旧约 - 约拿书(Jonah)第1章

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
约拿书第一章   第 1 章 

  拿 1:1,2> 尼尼微人罪恶滔天,神命令约拿去做什么?对罪人我可以…… 

  1:1,2 约拿在以色列王耶罗波安二世掌权期间(公元前 793-753 年)说预言(参王下 14:25 )。他也许曾是以利沙先知的门徒之一(参王下 2:3 )。 

  神命令约拿去尼尼微传道。尼尼微是亚述最重要的城市,亚述则是约拿时代正在兴起的世界强国。在 50 年内,尼尼微将成为幅员广大的亚述帝国的首都。约拿并未详述尼尼微的恶行,但先知那鸿说到尼尼微的罪有:( 1 )设谋攻击神(参鸿 1:9 );( 2 )剥削无助之人(参鸿 2:12 );( 3 )在战争中残酷不仁(参鸿 2:12-13 );( 4 )拜偶像、淫乱和行巫术(参鸿 3:4 )。神命令约拿往以色列东北部约 八百公里 的尼尼微城,去警告说审判将临,人若悔改便可得到怜悯和赦免。 

  约拿 

  拿 1:3> 如约拿一样逃避神的旨意,我想想,有时候我也会…… 

  1:3 尼尼微城既强大又邪恶。约拿害怕亚述人的凶残,仇恨他们,甚至不想让他们获得神的怜悯。约拿怕尼尼微人悔改( 4:2-3 )的态度,反映出以色列人不愿与外邦人分享神的爱和怜悯,尽管这是神交给他们的使命(参创 12:3 )。他们跟约拿一样,不想外邦人得到神的恩惠。 

  拿 1:3> 明知道神的大能仍逃避,这约拿是怎么一回事?我们也会这样? 

  1:3 约拿知道神给他的特别任务,却不肯去做。他施可能是腓尼基西部诸海港中的一个,而尼尼微是靠东面的城市。约拿打算走得远远的。当神向我们说话、给我们方向和指示时,有时候我们会害怕得逃跑,或者固执地避开。我们抱怨神要求得太多。对神那宽博的怜悯也许会又惊怕又愤怒,约拿也为此而逃跑了。但逃跑只会令他招致更多麻烦。至终约拿明白了最好还是遵命完成神起初所吩咐的事。不过到这时候,他已为逃避神付出了沉重的代价。一开始便顺从神,这才是最上算的。 

  拿 1:4> 那时海陆的沟通是怎样的? 

  1:4 在定居应许之地之前,以色列人是游牧民族,迁移无定,为羊群逐水草而居。尽管他们不是航海的民族,但他们地处地中海沿岸,邻近航海强国腓尼基和非利士,因此与船只和水手有很多联系。约拿乘坐的船应是一艘有甲板的商船。 

  拿 1:4> 顺服与否只是我个人的事!看看约拿,你可仍会这么说? 

  1:4 约拿违背神的旨意,使全体船员的性命岌岌可危。我们顺服神的命令与否关系重大,因为我们的罪和不顺服,会殃及周围的人。 

  拿 1:4,5> 海浪翻腾,约拿却仍酣睡;难道他良心不会不安?但我们行事为人的标准就凭良心?还是…… 

  1:4,5 在海浪翻腾之际,约拿却在舱底酣睡。他逃避神,良心竟丝毫不受责备。不过良心的内疚并不常是我们做事对错的晴雨表。我们不能用感觉来量度顺服神的程度,因为人可以罔顾现实。相反,我们要用神的标准来衡量我们的生活和为人。 

  拿 1:7> 掣签这方法也行得通? 

  1:7 船员掣签寻出有罪之人,这方法近于迷信。他们的办法能行得通,只因为神介入其中,为要让约拿知道自己根本跑不掉。 

  拿 1:9-12> 既说敬畏神,但又躲避神──约拿如是,我们又是怎样? 

  1:9-12 我们不可能同时寻求神的爱,又躲避祂。约拿很快认识到,无论走到哪里,他都不能避开神。约拿要回转向神,必先要停止走相反的路。神到底要求你做什么?我们要更多得着神的爱和能力,必须甘心乐意承担祂给我们的责任。如果不照祂的话去做,就不能说是真正的相信神(参约壹 2:3-6 )。 

  拿 1:12> 这时,约拿说出了真相…… 

  1:12 约拿早知道风暴是冲着他不顺服来的,但是到船员们掣签掣出他来,他才说出真情。他情愿舍命救船上的人,却拒绝为尼尼微人作出同样的牺牲。他对亚述人的仇恨,深深地影响了他对事物的看法。 

  拿 1:13> 那些水手竟这样尽力挽救约拿,那些非信徒是这样的服事人──怎不教我惭愧…… 

  1:13 约拿不想去警告尼尼微人审判将到,水手们却尽力挽救约拿的性命,这些外邦水手显得比约拿更有同情心。非信徒若比信徒更愿意关怀与同情人,信徒们就该自觉羞愧。神要我们关心所有属祂的百姓,无论是失丧的或是已蒙恩的。 

  拿 1:14-16> 神使用约拿的错去引导人归神,我相信;但要我如约拿般认错嘛,这…… 

  1:14-16 约拿曾违背神,直等到他逃开后,才停止悖逆,全心顺服。那时船员们因为看到狂浪平静下来,而开始敬拜神。神能够使用我们的过错,去帮助其他人认识祂。认罪也许是很痛苦的事,但却能成为有力的见证,引导未认识神的人归向神。外邦水手向神献祭祷告并许愿事奉祂,做了整个以色列民族不去做的事,对以色列人来说实在是极大的讽刺。 

  拿 1:17> 这时,一条大鱼突然出现,看!把约拿吞下去了!哈,难道这不是一个小说情节吗? 

  1:17 许多人曾试图把这个神迹视为小说中的情节,但圣经并没有将它说成为一场梦境或神话故事。我们切勿将此神迹解释成可有可无的事,人不能从圣经中挑选出什么神迹可信,什么神迹不可信。这种态度会使我们怀疑圣经中的任何一部分,使我们不相信圣经是神真实可信的话。约拿的经历曾被耶稣引用来解释祂自己的死和复活(参太 12:39-40 )。──《灵修版圣经注释》