头脑和心灵
祭司长和民间的长老都认为他们在圣殿中有一切教训的权柄，所以他们不愿意承认耶稣的权柄。
质疑权威会变得很棘手。质疑权威的人即使被证明是错误的，他们也不会接受真相，因为他们不相信，他们所质疑的人有正当的权柄！这是一种必输的局面。
然而，耶稣回答宗教领袖时，却问了一个有关施洗约翰所作工作的问题，这使他们陷入了困境。耶稣使他们陷入窘境，却不想他们停留于此，祂又问：“你们觉得呢？”接着祂就讲了两个儿子的故事。
耶稣指出，这里的问题是关乎顺服的，而不是权柄（注意，顺服是对有权柄之人的回应）。祂问道：“是哪一个遵行父命呢？”
长老和祭司们认识到大儿子顺服了他的父亲。接着耶稣给出了权威性的回应：以悔改顺服神的妓女和税吏，倒比宗教领袖们先进神的国。此外，宗教领袖们就像小儿子一样不顺服，因他们拒绝聆听神的话并悔改。
耶稣想要我们知道，顺服神并认出祂的权柄才是天国中最重要的——有圣灵的帮助，我们就能够忠心地为主而活。
父啊，愿我们以自己的全人，以自己的所有来爱你、服事你。奉耶稣的名，阿们。
马太福音 21:23-31
23 耶稣进了殿，正教训人的时候，祭司长和民间的长老来，问他说：“你仗着什么权柄做这些事？给你这权柄的是谁呢？”
24 耶稣回答说：“我也要问你们一句话，你们若告诉我，我就告诉你们我仗着什么权柄做这些事。
25 约翰的洗礼是从哪里来的？是从天上来的，是从人间来的呢？”他们彼此商议说：“我们若说从天上来，他必对我们说：‘这样，你们为什么不信他呢？’
26 若说从人间来，我们又怕百姓，因为他们都以约翰为先知。”
27 于是回答耶稣说：“我们不知道。”耶稣说：“我也不告诉你们我仗着什么权柄做这些事。”
28 又说：“一个人有两个儿子。他来对大儿子说：‘我儿，你今天到葡萄园里去做工。’
29 他回答说‘我不去’，以后自己懊悔，就去了。
30 又来对小儿子也是这样说，他回答说‘父啊，我去’，他却不去。
31 你们想这两个儿子是哪一个遵行父命呢？”他们说：“大儿子。”耶稣说：“我实在告诉你们：税吏和娼妓倒比你们先进神的国。
Head And Heart
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered.” — Matthew 21:31
The chief priests and elders of the people figured that they had all the authority for teaching in the temple, so they did not want to recognize Jesus’ authority.
Questioning authority can get sticky. The ones questioning authority are not going to accept the truth even if they are proved wrong, because they won’t believe that the person they are questioning has due authority! It is a no-win situation.
Nonetheless, Jesus answered the religious leaders with a question about the work of John the Baptist, and that put them in a bind. Jesus painted them into a corner. But not wanting to leave them there, he also asked, “What do you think?” Then he told this story about two sons.
Jesus pointed out that the problem here was about obedience rather than authority (note that obedience is a response to someone in authority). He asked, “Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?”
The elders and priests recognized that the first son obeyed his father. Then came Jesus’ authoritative response: prostitutes and tax collectors who were obeying God in repentance were entering the kingdom ahead of the religious leaders. Moreover, like the second son, the religious leaders were being disobedient. They refused to listen to God’s Word and repent.
Jesus wants us to know that obeying God and recognizing his authority is what counts in his kingdom—and with the Spirit’s help, we can be faithful.
Father, may we love and serve you with all that we have and are. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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