大衛與米非波設
David and Mephibosheth
“掃羅的兒子約拿單，有一個兒子名叫米非波設，是瘸腿的。掃羅和約拿單死亡的消息從耶斯列傳到的時候，他才五歲，他乳母抱著他逃跑，因為跑得太急，孩子掉在地上，腿就瘸了。撒下4:4”
(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old
when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up
and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. His name was
Mephibosheth.)
大衛問說，掃羅家還有剩下的人沒有，我要因約拿單的緣故向他施恩。掃羅家有一個僕人，名叫洗巴，有人叫他來見大衛，王問他說，你是洗巴麼，回答說，僕人是。王說，掃羅家還有人沒有，我要照神的慈愛恩待他，洗巴對王說，還有約拿單的一個兒子，是瘸腿的。王說，他在哪里，洗巴對王說，他在羅底巴亞米利的兒子瑪吉家裏。於是大衛王打發人去，從羅底巴亞米利的兒子瑪吉家裏召了他來。掃羅的孫子約拿單的兒子米非波設來見大衛，伏地叩拜，大衛說，米非波設，米非波設說，僕人在此。大衛說，你不要懼怕，我必因你父親約拿單的緣故施恩與你，將你祖父掃羅的一切田地都歸還你，你也可以常與我同席吃飯。米非波設又叩拜說，僕人算什麼，不過如死狗一般，竟蒙王這樣眷顧。王召了掃羅的僕人洗巴來，對他說，我已將屬掃羅和他的一切家產，都賜給你主人的兒子了。你和你的眾子，僕人，要為你主人的兒子米非波設耕種田地，把所產的拿來供他食用，他卻要常與我同席吃飯。洗巴有十五個兒子、二十個僕人。洗巴對王說，凡我主我王吩咐僕人的，僕人都必遵行。王又說，米非波設必與我同席吃飯，如王的兒子一樣。米非波設有一個小兒子名叫米迦。凡住在洗巴家裏的人，都作了米非波設的僕人。於是米非波設住在耶路撒冷，常與王同席吃飯，他兩腿都是瘸的。”撒下9:1-13
David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show
kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Now there was a servant of Saul's household named
Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you
Ziba?" "Your servant," he replied. The king asked, "Is there no one still left
of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" Ziba answered the king,
"There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet." "Where is he?"
the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo
Debar. "So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son
of Ammiel. When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he
bowed down to pay him honor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "Your servant," he
replied. "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you
kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the
land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my
table." Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should
notice a dead dog like me?" Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and
said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to
Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land
for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided
for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table."
(Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) Then Ziba said to the king,
"Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So
Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons.
Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba's household
were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he
always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet. (II Sa 9:1-13)
“大衛剛過山頂，見米非波設的僕人洗巴拉著備好了的兩匹驢，驢上馱著二百面餅，一百葡萄餅，一百個夏天的果餅，一皮袋酒來，迎接他。王問洗巴，說，你帶這些來是什麼意思呢。洗巴說，驢，是給王的家眷騎的，面餅，和夏天的果餅，是給少年人吃的，酒，是給在曠野疲乏人喝的。王問說，你主人的兒子在哪里呢。洗巴回答王說，他仍在耶路撒冷，因他說，以色列人今日必將我父的國歸還我。王對洗巴說，凡屬米非波設的都歸你了。洗巴說，我叩拜我主我王，願我在你眼前蒙恩。”撒下16:1-4
When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the
steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled
and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a
hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine. The king asked Ziba, "Why have you
brought these?" Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride
on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those
who become exhausted in the desert." The king then asked, "Where is your
master's grandson?" Ziba said to him, "He is staying in Jerusalem, because he
thinks, `Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather's kingdom.'
"Then the king said to Ziba, "All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours."
"I humbly bow," Ziba said. "May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king."
(II Sa 16:1-4)
“掃羅的孫子米非波設也下去迎接王，他自從王去的日子，直到王平平安安的回來，沒有修腳，沒有剃胡須，也沒有洗衣服。他來到耶路撒冷迎接王的時候，王問他說，米非波設，你為什麼沒有與我同去呢。他回答說，我主我王，僕人是瘸腿的，那日我想要備驢騎上，與王同去，無奈我的僕人欺哄了我，又在我主我王面前讒毀我，然而我主我王如同神的使者一般，你看怎樣好，就怎樣行罷。因為我祖全家的人，在我主我王面前，都算為死人，王卻使僕人在王的席上，同人吃飯。我現在向王還能辨理訴冤麼。王對他說，你何必再提你的事呢，我說，你與洗巴均分地土。米非波設對王說，我主我王既平平安安的回宮，就任憑洗巴都取了，也可以。”撒下19:24-30
Mephibosheth, Saul‘s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken
care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the
king left until the day he returned safely.When he came from Jerusalem to meet
the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” He
said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, `I will have my
donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.‘ But Ziba my
servant betrayed me. And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My
lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever pleases you. All my
grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but
you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right
do I have to make any more appeals to the king?” The king said to him, “Why say
more? I order you and Ziba to divide the fields.” Mephibosheth said to the king,
“Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has arrived home safely.“
(II Sa 19:24-30)
王因為曾與掃羅的兒子約拿單指著耶和華起誓結盟，就愛惜掃羅的孫子。約拿單的兒子米非波設不交出來。”撒下21:7
The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the
oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul. (II Sa 21:7)
一件奇妙的事，就是有一瘸腿的小孩，坐在皇帝的席上。
聖經裏，奇妙的事頂多，有的地方告訴我們說，妓女也得了救；有的地方告訴我們說，強盜也得了救；有的地方告訴我們說，稅吏也得了救；有的地方告訴我們說，壞的法利賽人也得了救。今天有點不同的，是告訴我們說，一個瘸腿的孩子得了救。
神的恩待
大衛怎樣恩待約拿單的兒子米非波設，並米非波設怎樣感戴大衛。
米非波設瘸腿
“掃羅的兒子約拿單，有一個兒子名叫米非波設，是瘸腿的；掃羅和約拿單死亡的消息，從耶斯列傳到的時候，他才五歲；他乳母抱著他逃跑；因為跑得太急，孩子掉在地上，腿就瘸了。”
大衛恩待米非波設
“大衛問說，掃羅家還有剩下的人沒有？我要因約拿單的緣故，向他施恩”(撒下 9:1 )。
今天神也問說: “在亞當底下還有誰，我可以恩待他？” 大衛因約拿單恩待米非波設，神因祂的兒子耶穌恩待罪人。
David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show
kindness for Jonathan‘s sake?“ (II Sa. 9:1)
不是你作甚麼工
米非波設在大衛面前，一點地位也沒有。大衛不認識米非波設，大衛只認識米非波設的父親約拿單。他要因約拿單的緣故，恩待米非波設。
米非波設不是作多少好，才能叫大衛有好感，米非波設在大衛面前，一點地位也沒有。他的蒙恩不是因著自己，乃是因著第三者。一個罪人在神的面前，也是如此。
不能止人心之地
“羅底巴”，是一句希伯來話，意思是“沒有草的地方。”
今天的世界就是羅底巴。羅底巴永遠不能叫人得著飽足，永遠不能止人乾渴，羅底巴不能滿足你的心。
沒有神的生活，是一個不滿足的生活。在神之外的生活，是永遠得不著滿足的。一個離開大衛的米非波設，他是住在無草之地；一個遠離神的罪人，也是住在無草之地。
大衛聽見米非波設住在無草之地就怎樣作呢？
於是大衛打發人去，從羅底巴亞米利的兒子瑪吉家裏召了他來”(撒下 9:5 )。
“召”，在原文是“帶來”。在路加十九章十節說，“人子來，為要尋找、拯救失喪的人。”
在米非波設一方面，他不敢去見王，因他的祖父是王的仇敵；他也不能去見個王，因他的兩腿是瘸的。
米非波設不找大衛，是大衛召米非波設。聖經說，是神要你，是神呼召你，是神打發人來告訴你說，祂要你。
米非波設不花工夫，是王打發人去接。人不得救，並非神不救他，乃是他拒絕神的恩典。
在米非波設一方面，他不敢去見王，因他的祖父是王的仇敵；他也不能去見個王，因他的兩腿是瘸的。
米非波設不找大衛，是大衛召米非波設。聖經說，是神要你，是神呼召你，是神打發人來告訴你說，祂要你。
米非波設不花工夫，是王打發人去接。人不得救，並非神不救他，乃是他拒絕神的恩典。
大衛把米非波設接來，對他說什麼呢？“掃羅的孫子，約拿單的兒子米非波設來見大衛，伏地叩拜；大衛說，‘米非波設’；米非波設說，‘僕人在此’”(6節)。
大衛對他說，“你不要懼怕，我必因你父親約拿單的緣故施恩與你，將你祖父掃羅的一切田地都歸還你，你也可以常與我同席吃飯”(撒下 9:7 )。
我不知在我們中間，有幾個人知道神愛我。如果我們知道神愛我，就不知要有多大的改變了。
“米非波設！”大衛見了米非波設，沒說米非波設你來了，沒說掃羅的孫子米非波設；沒說約拿單的兒子米非波設；沒說你是誰。
“米非波設！”
什麼叫愛呢？愛不是話語。最深的愛，不是話語所能表明的，那個浪子預備見了他的父親就說，“父親，我得罪了天，又得罪了你；從今以後，我不配稱為你的兒子，把我當作一個雇工罷。”但是，他離家還遠時，他父親就動了慈心，跑去抱著他的頸項，連連與他親嘴。跑去！
哦，一個父親的心，是要縮短罪的距離。當父親向他親嘴時，他知道他父親的心了。他的父親並沒有說，我愛你，他一親嘴，浪子就知道他父親的心了。
“王召了掃羅的僕人洗巴來，對他說，我已將掃羅和他一切的家產，都賜給你主人的兒子了；你和你的眾子，僕人，要為你主人的兒子米非波設耕種田地。把所產的拿來供他食用；他卻要常與我同席吃飯。王又說，米非波設必與我同席吃飯，如王的兒子一樣”(撒下
9:11 )。
沒有條件，沒有命令的應許
這何等希奇，沒有一條件，沒有一命令，都是應許。這裏沒有說，你當作多少。全都是給的，這是恩典！如果我們明白神的心，我們就不能不相信祂了。
人的悔改
米非波設說，“僕人算什麼，不過如死狗一般，竟蒙王這樣眷顧”(撒下 9:8 )。
Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice
a dead dog like me?“ (II Sa. 9:8)
“還是你不曉得他的恩慈是領你悔改呢？”(羅 2:4) 因為知道了神的愛，所以自然的就悔改了。
Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not
realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? (Ro. 2:4)
神永遠愛你
米非波設不知道大衛愛他，大衛已經愛他；米非波設知道了大衛愛他，大衛也仍愛他。
我們也是一樣。
桌下的雙足
得救是靠恩典，不是靠行為，神待我像大衛待米非波設一樣；得救後，行為豈不是應當更好？
為什麼我覺得我仍是時高時低，時好時壞呢？
答復這問題就是：“於是米非波設住在耶路撒冷，常與主同席吃飯；他兩腿都是瘸的”(13節)。
不是靠自己
得救的起頭是救恩，我們以為得救的起頭是救恩，保守這得救是靠行為。
得救是什麼條件，就保守也是什麼條件。我是因耶穌得救的，我也是因耶穌得蒙保守。
坐在王的席是真又真
米非波設雖然常與王同席吃飯，但他的兩腿仍是瘸的。瘸腿不但不便行走，並且也真是難看。坐在王的席上是真的，兩腿仍瘸也是真的。
盡情享受神預備
兩腿雖瘸，不過是在桌下；在桌上的，你只管吃。你為什麼要把桌下的雙足擺在桌上呢？你只管顧桌上的吧。神擺在這裏的，不知有多好，有多豐富，有多甘甜，你只管吃。你不看你的自己，要看神所給你的豐富。