Throughout history, many people have marveled at Jesus, praising His authority, wisdom, power, healing, and even His deity. They find Jesus appealing and desire to associate themselves with him, yet they are unwillingly to submit to Him as Lord. Here, through these two examples, Jesus shows us what keeps men from becoming genuine disciples of Jesus Christ.
纵观历史，有许多人觉得耶稣很了不起；他们赞扬祂的权柄、智慧、全能、医治，甚至祂的神性。他们被耶稣吸引并希望能与耶稣结交，却不愿服从耶稣为生命的主。耶稣在这里借着两个人，让我们知道作主耶稣真门徒所要付出的代价。
- Comfort 享乐 (8:18-20)
To some, personal comfort is everything. Here, Jesus mentions some requirements of true discipleship (self-denial, sacrifice and the prospect of suffering), all of which were unexpected to the scribe. He simply disappeared without a word.
对一些人而言，人生的享受就是一切。当耶稣提出作真门徒的要求包括否决自我、牺牲、甚至需要受苦的时候，那文士再也没回应，马上消失在人群中，因这代价是他从未考虑过的。
- Cash 钱财 (8:21-22)
In this context, it doesn’t mean that the man’s father had just passed away. The phrase ‘I must bury my father’ was a common Near Eastern figure of speech that referred to a son’s responsibility to help his father in the family business until the father died and the inheritance was distributed. This man, who asked to first bury his father, did not want to risk losing his personal prosperity and well-being by becoming Jesus’ disciple.
另一名男子要求耶稣允许他先埋葬自己的父亲，但这并不代表他的父亲刚刚过世。如果他的父亲刚刚过世，他不可能站在那里听主耶稣的论道。这句话在中东常用于指儿子帮助自己的父亲做生意，直到父亲去世，然后得到父亲的财产。这意味着男子不愿失去个人财产和荣华来跟随耶稣作门徒。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for you, what do you sacrifice for Him? Pray that we do not take his salvation lightly.
主耶稣为了你牺牲自己的生命；你又为祂牺牲了什么？请祷告我们不要轻看祂的救恩。
- Is personal comfort very important to you? Do you make a little sacrifice every day to set aside time to read the Bible, mediate on the Bible and commit time to prayer? Are you willing to sacrifice – if you call that a sacrifice – for Him?
个人的享受对你而言是否十分重要？你每日是否有做出一点小牺牲，花时间阅读圣经、默想圣文和祷告呢？就算你认为这是一种牺牲，你愿意这样做吗？
- Do material possessions like cash, car or career hinder you from following Christ? Examine yourself and your response to God.
