|
作者
|
內容
|
|
Benedcit
|
Posted -
2006/5/31 上午 04:12:17
|
|
|
在所有的福音外傳中，最接近正典福音並且受到近代新約聖經學界所重視的應該非〈多默(多馬)福音〉莫屬。到目<a href="前為止，相關的文件大約有兩百多本書、和近15,000文章。很多西方學者指出，〈多默福音〉中有相當多的論述極為接近東方靈性思維。有好幾份〈多默(多馬)福音〉的中文翻譯都是在香港出版的，包括：
黃錫木譯，〈多馬福音－簡介和漢譯本〉，《建道：建道學刊》(12) ，1999。
羅賓遜，史密夫(James M. Robinson & Richard Smith)編，楊克勤譯，《靈知派經書(卷上)》(香港：道風書社) ，2000。
黃根春編，《基督教典外文獻－新約篇，第一冊(4) 》，(香港：基督教文藝)，2001。
<a href="http://mingsbooks.com" 明師出版社 〈多馬福音〉</a>
在這幾份基督教學者們的翻譯中，我個人認為黃錫木博士所譯的較好。不過要深入的研究，就得從原文翻譯才成。去年底(2005年 10月)《耶穌靈道論語•多瑪斯福音》在臺北文史哲出版社出版，其中有 Coptic and Greek 原文及漢文對原文逐字翻譯，能幫助讀者體會原意。介紹這本書的網站有<a href="http://www.eslitebooks.com/cgi-bin/eslite.dll/search/book/book.jsp?idx=1&pageNo=1&PRODUCT_ID=2680049270008">
誠品書店網站 <\a> 及
<a href="http://www.lapen.com.tw/a2.htm"> 文史哲出版社網站 <\a>。
相信論盡神學網站中的朋友們對有關新約文件並不陌生，瞭解〈多默福音〉的人應該也不在少數。然而一談到這部非正典福音書，許多教會內的朋友都有「妾身千萬難」的難言之隱；因為任何對新約福音，初期教會及教父文件有研究的學者都不忍昧著良心韃伐它；但礙於環境也不能說些什麼。雖然如此，至少有一位中國的聖經學者告訴我，將來他到神學院教學時一定要教學生們認識〈多默福音〉；另外一位聖經學者告訴我說：我們得想想辦法讓大家瞭解，從你我多寫幾篇文章開始吧。
靈性的道理與宗教性的想法和做法是有距離的，更不會與世相爭。這份文件所揭櫫的不外乎以「包容、互敬的大心靈」來洞察每一人「純潔、光明的上主之子的本性」。耶穌一再叮嚀門徒們不要批評判斷別人的對錯，是因為神經系統的認知與做為本來就是有限度的，以神經系統操作身體只能算是過日子，那不是你我真正的靈性生命。當我們認識到弟兄們與我們是完全一樣的上主之子(twins)，從而生活出來並為上主之光的延伸，那便是你和我的共融本體。在這氛圍內只有「鑑賞、愛護、寬恕、祝禱、互助、與等待」；靈性根本不認識「批判、仇恨、與殺戮」這些玩意兒。若望福音裏，耶穌臨別祝福時，一再將聖靈賜給眾人；在《多默福音》裏，耶穌說：然而我真正的媽(聖靈)給我這生命。這兩段話的意義都是很深遠的。不知道什麼時候"耶穌的門徒們"才會認清。
在《多默福音》中，耶穌也曾吟過一首詩：
有情天使銜玉飛， 明貺尊者下凡仙，
嫏嬛福樂不須追， 還君珠璧連揆天，
綈袍送暖祈心嚮， 湧泉相報在人間，
且問何日來取回？ 怎奈遊子愛狂狷！
上頭這偈其實是我編的，耶穌的原文詩句是這樣說的：
「天使們和先知們正朝著你們而來，
他們將給你們那些你們原本就享有的(天賜恩澤)。
同樣地，你們也要把你們所擁有的嘉惠給予和你們在一起的人；然後會問自己說：什麼時候那些人會來領取屬於他們的東西呢？」
還有一首也很感人，讓朋友們猜猜是哪一段？
君自何處生？ 天從哪裡來？
人由光中生， 有道無邊來；
萬有造物者， 真原光本體；
天化育明世， 主觀照臨在；
你何德何能？ 汝何方神聖？
我是父之子， 吾乃父之愛；
內在可根據， 心靈有標記；
暢神方運行， 空如便安泰。
這份福音書成為正典的時機早已逝去，但有什麼能阻止得了天父之子們共融心靈的直覺通譯。
Benedict
|
|
simon
|
Posted -
2006/5/31 上午 10:54:10
|
|
|
|
|
simon
|
Posted -
2006/5/31 上午 10:57:06
|
|
|
Benedict,
謝謝你的分享，那很有意思。
很多人，包括天主教徒，常常著眼人與人的差異，而忽視人與人的共同處。天主教徒和基督教徒的互相批評，正是其中一例。
有時我在想像，神看在眼裡，有甚麼感覺？
|
|
Benedcit
|
Posted -
2006/10/17 上午 05:33:40
|
|
|
在"信理與神學"專欄中正討論「確知」才「信」，大家講得都很有道理，Jedi 也引用(若20:27-29)來討論，
二十天前(Oct 27, 2006)，教宗本篤十六對於在《若望福音》中多默宗徒的言論有一翻評價，並對《多默福音》和《多默行傳》有正面的提示，令人眼睛為之一亮。
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20060927_en.html
這一則教宗的評論，在今年十月八日台灣出版的教友生活周刊也有中文翻譯。
-----------------------------
BENEDICT XVI
GENERAL AUDIENCE
Saint Peter's Square
Wednesday, 27 September 2006
Thomas the twin
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Continuing our encounters with the Twelve Apostles chosen directly by Jesus, today we will focus our attention on Thomas. Ever present in the four lists compiled by the New Testament, in the first three Gospels he is placed next to Matthew (cf. Mt 10: 3; Mk 3: 18; Lk 6: 15), whereas in Acts, he is found after Philip (cf. Acts 1: 13).
His name derives from a Hebrew root, ta'am, which means "paired, twin". In fact, John's Gospel several times calls him "Dydimus" (cf. Jn 11: 16; 20: 24; 21: 2), a Greek nickname for, precisely, "twin". The reason for this nickname is unclear.
It is above all the Fourth Gospel that gives us information that outlines some important traits of his personality.
The first concerns his exhortation to the other Apostles when Jesus, at a critical moment in his life, decided to go to Bethany to raise Lazarus, thus coming dangerously close to Jerusalem (Mk 10: 32).
On that occasion Thomas said to his fellow disciples: "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (Jn 11: 16). His determination to follow his Master is truly exemplary and offers us a valuable lesson: it reveals his total readiness to stand by Jesus, to the point of identifying his own destiny with that of Jesus and of desiring to share with him the supreme trial of death.
In fact, the most important thing is never to distance oneself from Jesus.
Moreover, when the Gospels use the verb "to follow", it means that where he goes, his disciple must also go.
Thus, Christian life is defined as a life with Jesus Christ, a life to spend together with him. St Paul writes something similar when he assures the Christians of Corinth: "You are in our hearts, to die together and to live together" (II Cor 7: 3). What takes place between the Apostle and his Christians must obviously apply first of all to the relationship between Christians and Jesus himself: dying together, living together, being in his Heart as he is in ours.
A second intervention by Thomas is recorded at the Last Supper. On that occasion, predicting his own imminent departure, Jesus announced that he was going to prepare a place for his disciples so that they could be where he is found; and he explains to them: "Where [I] am going you know the way" (Jn 14: 4). It is then that Thomas intervenes, saying: "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" (Jn 14: 5).
In fact, with this remark he places himself at a rather low level of understanding; but his words provide Jesus with the opportunity to pronounce his famous definition: "I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life" (Jn 14: 6).
Thus, it is primarily to Thomas that he makes this revelation, but it is valid for all of us and for every age. Every time we hear or read these words, we can stand beside Thomas in spirit and imagine that the Lord is also speaking to us, just as he spoke to him.
At the same time, his question also confers upon us the right, so to speak, to ask Jesus for explanations. We often do not understand him. Let us be brave enough to say: "I do not understand you, Lord; listen to me, help me to understand". In such a way, with this frankness which is the true way of praying, of speaking to Jesus, we express our meagre capacity to understand and at the same time place ourselves in the trusting attitude of someone who expects light and strength from the One able to provide them.
Then, the proverbial scene of the doubting Thomas that occurred eight days after Easter is very well known. At first he did not believe that Jesus had appeared in his absence and said: "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe" (Jn 20: 25).
Basically, from these words emerges the conviction that Jesus can now be recognized by his wounds rather than by his face. Thomas holds that the signs that confirm Jesus' identity are now above all his wounds, in which he reveals to us how much he loved us. In this the Apostle is not mistaken.
As we know, Jesus reappeared among his disciples eight days later and this time Thomas was present. Jesus summons him: "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing" (Jn 20: 27).
Thomas reacts with the most splendid profession of faith in the whole of the New Testament: "My Lord and my God!" (Jn 20: 28). St Augustine comments on this: Thomas "saw and touched the man, and acknowledged the God whom he neither saw nor touched; but by the means of what he saw and touched, he now put far away from him every doubt, and believed the other" (In ev. Jo. 121, 5).
The Evangelist continues with Jesus' last words to Thomas: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe" (Jn 20: 29). This sentence can also be put into the present: "Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe".
In any case, here Jesus spells out a fundamental principle for Christians who will come after Thomas, hence, for all of us.
It is interesting to note that another Thomas, the great Medieval theologian of Aquinas, juxtaposed this formula of blessedness with the apparently opposite one recorded by Luke: "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see!" (Lk 10: 23). However, Aquinas comments: "Those who believe without seeing are more meritorious than those who, seeing, believe" (In Johann. XX lectio VI 2566).
In fact, the Letter to the Hebrews, recalling the whole series of the ancient biblical Patriarchs who believed in God without seeing the fulfilment of his promises, defines faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb 11: 1).
The Apostle Thomas' case is important to us for at least three reasons: first, because it comforts us in our insecurity; second, because it shows us that every doubt can lead to an outcome brighter than any uncertainty; and, lastly, because the words that Jesus addressed to him remind us of the true meaning of mature faith and encourage us to persevere, despite the difficulty, along our journey of adhesion to him.
A final point concerning Thomas is preserved for us in the Fourth Gospel, which presents him as a witness of the Risen One in the subsequent event of the miraculous catch in the Sea of Tiberias (cf. Jn 21: 2ff.).
On that occasion, Thomas is even mentioned immediately after Simon Peter: an evident sign of the considerable importance that he enjoyed in the context of the early Christian communities.
Indeed, the Acts and the Gospel of Thomas, both apocryphal works but in any case important for the study of Christian origins, were written in his name.
Lastly, let us remember that an ancient tradition claims that Thomas first evangelized Syria and Persia (mentioned by Origen, according to Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History 3, 1) and then went on to Western India (cf. Acts of Thomas 1-2 and 17ff.), from where Christianity also reached Southern India.
Let us end our reflection in this missionary perspective, expressing the hope that Thomas' example will never fail to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Our God.
------------------------------------------
|
|
simon
|
Posted -
2006/10/17 下午 01:30:18
|
|
|
Benedict,
凌晨五時許上網留言，希望你不是開通宵。保重身體。
|
|
simon
|
Posted -
2006/10/17 下午 01:31:16
|
|
|
又：你是Benedict，還是Benedcit？
|
|
Benedcit
|
Posted -
2006/10/17 下午 11:16:52
|
|
|
This is Benedict. About an year ago when I registered on this forum, I misspelled my name. I don't know how to correct it.
I have studied bibilical literature for many years. I also has an in-deepth study in GoTh and related material.
Benedict XVI's new comments on GoTh and AcTh did not turn thing upside down, but it is a milestone and opens a new avenue for scholars and students to look into the historical church and possibll Jesus Himself whom we believe in.
From now on, I would feel comfortable to discuss about GoTh and AcTh in this and other Cathloic forum and media. If you guys are interested in, I would be happy to share with you about my study. Members' comments will be most welcome.
向永恆存在巡禮 鳴萬世鐘聲悠如
播心光證悟靈道 獻古韻祝禱多福
Benedict 0 :-)
|
|
