求主救我脫離虛有其表的假冒為善的靈修操練
Dear Lord, help me stay away from worthless and hypocritical spiritual practices.
禁食 FASTING
經文: Isaiah 以賽亞書 58:1-14
釋義 禁食是一件基督徒經常操練的屬靈行動。禁食固然是為了專心親近神, 但如果不得法反而會得罪神。其實禁食的竅門, 不在乎怎樣做, 而是為什麼做。如果禁食的重點在於方法, 那麼以色列人被神稱為「好像行義的國民」(2), 一定做得無懈可擊。但是他們仍然埋怨神:「我們禁食，你為何不看見呢？我們刻苦己心，你為何不理會呢？」(3)
Insight: Fasting is a spiritual discipline that Christians often practice. While fasting surely allows us to concentrate in being close to God, it could offend God instead if not done correctly. In fact, the key to fasting is not how but why. If the focus of fasting is on the method, the Israelites whom God calls “as if they were a nation that did righteousness” (2) must have perfected it. Yet they still complain to God, “Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humble ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?” (3)
以賽亞指出神百姓所犯的最主要的罪，乃是著重外表形式而降低了他們的虔誠。這一段論到形式主義的經文，可能是聖經中論到類似題目的經文中最醒目的一個；它啟示形式主義在外表的形式之下，和真正的虔誠幾乎不分軒輊，但同時兩者又有天淵之別。
Isaiah points out that the most serious sin of God’s people is the focus on the rituals which curbs their devotedness. This passage about ritualism is perhaps the most dazzling of its kind in the Bible. It reveals that ritualism and true godliness look almost identical on the surface, yet they are as different as night and day.
本章以禁食(本章提到七次)為例, 指出這些人拘泥於宗教儀式，
喜愛知識上的探索，卻活在三重的罪裡：
This chapter takes fasting as an example to point out those who are obsessed with rituals and passionate about intellectual exploration essentially live in these three sins:
- 他們禁食只是為了使自己喜悅，他們一面禁食，一面卻得罪鄰人，壓迫他們作苦工。 食成為自私的行動, 絕對沒有親近神的動機(3)。
They fast for their own pleasure. They fast, but at the same time they mistreat their neighbors, pressuring them to perform hard work. Fasting becomes a selfish act, with absolutely no intention to be close to God (3).
2. 他們禁食的時候，仍然維持慣常的互相爭競，以兇惡的拳頭打人(4)。他們禁食的目的並不是為了使他們的聲音聽聞於上，他們只不過為了消減良心的責備, 企圖以敬虔外表自欺欺神。
While they fast, they continue to fight and to hit with a wicked fist (4). The purpose of their fasting is not to have their voice be heard on high, but to lessen the rebuke by their conscience, trying to deceive God and themselves with a godly appearance.
3. 最後一個罪，就是得罪耶和華, 曲解禁食「刻苦己心」的意義。 先知揭發了形式主義的虛偽之後，立刻轉過來以禁食來揭示真正的虔誠之意義(6~14):
The last is sinning against the Lord, twisting the meaning of ‘humble ourselves’ in fasting. After exposing the hypocrisy of ritualism, the prophet reveals the true meaning of godliness through fasting (6-14).
- 刻苦己心不是抑壓情緒, 凝重肅穆。相反地, 禁食應該是充滿喜樂地做(13), 而且確知行耶和華喜悅的事(5)。禁食著重克己:消極方面, 不以自己喜樂; 積極方面, 以耶和華為樂(14)。
- Humbling ourselves is not about suppression of emotions and being solemn. On the contrary, fasting should be done joyfully (13), and sure to do what is pleasing to the Lord (5). Fasting focuses on self-denial: Passive approach - not taking delight in self; positive approach - taking delight in the Lord (14).
- 刻苦己心是「不辦自己的私事，不隨自己的私意，不說自己的私話」(14)。換句話說, 不是自己策畫怎樣禁食, 而是遵守神「所揀選的禁食」(6):不是個人私下的安靜修行, 為了提升自己的屬靈地步;而是在生活中公開的行動, 為了尋求別人好處的善行(6~12)。
- Humbling ourselves is “not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly” (13), in other words, not making your own plan about how to fast but to follow ‘the fast that God chooses’ (6): not a personal quiet practice in private to lift up our spiritual level but good deeds to benefit others in our lives in public (6-12).
新約兩段經文可以總括本章有關禁食的神學教訓:
The following two passages in the Bible can conclude the theological teaching related to fasting:
你們禁食的時候，不可像那假冒為善的人，臉上帶著愁容；因為他們把臉弄得難看，故意叫人看出他們是禁食。我實在告訴你們，他們已經得了他們的賞賜。你禁食的時候，要梳頭洗臉，不叫人看出你禁食來，只叫你暗中的父看見；你父在暗中察看，必然報答你。(太六16~18)
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:16-18)
我的弟兄們，若有人說自己有信心(可套用為禁食)，卻沒有行為，有甚麼益處呢？這信心能救他嗎？若是弟兄或是姐妹，赤身露體，又缺了日用的飲食；你們中間有人對他們說：「平平安安地去吧！願你們穿得暖，吃得飽」；卻不給他們身體所需用的，這有甚麼益處呢？這樣，信心(或禁食)若沒有行為就是死的。(雅二14~17)
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17)
神期望你今天行出禁食的信仰來!
God hopes for you to live the faith of fasting!
每日讀經 by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung
(English Translation: Ms. Lori Wong)
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