Give Sinners A Break 放罪人一條生路吧

【天主經系列（六）】
放罪人一條生路吧（路5:27-32）

俗語「近朱者赤，近墨者黑」，總結了教育青少年的經驗。相傳孟軻的母親，曾經為了讓未來的孟子可以在一個良好的環境中長大成人，三次搬家，確認了環境對人健康成長的重要性。而且近代心理學的研究，亦認同朋輩對人類的性格成長，有著舉足輕重的作用。【聖經】是天主啟示的書，當中亦有類似的教訓，例如：「凡不隨從惡人的計謀，不插足於罪人的道路，不參與譏諷者的席位，而專心愛好上主法律的，和晝夜默思上主誡命的，像這樣的人纔是有福的」（詠1:1-2）。因此，當耶穌在肋未家中，與許多稅吏和罪人一同坐席時，「法利塞人和他們的經師就憤憤不平」（路5:30a），是可以理解的，因為耶穌的行為，正在挑戰著【聖經】的教訓！

殊不知教育理論中，幫助人學習的手法，除了消極地責備和懲罰錯誤的行為，希望人不再重犯之外，還可以積極地鼓勵正確的行為，養成正面的習慣。法利塞人以局外人身份，站在道德高地，採用前者的手段，實在太多、太舒適了！基督來卻不願作壁上觀，祂採取後者的方法，放罪人一條生路，陪伴他們擺脫罪惡羈絆，並樂意付出沉重的代價，幫助罪人回頭悔改，加入天主子民的行列，成為教會的一員！因此，世上並沒有完美無瑕的聖人團契，祇有千瘡百孔的罪人教會，纔是真正由耶穌基督所建立的教會。

要知道軟弱的人所需要的，不是指摘而是鼓勵，不是歧視而是同行，不是落井下石，而是一雙伸出的、友善的援手。其實最難醫治的，不是病入膏肓的病人，而是不願意承認自己有病的人！人誰無過？那個人沒有病？就放他一條生路吧！
天父啊！願祢的國來臨。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：pantryiopsy.com

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Give Sinners A Break (Luke 5:27-32)
[The Lord’s Prayer Series VI]

“Watch the company you keep” summarizes the practices of adolescence education. Legend has it that the mother of Mencius moved three times to settle in a good learning environment for her son. It affirms the importance of nurture for the healthy growth of a person. Modern psychology also affirms the significance of peers in character formation. The Bible contains God’s revelation and we are able to find similar teachings. For example, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers. Rather, the law of the Lord is his joy; and on his Law he meditates day and night” (Psalms 1:1-2). Therefore, when Jesus ate and drank with sinners in Levi’s home, it is understandable that “The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples” (Luke 5:30a) because Jesus’ action was challenging the teachings of the Scriptures!

In fact, education theory provides many ways to help people learn. Besides applying punishments to discourage wrong behaviours, hoping that people would not make the same mistakes in the future, teachers can positively reinforce correct behaviours so that students would build up good habits. Indeed, it was too comfortable and too excessive for the Pharisees to take the role of a bystander, standing on moral high ground to apply the former technique! Christ chose otherwise. He took the latter approach and gave sinners a break. He accompanied them to shake off the shackles of sins. He is willing to pay a heavy price to help them repent; admit them into the People of God and become members of the Church. Therefore, there is no fellowship of perfect saints on earth, only scandal-infested Church of sinners can be the Church established by Jesus Christ.

What weaklings need is not reproach but encouragement, nor prejudice but accompaniment, nor rubbing salt on wounds but an extended friendly helping hand! The most difficult patients to heal are not those suffering from incurable diseases but those who do not acknowledge their illnesses! Who is blameless? Who has never been ill? Give him a break!
Heavenly Father! Your Kingdom comes. Amen.

Balance Between Holy-Indifference and Faith 「平常心」與信德之間的平衡

【天主經系列（五）】
「平常心」與信德之間的平衡（瑪9:14-25）

「聖灰星期三」的默想，再次提醒我們「守齋」是靈修的基本功，藉著與饑餓的兄弟姊妹為伍，學習他們對天主的信德。今天讓我們從一個病人身上，學習她的信德！
「靈修」的目的是為了與天主建立良好的關係，一般可分為三個階段：「淨路」是指淨煉靈魂，滅除惡習；「明路」是指在除去罪惡的過程中，獲得天主聖神的光照，認清天主的旨意；最後到達「合路」，與天主聖三完全的結合，享受「榮福直觀」，和心靈的通透等。在一眾靈修傳統中，有些派別強調不要強求，一切都按天主的旨意。例如運用「聖言頌讀」作祈禱的時候，不要強求獲得第四階段的「默觀」經驗；又例如做「意識省察」時，不應追求「神慰」的經驗，而應該以「平常心」進行所有靈修的操練，不刻意追求財富或貧窮，權力或卑賤，健康或患病等等。倘若運用這個原則來判斷，我們不應該向這個患血漏病的女人學習，因為她追求痊癒！福音中的首長也不對，既然女兒死了，就讓她安息吧，在末日復活時，她一定會復活（若11:24），何必強迫天主出手，使她現在就復生哩！

首先，請不要判斷任何人（瑪7:1），包括那位首長和患了十二年血漏病的婦人！
請嘗試設身處地，以一位長期病患者的心想一想。十二年來求醫和遭受親人和團體排斥的經歷一定不好受，經濟一定拮据，很容易會產生放棄的念頭，不敢妄想有痊癒的一日。要知道遇上困難挫折時，放棄容易，堅持到底艱難。耶穌曾兩次說：「惟獨堅持到底的，纔可得救」（10:22, 24:13）！這個患了十二年血漏病的婦人之所以得救，正是她能堅持到底，沒有放棄信靠天主，因而獲得耶穌基督的讚賞：「女兒，放心吧！妳的信德救了妳」（9:22）。作為父親，堅持對天主的信德，不但讓女兒復生，而且「這消息傳遍了那整個地區」（9:26），使眾人光耀在天之父（5:16）！

「平常心」是正確的，但不可走向極端，要與堅持信德，取得平衡。
天父啊！願祢的名受顯揚。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：catholicweekly.com.au

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Balance Between Holy-Indifference and Faith (Matthew 9:14-25)
[The Lord’s Prayer Series V]

Our meditation on Ash Wednesday reminded us that fasting is a basic exercise of spirituality. Accompanying our starving brethren, we learn from them enduring trust in God. Today let us learn from the faith of a sick woman!
The purpose of spiritual exercises is to establish a good relationship with God. Usually the gradual spiritual growth involves three stages of development, namely the “Purgative stage” in which we purify our souls and remove sinful habits; the “Illuminative stage” in which the souls receive illumination from God to discern His will and lastly, the “Unitive stage” in which our souls come to total union with the Blessed Trinity, enjoy beatific visions and transparency of hearts and mind. Among traditions of spirituality, some schools emphasize not to force God’s hand. Do everything according to God’s will. For example, in doing “Lectio Divina”, do not desire to obtain the experience of “Contemplation” in the fourth movement; in doing the “Ignatian Examen”, do not seek the experience of “Consolation” deliberately. Applying “Holy Indifference” in doing spiritual exercises, we do not seek wealth nor poverty, power nor humility, health nor sickness etc. If we apply this principle of “Holy Indifference”, we should not learn from the bleeding woman because she sought recovery! The official in the gospel was not right. His daughter had died. Let her rest in peace and she “will rise, in the resurrection on the last day” (John 11:24). Why force the hand of God to raise her now!

First, we should stop judging (Matthew 7:1) anybody, not the official nor the bleeding woman!
Let us put ourselves in the shoes of this chronic patient. The experiences of seeking medical treatments as well as rejections from relatives, friends and community for twelve years must have been extremely bad. The financial situation was grim. It would be easy for her to give up and dared not to dream of the day of recovery. When people encounter difficulties and frustrations, it is easy to give up and hard to persevere. Jesus speaks twice, “Whoever endures to the end will be saved” (10:22, 24:13)! This bleeding woman had been suffering for twelve years. She was healed because she persevered and did not give up putting her faith in God. Thus, Jesus praised her saying, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you” (9:22). As a father, perseverance in trusting God not only brought his daughter back to life, but also spread this news throughout all that land (9:26), leading people to glorify the heavenly Father (5:16)!

“Holy Indifference” is correct but we should not go to the extreme. We must balance it with perseverance in faith.
Heavenly Father! Holy be Your name. Amen.

Admiration From Afar 望洋興嘆

【天主經系列（四）】
望洋興嘆（路9:22-25）

耶穌這段說話（路9:22），是在伯多祿明認祂是「受傅者」（9:20）之後，顯聖容之前（9:28-36）所說的，即是耶穌的「第一次預言自己受難和復活」。門徒們完全沒有心理準備，因為這段話的內容，與他們內心對「默西亞」的期望，實在有很大的落差。他們既聽不懂，又不明白；難怪後來路加感慨地說，「這些話他們一點也不懂，這話為他們是隱祕的；祂所說的事，他們也不明白」（18:34）！作為一位師傅，門徒不明白自己的教導，是意料中事。為了讓他們明白，惟有想辦法採用其他更淺易的表述方式。可惜，天主的思維與人類的思維，的確有天淵之別（依55:8-9），倘若沒有聖神的助祐，恐怕門徒祇得望洋興嘆罷了！關鍵在於為甚麼「願意救自己的性命，必要喪失性命…喪失自己的性命，必能救得性命」（路9:24）呢？世間哪有這樣矛盾的道理呢？且讓我講述一個大家熟悉的故事，希望能夠對大家明白耶穌的教訓，有點幫助。

相信大家一定聽過『撒羅滿斷獄如神』的美談罷！話說兩個同住的妓女來到君王前，爭奪一個活的初生嬰孩，指死的一個是對方的。雙方爭持不下，一時間無法辨別誰是生母。「君王遂下令說：『把那活孩子劈成兩半，一半給這一個，一半給那一個』」（列上3:25）！親生母親愛子心切，為了保存孩子的生命，寧願放棄爭取；那邊厢，另一個妓女可能在想：「既然我沒有，妳休想擁有」，於是即使是死嬰也要爭取（3:26）！結果當然大快人心，全以色列人讚美撒羅滿斷案，具有天主的智慧！

不要小覷這「天主的智慧」（3:28b）是人之常情，是小聰明。當中的智慧在於一個「愛」字！保祿宗徒說得好：「我若把我所有的財產全施捨了，我若捨身投火被焚；但我若沒有愛，為我毫無益處」（格前13:3）。的確，沒有「愛天主、愛近人」的動機，施捨、殉道，不但對自己，對任何人都沒有益處！同樣道理，獻身跟隨耶穌基督卻始終培養不出愛主愛人的情懷，祇落得身敗名裂，帶給教會陋聞，真是可悲！
天父啊！求祢寬恕我們的罪過，如同我們寬恕別人一樣。亞孟！
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：Christianity.com

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Admiration From Afar (Luke 9:22-25)
[The Lord’s Prayer Series IV]

Jesus said this (Luke 9:22) after Peter’s Confession (9:20) and before His Transfiguration (9:28-36). That was the First Prediction of the Passion. The disciples were totally unprepared for the shock because the message deviated too far from their anticipations of the Messiah. They were unable to catch the meaning and failed to understand. No wonder Luke later put this remark in the gospel, “But they understood nothing of this; the word remained hidden from them and they failed to comprehend what He said” (18:34). As a mentor, Jesus did not expect His disciples to understand His teachings completely. To help them comprehend, He has to come up with more easily understood articulations. Unfortunately, there is a huge gulf between God’s thoughts and men’s thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). Without the help of the Holy Spirit, I am afraid the disciples could only admire from a great distance! The key difficulty lies in why “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life … will save it” (Luke 9:24)? How is it possible for such a paradox to exist at all? Let me tell you a familiar story which hopefully will shed light on our understanding of this paradox.

I trust all of you have heard of Solomon’s wise judgments! Two prostitutes lived in the same house and both gave birth to a son. One of the sons died while the mothers slept. Now, they fought for the living son, argued before Solomon that the dead child belonged to the other woman. It was difficult to know who the real mother was. So the king ordered, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other” (1 Kings 3:25)! The real mother loved the baby and gave up fighting in order to save its life while the other woman probably thought, “If I have not, you too will have not”. She agreed to cut the baby into halves (3:26)! Consequently, everybody was happy except for the stonehearted prostitute! “… all Israel …were in awe of him [Solomon], because they saw that the king had in him the wisdom of God for giving right judgment” (3:28)!

Do not dismiss this “wisdom of God” (3:28b) as common sense. God’s wisdom is “Love”. Paul says well, “If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). Indeed, without the motivation to “love God and love neighbour”, almsgiving and martyrdom do nobody any good! In the same vein, for those who have responded God’s call generously to follow Jesus Christ and yet fail to develop a desire to love God and to love neighbour, it is a great pity to see them end up bringing scandals to the Church!
Heavenly Father! Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Amen!

Observe Abstinence in Both the Belly And the Heart 齋心也應齋口

【天主經系列（三）】
齋心也應齋口（瑪6:1-6, 16-18）

在默想今天福音的訊息之前，且讓我們澄清一個歧義。今天的福音說：「你們應當心，不要在人前行你們的仁義，為叫他們看；若是這樣，你們在天父之前，就沒有賞報了」（瑪6:1）。但耶穌教導「地鹽世光」的道理時，卻教訓門徒要讓人看見他們的善行（5:16）。為甚麼前者（5:16）應該讓人看見，後者（6:1）卻不要讓人看見呢？我祇需要指出後者，即「行你們的仁義」，希臘文原文是「施捨」。相信各位讀者一定能判斷其中的分別，不用我在這裡「嘮嘮叨叨」了（6:7）！

今天是「聖灰星期三」，適逢農曆新春初五，香港教區免守大小齋。主教公署的公佈呼籲信友「仍有本份自行採用其他適當的方式踐行克己或愛德善工」，即使不用齋口，仍應齋心，因為「守齋」是基督徒靈修的基本功。其實天主教的守齋傳統與其他宗教的齋戒相比，的確有點相形見絀。因為天主教的守齋規矩，祗是「最低要求」而已，大家可以按自己的實際狀況，自行調節甚至「加碼」！「守齋」讓我們與貧窮的人為伍，學習他們信靠上主的經驗，所以是基督徒靈修的基本功。

試想想，我們要劃出一段日子來守齋，表示我們有剩餘的食物及資源，否則談不上要守齋！與此同時，耶穌基督最小的兄弟不是每天都在捱餓嗎？他們用不著另定守齋的日子！為甚麼我們有剩餘呢？「養兒防老，積穀防饑」嘛！唉！人啊！你們把「信德」掉到哪？你們沒有唸過「我是上主，我是你的天主，是我由埃及國將你領出，你張開口，我要使它滿足」（詠81:11）與及「我要以麥子的精華養育選民，以石中的蜂蜜飽享他們」（81:17）嗎？我們不是上主天主從罪惡的奴役中領出來的選民嗎？相信了天主，領洗加入了天主教之後，為甚麼還要防這樣、防那樣，心緒不寧呢？
天父啊！求祢今天賞給我們日用的食糧。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：facebook.com/encwomensretreat

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Observe Abstinence in Both the Belly And the Heart (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18)
[The Lord’s Prayer Series III]

Before meditating on the gospel message today, we need to clarify an ambiguity. The gospel today reads, “But take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father” (Matthew 6:1). However, when Jesus teaches about the light of the world and the salt of the earth, He tells His disciples to let people see their good deeds (5:16). Why should we allow people to see the former (5:16) but not the latter (6:1)? I only need to point out that in the latter case, the Greek original means “almsgiving”. You don’t need me babbling more (6:7) for I trust you readers are able to tell the difference!

Today is Ash Wednesday and it happens to be the fifth day in the Lunar New Year. Traditional fasting and abstinence are dispensed. The Chancery Office exhorts, “During Lent all the faithful are obliged to pray more and to perform more acts of penance and charity … caring for the material or spiritual needs of the poor and the socially marginalized.” In other words, even though we are exempted from observing fasting and abstinence of the belly, we need to fast and abstain our hearts because fasting and abstinence are basic spiritual exercises for Christians. Indeed, the fasting traditions of other global religions dwarf the Catholic practices which are minimum requirements only. We should adjust or augment them according to our stations of life. With fasting we walk hand in hand with the poor and learn from their experience of entrusting themselves to the mercy of the Lord. This makes fasting the basic exercise of spirituality.

Think about it, that we need to draw up a fasting and abstinence period means that we have redundant food and resources. Otherwise how can we talk about fasting! At the same time, are not the least of Jesus’ brethren starving everyday? There is no need for them to draw up another period of fasting! Now why do we have surplus? Of course “To save up for famine”! Alas! Men! Why have you dropped your faith? Have you not read, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. Open wide your mouth that I may fill it” (Psalms 81:11) and “But Israel I will feed with the finest wheat, I will satisfy them with honey from the rock” (81:17). Are we not God’s People whom God have liberated from the bondage of sins? You believe in God, and after being admitted into the Catholic Church, why are your hearts so restless and your souls still insecure?
Heavenly Father! Give us today our daily bread. Amen.

It Is Most Difficult To Convert People’s Hearts 改變人心最難

【天主經系列（二）】
改變人心最難（谷8:14-21）

看來「原罪」在人類心靈留下的創傷，相當嚴重。且看，不但學識淵博的法利塞人和經師，未能在自己的專業領域中，找到有關天主救贖人類的啟示；他們甚至濫用法律，誅滅耶穌而後快；連耶穌基督自己親自訓練和一起生活的宗徒們，不但心靈遲鈍，甚至後來因貪財而出賣師傅；為了保命而否認那位立他為「掌門人」（瑪16:18）的恩師！培根的名句：「知識就是力量」應用到法利塞人身上，並不一定正確；看來連漁夫稅吏們「將勤補拙」的努力也枉然。沒有天主採取主動，人類的確沒有本領自救！

在今次事件中，明明在船上還有一個餅（谷8:14），為甚麼「他們彼此議論：他們沒有餅了」（8:16）呢？為甚麼他們能正確回答耶穌的提問，即「收滿了幾筐碎塊」（8:19-20），到頭來仍然「一頭霧水」（8:21）呢？看來門徒關心的不是「沒有餅了」，而是「沒有足夠數目的餅」給耶穌再顯神蹟！

在首次增餅中，耶穌憑他們收集到的五餅二魚，增餅給五千人吃飽。可能門徒認為「七」是一個神聖的數目字，是給耶穌施行神蹟的必要條件！所以第二次，他們預留了七個餅給耶穌施行增餅神蹟，讓四千人吃飽。他們的焦點放在如何為「美滿成果」創造他們認為是「有利的條件」，卻忽略了天主的參與和介入，纔是美滿成果的關鍵所在；而且結果是喜出望外，綽綽有餘的！門徒們的教育水平可能低，情有可原；但學識淵博的法利塞人和經師，就難辭其咎了。在舊約經典記載的戰事中，經常是天主幫助以色列人取得勝利，而且是以少勝多，「免得以色列對我自誇說：是自己的能力救了自己」（民7:2b）。穩操勝券輕易，改變人心最難！天父非常明白這一點，所以要派遣獨生子降生成人，御駕親征！
天父啊！願祢的旨意，奉行在人間，如同在天上。亞孟。
生命恩泉
圖片鳴謝：mylakeview.weebly.com

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It Is Most Difficult To Convert People’s Hearts (Mark 8:14-21)
[The Lord’s Prayer Series II]

Original Sin has left serious wounds in the souls and minds of humanity. Look at the learned Pharisees and scribes. Not only were they unable to unveil God’s salvation but they even tried to abuse the Law to kill Jesus. The apostles with whom Jesus stayed and personally trained were no better. Their hearts were hard and their minds dumb. One of them betrayed the Master for money while another denied Him who made him the Rock of the Church (Matthew 16:18). Bacon’s aphorism “Knowledge is power” seems not to work on the Pharisees. The hard works of the disciples were futile. Had God not taken the initiative, humanity would not have been able to save themselves!

In today’s story, the disciples “had only one loaf with them in the boat” (Mark 8:14). Why did “They conclude[d] among themselves that … they had no bread” (8:16)? Why were they able to answer Jesus’ prompt correctly, namely “how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up” (8:19-20) and “Still not understand” (8:21)? It seemed that “having no bread” was not their real concern. Rather, “not having sufficient bread” for Jesus to work miracles was!

During the first multiplication of bread, Jesus fed 5000 with five loaves and two fish. Probably the disciples thought that “seven” was a sacred number, a necessary condition for Jesus to work miracles! Therefore, during the second multiplication miracle, they reserved seven loaves for Jesus to multiply to feed 4000. They focused on creating what they thought to be advantageous conditions to output good results, forgetting that God’s participation and intervention are the keys of successes, and even surprises of abundance! We may forgive the disciples because they were not scholars but not the Pharisees and scribed who knew the most. There are many war narratives in the Hebrew Scriptures. God always helped the Israelites win and with a small number of fighters, “Lest Israel vaunt itself against me and say, ‘My own power saved me.’” (Judges 7:2b). Winning a battle is easy; converting men’s hearts is the most difficult! The Father knows it best thus, He sent His only begotten Son to incarnate to fight the war Himself!
Heavenly Father! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Testing God 試探天主

【天主經系列（一）】
試探天主（谷8:11-13）

按【馬爾谷福音】的時序，法利塞人與耶穌的衝突，在第三章已經到了「與黑落德黨人作陷害耶穌的商討，為除滅祂」的地步（谷3:6）。那時候的耶穌，是一個有本領治病驅魔的「拉比/師傅」，挑戰法利塞人和經師在猶太人心目中的地位。到了第八章，耶穌不但治病驅魔，而且曾在公開場合，即除了門徒以外的其他人面前，平息過風浪（4:35-41），兩次增餅（6:30-44, 8:1-10），這就是今天所讀福音的背景。在法利塞人心目中，耶穌已經不是一個能治病驅魔那麼簡單的「師傅」了，而是一個比洗者若翰更偉大的人物。他是【梅瑟五書】所預言，像梅瑟一樣的那位先知（申18:18）嗎？莫非他就是默西亞嗎？

要驗證並不難！倘若耶穌真是天主派來像梅瑟一樣的先知，他自然像梅瑟一樣，能行來自天上的神蹟，例如分開紅海（出14:19-22）、天降瑪納（16:13-15）、擊石出水（17:5-6）；況且，梅瑟的繼承人若蘇厄，不是曾經命令太陽和月亮停頓在空中一整天（蘇10:12-13）嗎？因此，法利塞人認為，向耶穌要求一個來自天上的徵兆，考驗他，是合情合理和合法的（谷8:11）！

耶穌基督發自心中的嘆息（8:12），是可以理解的。祂珍惜和欣賞法利塞人是「以色列人的師傅」（若3:10），甚至是首領，但他們竟然不能從舊約經典的啟示中，認出耶穌基督就是天主子、默西亞，試問平民百姓，還可以憑甚麼獲得天主的救贖呢？法利塞人祇著眼法律的文字和前人的傳授，忽視了法律的精神，甚至引用法律條文，控訴耶穌不守安息日；日後更設下圈套陷害耶穌…如今法利塞人要求耶穌行神蹟，無疑觸犯了「你們不可試探上主你們的天主，如同在瑪撒試探了祂一樣」（申6:16）的法律。作為「以色列人的師傅」，竟然好像被撒殫附身一樣，試探天主子（瑪4:5-7），豈不令人悲嘆！
天父啊！不要讓我們陷於誘惑。亞孟。
生命恩泉
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Testing God (Mark 8:11-13)
[The Lord’s Prayer Series I]

According to the chronology of Mark, the conflict between the Pharisees and Jesus had escalated to the stage of conspiring to put Jesus to death, “The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death” (Mark 3:6). At that time, Jesus was a rabbi that healed and exorcised, challenging the status of the Pharisees and scribes among the Jews. Reaching chapter 8, not only did Jesus heal and exorcise, but He had also calmed a storm at sea (4:35-41), multiplied bread twice (6:30-44; 8:1-10) in public. This is the context of the reading today. In the eyes of the Pharisees, Jesus was not simply a rabbi who healed and exorcised but somebody greater than John the Baptist. Would He be “the prophet like Moses” foretold in the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 18:18)? Would He be the Messiah?

It is not difficult to verify! If Jesus were the prophet like Moses sent from God, like Moses, He should be able to show them a sign from heaven, such as parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:19-22); raining down manna (16:13-15) and striking a rock to give water (17:5-6) etc. Look, had Joshua, the successor of Moses, not ordered the sun and the moon to halt halfway across the heavens for an entire day (Joshua 10:12-13)? Therefore the Pharisees thought it reasonable and legitimate to demand a sign from heaven to test Jesus (Mark 8:11)!

It is understandable for Jesus Christ to sigh from the depth of His spirit (8:12). He cherished the Pharisees as “teacher[s] of Israel” (John 3:10), and even leaders. But they were unable to recognize from the revelation in the Hebrew Scriptures that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Messiah, with what would Jewish commoners be able to obtain the redemption of God? The Pharisees set their sight on the letters of the Law and the traditions of ancestors and ignored the spirit of the Law. They even made use of the Law to accuse Jesus of failing to observe the Sabbath. Subsequently, they even lay traps to ensnare Jesus … Now that they demanded Jesus to perform miracles, they had breached the law of “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test, as you did at Massah” (Deuteronomy 6:16). How pitiful it is to see these “teachers of Israel” test the Son of God (Matthew 4:5-7) as if Satan had possessed them!
Heavenly Father! Lead us not into temptation. Amen.