喧闹的刑场

“从那里经过的人讥诮他，摇着头，说：‘… 可以救自己吧！你如果是神的儿子，就从十字架上下来吧！’ ” - 太 27:39-40

　　在我曾居住过的地方，大多数是禁止死刑的。在北美，即便是那些允许死刑的地方，执行的过程都是在监狱较隐蔽的地方进行的。他们只容许少数见证人在场，并且以严肃、尊重，和静默态度来进行。

　　然而，在人类历史上，大部份死刑的执行过程，并非都是如此。尤其是处决耶稣的过程，其间的喧闹，实在难以形容。

　　施刑的地方位于一条通往耶路撒冷城门的繁忙大道上，为了最大限度地公开羞辱罪犯，罪犯们赤裸着濒临死亡的身体，被钉在路旁小山的十字架上。被钉的人会听到来来往往人们的嘲笑声，直到受尽折磨，气绝身亡为止。这样的刑罚，让犯人们在羞辱中死去。

　　耶稣受刑时，有一群特殊的人带头嘲弄祂，就是大祭司和公会的人，他们大声嘲笑耶稣，又用他们捏造的罪名来控诉他，他们甚至“虔诚地”引用圣经（诗篇 22:8），来取笑耶稣不能救自己从十字架上下来。

　　他们所说的，耶稣都听到了。祂大声呼喊：“我的神！我的神！为什么离弃我？”

祷告

父神啊，祢创造了人类的声音。可是往往声嘶力歇的呼喊，却是谎话和辱骂。求祢帮助我们，有智慧地去聆听，辨认出谁是宣讲祢真道的声音。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。

 

马太福音 27:35-44

35他们既将他钉在十字架上，就拈阄分他的衣服，
36又坐在那里看守他。
37在他头以上安一个牌子，写着他的罪状，说：“这是犹太人的王耶稣。”
38当时，有两个强盗和他同钉十字架，一个在右边，一个在左边。
39从那里经过的人讥诮他，摇着头，说：
40“你这拆毁圣殿、三日又建造起来的，可以救自己吧！你如果是神的儿子，就从十字架上下来吧！”
41祭司长和文士并长老也是这样戏弄他，说：
42“他救了别人，不能救自己。他是以色列的王，现在可以从十字架上下来，我们就信他。
43他倚靠神，神若喜悦他，现在可以救他；因为他曾说：‘我是神的儿子。’”
44那和他同钉的强盗也是这样地讥诮他。

Noisy Execution

"Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying... 'Save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!'" — Matthew 27:39-40

英语音频 English Audio

For most of my life, I've lived in states and provinces where capital punishment is illegal. Even in those North American jurisdictions where executions still occur, they are carried out in the inner recesses of prisons, with a minimum of witnesses, and in solemn, almost respectful, silence.

In most times and places in human history, this has not been the case—and perhaps it was especially so at the noisy scene of Jesus' execution.

It happened along a busy road leading to one of the city gates of Jerusalem. For maximum public exposure and shame, the naked, dying bodies of the condemned were displayed on crosses mounted on a roadside hill. Until they passed out from the pain and torture, the crucified ones would hear the jeers of people coming and going from the city. Shame on top of death was the point.

This particular execution scene featured a special squad of jeer-leaders. The chief priests and others from the Sanhedrin mocked Jesus loudly, reciting their trumped-up accusations. They even piously quoted from Scripture (Psalm 22:8) as they made fun of Jesus' helplessness.

Jesus heard, and he cried out the opening verse of that same psalm: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Prayer

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳