本末倒置 Putting the Cart before the Horse

本末倒置（瑪23:23-26）

法律有可見的「條文」部份，和不可見的「精神」部份。試問，守法的人一定是本著法律的精神履行法律嗎？不一定。例如，政府制定納稅的法律，旨在「劫富濟貧」，減輕社會上貧富懸殊的問題。試問那一位納稅人是本著減輕貧富懸殊的精神納稅呢？同理，不按法律行事的人，就沒有遵守法律的精神嗎？例如，制定安息日的法律，旨在慶祝自由人的身份，能夠騰出時間休息，可以有時間紀念上主的創造和解放（出20:11；申5:15）耶穌卻經常在安息日治病！試問誰可以說耶穌沒有遵守安息日法律的解放精神呢？

再推演多一步，守法並不保證這個人擁護法律的精神；同理，不守法並不表示這個人反對法律所維護的倫理價值。所以，教會內就「口領聖體」與「手領聖體」，誰孰虔誠的爭論，既不能辨明真理，又傷害兄弟共融，何苦挑起爭論呢？「口領聖體」並不保證這個人尊重耶穌基督的聖體；另一方面，我們憑甚麼判斷「手領聖體」的人不虔誠呢？祇注重法律的條文而忽略了法律的精神，便犯了「本末倒置」，不分輕重的毛病！當代的經師和法利塞人，正是犯了這個毛病。所以耶穌說：「你先應清潔杯的裡面，好叫它外面也成為清潔。」（瑪23:26）掌握著法律的精神行事，雖不中亦不遠矣！

福音中的經師和法利塞人，不但犯了本末倒置的毛病，更把法律變成武器，攻擊異己！他們不但指摘耶穌不遵守法律，在安息日治病；更請君入甕，企圖搜集耶穌的犯罪證據（12:10）！他們熟悉法律條文，但並沒有培養出對倫理價值的熱衷，約束不了對錢財權勢的私慾，最後成了殺死耶穌的兇手之一，的確可悲。
主啊！讓我們對祢聖言的熱愛，有助我們獲得真實的心靈解放。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：youridioms.com

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Putting the Cart before the Horse (Matthew 23:23-26)

Law consists of visible letters and invisible spirit. Allow me to ask, do law-abiding people obey the laws in the spirit of the law? Not necessarily! For example, governments set up taxation laws in order to minimize the problem of polarization of wealth in the society. Which taxpayers pay tax with the intention to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor? Similarly, do people who don’t follow the law oppose the spirit of law? For example, the Sabbath law celebrates the freedom from slavery. People are free to take a rest and to remember God’s creation and liberation (Exodus 20:11; Deuteronomy 5:15). However, Jesus always cured the sick on Sabbath! Can we say that Jesus opposes the spirit of liberation enshrined in the Sabbath law?

Take a step further, obeying the law does not guarantee a person supports the spirit of the law. Similarly, not obeying the law does not mean that person opposes the moral values enshrined in the law. Therefore, the controversy over which is more pious and appropriate, receiving the Holy Communion on the tongue or in the hand is fruitless. The quarrel is unable to unearth the truth and it damages fraternal communion. Why started the fight! Receiving the Holy Communion on the tongue does not guarantee that the person respects Jesus Christ present in the host. On the other hand, with what evidence can we judge that a person who receives the Holy Communion in the hand is impious? Focusing on the letters of the law and ignoring its spirit is putting the cart before the horse. It is a mistake of wrong priorities! The contemporary scribes and Pharisees were making such a mistake. Thus Jesus says, “Cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.” (Matthew 23:26) Act in accordance to the spirit of the law, though missed would never go astray.

Not only did the scribes and Pharisees misplaced their priorities, but they also deployed the law as a weapon to attack those who opposed them! Not only did they accuse Jesus of not obeying the law, healing the sick on Sabbath, but they also set up traps to collect evidence incriminating Jesus (12:10)! They knew the letters of the law thoroughly and yet such knowledge did not cultivate a love of moral values in them nor restrain their thirst for wealth and power. In the end, they were among the murderers of Jesus Christ. How pitiful!
Lord! Let our passion for Your word help us attain spiritual liberation. Amen.