若望憑甚麼作見證 With What Did John Bear Witness

【見證系列（二）】
若望憑甚麼作見證（若1:1-18）

從三部「對觀福音」可見，雅各伯和若望原本是一對不好惹的「熱血青年」，耶穌給他們起了一個「雷霆之子」的綽號（谷3:17）。有一次他們路過一個撒瑪黎雅村莊，村民拒絕接待他們。這對「雷霆之子」便對耶穌說：「主，你願意我們叫火自天降下，焚毀他們嗎？」（路9:54）結果被耶穌轉身斥責了。經歷過基督的顯聖容、逾越、升天、聖神降臨、福傳、教難等等的操練和反省之後，若望已長大成熟，對主耶穌的愛刻骨銘心，成為在最後晚餐斜倚在耶穌懷裡的（若13:23）和後來站在十字架下（19:26）「主所愛的門徒」。

在他所寫的福音中，「父」字共用過140次，其中123次是指天主聖三中的「聖父」。當猶太人自恃為亞巴郎的後裔時，耶穌教訓他們說：「我如果光榮我自己，我的光榮算不了甚麼；那光榮我的， 是我的父，就是你們所稱的『我們的天主』」（若8:54）。這一句話不但明顯地啟示了耶穌基督是天主聖子的身份，而且還回應了在福音的第一章，天主聖子在創造過程中的角色。

若望刻意地運用【創世紀】第一章的詩歌體裁，開始他所寫的福音。他甚至以【創世紀】開頭的三個字，作為【若望福音】開頭的三個字。天主是全能的，是言出必行的（則17:24）。按【創世紀】的敘述，天主說了便造成了。若望的貢獻，在於指示出這「聖言」就是「天主子」。倘若天主子祇是「聖言」，天主未免太抽象了。若望在他寫給教會的書信中，開宗明義說：「論到那從起初就有的生命的聖言，就是我們聽見過，我們親眼看見過，以及我們親手摸過的生命的聖言」（若一1:1）。若望與讀者分享他實實在在的經驗和反省，「為使你們也同我們相通；原我們是同父和祂的子耶穌基督相通的」（1:3），藉著他的作證，讀者也能分享天主的永恆生命。這生命源於天主的本質，是若望指出天主的本質就是愛（4:8）。

親愛的讀者，過了晚上就是新的一年。祝願大家來年多愛耶穌一些，好能更實在地與人分享天父的永恆生命。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio

[Mission Series II]
With What Did John Bear Witness (John 1:1-18)

From the Synoptic gospels, we know that James and John were a pair of hot-blooded brothers. Jesus gave them a nickname, Boanerges, sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). Once they entered a Samaritan village but the villagers would not welcome them. The Boanerges asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” (Luke 9:54). Jesus turned and rebuked them. After going through Christ’s Transfiguration, Passover, Ascension, the Decent of the Holy Spirit, evangelization and persecutions etc., John had grown up and had become mature through meditations. His love for Lord Jesus had been deeply craved in his soul. He became the beloved disciple who reclined at Jesus’ side during the Last Supper (John 13:23) and stood next to the cross during His crucifixion (19:26).

In the gospel of his name, he used the word “father” 140 times, among which 123 times refer to the “Father” in the Blessed Trinity. When the Jews boosted of being Abraham’s descendants, Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’” (8:54). Not only does this verse manifest Jesus Christ’s identity as the Son of God, but it also echoes His role in Creation mentioned in chapter one.

John deliberately deployed the hymnal genre of Genesis 1 to begin his gospel. He even made use of the first three words of Genesis to start his writing. God is almighty. He speaks and will do (Ezekiel 17:24). In the narrative of Genesis, God spoke and things were created. John’s contribution was his personification of God’s Word into the Son of God. However, if the Son of God were only God’s Word, God would be too abstract. When John wrote to the Church, he made it clear from the start, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have ween with our eyes, what we looked up and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). John shares with his readers his concrete experiences and meditations, “What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ” (1:3). With his witness, readers are able to partake in God’s eternal life. This life flows from the essence of God. It is John who points out that God’s essence is love (4:8).

Beloved brethren! After this evening, it will be a new year. May all of us love Jesus more so that we may bear witness more concretely to the eternal life of the Father. Amen.
God bless!