The Purpose of the Law

by FLL Editorial Team
2013-09-07

一個安息日,耶穌經過麥田時,他的門徒掐了麥穗,用手搓著吃。有幾個法利塞人說:「為什麼你們做安息日不准做的呢?」耶穌回答說:「你們沒有讀過:達味和同他在一起的人,在饑餓時所做的嗎?他怎樣進了天主的殿:拿起供餅來吃了:又給了同他在一起的人吃。這供餅原不准他人吃,而只准司祭吃。」耶穌又向他們說:「人子是安息日的主。」
路加福音 6:1-5

disciples-plucking-grain我們在四部福音中都能看到耶穌和法利塞人之間的衝突往往跟如何守安息日有關。在今天的福音,門徒們在安息日掐麥穗的舉動引發衝突,但隨後耶穌卻藉這事去表明「人子是安息日的主」。

門徒們掐麥穗吃的行為一連觸犯安息日的四個禁令:掐麥穗違反收割禁令;用手搓的動作違反打穀禁令;把殼拋開違反簸穀禁令;吃下麥子違反預備食物禁令。面對謹守律法的法利塞人,耶穌以達味吃供餅的例子來說明:人的需要勝於律法禮規,重要的是律法的精神和目的,而非外在的形式。

我們要留意耶穌不是憑祂的愛好而決定應否守法。耶穌永遠不會做任何違反真理或美善的事,因祂和天父就是真理和美善的根源。律法的存在是為了引導人做好。飢餓與生存比起守齋的規定更為重要。在我們的日常生活中,我們要學懂在緊急的情形下,判斷怎樣做才不違反真理和美善。求天主聖神賜予智慧,讓我們不致被法律或指引綑綁而變得麻木不仁。

參考:
常年期第二二週星期六

While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”
Luke 6:1-5


In all four Gospels, we can see that the conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees were often related to how they observed the sabbath. In today's Gospel, we see that a conflict was resulted from Jesus' disciples plucking heads of corn. But Jesus used the incident to illustrate that "the Son of Man is lord of the sabbath".

By plucking and eating heads of corn, the disciples violated the law which forbade reaping and threshing. Jesus used the example of David eating the bread of offering to illustrate to the Pharisees that, people's needs are more important than observing the law. What is important is the spirit and purpose of the law, and not the law itself.

We must understand that Jesus does not do whatever He feels like doing. He would never go against anything that involves the True or the Good; with his Father he is the Source of all that is true and good. The law exists to guide people to do good. Hunger and survival may override a rule to fast. In our daily lives, we have to learn to decide what is the right thing to do in urgent situations, so that we might not violate the True or the Good. May the Holy Spirit grant us wisdom, so that we might not become apathetic in our compliance with the law or guidelines.

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