9月6日
耶利米書18章3-10節
現代中文譯本2019
18:3 於是我到陶匠家去。我看見他正在轉動輪盤，製造陶器。
18:4 每當手裡所捏的黏土不完美，他就用那塊黏土做成別的器皿。
18:5 後來，上主又對我說：
18:6 「難道我不能按照陶匠處理黏土的方法來處理你們以色列人嗎？你們在我手中就像黏土在陶匠手中。
18:7 無論什麼時候，我宣布要剷除，破壞，或摧毀一個國家，
18:8 如果那國家離棄罪惡，我就回心轉意，不降災難。
18:9 無論什麼時候我宣布要栽培，建立一個國家，
18:10 如果那國家不服從我，專做壞事，我就改變心意，取消我原先的計畫。
ESV
18:3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel.
18:4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.
18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me:
18:6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
18:7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it,
18:8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.
18:9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it,
18:10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.
今天的經文中，描述窯匠隨自己的意思任意改變心意用陶土做器具，而上帝對以色列也有一樣的主權。這段強調的是「陶匠與陶土之間的關係」。陶土完全在陶匠支配下，陶匠可以完全照他所喜歡的而行。猶大與上帝關係也是如此，猶大是上帝手中的泥土，完全在祂支配之下，聽祂使用。上帝可以自由照祂認為好的對待祂的子民。這可能是一個帶來希望或審判的信息：猶大的存在是要服事上帝，不是上帝服事猶大。神的子民不能為自己的目的利用上帝，正如陶土不能命令陶匠一般。
參考資料: https://bible.fhl.net/new/com.php?book=3&engs=Jer&chap=18&sec=3
