当耶稣最终到了伯大尼,马大的问候中语带指责,她说:“主啊,你若早在这里,我兄弟必不死。”只见耶稣对她应许说,拉撒路还会复活。马大连随也说:“是的,我们知道——将来有一天。”
作为犹太人,马大和马利亚相信总有一天神会使死去的人复活,然而那可能看起来太遥远了,不能给当下的她们带来多少安慰。复活的应许,有时也让我们有同样的感觉。
然而,这两姐妹也相信,耶稣本来就能够使拉撒路不死。所以,当祂真的使拉撒路复活以后 (约11:38-44),你能想像所产生的效果吗?对拉撒路来说,死后又复活到底是怎样的情形呢?他和两个姐姐的生命会发生怎样的改变呢?我确信,他们会以完全不同的眼光看待耶稣。
在大斋节期间,当我们追溯耶稣往耶路撒冷及之后的路,我们一定会听见耶稣的提醒:祂来到世上的目的是什么,以及这对今天的我们意味着什么。如果我们的信心因悲痛和伤心而蒙蔽,祂会再一次用这句惊人的话摇醒我们:“复活在我,生命也在我。” (圣经新译本:我就是复活和生命。译者注)
这是耶稣所说的其中一个“我是”的宣告,每一个宣告都定位了耶稣就是那位独一的真神:“我就是复活和生命。” 正如当天祂问马大,耶稣今天也同样问我们:“你信这话吗?”
主耶稣,无论日子如何,求祢赐给我们坚定不移的信心,深信祢也会使我们从死里复活,因为祢活着!奉祢的名求,阿们。
约翰福音 11:20-32
20马大听见耶稣来了,就出去迎接他;马利亚却仍然坐在家里。"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.'" — John 11:25
When Jesus finally made his way to Bethany, Martha greeted him with an accusation: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Jesus then promised that Lazarus would rise again. And Martha said, in effect, "Yes, we know—someday."
As Jews, Martha and Mary believed that someday God would bring about a resurrection of the dead, but that probably seemed so far off that it gave little comfort for the present. The promise of the resurrection can seem that way to us at times too.
The sisters also believed, however, that Jesus could have kept Lazarus from dying. And when he did raise Lazarus (John 11:38-44), can you imagine the effects that had? What was it like for Lazarus after dying and then being raised? How was life changed for him and his sisters? I'm sure they saw Jesus in a totally different light.
During Lent, as we trace Jesus' path to Jerusalem and beyond, we're compelled to hear Jesus' wake-up call about the purpose of his coming and what that means for us still today. If our faith is foggy and distracted by grief or sorrow, he shakes us once again with these astonishing words: "I am the resurrection and the life."
This is one of the "I am" statements of Jesus, each of which anchors Christ's identity as the one true God: "I am the resurrection and the life." And he asks us, as he did Martha, "Do you believe this?"
Jesus, give us firm faith that you will raise us too from death, because you are alive! Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳