By T.C. Lo (盧天賜); April 12, 2012
It was February 9, 1881. Lying on his deathbed, his last request was that someone would read a Bible story to him. He was Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of the most influential Russian novelists of the twentieth century and was the author of one of the major literary works, Crime and Punishment. The story he picked was the parable of the Prodigal Son as told by Jesus to the Middle Easterners. Dostoevsky liked the story because it was this story that changed his life during his decade long lonely exile to the arid land of Siberia.
Throughout the generations, the story of Luke 15:11-32 was preached in many ways from different angles. There have been at least four perspectives from which preachers made their points:
- The prodigal son—The Middle Easterners love to hear stories. The younger son in this story represents sinners who repent.
- The story of the elder son—the first-born son pleases his father by his hard works. It signifies legalism. In the Middle East culture, it should be the elder son’s responsibility to seek out the wayward younger brother but this elder brother neglects his responsibility.
- The Third Brother—Although this elder brother ignored his responsibility, we had yet another Elder Brother who is Christ. He came to seek the lost and showed grace to those who had gone astray.
- The waiting father—This father never ceased to look at the farthest end of the road expecting constantly the return of his son because he is a loving and merciful father ready to forgive.
No matter how this story is preached, as I ponder upon and reflect on the significance of the parable, I am convinced that the most crucial phrase is: “When he came to his senses (Luke 15:17).” This is the life-defining moment; this is the moment of born-again. In addition to the redemptive implication of this phrase, I believe it applies to every turning point of one’s life: graduation, career choices, getting married, and responding to God’s calling.
John Calvin was right when he said, “Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God. Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and ourselves.” What he really meant can be paraphrased as, “Unless we come to our senses, we could not possibly know God.” I beg to qualify what Calvin said by adding: “Had it not been for the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we are not able to come to our senses.” This is what Grace all about—focusing not what we do to God but what God has done to us.
Fyodor Dostoevsky (杜斯妥也夫斯基, 生於1821年十一月十一日). 他的女兒說, 當這位著名的俄國小說家臨終前躺在病床上, 那時是1881年二月九日, 他要人讀聖經給他聽. 他特選浪子 (prodigal son) 的故事. 因為這故事在他被流亡於西伯利亞的十年刑期內, 改變了他的生命. 這故事在他很多的著作中以不同的形式出現過—-被拋棄者的歸正. 他對20世紀的世界文壇產生了深遠的影響. 他的名作品之: “罪與罰 Crime and Punishment” 是一例也.
歷世歷代不知多少牧師, 用不同的觀點來講 路加15:11-32 的道. 至少有四種講法:
- 浪子—小兒子—中東人喜愛聽故事. 路加15:11-32中的小兒子代表罪人的回頭歸正.
- 大兒子的故事—大兒子以勤勞來取悅父親. 這是代表律法主義. 在中東文化中, 其實是哥哥的責任去找回失喪的弟弟. 但這哥哥失責了.
- 第三個兒子的介入—哥哥雖然失責, 但我們有一位長兄, 就是基督, 祂來尋找我們. 這是何等的恩典.
- 正在等待中的父親 (The Waiting Father)—父神的愛.
不管這篇道如何講, 我認為最關件性的一句話就是: “他醒悟過來 When he came to his senses (路15:17a).”
所有人得救都是從這一點開始. 所有人生的轉捩點都是從這一點開始.
加爾文 (John Calvin) 說了一句頗有道理的話: “Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God. Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and ourselves.” 意即: 人如果沒有醒悟過來, 他是不能認識神的. 但容我加上一句, “如果沒有聖靈的光照, 人是不會醒悟過來的. 一切的一切, 都全是恩典. 感謝主!
