「バイブルクラス」が行われました。

Bible class on Saturday, July 5, 2014

7/5（土）のバイブルクラスの出席者は4名でした。

今回の"The Message"の学びの箇所は、マタイによる福音書14章でした。

Matthew 14  The Message (MSG)

The Death of John

14 ^1-2 At about this
time, Herod, the regional ruler, heard what was being said about Jesus. He said
to his servants, "This has to be John the Baptizer come back from the dead.
That's why he's able to work miracles!"

^3-5 Herod had arrested John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison
to placate Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. John had provoked Herod by
naming his relationship with Herodias "adultery." Herod wanted to kill him,
but he was afraid because so many people revered John as a prophet of God.

^6-12 But at his birthday celebration, he got his chance. Herodias's
daughter provided the entertainment, dancing for the guests. She swept Herod
away. In his drunken enthusiasm, he promised her on oath anything she wanted.
Already coached by her mother, she was ready: "Give me, served up on a platter,
the head of John the Baptizer." That sobered the king up fast. Unwilling to
lose face with his guests, he did it--ordered John's head cut off and presented
to the girl on a platter. She in turn gave it to her mother. Later, John's disciples
got the body, gave it a reverent burial, and reported to Jesus.

Supper for Five Thousand

^13-14 When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an
out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully--someone saw him and the
word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around
the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity
and healed their sick.

¹⁵ Toward
evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's
getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some
supper."

¹⁶ But
Jesus said, "There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper."

¹⁷ "All
we have are five loaves of bread and two fish," they said.

^18-21 Jesus said, "Bring them here." Then he had the people sit on the
grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in
prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then
gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve
baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.

Walking on the Water

^22-23 As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get
in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people.
With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and
pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.

^24-26 Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against
them and they were battered by the waves. At about four o'clock in the morning,
Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared out of their
wits. "A ghost!" they said, crying out in terror.

²⁷ But
Jesus was quick to comfort them. "Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid."

²⁸ Peter,
suddenly bold, said, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the
water."

^29-30 He said, "Come ahead."

Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on
the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his
feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, "Master, save me!"

³¹ Jesus
didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said,
"Faint-heart, what got into you?"

^32-33 The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. The
disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying,
"This is it! You are God's Son for sure!"

^34-36 On return, they beached the boat at Gennesaret. When the people got
wind that he was back, they sent out word through the neighborhood and rounded
up all the sick, who asked for permission to touch the edge of his coat. And
whoever touched him was healed.

 

この14章は小見出しにあるように、「洗礼者ヨハネの死」と「五千人に食べ物を与える」、「湖の上を歩く」という二つの奇跡、そして最後に、病人がイエスの衣に触れて癒されるという4つの話しで構成されています。

最初に洗礼者ヨハネの斬首と云うむごい死に至る経緯が描かれています。事の起こりはこうでした。John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship with Herodias
"adultery."　洗礼者ヨハネは、時の権力者ヘロデの不倫"adultery
"を律法に照らして暴いたことで命を奪われました。当時すでに民衆から預言者とし大変な崇敬を集めていたヨハネに対して、簡単に手だしできないヘロデは苛々しながらヨハネを殺す口実を探していたのですが、こともあろに自分の娘の踊りのご褒美を口実にヨハネの首を挙げたのでした。

また、この箇所の冒頭でヘロデは、イエスのことを自分が死に追いやった洗礼者ヨハネの甦りと云っています。聖書の時代の権力者たちにとって、イエスや洗礼者ヨハネ、そして多くの預言者たちは、殺したいほどに厄介な存在であったことが理解できます。

次の「五千人に食べ物を与える」奇跡ですが、この話は他の三つの福音書すべてに登場します。したがって、イエスの行った多くの救い業の中でも特に代表的なものの一つであろうと思います。この奇跡の話しの中に意味ある数字がいくつか表されていますが、その中でも、He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in
prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. ・・・・・They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers.　五つのパンと二匹の魚、合計七つの食べ物です。七という数には完全、絶対、永遠という意味があるそうです。イエスが弟子たちを通して民衆に配給した食べ物は、「永遠の命をつなぐ食べ物である」ということを表しているのではないでしょうか。その証として、今度は民衆の残った食べ物を集めたところ、十二のかごに一杯になったとあります。残り物の方が増えているということです。

また、この十二という数字も神の選びの民であるイスラエルの12部族を象徴する数字です。したがってこう解釈できると思います。「神の民は、イエスのとりなしの祈りと、その弟子たちの命のパンの配給（働き）によって、永遠の食べ物が分け与えられる。」

この箇所で理解したイエス・キリストの弟子たちによる命のパンの配給こそが、この世における教会の使命の本質をあらわしているように思います。