了解十字架Understanding the Cross
[每日靈修] 12/27/2018, 駱鴻銘編譯
十字架上到底發生了什麼事？耶穌的死是人類的悲劇，一個好人被殘忍而不公平地殺害了嗎？祂的死是信仰、順從和自我犧牲的榜樣嗎？這是向魔鬼支付的贖金嗎？對魔鬼的勝利嗎？道德影響力的表現嗎？
十字架是贖罪嗎？它涉及罪的消除（expiation）和挽回（propitiation）嗎？這是為了滿足上帝的忿怒和正義而作成的超自然行動嗎？這些個別的含義和幾個含義組合組合起來的含義，都曾被人闡述為基督死亡的真正含義。
我們如何理解耶穌的十字架，在很大程度上取決於我們對聖經的看法。如果我們將聖經視為人類宗教之原始的、前科學時代的表達，我們會傾向於純粹用一種自然的角度來看待耶穌的死亡。它頂多代表了一種英勇的自我犧牲的例子。耶穌是自我奉獻的存在主義英雄。
如果我們採用流行的所謂新正統（neo-orthodox）的聖經觀點，我們將採取不同的角度來看十字架。新正統的聖經觀點，否認聖經給了我們命題性的啟示。相反，聖經被視為是見證了發生在事件中的啟示。
將「事件的啟示」與「命題的啟示」分開，是為了給我們留下一個沒有解釋的故事。聖經教導說，有一個關鍵的事件，即十字架的事件。拿撒勒人耶穌被釘在十字架上。那些參與其中的人或其觀眾，對這個死亡的意義並沒有一致的共識。對於猶太公會來說，這是一種權宜之計。耶穌必須死，以免猶太人遭到羅馬人的忿怒。同樣地，從彼拉多的角度來看，他滿足暴徒的要求也是權宜之計。連十字架上的小偷也認為這是不公義的表現。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
你如何看待耶穌在十字架上的死亡？你認為在十字架上真的發生了什麼？它對你有什麼影響？
進一步研讀：
西一19 因為父喜歡叫一切的豐盛在他裡面居住。既然藉著他在十字架上所流的血成就了和平，便藉著他叫萬有，無論是地上的、天上的都與自己和好了。
西二13 你們從前在過犯和未受割禮的肉體中死了，神赦免了你們（或作：我們）一切過犯，便叫你們與基督一同活過來；又塗抹了在律例上所寫攻擊我們，有礙於我們的字據，把他撤去，釘在十字架上。
林前一17 基督差遣我，原不是為施洗，乃是為傳福音，並不用智慧的言語，免得基督的十字架落了空。 因為十字架的道理，在那滅亡的人為愚拙；在我們得救的人，卻為神的大能。
Understanding the Cross
What
really happened on the cross? Was the death of Jesus a human tragedy whereby a
good man was brutally and unfairly slain? Was His death an example of faith,
obedience, and self-sacrifice? Was it a ransom paid to the Devil? A victory
over the Devil? A manifestation of moral influence?
Was
the cross an atonement? Did it involve expiation and propitiation for sin? Was
it a supernatural act done to satisfy the wrath and justice of God? Each of
these individually and several in combination have been set forth as the real
meaning of Christ’s death.
How
we understand the cross of Jesus in large part is determined by our view of the
Bible. If we view the Bible as a primitive, pre-scientific expression of human
religion, we will be inclined toward a purely natural view of the death of
Jesus. It will represent at best an example of a heroic human act of
self-sacrifice. Jesus is the existential hero of self-giving.
If we
take the popular so-called neoorthodox view of Scripture, we will take a
different approach to the cross. The neoorthodox view of the Bible denies that
the Bible gives us propositional revelation. Rather, the Bible is seen as a
witness to revelation that takes place in events.
To
divide event revelation from propositional revelation is to leave us with a
story without an interpretation. The Bible teaches that there was a crucial
event, the event of the cross. Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. The
significance of that death was not agreed upon by those who were a party to it
or spectators of it. For the Sanhedrin, it was an act of expediency. It was
necessary for Jesus to die, lest the Jews experience the wrath of the Romans.
Likewise from Pilate’s vantage point, it was a matter of expediency for him to
satisfy the demand of a raging mob. The thief on the cross saw it as an
expression of injustice.
Coram
Deo
How
do you view the death of Jesus on the cross? What do you believe really
happened at the cross? How does it affect you?
Passages
for Further Study
Colossians
1:19–20
Colossians
2:13–14
1
Corinthians 1:17–18
