作者林立豐弟兄, 許子臻姊妹 (平信徒分享)
In Jesus’ time, sheep were a valuable commodity. Sheep provide fur, milk, and often served as a symbol of the rich in nomadic Palestine. However, this also meant that sheep became prime targets of theft and robbery. 在耶穌的時代,羊是一種寶貴的商品。 綿羊提供羊毛、羊奶,在巴勒斯坦的游牧民族經常視為富人的象徵。 然而,這也意味著羊淪為盜竊和搶劫的主要目標。 A Sheep on its own is weak, easy to capture, cannot outrun robbers. That is why, in Jesus’ time, sheep of many flocks were usually kept together in the same sheep pen. A sheep pen is basically a gated property exclusive to sheep and their shepherds. This is to keep them safe from thieves and robbers, who kept on trying to sneak into the sheep pen, over the fences, or under the gate. Only true shepherds enter by the gate, as they know the way, the only proper and correct way to guide and protect the flock. 一隻羊本身很孱弱,容易捕捉,跑得慢。 這就是為什麼在耶穌時代,許多羊群的羊通常會被留在同一個羊圈之中。 羊圈基本上是綿羊及其牧羊人才可以入去的安全地帶。羊群留在同一個羊圈,是為了保護他們免受小偷和強盜的傷害,他們一直試圖偷偷溜進羊圈、翻過籬笆或從閘口旁邊進入。 只有真正的牧羊人才能從大門進入,因為他們知道那道路,是引導和保護羊群的唯一正確方法 But there comes the second problem, if sheep of many flocks were kept in the same pen, how would they recognise who’s sheep belong to whom? How would the sheep know which shepherd is, to them, the true shepherd? It is truly the two-way bonding relationship between the sheep and the shepherd that helps them recognise each other - a good shepherd calls his own sheep by name, and knows them dearly. A mindless sheep who doesn’t pay attention to their shepherd’s voice might be easily misguided by others. They might be led astray by the thieves and robbers who sneakily sneaked in, and trick them into following them into a path of no good. 第二個問題來了,如果把很多羊群被留在同一個羊圈裡,它們怎麼辨別誰的羊屬於誰呢? 綿羊怎麼知道哪個牧羊人才是他們真正的牧羊人? 綿羊和牧羊人需要依靠他們之間,雙向的關係幫助他們相互認識,認得彼此。一個好牧羊人會用名字叫他自己的羊,並且非常了解他們。 一隻沒有注意牧羊人聲音,愚昧的綿羊可能很容易被其他人誤導。 說不定會被偷偷摸摸進來的盜賊、強盜帶入歧途,引誘他們跟著走上不義之道。 On the other hand, a smart sheep always pays attention to their shepherd’s voice, despite the widely portrayed dummy image, a sheep who listens will never follow a random stranger, but instead run away from them. The fruitful and rightful path can be trotted on, only by recognising their shepherd’s voice, the truthful voice, and following their footsteps. 另一方面,一隻聰明的綿羊總是注意它們牧羊人的聲音,盡管常常被描繪成愚蠢的形象,一隻懂得傾聽的綿羊永遠不會跟隨一個陌生人,而是會逃跑。 只有認出他們牧羊人的聲音,真理的聲音,並跟隨他的腳步,綿羊才能走上豐盈和正義的道路。 Sheep really needs quite a lot of maintenance. They are easily overheated under the sun, picky grass eaters, often have overgrown nails and a tendency to get lost, get stuck, or follow the wrong shepherd. A good shepherd is attentive to their flock’s needs. A good shepherd be with his sheep. He leads them in the front, brings them to pastures when they’re hungry, and leads them to the river when they thirst. A good shepherd cares about the one missing sheep, he would lay his life down to protect them. A good shepherd brings a fulfilling life to the flock, not just because he provides them with food and drinks, but because a good shepherd is always by their side - he is their safeguard, their guidance, their comfort. By being with the shepherd and enjoying his company, the flock is able to listen to his voice, follow his footsteps, and live the life beyond what they could have imagined. 綿羊確實需要很多的打理和照顧。 它們在陽光下很容易過熱,揀草擇食,經常指甲過長,容易迷路、卡住或跟錯牧羊人。 好牧羊人關心羊群的需要,好牧羊人與他的羊同在。 他領他們在前頭,他們餓了帶他們到草場,他們渴了帶他們到河邊。 好牧人關心那一隻走失的羊,他甚至會捨命保護它們。 一個好牧人給羊群帶來充實的生活,不單是因為他為他們提供食水,而是因為一個好牧人總是在他們身邊——他是他們的保障、他們的引導、他們的安慰。 羊群與牧羊人在一起,享受他的同行,聆聽他的聲音,跟隨他的腳步,過著在曠野生活時不能想像的生命。 在約翰福音第10 章,耶穌說,我是羊的門,我來是要叫它們得生命,並且得的更豐盛。 後來又說,我是道路、真理和生命。
In John 10, Jesus says, I am the gate for the sheep, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. And later, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 我們的生活常常很像綿羊。 在我們遇到耶穌之前,我們就像曠野中迷失的羊。 我們經常陷入混亂之中,在壞習慣、內疚和自我懷疑的循環中徘徊,有意無意地傷害自己和生活中的人。 我們根本不知道該去哪裡。 我們迷失了。 Our lives are often quite like the sheep. Before we met Jesus, we were just like the sheep stranded in the wilderness. We are often submerged in chaos, knowingly and unknowingly hurt ourselves and people in our lives by lingering in the cycles of bad habits, guilt and self-doubt. We simply do not know where to go. We were lost. 通過我們自己的生活景況,可能是通過我們的家人、同事和朋友,我們被找到並認識了耶穌的名字。 我們就像剛到羊圈裡的羊,被告知只要認得從羊圈的門進入的牧人,只要信耶穌就可以得救。 這也是上世紀廣泛應用的傳福音策略——耶穌就是道路,只要你相信,你就會得救。 Through our own life circumstances, this could be through our family, colleagues and friends, we were found and learned about the name of Jesus. We are like the sheep introduced to a sheep pen, and are told that as long as we recognise the person that comes through the gate, as long as we believe in Jesus, we will be saved. This is a widely employed evangelical strategy - Jesus is the way, and as long as you believe, you will be saved. 然而,有時我們會忽略耶穌不單是道路,祂也是真理和生命。我們承認耶穌是道路是恰當,也是很重要的,但我們應該警惕,不要貶低我們的信仰作, 當成換取“天堂入場卷”的交易。 However, there are times we under-looked that Jesus is also the truth and the life. It is pertinent that we have recognised Jesus as the way, but we should be wary not to derogate our faith as an exchange for a “ticket to paradise”. 讓我們試從綿羊的角度來看這個問題。 只專注於耶穌作為道路,而不聽真理,就像進入羊圈的羊不辨認牧羊人的聲音。真理就是-上帝愛我們並與我們同在,如同耶穌藉著他的生命中向我們所顯示的那樣,耶穌道成肉身,來到我們中間,與我們同受苦難,與我們同死在罪的指控之下,為我們釘死在十字架上。 同樣地,如果我們未能認識到上帝的愛的本質,我們將無法跟隨耶穌的引領,也無法實踐我們的信仰。 如果我們只關注耶穌作為通往天堂的門,我們就無法完全體驗耶穌在地球上帶領我們進入豐盛生命的應許。 Let’s try to look at this from the sheep’s perspective. Focusing only on Jesus as the way whilst not listening to our shepherd’s voice, is like not paying attention to the truth - God’s willingness to love us and be with us, as Jesus showed us in his life, as he became flesh, came to be with us, suffered with us and died with us on the cross. In the same manner, by failing to recognise the loving nature of God, we would fail to follow Jesus’ lead and fail to practise our faith. If we only focus on Jesus as the gate to other-worldly paradise, we could not fully experience the fullness of life Jesus has promised to lead us into on Earth. 豐盛的生命是什麼樣子的呢? 在詩篇23篇中,大衛王描述了他在生命的高峰和低谷中,得到上帝的安慰和指引的經歷,在死蔭幽谷中 ——上帝在那裡;在敵人面前的時候 ——上帝在那裡。 這種和上帝深切、親密的關係,知道上帝與我們同在,明白我們的主渴望以我們的名字呼喚我們,讓我們分辨他的聲音並跟隨他的引導:這種愛的關係是我們信仰的本質,因為上帝愛世人,甚至賜下他的獨生子,凡信他的人都不至滅亡,都能繼續與主同在世上,並進入永生。 But what does the fullness of life look like? In Psalm 23, King David described his experience being with God’s comfort and guidance in the highs and lows of his life, through the darkest valley - God is there, against his strongest enemies - God is there. This deep, intimate relationship knowing God is being with us, that our Lord longs to call us by our name, and for us to discern His voice and follow His guide: this loving relationship is the essence of our belief, for God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that everyone of us who believes in Him can continue to be with Him on earth and live our lives to its fullness, with Him in eternity. 耶穌是羊的門,祂來是要叫人得生命,並且得的更豐盛。我們是否只把信仰當做換取永恆生命的交易?還是作為基督徒,作為耶穌的群羊的一份子,活出對祂作為道路、真理和生命的見證呢?讓我們以一首詩來結束: 神啊!若我因畏懼地獄而敬拜祢, 請把我扔進地獄燃燒; 若我因渴望天堂而敬拜祢, 請把我拒諸天堂門外。 惟若我單單為祢而敬拜祢, 請別吝惜祢永恆的美麗。 Jesus is the gate for the sheep, and has come such that we have life, and have it to the full. Are we treating our belief simply as a good deal for eternal life? Or Have we, as Christians, as fellow sheep in Jesus’ flock, live a life that bears testimony to Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life? Let us close with a poem: O God! If I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell and if I worship You in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise. But if I worship You for Your Own sake, grudge me not Your everlasting Beauty. 願我們繼續跟隨耶穌的腳步,一同經歷和活出祂充滿豐盛和永恆的愛。阿們。 May we continue to follow Jesus’ footsteps in His abundant, ever-lasting love. Amen.
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