八福
恩典與憐憫
經文
路加福音十25-37
25有一個律法師起來試探耶穌，說：夫子！我該作什麼才可以承受永生？
26耶穌對他說：律法上寫的是什麼？你念的是怎樣呢？
27他回答說：你要盡心、盡性、盡力、盡意愛主─你的神；又要愛鄰舍如同自己。
28耶穌說：你回答的是；你這樣行，就必得永生。
29那人要顯明自己有理，就對耶穌說：誰是我的鄰舍呢？
30耶穌回答說：有一個人從耶路撒冷下耶利哥去，落在強盜手中。他們剝去他的衣裳，把他打個半死，就丟下他走了。
31偶然有一個祭司從這條路下來，看見他就從那邊過去了。
32又有一個利未人來到這地方，看見他，也照樣從那邊過去了。
33惟有一個撒瑪利亞人行路來到那裡，看見他就動了慈心，
34上前用油和酒倒在他的傷處，包裹好了，扶他騎上自己的牲口，帶到店裡去照應他。
35第二天拿出二錢銀子來，交給店主，說：你且照應他；此外所費用的，我回來必還你。
36你想，這三個人那一個是落在強盜手中的鄰舍呢？
37他說：是憐憫他的。耶穌說：你去照樣行吧。
信息分享
我們現在要來繼續思考「憐恤」的真正意思。要更深明白這個詞兒的其中一個最好方法是將牠與恩典比較。你有沒有留意到，在保羅的書信中，從羅馬書到帖撒羅尼迦後書每一封信的開頭，保羅都說：「願恩惠和平安從神我們的父並主耶穌基督歸與你們」。這句話經常在書信的第二或第三節出現。不過，在被稱為教牧書信（提摩太前後書和提多書）的信件中，他卻將句子改為：「願恩惠、憐憫、平安從父神和我們主基督耶穌歸與你們」。
保羅在「恩惠」後面加入「憐憫」，顯示了一個特別的意義。有人把恩惠和憐憫定義為：「恩惠是與人的罪有關，而憐憫則與人的悲慘有關。」恩惠是針對罪，為了得著拯救；而憐憫是特別針對罪帶來的悲慘後果，為了得著釋放。這定義幫助我們以更廣闊的視野來看憐憫。憐恤是「憐憫的心加上行動」。
憐恤的基督徒內心充滿憐憫和關心，倘若他認識的人遇到困境，他一定要加以援手後才會感到滿足。好撒瑪利亞人的故事是說明憐憫的一個典範例子。在路上有人遇到困境，沒有人幫助他。後來那撒瑪利亞人走到路上，替他包扎傷口，帶他到旅館，使他得到照顧，可以舒適地休息。請記得，憐恤是「憐憫的心加上行動。」
「憐恤是憐憫的心加上行動」
進深研究
箴三3，十一17；彌六8；約八1-11
1.主要求什麼？
2.耶穌怎麼能夠不犧牲真理而表達憐憫？
祈禱
充滿憐恤和慈愛的天父，求您讓我有您的形像。我知道，沒有您的幫助，我不能成為憐恤的人。所以，求您進到我裡面，幫助我能像您一般的思考、愛，和生活。奉您親愛的名字祈求。阿們。
The Beatitudes
Grace and mercy
Bible reading:
Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27 He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[a]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]"
28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
Message
We continue focusing our thoughts on what it means to be "merciful". One of the best ways to understand the word is to compare it with grace. Have you ever noticed, that the introduction to every one of Paul's epistles from Romans through to 2 Thessalonians, includes the words: "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ"? The phrase usually appears in the second or third verse of these epistles. However, when he comes to what are described as the pastoral epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus), he changes the phrase to read: "Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
When Paul inserted the word "mercy" after the word "grace", he implied an interesting distinction. Someone has defined the two words thus: "Grace is especially associated with men in their sins, mercy is especially associated with men in their misery." While grace looks down upon sin and seeks to save, mercy looks especially upon the miserable consequences of sin and seeks to relieve. This helps us to see mercy in a wider dimension. Mercy is compassion plus action.
A Christian who is merciful feels such compassion and concern that he is not content until he does something about the plight of the one with whom he comes in contact. The story of the Good Samaritan is a classic illustration of being merciful. Others saw the man but did nothing to help him in his plight. The Samaritan, however, crossed the road, dressed the man's wounds, took him to an inn and made provision for his comfort. I say again: mercy is compassion plus action.
"Mercy is compassion plus action"
Prayer
Merciful and loving heavenly Father, make me in Your own image. One thing is sure - I cannot be a merciful person without Your help. So come and think in me, love in me and live in me. For Your own dear Name's sake. Amen.
Further study
Proverbs 3:3; 11:17
Micah 6:8
John 8:1-11
1. What does the Lord require?
2. How did Jesus show mercy without compromising truth?
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