八福
恩典与怜悯
经文
路加福音十25-37
25有一个律法师起来试探耶稣，说：夫子！我该作什么才可以承受永生？
26耶稣对他说：律法上写的是什么？你念的是怎样呢？
27他回答说：你要尽心、尽性、尽力、尽意爱主─你的神；又要爱邻舍如同自己。
28耶稣说：你回答的是；你这样行，就必得永生。
29那人要显明自己有理，就对耶稣说：谁是我的邻舍呢？
30耶稣回答说：有一个人从耶路撒冷下耶利哥去，落在强盗手中。他们剥去他的衣裳，把他打个半死，就丢下他走了。
31偶然有一个祭司从这条路下来，看见他就从那边过去了。
32又有一个利未人来到这地方，看见他，也照样从那边过去了。
33惟有一个撒玛利亚人行路来到那里，看见他就动了慈心，
34上前用油和酒倒在他的伤处，包裹好了，扶他骑上自己的牲口，带到店里去照应他。
35第二天拿出二钱银子来，交给店主，说：你且照应他；此外所费用的，我回来必还你。
36你想，这三个人那一个是落在强盗手中的邻舍呢？
37他说：是怜悯他的。耶稣说：你去照样行吧。
信息分享
我们现在要来继续思考「怜恤」的真正意思。要更深明白这个词儿的其中一个最好方法是将牠与恩典比较。你有没有留意到，在保罗的书信中，从罗马书到帖撒罗尼迦后书每一封信的开头，保罗都说：「愿恩惠和平安从神我们的父并主耶稣基督归与你们」。这句话经常在书信的第二或第三节出现。不过，在被称为教牧书信（提摩太前后书和提多书）的信件中，他却将句子改为：「愿恩惠、怜悯、平安从父神和我们主基督耶稣归与你们」。
保罗在「恩惠」后面加入「怜悯」，显示了一个特别的意义。有人把恩惠和怜悯定义为：「恩惠是与人的罪有关，而怜悯则与人的悲惨有关。」恩惠是针对罪，为了得着拯救；而怜悯是特别针对罪带来的悲惨后果，为了得着释放。这定义帮助我们以更广阔的视野来看怜悯。怜恤是「怜悯的心加上行动」。
怜恤的基督徒内心充满怜悯和关心，倘若他认识的人遇到困境，他一定要加以援手后才会感到满足。好撒玛利亚人的故事是说明怜悯的一个典范例子。在路上有人遇到困境，没有人帮助他。后来那撒玛利亚人走到路上，替他包扎伤口，带他到旅馆，使他得到照顾，可以舒适地休息。请记得，怜恤是「怜悯的心加上行动。」
「怜恤是怜悯的心加上行动」
进深研究
箴三3，十一17；弥六8；约八1-11
1.主要求什么？
2.耶稣怎么能够不牺牲真理而表达怜悯？
祈祷
充满怜恤和慈爱的天父，求您让我有您的形像。我知道，没有您的帮助，我不能成为怜恤的人。所以，求您进到我里面，帮助我能像您一般的思考、爱，和生活。奉您亲爱的名字祈求。阿们。
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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