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8. Manna issue 62 - Cleansing the Ten Lepers 潔淨十個痲瘋


Jason Hsu—Baldwin Park, California, USA 美國加州博恩教會


The Lord’s grace and compassion is clearly evident in His healing ministry. 
Among the many miracles Jesus performed, 
His healings of lepers depict some of the most memorable highlights of His earthly ministry 
(Lk 5:12-14, 17:11-19).

主的恩典和憐憫,在祂醫治的服事中清晰可見。
在耶穌所行的眾多神蹟中,
祂治療麻風病人,描繪了祂在世界的服事上,一些最令人難忘的亮點
(路 5:12-14,17:11-19)。


In Jesus’ healing of the ten lepers, the main lesson is thankfulness, 
or the lack thereof. 
Thankfulness, one of the most beautiful of human expressions 
when it comes from deep within the heart, is a gift given to us by God. 
We should not live our lives without cultivating our thankfulness.

耶穌治癒十個痲瘋病人,主要的教訓就是感恩,
或是沒有感恩。
感恩,是人類最美的表達方式之一,
當它來自內心深處之時,就是神賜給我們的禮物。
我們不應該於沒有滋養感恩之心的情況下,過著自已的生活。


Through study of this event, 
we can meditate on how God’s grace in our life should instill us with a thankful heart.

透過本次事件的研究,
我們可以思考,在我們生命中,神的恩典是如何灌輸我們有一顆感恩的心。


THE CURSE OF LEPROSY 痲瘋的詛咒


Many things in life can make a person unattractive. 
An offensive personality can make even the most physically beautiful person ugly 
(Mt 23:27).

生活中有許多事情,可以使一個人變得沒有吸引力。
攻擊性的性格甚至會讓外表最美麗的人變得醜陋
(太 23:27)。


We may be scarred or maimed through misfortune or accident, 
but we often hide even deeper wounds within.

我們可能因為不幸或意外事件,而傷痕累累或殘廢不全,
但我們常常隱藏內心更深的傷口。


In Jesus’ day, lepers had a visible skin condition that made them unsightly. 
But the inner wounds inflicted by the disease were perhaps the most difficult to endure. 
Leprosy was feared as a punishment from God 
(Num 12:10; 2 Kgs 5:27). 
It humbled even kings and generals throughout history 
(2 Chr 26:19, 20; 2 Kgs 5:1).

在耶穌的時代,痲瘋病人有明顯的皮膚病情,使他們不堪入目。
但是亡疾病造成的內心創傷,或許是最難以忍受的。
痲瘋病一直被視為是來自神的懲罰,
(民 12:10;王下 5:27)。
縱觀歷史,它甚至會讓國王和將軍都感到羞愧
(代下 26:19,20;王下 5:1)。


In ancient Israel, 
a leper’s life was marked by segregation and ceremonial uncleanness. 
Generally isolated from others, the leper was put outside the camp:

在古代的以色列,
痲瘋病人的一生,很明顯就是隔離與律法儀式的不潔淨。
痲瘋病人通常與其他人隔離,被安置在營帳地的外面:


He shall be unclean. 
All the days he has [leprosy] he shall be unclean. 
He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; 
his dwelling shall be outside the camp. 
(Lev 13:46)

46災病在他身上的日子,他便是不潔淨;
他既是不潔淨,就要獨居營外。
(利 13:46)


The lepers that Jesus met would likely have suffered daily 
from humiliation, despair, and loneliness. 
After a long time living on the fringe of society, 
it would be natural for lepers to question the value of their existence.

耶穌遇到的痲瘋病人,可能每天都在受苦,
受到羞辱、絕望和孤獨。
長期生活在社會邊緣之後,
痲瘋病人自然會質疑自己存在的價值。


In addition to being a sign of uncleanness 
(Lev 13:45), 
the Bible speaks of the leper as 
“one dead, whose flesh is half consumed 
when he comes out of his mother’s womb!” 
(Num 12:12; cf. Job 18:13). 
Leprosy, 
then, is a picture of human tragedy and affliction. 
Without a cure, lepers became social outcasts and the living dead.

除了是不潔淨的象徵之外
(利 13:45),
聖經說,痲瘋病人就像是
“像一個死人,他的肉體已經爛掉一半了,
當他們自母胎出生以來!”
(民 12:12;參考,約伯記 18:13)。 
痲瘋病,
那時,就是一幅人間悲劇和受苦的圖畫。
若沒有治療的方法,痲瘋病人就會受到社會的放逐和活死人。


THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD’S GRACE 神的恩典充足


Tragedy and Grace 悲劇與恩典


In life, we are beset with things beyond our control. 
Human life often becomes human tragedy. 
Job’s story illustrates how tragic events can come upon us suddenly and without apparent reason 
(Job 1:12-2:10).

在生活中,我們會因為一些自已無法控制的事情而煩惱。
人的生命常常成為人間的悲劇。
約伯的故事說明了,悲劇事件可以如何突然且沒有明顯原因的降臨在我們身上
(約 1:12-2:10)。


Imagine the tragedy in our life 
if we were suddenly afflicted with an incurable disease. 
How would we live out our days? 
With joy? 
Thankfulness? 
Bitterness? 
Anger?

想像我們生活中的悲劇,
如果我們突然得到了不治之症。
我們將如何度過自已的日子?
會有喜悅嗎?
感恩嗎?
痛苦嗎?
憤怒嗎?


Jesus’ healing ministry, however, has an important message: 
no matter how tragic our day-to-day life may appear, 
God’s grace is sufficient for those who put their trust in Him.

然而,耶穌醫治的服事,有一則重要的訊息:
無論我們的日常生活看起來有多麼的悲慘,
對信靠神的人來說,祂的恩典是足夠的。


In the story of Elijah and the widow from Zarephath, 
a widow and her son were about to eat their last meal and die. 
In this sad picture of human life, God’s love and grace appeared. 
The widow’s bin of flour and jar of oil lasted 
until the Lord sent rain upon the earth 
(1 Kgs 17:8-16). 
From this simple story we gather an important truth: 
God’s grace often abounds where human tragedy exists.

在以利亞和撒勒法寡婦的故事中,
寡婦和她的兒子即將吃完最後的一餐而死去。
在這幅人類生活的悲慘圖畫中,神的慈愛和恩典出現了。
寡婦的麵粉罐和一瓶油持續很久,
直到耶和華降雨在地上
(王上 17:8-16)。
從這個簡單的故事中,我們得到了一個重要的真理:
凡是發生人類悲劇的地方,神的恩典常常會顯明。


God never miscalculates. 
He knows where our life begins and ends. 
He revealed to the apostle Paul, 
“My grace is sufficient for you” 
(2 Cor 12:9), 
and so it is for us.

神永遠不會算錯。
祂知道我們的生命從哪裡開始和結束。
祂向使徒保羅透露,
“9我的恩典夠你用的,”
(林後 12:9),
對我們來說也是如此。


Luke 17:11-19 illustrates God’s grace to those in dire need of it. 
Ten lepers
—a distilled picture of the tragedy that so often besets human life
—were in great need of a savior. 
Are we any different? 
When we realize how great our need truly is, 
we all cry for a savior.

路 17 章 11-19 節,說明了神給那些急需恩典的人。
十個痲瘋病人,
—是一幅常困擾人類生活濃縮的悲劇圖畫,
—非常需要有一位救世主。
我們到底有什麼不同呢?
當我們意識到,自已的需要到底有多龐大時,
我們都哭著尋求救主。


A Position of Great Need 緊急的情況


[A]s [Jesus] entered a certain village, 
there met Him ten men who were lepers, 
who stood afar off. 
(Lk 17:12)

12進入一個村子,
有十個長大痲瘋的,迎面而來,
遠遠的站著,
(路 17:12)


The ten lepers stood “afar off.” 
This is a position of great need. 
And this is where so many of us find ourselves in relation to God: 
“But now in Christ Jesus 
you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” 
(Eph 2:13).

十個痲瘋病人站在「遠處」。
這是一個非常緊急的距離。
這就是我們許多人,發現自己與神有關係的地方:
“但現在在基督耶穌裡,
你們那些曾經遠離的人,因為基督的寶血而變得親近了。”
(弗 2:13)。


Like the ten lepers, we are in need of grace, 
and yet it seems far off from us. 
We may become so alienated from our heavenly Father that we lose our way, 
and, as if wasting our life in a far country, 
we stand a great way off from God 
(Lk 15:13, 20). 
Or, perhaps, like the tax collector in Jesus’ parable, 
we are fully aware of our sinful condition 
and therefore plead for His mercy from a distance 
(Lk 18:13).

就像那十個痲瘋病人一樣,我們亦需要恩典,
但它似乎離我們很遠。
我們可能會與天父疏遠,而迷失了方向,
彷彿就像在遙遠的國度浪費自已的生命,
我們站立離神還很遠
(路 15:13,20)。
或者,或許就像耶穌比喻中的稅吏一樣,
我們完全了解自己的罪惡情況,
因此遠遠的就祈求祂的憐憫
(路 18:13)。


Although the weight of sin 
brings great need and human life is beset with hardship, toil, and suffering, 
we must acknowledge that 
our lives are often deeply touched by grace and compassion through the love of God. 
Through grace, we find healing and sufficiency 
to help us overcome our most difficult times.

雖然罪惡的重量,
帶來巨大的需要和人類的生活,充滿了艱辛、辛勞和痛苦,
我們必須承認,
自已的生活常常因為神慈愛所帶來的恩典和憐憫,而大大感動。
透過恩典,我們找到醫療和飽足,
來幫助我們克服最困難的時刻。


A leper once came to Jesus to ask for healing. 
The leper said, 
“Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 
Jesus stretched out His hand, touched the leper, 
and said, 
“I am willing, be cleansed”
 (Lk 5:12,13). 
This outstretched arm, this gentle hand, 
that lifts a person out of the darkness and into the light, 
characterizes the grace of God in our darkest times of need.

曾經有一位痲瘋病人來求耶穌醫治。
痲瘋病人說:
“12主若肯,必能叫我潔淨了。”
耶穌伸出手,觸摸了痲瘋病人,
並且說:
“13我肯,你潔淨了罷!”
(路 5:12,13)。 
這隻伸出的手臂,這隻溫柔的手,
它將一個人從黑暗提昇進入光明,
描述了神於我們最需要的黑暗時刻,所施予的恩典。


The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ 主耶穌基督的恩典


And they lifted up their voices and said, 
“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 
So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” 
And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 
(Lk 17:13, 14)

13高聲說:
“耶穌,夫子,可憐我們罷!”
14耶穌看見,就對他們說:“你們去把身體給祭司察看。”
所以當他們去的時候,他們就被潔淨了。
(路 17:13,14)


We all have many needs. 
For most of us, basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing can always be met. 
Yet, there are many needs, such as air, water, sunshine, and light, 
that are fulfilled and often taken for granted.

我們都有很多需求。
對我們大多數人來說,食物、居住和衣物等基本需求總能滿足。
然而,還有很多需求,如空氣、水、陽光、燈光,
都已經實現,並且常常認為是理所當然的事情。


Additionally, we may have unmet needs that we are not even consciously aware of. 
How many people need God but are unaware of their need? 
The need for love, companionship, or mercy may be unfulfilled in our lives, 
but we may not even be aware we are missing these things.

此外,我們可能還沒有意識到,自己有尚未被滿足的需求。
到底有多少人,他們有需要神,自已卻沒有意識到這樣的需求呢?
我們的生活中,愛心、陪伴或憐憫的需要,可能無法得到滿足,
但我們可能甚至沒有意識到,自已遺失了這些東西。


So many needs go unmet, and so many things in life are denied us. 
How we face our needs, how we handle our unfulfilled needs, 
and how we view the needs that have been met have a dramatic impact 
on whether we live a thankful or unthankful life.

有如此多的需求未得滿足,生活中有許多事物都被剝奪了。
我們如何面對自已的需求,我們如何處理自已未滿足的需求,
我們如何看待已經滿足的需求,會產生巨大的影響,
關於我們是否能夠過著感恩的生活,還是沒有感恩的生活。


When we consider all that we have received from God, 
His grace in our lives is beyond comprehension. 
As Christians, we understand that all human needs can find fulfillment in God, 
but we often fail to acknowledge that truth practically. 
Precious few take the time to remember God’s abundant grace and thank Him for it. 
If we do not realize God’s grace, 
we will not see its fulfillment in our lives.

當我們思考自已從神所領受的一切時,
祂給我們生命中的恩典是超乎我們想像。
作為基督徒,我們明白人類的所有需求,都可以從神那裡得到滿足,
但實際上我們常常無法承認這一事實。
只有少數人才會花時間記住神豐盛的恩典,並為此感謝祂。
如果我們不明白神的恩典,
我們不會在生活中看到神恩典的實現。


And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned… 
(Lk 17:15)

15內中有一個見自己已經好了,就回來大...
(路 17:15)


If our eyes have been enlightened to the depth of God’s grace in our lives, 
we will be thankful. 
The bitterness of our sacrifices and the tribulations we’ve endured 
are then put into proper perspective.

如果我們的眼睛擦亮,看到神在我們生命中恩典的深度,
我們會很感謝。
我們犧牲的痛苦和我們遇到的苦難,
就能以正確的視角來看待。


What we’ve given to God in terms of our time, resources, and heart 
will no longer become unreciprocated favors; 
rather, they will be insignificant contributions 
that can never repay the debt of love we owe. 
The tribulations we’ve endured will be less about God’s injustice 
and more about His good plan for us.

在時間,資源和內心方面,我們所能獻給神的,
不再成為是不求回報的愛惜;
相反的,它們將成為微不足道的付出,
這將永遠無法償還我們所欠的愛債。
我們所經歷的患難,將更少再是神的不公,
而是更多關於祂給我們的美好計劃。


We will realize that what we thought “should be” maybe was not meant to be, 
and what “should not have been” was instead what “should be”
(cf. Gen 50:19, 20). 
And we will be thankful for all we have received. 

我們會明白,自已認為「應該」的事物,也許並不意味著如此發展,
而“不應該發生”的事物,反而是“應該”發生的事物
(參考,創 50:19,20)。
我們將感謝自已所領受到的一切。


Sometimes, our eyes are opened to the truth of life only through great tribulation. 
Job realized this after his own trials. 
As he learned to trust God, even in his desperate circumstances, 
he saw that God’s grace was sufficient for him. 
In the end, Job came to peace with all he had undergone. 
He said:

有時候,只有經歷巨大的磨難,我們的眼睛才得以看到生命的真理。
約伯經歷了自己的考驗之後,才明白這一點。
當他學會相信神,即使在絕望的情況下,
他看見神的恩典夠他所用。
最終,約伯歡然接受了自己所經歷的一切。
他說:


“You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
Listen, please, and let me speak;
You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You. 
Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.” 
(Job 42:3-6)

“3誰用無知的言語使你的旨意隱藏呢?
我所說的是我不明白的;
這些事太奇妙,是我不知道的。
4求你聽我,我要說話;
我問你,求你指示我。
5我從前風聞有你,
現在親眼看見你。
6因此我厭惡自己(或譯:我的言語),
在塵土和爐灰中懊悔。”
(伯 42:3-6)


FORGETTING THE GRACE OF GOD 忘記神的恩典


Ten lepers had a great need, and ten lepers received grace to meet that need. 
But only one out of the ten came back to give thanks:

這十個痲瘋病人有很大的需要,而十個痲瘋病人得到了恩典滿足這個需要。
但是十人中只有一個人回來致謝:


And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, 
returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 
and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. 
And he was a Samaritan. 
(Lk 17:15, 16)

15內中有一個見自己已經好了,
就回來大聲歸榮耀與神,
16又俯伏在耶穌腳前感謝他;
這人是撒瑪利亞人。
(路 17:15,16)


Jesus was disappointed to the point that He seemed shocked. 
Only one came back?

耶穌很失望,甚至顯得到了震驚的程度。
只有一個人回來嗎?


So Jesus answered and said, 
“Were there not ten cleansed? 
But where are the nine? 
Were there not any found who returned 
to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 
(Lk 17:17, 18)

17耶穌說:
“潔淨了的不是十個人麼?
那九個在那裡呢?
18除了這外族人,
再沒有別人回來歸榮耀與神麼?”
(路 17:17,18)


Jesus’ reaction teaches us 
that God wants those who receive His grace 
to know how to give thanks. 
It’s easy to forget the grace we have received. 
It’s easy to explain away all that we have received in life as “how it should be” 
or a matter of coincidence.

耶穌的反應教導我們,
神希望那些得到祂恩典的人,
知道如何表達感謝。
我們很容易就忘記自已所領受的恩典。
我們很容易將生活中所接受的一切,解釋為“應該會如何”
或者是巧合發生的問題。


Throughout the history of God’s people 
we discover that they repeatedly forgot what God had done for them, 
and they forgot to have a thankful heart for the grace they had received.

縱觀神百姓的歷史,
我們發現,他們重覆忘記神為他們所做的一切,
他們忘了自己領受的恩典,該懷抱著感恩的心。


During the time of the judges, 
God’s people forgot that He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt 
with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm 
and brought them into a land flowing with milk and honey 
(Deut 4:34, 11:2, 3, 26:8, 9). 
After Joshua’s generation passed away, 
an entire generation arose that did not know the Lord 
or the work He had done for His people 
(Judg 2:10, 12).

在士師時代,
神的子民忘記,祂已將他們從埃及的奴役中拯救出來,
用強壯的手和伸出的膀臂
帶他們進入了流奶與蜜之地
(申 4:34,11:2,3,26:8,9)。
在約書亞那一世代的人過世之後,
有一整代興起並不認識主,
或明白祂為百姓所做的工作
(士 2:10,12)。


God’s people forgot His grace, 
and His hand became heavy upon them; generation after generation, 
God’s people encountered cycle after cycle of affliction 
(Judg 2:15).

神的子民忘記祂的恩典,
祂的手變沉重加在他們身上; 一代又一代,
神的子民遭遇一輪又一輪的苦難
(士 2:15)。


The farther we drift away from a heart of thanksgiving, 
the less of God’s grace we experience and see. 
We may suddenly realize one day how far away our life has drifted from His grace. 
If, by the grace of God, we come to our senses that day, we must return to Him.

我們漂離感恩之心越遙遠,
我們所經歷和所看見神的恩典就越稀少。
有一天我們可能會突然發現,自已的生活已經漂離祂的恩典很遠了。
如果靠著神的恩典,當天我們就醒悟過來,我們就必須回到祂的身邊。


We often look every place 
but within to find out what is wrong with the world. 
Yet, because we fail to see ourselves clearly, 
we cannot understand what is truly lacking.

我們經常到處尋找,
反而是從內心才發現了世界出現了什麼問題。
然而,因為我們看不清自己,
我們無法了解自已真正缺乏的是什麼。


If we wonder why we cannot perceive God’s grace in our lives 
while simultaneously failing to possess a thankful heart within ourselves, 
we’re like broken vessels that cannot perceive why they are never filled. 
If we want to be filled, we must reflect on and remember God’s grace with thanksgiving.

如果我們想要知道,為什麼自已無法於生活中感受到神的恩典,
並且同時我們的內心卻沒有一顆感恩的心,
我們就像破碎的器皿,無法了解為什麼它們永遠不會填滿。
如果我們想要得到充滿,我們必須以感恩的心反省,並思想神的恩典。


LEARNING FROM A THANKFUL HEART 學習感恩的心


Human weakness is to forget and take for granted what we have received from others. 
Human weakness is to look at what we are missing rather than what we have received.

人類的弱點就是忘記,並且認為自已從別人那裡得到的東西,都是理所當然的。
人性的弱點就是我們只專注在自已所沒有的東西,而不是我們已經所得到的事物。


A person who does not have a thankful heart will not know how to truly worship the Lord, 
because a thankful heart is at the center of worship. 
We see this from the one leper who returned and fell face down at the Lord’s feet.

一個沒有感恩之心的人,不會知道如何真正敬拜主,
因為感恩之心就是敬拜的重心。
我們從一位麻風病人的身上,他回來並且俯伏在主的腳前,而看到了這一點。


Having a thankful heart not only affects how we give thanks for what we have already received, 
but also how we give of ourselves for the sake of others. 
The Lord Jesus gave much during His ministry on earth. 
In the end, He gave everything that He had
—His life and His all
—for us, without price. 
This is a life full of grace.

擁有一顆感恩的心,不僅會影響我們如何感謝自已已經領受的東西,
也包括我們如何為他人奉獻自己。
主耶穌在地上傳道時付出了很多。
最後,祂付出了自已所擁有的一切,
—祂的生命和祂的一切,
—對我們而言,不用付出代價。
這是充滿恩典的生活。


But how much have we given? 
If we are honest with ourselves, 
we would have to admit that our love toward both God and man 
has failed in one way or another, 
to a greater or lesser extent.

但是我們到底付出了多少呢?
如果我們誠實面對自己,
我們就會承認,我們對神和人的愛,
多多少少都以某種方式而失敗了,
或多或少的程度。


Human love has limitations. 
We can only do as much as we know, with as much power as we have, 
with as much grace as we have received.

人類的愛是有限制的。
我們只能盡到自已所知的事物,以我們所擁有的力量,
帶著我們所能領受最大程度的恩典。


How deeply have we received the grace of God in our lives? 
On the surface, God’s grace was the same for all ten lepers, for all ten were healed. 
On a deeper level, the one Samaritan leper who came back 
and glorified God received so much more.

我們在生活中接受神的恩典有多深呢?
從表面來看,神的恩典對所有十個痲瘋病人都是一樣的,因為十個人都被醫治了。
從更深的層面來看,有一位撒瑪利亞痲瘋病人回來了,
榮耀神而得到了更多。


What was the difference? A thankful heart. 
With a thankful heart, the grace of God is so much sweeter, 
and we experience it much more deeply.

這有什麼區別呢? 有一顆感恩的心。
懷著感恩的心,神的恩典則更加甘甜,
我們對於它的體驗則更加深刻。


Therefore, let us learn from Jesus’ cleansing of the ten lepers, 
to possess a thankful heart
—one that knows how to fully receive the grace of God, 
so that it can offer from its depths to others and to God. 
This is the example that our Lord Jesus Christ left for us in His ministry. 
May He grant us the strength to follow in His footsteps.

因此,讓我們學習耶穌潔淨十個痲瘋病人的事蹟,
去擁有一個感恩的心,
—知道如何完全承受神恩典的人,
以使人能夠從內心深處,湧出而事奉他人和服事神。
這是我們主耶穌基督於祂的服事中,為我們留下的榜樣。
願祂賜給我們力量,可以跟隨祂的腳步。


And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
giving thanks to God the Father through Him 
(Col 3:17)

17無論做甚麼,或說話或行事,都要奉主耶穌的名,
藉著他感謝父神。
(歌 3:17)


小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
歡迎主內同靈來信加入翻譯

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