Words on the Edge 鋒利的教導
Scriptures: 經節
Luke 4: 21-30
21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked. 23Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' " 24"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27And there were many in Israel with leprosy[a] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian."
28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
路加福音 4:21-30
21 耶 穌 對 他 們 說 ： 今 天 這 經 應 驗 在 你 們 耳 中 了 。 22 眾 人 都 稱 讚 他 ， 並 希 奇 他 口 中 所 出 的 恩 言 ； 又 說 ： 這 不 是 約 瑟 的 兒 子 麼 ？ 23 耶 穌 對 他 們 說 ： 你 們 必 引 這 俗 語 向 我 說 ： 醫 生 ， 你 醫 治 自 己 罷 ！ 我 們 聽 見 你 在 迦 百 農 所 行 的 事 ， 也 當 行 在 你 自 己 家 鄉 裡 ； 24 又 說 ： 我 實 在 告 訴 你 們 ， 沒 有 先 知 在 自 己 家 鄉 被 人 悅 納 的 。25 我 對 你 們 說 實 話 ， 當 以 利 亞 的 時 候 ， 天 閉 塞 了 三 年 零 六 個 月 ， 遍 地 有 大 饑 荒 ， 那 時 ， 以 色 列 中 有 許 多 寡 婦 ，26 以 利 亞 並 沒 有 奉 差 往 他 們 一 個 人 那 裡 去 ， 只 奉 差 往 西 頓 的 撒 勒 法 一 個 寡 婦 那 裡 去 。 27 先 知 以 利 沙 的 時 候 ， 以 色 列 中 有 許 多 長 大 痲 瘋 的 ， 但 內 中 除 了 敘 利 亞 國 的 乃 縵 ， 沒 有 一 個 得 潔 淨 的 。 28 會 堂 裡 的 人 聽 見 這 話 ， 都 怒 氣 滿 胸 ， 29 就 起 來 攆 他 出 城 ， 他 們 的 城 造 在 山 上 ； 他 們 帶 他 到 山 崖 ， 要 把 他 推 下 去 。 30 他 卻 從 他 們 中 間 直 行 ， 過 去 了 。
1 Corinthian 13:1-3
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
林前 13:1-3
1 我 若 能 說 萬 人 的 方 言 ， 並 天 使 的 話 語 ， 卻 沒 有 愛 ， 我 就 成 了 鳴 的 鑼 ， 響 的 鈸 一 般 。 2 我 若 有 先 知 講 道 之 能 ， 也 明 白 各 樣 的 奧 祕 ， 各 樣 的 知 識 ， 而 且 有 全 備 的 信 ， 叫 我 能 夠 移 山 ， 卻 沒 有 愛 ， 我 就 算 不 得 甚 麼 。 3 我 若 將 所 有 的 賙 濟 窮 人 ， 又 捨 己 身 叫 人 焚 燒 ， 卻 沒 有 愛 ， 仍 然 與 我 無 益 。
Sermon Outline:
- The Scriptural passage continues from last week’s passage where Jesus read a selected portion of Isaiah’s scroll, sat down, and declared to those in the synagogue, ‘the Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’. (v.21)
繼續從上週的聖經章節，耶穌選讀一段以賽亞先知書軸，坐了下來，
- The initial reaction from the people were quite positive (v.22), but the final response were extremely negative – ‘all the people in the synagogue were furious’ (v.28). What accounts for such a change?
聽講的人最初的反應是相當正面的（v.22），
- In verse 22, the people asked, ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ (v.22) The form of the question assumes a positive reply. It really amounts to an objection, as Jesus’ response in the next verses shows. Jesus spoke smoothly and impressively. He made a wonderful declaration, but could a local carpenter’s son make such an offer? That was their real question.
在22節，人們問， “這 不 是 約 瑟 的 兒 子 麼 ？” （v.22）問句的形式是一個積極回答的假設。
- There appeared to be some friction between Jesus’ home town of Nazareth and his chosen place of early ministry in Capernaum. Nazareth was a small farming village, whereas Capernaum was a populous fishing centre with many Gentiles residing in it. Perhaps some wondered: “Why would ‘our’ Jesus live among enemies and outcast?
在早期迦百農的傳道，耶穌在家鄉拿撒勒和他所選擇的一些地方，
- Two stories in the Scripture were raised by Jesus to support his contention that ‘no prophet is accepted in his home town’. The story of Elijah and the widow is recorded in 1 Kings 17:7-16, the story of Elisha healing Naaman is recorded in 2 Kings 5:1-14. Jesus clearly identifies himself with the prophetic tradition by doing so.
在聖經中耶穌提出了兩個故事，來支持他的論點，即 “沒 有 先 知 在 自 己 家 鄉 被 人 悅 納 的” (v.24)。以利亞和寡婦的故事被記錄在列王紀上17:7-
- Both stories recall acts of ministry outside of Israel where Gentiles were saved instead of the Israelites. The point that Jesus raised was ‘edgy’ but not new. Sometimes learning what we already know is often painfully difficult.
這兩個故事使人想起這些傳道的事蹟被在以色列以外的外邦人所保存
- The words of Jesus challenged the people in his home town to reflect on their understanding of salvation, and their relation to the Saviour. However, instead of reflecting on the message, they chose to ‘attack the messenger’.
對耶穌的話提出質疑是他家鄉的人，這反映出他們理解救恩，
- The Gospel is only good news to those who choose to self-reflect, to repent, and to change their ways of life.
對那些選擇自我反思、懺悔的人，福音是唯一的好消息，
- The truth of the Gospel cannot be contained; the sharpness of the Gospel cannot be smothered, but it can and should be spoken and practiced in love as in 1 Cor. 13:1-3.
福音的真理不能被限制;福音的銳利不能被扼殺，
Questions for Reflection:
- Have you ever felt angry by a message that you have received in a sermon? Why?
你有沒有過聽一場證道; 為了其中所傳講的某些信息感到憤怒？為什麼？
- Instead of anger, what might be a better response?
什麼可能是一個更好的反應，而不是憤怒？
- Why should love come before preaching and practicing faith?
為什麼傳道和信仰需要先建立在愛之上？
Translated into Chinese by Teresa Yang
