聖書：神は人になられた

Luke 13
Repent or Perish

Now there were some [ present at that time ]
[ who told Jesus about the Galileans
[ whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices ] ].
Jesus answered, “Do you think [ that these Galileans were worse sinners
[ than all the other Galileans (were) ]
[ because they suffered this way ]?
I tell you, no! But [ unless you repent ], you too will all perish.

Or those eighteen [ who died [ when the tower in Siloam fell on them ] ]—
do you think [ they were more guilty [ than all the others [ living in Jerusalem ] ]?
I tell you, no! But [ unless you repent ], you too will all perish.”
Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree [ growing in his vineyard ],
and he went [ to look for fruit on it ] but did not find any.
So he said to the man [ who took care of the vineyard ],
‘For three years now I’ve been coming [ to look for fruit on this fig tree ] and haven’t found any.
Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year,
and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.
[ If it bears fruit next year ], fine! [ If not ], then cut it down.’”

Luke 14
Jesus at a Pharisee’s House

One Sabbath, [ when Jesus went [ to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee ] ],
he was being carefully watched.
There in front of him was a man [ suffering from abnormal [ swelling ] of his body ].
Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful [ to heal on the Sabbath ] or not?”
But they remained silent. So [ taking hold of the man ], he healed him and sent him on his way.
Then he asked them, “[ If one of you has a child or an ox [ that falls into a well on the Sabbath day ] ],
will you not immediately pull it out?” And they had nothing [ to say ].

[ When he noticed [ how the guests picked the places of honor at the table ] ],
he told them this parable:
" [ When someone invites you to a [ wedding ] feast ],
do not take the place of honor,
for a person [ more distinguished [ than you ] ] may have been invited.
[ If so ], the host [ who invited both of you ] will come and say to you,
‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, [ humiliated ], you will have to take the least important place.
But [ when you are invited ], take the lowest place,
[ so that [ when your host comes ], he will say to you ],
‘Friend, move up to a better place.’

Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.
For all those [ who exalt themselves ] will be humbled, and those [ who humble themselves ] will be exalted.”
Then Jesus said to his host, “[ When you give a luncheon or dinner ],
do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors;
[ if you do ], they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.
But [ when you give a banquet ], invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
and you will be blessed. [ Although they cannot repay you ], you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Parable of the Great Banquet

[ When one of those at the table with him heard this ], he said to Jesus,
“Blessed is the one [ who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God ].”
Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.
At the time of the banquet he sent his servant [ to tell those [ who had been invited ] ],
‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
“But they all alike began [ to make excuses ]. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field,
and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
“Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way [ to try them out ].
Please excuse me.’

“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant,
‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
“‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘[ what you ordered has been done ],
but there is still room.’
"Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel [ them to come in ],
[ so that my house will be full ].
I tell you, [ not one of those [ who were invited ] will get a taste of my banquet ].’”

きょうの潮流
詩人・谷川俊太郎さんに『いっぽんの鉛筆のむこうに』という絵本があります。
鉛筆１本を作るために、どれだけの人が関わっているか。
そこには黒鉛を掘る人、より分ける人、木を切る人、木を運ぶ人…と、数え切れないほど多くの人がいて、
それぞれの人の生活がある、というお話です
▼ＮＨＫの番組「あさイチ」を見ながら、ふとこの絵本を思い出しました。
こちらは震災による企業の倒産が増えている、という愉快ではない話です。
１７日時点で１８４社が倒産。そのうち８９％は、取引先の被災や風評被害など間接被害だそうです
▼例えば、香川県で中古車の洗車をなりわいにしていた男性の収入が３分の２に―。
大もとには、自動車の部品工場が被災したことがありました。自粛ムードでコンサートが中止になり、
倒産したイベント会社も。“風が吹けば桶（おけ）屋（や）がもうかる”の例えも、こういうのは勘弁願いたい
▼“便乗解雇･便乗賃下げ”というのも横行しているようです。震災を理由にすれば、どんな無法も許される、
という風潮は、正さなければなりません。
コメンテーターの弁護士の助言は、労働組合をつくることでした
▼昨日付本紙１面の記事は、励まされる実例です。仙台市の複合娯楽施設で、大震災を口実にした解雇は許さない、
とアルバイト１０７人が労組を結成。最初は６人からです。
役員が全員２０〜３０代というのも、希望が見えます
▼泣き寝入りしないために、どうするか｡1人の力は小さくても､束ねれば大きな力になります。

The Parable of the Rich Fool

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother [ to divide the inheritance with me ].”
Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed [ me a judge or an arbiter between you ]?”
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;
life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.
He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place [ to store my crops ].’
“Then he said, ‘This is [ what I’ll do ]. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones,
and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself,

“You have [ plenty of grain laid up for many years ]. Take life easy;
eat, drink and be merry.”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.
Then who will get [ what you have prepared for yourself ]?’
“This is [ how it will be with [ whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God ] ].”

The Rich Man and Lazarus

“There was a rich man [ who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day ].
At his gate was laid a beggar [ named Lazarus ], [ covered with sores and longing [ to eat [ what fell from the rich man’s table ] ] ].
Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came [ when the beggar died ] and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.
The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, [ where he was in torment ], he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus [ to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue ],
[ because I am in agony in this fire ].’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember [ that in your lifetime you received your good things ],
[ while Lazarus received bad things ], but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place,
[ so that those [ who want to go from here to you ] cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us ].’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers.
Let [ him warn them ],
[ so that they will not also come to this place of torment ].’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets;
let [ them listen to them ].’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘
but [ if someone from the dead goes to them ], they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘[ If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets ],
they will not be convinced [ even if someone rises from the dead ].’”

Jesus Predicts His Death

From that time on Jesus began [ to explain to his disciples
[ that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders,
the chief priests and the teachers of the law ],
and [ that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life ] ].
Peter took him aside and began [ to rebuke him ].
“Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a [ stumbling ] block to me;
you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “[ Whoever wants [ to be my disciple ] ] must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
For [ whoever wants [ to save their life ] ] will lose it,
but [ whoever loses their life for me ] will find it.
What good will it be [ for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul ]?
Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels,
and then he will reward each person [ according to [ what they have done ] ].
“Truly I tell you, some [ who are standing here ] will not taste death
[ before they see [ the Son of Man coming in his kingdom ] ].”

The Father Revealed in the Son

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
[ because you have hidden these things from the wise and [ learned ],
and revealed them to little children ].
Yes, Father, for this is [ what you were pleased [ to do ] ].
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son and those [ to whom the Son chooses [ to reveal him ] ].
“Come to me, all you [ who are weary and burdened ],
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

Jesus, [ once more deeply moved ], came to the tomb.
It was a cave with a stone [ laid across the entrance ].
“Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor,
for he has been there four days.”
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you [ that [ if you believe ], you will see the glory of God ]?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you [ that you have heard me ].
I knew [ that you always hear me ], but I said this for the benefit of the people [ standing here ],
[ that they may believe [ that you sent me ] ].”
[ When he had said this ], Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out, [ his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face ].
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let [ him go ].”