與神一起支搭帳棚Tabernacling with God
[每日靈修] 2/19/2019, 駱鴻銘編譯
將古代以色列人描述為「朝聖者和寄居者」的，正是舊約的出埃及記。他們是一個半游牧民族，哈維•考克斯（Harvey
Cox）曾將他們的生活比喻為一種沒有固定形態的擲骰子遊戲（a floating craps game）。他們從一個地方搬到另一個地方。連他們的教會也是一個帳棚，當他們在曠野跟隨上帝的帶領時，也不得不反覆拆卸。
這幅圖像在新約聖經對道成肉身的描繪中，佔有突出的地位。約翰福音寫到，「道」（Logos），神的聖言，從一開始就是「與上帝同在」，「就是上帝」，並「道成肉身，住在我們中間」（約一14）。在這裏被翻譯為「住」（dwelt）的詞，字面的意思是：在我們中間「搭起會幕」（tabernacled）或「支搭祂的帳棚」（pitched His tent）。
在這個意義上，基督是終極的朝聖者。道成肉身是無與倫比的寄居。基督離開祂天上的家，代表我們走朝聖之旅。祂與亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的後裔是一體的。
我愛我的家鄉。每次出國旅行，我都很高興回到美國。但是，美國是旅館，是在更偉大旅程中的休息站，是通往我真正家園路上的路邊攤。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
反思這個榮耀的真理：上帝在我們中間支搭帳棚（或譯：上帝住在我們中間）。
進一步研讀：
出廿九42 這要在耶和華面前、會幕門口，作你們世世代代常獻的燔祭。我要在那裏與你們相會，和你們說話。
約一4～5 生命在他裏頭，這生命就是人的光。光照在黑暗裏，黑暗卻不接受光。
約一14 道成了肉身，住在我們中間，充充滿滿的有恩典有真理。我們也見過他的榮光，正是父獨生子的榮光。
Tabernacling with God
It
was the exodus of the Old Testament that earned the ancient Israelites the
description of “pilgrims and sojourners.” They were a semi-nomadic people who
lived the life of what Harvey Cox once likened to a floating craps game. They
moved from place to place. Even their church was a tent that had to be pitched
and taken down repeatedly as they followed the lead of God in the wilderness.
This
image figures prominently in the New Testament portrayal of the Incarnation. In
John’s Gospel, it is written that the Logos, the divine Word, was “with God”
and “was God” from the beginning, and “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John
1:14). The word that is translated here as dwelt literally means “tabernacled”
or “pitched His tent” among us.
In
this sense, it is Christ who is the ultimate Pilgrim. The Incarnation is the
supreme sojourn. Christ left His heavenly home to enter into our pilgrimage in
our behalf. His was in solidarity with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob.
I
love my homeland. Every time I travel abroad, I am happy to return to America.
But the United States is an inn, a resting place in the midst of a higher
journey, a road-stop on the way to my true home.
Coram
Deo
Reflect
on this glorious truth: God pitched His tent among us.
Passages
for Further Study
John
1:4–5
John 1:14