馬可福音1:40-2:12 Mark 1:40-2:12
- 馬克牧師
- 3 days ago
- 13 min read
參考書目：每日靈糧天路系列 - 馬可福音讀經
潔淨長大痲瘋的人
（太8‧1－4；路5‧12－16）
40有一個長大痲瘋的來求耶穌，向他跪下，說：「你若肯，必能叫我潔淨了。」 41耶穌動了慈心，就伸手摸他，說：「我肯，你潔淨了吧！」 42大痲瘋即時離開他，他就潔淨了。 43耶穌嚴嚴地囑咐他，就打發他走， 44對他說：「你要謹慎，甚麼話都不可告訴人，只要去把身體給祭司察看，又因為你潔淨了，獻上摩西所吩咐的禮物，對眾人作證據。」 45那人出去，倒說許多的話，把這件事傳揚開了，叫耶穌以後不得再明明地進城，只好在外邊曠野地方。人從各處都就了他來。
治好癱瘓病人
（太9‧1－8；路5‧17－26）
1過了些日子，耶穌又進了迦百農。人聽見他在房子裏， 2就有許多人聚集，甚至連門前都沒有空地；耶穌就對他們講道。 3有人帶着一個癱子來見耶穌，是用四個人擡來的； 4因為人多，不得近前，就把耶穌所在的房子，拆了房頂，既拆通了，就把癱子連所躺臥的褥子都縋下來。 5耶穌見他們的信心，就對癱子說：「小子，你的罪赦了。」 6有幾個文士坐在那裏，心裏議論，說： 7「這個人為甚麼這樣說呢？他說僭妄的話了。除了神以外，誰能赦罪呢？」 8耶穌心中知道他們心裏這樣議論，就說：「你們心裏為甚麼這樣議論呢？ 9或對癱子說『你的罪赦了』，或說『起來！拿你的褥子行走』，哪一樣容易呢？ 10但要叫你們知道，人子在地上有赦罪的權柄。」就對癱子說： 11「我吩咐你，起來！拿你的褥子回家去吧。」 12那人就起來，立刻拿着褥子，當眾人面前出去了，以致眾人都驚奇，歸榮耀與神，說：「我們從來沒有見過這樣的事！」
各位平安，這一講我們繼續來分享《馬可福音》。這次我們從第一章第 40 節到第二章第 12節，這一段經文裡面正好記載了兩個神蹟。
第一個神蹟，是醫治痲瘋病人。痲瘋病是一個影響人類數千年之久、非常難處理的一種疾病。在《利未記》十三章到十四章裡面，有關於皮膚病有非常清楚、也非常嚴格的條例。這種病有可能會讓一個人完全失去他的社交能力，被社會當成是無法治療的對象。因為痲瘋病具有傳染性，所以得了痲瘋病的人非常可憐，不只是生理上承受極大的痛苦，他的心靈、他的社交，也會被完全切斷。這是一種會讓人從裡到外，連心靈跟靈魂都受到打擊的疾病。
在律法的教導裡面，對這種疾病有非常嚴格的規定。如果一個人得了痲瘋病，他必須獨自居住在城外、住在營外，不能夠與人一同相處。就算是妻子、兒女，或者是最親近的家人，也都必須離他遠遠的。
其實，在不久前的新冠疫情當中，我們多少都知道被隔離的感覺，對人的心理會造成極大的影響。在疫情期間，不論是被隔離的人，或者是整個被隔離的社會，都產生了非常多心理層面的問題，甚至留下後遺症。我們知道，人是社交的動物，當人被隔離之後，心理上的困境會非常非常嚴重。在 2020 到 2021 年這段時間，全世界的人幾乎一起經歷了一種類似坐牢的感覺。
所以我們看到，這裡有一個得了痲瘋病的人來到耶穌面前，直接向祂求醫治。在當時的環境裡，沒有人會靠近他，祭司不會，一般百姓也不會，但耶穌醫治了他。在醫治之後，耶穌告訴他，你還是要去找祭司，獻上該獻的，並且對眾人作證。
我們從這裡看到，耶穌並不是一個屏棄律法、或是排斥律法的人。祂反而說的是，該有的規矩還是要守，但同時，祂也看見這個人當下的需要，所以祂選擇先醫治他。這其實也是耶穌一貫的態度。律法是為人設立的，人不是為律法設立的；在律法之前，人的需要一向是上帝最看重的。
在儒家思想裡面，有一句話說：「禮有經，也有權。」所謂的「經」，指的是制度、規範、儀式和行為準則；而「權」，指的是根據仁與義，在具體情境中判斷輕重得失，做出最合宜的決定。孔子所說的「仁」，就是推己及人，有一顆愛人的心。人不能夠只拘泥於規矩和律法，而是要有愛人之心。
也正是在這件事情上，耶穌和法利賽人產生了極大的衝突。律法師認為，無論如何，律法都高於一切，人的需要比不上遵守律法來得重要；而耶穌身為上帝，給他們看見的卻是，上帝在意的是人的需要。律法是為了讓人知罪而設立的，不是為了壓垮人。
身為基督徒，我們其實都是從恩典進入信仰的。我們是被憐憫的罪人，不是靠自己的行為來到上帝面前的。只是，當我們後來慢慢認識了信仰、學習了很多教導之後，我們也開始有了一些規矩、有了一些標準。這時候，我們就需要很小心地問自己一個問題：我們會不會有時候，不知不覺讓規矩勝過了人的需要？
當我們面對那些正在掙扎、在困難中的人時，我們第一個反應是什麼？我們是先用恩典去對待，還是先用審判去對待？這其實是這一段經文，很直接丟給我們的一個問題。
接下來，我們就來看第二章一開始這一段，關於一個被醫好的癱子。
耶穌當時在一間房子裡講道，有很多人聚集，聚集到整個房子都塞滿了人，連一點空位都沒有。這個時候，有四個人，是一個癱子的朋友，他們把癱子抬來，想要帶到耶穌面前。但因為實在進不去，他們就拆了房頂，把這個人從屋頂垂下來，放到耶穌面前。
如果我們用今天的角度來看這個故事，可能會覺得這也太誇張了，為了治病，竟然把人家的房頂都給拆了。這件事情確實聽起來有點誇張，不過其實在當時的情況下，並沒有我們想像中那麼困難。當時巴勒斯坦地區的房子，多半都是平頂的房屋，沒有什麼窗戶，也沒有太複雜的結構。一般人家的房子，大多只是用泥磚蓋成的簡單房舍而已。
屋頂通常就是一些木材，加上灰泥混合鋪成，所以要拆開其實是容易的，要補回去也不算太困難。同樣的故事，也記載在《馬太福音》和《路加福音》裡面。從這些記載當中，我們可以看得出來，這四個人真的是非常好的朋友，幾乎可以說是那種換帖兄弟一樣的關係。他們為了自己的朋友，無論如何，就是要把這個人帶到耶穌面前。
而在醫病之前，耶穌說了一句很有趣、也很令人深思的話：「小子，你的罪赦了。」
如果我們從當時猶太人的文化背景來看，這句話其實就比較能理解了。因為在當時的猶太文化裡，罪與受苦常常是被連在一起看的。也就是說，一個人如果正在受苦，往往就被認為是因為他犯了罪，這是他所受到的懲罰。
在《約伯記》裡面，我們就清楚看到這樣的例子。當約伯在受苦的時候，他的朋友跑來，第一件事情不是安慰他，反而是責備他，說你一定是得罪了上帝，所以這些事情才會發生在你身上。在《約伯記》四章七節，提幔人以利法就堅持這樣的觀點：「請你追想，無辜的人，有誰滅亡？」
其實在很多傳統信仰的想法裡，也都有類似的觀念。人常常會覺得，一個人這一輩子過得不好，或者他遭遇一些苦難，不管是身體的殘缺，還是家庭的破裂，就會有人認為這是他前世造了什麼孽，或者一定是做了什麼壞事，所以才會受到這樣的懲罰。這樣的說法，其實只會對已經在困難中的人，造成更大的傷害，所以這種觀念是我們非常需要小心的，不要用這樣的態度去審判那些正在受苦的人。
而這個癱子，他既然是猶太人，他的心裡很可能也認定同樣的事情：我今天會遭遇這樣的苦難，一定是我得罪了上帝，上帝一定對我感到憤怒，上帝一定是在懲罰我。帶著這樣的心情，他被抬到耶穌面前。
但耶穌所看見的，遠遠超過他肉體上正在承受的痛苦。耶穌的第一句話，是直接進到他的內心，說：「你的罪赦了。」
為什麼這一句話這麼重要？因為面對一個在苦難中、在痛苦裡掙扎的人，他的內心往往是脆弱的、困惑的，也是充滿害怕的。耶穌看見他最深層的需要，不只是身體的醫治，而是靈魂的需要。所以耶穌先宣告：「你的罪赦了。」意思是，上帝沒有對你憤怒，上帝沒有要懲罰你，你可以回到上帝的家中，你是被赦免的。
這樣的一句話，這樣的一個安慰，對一個正在受苦的人來說，是何等重要、何等深刻的一種醫治呢！
耶穌在說出這句話的時候，也同時得罪了在場許多的文士。他們心裡說，這個人怎麼可以說僭妄的話呢？除了上帝以外，誰能赦罪呢？所以在這些文士的心中，這一句話其實是大不敬的。
而耶穌也非常清楚他們心中正在議論的事情，所以祂轉過來對他們說：「你們心裡為什麼這樣議論呢？對這個人說『你的罪赦了』，或是說『起來行走』，哪一樣比較容易呢？」耶穌這句話的意思是說，今天如果只是講一句赦罪的話，反正也沒有什麼外在的證據可以立刻看見，那當然是比較容易的。
但耶穌接著表明，祂要做這件事情，是為了讓他們知道，人子在地上有赦罪的權柄。所以接下來，耶穌對那個癱子說了第二句話：「我吩咐你，起來，拿你的褥子，回家去吧。」
當耶穌說完這句話之後，那個人立刻站了起來，拿著他的褥子，從眾人面前走出去了。於是，耶穌用第一句話宣告祂有赦罪的權柄，又用第二句話證明，祂真的擁有從上帝而來的權柄，並且實際地施行拯救，讓這個癱子站起來。
而也正是這第二句話，讓剛剛那些正在心裡議論耶穌的文士們，啞口無言。因為這些文士深深相信，一個人之所以會生病，是因為他有罪。當耶穌說出第一句話「你的罪赦了」的時候，他們是非常憤怒的。但是，耶穌接下來所說的第二句話，以及祂隨後所做的事情，卻讓他們一句話都說不出來。因為耶穌正是按照他們所認定的邏輯，彰顯了祂的權柄。這個人既然真的得了醫治，照著他們的理解，那也就表示，他的罪確實得赦免了。
所以，耶穌透過這個醫治的神蹟，驗證了一件事情：祂的確擁有赦罪的權柄。也就是說，祂真的擁有從上帝而來的權柄，甚至可以說，祂顯明了自己就是那一位，擁有上帝身份的救主。
今日反思：
1. 我們面對正在受到困難和痛苦的人，是用什麼樣的態度去對待的？我們是否有像耶穌一樣，憐憫那大麻風的人，對癱子講安慰的話語呢？
2. 對於世界上各樣的規矩，我們是明白規矩是為了人的緣故存在，還是有時候我們守規矩，卻忘記了人的困苦和需要了呢？
感謝你的聆聽，我們下一講分享馬可福音第二章的故事，願上帝祝福你！
Peace to you all. In this session, we continue our reflection on the Gospel of Mark.
Today we are reading from Mark 1:40 to Mark 2:12. In this passage, we encounter two miracles.
The first miracle is the healing of a man with leprosy. Leprosy is a disease that has afflicted humanity for thousands of years and was extremely difficult to deal with in the ancient world. In Leviticus chapters 13 and 14, we find very clear and strict regulations concerning skin diseases. This illness could completely strip a person of their social life and cause them to be treated as someone beyond help. Because leprosy was contagious, those who suffered from it were especially pitiful—not only enduring great physical pain, but also being cut off emotionally and socially. It was a disease that wounded a person from the inside out, affecting not only the body, but also the heart and the soul.
Under the law, there were strict instructions regarding those with leprosy. Anyone diagnosed with it had to live outside the city, apart from the community, and could not live among others. Even their closest family members—spouses and children—had to keep their distance.
In more recent times, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us experienced what isolation feels like and how deeply it affects a person’s mental health. During that period, whether individuals or entire societies were isolated, many psychological struggles and long-term effects emerged. We were reminded that human beings are inherently social creatures, and when we are isolated, the impact on our mental well-being can be severe. Between 2020 and 2021, people around the world shared an experience that felt, in many ways, like imprisonment.
Against this background, we see a man with leprosy coming directly to Jesus and asking to be healed. In that cultural context, no one would have gone near him—not priests, not ordinary people. Yet Jesus healed him. Afterward, Jesus instructed him to go and show himself to the priest, to offer what the law required, and to serve as a testimony to others.
From this, we see that Jesus was not someone who rejected or dismissed the law. Rather, He affirmed that the law still mattered. At the same time, He recognized the man’s immediate need and chose to heal him first. This reflects Jesus’ consistent posture: the law was made for people, not people for the law. Before the law, human need has always been what God values most.
In Confucian thought, there is a saying: “Ritual has both principle and flexibility.”“Principle” refers to systems, rules, rituals, and standards of behavior. “Flexibility” refers to discerning what is most appropriate in a given situation, guided by compassion and righteousness. Confucius emphasized ren—benevolence—loving others by putting oneself in their place. One must not cling rigidly to rules while neglecting love for people.
It was precisely on this point that Jesus came into sharp conflict with the Pharisees. The teachers of the law believed that the law must always take precedence over everything else, and that human need was less important than strict obedience. But Jesus, as God, revealed something different: God cares about people. The law was given to reveal sin, not to crush those who are already suffering.
As Christians, we enter our faith through grace. We are sinners who have received mercy; we do not come before God because of our own merit. Yet as we grow in faith and learn more teachings, we also develop rules and standards. At that point, we must ask ourselves carefully: Have we, at times, allowed rules to outweigh human need?
When we encounter people who are struggling or suffering, what is our first response? Do we respond with grace, or with judgment? This passage places that question squarely before us.
Next, we turn to the opening of chapter 2, which tells the story of a paralyzed man who was healed.
At that time, Jesus was teaching in a house, and such a large crowd gathered that there was no room left—not even outside the door. Four men, friends of a paralyzed man, brought him to Jesus. But since they could not get through the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the man down to Jesus.
From a modern perspective, this may seem extreme—tearing apart a roof just to bring someone for healing. It does sound dramatic. Yet in that historical context, it was not as difficult as we might imagine. Homes in first-century Palestine were typically flat-roofed, with simple construction, often made of mud bricks. The roofs consisted of wooden beams covered with packed earth and plaster, making them relatively easy to open and repair.
This same story is also recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. From these accounts, we see that these four men were truly devoted friends—like brothers bound by loyalty. No matter what it took, they were determined to bring their friend to Jesus.
Before healing the man, Jesus said something striking and deeply thought-provoking: “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
When viewed through the lens of Jewish culture at the time, this statement becomes more understandable. Suffering and sin were often seen as inseparable. If someone was suffering, it was assumed that they must have sinned and were receiving punishment. We see this clearly in the Book of Job. When Job suffered, his friends did not comfort him; instead, they accused him of sinning against God. In Job 4:7, Eliphaz the Temanite says, “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?”
Many traditional belief systems hold similar ideas. When someone’s life goes badly, or when they experience physical disability or family breakdown, people may assume that they must have done something wrong—perhaps even in a past life—and that their suffering is deserved. Such thinking only adds further harm to those already in pain. We must be extremely careful not to judge people who are already suffering.
This paralyzed man, being Jewish, likely carried the same belief in his own heart: that his condition was the result of his sin, that God was angry with him, that God was punishing him. With this burden, he was brought before Jesus.
But Jesus saw far beyond his physical suffering. His first words went straight to the man’s heart: “Your sins are forgiven.”
Why is this so important? Because a person in suffering is often emotionally fragile, confused, and afraid. Jesus recognized that the man’s deepest need was not merely physical healing, but healing of the soul. By declaring forgiveness, Jesus was saying: God is not angry with you. God is not punishing you. You are welcome back into God’s household. You are forgiven.
Such words—such comfort—are a profound form of healing for anyone in pain.
However, when Jesus said this, He also offended many of the scribes present. They thought to themselves, “Why does this man speak like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” To them, this statement was blasphemous.
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?” His point was that words of forgiveness are easy to say because they cannot be immediately verified.
But Jesus then made clear that He was doing this so they would know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. He then said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home.”
The man immediately stood up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of everyone. With His first statement, Jesus declared His authority to forgive sins. With His second action, He proved that this authority truly came from God, as He brought real restoration and healing.
It was this second act that silenced the scribes. According to their own logic—that sickness resulted from sin—the man’s healing meant his sins truly had been forgiven. Through this miracle, Jesus confirmed that He indeed possesses the authority to forgive sins. In doing so, He revealed Himself as the one who bears God’s own authority—the Savior.
Reflection Questions
When we encounter people who are suffering or struggling, what attitude do we bring toward them? Do we respond with compassion like Jesus did, or with judgment?
When it comes to rules and systems in our world, do we remember that they exist for the sake of people, or do we sometimes uphold rules while forgetting human pain and need?
Thank you for listening. In our next session, we will continue with the story in Mark chapter 2. May God bless you.
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