領洗不祇是重新做人 Baptism is More Than Turning A New Leaf

領洗不祇是重新做人（若3:1-8）

天父為了罪人的得救，便派遣天主子把「道路、真理和生命」（若14:6）啟示給我們，讓我們掌握回歸父家的途徑。天主子謙抑自下，取了奴僕的形體（斐2:7），遷就我們，為的是展示天父的慈悲，讓更多人得救。但始終人性是有限的，我們不一定能領受祂的好意。所以有些人會反對耶穌基督，有些人會誤會祂的教訓。

尼苛德摩是法利塞人，是個有學問的猶太人。他見識過耶穌基督所行的神跡，便得到一個初步的結論:「我們知道你是由天主而來的師傅」（若3:2）。與其他猶太人相比，尼苛德摩是先進的，但不足夠。因為在他心目中，耶穌基督祇不過是一眾「辣彼」中的一個。但他主動來見耶穌，表示他渴求真理，真是孺子可教！所以，耶穌基督借用他的學問，引導他思考更高層次的真理。

於是耶穌基督便語出雙關地說:「人除非由上而生…」（3:3）。在福音中，這個「由上」曾用於耶穌對比拉多說「若不是由上賜給你…」（19:11）；祂的長衣是由上到下渾然織成（19:23）；祂斷氣時，「聖所裡的帳幔，從上到下，分裂為二」（谷15:38）等等。可見耶穌基督所說的「由上」，是與祂的受難息息相關。

另一方面，這個「由上」亦可以解作「再次」的意思。於是，在「由上而生」與「重生」兩個意義之間，尼苛德摩選擇了容易理解的「重生」。耶穌糾正他的時候，進一步啟示了「水和聖神」這個「由上而生」的「聖洗聖事」不可或缺的元素。不是嗎？即使我們也很容易誤會，認為洗禮祇不過是一個「重新做人」的儀式！真是大錯特錯！

錯在哪裡？在耶穌基督的心目中（10:39）和在保祿的教訓中，「聖洗聖事」何止是重新做人那麼簡單，而是歸於耶穌基督的死亡（羅6:3）！我們與基督同死，便有希望憑藉所領受的聖神復活！復活何止是重生，而是成了「屬神」的人（若3:6）。試問沒有經過受難的淨化，受罪惡污染了的人性，如何進入神聖的領域呢？
天父啊！請派遣聖神，更新我們的思、言和行為，使我們堪受永生的恩賜。亞孟。

生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：Wikipedia

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Baptism is More Than Turning A New Leaf (John 3:1-8)

For the salvation of sinners, the Father sent the Son to reveal to us “The way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6), help us know the way home. The Son of God emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave (Philippians 2:7). He condescended to manifest the Father’s mercy so as to save more people. But after all, our humanity is finite and we may not appreciate His good intention. Thus, some opposed Jesus Christ while other misunderstood His teachings.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a learned Jew. He saw Jesus’ miracles and drew a preliminary conclusion, “We know that you are a teacher who has come from God” (John 3:2) Compared with other Jews, Nicodemus was progressive but not sufficient. In his mind, Jesus Christ was only one of the many Rabbis. But he managed to come to Jesus, showing his desire to know more about the truth! Thus, Jesus Christ made use of his knowledge to help him explore the truth on a higher level. Jesus spoke in double entendre, saying “No one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above” (3:3) This “from above” is used in various places in the gospels. For example, Jesus told Pilate, “If it had not been given to you from above” (19:11); His tunic was woven in one piece from the top down (19:23) and the veil of the sanctuary was torn from top to bottom (Mark 19:38). We see that this “from above” is closely related with Jesus’ Passion.

On the other hand, this “from above” can be understood as “again”. Between “from above” and “again”, Nicodemus chose an easily understood “born again”. When Jesus rectifies his understanding, He reveals further “water and the Holy Spirit”, the two indispensable elements in this Sacrament of Baptism from above. Even we make the mistake easily in thinking that baptism is nothing but a ritual for a person to turn a new leaf in life! How wrong it is!

In Jesus’ mind (10:39) and the teachings of Paul, baptism is not simply turning a new leaf in life. Baptism is baptized into Jesus’ death (Romans 6:3)! When we die with Christ, we have the hope to come back to life through the Holy Spirit we receive! Resurrection is more than born again. We become spiritual (John 3:6). Had we not gone through the purgation of Passion, how can our sin-tainted humanity enter the spiritual realm?
Father! Send the Holy Spirit to renew our thoughts, words and deeds so that we may be worthy of eternal life. Amen.