新约 - 路加福音(Luke)第23章

Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.
And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."
So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."
But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."
On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean.
When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle.
He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him.
Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.
That day Herod and Pilate became friends--before this they had been enemies.
Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people,
and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.
Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.
Therefore, I will punish him and then release him."
[Now he was obliged to release one man to them at the Feast.]
With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!"
(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again.
But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."
But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.
So Pilate decided to grant their demand.
He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.
Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.
For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!'
Then "'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '
For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left.
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar
and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."
When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.
But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man,
who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.
Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body.
Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.
It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.
Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
路加福音第廿三章   第 23 章 

  路 23:1> 维持公义则前途尽毁,彼拉多就曾遇着了这头痛的事,你可遇过?你会怎办呢? 

  23:1 彼拉多是罗马政府驻犹大的巡抚,衙门设在耶路撒冷。他很喜欢捉弄犹太人,例如从圣殿的府库里拿钱来建筑沟渠,又把罗马皇帝的像带进城里,侮辱犹太人的宗教。不过他也知道这些行动会引起反效果。假如百姓对他的统治正式提出上诉,罗马方面可能会撤他的职。当犹太领袖带耶稣到他这里受审时,彼拉多开始觉察自己的地位不稳。是不顾自己的政治前途,继续跟犹太人纠缠,还是向他们的要求屈服,判一个他几乎可以肯定是无辜的人有罪呢?这正是彼拉多要面对的问题。(关于彼拉多的资料,请参可 15 章的人物介绍。) 

  路 23:7> 彼拉多把耶稣交给希律,希律怎么也在那里?…… 

  23:7 希律(又名希律安提帕)这个周末正在耶路撒冷过逾越节,施洗约翰就是他杀死的。彼拉多想把耶稣交给希律,因为他知道耶稣住在加利利,并在那里工作。但希律帮不了什么忙,他对耶稣充满好奇,并且喜欢捉弄祂。(关于希律安提帕的资料,请参可 6 章的人物介绍。) 

  路 23:13-25> 在群众的压力下,彼拉多知道惟有妥协才可了事;你可会如他一样,还是坚守立场? 

  23:13-25 彼拉多想释放耶稣,群众却大声反对,要求把祂杀掉,由此可见彼拉多的地位已经不稳固,他不想冒失去地位的危险,而容许动乱发生。身为一位职业政治家,他知道妥协的重要,他视耶稣为一个政治威胁多于一个拥有权利和尊严的人。权位愈高,愈难为正确的事站出来。如果彼拉多是一个真正有勇气的人,他便会不顾后果也要释放耶稣。但群众吼叫,彼拉多便屈服。当你面临困难的决定时,不要轻看群众压力的影响。要知道你的正确决定可能会遭社会拒绝,使事业发展受阻碍,遭公众嘲笑。面对相同的境况,你会作什么样的决定? 

  路 23:18-19> 你也许会奇怪,为什么群众会希望释放巴拉巴,其实有原因的…… 

  23:18-19 巴拉巴参与了反罗马政府的叛乱(参可 15:7 )。身为一位政治反抗者,毫无疑问,他在犹太人心目中是个英雄。巴拉巴被释放了,但他所犯的正是耶稣被指控的那罪( 23:14 )。 

  路 23:22> 在祂走上十字架的道路前,祂所受的,人又明了多少? 

  23:22 单是惩戒就有可能使耶稣死亡。鞭打犯人的步骤是脱去受刑者的上衣,把他双手绑在柱子上,然后用有三根刺的鞭子鞭笞。至于打多少下,要按着所犯的罪决定,根据犹太法律,最多打四十下。根据马太和马可的记载,耶稣受鞭打后,还遭受了其他的虐待:人们打祂耳光、吐唾沫在祂脸上、嘲笑祂,把荆棘冠冕戴在祂头上,用苇子打祂,钉十字架前还脱光祂的衣服。 

  路 23:23-24> 其实彼拉多也不是太差,他也有为耶稣求情,你说他把耶稣钉十字架也有私心?不会吧…… 

  23:23-24 彼拉多不想判耶稣死刑,他知道犹太领袖是出于忌妒,想除去一个对头。可是,当他们威胁要向凯撒告他时(参约 19:12 ),他便害怕起来。历史记录显示,罗马政府因彼拉多管辖地区的紧张局势已向他提出警告,只要在逾越节耶路撒冷有一场动乱发生便足以叫他下台。因此他把耶稣交给暴民,任由他们处置。 

  耶稣被带往受死 

  路 23:28-31> 耶稣要她们为自己哀哭,为什么?也许今天我们也该为自己哀哭…… 

  23:28-31 只有路加记载耶稣经过街道、被带往处决时,一些妇女为祂哀哭。耶稣叫她们不要为祂哀哭,却要为自己哀哭。祂知道大约四十年后,耶路撒冷和圣殿都要被罗马人毁灭。 

  路 23:32-33> 十字架上,主承痛苦;跟随基督的道路若是如此,你害怕吗?你仍会走下去吗? 

  23:32-33 当雅各和约翰求耶稣在祂的国中让他们坐在祂的左边和右边时,他们不知道自己求的是什么(参可 10:35-39 )。现在耶稣要藉着死亡来开始祂的国,在祂左右两边的是两个判死刑的罪犯。这表明耶稣是为所有人死的,正如耶稣向祂那两个渴求权力的门徒所解释的一样。你若想要就近耶稣,就必须准备受苦和舍命,正如耶稣所作的一样。往神国的道路就是十字架之路。 

  路 23:34> 耶稣临死时的祷告,为的是谁?可是为犹太人?为祭司?为你?为我? 

  23:34 耶稣求神赦免那些把祂置于死地的人──犹太领袖们、罗马的政客和军人、围观的人。神垂听了这祷告,甚至向杀害耶稣的凶手开了救恩的门。罗马的百夫长和兵丁看见耶稣钉十字架的情景,说:“这人真是神的儿子。”耶稣复活后有很多祭司悔改相信耶稣(参徒 6:7 )。我们全都是罪人,因此都在杀害耶稣上有分,这个“福音”就是神的恩典,祂藉着祂的儿子,赦免我们,并赐给我们新生命。 

  路 23:38> 那牌子所写的是什么,你是知道的,可你知道其中的意思? 

  23:38 一个君王在公众面前被脱光衣服受处决,表明他的国已永远失去。然而,耶稣却把世界的智慧颠倒过来,这其实恰是祂进入祂的国度。祂的死和复活给撒但的权势以致命的打击,并要在地上建立永久的权力。当时看到这个牌子的人当中,只有少数人明白其真正意义──祂真正是犹太人的王。 

  路 23:39-43> 我努力做好事,还说我不够?我不过不信耶稣而已;但那杀人犯只说了一句,他却…… 

  23:39-43 这个犯人快要死时,他转向基督求赦免,基督便接纳了他。这显示靠我们自己的德行不能救自己,但靠在基督里的信心任何人都能得救。耶稣在痛苦中,仍然向这个要相信祂的犯人施怜悯。一早便转向神的人,生命会更加有用,可以成就更多的事;最后一刻才悔改的人,也会与主同在乐园里。 

  路 23:42-43> 垂死的犯人与门徒,你看有什么不同?你可有他的信心? 

  23:42-43 这个垂死的犯人比耶稣的门徒更有信心。门徒虽然仍然爱耶稣,但是对王国的梦想破灭了。正如一个门徒在两天后伤心地说:“我们素来所盼望要赎以色列民的就是他。”( 24:21 )。相反,这个犯人望着这快要死的人说:“当你得国降临的时候,求你记念我!”他的信心多么令人敬佩啊!惟有他超越目前的羞辱,看到将来的荣耀。 

  路 23:44> 遍地黑暗,难道有大事发生? 

  23:44 从正午时分开始,遍地都被黑暗笼罩了大约三小时,天地都因神的儿子受死而悲哀。 

  路 23:45> 基督死时幔子落,其中意义你可知? 

  23:45 这个重要事件代表基督在十字架上的工作。圣殿分为三部分:外院,众人都可以在这里聚集;圣所,只有祭司才可进入;至圣所,只有大祭司每年可以进入一次,为百姓赎罪。至圣所摆放着约柜,表示神的同在。幔子是为了隔开至圣所,使人不可进入。基督死了,幔子裂为两半,表明神与人之间的阻隔清除了,现在,每个人都可以藉着基督直接地亲近神(参来 9:1-14 ; 10:19-22 )。 

  路 23:50-52> 一个犹太议员,公开要求耶稣的身体,难道他不怕死吗? 

  23:50-52 亚利马太人约瑟是犹太议会中一个富有和正直的议员,他也是耶稣的秘密门徒(参约 19:38 )。曾经公开跟随耶稣的门徒都逃走了,但约瑟却勇敢地站出来。他这样做可能要付上极大的代价,但他却关心耶稣,去求耶稣的身体,好把祂妥善地埋葬。 

  路 23:53> 23:53 这个坟墓可能是人手凿成的山洞,在耶路撒冷附近有许多这样的小山洞,大到足够让人走进去。在埋葬后,就用大石头封住洞口(参约 20:1 )。 

  路 23:55> 你看那些妇女是微不足道?你看自己也是如此?你知道耶稣如何看她们、看你? 

  23:55 这些加利利妇女跟着约瑟到坟墓那里,看见他如何安葬耶稣,所以她们在安息日之后带着香料香膏到那里去找耶稣的身体。这些妇女不能够为耶稣做大事,但她们做了自己所能做的。当大部分门徒都逃走时,她们留在十字架下,她们又预备好去膏主的身体。因为她们的忠心,便成为第一批知道主复活的人。──《灵修版圣经注释》