Aristotle at the Table 亚里士多德在餐桌上
Dexu Xia
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:28
Today's Scripture Matthew 26:26-29
Today's Insights Christ commanded His believers to remember His death through which forgiveness has been secured (Matthew 26:26-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). In the observance of Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, believers in Jesus partake of the bread and the cup as visible symbols of His death. In 1 Corinthians 11:24-25, Paul instructs believers on how to observe Communion. The way the Corinthians were observing the Lord’s Supper wasn’t commendable and was ripe for rebuke (1 Corinthians 11:17-22). Why? The conduct they displayed was out of character with what Jesus had done. There were reports of “divisions among” them (v. 18). They were inconsiderate and self-indulgent (vv. 19-22). There was something wrong with this picture, so Paul noted pointedly, “So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat” (v. 20). His subsequent teaching highlighted the gravity of their error in how they observed this remembrance (vv. 23-34). Communion continues to be a reminder that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, God became friends with us and can help us to love others well.
Today's Devotional Aristotle said that no one can be friends with a god. Why? Because friendship requires equality, and what god would step down from their heavenly status to become equal with lowly human beings?
I wonder what Aristotle would’ve done if he’d been present at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26-35). For there, Jesus Christ the Creator of all, who left His heavenly status to become a lowly human being (Philippians 2:6-8; Colossians 1:16)—told His disciples He no longer called them servants but friends (John 15:15). Aristotle would’ve been surprised too at who sat at that table. There was Matthew, the Roman-friendly tax collector; and then Simon, the Roman-denouncing Zealot (Matthew 10:3-4); along with James and John, the “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17) sitting with quiet Philip. I imagine Aristotle watching quizzically as Jesus described some bread and wine as His “body” and “blood,” broken and poured out for the “forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:26-28). What god would die for mere mortals, even those who’d soon abandon Him (v. 56)?
That’s one reason Communion is so profound. Through Jesus, God became friends with humans and enabled friendships between those with political and temperamental differences. As we eat and drink at the Lord’s Table, we celebrate the one who rewrote friendship’s rules, human and divine.
Reflect & Pray How else does Jesus rewrite the rules of friendship? How can His example help you reach across relational differences today?
Dear Jesus, thank You for making me a friend of God and others. By Sheridan Voysey
“这是我立约的血，为多人流出来，使罪得赦。”(马太福音 26:28 )
今日经文 马太福音 26:26-29
今日心得 基督吩咐祂的信徒要记念祂的死，藉此获得赦罪（马太福音 26:26-30；哥林多前书 11:23-26）。在圣餐或主的晚餐中，耶稣的信徒领受饼和杯，作为祂死亡的可见象征。在哥林多前书 11章24-25节，保罗教导信徒如何遵守圣餐。哥林多人遵守主的晚餐的方式不值得称赞，应该受到谴责（哥林多前书 11:17-22）。为什么？因为他们所表现出的行为与耶稣的行事为人格格不入。有报道称他们“彼此分争”（18节）。他们轻率且自我放纵（19-22节）。这样的场面很有问题，所以保罗尖锐地指出：“所以，你们聚会的时候，算不得吃主的晚餐”（20节）。他随后的教导强调了他们在纪念主的方式上错误的严重性（23-34节）。圣餐继续提醒我们，因着耶稣的牺牲，上帝与我们成为朋友，并能帮助我们更好地爱他人。
今日灵修：亚里士多德说，没有人能与上帝成为朋友。为什么？因为友谊需要平等，而哪有上帝放下天上的尊荣地位，与卑微的人类建立平等的友谊呢？我想知道，如果亚里士多德当时在最后的晚餐桌上（马太福音 26:26-35），他会怎么做。因为在那里，万物的创造者和救赎主基督耶稣，放下天国的尊贵地位，成为卑微的凡人（腓立比书2:6-8；歌罗西书1:16），耶稣告诉祂的门徒，祂不再称他们为仆人，而是朋友（约翰福音15:15）。亚里士多德也会对坐在那张桌子旁的人感到惊讶。有亲近罗马的税吏马太；有对抗罗马的奋锐党人西门（马太福音10:3-4）；还有“雷子”雅各和约翰与安静的腓力坐在一起（马可福音3:17）。我想象着亚里士多德疑惑地看着耶稣将饼和酒描述为祂的“身体”和“血”，为“赦罪”被掰开倾倒出来，（马太福音26:26-28）。哪有上帝会为凡人，甚至那些很快就会离弃祂的人而死（56节）？ 这就是圣餐如此意义深远的原因之一。通过耶稣，上帝与人类成为朋友，并使那些政治立场和性格迥异的人能够建立友谊。当我们在主的圣餐桌上吃喝时，我们庆祝那位重写了友谊规则（无论是人间还是神间）的上帝。
反思与祷告：耶稣还以其他什么方式重写了友谊的规则？他的榜样如何帮助你在今天跨越人际关系的差异？
亲爱的耶稣，感谢你使我成为上帝和他人的朋友。谢里丹·沃伊西