只是問一下 (19)：壞？好？

幾年前，美國 NBC 首播一套電視連續劇《命運航班》（Manifest）。

故事敘述一架航行中的飛機離奇失蹤，於五年後著陸。
機上的乘客重拾生活之後，面對各種各樣的困難。
生命好像顛倒過來，亂七八糟。
厄運。
然而，在厄運之中，這班乘客盡量做好，至少嘗試做好。

該航班是 828 號班機。
它有一句標語：「萬事向好」。

這篇文章不是討論電視劇。
不是討論羅馬書八章 28 節該怎樣理解。
更不是討論生命的終局。

對羅馬書八章28節的解釋，主要有兩種：
1.    萬事向好。
2.    上帝使萬事向好。

不同的人有不同的信念和世界觀，因此亦喚起不同的情感。
究竟是上帝安排萬事，抑或萬事按某種方式發展，這個爭辯毫無意義。

但有一樣可以確定——
結果必然是好的。
無論解釋的人如何定義「好」。

這裡要問的是，新約時代的使徒保羅提出「萬事互相效力」，究竟他從哪裡得來這個想法呢？

會否來自約瑟人生的啟發？創世記敘述，數十年來，約瑟在別人手下遭遇厄運；最終，同樣在別人手下，他得到抬舉，然後享受豐盛的下半生。

Philip De Vere, Joseph in Pharaoh’s chariot (Philip De Vere, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

當約瑟事業有成，並與從前出賣他的兄弟重聚之後，他體會到昔日的生命一去不返，卻滿有意義，就對他的兄弟說：

「從前你們的意思是要害我，但上帝的意思原是好的，要使許多百姓得以存活，成就今日的光景。」（創世記五十章 20 節《和合本修訂版》）

這豈非一個合乎情理的回響？
這豈非對生命相當健康的看法？

我只是問一下。

Just asking (19): Evil or good?

There’s an American TV series called Manifest.

It talks about a mysteriously disappeared flight reappearing five years later.
Passengers on board all had troubles to deal with after five years absence.
Lives appear to be upside down.
Bad.
But amidst bad passengers did good, or at least attempted to.

It is Flight 828.
It has a slogan “all things work good”.

This piece is not about TV.
Not even about how Roman 8:28 could be interpreted.
Certainly not about how life would turn out.

There are two main ways in rendering Romans 8:28:
1. All things work good.
2. God works all things for good.

There are many feelings evoked depending on one’s belief and view of the world.
It would be pointless to argue whether God arranged things or things would work out themselves.

But one thing is sure.
The outcome is good.
However interpreters define “good”.

This piece asks where did Apostle Paul in New Testament times get the idea that things would work out for good?

Could it be the life of Joseph, where after decades of misfortunes and final fortunes, both at the hands of others?

Charles Foster, Joseph is sold by his brethren (Charles Foster, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Near the end of his career, after reuniting with his siblings who had mistreated him, Joseph realised life as it was and said something.

And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. (Gen 50:20, NASB 1977)

Isn’t it a reasonable suggestion of an echo?
Isn’t it a reasonably robust way to view life?

I’m just asking.