平安何處求？ Where To Find Peace?

平安何處求？（若14:27-31）

四部福音都記載了耶穌基督的受難始末。在三部「對觀福音」中，我們目睹耶穌怎樣默默地承擔著古今中外全數的罪債，受盡了罪人的折磨，含羞而死。我們不免會問，天主有必要用這種殘忍而沒有效率的方法來拯救世界嗎？簡單地毀滅撒殫，豈不是一了百了嗎？但【若望福音】卻完全不同，它所描寫的耶穌，是胸有成竹，穩操勝券地執行任務！於是天主子的死，少了一份慘不忍睹的感覺。

且看，祂說：「誰也不能奪去我的性命，而是我甘心情願捨掉它；我有權捨掉它，我也有權再取回它來」（若10:18）耶穌大言不慚嗎？今天祂再進一步說：「世界的領袖就要來到；他在我身上一無所能」（14:30）。當時是羅馬帝國的世界，比拉多就是羅馬公義的代表。在對觀福音中的「比拉多審耶穌」一段情節，耶穌不回一句話；但讀【若望福音】的片段，好像反過來是耶穌審問比拉多。祂對比拉多說：「若不是由上賜給你，你對我甚麼權柄也沒有」（19:11），與今天的福音，前後呼應。最後，尼苛德摩帶著約一百斤的沒藥和沉香調和的香料，用來埋葬耶穌（19:39）。一百斤香料，簡直是帝王的待遇！尼苛德摩代表著普世萬民，向天主奉獻馨香。所以耶穌的受難，不是一個革命家的失敗，而是「置諸死地而後生」的戰略！

耶穌把死路變成進入永生的門檻，能跟隨祂跨越死亡的，便成功地到達永生的彼岸。在那裡，耶穌已經為我們預備了地方（14:2）。正因為耶穌基督穩操勝券，所以祂很安心地服從天父的命令（14:31），也可以把這份平安賜給信徒（14:27）。世人追求成就，索取利益；既滿足自己的願望，又迎合世界的要求。獲得了成就和利益之後，我們祇能增加安全感，但我們的心仍感不安，仍然恐怕失敗。因此在現世尋求平安，是徒勞無功的，因為世界祇會給我們一種虛假的「安全感」，並不能賜給我們真正的平安。
主啊！請賜我下台階，不用再追求成就和利益。亞孟！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：9900.com.tw

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Where To Find Peace? (John 14:27-31)

The four canonical gospels have written down the Passion of Jesus Christ. In the three Synoptic Gospels, we read how Jesus bore upon His shoulders all the debts of the world of all ages, suffered tortures from sinners and died a disgraceful death. Naturally we would ask if it is an absolute necessity for God to save the world in such a brutal and inefficient manner? Wouldn’t the whole project be simple just to annihilate Satan? But the gospel of John is different. The Jesus John portrays is carrying out His mission in a confident manner, knowing well that the final victory belongs to Him! Thus the death of the Son of God gives us a less bloody feeling.

Look, He says, “No one takes it (my life) from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.” (John 10:18) Was Jesus being boastful? Today, He further says, “The ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me.” (14:30) It was the world of the Roman Empire and Pontius Pilate represented Roman justice. In the narrative of “Jesus Before Pilate” among the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus was silent. But in the Johannine version, it reads like Jesus was judging Pilate. He told Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above.” (19:11) It forms an inclusio with the verse today. Lastly, Nicodemus came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about one hundred pounds to bury Jesus (19:39). One hundred pounds of spice would be a royal burial! Nicodemus was actually representing all peoples to offer up incense to God. Thus the death of Jesus is not the failure of a revolution advocate but a Phoenix strategy!

Jesus turns death into the threshold to eternal life. When we are able to follow Him to pass-over death, we shall land successfully on the other side of eternity. Over there, Jesus has prepared a place for us (14:2). Since Jesus Christ controls the final victory, He is able to do with a peaceful heart just as the Father has commanded Him (14:31) and gives this peace to His disciples (14:27). Sons of the world go after achievements and seek advantages. Not only does it meet their wants but it also meets the demands of the world. After attaining achievements and gaining advantages, we can only increase our sense of security but our hearts are still not at peace. We still fear failures. Therefore, the world is a wrong place to seek peace because it would be futile. The world can only give us a false sense of security and is unable to grant us genuine peace.
Lord! Help me step down so that I don’t have to seek achievements and advantages anymore. Amen.