Sunday, December 31, 2017

Visit Canada and Attend a Church

I am visiting Vancouver for 9 days, staying with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law’s family. I didn’t really plan to visit a church on Sunday, but by Sunday morning 10:30, my daughter asked me if we should find a nearby church and attend a worship service. I think it is a good idea—to me, comparing different church practices is always inspiring and fun.

I searched Google Map and found a church that is a 16-minute walk from where we live—Trinity Baptist Church. It has two services on Sundays: a “Bilingual” service at 9:30, and obviously we could catch the “Blended” service at 11 am, whatever that "blended" means.

By the time we walked into the church door, the service has already started. From the glass window, I could see the sanctuary was about the same size is my own church, with a good attendance of 70% full. Two ushers standing in front, one of them was praying, for church members, for communities, and for the nation of Canada.

After the prayer, we found our seats. There were announcements, a “Healthy Church Survey” was mentioned, its results include the necessity of emphasizing prayers. Visitors are called to identify themselves, so that a small gift packet is passed. Each visitor received a piece of heart-shaped chocolate candy, a pen with church phone number and website on it, a visitor info/survey form, and welcoming words of brief introduction to the church.

"Trinity Baptist Church seeks to be an "international church" welcoming people of all ethnic backgrounds to worship as one Christian church family. Although you will hear a variety of languages spoken, English is the common language for our Sunday worship services."Looks they are pretty successful in reaching this goal. The Apostles' Creed is printed, with Mission statement of a simple "Knowing God, Touching Lives".

In "Children's Moment", there were more than 20 elementary school-aged kids went to front. A pastor asked them New Year's wishes, and reminded kids God listens prayers before dismissed them to Children's Sunday School classes.

The program bulletin and other announcements have simplified Chinese printed below the English, I guess there must be many attendees are from Mainland China. There is much higher percentage of Asian faces in the congregation, but there is quite some India or Filipino decedents there too. No wonder it is said a “blended” service.

Scripture reading is a passage in Luke 2, not sure if they use the same lectionary as other mainline churches, but the sermon was very much focus on a center message: Don’t be a bucket, to keep God’s blessing to oneself, but be a pipe, channeling God’s good grace to those in need in 2018. The Biblical characters Simeon and Anna can be our models.

I notice the arrangement of the sanctuary is very similar to my Presbyterian church, but they install a screen for projector, whenever a scripture is read, or a song is sung, the screen would roll down promptly, so People can see the words from screen.

There are still Bibles and Hymnals on the pew, but people don’t have to flip through them to locate a passage or a song. (This is especially nice for people who are not familiar with Bible, or not follow service program well for songs.)

There are other activities going on Wednesday nights for this church. According to the bulletin, within a certain period of time, all are invited to join a meal at 6 pm, followed by a number of programs, including a children's choir, a kids' Bible lessons and games, two adult Bible studies, a prayer meeting, completed with nursery and preschool service. No wonder there are so many younger people in the congregation, they must have found this a good place to raise kids.

Besides, on the cover of this bulletin, there is a photo, taken from the church's "Christmas outreach team", people seemed giving out something from a tent in a public square, because it was raining. It was announced that the church has decided to donate all its Christmas Candle Light Service special offerings to sponsor a refugee family from Congo, whom they expect in 2018.

From the pew, I found the church is about as old as the small American church I am attending, established in 1955 and never moved from this location. I bet the place was not as populated as now, but the church must have adapted to the cultural changes quite well.

Another thing that's impressive to me -- the preaching pastor said he had adapted a son, and spoke from that experience, he could relate how God received us into His family!

Friday, December 29, 2017

基督徒面對異教

有一位天主教信徒對基督信仰作了不少反思,寫出來給人不少啟發。有一次他被問到一個問題:為什麼基督徒那麼害怕paganism?意思是我們一遇到別人信奉異教,算命通靈或拜偶像圖騰等等,就立即遠離,害怕受到某種攻擊或不良影響,為此很多基督徒避免去到廟宇等等地方。

人家的問題是:為什麼基督徒會認為別人拜他們的偶像會傷害到自己呢?如果說是害怕撒但有什麼作為,可是信奉異教和撒旦好像沒有什麼直接關係啊。是害怕會下地獄嗎?你遇到這種問題如何回答?我答不上來。我無法證明,人家的信佛教和上香等等宗教活動會引起撒旦來攻擊到旁觀的基督徒。

Carl McColman是天主教西多會的修士。他可能相信不同的宗派/宗教都是尋求神的不同屬靈途徑。我把他的回答記在這裡,你可以點擊鏈接閱讀全文:

首先,不是所有的基督徒遇到異教的巫術啊、魔法啊,都會那麼害怕。有的基督徒還積極正面地看待那些東西,看為遇見神的另外屬靈途徑。在大千世界中有基督徒、有猶太教徒或穆斯林、還有印度教徒和佛教徒。還有些活動比較以大地為中心,比如中國的民間信仰,統稱為“異教”。

另一方面,你也會遇到一些基督徒,把這些當作後現代的時尚、人造的幻想宗教,不肖一顧。這些基督徒不怕異教活動,但也不願意尊重,倒是嘲笑取樂,你不用想和他們嚴肅對話或探討什麼。

但是那些害怕異教崇拜活動的基督徒是嚴肅基對待異教的,他們把惡魔投射到異教徒和異教崇拜上,因此對異教有敵意和懼怕的反應。這些基督徒比較傾向於持守保守的聖經直譯主義的信仰,看世界和宇宙為善惡二元相爭--聖善的神與邪惡的魔在進行一場巨大的權力鬥爭。

所有的基督徒對待異教崇拜都傾向於與他們自己內心的信仰架構一致。要記住,那些對異教崇拜有敵意的基督徒,對於佛教、印度教、伊斯蘭教、猶太教同樣傾向於有敵意·,也就是說,他們的敵意和懼怕,與其說是在講說對其它宗教的想法,不如說更多地道出他們自己的狀況。

Carl McColman指出,這些人其實根本不思考其它的宗教信仰。你只要從互聯網稍微一搜索,就能搞清楚關於異教信仰或其它信仰的一些常見誤解,可是那些有敵對態度的基督徒一般都不愛作這樣的調查研究,他們的思想已經因為害怕神的憤怒而被禁錮起來。實際上,即使這些基於懼怕的基督徒讀到關於異教活動的正面好評,他們也傾向於把那些文章當作假消息。--Carl本人顯然碰過壁。

我想Carl所說的懼怕問題的確存在。對於很多相信魔鬼力量強大的人來說,的確不敢隨便去「探討」,免得得罪自己的神,或得不到足夠的保護等等。我本人是沒什麼興趣去探討各種奇怪的其它屬靈途徑,但我也不必盲目地敵對、攻擊、和害怕--這樣有利於對話。因我深信我的上帝創造天地,耶穌是上帝一切智慧的化身,祂愛我如同我愛自己的孩子!我很安全。

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Brian McLaren 牧師:父權制問題

我們人類有不少問題,其中一個比較大的問題是男人。

男人常常為了身分、名聲、性滿足、金錢、土地、勢力等等成為暴力相向的對頭。在一定的社會情形下,男人會組成和利用幫派、政黨、國家、宗教、帝國,來上演他們的好鬥,而且很悲哀地,這些爭鬥經常涉及婦女和兒童。

好幾千年之前,社會對男性侵犯問題發明出一種解決辦法,就是興起一名強勢男性的統治者,在所有其他溫和或不溫和的男人(包括婦女)之上,建立起一種統治和順服式的權力架構。這裡有個不成文的交換:為了換取所有對所有不羇男人的掌控,一名統治的父親形象被授予額外的權力、特權、聲望、和特別利益,包括經濟上的和性占有方面的利益。

怎樣的人會被提升到這種地位呢?為了能吓住任何潛在的對手來順服,這人必須願意動用暴力,來不斷地顯示他比別人更加不羇,來提醒所有可能的暴發戶,他的身體實力、性實力、違犯倫理標準以維護權力的實力、以及經濟實力都是無庸置疑的。如此,所有人都記得誰才是統治的男人。

這套系統就是父權制,存在於家庭、家族、部落、國家、或帝國之內。大概500年前開始,歐洲的大家長們(也就是教宗、君王、和他們的親信們)向全球擴展他們的父權制度。所以,自從殖民期間,父權制就開始在世界範圍內,以白人基督徒的男人優越主義形式表達出來。

由於父權鐵腕們難免要老化、變弱、和死亡,每一代都一定有某種過渡。父子承襲有時候不好使,所以權力過渡時期經常血淋淋的。於是,社會發展出一套比較仁慈溫和形式的父權制,稱為民主制。民主制給予有特權的男人選舉權,來選舉他們的下一代的鐵腕。結果,鐵腕們使用言詞、財富、魅力興起來,而不是用武器來得到權力。

當然,仍然是男人在經營這套民主表演,可是到20世紀,事情開始有了顯著的變化。民主的父權制建立起婦女得到越來越多平等機會的條件。比如在美國,民主黨和共和黨都有政客決定選擇婦女來作他們的總統競選夥伴。這樣的舉動仍然是男性統治者領頭,卻承認了崛起的女性力量。到2016年,兩黨都有婦女參加總統的初選,而柯林頓夫人是第一位以最多票數贏得政黨全國候選人的婦女,盡管她後來因選舉團制度落選。

如果柯林頓夫人贏選總統,那就遠遠不只是突破了一個不成文的障礙,更會是標示出一個全球超越父權制的轉折點。我們也許可以說,我們是站在一個後父權文化的門檻上,也就是一個尋求新的領袖平等的文化。當男性侵犯的問題借著文化和專業的規範、教育、和法律得到有效管理時,領袖可以超越傳統的父權表現,體現出後父權的領導力品質,比如心智、誠實、可信、道德倫理權柄、創新、謙卑、憐憫、個人操守、榜樣、遠見、細致周到、非暴力、建立同盟、率先服務、慷慨、合作等等。

以上的簡短父權制回顧能夠幫助我們了解目前的政治顧慮,瞭解下面的基本動力是甚麼—很多性醜聞暴露出來,人們的容忍變為有限。

從一個層面上,我們也許可以說,人們在壓力之下比較不喜歡冒險了,我裡面那個「你所知道的惡魔」傾向於變成了別人所不知道的惡魔。所以,往後父權方向發展太快顯然對美國的2016選民壓力太大,媒體產生的進步與論壓力和實際的傳統力量競爭混在一起,那幾個關鍵搖擺不定州的選民,選擇了他們所知道的有惡魔的鐵腕人物。

川普完全符合獨裁式的族長總司令形像。在初選中他就很願意使用暴力威脅、無情的侮辱、展示財力(包括起訴的威脅)來嚇住對手順服,或者把他們趕出場。他甚至動用身體語言,吹噓他的生殖器大小,下意識地來證明自己,希望人相信自己是最合適的領頭男人。他最喜歡說的一個口頭禪是「相信我」,邀請人放下道德品格問題,把信心還原到比較原始的父權制競爭。甚至連他那些荒唐的謊話,對於被父權制塑造出來、不顧一切要借著主導權力維持秩序的人來說,也醞釀出一種扭曲的把握。還記得彼拉多問耶穌的問題嗎?人可以問「(比起蠻力,)甚麼是真理?」

川普很有意識地訴求於原始衝動。他在2007年出版的一本書中,鼓吹自己「有」過各種女人,「美麗的、出名的、成功的、已婚的」,然後說了一段話,大意是:

我們也許住在城郊的房子裡,但我們的思想和情緒卻離原始叢林不遠。在原始時代,婦女們靠著最強壯的男人來保護,她們不冒險隨便跟一個無名小輩,地位低的男人沒有辦法給她們房子住,供養保護她們和她們的兒女。而地位高的男人藉著他們的厲害顯示出實力,他們不怕為自己著想,和作出自己的決定。他們不在乎部落中別人怎麼想,不說那些廢話。這樣的態度到現在還一直是那種吸引婦女的男人所擁有的態度。

也許我們以為吹噓自己的性能力,或顯示自己的「厲害」,會讓宗教人士不喜歡。但實際上,傳統的神學支持原始的父權制,畢竟神的形像在傳統的一神教中,最常見的就是想像成一位超級父權元老,隨時能夠用暴力打擊那些藐視其能力的人。最頂級有了一位全能的父權元老,整個宇宙就呈現為永恆、絕對的父權制的。

這樣看來,難怪許多傳統的白人新教徒和天主教徒—包括婦女—選舉川普,堅持支持他。川普的強人角色和搧動的行為模式,對於父權制宇宙的信徒來說並不陌生。他們比較容易饒恕川普那些粗魯自大的習慣,畢竟,父權制的男孩就是男孩。

這也解釋了為甚麼進步派的基督徒不接受父權制,反而提倡普通的真男人形像:一種新的男人女人模式,基督的模式,不用暴力報復,卻用非暴力抵制、饒恕、和好。不是用強勢主導,而用服事、榜樣、愛心、喜樂、和平、忍耐、仁慈、溫和、信實、良善、自制顯出來的實力。

本文取自Brian McLaren 牧師的文章,全文請讀When Patriarchy Is the Problem (Not the Solution)。他用了父權制的鏡片來解讀2016年川普總統當選的事件--基督教的神學難免受到父權制世界觀影響,不知道美國自報為政治右派的保守基督徒如何理解我們人類歷史的父權制事實?以及基督徒是否應該有改革更新文化的使命?

Monday, December 25, 2017

藍色的聖誕節反思

今年我們教會的基督降臨節第四周特別地記念一些在聖誕節無法歡樂的人,為他們的緣故舉行了一次集體的藍色反思。很有意義,我要記下來。藍色象徵著某種深沉穩定,它總是給人安靜清醒的信心。所以顧名思義,藍色的反思一定是智慧的反思,提醒自己應該記住的事。

全部的詞都印出來給眾人。首先解釋說:我們今天早晨點燃4根蠟燭,是為紀念我們曾經愛過、卻已經過世的人。我們要為我們的悲傷點一隻蠟燭,為我們的勇氣點一隻,為我們的記憶點一隻,再為我們的愛心點一隻。

然後由兩個人點燃4根蠟燭,第一個人讀的時候,第二個人點一隻蠟燭,然後第二個人讀的時候,第一人點另一隻蠟燭,等等。每點燃一隻蠟燭時,眾人就齊唱《以馬內利來救贖被擄的以色列》那首歌的頭一句,然後有暫短的安靜。我們教會有兩位牧師,他們就作了點蠟燭的人。下面是藍色反思所讀的話,我翻成中文:

乙:這隻蠟燭代表了我們的悲傷。我們失去親人有悲傷,理想破滅有悲傷,希望化為失望有悲傷。(點一隻蠟燭,唱詩)

甲:這隻蠟燭代表了我們的勇氣。它象徵著面對悲傷的勇氣,彼此安慰的勇氣,互相誠實敞開分享我們感受的勇氣,以及敢於在傷痛之中大膽盼望的勇氣。(點一隻蠟燭,唱詩)

乙:這隻蠟燭代表了我們的記憶。那些我們在一起歡笑、在一起哭泣、彼此生氣或互相大喜過望的記憶。我們點燃這隻蠟燭,是為紀念我們同享過的關切和喜樂。(點一隻蠟燭,唱詩)

甲:這隻蠟燭代表了我們的愛心。我們付出的愛,我們得到的愛,那些沒有得到報謝和沒有感受到的愛心,以及那些在喜樂憂愁時分享的愛心。(點一隻蠟燭,唱詩)

最後指示大家:你們剛才進來的時候,每人都得到一顆可掛在聖誕樹上的紙星。現在你可以在那紙星上寫字...也許是你所想念的親人,或你所認識的悲傷的人,或是甚麼讓你的這個聖誕節成為「藍色」的東西。

音樂彈奏,籃子傳遞,每人都可以把寫了字的紙星放在籃子裡,牧師和司儀立即幫你掛在講台旁邊的聖誕樹上。當然,你也可以把你的紙星帶回家。

Friday, December 22, 2017

教會增長:撒種的比喻

Larry Osborne牧師寫的《Sticky Church》這本書值得分享。下面括號中是我的評論。

If the back door of a church is left wide open, it doesn’t matter how many people are coaxed to come in the front door—or the side door, for that matter. (For our church we have many people come through our church door for attending concerts or boy scout etc.)

Yet most churches give the back door scant attention. (We don’t know we have a back door!)

We’ve discovered lots of ways to reach people... (most of them make use of our facilities, people enjoy our music series, or Helloween Party etc.)

But we’ve often become so focused on reaching people that we’ve forgotten the importance of keeping people. And that’s the thesis of this book: Our churches need to be sticker. (Even the reaching people was never our focus, making disciples would automatically make a church stickier.)

Stickier churches are healthier churches. They not only draw in spiritual window-shoppers and lead them to Christ; they also grow them up to maturity. (for non-evangelical churches, probably there is no spiritual window-shopper are recognized, and everybody seem assume a maturity of others.)

And that, after all, is what Jesus called us to do. He didn’t tell us to go into all the world and sign people up. He told us to make disciples—a task that includes baptizing people and teaching them to obey everything he commanded. Frankly, that’s a task that takes some significant time. To pull it off, we need to be sticky.

Why "stickiness" is so important? In one of Jesus’ most famous parables, the parable of the sower, he told of a farmer casting seeds onto four types of soil, each representing a different response to the gospel.

One of the soil was so hard that nothing could germinate. Another was so shallow that the plants sprouted quickly but couldn’t dig their roots deep enough to withstand the furnace blast of a Middle Eastern summer’s day. The third kind of soil was weed infested, resulting in a crop that once again looked good for a while but eventually was choked off by what Jesus called the deceitfulness of riches and the desire for other things.

Only the fourth type of soil, the one Jesus called the good soil, produced a harvest. -- Now the point of this parable is straightforward: A great spiritual start is no guarantee of a happy ending. (I often wonder what the spiritual start feels like for Presbyterian Church goers.)

But somehow many of us have missed it. We’re quick to rejoice at the first signs of spiritual life—and rightfully so. (Hey, for a church without much spiritual fellowship, what are considered the signs of spiritual life?)

Here’s the problem. No farmer would ever be satisfied with initial growth killed off before harvest. If the soil in any portion of his field produced no result at the end, he’d never plant there again. A crop that didn’t last all the way to harvest was a financial disaster. The response wouldn’t be just a shrug and an “Oh well”.

Most scholars see the soil in this parable as representing the condition of individual hearts—but the underlying principles are not only true for individuals; they are also true for the ministry of a local church.

One of the most important things it says about our churches is that stickiness matters. (Because inviting and keeping people is a major characteristic of Christ, this is His image.)

So think about it: what is your church's back door? and how can you slam it shut?

Monday, December 18, 2017

童女生子在基督信仰中

昨天看見有個年輕人寫文章談論聖誕故事。他的立論:童女生耶穌的事件對於基督的福音和信仰並非最基本的。我把這位Matthew Korpman弟兄的論證記在這裡。

童女生子這件事顯然是一個神蹟。對於相信神能夠行神蹟的人來說,這不是問題。但對於不信神蹟的人來說,問題有一大堆。主要的問題是路加福音和馬太福音記載的故事不同啦,大希律王和戶口登記與我們所知道的歷史資料合不上啦,還有馬太和路加都不是親自跟隨耶穌的人,他們寫的最多是根據傳統,等等。

有些人不相信聖誕故事,另外一些人立即認定凡不信的都不是基督徒,畢竟這童女生子是寫在信經中的嘛,信經是教會傳統的一個重要部分,那不是說明信童女生子對於信仰很重要嗎?Korpman提出下面幾項理由,說明聖誕故事並不重要:

首先,是馬可福音和約翰福音書上根本沒有記聖誕故事。倒不是說那兩卷福音書的作者不知道或不信,乃是說他們不認為這件事有那麼重要。馬可福音是最早的,把各種口傳的傳統編寫串成一個耶穌的生平故事。在馬可的筆下,耶穌故事是從他受洗開始的。

第二個理由,約翰福音是最晚寫成的,不記聖誕故事,反而用一首詩來頌揚logos(道)的永恆性。第8章有一處猶太人提到私生子,可能是在影射挖苦耶穌是童女所生這件事,但是作者並沒有展開,說明約翰並不認為童女生子重要。

約翰特別在第20章說,「耶穌在門徒面前另外行了許多神蹟,沒有記在這書上。但記這些事要叫你們信耶穌是基督,是神的兒子,並且叫你們信了他,就可以因他的名得生命。」換句話,這約翰福音書上沒有記的事,不會影響到人因耶穌的名得生命。

第三個理由,保羅傳福音都沒有提到耶穌是童女所生的,他恐怕也是因為不認為馬利亞是童女有多大的重要性。保羅書信中沒有論證。

第四個理由,有人覺得以賽亞預言了童女生耶穌,所以這件事一定會發生。但你若仔細看以賽亞書上那句話的前後文,以賽亞是對猶大王亞哈斯發預言,談論他那個時代的事。以賽亞並沒有提到童女要生的是彌賽亞王,但路加和馬太顯然從以賽亞這句話看到,預言第二次應驗了,儘管以賽亞本人恐怕不知道,後來的基督徒卻很容易看到。雖然童女生子對於福音與得救沒有直接關係,卻是一個意外的驚喜禮物。

第五個理由,聖經都是聖靈啟迪給人的書。如果兩部記有童女懷孕生子的福音書,和兩部沒有這方面信息的福音書,都原原本本收在正典經書內,那麼說明聖靈也沒有把童女懷孕生耶穌當作最基本的信仰。因為早先的教會一般只有一卷福音書,不像現在,能夠把四卷來對比。那些只有馬可福音或約翰福音的教會,顯然不把童女生子當作信仰的重要環節,聖靈允許如此。

Friday, December 15, 2017

甚麼是一個 Hate Group?

南方貧困法律中心(Southern Poverty Law Center,縮寫SPLC),是一個美國非盈利的民權組織,反對白人優越主義,且堅持為那些遭仇恨團體迫害的受害者做法律代理,並獲得一系列成功。此外,它還監控仇恨團體、民兵以及極端組織。在教育方面,它推行「提倡寬容」的教育項目。

甚麼是「仇恨團體」呢?按照維基百科的定義,仇恨團體(Hate group)是針對某些人士的種族、民族、膚色、國籍、宗教、文化、語言、腔調、階級、職業、外貌、性別、性取向、性別認同及性別氣質等而「怨恨」、敵視或者訴諸暴力的有組織集團。

根據解釋的前後文,怨恨應改為「憎惡、討厭」,因為你若說怨恨,沒有人能對號入座,但你一提憎惡和討厭,很多人都會立即知道自己對同性戀,或流浪漢,或黑人等等很討厭,不僅僅是對那些人缺乏信任,心裡恐怕還一直要罵他們。

https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map
SPLC有一張美國地圖,上面用不同的圖標來標明他們所監控的仇恨團體的地理位置,現在全美國共有917個這樣的團體。一個團體怎樣才能符合他們的「仇恨團體」定義呢?

這樣的團體可能會因為憎惡而引發暴力案件,但引發暴力案件並不是列為仇恨團體的必要條件。列為仇恨團體的必要條件,換句話說,是無緣無故輕視、醜化、誹謗、咒罵某些人,僅僅因為那些人有某種不同的特質,比如膚色、或性取向。

家庭研究中心(The Family Research Center or FRC)被SPLC列為仇恨團體,因為它的反同立場(anti-LGBT),把所有性別認同的少數派都當作病態、邪惡、危害兒童和危害社會,或者認定他們更傾向於變成戀童癖者、或容易對別人進行性侵犯,等等。

保守派的基督徒要注意!這些立場並沒有聖經支持。沒錯,聖經反對同性行為,聖經時代的文化把同性行為列在暴力當中,但現在的情形不同。科學發現一些男同性戀的基因證據,詳細請看另外一篇筆記

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

大麻油的藥用價值

無論你有甚麼病,如果醫生告訴你沒有甚麼辦法了,試試大麻油吧。Actually, you don't have to wait until very late.



Hemp oil, Cannabis oil, CBD oil, Marijuana oil, ... 可能只是名稱不同,恐怕是因為Marijuana有個臭名。據我所知,各種不同名稱的大麻油含有THC的比率不太相同。顯然,大麻的藥用研究和報告發表遇到很多阻力--涉及到了政治和經濟。這部片子的內容僅供參考,你不必全部相信,但我認為知道比不知道好。

Sunday, December 10, 2017

The Translations of Matthew 11:12

(The original of this note is in Chinese, published in September 2011. In the translations below, inside the brackets are the footnotes from that version.)

NIV: From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence (been forcefully advancing), and violent people have been raiding it.

NLT: And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing (the Kingdom of Heaven has suffered from violence), and violent people are attacking it.

NKJV: And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

RSV: From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence (has been coming violently), and men of violence take it by force.

In this sentence, the subject is the Kingdom of Heaven. The Greek verb βιαζεται can be understood as “passive voice”: be violently against. Or it can be understood as “middle voice” without an object: Forcefully advancing. The picture is violent – either the Kingdom of God violently does something, or it has been violently against by something.

The later part of the sentence has another Geek verb αρπαζουσιν, which is a plural form of action, also gives a violent picture. It means violently does something, for example plucks away, or takes away by force, or suddenly catch away. Depends on how you understand the previous part of the sentence, this part has to be translated differently. But remember, its subject is plural, so it probably is not the Kingdom of God, no matter how violently it advances itself.

This will leave only one possibility of understanding the earlier part, to be the subject of the later violent action: those violent men who violently resist/against the Kingdom. And this is supported by the contexts of the verse – John the Baptist brought the message of the Kingdom, but strong/violent people were attacking him, even Jesus faced the same treatment. Therefore the RSV translation of the verse makes best sense. By the way, in Luke 16:16, we see a similar verse, especially if you read Chinese version, but it actually is a different statement.

RSV: The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently.

When we think it is “similar”, that is because Luke 16:16 appear give similar picture to one of the renderings of Matthew 11:12 – the Kingdom of God advancing forcefully, and followed by men act violently. – Why entering God’s Kingdom needs violence? There is a similar confusion like Matthew 11:12. NLT interpretes Luke 16:16 as people's desire to be eager, rather than their actions to be violent:

NLT: Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.

Again βιαζεται can be understood either passive or middle voice there -- It is either people were forcefully pushed/grab into the Kingdom (by God), or people strive to enter it. Most translators select the second rendering, and I guess this was how Chinese version of Matthew 11:12 came from, which literally says “From the days of John the Baptist until now, people strive to enter the Kingdom, and those who are trying hard have it.”

Thursday, December 7, 2017

彌賽亞神曲:哈利路亞大合唱



哈利路亞是希伯來文「讚美主」的音譯。這個大合唱是彌賽亞神曲的一部分,反覆唱「哈利路亞」。為甚麼要讚美主呢?歌中說「for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He shall reign forever and ever」。

意思就是耶和華上帝無所不能、治理萬有。這世界的國要成為我們主和祂的基督的國。萬王之王、萬主之主要永永遠遠治理。

--「基督」就是王,賴特博士翻譯的新約把所有的「基督耶穌」都翻成 King Jesus,即「耶穌王」,比較通俗。現在普世眾教會的信徒都尊祂為王。你若想要詳細知道彌賽亞神曲--那是一部18世紀的歌劇,我五年前介紹過一次,你可以參考。

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

從廣告行銷到傳福音

我原來是做軟件開發工作的。很多年前我曾經在工作轉換之際考慮過改行做其它工作,比如去賣保險。頭一輪測試下來,我似乎非常適合做個人推銷工作--我總是能找到機會對很多人做個人佈道。可是第二輪我就決定罷手了,因為我必須利用我的人緣,以及利用別人對我的信任,來說服別人從我手上買保險。抱歉,我不認為人家這麼需要買保險!我賣了保險就無法再勸人接受福音了,這實際上是有衝突的!

今天看見一篇文章,談論在手機和社交媒體網上如何作廣告。挺有意思,我馬上聯想到推廣福音信息的策略--有點像我在和人談話中找到機會說信耶穌或上教會的好處。現在的商業機構發現他們必須用更聰明的辦法在線上講故事,而不是簡單地拿一套廣告信息對顧客播放。

作者Scott Steinberg提出10個竅門,來幫助商業機構優化產品推廣(翻譯的全文可按此閱讀),我列在這裡:
  1. 不要直接提出你解決問題的答案。而要講述一個比較大的故事緣由,建立一個情感上的聯結點,給人一種緊急感,希望能和你一同找到解決問題的答案。
  2. 信息要簡短、親切、簡單。避免囉嗦,快速抓住讀者的注意力,在10秒鐘之內告訴他/她1-3個重點信息。
  3. 你可以用一個強而突出的鈎子,比如一句幽默或暖人心懷的話,來講你的故事,和別人不一樣。
  4. 如果有視頻、動畫等等視覺信息最好,來總結你的複雜題目。聽眾往往對帶有視覺圖象成分的信息有更準確的印象和作出反應。
  5. 針對不同的社交網站環境來設計你的信息,以達到最佳的溝通果效。
  6. 仔細看好你的戰略投資回報,你的社交媒體策略是否支持這個大目標?
  7. 設立具體可量度的指標來衡量你所計劃的果效,也許看網頁的點擊數量,增加的銷售量等等?
  8. 不必一味追求數字,有時有效性還看人們是否談論某個有關話題的頻率增加了,或者讀者對你信息的回應,對你的品牌是否增加了好感--和讀者有對話最重要。
  9. 與別人增加聯繫,把焦點從單純銷售轉移到創造價值。幫助讀者解決難處,比如省時省力。利用60/20/20的原則:花60%的時間和讀者互動,20%的時間分享對方所關心的內容,20%的時間談你的品牌。
  10. 為了更有效地團結人來跟隨你,作一個精神領袖,鼓勵人,提供資源給人。人家經常回來向你詢問有關的行業信息,你就成功了。
文中提到,你若能重新考慮如何推動對話來圍繞著解決問題進行,你的廣告和消費者技術產品與服務推廣就簡單實惠多了。關鍵是講一個比較好的故事,抓住顧客的注意力,建立連接感和啟發他們行動。

現在,我來作一個練習,儘量應用上述的行銷原則。如果你沒有常常到教會,我要勸你去認識幾個基督徒,和他們交朋友,聽他們說說信耶穌的好處。當然我在這裡看不見你的表情,也聽不見你發言,所以不會長篇大論地對空說話,萬一你不感興趣,我就是對牛彈琴了。但我如果鉤起了你的興趣,請你克服障礙,現在就去尋找一間合適你的教會。

也許你至今還是生活一帆風順的人,也許你遇過風浪吃過苦,或者,也許你現在正處在某個人生漩渦當中,或面臨某個親友生老病死,無論你現在情況如何,有一件事是確定的,你一定會遇到需要上帝幫助和救援的時候。基督信仰就像一支內心的燭光,遇到黑暗時就顯出這光的寶貴。

耶穌說,「我是世界的光,跟從我的,就不在黑暗中走,必要得著生命的光。」在教會中,有一群人是希望學習彼此扶持的,你可以跟他們一起學,大家作夥伴。有些功課不容易學,比如彼此饒恕,但作基督徒是走一條光明向上的路,因為上帝要教導祂的兒女學義。你不必聽人說長說短,選一間主流宗派的教會,或者請朋友介紹,自己跨進去看一看。

天下這麼大,必有一間合適你的教會。祝你順利開始一個新的生活方向和道路,不只是為自己而活,更學著成為別人生命中的貴人,有上帝幫助你,為別人帶來亮光和益處。

(我所在的教會操英文,但若有幾位華人有興趣,我們也可以開小組團契,定期聚集,互相幫助和勉勵信心。--現在正值基督降臨節,我們教會每周四晚上5點半供應免費簡餐,邀請人來參加餐桌上的非正式崇拜。你即使來晚了也不要緊--5301 McKee Rd. San Jose,硅谷地區歡迎聯絡我,或介紹朋友來。另外,這個星期六12月9日晚上7點半,我們有自家的聖誕合唱,很輕鬆的歡聚,歡迎你邀朋友一起來參觀!)

Saturday, December 2, 2017

聖誕合唱:天使加百列的信息

天使加百列


天使加百列從天而來,他的翅膀好像雪花飄,他的眼睛好像火焰燒。
他向卑微女子馬利亞說all hail,最蒙大愛的女子,哈利路亞!
因為你要成為有福的母親,萬代要稱頌和尊你為貴,
你的兒子將是以馬內利,正如先知所預言,最蒙大愛的女子,哈利路亞!

然後馬利亞很溫和地低下頭:神若喜悅就成就在我身上。
她說:我的靈要讚美和尊主的聖名為大。最蒙大愛的女子,哈利路亞!
以馬內利基督在伯利恆從她而生,都在一個聖誕節早晨。
全世界的基督徒都永遠要說,最蒙大愛的女子,哈利路亞!
哈利路亞!哈利路亞!