This week we
will continue to study the Gospel of Luke.
The visit by the shepherds ended with Mary “treasuring up all these things”, and this chapter will end with Mary “treasuring all these things” as well. These words serve as an “inclusio” to highlight the purposes of Luke, giving us the account concerning his prolonged stay in the temple:
(1) Luke skips over the pursuit of Jesus’ life by Herod which
ended with Joseph fleeing to
(2) Read v. 40 and the words of Mary in v. 48: Do you think that Jesus grew up as a normal child or that he grew up without the growing pains of a child and, as some pseudo gospels claimed, could perform all kinds of miracles even as a child?
(3) What might be the significance of Luke stating the exact age of Jesus?
(4) The family was observing the Passover in
(5) What might Jesus be doing during the three days without His parents at the temple?
(6) Do you think He was asking questions only or in a more subtle way teaching the teachers?
(7) Do you think Jesus was aware that His parents were looking for Him? Was he being disobedient? (See v. 51)
(8) Reflect on Jesus’ answer in v. 49.
a. What did He mean by “in my Father’s house”?
b. Why did He appear to be rebuking Joseph and Mary for searching for Him?
c. Why did Mary have to “treasure” this event in her heart?
- What does it say about Mary’s understanding of who Jesus is?
- What does it say about how Mary took Jesus’ rebuke or reminder?
(9) What is the purpose of Luke recording this particular incident in the life of Jesus as a child?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請細細慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
馬利亞因牧羊人的話使她「把這一切的事存在心裡」(2:19) ，而路加也以她同樣的「把這一切的事存在心裡」來結束這一章(2:51) ，加深了我們對主耶穌獨自留在聖殿這事件的領會：
(1) 路加畧過希律王追殺耶穌一事，跳到耶穌重回拿撒勒的年日，給我們稍窺耶穌童年的生活。究竟耶穌生長在拿撒勒的重要性何在？(參太2:23)
(2) 按這段的記載(特別是第40和48節的說話) ，你認為耶穌是像一般平凡的兒童長大，還是像一些偽經所言，是個常行神蹟的孩子呢？何以見得？
(3) 路加把耶穌這次多留在殿中的年齡告訴我們，可有什麼用意？
(4) 這件事發生在逾越節期間。按第49節來看耶穌是深知自己是誰。在守逾越節時，祂怎樣預備自己將來公開的使命呢？
(5) 祂三天獨留在聖殿要作什麼？
(6) 你認為祂是在向文士請教，還是藉所發的問題提醒眾人，作為祂將來實踐使命的準備呢？
(7) 你認為耶穌知道父母在尋找祂嗎？這是否不順從的表現？(參路2:51)
(8) 請細思主耶穌在第49節所說的：
a. 「我父的事」是什麼意思？
b. 為什麼祂似乎在怪責祂的父母找祂呢？
c. 為何馬利亞把這事存在心裡？
i. 這表明馬利亞對耶穌的認識是怎樣的？
ii. 馬利亞對耶穌這帶責備口吻的話有什麼回應？
(9) 你認為路加記載這件事的原因是什麼？(請參本日反思問題的引言)
(10) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.” (Lk. 2:52)
These days, the ears of people are so dull that they do not wish to entertain too mundane a Jesus, and have revived their interests in some of the pseudo gospels which were rejected by the early church as spurious.
These pseudo gospels and apocryphal writings include the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (likely 2nd century), Pseudo Matthew (likely 6th or 7th century) and the Pseudo Arabic Infancy Gospel (likely 6th century). They paint a Jesus who could and did perform miracles even as a boy. The most common stories appear to be about Jesus making 12 clay sparrows that come alive and the cursing of a certain boy to the point that he withered away and died.
But the four gospels give very little information about Jesus, exactly because He lived a very normal childhood. Presumably by the time of Luke, miraculous stories about Jesus’ childhood must have already been circulated, and thus he sees the need to set the record straight and includes a childhood story of Jesus, probably by consulting Mary herself.
The way Joseph and Mary treated and rebuked Jesus shows that they treated Him as a normal child. As much as Jesus has demonstrated His self-awareness as the Son of God with His rather sharp answer in 2:49, Luke emphasizes His continuous obedience to His earthly parents (2:51).
The reason why Jesus would refrain from exercising His divine power and grow up like a normal child is consistent with these words in Hebrews, “Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity… For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way” (Heb. 2:14, 17).
「耶穌的智慧和身量，並 和人喜愛他的心，都一齊增長。」 (路2:52)
現今可以說是個耳朵特別發癢的時代(提後4:3) 。人們厭煩太單調的基督耶穌，以至重新挖出千多二千多年來已被早期教會判定為異端的偽經，古老當時興的竄改耶穌的生平，特別是祂的童年生活。
這些偽經包括主後第二世紀多馬的嬰孩福音(Infancy Gospel of Thomas) ，第六至七世紀的馬太偽經(Pseudo Matthew) ，和第六世紀的亞拉伯的嬰孩福音(Pseudo Arabic Infancy Gospel) 。這些偽經最常記載有關耶穌童年的故事，包括用泥造了十二隻活生生能飛的麻雀，和把一男童咒詛至枯竭死掉！
相反地，四本福音書都是輕輕的略過主耶穌的童年時代，因為祂確像一般的孩子那樣成長。或許，正因在路加的年代，已有類似這些偽經對耶穌童年怪誕故事的流傳，以至他在聖靈的感動下，也略為提到主耶穌童年的小小事蹟—相信他是從馬利亞口中所得的。
按路加的記載，約瑟和馬利亞明顯對待主耶穌是像對他們的其他兒女那樣的。雖然主耶穌藉著一番嚴詞表明祂深知自己的身份—即神的兒子；路加卻補充說明，祂是一個順從父母的孩子 (2:51)。
為何主耶穌不像偽經所載，在童年就動輒的使用神能呢？希伯來書這樣告訴我們：「兒女既同有血肉之體，祂也照樣親自成了血肉之體…所以，祂凡事該與他的弟兄相同」(2:14, 17)
(1) When did John the Baptist begin his ministry? (See Note I below.)
(2) Why does Luke choose to pinpoint the time of John’s ministry in such detail?
(3) It appears that while water cleansing is a common religious ritual of the Jews, baptism (in the form that was practiced by John) does not appear to a popular rite of cleansing. How important is it as a symbol for repentance and the forgiveness of sins? (See Note II below)
(4) Isaiah, in his prophecy (Isa. 40:3-5), gives us details of John’s ministry and its purpose.
a. Why would his ministry be in the wilderness — the countryside around the Jordan?
b. How was his ministry a preparing of the way for (or making straight the paths for) Jesus?
c. What might be the meaning of the filling of valleys, lowering of mountains and hills, and the straightening or smoothing of crooked roads or rough ways?
(5) These people were coming to receive the baptism of repentance. Why did John call them brood of vipers?
a. If their desire for baptism was not out of repentance, what then was their intention for being baptized by John?
b. What’s wrong with their confidence in being children of Abraham?
c. What fruit did John refer to that would be “in keeping with repentance”?
(6) If his baptism was not enough to flee from the coming wrath, what then was the use of his baptism?
(7) From vv. 11-14 John gave examples of their “fruit” of repentance. Describe the fruit of repentance that is reflected by each of the following.
a. v. 11
b. v. 13
c. v. 14
(8) How relevant was John’s message to you today?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note
I:
Luke gives a very specific time of the beginning of John’s ministry. According to secular history, the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar was AD 28-29; Herod Antipas ruled over Galilee from 4 BC to AD 39; Herod’s brother Philip ruled his tetrarchy from 4 BC to AD 33-34; while Lysanias was not mentioned by secular history. Annas was high priest from AD 6-15 when he was deposed by the Roman governor Gratus and he was succeeded by his son-in-law Caiaphas from AD18-36.
Note II:
The CBTEL gives one of the most exhaustive treatments of the word meanings and practices of baptism. While the word itself, in its various forms, does not carry the primary force of dipping or immersion, it does signify “to plunge, to bathe or to overwhelm” when it was used four times in the Septuagint. However, I believe the best interpretation might be the use by Paul in Romans 6 which, when used in Christian baptism, best depicts a scene of total immersion.
請細細慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 約翰是何時出來傳道的？(參註一)
(2) 為何路加要這樣詳盡的把他出現的年代說明？(1:1-4)
(3) 以水作潔淨禮是猶太宗教習俗的一部份，但約翰這樣在約但河的洗禮是與他們一般的洗濯絕然不同。他的施洗怎樣成為悔改和罪得赦免的徵記？
(4) 先知以賽亞早已詳細論及約翰的出現和工作(賽40:3-5) ：
a. 為何他要在曠野傳道？
b. 他如何預備和修直主的道路？
c. 填滿山窪、削平山岡、修直彎路、改平高低路是什麼意思？
(5) 為何約翰竟稱那些 (老遠的) 跑來接受他悔改的洗的人為毒蛇的種類？
a. 如果他們沒有真正悔改的心，為什麼他們要來受洗？
b. 把信心建立在身為亞伯拉罕的子孫有何不妥？
c. 與悔改的心相稱的果子是指什麼呢？
(6) 如果洗禮不足逃避將來的忿怒，他們為何要受約翰的洗？
(7) 約翰在第11-14節就舉出悔改果子的實例。試指出不同的環境所要結的是那一種悔改的果子？
a. 3:11
b. 3:13
c. 3:14
(8) 約翰以上的勸戒對你有什麼提醒？
(9) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
註一：路加對施洗約翰傳道的年日有非常確實的交代：按歷史的記載，該撒提庇留第十五年，是主後28-29年；希律為分封王管轄加利利一帶是由主前4年一直至主後39年；希律的兄弟腓力是在主前4年到主後33-34年管治他所分封的領土；至於呂撒聶是誰則不得而知。不過亞那僅作大祭司數年(由主後6-15) 就被羅馬的巡撫所罷免，由他的女婿該亞法 (主後18-36) 承繼。
註二：解經百科全書, CBTEL, 對洗禮的字義和當時的習俗有極詳盡的分析。雖然這書指出「洗禮」這字的本身沒有「投入」或「全身浸入」的意思，但在七十仕希臘文(舊約聖經) 的譯本中的四次使用中，卻有「投入、洗澡和(心靈) 被淹蓋」的意思。不過，我個人認為「洗禮」最清楚的圖案莫過於保羅在羅馬書6:2-10所詳細分析的。
“What should we do then?” (Lk. 3:10)
One of the strong oppositions to the theology of “salvation by faith” is the fear of rendering the grace of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ into “cheap grace”. Some would use these words of John the Baptist in Luke 3 to support their opposition, because John calls the people to produce “good fruit” to avoid being “cut down and thrown into the fire” (Lk. 3:9)
However, to simply use these words of John to support the claim that salvation, apart from faith, also requires work is to ignore the context of the passage.
Whatever John teaches or does cannot lead to salvation, otherwise he would not be the preparer of the way, but the “way” itself. John insistently labors to point the crowd away from himself to Jesus saying, “I baptize you with water. But one powerful than I…will baptize you with the Holy Spirit..." (Lk. 3:16)
Therefore, his baptism is one that prepares the way for Jesus in that the repentance of the people would find true forgiveness if they put their trust in the Messiah who is Christ Jesus.
However, in preparing them to turn to Christ, John seeks to “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Mal. 4:6). In other words, he seeks to return them to a relational faith that is based on “loving your neighbors as yourself” (Matt. 22:39).
If they are prepared to love God by believing in His Son, such a turning of hearts towards one another would ensure that their faith would not be a self-centered faith, but one that certainly fulfills the demands of the Commandments.
Food for thought for Evangelical Christians!
「眾人問他說：這樣，我們當作甚麼呢？」 (路3:10)
反對因信稱義的人，最大的擔憂是恐怕我們把耶穌基督的救恩變成廉價的恩典(cheap grace) 。有些人在讀到約翰在路加福音3:7-14時，就更以為是行為稱義的明證，因為他告誡他們要「結出果子來」，才能逃避「被砍下來丟在火裡」。
但這樣的推論完全忽略了這段話的上文下理。
無論約翰怎樣的教導，都不能叫人得救，否則他不是在預備道路，乃是「道路」的本身。所以他努力的把群眾的目光轉移到耶穌身上：「我是用水給你們施洗，但有一位能力比我更大……祂要用聖靈與火給你們施洗。」(3:16)
所以，他的洗禮是在乎為主耶穌預備道路，使眾人藉著已有悔改的心，能因信賴神的兒子而得到真正的赦免。
不過，像瑪拉基所指出，約翰的預備工作，是「使父親的心轉向兒女，兒女的心轉向父親」(4:6) 。換句話說，約翰是要他們從外表、儀文、例條的信仰，轉回「愛鄰舍」，關係性的信仰(正如主耶穌在太22:39所言) 。
如果，他們的目光真的由約翰身上轉移在基督耶穌身上，願意相信祂，愛祂；這樣，他們的信仰就不是一個自我中心的信仰，乃是一個滿足律法要求的信心。
這是值得我們今天福音派的信徒多作反思的。
(1) What do you think was the reason that the people were wondering if John was the Messiah? (He did not even perform any miracles.)
(2) What was the “good news” that John preached?
(3) In vv. 16-17, John talks about Christ:
a. How did he compare himself with Christ?
b. What did he mean by Christ baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire? (See Acts 2.)
c. Which part of the good news is in fact “bad news”?
(4) Herod was not a Jew. Why should John bother to rebuke him as well?
(5) What examples can we learn from John within this short passage?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請細細慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 為何群眾會以為約翰是彌賽亞(基督)呢？他連一個神蹟也似乎沒有行過？
(2) 這裡說約翰向他們「傳福音」，他傳的是什麼「福音」？
(3) 在第16-17節約翰論及耶穌：
a. 他怎樣把自己與耶穌相比？
b. 基督是用「聖靈與火」施洗是什麼意思？(參徒2)
c. 這「福音」的那部份其實是「禍音」？
(4) 希律王既非猶太人，約翰為何要責備他而惹禍上身呢？
(5) 在這短短一段經文中，施洗約翰給我們立下那些榜樣？
(6) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“And as He was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form.” (Lk. 3:21-22)
The Lucan version of the baptism of Jesus is rather short, but it provides us with special insights that Luke is trying to convey to us.
First, he mentions that the Holy Spirit descends upon Him, just as Jesus is praying. In the baptism we witness today, it is usually the one who baptizes prays rather than the one being baptized.
The interesting question is: What is Jesus praying about that leads to both the descent of the Holy Spirit and the verbal testimony of Father God?
In a separate article, I have mentioned that Father God must be so excited by the action of His Son that He opens the window of heaven, and exclaims His delight of the Son’s demonstration of commitment to follow through with His plan of saving mankind even through death. The immersion into the water signifies this commitment.
His voice from heaven is also a public testimony of Who Jesus is.
And perhaps, the prayer of Jesus at the time is not unlike His prayer to the Father in John 17. There, before His walk towards the cross, He once again expresses His commitment to glorify the Father and asks the Father to glorify him (Jn. 17:1).
Here the Father answers with both His voice of delight and with the descent of the Holy Spirit in visible form for the sake of those who are beside the river. We read in the Gospel of John that John the Baptist indeed had truly come to believe Jesus, his cousin, as the Son of God because of this experience (Jn. 1:33-34).
I believe that as we use baptism to demonstrate the same commitment to follow Christ till death, it will be such a delight that Father God will not be able to hold His feeling and that He will express His delight from heaven as well.
「正禱告的時候，天就開了。聖靈降臨在祂身上，形狀彷彿鴿子……」 (路3:21-22)
路加記載有關主耶穌受洗的事，是比較短的，但卻更叫我們看出他選擇性的記錄這事的著重之處：
首先，他指出聖靈降臨在祂身上，是正當祂禱告的時候。一般我們見證的洗禮，是施洗的人，並非是受洗的人在禱告。
所以，我們不禁會問：究竟主耶穌在禱告什麼，引至聖靈的降臨，也引至父神開聲為祂作見證呢？
我以前曾提到，父親是被祂兒子在這裡藉著洗禮所表明的至死忠心、順服至死在十字架上，以致祂激動地打開天窗來說：這是我的愛子，我喜悅祢。
換句話說，神從天上所發的聲音，是為了見證耶穌是誰而作的。
至於耶穌站在水中時作了什麼禱告呢？或許祂在上十字架前向父神的禱告可以給我們一點點的領會：「父阿，時候到了，願祢榮耀祢的兒子，使兒子也榮耀祢」(約17:1) 。
在這受洗、禱告的時刻，父神就以聖靈有形狀的(即人人能目睹的)降臨，和祂從天上作出悅納的見證，榮耀了兒子，叫站立在河邊的群眾，特別是施洗的約翰能相信耶穌就是神的兒子。在約翰福音我們就讀到，正因這經歷，施洗約翰真的相信祂是神的兒子(約1:33-34) 。
我也相信，凡像主耶穌一樣，藉著受洗來表明至死也跟隨主的人，父神在天上看見，也會禁不住發出喜悅之情。
(1) Luke gives a shorter version of Jesus’ baptism (3:21-22). Let’s look at his focus:
a. Luke tells us that the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus while He was praying. What might be the connection between the two?
b. What might be the significance of the descending of the Holy Spirit upon Him in bodily form?
c. What impact might it have on John the Baptist? (See Jn. 1:32-34)
d. What did Father God say from heaven? Based on the words spoken, what feelings were expressed by Father God and why?
e. Why did Father God choose to do this at Jesus’ baptism?
(2) According to Luke, when did Jesus began His ministry?
a. What did He do during His first 30 years?
b. Shouldn’t He have begun this great and important ministry much earlier so that He could have traveled to more places and so that more people would see His miracles and hear His preaching?
(3) Luke also gave a genealogy of Jesus. Compare his genealogy to the one in Matthew (in Matthew 1):
a. With whom did Matthew start tracing Jesus’ genealogy and with whom did he end?
b. What was Matthew’s purpose according to Matthew 1:1?
c. With whom did Luke start tracing Jesus’ genealogy and with whom did he end?
d. What was Luke’s purpose judging from these words, “He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph”? (Lk. 3:23)
(4) Based on the passage that we read today in Luke, who is Jesus?
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請細細慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 路加有關主耶穌受洗的報導是較短的，但我們看到他報導的焦點：
a. 聖靈是在主耶穌正禱告的時候降臨的：兩者有何關連？
b. 聖靈是有「形狀」的降在基督身上，是什麼原因？
c. 這情形對施洗約翰有什麼重要的果效？(參約1:32-34)
d. 父神從天上說了什麼？從這些話，我們可以了解當時父神的心情是怎樣的？
e. 父神為何揀選此際作這公開的見證？
(2) 路加說主耶穌是在何時開始祂傳道的工作？
a. 主耶穌在此之前作什麼呢？
b. 為何不早一點開始這救世大工？若是早一點，豈不是會有更多的人在更廣闊的地土能目睹祂的神蹟、聽到祂的道嗎？
(3) 路加在此也列出主耶穌的家譜。請與馬太福音第一章的家譜作個比較：
a. 馬太是從誰開始，以誰作結束的？
b. 他在1:1說明列出這家譜的因由是什麼呢？
c. 路加是從誰開始，以誰作結束的？
d. 路加在3:23提到：「依人看來」，這道出了這家譜的重點是什麼呢？
(4) 按這段的記錄，對路加而言，耶穌是誰？
(5) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Now Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry.” (Lk. 3:23)
While John the Baptist rightfully depicts Jesus as one who is much more powerful than he is, whose sandals’ thongs he was not worthy to untie and whose final judgment is to be feared, it is interesting to note that Luke gives us the age of Jesus when He began His public ministry. It begs the question about why Jesus would wait till this age to begin His public ministry.
Church traditions vary as to when Joseph died, but based on the fact that Joseph did not attend the wedding at Cana, he would have died before Jesus began His ministry. And we know that the last time Joseph was mentioned was when Jesus was left behind in the temple for three days when he was 12. In any case, when Joseph died, Jesus would definitely have reached the age of Bar Mitzvah (Son of the Law which begins traditionally at 13 years old for Jewish boys).
The logical assumption as to why Jesus had to wait till 30 to begin His ministry would be to take care of his family as the oldest of Mary’s sons, in Joseph’s absence. That means, with Mary being so poor, Jesus would have to carry on the trade of His father and become a carpenter (and indeed He was a carpenter according Mk. 6:3).
This is quite amazing to think of Jesus delaying His work of salvation because of filial piety! What an example He has set for all who have parents, widowed or otherwise, who depend on them for their well-being.
「耶穌開頭傳道年紀約有三十歲。」 (路:23)
施洗約翰論到主耶穌時，指出祂的能力比他更大，自己就是給祂解鞋帶也不配。他更以火燒盡糠為喻，指出耶穌審判時的可畏。路加跟著就提到，主耶穌是在年約三十歲時才開始傳道的。我們不禁會問：究竟祂為什麼要等到這年齡才開始祂的救世工作？
教會傳統對約瑟之死，可說是眾說紛紜。在耶穌出來傳道之後，四福音就再沒有提到他了，連迦拿婚筵他也沒有出席。福音書最後一次的提到他，是在主耶穌十二歲那年，一家人同往耶路撒冷守逾越節。故此，當約瑟過世時，主耶穌相信一定已達「律法之子/Bar Mitzvah」十三歲的年紀了。
故此，如果約瑟是較早離世的話，這已屆「律法之子」年紀的耶穌，就有責任承繼父業，當起木匠來養家，照顧弟妹、也照顧寡居的母親。按馬可福音的記載，主耶穌確是當起了木匠(6:30)。
這樣看來，主耶穌為盡孝道，而暫放救世大工在一旁，是不可思議的事—是每一個有年老雙或單親需要我們照顧的人何等的榜樣！
(1) Luke gives us the timing of Jesus’ temptation. Let’s consider the implications of each of the following:
a. He was full of the Holy Spirit.
b. He was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert.
c. He ate nothing for 40 days (and nights).
(2) Why did Jesus have to face this series of temptations? Why did it happen before He even officially began His ministry?
(3) The 1st temptation:
a. What had caused Jesus’ hunger that appeared to have given the devil the opportunity to tempt Him? What lesson can we learn from this?
b. On what basis did the devil challenge Jesus to tell the stone to become bread?
c. Did Jesus have to command the stone to become bread to prove who He is? Why or why not?
d. Could Jesus not simply ignore the devil?
e. If this temptation was of no appeal to Jesus, I do not believe the devil would even try. Therefore, what if Jesus did turn the stone into bread to satisfy His hunger, did it amount to yielding to the devil’s temptation? Why or why not?
f. How did Jesus respond to the devil?
g. How would you label this particular temptation?
h. What can we learn regarding how to overcome this kind of temptation?
(4) The 2nd temptation:
a. Why was Jesus willing to be led to such a high place?
b. Jesus could have said to the devil, “earthly authority and splendor means nothing to me”. Why didn’t He say that?
c. How did He respond to this temptation instead?
d. How then would you label this particular temptation?
e. What can we learn regarding how to overcome this kind of temptation?
(5) The 3rd temptation:
a. Why did the devil repeat his challenge saying, “If you are the Son of God”?
b. Jesus responded to the previous temptations with the word of God. Now the devil also used the word of God to tempt Jesus. Why would even the Word of God be used to tempt us?
c. Look up Psalm 91:11-14 from which the devil only quoted from vv. 11-12. How important was it that he left out v. 14?
d. How did Jesus respond to this temptation?
e. How then would you label this particular temptation?
f. What can we learn regarding how to overcome this kind of temptation?
(6) Luke said that the devil “left Him until an opportune time”:
a. What other times in Jesus’ life can you recall which offered a more opportune time for the devil?
b. Read Luke 23:35. How similar was this temptation from the ones that we have been reading today? Which might present a greater challenge to Jesus? How did He respond to the temptation while on the cross? (Isa. 53:7)
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請細細慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 路加在記述主耶穌受試探之前，先告訴我們：
a. 祂被聖靈充滿：意思是什麼？
b. 是聖靈引祂到曠野：重點是什麼？
c. 四十天沒有吃東西：何故？
(2) 為何主耶穌要面對這一連串的試探？為何要發生在祂傳道之始？
(3) 第一個試探：
a. 是因何故主耶穌會餓，以至給魔鬼機會來試探祂？這給我們什麼提醒？
b. 魔鬼用什麼理由來挑戰耶穌去使石頭變餅？
c. 主耶穌是否需要把石頭變餅來證明祂是神的兒子呢？
d. 主耶穌是否可以不理會魔鬼的挑戰呢？
e. 魔鬼並非愚蠢。若果這些試探不具真正的引誘力，相信牠是不會使用的：如果耶穌真的把石頭變餅充饑，是否祂已陷在試探中？
f. 主耶穌怎樣處理這試探？
g. 你認為這是那一類的試探？
h. 從主耶穌身上，你可以學到怎樣勝過試探呢？
(4) 第二個試探：
a. 為何主耶穌願意被領到高山？
b. 主耶穌大可以對魔鬼說：「權柄、榮華非我所欲」作為回應。為何祂不這樣說？
c. 主耶穌怎樣處理這試探？
d. 你認為這是那一類的試探？
e. 從主耶穌身上，你可以學到怎樣勝過試探呢？
(5) 第三個試探：
a. 為何魔鬼在此重複先前所說的：「你若是神的兒子」？
b. 每次主耶穌都以聖經的話來勝過這惡者，這次反而是魔鬼用聖經的話來試探祂。為何神的話也可以被用來作試探的呢？
c. 請翻到詩篇91:11-14看看為何魔鬼只引用第11-12節，而略去第14節？
d. 主耶穌怎樣處理這試探？
e. 你認為這是那一類的試探？
f. 從主耶穌身上，你可以學到怎樣勝過試探呢？
(6) 英譯本NIV把第13節譯得較完整：「魔鬼離開祂直到有更好的機會」：
a. 你可想到至少另外一次魔鬼乘機再試探主嗎？
b. 路加福音23:35那一次的試探與今天所讀到的有什麼相似之處？那一個更具引誘？主耶穌在十字架上又是怎樣的回應呢？(參賽53:7)
(7) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread…If you are the Son of God…throw yourself down from here.” (Lk. 4:3, 9)
Many fine commentaries and articles have been written about the temptation of our Lord and I do not think I have too much to add. But of the many commentaries and articles I have come across on the subject, I am still deeply impressed with Henry Nouwen’s point about what he perceived in the first temptations of Jesus, and that point was the temptation of relevance.「你若是神的兒子，可以吩咐這塊石頭變成食物……你若是神的兒子，可以從這裡跳下去。」 (路加福音4:3, 9)
其實，有關主耶穌受試探的釋經書和著作甚多，不用我加上任何的註釋。但我卻深深的被盧宏有關主所受的試探其中的感想所觸動。(我說的是感想，並非釋經，因為我不大接受他釋經的方法，但他對神心意的敏銳，卻是少有的。)
他從主所受的第一個試探，想到今日我們所常落在的試探，是對被認為「相關」(relevant) 的渴求。
主耶穌知道自己不用向任何人，包括撒但，證明自己是誰。故此，雖然自己有極大的肉身的需要，就是四十天沒有進食所帶來的饑餓，祂也不願意接受撒但的挑戰，把石頭變成食物。
今天的社會同樣有不少極大和急切的需要，等待我們去解決；這些需要往往成為了我們作為基督徒渴望被社會認同為「相關」(relevant) 的試探。我們不願意被世人看為一群祇顧讀經、禱告、聚會的信徒，對社會毫無貢獻。我們覺得需要給世人證明我們是相關的，是能參與解決社會問題的，我們是有行動的。
故此盧宏的感想是對的：我們其實甚麼也不能給與這世界，除了我們破碎的生命。但這樣的坦言，豈不是過於懦弱、無濟於事、太不像今天成功的福音派基督徒了。
真是這樣嗎？我們若真的跟從主的腳踪行，我們能獻上的是我們破碎的生命、我們的軟弱、我們的禱告、我們無助的同在、和如瓦般的器皿。但在我們的破碎、軟弱、禱告、無助的同在和瓦器中，卻有基督耶穌這寶貝。因為在我們的破碎中，我們在祂找到完全；在我們的軟弱中，在祂找到力量；在我們的懇切的代求中，在祂找到希望；在我們無助的同在中，在祂經歷到以馬內利；更在我們破舊的瓦器中，找到祂為我們的至寶！
我們沒有什麼能給與這世代，除了主耶穌！若然我們好像蠻有本事的給與世人我們假裝的完全、與世界看齊的影響力、花巧的禱文、政治的壓力、和我們的魅力，我們就放棄了這瓦器中的至寶！
很可惜，這渴求「相關」的試探，往往不是世人加給我們的，是我們自己加諸自己身上的。
(1) Judging from the accounts given by Luke so far, what might be the news about Jesus that had spread throughout the countryside (of Jordan)? What might account for the great interest generated? How did it speak to the effectiveness of John’s ministry?
(2) Jesus spent most of his life in Nazareth, but this appears to be the first time He spoke to these people in their synagogue. What might be the attitude of these listeners of His hometown who knew His father, mother and siblings?
(3) Jesus read and spoke from the passage in Isaiah 61:1-2. By saying, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”, He affirms that He was the one spoken of by Isaiah. Let’s reflect on the passage that He read slowly:
a. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, and has anointed me.” How does this echo Luke’s repeated mention of the Holy Spirit in the preceding verses in chapter 4?
b. His mission will include (a) the preaching of the good news to the poor; (b) the proclamation of freedom for the prisoners; (c) the recovery of sight for the blind; (d) the release of the oppressed; and (e) the proclamation of the year of the Lord’s favor. Let’s consider them together:
- Did Jesus free any prisoner, including John the Baptist? Why not?
- Did Jesus release any of the oppressed, especially Israel from the oppression from the Romans. Such a deliverance was definitely one that the people were looking forward to upon the appearance of their Messiah.
- Should we then interpret this passage only from the immediate context of the physical environment?
- Who then were the poor who could hear the good news? What is the good news?
- Who are the prisoners who would be set free by Jesus and from what?
- Who are the blind who would recover their sight and from what blindness?
- Who are the oppressed who would be set free by Jesus and from what?
- What then is the year of the Lord’s favor? (See Isa. 49:8-9; 2 Cor. 6:2)
(4) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
If you make a side by side comparison of the passage from your Old Testament and the passage so read by Jesus, you will notice some obvious differences. It is because the version from which Jesus read (or the one Luke so recorded) was from the Greek translation of the OT, called the Septuagint, while the OT passage is a translation of the Hebrew manuscripts.
請細細慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 按路加上文所記，在約但河一帶的地方，正流行著什麼熱門的消息呢？是什麼引起眾人對耶穌的注意？這與施洗約翰有何關係？
(2) 主耶穌是在拿撒勒長大的，但這似乎是祂第一次對本鄉的人講道。這些人多是知道，甚至認識祂的父親、母親和弟妹的。他們會存著什麼心態來聽祂講道？
(3) 主耶穌讀完以賽亞書61:1-2那段經文後，就說：「今天這經應驗在你們耳中了」(4:21) 。讓我們好好思想這段經文是怎樣應驗在主身上的：
a. 「主的靈在我身上」：路加不斷的在第三和四章提到聖靈降臨、充滿和引領主耶穌，與這句話有何關？
b. 主耶穌在世有使被擄的(或坐牢的，包括施洗約翰) 得釋放嗎？
c. 主耶穌在世有否叫受壓制的(特別是在羅馬手下的以色列人) 得自由嗎？
d. 這樣，這一段是應從物質環境，還是屬靈的境況來解釋？
e. 既是如此，這裡所指的貧窮人是誰？那「福音」又是什麼？
f. 誰是主耶穌要釋放的被擄者？
g. 誰是主耶穌要叫他們能看見的瞎者？
h. 誰是主耶穌要叫他們能得自由的受壓制者？
i. 神悅納人的禧年又是指什麼？(參賽49:8-9; 林後 6:2)
(4) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
註：如果你把路加在這裡所記的主耶穌所讀出的經文，與舊約以賽亞書相比，你會發覺明顯的出入。這是因為路加是引自舊約希臘文的七十士譯本，所繙出來是與我們譯自希伯來抄本有繙譯方面的出入。但卻沒有影響其主要的內容和意思。
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” (Lk. 4:18)
Ever since the surge of the Social Gospel, championed by Walter Rauschenbusch, many have used this passage from Luke in which Jesus preached from Isaiah 61:1-2 to affirm that He is the one spoken of by Isaiah and to reduce the gospel to a purely earthly dimension.
But throughout the New Testament, it is indisputable that the gospel of Jesus Christ is first and foremost about the saving of souls unto eternal life through repentance and belief in Him. This is not to say that doing good and the seeking of social justice are things that Christians can ignore. It is so basic to what is meant by being a human made in God’s image that it cannot be called a mission, but a basic expression of human dignity. Many other religions thrive in this respect, but the gospel is much more than this. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can offer forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
Therefore the true mission of the anointed Christ is not meant to:
- Preach the gospel to the physically poor only, because if such was the mission of Christ, He would have easily eliminated poverty or at least narrowed the gap between the haves and the have-nots. But the gospel is indeed good news to those who recognize their poverty before God, i.e. their desperate need to trust in God for their eternal life.
- Set those wrongly imprisoned free, for He did not free anyone in jail, not even John the Baptist whose continued imprisonment probably was the reason why John was so puzzled. He has come to free all those who are imprisoned and chained by their own sins and lusts.
- Recover the sight of the blind. Although Jesus did heal quite a few of the blind, He did not give all the blind their sight. In fact from time to time, He cautioned those whose sight was restored not to spread the news (Mk. 8:26, Matt. 9:30). But He has come to give sight to all who have been blinded by the lies of Satan, and live in spiritual darkness.
- Release those who are oppressed. This was the one thing most looked forward to by the Jews of His time. It is obvious that Jesus did nothing to overturn the Romans. On the contrary, He willingly subjected Himself to their trial and judgment which led Him to be crucified on the cross. But the good news is that He has come to release all who are oppressed by the demands of life, the pressure of work, family and society and their own sins, that they may find rest for their souls. (Matt. 11:28-30)
Indeed, all the prophecies in the Isaiah passage that Jesus read out have been fulfilled in their ears and before their eyes, because He came, with His death to atone for our sins and with His resurrection to reconcile us with God. His death has defeated sin and Satan and has freed all who would believe in Him, and with His resurrection, He offers us eternal life. We who have believed in Him have found favor with The Lord who will welcome us into His everlasting Kingdom.
「主的靈在我身，因為祂用膏膏我，叫我傳福音給貧窮的人……」 (路4:18)
自從Walter Rauschenbusch提議「社會福音」之後，不少跟著他走的人，愛用路加在這裡記載主耶穌宣讀以賽亞書61:1-2的話，把福音規限於今生、屬地的好消息。
在整本新約聖經中，基督耶穌的福音肯定在乎罪得赦免，藉悔改相信祂而得永生。這不是說做善事，行公義是基督徒可以忽略的，其實這是照神形象被造的人的基本責任。許多其他的宗教也倡導這些，但基督耶穌的福音是遠超過這個範疇的。惟有基督耶穌的福音能叫人的罪在神面前得到赦免，也惟有基督耶穌的福音能叫人得永生。
故此，基督在此宣稱祂來世上要成就的：
1. 不是單向物質貧窮的人傳福音；若是如此，祂早就可以除去貧窮，或至少縮短貧富之間的距離。祂的福音乃是叫那些在神面自感不足與貧乏者，使他們信靠神而得永生；
2. 不是叫那些陷冤獄的得釋放，連施洗約翰在內；祂來乃是要釋放那些被罪和私慾綑鎖的人；
3. 不是單叫一些瞎眼的得看見。其實祂沒有醫治在猶太所有瞎眼的人，祂屢次吩咐被醫好的瞎子不要把事情傳開(如太9:30；可8:26) 。祂來是叫那些被這世界的神弄瞎了眼，活在黑暗，失去方向的人得看見真光；
4. 也不是叫這些在羅馬統治壓制的以色列人得自由。主耶穌固然沒有推翻羅馬政府，反而祂甘心的接受他們的審訊、定罪，甚至被他們釘在十字架上。那真正的好消息是在乎人能藉著祂的死而復活，叫凡被罪擔和生活的擔子所重壓的人得自由，使他們的靈魂得享安息(太11:28-30)
是的，在那一天那段經文真的應驗在他們耳中，因為基督已來，藉著祂的死要贖他們的罪、藉著祂的復活叫他們得與神和好。祂從死亡和復活，更向罪和撒但的權勢誇勝，叫凡相信祂的人得釋放；更叫他們與祂同活而得永生。凡相信祂的人，都蒙神的悅納，得進入祂永遠的國度。這才是那好消息！
(1) Luke probably gave us a very short version of Jesus’ preaching that day, but the people’s response was quite interesting. As much as they were amazed by Jesus’ gracious words, they responded by saying, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?". What does it mean?
(2) Should we focus on the words being preached and not who the preacher is? Why or why not?
(3) What did Jesus accuse the people of His hometown of?
(4) Was it wrong for them to expect Him to perform the many miracles that He had done in Capernaum? Why or why not?
(5) However, the two examples that Jesus quoted from the Old Testament seem to point out an even bigger problem with them. What was their bigger (or real) problem?
(6) Why did they become furious upon hearing the two examples Jesus gave?
(7) In their fury, what did they do?
(8) What was their sin?
(9) Was Jesus being too harsh on the people of His hometown? Why or why not?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請細細慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 路加可能只簡短的報導主耶穌當日的講道，卻引起群眾很奇特的反應。雖然他們希奇祂口中的恩言，為何卻說：「這不是約瑟的兒子麼」？
(2) 這樣的把重點放在誰是講者，而不是講道的內容。對嗎？
(3) 耶穌向這家鄉的群眾發出什麼指摘？
(4) 群眾期望祂能像在迦百農那樣多行神蹟有什麼不對？
(5) 主耶穌引用兩個舊約的例子來指出他們真正的問題出於什麼呢？
(6) 為何他們一聽之下，就怒氣滿胸？
(7) 在盛怒之下，他們試圖作什麼？
(8) 他們所犯的罪包括什麼？
(9) 主耶穌對祂家鄉的群眾是否過於苛刻？為什麼？
(10) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips. ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son’ they asked.” (Lk. 4:22)
The words that Jesus said to the people of His hometown of Nazareth seemed very harsh. Since Jesus grew up in Nazareth, the people knew His father, mother and siblings. As much as they found His words amazing and powerful, it was only natural for them to ask, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”. In other words, to accept Him as the Messiah was not easy, and to acknowledge Him as the Son of God would have been even harder. We have to remember that even His own brothers did not believe in Him in the beginning (Jn. 7:5). This highlights one of the ugliest sides of human nature, and that is that we tend to look down upon one of our own.
As much as most Bible-believing churches seek to base their decisions on biblical principles, there is at least one area where we simply find it hard to adopt biblical principles, and we do so blatantly. I am referring to the calling of a pastor by a church.
We know full well that the character of God’s servant is of far more importance than his or her gifts, charisma and education, and yet most, if not all churches call their pastor based mainly on these external criteria. What is wrong with our churches? A lack of faith? A lack of courage? A lack of sensitivity and obedience to the Holy Spirit? Or, simply an unwillingness to get rid of our secular mindset?
I visited a church in New York that miraculously purchased an abandoned school building as their church. I said miraculously, because they submitted their bid to the authority purely based on faith and not on money which they did not have.
But the most miraculous deed they have done is how they called their senior pastor. As the old senior pastor retired, they went through the process of searching for his replacement, and as all good churches do, they did so with prayers. But their prayers were different — they prayed with an obedient spirit. The Holy Spirit moved them to appoint not a Ph. D., not an experienced pastor, nor a pastor with great preaching skill, but their janitor who had demonstrated a character of love for both men and God and a zeal for evangelism, they obeyed.
To cut a long story short, I was told that half of the congregation left as a result. The reason was not just because the pastor had no academic degrees, but because he was once one of them. However, under his leadership the church prospered with solid growth and an exemplary discipleship ministry, even to the homeless.
I wish more churches would honestly live out their claim that they are a Bible-believing church, especially when it comes to calling their pastor.
「眾人都稱讚祂，並希奇祂口中所出的恩言。又說：這不是約瑟的兒子麼？」 (路4:22)
在祂長大的城市，主耶穌對群眾所說的話，似乎有點苛刻。既然他們大多數都知道，或甚至認識耶穌的父、母和弟妹；也都希奇祂口中所出的恩言，卻說：「這不是約瑟的兒子麼？」換句話說，要他們接受祂是彌賽亞已經不容易，要相信祂是神的兒子就更難了。我們要知道，連主耶穌自己的弟弟們在開頭的時候都是不信祂的(約7:5) 。 這其實顯出人性最醜惡的其中一面：就是蔑視自己家中或圈子的人。
一般福音派教會都自稱是按聖經的真理而行事的。但在我看來，卻有一方面往往是我們沒有選擇遵照聖經的原則而行的，而我們並沒有感到不對的。我是指聘牧方面。
我們都知道神的僕人的品格至為重要，比他的才幹、學歷和吸引力更為重要。但教會在聘牧時卻往往側重了那些外在的條件。真不曉得是我們缺乏信心，還是缺乏勇氣？是缺乏對聖靈的感動和順服，還是不願意放下世俗的觀念？今天的教會實在出了什麼問題？
我有機會探望紐約一間教會。他們極神蹟性的在沒有資源之下，卻能從政府購買了一整座學校的大樓。但更大的神蹟卻在乎他們聘請主任牧師的決定上。
在聖靈感動下，他們竟然選擇順服聖靈的指引，不聘用有博士學位的、不聘用有名氣的、也不聘用有才華的，卻決定聘用在教會作清潔、管堂的弟兄為主任牧師，因為他有美好的見證，熱心傳福音。結果怎樣呢？
照我所知，結果教會裡有一半人離開了；原因不單是因這牧者沒有學位，更因他是出自自己的會眾。但不多年後，這教會卻建立了美好的名聲，成為其他教會在門徒訓練上要學習的榜樣。我就是在那一次的探望，從這教會身上學習如何向流浪者傳福音，並如何訓練他們才能作傳福音的門徒。
我盼望更多神的教會能真正活出自稱的—「篤信聖經的教會。」