輕柔的軛

by FLL Editorial Team
2013-07-18

瑪竇福音 11:28-30

耶穌邀請勞苦和負重擔的人到祂跟前,答應給他們安息,這承諾實在令人安慰。可是祂沒有叫我們放下一切,反而要背起祂的軛,向祂學習。

「軛」有被束縛或奴役的象徵,但對猶太人來說,它也表示對天主完全的降服,及喜悅地接受祂的法律,所以他們有「天國的軛」、「法律的軛」等說法。可是經師們漸漸把這些法律詮釋成繁瑣得令人無法背負的重擔,所以耶穌來給他們一個柔和的軛,實在是猶太人的喜訊。

「柔和」按希臘文原文有「合適」的意思,所以耶穌要跟隨祂的人背起的軛,是合適的,不會超過人的能力,而事實上,祂的軛就是愛。耶穌教門徒以愛去滿全天主的法律,學習祂良善心謙地活出基督徒的身份,確實比盲目死守一些規條,來得輕鬆。

耶穌這承諾也是我們現代人的福音。我們在人生中每個階段都扮演不同的角色,有不同的責任,當中有不少壓力與重擔。耶穌並沒有教我們不負責任;祂教我們如何能讓這些擔子變成輕鬆,那就是跟隨祂,學習祂懷著一顆良善的心去愛、去服務;也要有謙卑的心,去讓天主在我們內工作。那麼面對甚麼情況,我們也能互助互愛,彼此包容,凡事忍耐,開懷地活出每一天。

Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus invites those who labor and are burdened to come to Him, and promises to give them rest. While this invitation is comforting, note that He did not say one should put down the burdens, but to take up His yoke and learn from Him.

"Yoke" has been a symbol of oppression and servitude, but for the Jews, it also symbolizes their total submission to God, and the joyful acceptance of His laws, so they have sayings such as "yoke of God's kingdom" and "yoke of the Torah". But the scribes eventually turned the law into a burden that the Jews can no longer follow, so the easy yoke that Jesus offered is indeed a good news for them.

"Easy" in Greek also means "fitting". The yoke that Jesus asked His followers to take up is fitting, and does not exceed what His followers can bear. His yoke is love. Jesus taught his disciples to fulfill the laws with love, and learn from Him to be meek and humble of heart, thus one will find His yoke easy and light.

Jesus' promise is also a good news to us in modern day. We all play different roles in our different stages of life, and along with the many responsibilities, comes the great amount of stress and burden. Jesus did not teach us to get rid of our responsibilities; He wants us to be responsible persons. Yet He taught us how to make these burdens become easy and light, and that is to follow Him, to learn how to love like Him, serve like Him, and to be humble like Him.

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