想跟隨耶穌的人

by FLL Editorial Team
2013-07-01

jesus-with-disciples-bible-series瑪竇福音 8:18-22

一位熟悉律法的經師跟耶穌說要跟隨祂,他彷彿不明白根據律法,耶穌就是人們該跟隨的那位。因此耶穌從經師的提問反映出的懦怯,發覺到他抱有懷疑。耶穌的答覆和經師所說的沒直接關連,祂是按照他心中的意圖而回答的。這不是要打發他走,而是要使知道他自己的意圖不妥,同時讓他知道,如果他真的要跟隨耶穌,他要有心理準備過貧窮的生活。

至於那門徒,他沒有問耶穌他應否跟隨祂;因他已信任祂是值得跟隨的,但希望能先回去埋葬他的父親。當天主準備一些人為祂傳福音,他們不會被塵世和暫時的事妨礙,所以耶穌對他說:「你跟隨我吧!任憑死人去埋葬他們的死人!」

耶穌這樣說不是要譴責我們對父母的感情,但要指出沒有任何事比天國的事更需要我們去做;為此我們不顧那些令我們分心的事,不論有多迫切或緊急也好,而要盡一切努力,不要懈怠。

有什麼比回去埋葬父親更有必要?這亦不會花太多時間。但耶穌這樣說卻令他免卻了很多壞事。在喪禮舉行過後,他一定會再次看看自己的意願,亦會牽涉到財產怎樣分配等等;因此,事情沒完沒了,就像湧過來的浪,令他離真理的岸邊越來越遠。試想想有時我們也不會讓一些承受不了噩耗的人知道他的父親、母親或兒子已經去世,這不是殘忍。把一個人從屬靈的對話中引開是邪惡的。

Matthew 8:18-22

This Scribe being one of the doctors of the Law, asks if he shall follow Jesus, as though it were not contained in the Law that this is to whom it were gain to follow. Therefore He discovers a feeling of unbelief under the diffidence of his inquiry. For the taking up of the faith is not by question but by following. So Christ answers him not so much to what He had said, but to the obvious purpose in his mind. This was not to send him away, but rather to convict him of evil intentions at the same time permitting him if he would to follow Christ with the expectation of poverty.

The disciple, however, does not ask whether he shall follow Him; for he already believed that he ought to follow, but prays to be suffered first to bury his father. The Lord when He prepares men for the Gospel will not have any excuse of this fleshly and temporal attachment to interfere, therefore it follows; 'Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead."'

This saying does not condemn natural affection to our parents, but shows that nothing ought to be more binding on us than the business of heaven; that to this we ought to will apply ourselves with all our endeavors, and not to be slack, however necessary or urgent are the things that draw us aside. For what could be more necessary than to bury a father? What more easy? For it could not need much time. But in this the Lord rescued him from much evil, Weeping, and mourning, and from the pains of expectation. For after the funeral there must come examination of the will, division of the inheritance, and other things of the same sort; and thus trouble following trouble, like the waves, would have borne him far from the port of truth. But if you are not yet satisfied, reflect further that oftentimes the weak are not permitted to know the time, or to follow to the grave; even though the dead be father, mother, or son; yet are they not charged with cruelty that hinder them; it is rather the reverse of cruelty. And it is a much greater evil to draw one away from spiritual discourse.

Reference:
Homily 27 on Matthew (St. John Chrysostom)
In Evangelium Matthaei Commentarius (St. Hilary of Poitiers)
Sermon 100 on the New Testament (St. Augustine)

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