在这章圣经的开始,耶稣描述了跟随衪的门徒将会过怎样的生活。衪说:“行路的时候不要带食物和口袋,腰袋里也不要带钱,除了拐杖以外,什么都不要带”(马可福音 6:8)。跟随衪的人需要依赖其他人的款待,为他们提供食物、衣服、和栖身之所。
然而过了不久,出乎他们意料之外,耶稣居然吩咐他们为一大群饥饿的人供应食物。他们感到困惑:“我们怎么可能做得到呢?”纵使他们去做工赚取工钱买食物给这些人吃,他们也要做整整一年的工呢!
耶稣吩咐他们行路时不要带食物或金钱,可能是让他们不单经历到其他人的款待,更是让他们也经历神极不寻常的亲自款待。衪吩咐他们不要带任何行李,或许是让他们更加深切地感受到他们自己的需要、但却无法靠自己的力量来解决。
你有没有经历过自己已经竭尽所能、却尚未达到神对你的要求呢?神是否在邀请你去见识一下,衪可以为你成就的那些,仅凭你自己根本无法做到的事呢?
主耶稣,有时我们也像门徒那样,感到困惑而没有把握、又没有很多其他选择。求你以你丰厚的赐与令我们惊喜,又帮助我们明白,我们可以全然倚靠你的供应。阿们。
马可福音 6:7-13, 30-37
7耶稣叫了十二个门徒来,差遣他们两个两个地出去,也赐给他们权柄制伏污鬼,
8并且嘱咐他们:“行路的时候不要带食物和口袋,腰袋里也不要带钱,除了拐杖以外,什么都不要带;
9只要穿鞋,也不要穿两件褂子。”
10又对他们说:“你们无论到何处,进了人的家,就住在那里,直到离开那地方。
11何处的人不接待你们,不听你们,你们离开那里的时候,就把脚上的尘土跺下去,对他们作见证。”
12门徒就出去,传道叫人悔改,
13又赶出许多的鬼,用油抹了许多病人,治好他们。
30使徒聚集到耶稣那里,将一切所做的事、所传的道全告诉他。
31他就说:“你们来,同我暗暗地到旷野地方去歇一歇。”这是因为来往的人多,他们连吃饭也没有工夫。
32他们就坐船,暗暗地往旷野地方去。
33众人看见他们去,有许多认识他们的,就从各城步行,一同跑到那里,比他们先赶到了。
34耶稣出来,见有许多的人,就怜悯他们,因为他们如同羊没有牧人一般,于是开口教训他们许多道理。
35天已经晚了,门徒进前来说:“这是野地,天已经晚了,
36请叫众人散开,他们好往四面乡村里去自己买什么吃。”
37耶稣回答说:“你们给他们吃吧!”门徒说:“我们可以去买二十两银子的饼给他们吃吗?”
"He answered, 'You give them something to eat.' They said to him, 'That would take more than half a year's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?'" - Mark 6:37
Near the beginning of this chapter, Jesus describes what life will be like for his disciples if they follow him. He says, "Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts" (Mark 6:8). His followers were to be dependent on the hospitality of others to feed, clothe, and shelter them.
Then, sometime later, they are surprised when Jesus asks them to provide a huge, hungry crowd with food. They wonder, "How on earth can we do that?" Even if they work to provide the money for all the food for these people, they will have to work for a whole year!
Perhaps Jesus instructed them to take no bread or money on their journey so that they could experience not only hospitality from others but also the extraordinary hospitality of God. Maybe he instructed them not to bring anything so that they could acutely experience their own need and realize that they couldn't rely on themselves for a solution.
Do you ever feel like you are being brought to the end of your ability to do what God is asking of you? Could God be inviting you to see what he can do for you that you simply cannot do by yourself?
Lord Jesus, sometimes we are like the disciples, unsure and confused and without many options. Surprise us with your generosity, and help us to realize that we depend totally on you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳