末世系列（四）臨難毋苟免 Embrace Persecutions Courageously

末世系列（四）臨難毋苟免（路21:34-36）

今天的經文雖然短，但默想起來卻相當曲折！
且看，既然「末日有如羅網，臨於全地面的一切居民」（路21:35）。那麼，末日應該是避無可避的了。為甚麼下一句卻說：「…為使你們能逃脫即將發生的這一切事」（21:36）呢？真的「能逃脫」嗎？這裡牽涉到一些翻譯的問題，我們需要查閱原文，纔能明白經文的意思。請各位讀者忍耐。

句中的『能καταξιόω』字，在路加的作品中，出現過三次，其餘兩次分別譯成「但那堪得來世，及堪當由…」（20:35）中的『堪得/堪當』和「…因為他們配為這名字受侮辱」（宗5:41）中的『配』。原來如此！

耶穌基督想告訴我們，世界末日是避無可避的。可是「那日子和那時刻，除父一個外，誰也不知道」（瑪24:36；谷13:32）。可以肯定地說，末日來臨之前必先發生十件事物。這些事物都是災難性的，有很多人會傷亡。不過那些『堪當/配』逃脫災難的基督徒，因為相信並聽從耶穌基督的教導，即「謹慎」（路21:34）和「時時醒寤祈禱」（21:36a），便可以逃脫這一切災難云云。

各位讀者，「謹慎」和「時時醒寤祈禱」都是我們基督徒的本份，並不是末日求生的秘技。基督徒出於對天主和對鄰人的愛，理論上是樂意隨時殉道，得以「立於人子之前」（21:36b）的，沒有逃脫災難的需要。耶穌基督是明白這個道理的，但出於慈悲和體諒，祂更願意照顧人性的軟弱，給信徒留下一條逃避災難的後路！
親愛的諸位，你們領情嗎？

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Eschatology IV: Embrace Persecutions Courageously (Luke 21:34-36)

The gospel text today is short but the meditation process is rather winding and twisting!
Read closely, “Like a trap, for that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth” (Luke 21:35). Then, that day is inevitable. Why does the gospel continue, “… you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent” (21:36). Can we really escape? I think there is a translation issue here. We need to check the original Greek in order to understand its meaning. Be patient with me.

The word “strength καταξιόω” appears three times in the Lukan corpus. The other two are, namely “but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age …” (20:35) is rendered “deemed worthy” and “… rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer …” (Acts 5:41) is rendered “found worthy”. That is it!

Jesus Christ tells us that the end of the world is inevitable. “But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32). There is only one certainty. Ten things shall happen before the Judgment Day. These things are catastrophic and many people shall die or suffer wounds. However, those Christians who are “found worthy” shall be able to escape the tribulations because they believe and follow Jesus’ teachings, i.e. “Beware and stay sober” (Luke 21:34) and “Be vigilant and pray” (21:36a) etc.

Dear readers, “staying sober” and “being vigilant and pray” are the basic duties of us Christians. They are not any “secret knowledge of doomsday survival”. Out of their love of God and neighbor, Christians are theoretically ready to suffer martyrdom to “stand before the Son of Man” (21:36b). Jesus Christ knows it well but out of mercy and loving care, He is more concerned with the frailty of human nature, thus giving the disciples a safety valve to escape tribulations!
Beloved brethren! Do you appreciate this?

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生命恩泉
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末世系列（三）你真的信耶穌？ Do You Really Believe in Jesus?

末世系列（三）你真的信耶穌？（路21:29-33）

從路加福音21章5節起，耶穌基督列出世界末日前會發生的十件事物，包括有人冒認是救世主（路21:8）、戰亂（21:9）、天災人禍（21:11a）、天上有巨大的凶兆（21:11b）、基督徒遭受政治迫害（21:12）、耶路撒冷聖城遭受破壞（21:24）、日月星辰出現異兆（21:25a）、發生令萬國驚惶失措的海嘯（21:25b），諸天的萬象動搖（21:26b）。最後，耶穌基督帶著威能及莫大光榮乘雲降來（21:27）。這些事物中，部份是具體的，容易驗證；但有些卻因時代的不同，我們可能有不同的演繹。例如：古代的人和現代人，對「天」的認知不同，所以關於「天上有巨大的凶兆」，又或者「諸天的萬象動搖」，便會得出不同的結論了！例如，古代的東方賢士，就是憑「占星術」來推算天像的啟示，找到了新生的猶太人君王（瑪2:2）；現代的天文學家憑「天體物理學」所作的觀察和計算，很有信心地在【天文學期刋The Astronomical Journal】宣佈，憑當今的理論模型運算，在未來的一千年，地球不會被約十公里直徑大的小行星，毀滅性地擊中¹ ，發生有如6500萬年前令恐龍絕種一樣的災難。

占星術士與科學家不同之處，前者用模稜兩可的詩歌作預言，後者先列舉假設，在假設成立的大前提下，結論纔成立；倘若觀察數據與運算結果不符，便修訂改良當前的理論模型。
耶穌基督的「末世言論」，不但對當時的猶太人說，也是對後世的我們說。耶穌基督不是占星術士，說話絕不模稜兩可。祂又不是天文物理學家，說話言之鑿鑿，絕無任何前設。原因十分簡單，因為祂是天主子！

親愛的諸位，你們真的相信耶穌基督是天主子嗎？相信祂有關末日的預言嗎？相信祂臨在信徒的團體中（18:20），包括我們所不喜歡的人嗎？相信祂臨在被社會邊緣化的人身上（25:40），包括性小眾嗎？相信祂真實臨在麵餅中（26:26），不是普通的紀念嗎？相信即使我們長期在受苦時，祂一直在世陪伴著我們（28:20）嗎？你真的信耶穌？
天主保祐！

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Eschatology III: Do You Really Believe in Jesus? (Luke 21:29-33)

Starting from Luke 21:5, Jesus Christ lists 10 things that would happen before the end of the world. They are namely, people claiming to be the Saviours (Luke 21:8); wars and conflicts (21:9); natural and man-made disasters (21:11a); awesome sights and mighty signs from the sky (21:11b); Christians being persecuted politically (21:12); desolation of Jerusalem (21:24); signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars (21:25a); nations perplexed by roaring tsunamis (21:25b); the powers of the heavens shaken (21:26b) and lastly, the Son of Man would come in a cloud with power and great glory (21:27). Among these ten things, some are concrete and we can easily verify them. However, some of them mean different things in different ages. For example, ancient peoples and modern people have different understanding of “sky/heavens”. They would interpret “awesome sights and mighty signs from the sky”, or “the powers of the heavens shaken” in different manners! For example, the magi from the east were able to locate the newly born Jewish king by applying astrology in reading heavenly signs (Matthew 2:2). By applying astrophysics, modern astronomers observe, calculate and confidently published in the Astronomical Journal¹ that calculating according to the present day theoretic models, our planet would not be disastrously hit by an asteroid of 10 km diameter within the next 1,000 years, similar to the one causing the extinction of dinosaurs 65,000,000 years ago.

Astrologists and scientists speak in different manners. The former prophecies in ambiguous poems. The latter states their assumptions before drawing their conclusions. If the observed data do not agree with calculations, scientists modify and improve their theoretical models. The eschatological discourses of Jesus Christ speak not only to His contemporary Jews but also to us today. Jesus Christ is not an astrologist that speaks in ambiguity nor an astrophysicist that speaks within the validity of assumptions. No, He speaks directly without any assumption, simply because He is the Son of God!

Beloved brethren! Do you really believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do you believe in His eschatological discourses? Do you believe that He is present in the community of the faithful (18:20), including those we hate? Do you believe that He is present among the socially marginalized (25:40), including the sexual minority? Do you believe that He is truly present in the Holy Communion (26:26), and the Sacrament is not simply a memorial? Do you believe that even in our long-sufferings He is accompanying us (28:20)? Do you really believe in Jesus?
God bless!

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¹https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/05/15/1073084/earth-safe-killer-asteroid/
生命恩泉
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末世系列（二）何必曰利？ Why Talk About Benefits?

末世系列（二）何必曰利？（路21:12-19）

在當今惟利是圖的商業社會和國家，找代罪羔羊、彼此出賣、結黨謀私、排擠異己，甚至謀殺，已經是意料中事。即使你沒有投入這「權力遊戲」的意向，你亦不能置身事外；你甚至成為了「造皇者」，成為兩大鬥爭派系須要爭取支持的極少數派。之後，又變成用完即棄的「棄子」！雖然聽來殘酷，但這是當今世代的現實寫照！耶穌基督所說的「這一切事之前」（路21:12a），即世界末日之前要發生的事，不就是當今世代正在發生的事嗎？所不同者，是被出賣的原因。是因為政權的鬥爭，還是宗教迫害，甚至是借國家安全的理由謀私！

當今世代，沒有人覺得【聖經】可信，沒有個人或團體覺得【聖經】有參考價值。因此自稱信奉一本沒有利用價值的【聖經】的信徒，對社會便沒有影響力，可以不理！這樣，還有社會國家找基督徒作「代罪羔羊」嗎？還有人會出賣基督徒來獲取榮華富貴嗎？各位基督徒，當沒有人迫害你們的時候，你們應該慶幸，還是應該悲哀呢？

至於我和我的家族（蘇24:15），我樂意為愛耶穌基督的名字被拘捕、迫害、解送到會堂、並囚在獄中和押送到君王及總督之前（路21:12），因為耶穌基督會給我憑十年寒窗苦讀也磨練不到的「口才和明智，是我的一切仇敵所不能抵抗及辨駁的」（21:15）。即使我被出賣、被殺死、受眾人的憎恨又有何難受呢？即使是投火被焚（格前13:3），連最後一根頭髮也化為灰燼，又有何懼？慈悲的主耶穌基督一定有本領從少許的DNA，與我所能保存的靈魂（路21:19） 結合，把我重塑回來，並且提昇到另一個光榮的層次！

主啊！請寬恕那些殺害我們的人罷，因為他們為了自保，為了害怕【聖經】的威力，天主聖言的生命力，做出連自己也不知道是甚麼（23:34）的惡行。亞孟！

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Eschatology II: Why Talk About Benefits? (Luke 21:12-19)

Nowadays in commercial societies and countries where only benefits count, you can only expect scapegoating, backstabbing each other, forming rings, cornering rivals and even murders. Though you have no intention to take part in those power games, you are forced to. You may even become the king-maker minority whose support is much sought after by two rivalling parties. In the end, you become a dispensable chess piece! Though it sounds cruel and pessimistic, it is an authentic portray of the modern world! When Jesus Christ says, “Before all this happens” (Luke 21:12a), that is things to happen before the end of the world, are they not happening nowadays? The difference is the reason of betrayals. Are the betrayals political conflicts, or religious persecutions or even using national security as an excuse to fatten oneself?

Nowadays, nobody found the Bible credible and no individual or community found the Bible relevant. Believers in a Bible of no utility had no social impact and were negligible! Then would any country scapegoat Christians? Would people betray Christians in order to get promoted? Dear Christians, when nobody persecutes you, should you be relieved or sorrowful?

As for me and my household (Joshua 24:15), I am honoured to be seized, persecuted, handed over to the synagogues and to prisons, and led before kings and governors because of Jesus’ name (Luke 21:12). It is because Jesus Christ would give me a wisdom of speaking, which I won’t be able to attain even after spending decades of theology studies, that all my adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute (21:15). Even if I were betrayed, killed or hated by all, it would be no big deal. Even if I handed my body over to be burnt (1 Corinthians 13:3), and my last strain of hair turned to ashes, of what would I be afraid? The merciful Lord will, with a grain of my DNA, combined with the soul I have secured with perseverance (Luke 21:19), reconstruct another me and raises me to another glorious level!

Lord! Forgive those who murder us because they want to save their skins and are afraid of the power of the Bible, the vitality of the Word of God and know not what evil they are doing (23:34). Amen! 生命恩泉：
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末世系列（一） 不受騙，不驚惶 Don’t Be Deceived, Don’t Be Terrified

末世系列（一） 不受騙，不驚惶（路21:5-11）

人類真是很好奇的生物，他們不停地探索身邊事物的意義。他們很有趣，祇選擇性地承認自己有限認知能力得來的片面真相，而在更宏偉的真理面前，卻傲慢地否認它！

現代人覺得【聖經】是二千年前的產物，當中的故事和教訓，對當今的世代，毫無參考價值。例如《創世紀》中人物的歲數：亞當活到930歲（創5:5），最長壽的默突舍拉969歲（5:27）等，現代人都認為是無稽之談。十七世紀偉大的科學家如牛頓，把【聖經】族譜裡人物的年歲疊加，算出地球的年齡不超過六千歲！可見【聖經】真的不可信。除了對「世界末日」的預言例外！

現代人真奇怪，即使他們認為大部份【聖經】的內容不可信，但很多人卻對當中記載的「末世言論」，鍥而不捨地研究。除了「好奇」和「貪婪」之外，我實在找不到更合理的解釋！要知道「末日」是一門大生意，可以出版書籍，拍攝電影，售賣「末日逃生包」等，是一個很有潛質的市場。近日以色列與哈瑪斯的衝突，便引發了不少人士在社交媒體發表「末日」的言論了，可見這市場有多龐大！

在今天的福音中，耶穌基督祇不過說了耶路撒冷聖殿的毀滅，並不是說世界的末日，便引起了「談論聖殿如何莊麗」的人注意。試問，世間有那一座建築物，能永遠屹立不倒呢？即使如今仍在的「萬里長城」，祇不過是2500年歷史，中國也祇不過是5000年。誰可保證萬年之後，它們仍然屹立不倒呢？

所以，耶穌基督便借用人類的好奇心，啟示有關末日的訊息。但好奇的人，祇關心「發生的時候，將有甚麼先兆」（路21:7），但在最重要的真理面前，無動於衷！末日的真理是甚麼？耶穌說：「至於那日子和那時刻，除了父以外，誰也不知道，連天上的天使和子都不知道。」（谷13:32）。面對末日最重要的態度就是「你們要謹慎，不要受欺騙…切不可跟隨他們」（路21:8）；「不要驚惶」（21:9），有多少聽眾領會得到呢？

親愛的弟兄姊妹，你謹慎嗎？你能不受騙、不驚惶嗎？若望宗徒說：「在愛內沒有恐懼，反之，圓滿的愛把恐懼驅逐於外」（若一4:18）。若望宗徒的忠告，對你有啟發嗎？
天主保祐！

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Eschatology I: Don’t Be Deceived, Don’t Be Terrified (Luke 21:5-11)

Humanity is a curious animal. They keep searching for meanings of things around them. They are funny in that they selectively acknowledge the partial truth they obtain from their limited cognitive powers but in face of a grander truth, they arrogantly deny!

Modern people think that the Bible was written two thousand years ago. Thus, its stories and teachings are totally irrelevant for modern people. For example, the ages of people in Genesis: Adam died at 930 (Genesis 5:5) and Methuselah, the longest living man, had lived 969 years and died (5:27) etc. Modern people would dismissed them as fairy tales. Sir Isaac Newton, the greatest scientist in 17th century, once added up the ages from genealogies in the Bible and came up with the age of the earth to be less than 6,000. The Bible is not worth believing in except for doomsday prophecies!

Modern men are strange. Even though they reject almost all the contents of the Bible as incredible, many people continue to do researches on eschatology. Besides curiosity and greed, I cannot think of a more reasonable explanation! You should understand that “doomsday” is a big business. You may publish books, make movies and sell “End Time Survival Kits” etc. to meet the demands of a lucrative market. The recent conflicts between Israel and Hamas have triggered a flood of “doomsday” posts by KOL’s on the social media. Now you know how lucrative this market is!

In the gospel text today, Jesus only mentioned the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and not the end of the world. It was sufficient to draw the attention of those who were speaking about how the Temple was adorned. Just think about it, what buildings on earth could stand forever? Even the still standing Great Wall is just 2,500 years old and China a mere 5,000. Who can guarantee that it shall not fall in 10,000 years?

Thus, Jesus Christ made use of the curiosity of humanity to reveal what would happen on the last days. Curious people only care about “When will this happen? And what sign will there be” (Luke 21:7) but untouched before the most important truth! So, what is the truth about the end days? Jesus says, “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32). The most important attitude to confront the end time is “See that you not be deceived … Do not follow them” (Luke 21:8); “Do not be terrified” (21:9). How many among my readers have heard and understood?

Beloved brethren! Are you prudent? Can you be not deceived, not terrified? John the Apostle says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). Do you find inspiration in the advice of John the Apostle?
God bless!
生命恩泉
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