鹿不是馬 The Emperor Is Naked

鹿不是馬（若5:31-47）

在古代，人們認為地面是平的；太陽每天從東方升起；平行線是永遠不會相交的直線…這些都是與經驗相符，理所當然的常識。到了現代，接受過科學教育的人，知道整個宇宙正在膨脹，推論出大約在一百三十八億年前，曾經發生過一次大爆炸，我們所認知的宇宙誕生了；現代人還相信愛恩斯坦發表的相對論，在宇宙任何一個角落，都是正確無誤的等等。這些道理已經超越人的經驗和直覺，但大部份人卻迷信科學的權威而深信不疑！的確，人類的認知有一個死穴，稱為「確認偏誤」，就是祇會努力尋找證明自己是正確的證據，很少人有本領尋找相反的證據，證明自己是錯的；有更少人有勇氣指出「鹿不是馬」！

世上有比科學定律更高層次的真理，要證明或反證，更加困難。例如，耶穌說：「我是道路、真理和生命」（若14:6），這並不是所有人的經驗和直覺，不是理所當然，沒有可能不證自明。所以，必須有人或者事物，為耶穌基督作見證，好使人能夠相信，從而得救（5:34）。當代的猶太人對耶穌並不友善，因為耶穌基督顛覆了他們的既得利益和社會地位。今天我們讀到耶穌怎樣不計較他們的冒犯，為了自己同胞的得救，而努力地協助他們相信自己。

按照猶太人的法律，祇要找到兩個證人作見證，便足以定奪一件事物的真實性。耶穌基督提出了三組證人，證明祂是默西亞的身份，綽綽有餘：若翰洗者（5:32-33），天父和耶穌自己的言行（5:36-37），最後是梅瑟和舊約經書（5:39, 46）。可惜，猶太人沒有認真對待若翰洗者的見證（谷9:13），而且祇是選擇性地信從梅瑟所寫的法律（若5:46-47），又怎會接受天父在耶穌基督受洗時的作證（路3:21-22）；他們沉迷於尋找耶穌基督違反安息日誡命的罪證，又怎會相信耶穌基督的言論和神蹟呢？ 「確認偏誤」真是害人不淺！

天父啊！請賜下聖神，教導我們謙遜，認清我們的「確認偏誤」。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：wikipedia

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The Emperor Is Naked (John 5:31-47)

In ancient times, people thought that the earth was flat; the sun rose in the east and parallel lines never met etc. These beliefs are common sense and correspond to our experiences. Nowadays, people have received science education and know that the universe is expanding. They deduce that some 1.38 billion years ago, a Big-Bang took place and the universe we know was born. Modern people also believe that the relativity theory of Einstein is applicable without modification anywhere in the universe etc. These statements have gone beyond our experience and intuition. Yet many people blindly believe in scientific authority and never cast a doubt. Indeed, there is an Achilles heel in human cognition called “confirmation bias” which makes people seek evidence to prove themselves right. Very few people are able to look for counter-examples to prove themselves wrong, even less have the courage to say, “the emperor is naked”!

There are truths of higher level that are more difficult to prove or disprove. For example, Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). This is not a common experience for everybody and therefore it is not self-evident. Jesus needs people or things to bear witness to make people believe and be saved (5:34). The contemporary Jews were hostile to Jesus because He threatened their interests and social status. Today, we read how Jesus did not count their trespasses but tried hard to help His kinsmen believe and be saved.

According to Jewish laws, it takes two witnesses to validate the truthfulness of a thing or an event. Jesus Christ proposed three groups of witnesses, more than enough to proof His Messiahship: John the Baptist (5:32-33), the Father, the words and deeds of Jesus himself (5:36-37) and lastly Moses and the Scriptures (5:39, 46). Regrettably, the Jews did not treat the Baptist’s witness seriously (Mark 9:13) and they observed selectively the laws handed down by Moses (John 5:46-47). How then would they accept the Father’s witness at the baptism of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:21-22)? They were obsessed with collecting evidence of Jesus’ breaching the Sabbath regulations, how then would they believe in Jesus’ words and miracles? Confirmation bias is very injurious indeed!

Heavenly Father! Send us the Holy Spirit. Teach us to be humble and see clearly our confirmation bias. Amen.