先知的血
那時候，耶穌對法學士說：「禍哉，你們！你們修建先知的墳墓，而你們的祖先卻殺害了他們，可見你們證明，並贊成你們祖先所行的事，因為他們殺害了先知，而你們卻修建先知的墳墓。為此，天主的智慧曾說過：我將要派遣先知及使者到他們那裏，其中有的，他們要殺死；有的，他們要迫害，為使從創造世界以來，所流眾先知的血，都要向這一代追討，從亞伯爾的血，到喪亡在祭壇與聖所之間的則加黎雅的血，的確，我告訴你們：都要向這一代追討。禍哉，你們法學士！因為你們拿走了智識的鑰匙，自己不進去，那願意進去的，你們也加以阻止。」耶穌從那裏出來以後，經師們及法利塞人開始嚴厲追逼他，盤問他許多的事，窺伺他，要從他口中抓到語病。
路加福音 11:47-54
在今天的福音中，耶穌繼續指責法利塞人和法學士的偽善。耶穌指出法利塞人的祖先迫害甚至殺害天主派遣的先知及使者。從表面看，法利塞人修建先知墳墓的表現，反映出他們與祖先不同，他們這樣做是補償祖先的罪過。耶穌卻對他們說：「可見你們證明，並贊成你們祖先所行的事。」耶穌說這話的意思是法利塞人其實正在重蹈祖先的覆轍而不自知——他們不接受耶穌這位天主子，更處處迫害祂，要從祂口中找到錯處。
耶穌之後對法學士說：「你們拿走了智識的鑰匙，自己不進去，那願意進去的，你們也加以阻止。」祂是指法學士把法律詮譯成一般人無法理解的條文，而更壞的是他們自己也不遵守法律。我們也該自問有否把福音的訊息切實的活出來？別人從我們身上看到的福音，是否跟耶穌所宣講的一致？否則，我們反而成了福傳的障礙。
這篇默想由生命恩泉文摘編輯小組撰寫，內容以下列文章為根據: Commentary on Luke 11:47-54, 迫害先知
The Lord said: “Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed. Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building. Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute' in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood! Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.
Luke 11:47-54
In today's Gospel, Jesus continued with His rebuke for the Pharisaic mentality. Jesus pointed out that the ancestors of the Pharisees persecuted and killed the prophets sent by God. When the Pharisees built memorials of the prophets, it might seem like an act of atonement. But Jesus said to them: "you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors". What He meant by that is that the Pharisees were doing exactly what their ancestors did -- they persecuted Jesus the Son of God and plotted against Him.
Jesus then said to the scribes: "You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter." Jesus was referring to how they interpreted the Law in such a way that they made it inaccessible to the ordinary person. To make it worse, they did not observe it either. We should ask ourselves if we truly strive to live out the gospel? Would other people see in us what Jesus preached? Otherwise, we would become a barrier to evangelization.
This reflection is prepared by the FLL Inspire editorial team as a digest of the following two articles: Commentary on Luke 11:47-54, 迫害先知
打開聖經 – 我的心是石頭地嗎？
打開聖經 – 我的心是石頭地嗎？