出人意外的恩典
迦南妇人遇见了耶稣。这个月我们思想过不同的人遇见耶稣，在大部份的故事中，耶稣都是那位表达宽宏的慈爱和恩典的人，祂向局内和局外人之间的界限提出挑战，祂鼓励宗教权威人士恩待犯罪的人。
然而，当祂遇到一个迦南妇人时，耶稣似乎在确定某些界限。祂的意思是说，因为她不是以色列人，医治她的女儿不是在祂的工作范围以内。祂说：“不好拿儿女的饼丢给狗吃。”妇人却勇敢和智慧地挑战祂所说的，她这样说：“但是狗也吃它主人桌子上掉下来的碎渣儿。”
耶稣说得对，祂主要的使命是为了以色列民，祂是应验神应许赐给以色列民的弥赛亚（参看马太福音 1）。不过，就如妇人凭信心所说的，祂的使命不仅是拯救以色列民，它更包括拯救整个世界。耶稣当然知道祂的使命是什么，祂亦看到这个妇人有很大的信心－而祂也因听到她表白她的信心感到欣慰，祂甚至对她说：“你的信心是大的，照你所要的，给你成全了吧！”在这一刻，她的女儿就好了。
耶稣时常都赐下宽宏的恩典的，我们都能从祂那里得到这奇妙的恩典，就让我们向祂献上感谢吧！
满有恩典的神，我们为你如此丰厚和出人意外的恩典感谢你。求你帮助我们接受这恩典，又把它传给其他人。阿们。
马太福音 15:21-28
21耶稣离开那里，退到推罗、西顿的境内去。
22有一个迦南妇人，从那地方出来，喊着说：“主啊，大卫的子孙，可怜我！我女儿被鬼附得甚苦。”
23耶稣却一言不答。门徒进前来求他，说：“这妇人在我们后头喊叫，请打发她走吧！”
24耶稣说：“我奉差遣，不过是到以色列家迷失的羊那里去。”
25那妇人来拜他，说：“主啊，帮助我！”
26他回答说：“不好拿儿女的饼丢给狗吃。”
27妇人说：“主啊，不错，但是狗也吃它主人桌子上掉下来的碎渣儿！”
28耶稣说：“妇人，你的信心是大的！照你所要的，给你成全了吧。”从那时候，她女儿就好了。
Surprising Grace
She said . . . “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” - Matthew 15:27
A Canaanite woman met Jesus. In many of the encounters we have been reflecting on this month, Jesus was the one who brought a word of expansive love and grace. Jesus was the one who challenged boundaries between insiders and outsiders. Jesus was the one who encouraged religious authorities to show grace to sinners.
But in this encounter with a Canaanite woman, Jesus seemed to affirm some boundaries. He implied that because she was not an Israelite, it wasn’t in his job description to heal her daughter. He said, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” But the woman bravely and cleverly challenged these words, saying, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
What Jesus had said about his main mission to Israel was true; he was the Messiah who would fulfill God’s promises to the people of Israel (see Matthew 1). And yet, as the woman stated by faith, his mission was to save not only Israel but also the whole world. Jesus, of course, knew his whole mission and also that this woman had great faith—and he was delighted to hear her express it. He even said, “You have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed in the same moment.
Jesus always offers expansive grace. Let us give thanks that we can all receive this amazing grace from him!
God of grace, we are thankful for your grace so abundant and surprising. Help us to receive this grace and to offer it to others. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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