faith is a gift of God, not something we can claim as ours. On the other hand, if the faith he had in mind was only that of Jesus’ power to heal and not who Jesus is, he missed the greatest gift of faith—saving faith.
Unfortunately these days, we continue to struggle with whether “Jesus can” in our lives, forgetting that Jesus of course "can", but this is not the faith that He requires of us. Saving faith is a faith that does not only recognize Jesus as our Savior God who can, but a faith that submits to Him as our Lord—irrespective of the outcome of our request.
「你若能(作甚麼)，求你憐憫我們，幫助我們。」(可9:22)
這孩子的父親，藉著把孩子帶到門徒的面前，已表明了他的信心。當然，此時，他的信心可能只是相信耶穌是神醫或先知，而不曉得耶穌真正是誰。
主的門徒既然不能趕出污鬼，就更叫這人的信心停在神醫之類的階段。故此，當耶穌一來，他就說出上述的話，意思似是：「你也不妨試試吧！」
耶穌的回答是尖銳的，原文是說：「你若能？」意思是指出這人根本不曉得與他說話的是誰。故此，祂說：「在信的人，凡事都能」。主耶穌這句話，應加上及後祂對少年長官所說的「因為神凡事都能」(10:27) 一起來看。原來「信」是要有對象的，而這對象是神—這人必須相信主耶穌是神。
面對主耶穌這尖銳的回答，這人因恐怕主耶穌不醫治他的兒子就「立時喊著說：我信，但我信不足，求主幫助。」(10:24)
這句話說得真好，因為這人坦誠承認自己沒有信心，知道信心是神所賜的。但似乎他仍只想到求醫治的信，而不是曉得耶穌是神(否則他一定跪拜祂) ，也不知道更重要要有的，是「得救的信心」！
今日，我們常停留在這人信心掙扎的境況中，常問主：「能否？」；完全忘記主所要的、那得救的信心。不單是相信祂是那位能拯救的神，更是要我們全然向祂降服、以祂為主—。與禱告蒙應允是完全無關的。
(1) In passing through Galilee, why did Jesus not want anyone to know where they were? What does the reason given in v. 31 teach you?
(2) Given the seriousness of what Jesus said about His death and resurrection, what might be the reason for why the disciples “were afraid to ask”? What might your reason be for not asking a question about something which is obviously of great significance?
(3) In the previous 32 verses in chapter 9, more than once Mark told us that Jesus was trying to impress upon His disciples His coming sufferings in Jerusalem. Why then would it result in the Twelve arguing about who was the greatest among them? In so arguing, in what way was it a reflection of their faith? In what way(s) were they wrong?
(4) Jesus says, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Then, if we work hard at serving others and at making sure we occupy the least important role in order to be the greatest, will it work? Why or why not?
(5) We all love children. Then why did Jesus imply that we in fact have a hard time “welcoming these little children”? What does welcome mean? Under what circumstances might we not welcome children and why?
(6) What can you do to welcome children, thereby welcoming Jesus and the one who sent Him?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 9:31 的「於是」，原文是「因為」(可參NIV, KJ, NASB:“because/for”)。由此，你可以從耶穌身上學個什麼功課？
(2) 耶穌所言雖是沉重的，為何門徒不敢問？一般人在面對一些極重要的但必須澄清的問題時，卻「不敢問」，原因何在？
(3) 到此，門徒已聽到耶穌多次的提及自己將受苦難，為何門徒竟然會在此情此境爭論誰為大？這爭論有沒有可取之處？
(4) 既然耶穌說：「有人願意作首先的，他必作眾人末後的，作眾人的用人。」我們是否就要拼命的作服事人的，又故意取最低微的位置(或刻意不作有名份的事奉崗位)，就會在耶穌的眼前為大呢？為什麼？
(5) 為何耶穌以「接待」小孩子來表明祂這句話的真義？接待小孩與接待成人的分別何在？
(6) 耶穌基本上是說：接待「小孩」=接待「耶穌」=接待「天父」。這個真義應如何影響你的生命，包括你在教會中的生活？
(7) 今天你得到的主要信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中?
“Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because He was teaching His disciples.” (Mk. 9:30-31)
In his Gospel, Mark paints a picture of the popularity of Jesus, always surrounded by crowds of people, whether for the purpose of healing, or for the purpose of hearing His teaching. And often, Jesus would withdraw from the crowd. In this particular instance, Mark spells out the reason, and that is for the sake of teaching His disciples, away and apart from the crowd.
Why did Jesus do that? Could He not teach this inner circle while speaking to the crowd?
Obviously, teaching is more than the passing of knowledge, and is also more than a one-sided monologue. Discipleship involves the sharing of life, not just knowledge, and true knowledge involves interactions, the probing of the hearts with questions and answers. All these take time. And, it takes an environment without distraction and quietness.
Modern-day discipleship often falls short of this model demonstrated by the Lord in that
- We, preachers and leaders, often long for a huge audience, equating size with success, resulting in what Chuck Colson calls a Christianity of a mile wide and only an inch deep.
- Few disciples are willing to invest time away from their crowds—their career, their family, their pleasure and even ministry—and are content with “distant” learning that does not necessitate life sharing, and “fast-food” courses that feed the mind and not the heart.
To restore the depth and not the width of Christianity, pastors and Christian leaders need to be willing to invest our lives in a small number of disciples, and the disciples need to reset their priorities, and be willing to invest their time—enough time—in both having a personal time of devotion and being taught in a life-sharing environment that feeds both the mind and the heart.
「他們離開那地方，經過加利利；耶穌不願意人知道。」(可9:30)
英文聖經譯本(如NIV) ，譯出主耶穌之所以不願意人知道祂在那裡，是因祂想教導門徒。
馬可一直在他的福音書中，告訴我們耶穌是怎樣的大受歡迎，被群眾所擁擠。他們不是要聽道就是要求醫治，但耶穌卻常常退離群眾。在此，馬可更清楚的告訴我們，這次的原因是祂希望能教訓門徒。
問題是：為何耶穌要不讓群眾知道祂在那裡？為何不能一起的教訓眾人，這不是更好嗎？
明顯的，真正的教導不是單在乎知識的傳遞，也不是單軌的講論。門徒的訓練不是單單知識的分享，更是生命的分享；真正知識的傳遞更是雙軌的交流。
今天一般教會的教導與主耶穌這裡所作的門訓模式有異：
- 我們作牧者、領袖的常常看重人數，以為成功與人數是分不開的。結果，就產生了如Chuck Colson所言的一哩闊，但只有一吋深的基督教；
- 信徒少有願意投資時間，遠離群眾的—包括事業、家庭、享樂和甚至事奉—來參與門徒訓練，反是喜歡以「distant learning/上網，不用分享生命的門訓和像快餐式的密集課程」代之。
如果我們要重拾有深度的基督教，牧者和領袖們就必須願意把生命投資在少數的信徒身上；信徒更要改變他們生命的優先次序，願意投資充份的時間，不但在個人的靈修上，更在小組的門訓上，用生命的相交來彼此建立。
(1) Why did John try to stop others in driving out demons in Jesus’ name? What was the implication of his action? Is John’s attitude a reflection of yours as well?
(2) What has the teaching of the giving of “a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ” to do with John’s action?
(3) Many people doubt that there is a hell. What kind of a place is hell, as made clear by Jesus in this passage? Try to define hell, given Jesus’ repeated description to the disciples.
(4) The analogies of losing a hand, foot and eye are called hyperboles, which is using exaggeration to make a point. What then is the main point of these hyperboles?
(5) The using of salt as an analogy appears to be one of Jesus’ favorites. In this passage, the emphasis is on “at peace with each other”. How appropriate is the use of salt in its application?
(6) What is the most significant lesson you have learned today and how can you apply it to yourself?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 約翰為什麼禁止別人奉主名趕鬼？這是什麼心態？你有類似的心態沒有？
(2) 9:41 這一杯水的比喻怎樣能更正約翰的心態？
(3) 不少人(包括基督徒在內)懷疑有沒有地獄的存在。耶穌在這段重複的談論如何回答這些懷疑？請按耶穌在這段的描寫，為地獄下一定義。
(4) 缺手、缺腳、缺眼是刻意用誇張手法的比喻(hyperbole) 。其主要的信息是什麼？
(5) 鹽是主耶穌愛用的比喻，在此要表明我們當「彼此和睦」。請解釋二者相關之處。
(6) 今天你得到的主要信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” (Mk. 9:41, italics mine)
Reading how John tried to stop the man from driving out demons in Jesus’ name because “he was not one of us” (Mk. 9:38), helped me look back to my years of walking alongside other believers in Christ; and I can distinctly divide them into two different phases—the pre-1990 and the post-1990 eras.
In the former era, I basically walked alongside Christians who were very like myself, with a traditional worldview that could adjust to that of the Bible quite readily. In the latter era, I have come across believers who have come out of the “post-Christian” past but continue to struggle with accepting a more biblical worldview that was foreign to them. And as they struggle, I also find myself struggling to accept them as totally in Christ, given their lingering critical attitude toward what I perceive as fundamental Biblical teachings, although they are not necessarily basic doctrinal teachings.
Over the years, I have come to understand two things:
(1) They, nonetheless, belong totally to Christ, as long as they truly believe Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior — the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life through whom we are reconciled to the Father because of His death and resurrection.
(2) The renewal of their mind (Rom. 12:2) is necessarily a process.
I have found myself frustrated as I argued with them over issues like abortion, evolution, the social gospel and individual human rights etc. But gradually as I turned from skeptical arguments to patient listening and dialogues, directing them not so much to accept my interpretations, but to examine the bases of their viewpoints against the Scriptures, I have witnessed the wonderful renewal of some of their minds.
「凡因你們是屬基督，給你們一杯水喝的，我實在告訴你們，他不能不得賞賜」(可9:41)
讀到門徒約翰怎樣試圖禁止他人也奉耶穌的名趕鬼，單單是因為「他不是跟從我們的」，叫我想起自己多年的錯誤。
神給予我不少機會與其他信徒同行，但我發覺特別是新信主的，他們可以分兩類：第一類是大概1980/90年之前信主的；第二類是1980/90後信主的。
前者似乎在信主之後很自然的改變了整個的人生觀，很容易接受聖經在個人、家庭和社會一般的教導。但後者就明顯的是自「後基督教」的背景中走出來，要他們完全的接受與他們先前的世界觀絕然不同的聖經教導，是十分的困難。也因這原故，我發覺自己沒有從心中完全的接納他們是屬基督的。但慢慢的，我明白到：
(1) 只要他們是真心的悔改，接受了耶穌為救主和主宰，認定祂是惟一的道路、真理和生命，是為他們死而復活的；他們已是100%屬於基督的；
(2) 但是「心意更新和變化」卻是一個過程(羅12:2) 。
以前，當他們對聖經的教導作出質疑和批評時，我是感到煩躁的—特別是關乎創造、墮胎、同性戀或社會的問題上。但我學習到要忍耐，要循循善誘的而不是針鋒相對，更是鼓勵他們反思自己的立場的根據，與聖經的教導相比，我看到他們中間不少的人的心意非常明顯的有更新和變化。
The Jews (i.e. the rabbis) by Jesus’ time, had adopted as legal what was called an “any cause divorce” (Instone-Brewer’s Divorce, p.55) invented by Rabbi Hillel. Some Jews saw it as contrary to the Law of Moses but it appeared that they were in the minority. Both gave permission to divorce, except the former one almost gave men the license to divorce their wives at will. The Pharisees were testing Jesus, perhaps, hoping that He might restore the more conservative of the two.
(1) If that was the case, did they succeed? Why or why not? As much as they might prefer a stricter rule in this respect, what was their problem in the matter of divorce?
(2) How does the fact that “the two will become one flesh” reflect the original intent of God’s creation of male and female?
(3) What does “let man not separate” mean and how does it form the basis of the rationale used by Jesus in vv.11-12?
(4) This passage, like most teachings recorded in the gospel, is a summary of a much longer discourse by Jesus. Therefore it does not cover the explicit exception (“except for marital unfaithfulness”) (Matthew 19:9). Therefore we should be careful not to use this specific passage as “proof-text” to look at the entire matter of divorce. However, the way that Mark summarizes (as inspired by the Holy Spirit) in this section, conveys a main message. What is that message?
(5) How then shall we look at “marriage” and at “divorce” today?
(6) What is the most significant lesson you have learned today and how can you apply it to yourself?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
到了耶穌的時代，猶太人早已莫視摩西有關「離婚」的教訓，而與當時的世界看齊，產生了「什麼都可作理由」的離婚程序(Any-cause divorce。參Instone-Brewer’s Divorce, p. 55)。似乎當時仍有少數的法利賽人不同意，極力想挽回摩西休妻的律法。
(1) 如果這是這些法利賽人試探主的動機，他們是否成功？為什麼？
(2) 他們雖然對離婚有像摩西律法般的嚴謹，但對婚姻仍存著什麼錯誤的觀念？
(3) 「二人成為一體」怎樣反映神對婚姻的期望？也怎樣支持耶穌在10:11-12 之結論呢？
(4) 請留意，這一段祇是耶穌對休妻的教導的撮要，並不在乎澄清休妻的每一方面(如沒有提到馬太福音19:9「若不是為淫亂」的例外)。雖然如此，馬可(在聖靈感動下)所記載的撮要的主要信息是什麼？
(5) 今天對你主要的信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“It was because your hearts were hardened that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied.” (Mark 10:5)
Jesus was responding to the “test” or trap set by the Pharisees about the legality of divorce (within the Law of Moses) and pointed out that the core problem of divorce (sexual immorality as He qualified in Matt. 19:9) lies in our hardened hearts. I find it to be true, not only in the issue of divorce, but in other aspects of a Christian life that concerns obedience to the word of God.
Often, a believer will confide his or her struggle over a certain issue with another brother and sister. But when the other brother or sister asks, “Why don’t you ask the pastor?” the reply is often, “There is no use. I know what he is going to say!”
This reminds me of the rebuke by Isaiah to the people of his time:
“These are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.They say to the seers,
‘See no more visions!’and to the prophets,
'Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.
Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel.’”
(Isa. 30:9-11)
「耶穌說：摩西因為你們的心硬，所以寫這條例給你們」(可10:5)
以上是耶穌對法利賽人有關「離婚」的回答。耶穌指出，摩西的律法之容許「離婚」是因他們「心硬」之故。在我做牧者的年日之中，我發覺這種的「硬心」不是限於「離婚」的問題而已，乃是一些信徒基本對神話語的態度。
不少信徒在內心掙扎，不想順服神話語的教導時，會向其他的信徒求助和請教。但當其他的弟兄姊妹說：「為什麼你不向牧師請教呢？」他們的回答往往是：「不用了。我知道他的答案會是什麼。」
這使我想到以賽亞的一番說話：
「因為他們是悖逆的百姓、說謊的兒女，不肯聽從耶和華訓誨的兒女。他們對先見說：不要望見不吉利的事。對先知說：不要向我們講正直的話；要向我們說柔和的話，言虛幻的事。你們要離棄正道，偏離直路，不要在我們面前再提說以色列的聖者。」(賽30: 9-11)
(1) Why did people bring children to be “touched” by Jesus? What were they thinking? Did the disciples have any good reason for turning children away?
(2) Granted that the disciples were wrong, why would Jesus be “indignant”?
(3) What is the entrance requirement for entering the kingdom of God? (See Jn. 3:16)
(4) How does being little children define what “saving faith” really is?
(5) As Jesus “took the children in his arms and put His hands on them and blessed them”, was it an act of teaching or an act in essence?
(6) How should you treat children, especially in the church?
(7) What is the most significant lesson you have learned today and how can you apply it to yourself?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 為何人不是來聽道，而是把小孩子帶來要耶穌「摸」他們呢？門徒責備他們可有理嗎？
(2) 就算門徒做錯了，為何耶穌要「惱怒」呢？
(3) 進天國最基本的條件是什麼？(參約3:16或類似經文)
(4) 「像小孩子」與得救的信心有什麼關係？
(5) 耶穌於是「抱著小孩子，給他們按手，為他們祝福」，是象徵式的舉動，還是有實質的行動？
(6) 我們應如何對待家中和教會中的小孩子？
(7) 今天你得到的主要信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mk. 10:14)
I think many of us who are Christian parents have a similar experience in that as we are going through some trial in life as a family, and as we fret over it and are talking about what to do next, one of your little children reminds us innocently, “Why don’t we pray about it?”. The beauty of this reminder is that the child really means it, expects that God will definitely answer our prayer and it is the first, rather than the last thing we should do as God’s children.
「耶穌看見就惱怒，對門徒說：讓小孩子到我這裡來，不要禁止他們；因為在神國的，正是這樣的人。」 (可10:14)
我相信不少的基督徒父母會有同樣相似的經歷：當我們在家為一些重大的事情籌算，很焦慮的在商議對策時，在旁邊聽到我們說話的小孩子，突然的插嘴說：「讓我們禱告吧！」這個提醒的美麗之處在乎這孩子是出自真心的，也是真心的相信神會聽禱告，更是知道禱告是我們先要作的第一件事！無怪，主耶穌說，在神的國的正是這樣的人！
(1) From parallel passages in the other synoptic gospels (Matt. 19:16-22; Lk. 18:18-23), we understand that this man was young, rich, and a ruler too. Based on what he asked Jesus and how he asked (i.e. the actions that accompanied his search), how would you describe his character and what outcome would you have expected from his sincere search for eternal life?
(2) What was the purpose of pointing out that “No one is good except God alone” to the man while accepting his kneeling before him?
(3) Do you think the man’s answer (that he had kept all these things—the six commandments—from youth) was a truthful answer? Why? (Note Jesus’ immediate emotional response to his answer.)
(4) There are Ten Commandments (see Exod. 20). Why did Jesus only quote the last six and leave out the first four in asking if he also had kept them?
(5) What was the “one thing” he lacked in terms of having eternal life and what did it entail? What does “the one thing” that the man lacked have to do with these four omitted commandments?
(6) In His encounter with people, Jesus did not ask everyone to physically follow Him (Zaccheus was a case in point). They would still be disciples but ones who did not have to follow Him physically like the Twelve. But here, Jesus asked the man to follow Him, and that necessarily demanded him giving up all he had (like the Twelve). What does this tell you about being a disciple of Jesus Christ?
(7) Why did the young man leave grieving? What was he grieving about?
(8) What is the most significant lesson you have learned today and how can you apply it to yourself?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 從符類福音對這事件的記載（太19:16-22；路18:18-23）我們知道這跑到耶穌面前的人既年青又富有，且是個官。根據他向耶穌提出的問題和他發問時的態度，你認為他的為人如何？你以為他誠心追求永生該有什麼後果？
(2) 耶穌一方面接受那人跪拜他，一方面指出「除了神一位之外，再沒有良善的。」用意何在？
(3) 那人回答：「這一切（耶穌提到的六條誡命）我從小都遵守了。」你認為他在說實話嗎？理由何在？（請留意耶穌聽到他的回答後立時的反應。）
(4) 出埃及記第20章列出十條誡命。為何耶穌問他是否遵守誡命時只引用後六條而不提及首四條呢？
(5) 那人在承受永生的事情上缺少「一件」，那是什麼？他缺少的「一件」與未被提及的四條誡命有什麼關連？
(6) 耶穌並不是對每一個要信祂的人都要每天二十四小時的跟著祂走路，撒該就是一個好例子。即使不像十二使徒那樣拋棄一切的跟從，他們仍是主的門徒。然而，耶穌卻要求這人像十二使徒那樣撇下所有的一切來跟從祂。這樣，你對作耶穌基督門徒有什麼認識呢？
(7) 那年輕人為何憂憂愁愁的離去？他為何事憂愁？
(8) 今天你得到的主要信息是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
As we reflect on one of the saddest stories in the Bible—the turning away from Jesus of the rich, young ruler in sadness “because he had great wealth” (Mark 10:22), may I invite you to meditate on the lyrics of this rather old hymn below:
1
Are there any idols still in your heart— you cherish too much to have them broken;
Remember that you have been purchased by His precious blood
He deserves to be first in your life2
Are there any idols still in your heart—their beauty is too much for you to let go;
Remember that the Lord was crucified for your sake
He purchased your life to be eternally His.3. Are there any idols still in your heart—pursuing them day and night;
Calves of gold cannot ease your pain
You cannot worship both Mammon and the Lord.4
Are there any idols still in your heart—forgetting that you’re the temple of the Holy Spirit;
What has His temple to do with the idols
No longer can you be friends with them.5
Are there any idols still in your tent—preventing you from your pilgrimage;
Sacrifice them for His sake, even it is your “love”,
That you may be bold and draw near to the Father.6
Are there any idols greater than God—surrender not your knees to the king’s decree;
The Son of God will be with you in the furnace
You will not be scorched by the flame.7
Lord, burn down all idols in me—let me love you with all my heart;
Let me imitate your death and your holy image
Under the reign of my Righteous King.
「他聽見這話，臉上就變了色，憂憂愁愁的走了，因為他的產業很多。」(馬可福音10:22)
當讀到這少年長官因「產業很多」而不跟從耶穌時，讓我們藉以下的詩歌來反省「有何偶像仍留你心內」：
1. 有何偶像仍留在你心內， 你尚愛惜不肯將它打碎；
須知你是主寶血贖回來，祂是配得在你心居首位。
2. 有何偶像你仍不肯砍下，有何美麗令你戀戀不捨；
你當緊記主為你釘十架，用祂生命買你永遠歸祂。
3. 有何偶像你仍不肯滅除，令你顛狂日夜熱切思慕；
金鑄牛犢不能解你痛苦，事奉瑪門不能再事奉主。
4. 有何偶像受你這樣尊崇，你尚不知你有聖靈居衷；
神的殿與偶像有何相同，故你不可與牠再有交通。
5. 有何偶像被你偷藏帳棚，致阻止你不能完你路程：
縱有所愛亦當因主犧牲，叫你坦然無懼得親父神。
6. 有何偶像可比父神偉大，王令雖嚴總不向牠跪拜；
縱扔火窰自有神子同在，火焰雖猛決不致於傷害。
7. 求主為我焚燒所有偶像，叫我愛祢無一私自留藏；
效法祢死，像祢聖潔模樣，服祢管理，尊祢為我義皇。
(角聲98)