好些妇女

Title: 好些妇女
Date: 27 Mar 2016
Preacher: Rev. Wong Siow Hwee

国成牧师在讲解马可14章的时候，念到这句诗。
”喜乐是合作伙伴关系,
哀痛则独自哭泣,
迦拿有宾客多位,
客西马尼见孤身只影。“

不过，今天从14章来到15章，我觉得应该加多两句。
”各各他有好些妇女，
其中有些是Aunties."

还好我不是靠写诗过活。

马可告诉我们，在耶稣钉死在十字架的那一刻，40 还有些妇女远远地观看， 41 就是耶稣在加利利的时候，跟随他、服侍他的那些人；还有同耶稣上耶路撒冷的好些妇女在那里观看。耶稣在加利利是多么风光。进入耶路撒冷，是多么气派。为什么到了此时，都是剩下妇女？因为耶稣的罪行是叛乱分子，所以只要是男人，都很可能被牵连是叛乱的同党。妇女和青少年就少了叛乱或杀人放火的嫌疑。所以，到了最后，在各各他刑场的时候，除了看好戏的敌人，除了执行刑罚的罗马人，真正可以安全陪同耶稣的，就剩下这些妇女。而在这些妇女当中，马可就特别点名三位：“内中有抹大拉的马利亚，又有小雅各和约西的母亲马利亚，并有撒罗米。”为什么特别点名这三位呢？因为他们三位都是空坟墓的第一见证人。

耶稣死后，43 有亚利马太的约瑟前来，他是尊贵的议士，也是等候神国的。他放胆进去见彼拉多，求耶稣的身体。46 约瑟买了细麻布，把耶稣取下来，用细麻布裹好，安放在磐石中凿出来的坟墓里，又滚过一块石头来挡住墓门。 47 抹大拉的马利亚和约西的母亲马利亚都看见安放他的地方。
16 过了安息日，抹大拉的马利亚和雅各的母亲马利亚并撒罗米买了香膏，要去膏耶稣的身体。 2 七日的第一日清早，出太阳的时候，她们来到坟墓那里。4 她们抬头一看，却见石头已经滚开了。 5 她们进了坟墓，看见一个少年人坐在右边，穿着白袍，就甚惊恐。6 那少年人对她们说：“不要惊恐！你们寻找那钉十字架的拿撒勒人耶稣，他已经复活了，不在这里。请看安放他的地方！

所以，是这三个妇女见证整个过程。他们见证耶稣死在十字架。他们见证耶稣的尸体。他们见证耶稣放置尸体的坟墓。最后，也是他们首先见证那个空坟墓，和见证宣告耶稣复活的天使。本来，耶稣的死和空坟墓这么重大的事，你也许以为应该是门徒们亲自见证的大事。因为从8章开始，真正知道内情的，就只有他们。是耶稣亲口告诉他们说：我是要受难受死最后我要死里复活。这样的事情不只说一次或两次，而是三次或更多。写故事的话，按照剧情应该是这样的结局。可是，马可告诉我们，这个见证最后是属于这三个妇女。

而这三个妇女还真的是名副其实的Auntie。（半方言）那时候，拜五拜六，又有逾越节，又有安息日，没人做生意。我一大清早就要去巴杀，“买了香膏”。路上，我们就在烦恼，3 彼此说：“谁给我们把石头从墓门滚开呢？” 我就叫你拉Peter一起来，他们捕鱼的够力气。没啦，他心情不好。不然，我们问那些守着的兵丁，叫他们帮忙。我才不要，他们最可恶了。要不然真么办？他们3 彼此说：“谁给我们把石头从墓门滚开呢？”所以，马可帮忙解释：4 那石头原来很大。也不知道是不是太Auntie了，马太和路加重复这段故事的时候，两人都把这个细节删掉。

有一个很重要的背景，我需要解释。在马可福音写成的时候，是主后70年以前，大概是六十多。关于耶稣所发生的事情，好多见证人应该都还活着。比如耶稣的复活，保罗说，哥林多前书 15：5 并且显给矶法看，然后显给十二使徒看； 6 后来一时显给五百多弟兄看，其中一大半到如今还在，却也有已经睡了的； 7 以后显给雅各看，再显给众使徒看； 8 末了也显给我看。耶稣的复活有五百多人见证。假如当时，可能有人怀疑，真的吗？会不会可能根本没有死，只是晕倒而已，所以后来活着一点也不稀奇。谁能为耶稣的死，安葬，和空坟墓，天使作见证?犹太领袖，罗马兵丁当然不会。你就得询问这三个Auntie。“三十年前。。。”又或者他们回天家了。一定有认识他们的后人。“我的老母那时形容，石头这么大。。。”

讲了这么久，这三个Auntie到底是谁？
Let’s spend some time getting to know them. The first aunty was called Mary Magdalene. The name simply means she was Mary from a place called Magdala. From Luke 8 we have extra information. These events happened while Jesus’ main activities were still in Galilee. [1]

Luke 8: 1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

The second aunty was known as Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph. I believe it refers to Jesus’ mother. This interpretation fits with Mark’s usual presentation of Mary, as a mother of Jesus’ brothers.
Mark 6: 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?

The third aunty was known as Salome. Matthew’s version is very helpful to us. He identified Salome as the wife of Zebedee, the mother of James and John, Jesus’ apostles.
Matthew 27: 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

这三个妇女的见证能够确定耶稣是真的死了，而且过后他的身体是真正的不见了。讲到这里还有一个关键性的角色：亚利马太的约瑟。
He was a member of the Jewish Council meaning that he is at least indirectly responsible of Jesus’ death. Luke defended him in his Gospel saying he is “a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action.” (Luke 23:50-51) Matthew and John further revealed to us that Joseph was actually a secret disciple of Jesus. (Matthew 27:57, John 19:38) But in Mark, we see nothing of these justifications. In Mark, he was described simply as one “waiting for the kingdom of God”. Joseph simply did what he did because he abided with the Jewish Law. And the Law states this:

Deuteronomy 21: 22 If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, 23 you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.

In Mark, Joseph did not have a special relationship with Jesus. He came forward boldly to bury Jesus simply because it was the right thing to do. As one “waiting for the kingdom of God”, Joseph simply did what he did because he abided with the Jewish Law. We could say the same about the rest of the aunties who were there. They were described as “41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs.” They were there not because they had inside information about Jesus. I don’t think that they expected any miracles after Jesus died on the Cross. As good aunties do, they cared for Jesus and his needs. Yet, unknowingly they became witnesses to the most critical event of Jesus’ life: his death and resurrection.

如果约瑟没有守律法，那按着当时的罗马的处理方式，就是把这些叛乱份子的尸体丢在乱葬坑。如果耶稣的身体不见了，那人家一定假设是被野兽叼走了。若这些妇女不是爱惜耶稣，想要在最快的可能膏耶稣的身体，那也同样见证不到空坟墓的景象。就因为他们都忠于自己该完成的事，耶稣的死和复活就更加铁证如山。就因为他们的见证，我们可以相信耶稣是真正的死，是真正的复活。

Are you faithful in the little things? It is such faithfulness that matters in the moments which truly count. In Jubilee, let’s be thankful to all the aunties and uncles. They prepare the Holy Communion without fail. They change the liturgical colors at the appropriate times. They feed the cell groups and they pray for the sick and needy. I believe whenever Jubilee is given miracles, they will be the first witnesses. 就像经文三个妇女一样。Just like the three women described in this morning’s passage.

今天是马可福音的最后一堂道。我们从一月到三月听完了整个福音。马可1：1神的儿子，耶稣基督福音的起头。弟兄姐妹，你所听到的福音就是告诉你：这就是神的儿子。这就是那位要复兴神的国，被膏的君王，耶稣基督。让我们回顾一下。故事的前半段耶稣是呼风唤雨的人物。但同时也不断提醒我们，耳朵要听，眼睛要看。果然，故事接下来都是耶稣走向苦难和死亡。耶稣正面冲击整个宗教系统，整个政权理念。但是，8：35 因为凡要救自己生命的，必丧掉生命；凡为我和福音丧掉生命的，必救了生命。10：31 然而，有许多在前的将要在后，在后的将要在前。”耶稣虽然丧掉生命，但他却成了首先被神叫他从死里复活。记得保罗在罗马书8章怎么说？29 因为他预先所知道的人，就预先定下效法他儿子的模样，使他儿子在许多弟兄中做长子。在后的将要在前。

耶稣已经开创了这么一条道路。我希望这是我们每个人的挑战。你生命里面不论是任何的遭遇，就算再艰难，还是一步一步地走下去。在其中，你必然遭遇许多抉择点，就像耶稣的每一段故事都可以选择不同的处理方式。但他始终决定顺服神，服侍人。弟兄姐妹，我们也可以。8：34 耶稣说：若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。我们的人生道路也是跟从耶稣一步一步来。我在禧年堂全时间服侍已经14年了。之前也有10年参与青少年和敬拜事工的服侍。在服侍人的过程中，就有许多抉择点。要讲怎样的话，要怎样回应，要站在什么立场，等等。有很多时候我跌倒了。但是，教会许多同工很有爱心，他们给了我一步一步走下去的力量。我想见证的是：当我选择耶稣的道路的时候，效果总是出乎预料。这些年，我经历了人会改变。我经历事情会雨过天晴。你如果要经历神的国，你就要自己试看看。耶稣已经开创了这么一条道路。我期待大家都选择跟从他。

[1]Catholic traditions combine Mary of Magdala with Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. But following our Protestant traditions, I disagree with the Catholic interpretation. This Mary of Magdala obviously came from Galilee and was an older, richer woman who could afford to support Jesus’ ministry. Mary of Bethany was based in Bethany, near Jerusalem, usually linked with her siblings. My conclusion is that they are two separate persons.