只是問一下 (26)：何謂禱告的殿？
差不多好像公式一樣。
牧者宣告他的教會要成為禱告的殿。
然後邀請會眾立志禱告。
通常是力勸他們參加每週一次的祈禱會。
千篇一律。
為何以色列的聖殿會自動變成外族新教徒的教會？
再者，為何耶穌時代的禱告場所，會自動變成香港基督教教會的祈禱會？
對此，沒有人仔細研究過，令這種想法至今仍然大行其道！
路加福音十九章 45 至 46 節記載耶穌潔淨耶路撒冷聖殿，手段相當猛烈。經文這樣說：
耶穌一進聖殿就趕出在裏面做買賣的人，對他們說：「經上說：『我的殿是禱告的殿，你們倒使它成為賊窩了。』」《和合本修訂版》
New Living Translation 的腳註顯示，耶穌的話與以賽亞書五十六章 7 節和耶利米書七章 11 節相關，而「禱告的殿」則出自以賽亞書。
既然耶穌的話有其舊約背景，那麼我們是否該探討一下，耶路撒冷聖殿在何時、或如何跟禱告扯上關係呢？
是否在耶穌之前數百年的以賽亞時代，或甚至更早期，聖殿與禱告的關係已經密不可分？
看來，最簡單的做法是追溯到所羅門時代，記載聖殿奉獻禮的經文！
果然，所羅門將焦點對準禱告。
歷代志下六章 12 節：
所羅門當著以色列全會眾，站在耶和華的壇前，舉起手來〔禱告〕。
接下來就是所羅門王一篇絕佳的禱文。
內容是甚麼呢？
第 36 至 39 節概括了禱文的核心祈求，就是為以色列人以至外族人祈求赦罪：
「你的百姓若得罪你，因為沒有人不犯罪，你向他們發怒，把他們交在仇敵面前，擄他們的人把他們帶到或遠或近之地；他們若在被擄之地那裏回心轉意，在被擄之地悔改，向你懇求說：『我們有罪了，我們悖逆了，我們作惡了』；他們若在被擄之地盡心盡性歸向你，又向自己的地，就是你賜給他們列祖的地和你所選擇的城，以及我為你名所建造的這殿禱告，求你從天上你的居所垂聽他們的禱告祈求，為他們伸張正義，赦免你的百姓向你犯的罪。我的神啊，現在求你睜眼看，側耳聽在此處所獻的禱告。」
耶路撒冷聖殿由所羅門建造和奉獻，按他的理解，上主曾經應許以色列人，當他們向聖殿禱告，認罪悔改，上主就會赦免他們，因此他才這樣禱告。
當人在聖殿裡禱告，甚至從遠處向著聖殿禱告，上主必側耳而聽。
認罪和赦罪總在聖殿裏相遇。
這是上主的承諾。
耶穌豈不是要提醒人這一點嗎？
聖殿的首要任務豈不是要成為禱告的殿嗎？
耶穌經常提醒祂的聽眾，祂所說的聖殿其實是指向祂的身體，這豈不是說，認罪和赦罪在耶穌裏交會嗎？
只是問一下。
（但耶穌這話是以他的身體為殿。所以到他從死裏復活以後，門徒就想起他說過這話，便信了聖經和耶穌所說的。〔約翰福音二章 21～22 節《和修》〕）
Alexander Bida: Jesus expels the merchants from the Temple [1885] (Alexander Bida, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Just asking (26): What’s the house of prayer?
It’s almost like a formulae.
The pastor will proclaim his church will become a house of prayer.
Then invite the congregation to commit to prayer.
Often follow with urging to attend the weekly prayer meeting.
Not much variation.
Why must an Israelite temple be automatically transformed into a Protestant church of the Gentiles?
And, why must a house of prayer in Jesus’ world be automatically transformed into prayer meetings in a Hong Kong Protestant church?
It’s been so uncritically examined and still unchallenged!
In Luke 19:45-46, Jesus cleansed the Jerusalem temple, quite violently it could be said. It is recorded—
Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” (NLT)
The NLT has a footnote suggesting Jesus’ words have background texts from Isa 56:7 and Jer 7:11, with Isaiah referring to “house of prayer”.
With the Old Testament thoughts in the background, shouldn’t one explore when or how the Jerusalem Temple was connected with prayers?
Was it already the case several hundred years before Jesus in Isaiah period, or even predated Isaiah?
It seems the rudest way at least is to go further back to the Temple dedication text at Solomon’s days!
Sure enough King Solomon made prayers his central focus.
2 Chronicles 6:12—
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel, and he lifted his hands in prayer.
What follows is a splendid prayer from the King.
What about?
Verses 36-39 encapsulate the central plea for forgiveness of sins, from Israelites and even Gentiles—
“If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far away or near. But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’ If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their captivity and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—then hear their prayers and their petitions from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.”
The Jerusalem Temple built and dedicated by Solomon, was the place where confession and forgiveness would meet, as promised by the LORD to the Israelites as seen from Solomon’s perspective, and hence his prayer.
When prayers uttered in the Temple, and even away from it but directionally oriented towards it, prayers would be heard.
Confession and forgiveness will always be met at the Temple.
Promise.
Wasn’t it what Jesus wanting to remind people?
Wasn’t it the overriding concern with the Temple being the House of Prayer?
And with Jesus constantly reminding hearers that his reference to Temple was in fact pointing to his body, isn’t it a further emphasis on confession and forgiveness converges in Jesus?
Just Asking.
(But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said. [John 2:21-22, NLT])