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馬太福音 16

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1 法利賽人和撒都該人來試探耶穌,請他從上顯個神蹟給他們看。

2 耶穌回答:晚上發紅,你們就必要晴。

3 早晨發紅,又發黑,你們就說:今日必有風雨。你們知道分辨上的氣色,倒不能分辨這時候的神蹟。

4 一個邪惡淫亂的世代求神蹟,除了約拿的神蹟以外,再沒有神蹟給他看。耶穌就離開他們去了。

5 門徒渡到那邊去,忘了帶餅。

6 耶穌對他們:你們要謹慎,防備法利賽人和撒都該人的

7 門徒彼此議論說:這是因為我們沒有帶餅罷。

8 耶穌看出來,就:你們這小信的人,為甚麼因為沒有餅彼此議論呢?

9 你們還不明白麼?不記得那五個餅分給五千人、又收拾了多少籃子的零碎麼?

10 也不記得那七個餅分給四千人、又收拾了多少筐子的零碎麼?

11 我對你們:要防備法利賽人和撒都該人的,這話不是指著餅的,你們怎麼不明白呢?

12 門徒這才曉得他的不是叫他們防備餅的,乃是防備法利賽人和撒都該人的教訓。

13 耶穌到了該撒利亞腓立比的境內,就問門徒:人我(有古卷沒有我字)人子是誰?

14 他們:有人是施洗的約翰;有人是以利亞;又有人是耶利米或是先知裡的一位。

15 耶穌:你們我是誰?

16 西門彼得回答:你是基督,是永生神的兒子。

17 耶穌對他:西門巴約拿,你是有福的!因為這不是屬血肉的指示你的,乃是我在上的父指示的。

18 我還告訴你,你是彼得,我要把我的教會建造在這磐石上;陰間的權柄(權柄:原文是門),不能勝過他。

19 我要把國的鑰匙給你,凡你在地上所捆綁的,在上也要捆綁;凡你在地上所釋放的,在上也要釋放。

20 當下,耶穌囑咐門徒,不可對人他是基督

21 從此,耶穌才指示門徒,他必須上耶路撒冷去,受長老、祭司長、文士許多的苦,並且被殺,第復活

22 彼得就拉著他,勸他:主阿,萬不可如此!這事必不臨到你身上。

23 耶穌過來,對彼得撒但,退我後邊去罷!你是絆我腳的;因為你不體貼神的意思,只體貼人的意思。

24 於是耶穌對門徒:若有人要跟從我,就當捨己,背起他的十字架跟從我。

25 因為,凡要自己生命(生命:或作靈魂;下同)的,必喪掉生命;凡為我喪掉生命的,必得著生命。

26 人若賺得全世界,賠上自己的生命,有甚麼益處呢?人還能拿甚麼換生命呢?

27 人子要在他父的榮耀裡,同著眾使者降臨;那時候,他要照各人的行為報應各人。

28 我實在告訴你們,站在這裡的,有人在沒嘗死味以前必看見人子降臨在他的國裡。

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

True Christian Religion #316

Studere hoc loco

  
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316. There are a number of reasons why a person may appear chaste, not only to others, but even to himself, when in fact he is utterly unchaste. For he is unaware that when lust is present in the will it constitutes a deed, and this lust can only be removed by the Lord after the person has repented. It is not abstaining from the act which makes a person chaste, but abstaining from willing it, when the opportunity is there, because it is a sin. Suppose for example someone abstains from adultery and fornication simply out of fear of the civil law and its penalties; from fear of losing his reputation and respectability; from fear of catching diseases by this means; from fear of quarrelling with his wife at home and thus upsetting his life; from fear of a husband or relatives taking revenge, and of being beaten by their servants; or from greed; or from weakness due to disease, abuse or age, or impotence for any other reason; even if he abstains from these actions as the result of any natural or moral law, and not at the same time as the result of spiritual law, yet that person is inwardly an adulterer and fornicator. For in spite of this he believes these actions not to be sins, and so in his spirit does not treat them as unlawful in the sight of God. Consequently he commits them in spirit, even if he does not do so bodily in the sight of the world. After death therefore, when he becomes a spirit, he openly speaks in favour of them.

Moreover, adulterers can be compared with the forsworn, who break their promises, or with the satyrs and priapi 1 of the ancients, who roamed the woods shouting, 'Where are the girls, the brides and wives for us to have fun with?' Adulterers actually look like satyrs and priapi in the spiritual world. They can also be likened to stinking he-goats; or to dogs which run about the streets, looking around to sniff out bitches with whom to wanton, and so forth. Their virility, when they become husbands, can be likened to the flowering of tulips in spring-time, which within a month wither and droop.

V:

1. Priapus, a Roman god of lechery.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.