我們昨天讀到的經文描述了耶穌在客西馬尼園怎樣面對將要在十字架受死的苦難。祂首先面對自己的感受，然後面對事實──「起來，我們走吧！」。處理苦難的第二點，是要明白並非所有苦難都是來自個人的罪孽。當然，有些苦難是罪的結果，但不是所有苦難都是出於這個原因。違反神的道德法則的人，如果遇到懲罰不要感到驚訝，不過我們可以從約翰福音九章的記述看到並非所有苦難都是因為個人的罪所延伸出來，在那裡耶穌指出個人的罪或父母的罪並不一定是某些殘疾如天生瞎眼等的背後原因。

今天的經文對這一點有更清晰的表示，耶穌指出災難可以源自人類的不人道（如彼拉多屠殺加利利的猶太人）或自然意外或災害（如西羅亞城樓倒塌），受苦的人並非特別有罪。這個解釋清楚說明那些沒有遭受災難的人自以為義的態度是錯的。自義的人總認為別人的困難是神對他們犯罪的一種直接懲罰。

「耶穌先面對自己的感受，然後面對事實」

進深研究
伯一1-5，四1，五27，八1-22

1. 聖經怎樣形容約伯？
2. 他的朋友說了些甚麼？

祈禱
天父，當我明白受苦並非總是個人罪孽的結果，我感到非常釋然。我願意為我面對的困難負起自己當負的責任，求您幫助我不要遭受虛假的罪疚感所困擾，讓我心靈能夠保持平靜。阿們。

The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die

Day 268

Is suffering the result of sin?

"Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?" (v.2)

Bible reading:
Luke 13:1-9

1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?

3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.

4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.

7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'

8 "'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.

9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"

Message

Yesterday we ended by making the point that it is only when we realistically acknowledge a problem that we can take the steps to deal with it. The teaching that says you should not admit to having a problem as the negative thought that comes from such an admission will interfere with your ability to deal with it is psychologically and spiritually unsound.

The passage we read yesterday showed how Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, dealt with the problem of His impending death on the cross: He first faced it in His feelings, and then went out to face the fact. "Rise, let us go!" The second thing we must do to deal with suffering is to recognise that not all suffering is due to personal sin. Some suffering is, of course, but not all. The person who violates God's moral laws must not be surprised when these laws kick back. The fact that not all suffering is due to personal sin can be seen from the account in John 9, where Jesus pointed out that personal or parental sin is not always at the back of physical calamities such as congenital blindness.

The point is made even more clearly in the passage before us today, where Jesus points out that calamities can stem from man's inhumanity to man (Pilate's butchering of Galilean Jews) or natural accidents or disasters (the collapse of the tower in Siloam), and therefore the people who suffer from them are not especially sinful. This takes away the self-righteous attitude of those who, being free from calamities themselves, view the problems of others as being the direct punishment of God upon their sin.

"Jesus faced His feelings then faced the fact"

Prayer
Father, I'm relieved to know that suffering is not always the result of personal sin. I'm willing to take my share of the blame for the problems I face, but help me not to become plagued with false guilt. Keep me balanced. Amen.

Further study
Job 1:1-5; 4:1-5-27; 8:1-22

1. What does Scripture say about Job?
2. What did his friends say?

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