派使者去求和 — 路加福音读经随笔 第14章

路加福音第十四章第25—35节，耶稣说若有人想跟从他就需要忽略（原文为恨）自己的父母、妻子、儿女、弟兄、姐妹和自己的性命。耶稣这句话是说若有人想跟从他就不要爱自己的家人或抛弃他们吗？肯定不是，否则这与神要门徒们爱人如己是矛盾的。我觉得耶稣这句话的意思是说人若想跟从耶稣就需要不怕家人的反对，就需要忽略父母和妻子的劝导，遵循耶稣的教导去行事为人，并否定自己在世界里所学的关于得救的思维逻辑（即把所学的世界的东西钉在十字架上，或者说否定旧我：通过相信耶稣得救，而不是通过所学的世界里的途径和逻辑去寻求得救），看重天国的福分而看轻世界里的名利，只有这样才能做耶稣的门徒：这就是撇下一切所有的，背起十字架跟从耶稣。耶稣说这就好比一个人盖楼他需要预先计算所需要的花费，也好比出去带兵打仗，若觉得打不过，就趁另一方还远的时候派使者去求和。耶稣就是拯救我们的使者，他道成肉身替我们死在十字架上担当了我们的罪，在末日到来之前，替我们谈妥了得救的条款，赐给了我们永生。信耶稣就必得救！若做不到如此跟随耶稣，就好比盐失了味，只能被丢弃了。

路14:25 有极多的人和耶稣同行．他转过来对他们说、
Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them,
路14:26 人到我这里来、若不爱我胜过爱自己的父母、妻子、儿女、弟兄、姐妹和自己的性命、就不能作我的门徒。〔爱我胜过爱原文作恨〕
"If anyone comes to me, and doesn't disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can't be my disciple.
路14:27 凡不背着自己十字架跟从我的、也不能作我的门徒。
Whoever doesn't bear his own cross, and come after me, can't be my disciple.
路14:28 你们那一个要盖一座楼、不先坐下算计花费、能盖成不能呢。
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?
路14:29 恐怕安了地基、不能成功、看见的人都笑话他、
Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him,
路14:30 说、这个人开了工、却不能完工。
saying, 'This man began to build, and wasn't able to finish.'
路14:31 或是一个王、出去和别的王打仗、岂不先坐下酌量、能用一万兵、去敌那领二万兵来攻打他的么。
Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
路14:32 若是不能、就趁敌人还远的时候、派使者去求和息的条款。
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace.
路14:33 这样、你们无论甚么人、若不撇下一切所有的、就不能作我的门徒。
So therefore whoever of you who doesn't renounce all that he has, he can't be my disciple.
路14:34 盐本是好的．盐若失了味、可用甚么叫它再咸呢。
Salt is good, but if the salt becomes flat and tasteless, with what do you season it?
路14:35 或用在田里、或堆在粪里、都不合式．只好丢在外面。有耳可听的、就应当听。
It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."