【双语灵修】问题的核心THE HEART OF THE MATTER
马太福音 5:21-22
“你们听见有吩咐古人的话说：‘不可杀人’，又说：‘凡杀人的难免受审判。’只是我告诉你们，凡向弟兄动怒的，难免受审判；凡骂弟兄是拉加的，难免公会的审断；凡骂弟兄是魔利的，难免地狱的火。
8月16日
问题的核心
“只是我告诉你们，凡向弟兄动怒的，难免受审判。” - 马太福音 5:22
正如我们从《马太福音》第5章耶稣的教导中所学到的，“不可杀人”这条诫命，不仅约束我们的外在行为，同样也审视我们的言语和心思意念。
我从未真正杀过人，但当我意识到自己违犯第六诫的次数多到无法计数时，我感到自卑，甚至惊恐。耶稣说，哪怕我们只是对人产生愤怒和仇恨，或是用贬低性的称呼去辱骂他人，我们就“难免受审判”。在这样纯全的标准面前，我们的内心根本无处遁形。
在愤怒、受伤、怨恨，甚至有时仅仅出于挫败和烦恼的时刻，我曾称呼他人或在心里认为他人是“愚蠢的”，正如耶稣时代的宗教领袖称呼弟兄姊妹为“魔利”一样。根据耶稣的教导，这种态度轻视了按着上帝形象所造的人，因此违反了第六诫。
正如教会的一份信仰告白所说：“我不可以心思、言语、眼神或姿势，更不可以实际的行为，去藐视、仇恨、侮辱或杀害我的邻舍……”（《海德堡教理问答》第105问）。
我常常因为贬低他人而犯罪，我需要不断祈求神赦免我，并在我心中浇灌一种对他人的深切、真挚的爱。你呢？
祷告
主耶稣，求你赦免我，因为我轻看并伤害了许多按着你的形像所造的人。求你帮助我，学习像你一样去爱每一个人。阿们。
Matthew 5:21-22
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
“I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” —Matthew 5:22
As we learn from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5, the commandment “You shall not murder” addresses not only our physical actions but also our words and our thoughts.
I have never physically murdered anyone, but I’m humbled— even horrified—to realize that I cannot begin to count the number of times I have violated the sixth commandment. Jesus explains that if we so much as become angry and hateful toward a person and we call them a name that demeans them, we are “subject to judgment.” This gets right to the heart of the matter.
In moments of anger, hurt, resentment, or sometimes even out of mere frustration and annoyance, I have called others or thought of them as “stupid,” just as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day did when they called a brother or sister a “fool.” According to Jesus, this kind of attitude violates the sixth commandment by showing contempt for others made in the image of God.
As a confessional statement of the church puts it, “I am not to belittle, hate, insult, or kill my neighbor—not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds . . .” (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 105).
I am often guilty of diminishing other people. I need to continually ask God to forgive me and to create in my heart a deep, genuine love for others.
What about you?
Lord Jesus, please forgive me for diminishing and hurting so many people you have made in your image. Help me to learn to love everyone as you do. Amen.