A Glimpse of Spirituality 靈修一瞥160 (Matt 瑪11:20-24)                                                                                                                    

In what sense does the guilt of the Galilean cities consist? Why should they have repented in sackcloth and ashes? It is simply that they did not recognize the “mighty works” that Jesus performed as a call to repentance. This ignorance comes from their spiritual pride.

 

Jesus said, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” The verb “have repented” (metenoēsan) refers to sinners’ feeling sorry for what sins they have committed and they are ready to turn away from the devil. In Matt 4:17, Jesus had begun his preaching with the word “repent”: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It expresses the urgency of repentance. The interjection “woe” (ouai) is strong expressions of complaint. This complaint sounds positive just for the repentance of the self-righteous people. It is because everyone, from the top to the minor, has to face the Day of Judgment.

 

Jesus said, “But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” The noun “judgment” (kriseōs) is in a forensic sense but in accordance with faith, the words and works of Jesus the Messiah will be the judgment of all sinners who refuse to repent and follow him. That is to say, eternal life is free for all if they repent. In other words, the kingdom of God is for all penitents, but not for those who are self-righteous.

 

As faithful Christians, we will attract others to the church - just as a rose attracts people by its beauty and fragrance. The basic element that makes this beauty and fragrance is not thousands of words, but rather, the repentance. Repentance is like martyrdom in a spiritual sense because those who are ready to approach God have to give up their guilty pleasures. This spiritual death on the cross brings them to God’s kingdom with no doubt.

 

加里肋亞人罪行如何看見？他們也需要身披苦衣頭上撒灰表示悔改？原因簡單：他們沒有認識耶穌所行“異能”是在召叫人悔改；對耶穌冷漠，源自靈性驕傲。

耶穌說：“苛辣匝因，你是有禍的！貝特賽達，你是有禍的！因為在你們那裡所行的異能，如果行在提洛和漆冬，她們早己身披苦衣，頭上撒灰做補贖了。”

動詞“做補贖”（metenoēsan）本意悔改，指向罪人對自己所犯的罪感到歉意，並準備遠離魔鬼。在瑪4:17中，耶穌以“悔改”開始宣講：“你們悔改吧！因為天國臨近了。”表達悔改的迫切。

感嘆詞“有禍的”（ouai）是強烈不滿的表達，這“不滿”非消極，是積極為那些自以為是的人的悔改而說。每個人，從上到下，都必須面對審判的日子，無一例外。

耶穌說：“在審判的日子，索多瑪地所受的懲罰也要比你們容易忍受。”名詞“審判”（kriseōs）本是法庭術語，在宗教上，是指默西亞耶穌的宣講與牧職，將成為所有拒絕悔改以及不願跟隨他的罪人的審判。也就是說，如果他們悔改，永生就垂手可得。換言之，天國屬於所有悔改者，不屬於自以為是的人。

虔誠基督徒會吸引他人加入教會，如玫瑰以其美麗芬芳吸引人們一樣。締造美麗芬芳的基本要素，非嘮嘮叨叨，是悔改。悔改是精神殉道，因為誰要接近天主，就必須放棄犯罪快感。這種十字架的精神死亡，毫無疑問，會把人帶進天國。