2019-07-28 Pigs or People 要猪还是要人

It has been a long time since we looked at the book of Matthew as we have focussed on Easter and the self-denial series instead. 自从我们转到复活节和否定自己的主题后，已经有段时间没分享马太福音了。Now we will return to study the book of Matthew. 现在我们再转回到马太福音。 Today, let’s look at Matt 8:28-34…今天，我们来读（太8:28-34）。

This story highlights the fact of the existence of the spirit world. 这个记载强调的是灵界的真实。There are two men in this passage who had been possessed by demons, 这里说有两个人被鬼附，but Jesus overpowered the evil spirits and set them free from the oppression of the enemy. 但耶稣胜过邪灵，将他们从仇敌手中救出来。A similar story is written both in Mark 5 and in Luke 8, 马可福音5章和路加福音8章也有类似的记载，where there is only one man who was demon-possessed not two men, 提到有一个人被鬼附，不是两个人，but this doesn’t mean that the bible contradicts itself. 但这不意味着圣经自相矛盾。

From the different records, 查考这些不同的记载，we see that Mark and Luke emphasized the one man through whom the demons had a conversation with Jesus. 可看到马可福音和路加福音只将来一个人，并且耶稣与那人身上的邪灵说话。In Mark 5:9, and Luke 8:30, （可5：9）（路8：30）说，“Jesus asked him, “what’s your name?” 耶稣问他说：“你名叫什么？” “Legion” he replied, “for we are many.”他说：“我名叫‘群’”；这是因为附着他的鬼多。But Matthew just states that Jesus set two people free. 但马太福音里只说，耶稣拯救释放了两个人。

1, Jesus confronts demons. V. 28-29. 1、耶稣赶出邪灵（28-29节）

When we talk about demons or evil spirits, 说到鬼或邪灵，some of us who have watched lots of horror movies may say, 有些恐怖片看得不少的人会说，“oh, that’s horrible!” “好恐怖的！”But actually, they are not the same as they are portrayed in horror movies. 可他们实际上和在恐怖片里刻画的样子不同。 What does the bible say about demons? 圣经怎么说鬼的？In Mark 5 and Luke 8, 在马可福音5章和路加福音8章，when the bible mentions this demon- possessed person, 提到这个被鬼附的人，some versions translate this as,有的圣经版本这样翻， “a man with an unclean (an impure) spirit”. “一个被不洁净的灵附着的人”。They are not described the same way as in the movies where they look devilish or horrible.这和电影里吓人和恐怖的描述不同。 no, that’s a lie. 不，那是谎言！

They are just unclean or impure spirits or evil spirits. 它们只是不洁净或污秽的灵或称邪灵。The bible tells us that God is Spirit,圣经说神是个灵， but He is Holy.是圣洁的灵。 And God created everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11a). 神造了万物，各按其时成为美好（传3：：上）。In the book of Isaiah 以赛亚书中，we see that a good angel Lucifer, 提到天使路西弗，which means “light bearer” or “morning star” rebelled against God,路西弗是明亮晨星，光明使者的意思， and became Satan. 因悖逆神成为撒旦。 And he wasn’t alone but led a rebellion against God taking as many as a third of all the Angels with him (Re 12:4). 不只是他一个，他还拖带了三分之一的天使反抗神（启12：4）。These are now commonly called evil spirits or unclean spirits or demons.这些堕落天使统称为邪灵、污鬼。

In the bible圣经里, Satan is called撒旦被称为：a dragon; 古龙；the one leads the world astray;是迷惑普天下的； the accuser; 控告者； the lord of flies; 苍蝇王a liar and the father of lies; 说谎者，说谎者的父；a roaring lion looking for someone to devour; etc. 吼叫的狮子，四处寻找可吞吃的人，等等…… So evil or unclean spirits serve Satan, 污鬼邪灵侍奉撒旦，and like him, are evil and hate God and all the people God created.和撒旦一样憎恨神和神所创造的人。

Their mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. 他们的任务是偷窃、杀害、毁坏。So it shows us that Satan is the author of every suicide or murder. 这显明：每一起自杀和谋杀的背后都是撒旦。 They attempt to cause confusion, 他们制造混乱， doubt, 怀疑，disunity, 不和，sickness, 疾病，pain, 痛苦，and death. 以及死亡。Actually, the bible says that the whole world is under the control of Satan. 事实上，圣经告诉我们全世界都卧在那恶者以下。And without the salvation of Jesus, 若没有耶稣的救恩，no one can escape generational curse because of the work of Sin and Satan. 无人可以脱离因罪和撒旦造成的累代的咒诅。For example, 举例来说，a family line is marked by divorce,一个家族有着各种咒诅， 如离婚，incest, 乱伦，poverty, 贫穷，premature death,早死， alcohol or drug or gambling addictions, 酒毒赌上瘾，genetic diseases, like cancer, 遗传病如癌症， or bankruptcy, imprisonment, and so on. 破产、坐牢，等等。

Some time ago 以前， a man told me that as far as he knew for several generations in his family there was not even one male who lived past his 40’s. 有人告诉我，他的家族里没有一个男人活过40岁，几代下来都是如此。unfortunately, he died when he was 39 years old. 不幸的是，他也在39岁时去世。But Jesus came to save us from the oppression of our enemies, 但耶稣基督来拯救我们脱离仇敌压制，not is only Jesus powerful enough to deliver us, 祂既能力广大，足以搭救我们，but also, he is merciful enough to save us.又慈爱怜悯，极愿挽救我们。 Let’s look at: 我们来看28-29节：

28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 耶稣既渡到那边去，来到加大拉人的地方，就有两个被鬼附的人从坟茔里出来迎着他，极其凶猛，甚至没有人能从那条路上经过。 29 “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”他们喊着说：“　神的儿子，我们与你有什么相干？时候还没有到，你就上这里来叫我们受苦吗？”

In his mercy, Jesus came to meet these men.耶稣因怜悯来到这些人身边。 You may think that this is just the first time Jesus delivered him from demon-possession. 你可能以为耶稣是第一次为这人赶鬼。But in Luke 8: 28-29a,但（路8：28-29上）说， When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 他见了耶稣，就俯伏在他面前，大声喊叫，说：“至高　神的儿子耶稣，我与你有什么相干？求你不要叫我受苦！” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, 是因耶稣曾吩咐污鬼从那人身上出来。原来这鬼屡次抓住他； In v.29, it says that,29节说， “because Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. 是因耶稣曾吩咐污鬼从那人身上出来。Many times, it had seized him原来这鬼屡次抓住他；”. They are past perfect tense. 这里用的是过去完成时。It means that Jesus had already cast demons from him before the time when he met Jesus. 意思是在这以前，耶稣已经为他赶过鬼了。 Now Jesus came to deliver him again. 现在再次来救他。 Does that mean that Jesus wasn’t powerful enough to cast out demons? 是不是说耶稣的能力不够，鬼赶不出去？Remember Jesus said to the one who was healed from paralysis, 还记得耶稣对那个被治好的瘫子说的话吗， “stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”“不要再犯罪，恐怕你遭遇的更加厉害。”

Exorcism doesn’t work if the person doesn’t really put his trust in Jesus. 人若不真实信靠耶稣，赶鬼是没用的。If you only say, 你若只说，“In the name of Jesus, evil spirits go…” “奉耶稣的名，邪灵离开……”It won’t work! 那没用！Imagine, there is a smelly and dirty rubbish bin, 试想一个又臭又脏的垃圾桶，and lots of flies come around,大群苍蝇围绕它， if you don’t clean the rubbish bin, 要是不洗干净垃圾桶，but only try to drive the flies away, 就想赶走苍蝇，will the flies really be driven away? 赶得了吗？

This man was so poor that he had lost his sanity and even lived in the tombs naked. 这人很可怜，神志不清，甚至赤身住在坟茔里。His life was totally ruined.他的生活全给毁了。But the Son of God came to deliver him. Jesus came to save us from sin, and to destroy the work of the devil. 但神儿子来拯救他。耶稣来拯救我们脱离罪，除灭魔鬼的作为。That’s God’s love for us!这就是神的爱！ That He forgives and heals.祂赦免，医治。 But we need to put our trust in Jesus rather than trusting in ourselves. 但需要我们信靠耶稣，不再信自己。From Luke 8:39, Jesus sent him away and said,在（路8：39），耶稣打发他离开，说，  “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. “你回家去，传说　神为你做了何等大的事。”他就去，满城里传扬耶稣为他做了何等大的事。 The man did what Jesus had commanded him to do, 这人照着耶稣吩咐的去做了so this time he closed the door to demons and was really cured. 这次他向邪灵关了门，真得医治了,because he showed his faith in Jesus, 借此他向耶稣表明了他的信心。

Let’s see what the evil spirit did and said. 我们来看邪灵在做什么说什么。Let’s look at the verbs, 让我们来看这里的动词；“cried out”,“喊着”， “fell at his feet” “俯伏在他面前”，“shouting”- “Son of the Most High God”.“大声喊叫：至高神的儿子耶稣”。 The evil spirits knew who Jesus was when he came in the form of a man, 邪灵知道肉身的耶稣是谁， they acknowledged Jesus not just as a man but as “the son of the Most High God.’ 他们认耶稣不仅是人，也是“至高神的儿子”。

And they bowed down from a distance. 远远地向他下拜。They believed in the existence of God.他们信有神。They believed in the deity of Jesus Christ. 信耶稣基督的神性。And they believed in the future judgment when Jesus returns. 信耶稣再来时将有审判。For they said, 因为他们说，“Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” “时候还没有到，你就上这里来叫我们受苦吗？”Demons know and believe that Jesus will return at the appointed time to judge. 邪灵相信，在所定的时候，耶稣会再次降临审判。But they haven’t been saved. 他们却未得救。Likewise, people can know the bible very well, 就像有些人熟读圣经，but they aren’t saved if they don’t accept Jesus as their personal saviour just like those demons.但不接受耶稣为他们个人的救主，就不被拯救，像那些邪灵一样。

They said, “Son of God, have you come to torture us?”他们说：“神的儿子，你来折磨我们的吗？” In another version this is translated as, 另一个版本这样翻，“have you come to make us suffer?” “你来叫我们受苦吗？”The enemy is a liar! 仇敌是说谎的！He twists God’s truth, 他扭曲真理，doubts the truth and distorts the truth in a way that sounds right. 以一种听上去有理的方式怀疑、歪曲真理。 Like here, is it Jesus who makes demons suffer?就像在这里，是耶稣让邪灵受苦吗？

No, it is their own sin! 不，是他们自己的罪！Is it Jesus who makes the man (or us) suffer? 是耶稣让人（我们）受苦吗？Of course not, it is because of his (or our) own sin. 当然不是，是因他自己、我们自己的罪。When people suffer,  they say, 人在受苦的时候会说，“Why does God hate me?” “神为什么恨我？（不给我好日子过）”That’s a lie!这是谎言！ God will never make us suffer but our own sins will. 神永不会让我们受苦，是我们自己的私欲让我们受苦。That’s why we are warned, 因此圣经警戒我们说，to ‘be alert and of sober. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1Peter 5:8. 务要谨守，警醒。因为你们的仇敌魔鬼，如同吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人。 （彼得前书 5:8） As mature Christians, 作为成熟的基督徒， if we still hold grudges against others, we will suffer. 我们若心怀怨恨，就会受苦。If we still put our trust in ourselves rather than in God, we will suffer. 若信自己不信神，就会受苦。God is good, 神是良善的，He is always right there to forgive, save, and deliver, 总是等候赦免我们，救赎我们，搭救我们，if we turn to Him.只要我们转向祂。

2, Jesus overpowers Satan. V.30-32 2、耶稣胜过撒旦（30-32节）

30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 离他们很远，有一大群猪吃食 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” 鬼就央求耶稣，说：若把我们赶出去，就打发我们进入猪群吧！ 32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 耶稣说：去吧！鬼就出来，进入猪群。全群忽然闯下山崖，投在海里淹死了。

These verses clearly tell us, that Jesus has much more power than Satan. 这些经文清楚的告诉我们，耶稣的能力远超过撒旦。In V.31 demons literally begged Jesus to send them into the herd of pigs.在31节鬼真的是祈求耶稣打发他们进入猪群。 Remember in the Old Testament when Satan approached God about Job? 还记得旧约约伯记里记载撒旦在神面前控告约伯？Satan could do nothing to Job without getting permission from God. 撒旦在得到神允许前是不能对约伯做任何事的。It reveals that Satan has no power except for what God allows him. 这启示了 若没有得神的许可，撒旦对我们没有能力。Demons obey Jesus’ commands, 鬼听从耶稣的命令。for Psa 119:91b says, ‘for all things serve you’. 因为诗篇119：91下说“万物都是你的仆役！”Even demons are tools of God. 就算邪灵也是神用的工具 Here, the demons begged Jesus to send them into the pigs. 在这里，鬼央求耶稣打发他们进入猪群。And as soon as Jesus said, “Go!” they went into the pigs, 当耶稣说“去吧”，他们就进入猪群。and the pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. 然后全群忽然闯下山崖，投在海里死了。

Namely, the owner lost a large herd of pigs. 也就是说那主人失去了一大群猪。Mark 5:13 tells us it was about two thousand in number. 马可福音5：13节告诉我们猪的数目约有二千。Let’s calculate for it. 让我们来算算。If each pig, on average, is worth NZD 250, 如果每头猪平均值250刀，he would have five hundred thousand dollars’ worth of pork, 总价值为50万刀，which means that the owner would lose half a million dollars if it happened today. 什么概念，就是当天猪的主人损失了半个百万。Imagine that you have saved the money to get two thousand pigs to sell pork to earn more money, and now, they have all gone. What would you say about Jesus?  想象一下你买了二千头猪卖肉来赚钱，现在这群猪没了，你会怎么说耶稣？

Does Jesus have mercy on demons? 耶稣怜悯这鬼吗？Doesn’t Jesus protect people’s possessions? 难道主耶稣不保护百姓的财产吗？Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs?为什么耶稣允许鬼进入这群猪呢？ Actually, the bible doesn’t explain the reason to us.事实上，圣经没有告诉我们原因。 But we believe the bible, 但是我们相信圣经说，which tells us that the Son of God came to save the lost, and the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work (1 John 3:8b). 神的儿子显现出来，为要除灭魔鬼的作为 （约壹3：8下）Perhaps the demons tried to cause confusion or misunderstanding to the people about Jesus, 也许这些鬼想给百姓造成混乱和对耶稣误解 so that they would have rejected Jesus, 这样他们就会拒绝耶稣when Jesus permitted them to enter the pigs, 当耶稣叫他们进入猪群or they had tried to cause other destructive activities. 或他们试图搞其他的破坏。 But Jesus’ intention is always to save and love. 但是耶稣的最终目的是拯救和爱。In this world, people are so blinded and bound by material things, they ignore the reality of the existence of the spirit realm. 在这个世界上，世人的眼睛都被物质所蒙蔽和束缚，人不理灵界存在的真实性。In this world, life is dominated by sin and Satan, the bible calls Satan - “the god of this age”. 这个世界上，生命被罪和撒旦掌控，圣经称撒旦为“这个世代的神”。 The whole world is under Satan’s control. 全世界都卧在那恶者手下

How can wealth and fame save us from the dominion of sin and Satan? 财富和名望怎能拯救我们脱离罪恶和撒旦的压制？ Even though princess Diana had beauty, fame, wealth, and lived in a royal family, she couldn’t escape her miserable fate. 就算戴安娜王妃拥有美貌、名望和财富，并且生活在皇室中，但她无法逃脱她悲惨的命运。 Wealth and fame can’t save us from the dominion of sin and Satan! 财富和名誉不能把我们从罪恶和撒旦的压制中拯救出来！Only Jesus Christ, has power over Satan and his demons! 唯有耶稣，祂的能力胜过撒旦和邪灵。 Only by turning to His truth to live can we be free from the torture of sin and Satan! 只有从撒旦权下归向神，才能让我们从罪和撒旦的折磨中出死入生。

Although the evil spirits tried to harm Jesus by causing people to misunderstand Jesus’ love, 尽管邪灵想通过让百姓误解耶稣的爱来中伤耶稣yet God had his own saving purpose for allowing the demons to enter the pigs.，但神有祂拯救的目的，祂允许鬼进入猪群。 I believe that He wants to show people the reality of the spirit realm. 祂想告诉百姓灵界的真实。When he said, “go”, right there, people immediately saw that the pigs rushed down the steep bank and died. 当耶稣说“去吧”，人们立刻看到全群忽然闯下山崖，投在海里淹死了And when people in the town saw the pigs’ corpses floating in the lake当城里的人来看到一群死猪浮在湖里, and the undressed man was dressed and sane,和那从前赤着身子的人穿了衣服，明白过来 no one could deny what had happened 没有一个人会拒绝承认到底发生了什么And Jesus was giving evidence that when the demons had left the insane man, he was immediately healed. 耶稣是借死猪 向他们显明了 当鬼离开那疯子，他就立刻痊愈了。This is God’s profound mercy toward this world!这就是神对这世界无比的怜悯。 But when the demons entered the herd of pigs, they immediately died, 但当邪灵进入猪群，他们立即死了the pigs’ corpses demonstrated the reality that Satan has the power to kill and destroy. 但在猪身上的一切让我们看见撒旦有能力杀害，毁坏。Are you concerned about material things or your soul’s salvation? 你是更在乎财物的损失还是灵魂的得救？Do you value pigs or people? 猪，或人，你更在乎哪个？

3, Pigs or people? v.33-34 3、要猪还是要人？（33-34节）

33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 放猪的就逃跑进城，将这一切事和被鬼附的人所遭遇的都告诉人。34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. 合城的人都出来迎见耶稣，既见了就央求他离开他们的境界。

The people who were right there were scared by what they saw, 当时在场的人都因眼前的景象而惧怕，and the whole town went out to meet Jesus, 合城的人出来见耶稣， but instead of welcoming him to stay, 不是要欢迎祂留下，they begged him to leave their place. 而是求祂离开他们的境界。“please go away…don’t stay here…请走开……不要呆在这里……please don’t cause anymore loss…please…请不要再给我们带来损失……请……” Just as the demons begged Jesus not to make them suffer, 正如魔鬼央求耶稣不要叫它们受苦the people from the town also did the same thing. 那城的人也是这样行。They begged Jesus to leave, 他们恳求耶稣离开， they were afraid that Jesus would cause them to suffer further loss. 害怕耶稣会使他们遭受更大的损失。

The two men were set free, 虽然那两人得了释放，but the whole town was still deceived by Satan, 但这合城的人仍被撒但欺骗， for they valued pigs (material things) more than the souls, 因为他们把猪(物质的东西)看得比灵魂更重要，

 including their own souls to be saved. 包括比他们自己的灵魂得救还重要。

What is your choice? 你会选择什么?Pigs or people? 猪还是人?money (possessions) or your soul? 金钱(财产)还是你的灵魂? Jesus loves people so much, 耶稣何等爱人，that he cast thousands of demons from these two men, 祂将成千上万的邪灵从这两人身上赶出，and restored their minds to them. 恢复了他们的心志。And yet the whole town was so upset about losing the pigs, 然而，合城的人却为损失了猪而难过，that they didn’t want Jesus to stay there. 不愿意耶稣留在那里。And they rejected the Healer of souls because of the loss of pigs rather than Satan’s torture. 他们因损失了猪，就拒绝了灵魂的医治者，宁愿受撒旦折磨！What’s your choice? 你会选择什么?What do you value more? 你更看重什么?Pigs? money? possessions or Jesus?猪?钱?财产？还是耶稣?

Remember in the book of Job, 《约伯记》中，Job lost everything within one day, 约伯在一天之内失去了一切，sons and daughters, their houses and animals, 儿女、房屋和牲畜……but after the testing of his faith, 当他经历了信心的试验之后，the bible says that God blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. 但圣经说，神在约伯的余生赐给他的福比之前还要多！He had fourteen thousand sheep, 他有一万四千羊，six thousand camels, 六千骆驼， a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 一千对牛，一千母驴。Imagine that! 想象一下! It’s incredible! 这是难以置信的!The Lord gives and the Lord takes away! 赏赐的是耶和华，收取的也是耶和华。He takes away, he gives. 祂收取，祂赏赐！ “Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”(Matt 6:33) 你们要先求他的国和他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。（马太福音 6:33）

Jesus’ emphasis is on delivering His people from the enemy’s hands. 主耶稣所看重的是要把祂的百姓从仇敌手中救出来。How valuable are our souls in Jesus’ eyes?  在耶稣眼中，我们的灵魂有多么宝贵? God loves the world so much, that he gave his one and only Son, 神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们， that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 叫一切信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生。  Jesus saves lost souls with a price. 耶稣为拯救失丧的灵魂付出了代价He shed his blood on the cross to demonstrate his love for us. ——祂在十架上流血，向我们表明祂的爱。The one who was saved from the demons’ hands knew how merciful Jesus was!从魔鬼手中被救出来的人，知道耶稣是何等怜悯！

Before he had been out of control—now he sat at Jesus’ feet  (Luke 8:35)

之前：他完全失控——现在：坐在耶稣脚前, 明白过来（路：8-35）

Before he had been undressed—now he was dressed (Luke 8:35)

之前：他不穿衣服  ——现在：穿着衣服（路：8-35）

Before he was out of his mind—now he was in his right mind (Luke 8:35)

之前：他神志不清  ——现在：心里明白过来（路：8-35）

Before he had many demons—now he was cured (Luke 8:36)

之前：他被许多鬼附着 ——现在：得了医治（路：8-36）

Before he lived in the tombs—now he could return to his home (Luke 8:39)

之前：他住在坟茔里     ——现在：可以回家去（路：8-39）

Rather than begging Jesus to leave, he begged to go with him (Luke 8:38). Jesus said to him: “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.”

他没有求耶稣离开，而是求与耶稣同去(路加福音8:38)。可耶稣对他说：“你回家去，传说    神为你作了何等大的事。”

What does the story mean to you? 这个故事对你有什么开启?Each of us has an amazing story to tell! 我们每个人身上都有奇异恩典见证One of our missions is to “tell how much God has done for you!” 我们有一个使命就是“述说神在我们身上的作为!”We may not have been oppressed by demons, but each of us has been enslaved by sin. 或许我们不曾被鬼附，但我们都曾被罪所奴役！

Have you ever told people how God saved you from your nakedness like this man wherever you go? 你是否在一切所到之处都向人述说神怎样把你如同这个人一样从赤身露体中拯救出来？Or you put a mask on your face and pretend that you are ok, for Jesus is your saviour just because the bible says so?

或者你戴上面具假装你很好、耶稣是你的救主，只是因为圣经这样说?

Do you really know what Jesus has done for you? 你真的知道耶稣为你所做的一切吗？ Do you really know how valuable your own soul is? 你真的知道你的灵魂有多么宝贵吗？ How valuable is a soul to you? 一个灵魂对你来说有多宝贵？ Are you like the people of that town begging Jesus to leave if the cost of saving a soul is suffering the loss of your “pigs”? 如果拯救一个灵魂需要以你失去“猪”为代价，你会像那城的人一样求耶稣离开吗?