QT 31/03/2024 Sunday: Lady First & Talking Angels. "女人先"及会说话的天使.
QT 31/03/2024 Sunday: Lady First & Talking Angels
https://www.esv.org/John20:11–18
Males only were allowed into the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle enacted by Moses where the Ark of the Covenant laid. And this male person had to be The High Priest, a descendant of Aaron, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (the holiest day in the Jewish calender). After undergoing the required Purification rites, this High Priest of old had to place the blood of the sacrifice he brought along with him on the cover of the Ark, between the two Cherubims (angel-like gold plated figures).
However, on this resurrection Sunday, a female get to see this holy scene before many other males. Lady first. "Mary stood weeping outside the tomb" (John 20:11). This Mary was not the mother of Jesus, but another Mary from Magdala in Galilee, of a different social standing. Jesus had cast seven demons out of her and she followed Jesus thereafter (Luke 8:2). Not one, but possessed by seven demons, was her past history. Not much of a "social class" to brag about. Yet Mary the Magdalene was "standing by the cross" when most of the male disciples fled (Mark 15:40, John 19:25).
This woman took the risk of following Jesus publicly, even observing Jesus' burial (Mark 15:47). While the High Priest of the Old Testament also observed the two Cherubims with blood of the dead animal between them, Mary "saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet"! (John 20:12) In spite of knowing about the death of Jesus, she was not about to abandon him. In fact, she was there to "take him away" (John 20:15), for a more proper burial presumably.
In view of such commitment and devotion to Jesus, it seemed fitting that this lady be the first to witness the resurrection. The High Priest in OT saw the "virtual reality" FORESHADOW of redemption provided by the dead sacrifice's blood, but Mary saw the REALITY of Christ's death and resurrection. She is "one up" from the OT High Priest–the two angels she met on the left and right side of the missing body could TALK to her, unlike the Cherubims on the left and right of the Ark! Indeed, while the OT's sacrifice was dead and decayed, Mary "turned around and saw Jesus standing..." who continued to talk to her and taught her spiritual stuffs (John 20:14).
Reflections: Many of us want to claim entitlement to God's unswerving presence and protection. But are our commitment and devotion to follow Jesus on par with Mary of Magdalene's? May you encounter the fully alive Jesus, who might be "standing" near to you, as long as you hear His voice, and turn around today, like Mary of Magdala, regardless of your past. Mary stood by the cross. Would you stand by Christ today?
星期日 2024年3月29日 今日读经：约翰福音20:11–18. "女人先"及会说话的天使.
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Jhn/20/
只有男性才能进入摩西设立的会幕中的至圣所，约柜就放在那里。这个男性必须是大祭司，是亚伦的后裔，而且只能在每年的赎罪日（犹太日历中最神圣的一天）进入。经过规定的洁净仪式后，这位古代大祭司必须把他带来的祭品的血放在约柜的盖子上，在两个基路伯（类似天使般的镀金雕像）之间。
然而，在这个复活主日，一位女性却能在众多男性之前看到这神圣的一幕。女士优先。"马利亚站在坟墓外面哭泣"（约翰福音 20：11）。这位马利亚不是耶稣的母亲，而是来自加利利抹大拉的另一位马利亚，社会地位不同。耶稣曾从她身上赶出七个鬼，此后她跟随了耶稣（路加福音 8：2）。她的过去不是一个人，而是被七个鬼附着。这并不是什么值得炫耀的 "社会阶层"。然而，当大多数男门徒逃离时，抹大拉的马利亚却“站在耶稣十字架旁边”（马可福音 15：40，约翰福音 19：25）。
这位妇女冒着风险公开地跟随耶稣，甚至亲眼目睹了耶稣的埋葬（马可福音 15：47）。《旧约》中的大祭司也看到了动物尸体鲜血夹在两个基路伯中间，而马利亚却 "看见两个白衣天使，坐在耶稣尸体的地方，一个在头，一个在脚"（约翰福音20：12）！尽管她知道耶稣已经死了，但她并不打算抛弃他。事实上，她是去"把他班回来"（约翰福音 20：15），大概是为了更合适的安葬主。
鉴于她对耶稣的承诺和奉献，这位女士成为第一个见证耶稣复活的人似乎再合适不过了。古时的大祭司看到的是 "虚拟现实"，是由死去的祭品的血所提供的救赎象征，而马利亚看到的是基督死亡和复活的事实。她的地位 "高出 "了古时的大祭司--她在失踪的躯体左右两侧遇到的两位天使可以与她交谈，而不像约柜左右两侧的基路伯！事实上，当古时的祭品死去腐烂时，马利亚却 "转过身来，看见耶稣站着..."，耶稣继续与她交谈，教导她属灵的知识（约翰福音 20：14）。
思考： 我们中的许多人都想声称自己有权得到上帝坚定不移的同在和保护。但我们对跟随耶稣的承诺和委身是否能与抹大拉的马利亚相称？愿你遇到今日活着的耶稣，他可能就 "站 "在你的身边，只要你听到他的声音，今天就像抹大拉的马利亚一样转过身来，不管你的过去如何。 马利亚站在十字架旁，你今日会与基督站同一条线？
