路加福音 6:17-26
17 耶稣和他们下了山，站在平地上，有一大群门徒同他在一起，又有一大批从犹太全地、耶路撒冷和推罗、西顿 海边来的人。 18 他们要听他讲道，也要他们的疾病得医好。还有一些被污灵缠扰的也痊愈了。 19 群众都设法摸 他，因为有能力从他身上出来，治好众人。 20 耶稣抬头看着门徒，说：“贫穷的人有福了，因为神的国是你们的 。21 饥饿的人有福了，因为你们要得饱足。哀哭的人有福了，因为你们将要喜乐。22 世人为人子的缘故憎恨你们 、排斥你们、辱骂你们，弃绝你们的名好象弃绝恶物，你们就有福了。 23 那时你们应该欢喜跳跃，因为你们在 天上的赏赐是大的，他们的祖先对待先知也是这样。24 “然而你们富有的人有祸了，因为你们已经得了你们的安 慰。25 你们饱足的人有祸了，因为你们将要饥饿。你们喜乐的人有祸了，因为你们将要痛哭。26 人都说你们好的 时候，你们就有祸了，因为你们的祖先对待假先知也是这样。
Reflection 反思
Today’s Gospel reading is often called the “Sermon on the Plain,” which parallels Matthew’s well-known “Sermon on the Mount,” also called the Beatitudes. While they may seem similar, they differ in several key aspects.
今天的福音书通常被称为“平原上的宝训”，与马太著名的“登山的宝训”相似，也被称为“八福”。 虽然它们看起来很相似，但它们在几个关键方面有所不同。
First, the setting and audience. Matthew places Jesus on a mountain, teaching his disciples in a more personal, elevated setting. Luke, however, shows Jesus on a plain, addressing both his disciples and a crowd. Their narrative styles also differ: Matthew offers eight blessings in the third person, while Luke gives four blessings and four corresponding woes, speaking directly to his audience using “you,” the second person.
第一，场景和观众。马太把耶稣放在一座山上，在一个更私人、更高的环境中教导他的门徒。然而，路加福音展 示了耶稣在平原上，对他的门徒和人群讲话。他们的叙述风格也不同：马太用第三人称提供了八种祝福，而路加 用四种祝福和四种相应的祸，用第二人称“你”直接对他的听众说话。
These differences reflect not only the writers’ distinct theological perspectives but also the needs of the communities to which they belong. Yet, the most striking difference lies in their treatment of poverty. Matthew spiritualizes poverty: “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” whereas Luke is more direct: “Blessed are you who are poor.”
这些差异不仅反映了作者独特的神学观点，也反映了他们所属社区的需求。然而，最显著的差异在于他们对待贫 困的态度。马太将贫穷精神化：“心灵贫穷的人有福了”，而路加则更直接：“你们贫穷的人有福了。”
Poverty is an uncomfortable topic for many. I recall preaching at a church of another denomination. I spoke about discipleship and the call to carry our cross to follow Jesus. After the service, an elder told me he came to church for comfort, not to hear about suffering and hardship. Perhaps he was expecting a prosperity gospel message. But faith cannot ignore the reality of human suffering.
对许多人来说，贫困是一个令人不安的话题。我记得在另一个教派的教堂里布道。我谈到门徒训练，以及背起我 们的十字架跟随耶稣的呼召。礼拜结束后，一位长老告诉我，他来教堂是为了安慰，而不是为了听苦难和磨难。 也许他期待的是成功神学的信息。但是信仰不能忽视人类苦难的现实。
Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes is often more widely accepted than Luke’s. I wonder if that is because it feels less confrontational and safer. But Luke’s words are raw and challenging. When we miss the radical nature of Jesus’ message on a world turned upside down, we risk missing him altogether.
马太的八福版本通常比路加的版本更被广泛接受。我想知道，这是不是因为它让人感觉不那么对抗性，更安全。 但路加的话是原始的和具有挑战性的。当我们错过了耶稣在一个颠倒的世界里所传递的信息的根本本质，我们就 有不能完全了解耶稣。
Luke had a clear social agenda. In today’s passages, Jesus not only blesses the poor and oppressed but also rebukes the rich and the powerful. Luke’s Gospel also highlights Jesus’ care for women. Unlike the social norms of the time, Jesus welcomed them as disciples and encouraged them to move beyond their traditional roles to receive his teachings.
路加有一个明确的社会议程。在今天的经文中，耶稣不仅祝福穷人和受压迫的人，也斥责富人和有权势的人。路 加福音也强调了耶稣对妇女的关怀。与当时的社会规范不同，耶稣欢迎他们成为门徒，并鼓励他们超越传统角 色，接受他的教导。
Scripture consistently emphasizes economic justice and care for the poor. Across both the Old and New Testaments, there are 986 verses addressing economic issues, with 500 directly focusing on poverty.
圣经一贯强调经济公正和对穷人的关怀。在旧约和新约中，有 986 节经文涉及经济问题，其中 500 节直接关注 贫困。
In Jewish tradition, the poor, the hungry, and those who mourn were not viewed as cursed or impure. Rather, they were seen as deserving of both divine compassion and human care. The Bible speaks to real-life challenges, urging justice, equity, and generosity.
在犹太传统中，穷人、饥饿者和哀恸者不被视为受诅咒或不纯洁的人。相反，他们被认为应该得到神的同情和人 类的关怀。圣经谈到现实生活中的挑战，敦促公正、公平和慷慨。
Deuteronomy 15:11 states, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I, therefore, command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.’” Similarly, Jesus says in Matthew 26:11, “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” I remember wondering why Jesus said this – was he suggesting poverty is unavoidable?
申命记 15 章 11 节说：“地上穷乏的人永不断绝，所以我吩咐你说：‘你总要向你地上困苦穷乏的邻舍伸出手。 “同样，耶稣在马太福音 26 章 11 节说：“因为常有穷人和你们同在，只是你们不常有我。”我记得我想知道为什 么耶稣说这句话——他是在暗示贫穷是不可避免的吗？
These verses should never be used to justify the notion that poverty is inevitable or that addressing economic problems is hopeless. Rather, Deuteronomy reminds us that hardship will always exist due to accidents, disasters, or misfortune, and it is the community’s duty to respond with compassion. The passage in Matthew, on the other hand, exposes Judas’s hypocrisy, criticizing the costly anointing of Jesus while lacking genuine concern for the poor.
这些话永远不应该被用来证明贫穷是不可避免的，或者解决经济问题是无望的。相反，《申命记》提醒我们，由 于事故、灾难或不幸，困难总是存在的，社区有责任以同情来回应。另一方面，马太福音的段落暴露了犹大的虚 伪，批评耶稣的昂贵的膏油，却缺乏对穷人的真正关心。
Throughout Scripture, poverty is often linked to injustice – exploitation, political oppression, famine, and illness. These hardships are not simply individual misfortunes but signs of a community’s failure to uphold justice. Time and again, the Scripture calls on the community to protect and care for the most vulnerable – especially orphans and widows. In today’s readings, Luke condemns the rich who refuse to give alms. Through this, Luke seeks to console and support those who are socially disadvantaged and deprived.
纵观圣经，贫穷常常与不公正——剥削、政治压迫、饥荒和疾病——联系在一起。这些困难不仅仅是个人的不 幸，而是一个社会未能维护正义的迹象。圣经一次又一次地呼吁社会保护和照顾最脆弱的群体，尤其是孤儿和寡 妇。在今天的读经中，路加谴责那些拒绝施舍的富人。通过这种方式，路加试图安慰和支持那些社会弱势和被剥 夺的人。
To better understand this, it is important to understand the concept of “poverty” in the time of Jesus. When Jesus speaks of the poor, he uses the Greek word ptochos. While this is commonly translated as “poor” in English, the translation does not fully capture the depth of the Greek term. Ptochos refers to absolute poverty – complete destitution, like that of a beggar who has nothing at all.
为了更好地理解这一点，理解耶稣时代“贫穷”的概念是很重要的。当耶稣说到穷人的时候，他用了希腊词 ptochos。虽然这在英语中通常被翻译为“可怜的”，但翻译并没有完全捕捉到希腊术语的深度。Ptochos 指的是绝 对的贫穷——完全的匮乏，就像一个一无所有的乞丐。
Theologian John Dominic Crossan helps clarify this distinction, saying that while the poor man may work hard and manage to survive, the beggar has nothing to rely on. This distinction is key. Jesus does not simply bless the working poor. Rather, he blesses those who are homeless, afflicted, and outcasts – those who have no resources or means of supporting themselves.
神学家约翰·多米尼克·克罗森（John Dominic Crossan）帮助澄清了这一区别，他说，虽然穷人可能努力工作并 设法生存，但乞丐没有任何依靠。这个区别是关键。耶稣不只是祝福贫穷的工人。相反，他祝福那些无家可归、 受苦受难和被抛弃的人——那些没有资源或手段养活自己的人。
This understanding changes how we interpret Jesus’ blessing. Jesus does not bless the poor with the expectation that they will improve their condition through hard work. Instead, he blesses those who have no hope for a better future, those in dire need with no means of escape. This is a consistent theme throughout the Old Testament, where God shows concern for the poor and commands the community to care for them. In the same way, Jesus calls on his followers to show compassion and support to those most vulnerable in society.
这种理解改变了我们对耶稣祝福的理解。耶稣并没有期望穷人通过努力工作来改善他们的状况。相反，他祝福那 些对更好的未来没有希望的人，那些急需逃离的人。这是贯穿整个旧约的一个主题，上帝关心穷人，并命令社会 照顾他们。同样，耶稣呼吁他的追随者对社会上最脆弱的人表示同情和支持。
As we reflect on the ptochos in our community today, who are the people experiencing absolute poverty and destitution around us? As I reflected on this over the past few weeks, one person in particular comes to my mind: Blair Paul, a neighbour who often stays and sleeps between our sanctuary and office building. You may have noticed him over the years. Blair is homeless and has been part of our community for over a decade, coming and going.
当我们反思今天社会上的穷人时，谁是我们周围经历绝对贫困和赤贫的人？过去几周，当我思考这个问题时，有 一个人特别浮现在我的脑海里：布莱尔·保罗（Blair Paul），他是我们的邻居，经常在我们的避难所和办公楼之 间过夜。这些年来你可能注意到了他。布莱尔无家可归，十多年来一直是我们社区的一员，来来去去。
However, Blair is not a beggar. He does not ask for food. He has mental health challenges and has chosen a life on the streets. The winter, especially this year, has been especially difficult for him. But despite these hardships, we are called to bless Blair in the same way Jesus blessed the poor of his time.
然而，布莱尔并不是一个乞丐。他不要求食物。他有精神健康问题，选择了街头生活。这个冬天，尤其是今年， 对他来说尤其艰难。但是，尽管有这些困难，我们被召唤去祝福布莱尔，就像耶稣祝福他那个时代的穷人一样。
Recently, we have begun communicating with Blair more directly rather than through someone else. Little by little, he started to open up to us. My hope is that, one day, he might reconnect with society and his family. But until that day, we must walk alongside him as neighbours, caring for him together as a community.
最近，我们开始更直接地与布莱尔沟通，而不是通过其他人。渐渐地，他开始向我们敞开心扉。我希望有一天， 他能重新与社会和家庭联系起来。但在那一天到来之前，我们必须像邻居一样与他同行，像一个社区一样关心 他。
In the lives of the destitute, there is often no one to turn to except God. In our Christian tradition, God is seen as a parent to the poor – someone who protects them from social, political, and economic oppression. And God calls us to be the hands and feet of Christ, caring for the ptochos in our midst. This is the heart of Luke’s Beatitudes: Jesus blesses the poor because he cares deeply for them.
在穷人的生活中，除了上帝，往往没有人可以求助。在我们的基督教传统中，上帝被视为穷人的父母——保护他 们免受社会、政治和经济压迫的人。神呼召我们作基督的手和脚，照顾我们中间的弟兄。这是路加福音八福的核 心：耶稣祝福穷人，因为他深切地关心他们。
I am grateful that Jesus did not say, “Blessed are the rich,” but rather, “Blessed are the poor, the hungry, and those who weep.” This message gives hope to the entire world. It reminds us to be humble and to notice and care for those less fortunate – those facing hardship and suffering.
我很感激耶稣没有说“富有的人有福了”，而是说“贫穷、饥饿和哭泣的人有福了”。这个信息给整个世界带来了希 望。它提醒我们要谦虚，注意和关心那些不幸的人——那些面临困难和痛苦的人。
The heart of Jesus’ blessings is not found in wealth, comfort, or power, but in his deep compassion for the poor, the hungry, and grieving. May we carry the heart of Christ with us, extending his blessing to others, just as we have been blessed. Amen.
耶稣祝福的核心不是财富、舒适或权力，而是他对穷人、饥饿者和悲伤者的深切同情。愿我们带着基督的心，把 他的祝福传给别人，就像我们被祝福一样。阿们。