路加福音 第23 Part 2 章 Luke Chapter 23 Part 2
- 馬克牧師
- Apr 19
- 11 min read
各位平安，今天我們要來讀的是《路加福音》第23章的下半段。
昨天我們一起分享了「十架七言」，其中提到了有兩位罪犯與耶穌一同被釘在十字架上。其中一位在臨終時悔改，而耶穌親口應許他：「今日你要同我在樂園裡了。」這句話深深提醒我們：人得救，不是靠行為，而是憑信心接受耶穌在十字架上為我們所成就的一切。
那位罪犯在生命的最後時刻抓住了悔改的機會，並因著這信心得蒙恩典。這讓我們每一個人都看見一個極大的盼望——即便在人看來已經「來不及」的人，只要悔改，神的恩典依然臨到。
接著我們看到，耶穌死的那一刻，發生了極其震撼的大自然異象。
根據《路加福音》的記載，從正午開始，遍地黑暗，太陽變黑，一直到申初（下午三點）——整整三個小時，天地都陷入一片黑暗。
《馬太福音》也記載了同樣的景象，並補充說：「地大震動，磐石崩裂。」
《馬可福音》也一致指出：「從午正到申初，遍地都黑暗了。」
這不僅是一個自然現象，更是一個屬靈的記號——天地為主的死亡哀號，大地也為創造主的犧牲震動。這段黑暗，是宇宙對公義被釘十字架的無聲哭喊。
在《路加福音》23章中，還有一個極具屬靈意義的事件：聖殿的幔子從上到下裂為兩半。
對於不熟悉聖殿構造的人來說，可能會以為這個「幔子」就像是一塊薄紗、輕薄的布簾。但若我們回到舊約，會知道這塊幔子可不是普通的布，而是極其厚重堅實的帷幕。
根據猶太傳統的記載，這塊幔子的厚度約為一掌寬（約10公分），長達數公尺，由多層織物製成。這不是一塊能夠輕易撕裂的布，而是一道實質的屏障——象徵著人與神之間的隔絕。
在舊約制度中，聖殿被分為聖所與至聖所，這塊幔子正是將兩者分隔開來的界線。唯有大祭司每年一次，才能進入至聖所為百姓贖罪。任何人若未蒙允許、帶著罪擅自進入，便會立即被神擊殺。這一切都表明了：罪，使人與神之間隔絕。
然而，在耶穌斷氣的那一刻，這道幔子——從上到下裂為兩半，這個細節非常重要。若是人為之事，幔子應該是從下向上裂開；但這裡明確記載，是從上到下，象徵著這是神主動的行動。
這裂開，不只是物理上的撕裂，更是一個屬靈上的宣告：
「從此以後，人與神之間不再有隔閡。」
這是福音的核心之一。耶穌的死，不只是擔當了我們的罪，更親手拆毀了那道隔絕我們與神的牆。祂為我們開了一條又新又活的路，讓我們可以奉耶穌的名，坦然無懼地來到施恩寶座前。這正是神創造人時的原初心意——與人同行、同在、親密無間。但自從人犯罪後，這樣的親密關係被罪隔絕。而如今，藉著十字架，隔閡除去，關係恢復，恩典傾倒。
弟兄姊妹，今天當我們禱告，當我們敬拜，我們不再是站在牆外敲門的罪人，而是被寶血潔淨、被愛接納、得以親近神的兒女。這一切，都源自那一刻——十字架上幔子裂開的神蹟。
從福音書的記載中，我們知道耶穌是在下午三點鐘氣絕身亡的。而按照猶太人的曆法，一天是從傍晚六點開始計算的——也就是說，從下午六點以後，就算是隔天了。而接下來的那一天，正是猶太人極為看重的安息日。
安息日的律法非常嚴格——不能做工，不能生火，甚至連觸碰屍體都是被禁止的。所以在耶穌斷氣之後，留給門徒們處理祂遺體的時間，其實是非常有限的。
就在這個時候，有一個人出現了。他的名字是約瑟，來自亞利馬太，是一位公會（Sanhedrin）的議士。根據《路加福音》的描述，他是個善良公義的人，並未贊同眾人對耶穌所做的判決。他也被描述為「盼望神國」的人，這意味著他內心有信仰、有盼望，也可能是暗中跟隨耶穌的人。
在這關鍵時刻，約瑟鼓起勇氣，前去見彼拉多，請求領回耶穌的身體。對一個公會成員來說，這是非常冒險的舉動，因為他等於是在眾目睽睽之下，表明自己願意與耶穌認同。然而他並不在意別人的眼光，選擇了站在耶穌這一邊。
他將耶穌的身體從十字架上取下來，用細麻布包裹妥當，並安放在一座從未有人使用過的墳墓裡——這極有可能是他為自己或家族預備的墓園。這是一個慷慨而極有尊嚴的安排。
他之所以如此急切地行動，是因為他必須趕在安息日開始（傍晚六點）之前完成所有安葬的手續，否則將違反安息日律法。
因此，當我們說耶穌第三天復活，並不是按照現代人「滿72小時」的理解，而是根據猶太人的「日數計算法」來看：
第一天：耶穌於受難日（星期五）下午三點斷氣，這一天從祂死到傍晚六點算作第一天。
第二天：星期六是猶太人的安息日，從星期五傍晚到星期六傍晚。
第三天：星期天的清晨，耶穌復活了——這就是第三天。
這種「含頭含尾」的日數計算方式，是猶太文化中的習慣表達。因此，「第三天復活」在當時的語境中是完全合理而清楚的。
但當我們同時對照《馬太福音》第27章，我們會發現事情還有後續。在馬太福音27章62節開始記載：
「次日，就是預備日的第二天，祭司長和法利賽人聚集來見彼拉多，說：『主啊，我們記得那誘惑人的還活著的時候曾說：三日後我要復活。』」
這段話非常關鍵，因為它揭露出法利賽人和祭司長真正的用意。這些人一方面在猶太會堂裡高舉律法，要求人人遵守安息日，不可做工；但另一方面，他們自己卻在安息日當天跑去見羅馬總督彼拉多，商量如何加強對耶穌墳墓的警戒措施。
這是不是非常諷刺？
他們控告耶穌「不守律法」，但自己卻為了私心而公然違反律法。他們表面上是為了捍衛信仰，實際上卻是為了維護自己的地位與權力。耶穌之所以被釘十字架，不是因為祂違法，也不是因為祂有罪，而是因為祂威脅了這些宗教領袖的控制權與自尊心。
接著，這些人還要求彼拉多派兵看守墳墓，理由是：「恐怕祂的門徒來把祂偷了去，對百姓說祂從死裡復活了。」彼拉多便回答他們說：「你們有看守的兵，去吧，盡你們所能地把守妥當。」
所以我們看到，這是一個史上唯一有羅馬士兵駐守的墳墓。
這一點非常重要，也成為我們堅信耶穌復活是真實歷史事件的理由之一：
當時門徒正處在驚恐害怕之中，他們躲藏起來，根本沒有心志和能力去「偷走」耶穌的屍體。
墳墓有羅馬兵看守，這些訓練有素的軍人是不可能讓幾個漁夫輕易潛入的。
若耶穌根本沒有復活，而門徒卻為這個「謊言」甘願走上殉道的道路，甚至一個接一個被酷刑折磨、斬首、釘十字架、焚燒而死……你覺得有可能嗎？
人不會為一個自己捏造的謊言而付上性命，除非那是真的。
歷世歷代的信徒之所以願意為耶穌捨命、為真理站立，正是因為耶穌復活是一個又真又實的歷史事件。祂不是神話、不是傳說、不是宗教編造的故事。祂的復活，是改變歷史、改變世界、也改變我們生命的關鍵事實。
今日的屬靈反思
歷史上無數人質疑：耶穌是否真的復活了？
但當我們認真查考聖經，了解當時的背景與細節，不論是羅馬政府對十字架酷刑的執行、墳墓被羅馬士兵嚴密看守、門徒們四散逃亡的軟弱……所有的證據都指向一個事實：
耶穌不是昏迷、不是逃走，而是徹徹底底地死了。而祂的復活，也不是幻想、不是謊言，更不是編造出來的傳說，而是真真實實的歷史事件。
如果不是復活，門徒怎能從驚恐的逃亡者，轉變成勇敢傳道、為主殉道的見證人？如果沒有復活，歷代的信徒怎會為一個謊言甘願捨命，持守到底？
耶穌已經復活，祂是真正活著的主。感謝各位今天的聆聽。明天我們將一起來讀《路加福音》第24章——以馬忤斯路上的故事。這段經文對我們每一位信徒都有極深的意義，也藏著極寶貴的教訓。
願上帝祝福各位。
Peace be with you all. Today we will read the second half of Luke chapter 23.
Yesterday, we shared the "Seven Last Words of the Cross," and among them was the story of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus. One of them repented at the last moment, and Jesus personally promised him, "Today you will be with me in Paradise." This powerful statement reminds us that salvation is not earned by deeds but received through faith in what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross.
This criminal, at the final moment of his life, grasped the opportunity to repent and, by faith, received grace. This gives every one of us great hope — even those whom the world sees as "too late" can still receive God’s grace if they repent.
Then we read that at the moment of Jesus' death, something earth-shaking occurred in the natural world.
According to Luke, from noon until three in the afternoon, darkness came over the entire land, and the sun stopped shining.Matthew also records this and adds, “The earth shook, rocks split.”Mark agrees, saying, “From noon to three in the afternoon, darkness came over the whole land.”
This was not merely a natural phenomenon, but a deeply spiritual sign — the heavens mourning the death of the Lord, the earth trembling at the Creator’s sacrifice. That darkness was the silent cry of the universe at the crucifixion of righteousness.
Luke 23 also records another spiritually significant event: the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
To those unfamiliar with the temple’s design, the curtain might seem like a thin veil — but the curtain described in the Old Testament was anything but light. According to Jewish tradition, the temple veil was about a handbreadth thick (roughly 10 centimeters), several meters tall, and made of multiple layers of heavy fabric. It was not something easily torn.
This curtain separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the temple — a space only the high priest could enter once a year to make atonement for the people. Anyone entering unauthorized, especially while bearing sin, would be struck down by God. The curtain symbolized the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity.
But when Jesus died, this thick curtain tore from top to bottom — a crucial detail. If a human had torn it, it would have been from bottom to top. This tearing from the top symbolizes that it was God who took the initiative.
This was not just a physical tearing — it was a spiritual declaration:"From now on, there is no more separation between God and humanity."
This is one of the core messages of the gospel. Jesus' death not only bore our sins — it also destroyed the wall that separated us from God. He opened a new and living way through which we can now come boldly before God's throne of grace in the name of Jesus.
This fulfills God's original intention in creation — to dwell with mankind, to be near. Sin had broken that relationship, but now, through the cross, the distance is gone, the relationship restored, and grace is poured out.
Brothers and sisters, today, when we pray and worship, we are no longer outsiders knocking from afar. We are children, cleansed by His blood, accepted in love, free to draw near to our Father. All of this stems from that moment — the miraculous tearing of the veil at the cross.
The gospel accounts tell us that Jesus died at around 3:00 p.m. According to the Jewish calendar, a new day began at sundown — roughly 6:00 p.m. So from that evening onward, it was already considered the next day, and that next day was the highly significant Sabbath.
Sabbath laws were strict — no work, no fire, and especially no contact with the dead. Therefore, after Jesus died, His followers had very limited time to bury His body.
At this moment, a man named Joseph of Arimathea appears. He was a member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council), described as a good and righteous man who did not agree with the verdict against Jesus. He is also said to be someone “waiting for the kingdom of God,” meaning he was a man of faith and hope, perhaps a secret disciple of Jesus.
Joseph courageously approached Pilate and requested the body of Jesus — a bold move for a Sanhedrin member, openly associating with a condemned man. Yet Joseph was not concerned about public opinion — he chose to stand with Jesus.
He took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in fine linen, and laid it in a tomb — one that had never been used before, likely intended for himself or his family. It was a generous and dignified act.
He had to act quickly because everything needed to be completed before sundown, when the Sabbath began. That’s why when we say Jesus rose “on the third day,” it doesn't mean a full 72 hours by modern calculation, but follows the Jewish method of counting days:
Day One: Friday, the day of crucifixion (even just a few hours counts as one day).
Day Two: Saturday, the Sabbath (from Friday evening to Saturday evening).
Day Three: Sunday morning, when Jesus rose.
This inclusive day-counting method is consistent with Jewish tradition.
But when we read Matthew 27:62 onward, we see there’s more to the story.
“The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, “After three days I will rise again.”’”
This moment is revealing. These religious leaders, who insisted everyone else keep the Sabbath law, themselves went to the Roman governor on the Sabbath to secure the tomb.
Isn’t that ironic?
They condemned Jesus for allegedly breaking the law, but here they clearly break it for their own self-interest. They weren't interested in true justice — they were protecting their power.
They asked Pilate to station guards at the tomb, afraid that Jesus’ disciples might steal the body and claim He had risen. Pilate granted their request: “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you know how.”
And so, Jesus’ tomb became the only tomb in history to be sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers.
This is important, because it becomes part of the historical evidence supporting the truth of the resurrection:
The disciples were terrified and in hiding — they had neither the will nor the strength to steal the body.
Roman guards — highly trained soldiers — stood watch. No fisherman could overpower them.
If Jesus had not truly risen, how could His followers — who had just fled in fear — suddenly become bold preachers, willing to die for what they knew was a lie?
People do not die for what they know is false. They die for truth.
Throughout history, countless Christians have suffered and died — not for a myth, not for a legend, but for a real, living Savior who conquered death.
Spiritual Reflection for Today
Many have questioned: “Did Jesus really rise from the dead?”
But when we examine the Scriptures and understand the historical context — the Roman crucifixion system, the sealed tomb, the disciples’ fear — all evidence points to one conclusion: Jesus truly died, and He truly rose again.
If He didn’t rise, how did frightened, scattered disciples become bold witnesses and martyrs?
If the resurrection was a lie, how could millions through the ages remain faithful, even unto death?
Jesus is alive. He is the risen Lord.
Thank you for listening today.Tomorrow, we will study Luke chapter 24 — the story on the road to Emmaus. This passage holds profound meaning for every believer, and contains treasured lessons for our faith journey.May God bless you all.
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