蔑視真理

【馬爾谷福音　11:27-33】

猶太人的司祭長和經師為耶穌驅逐聖殿裡的商販感到很憤怒，因而走到祂跟前，質問和試探祂。福音這樣說：「耶穌和他的門徒來到耶路撒冷。當耶穌在殿裏徘徊時，司祭長、經師和長老來到他跟前，對他說：『你憑什麼權柄作這些事？或者，是誰給了你權柄作這些事？』」他們彷彿在說：「你做這些事，是當自己是誰？你當自己是學者或大司祭嗎？」的確，當他們問：「你憑什麼權柄作這些事？」，他們不相信這是天主的大能，而想人認為祂做的是魔鬼的工作。當他們說：「是誰給了你權柄作這些事？」，就證明了他們否認祂是天主子，因為他們認為祂行的奇蹟不是出於祂自己的能力，而是其他力量。

耶穌駁倒了那些試探祂的人的無端指摘，但也審慎的向他們提出了一個問題，讓他們答與不答都會受譴責，由以下的敘述可以看得到：「他們心中思量說：『若我們說：是從天上來的，他就要說：那麼你們為什麼不信他？』」彷彿耶穌這樣說了：「在天上的那位，你稱祂向你啟示預言的那位，祂已為我作證，而你亦聽得到我是憑什麼權柄去作這些事。」他們這樣想：「『但我們怎敢說：是從人來的呢？』——他們是害怕民眾」他們明白不論他們怎樣回答，他們都會墮下陷阱；他們害怕會被投擲石頭，更害怕會聽到更多真理。因此，「他們便回答耶穌說：『我們不知道。』」

我們要注意有些時候，一些人想知道某些道理，但道理卻給隱藏起來。主要有兩個原因：當那些尋求這些道理的人沒有足夠能力去理解，或他們蔑視真理，或基於某些原因不配獲啟示這道理。

【Mark　11:27-33】

The Jewish authorities were angry with the Lord, for having cast out of the temple those who had made it a place of merchandise, and therefore they come up to Him, to question and tempt Him. Where it is said: "And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the elders, and say to him, By what authority do you these things? Or who gave you authority to do these things?" As if they had said: "Who are you that do these things? Do you make yourself a doctor, and ordain yourself Chief Priest?" And indeed, when they say, "By what authority do you these things", they doubt its being the power of God, and wish it to be understood that what He did was the devil's work. When they add also, "Who gave you this authority", they evidently deny that He is the Son of God, since they believe that He works miracles, not by His own but by another's power.

The Lord might indeed have confuted the cavils of his tempters by a direct answer, but prudently puts them a question, that they might be condemned either by their silence or their speaking, which is evident from what is added, "And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him?"
As if He had said: "He whom you confess to have had his prophecy from heaven bore testimony of Me, and you have heard from him, by what authority I do these things." It goes on: "But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people." They saw then that whatever they answered, they should fall into a snare; fearing to be stoned, they feared still more the confession of the truth. Wherefore it goes on: "And they answered and said to Jesus, We cannot tell." It is as if Jesus had said: "I will not tell you what I know, since you will not confess what you know."

We must observe that knowledge is hidden from those who seek it, principally for two reasons, namely, when he who seeks for it either has not sufficient capacity to understand what he seeks for, or when through contempt for the truth, or some other reason, he is unworthy of having that for which he seeks opened to him.

References:
On the Gospel of Mark (St. Bede the Venerable)
Explanations on the New Testament (St. Theophylact of Ochrid)