평화경 / 平和經 / Pyeong Hwa Gyeong - 34 - 5. 세례 요한의 실수로 돌아가신 예수님

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평화경 - (034) - 기독교의 새로운 장래

5. 세례 요한의 실수로 돌아가신 예수님

유태교인은 구약을 믿기 때문에 예수님을 잡아 죽일 수 있었지만, 세례 요한은 어떠했는가 하는 것입니다. 마태복음 11장 2절에서 쭉 내려가 보게 된다면 세례 요한이 헤로디아의 연애 사건을 말하다가 옥중에 갇혀서 죽게 될 때 제자 두 사람을 보내 예수님에게 묻기를 ‘오실 그이가 당신이오니이까, 우리가 다른 이를 기다리오리까?’라고 하게 됩니다. 세례 요한이 예수님을 믿었습니까, 안 믿었습니까? 언제는 요단강가에서 많은 군중 앞에서 ‘세상 죄를 지고 가는 하나님의 어린 양이라.’라고 증거하던 그 입을 가지고 사람을 보내서 ‘당신이 오실 이이니까, 딴 사람을 기다리이까?’라는 말을 할 수 있습니까?

이 말을 들을 때 예수님은 세상에 자기를 알아주는 사람 한 사람도 없고 나라 전체가 반대하는데, 오직 생명선과 같은 한 줄기 희망으로 바라던 세례 요한마저 최후에 와서 ‘메시아냐, 아니냐?’라고 물으니 얼마나 기가 막히겠나 생각해 보십시오. 그러니 6절에 ‘누구든지 나로 인하여 실족하지 아니하는 자는 복이 있도다.’라고 지적한 것입니다.

그다음 7절에서는 세례 요한이 요단강가에서 예수님을 증거할 때 군중 앞에서 다 듣고 보고 한 그것을 풍자적으로 때린 것입니다. 그래서 ‘너희가 무엇을 보려고 광야에 나갔더냐. 바람에 흔들리는 갈대냐. 그러면 너희가 무엇을 보려고 나갔더냐. 부드러운 옷을 입은 사람이냐. 부드러운 옷을 입은 자들은 왕궁에 있느니라.’ 하고 풍자적으로 공격한 것입니다.

그리고 11절에 말씀하시기를 ‘여자가 낳은 자 중에 세례 요한보다 큰 이가 일어남이 없도다. 그러나 천국에서는 극히 작은 자라도 저보다 크니라.’라고 했습니다. 어떻게 그런 반대말을 할 수 있습니까? 저나라에 가 있는 선지자들이라도 전부 다 여인을 통해서 태어났지 돌멩이 사이에서 나왔습니까? 전부 여인으로부터 태어났고 세례 요한도 여인으로부터 났으니 저나라에서도 커야 할 텐데 왜 작게 되느냐 이겁니다.

왜 그러냐 하면 과거에 왔다가 저나라에 가 있는 선지자들은 그들이 보냄을 받아 메시아를 역사적 거리를 두고 증거하였지만, 세례 요한은 선지자로 보냄을 받아 메시아를 증거해야 할 사명적 입장에 있다는 것을 두고 볼 때 직접적으로 보고 증거하니 제일 클 수밖에 없는 것입니다.

그러나 왜 천국에서는 지극히 작은 사람도 저보다 크다고 했느냐? 영계에 가 있는 지극히 작은 선지자도 예수 그리스도가 메시아인 줄 알고 모십니다. 그런데 세례 요한은 예수님을 증거하여 큰 사람이 돼야 할 텐데 모시는 데 있어서 모시지 않았기 때문에 꼴찌밖에 될 수 없다는 것입니다. 이런 내용으로 말씀했다는 것을 우리는 알아야 됩니다.

사실이 그런지 12절에 봅시다. ‘세례 요한의 때부터 지금까지 천국은 침노를 당하나니 침노하는 자는 빼앗느니라.’라고 예수님과 세례 요한 사이에 천국을 빼앗는 쟁탈전이 벌어질 수 있다는 것을 말하고 있습니다. 이것은 세례 요한이 자기의 사명을 두고 힘쓰지 못했다는 것을 말하는 것입니다. 만일 세례 요한이 힘썼다면 어떻게 되느냐 하는 것을 이제 우리가 알아야 됩니다. 그랬으면 세례 요한이 예수님의 수제자가 되었을 것입니다.

만일 세례 요한이 수제자가 되었다면 세례 요한의 제자들이 열두 제자에 들 것이고 세례 요한을 따르는 무리가 70문도 120문도가 되고, 전체 유대 나라의 충신들이 예수의 일당에 가입할 것이 아니냐는 것입니다. 세례 요한을 보낸 것이 예수님을 반대하라고 한 것입니까? 그러면 세례 요한이 얼마나 위대한 사람인가 알아봅시다. 얼마나 하나님이 공인해서 보낸 특별한 사람인가 예수님의 말씀을 통해서 알아봅시다.

13절에 ‘모든 선지자와 및 율법의 예언한 것이 요한까지니’ 하고 구약성경을 완성시키는 결실적 존재로 왔다고 예수님은 선포했습니다. 세례 요한이 예수님과 하나되면 유태교의 성경, 구약성경을 믿던 사람들은 다 따라가서 하나되게 돼 있습니다. 그랬으면 누가 예수님을 잡아 죽이겠습니까? 하나님의 왕자인 메시아라는 분은 닦아 놓은 기반을 활용하기 위해 왔지, 못난 어부들이나 창녀나 세리들을 데려다 먹이며 그들의 주인이 되고 스승이 되기 위해서 왔습니까?

그리고 예수님을 따랐나, 못 따랐나를 한 번 더 확실히 알아봅시다. 요한복음 3장 26절 이하에 보게 되면, 세례 요한의 제자들이 예수님을 들어 말하기를 ‘랍비여 선생님과 함께 요단강 저편에 있던 자 곧 선생님이 증거하시던 자가 세례를 주매 사람이 다 그에게로 가더이다.’라고 보고하니까, 세례 요한의 말이 ‘그는 흥하여야 하겠고 나는 쇠하여야 하리라.’라고 했습니다. 이것을 기성교회에서는 ‘세례 요한은 훌륭한 선지자니까 예수님을 그렇게 높이고 자기는 망한다고 했다.’라고 풀이하고 있습니다.

메시아를 위해 3년 동안 고생하다가 바라고 있던 그 메시아를 만나 증거했으면 죽어도 메시아를 위해 죽어야 된다는 것입니다. 이것은 무엇을 말하느냐 하면, 같이 공동보조를 취했으면 메시아가 흥하면 자기도 흥하고 메시아가 망하면 자기도 망해야 할 텐데, 양 갈래로 갈라진다고 한 것은 따르지 않겠다는 결정적인 사실을 직고한 것입니다. 이와 같이 두고 볼 때 첫째는 구약성경 때문에, 둘째는 세례 요한 때문에 예수님이 십자가에 돌아가게 되었다는 것을 우리는 지금까지 몰랐던 것입니다.

平和経 - (034) - キリスト教の新しい未来

5. 洗礼ヨハネの失敗によって亡くなったイエス様

ユダヤ教徒は、旧約聖書を文字どおりに信じ、エリヤが来てもいないのに、自分こそメシヤだと言うイエス様の命を奪ってしまったのですが、その一方で、洗礼ヨハネはどうなったのでしょうか。マタイによる福音書第十一章二節以降を見ると、洗礼ヨハネがヘロデ・アンティパスの結婚の不道徳問題に口をはさみ、獄中に入れられて死ぬような運命に置かれたとき、自分の弟子たちをイエス様のところに送って「『きたるべきかた』はあなたなのですか。それとも、ほかにだれかを待つべきでしょうか」と尋ねます。洗礼ヨハネは、イエス様をメシヤとしてよく信じましたか、信じませんでしたか。かつてヨルダン川のほとりで、多くの群衆に「世の罪を取り除く神の小羊」（ヨハネ一・二九）と証したのに、どうして再び尋ねる必要があるのですか。かつて証したその同じ口で、人を送って「あなたはきたるべきかたですか、ほかの人を待つべきでしょうか」と尋ねたというのです。
 
この話を聞いたとき、イエス様は、世の中で自分を認めてくれる人が一人もなく、国全体が反対する中、わずかな生命線のような一縷の希望としていた洗礼ヨハネまで、最後に来て「メシヤなのか、違うのか」と尋ねたので、どれほど胸が詰まる思いがしたか考えてみてください。ですから、六節で「わたしにつまずかない者は、さいわいである」と指摘したのです。
 
そして、七節以降では、洗礼ヨハネがヨルダン川のほとりでイエス様を証するとき、群衆が見聞きしたことを風刺的に指摘したのです。イエス様は、「あなたがたは、何を見に荒野に出てきたのか。風に揺らぐ葦であるか。では、何を見に出てきたのか。柔らかい着物をまとった人か。柔らかい着物をまとった人々なら、王の家にいる」と語られました。そして、十一節では、「あなたがたによく言っておく。女の産んだ者の中で、バプテスマのヨハネより大きい人物は起らなかった。しかし、天国で最も小さい者も、彼よりは大きい」と言いました。どうして、そのような矛盾する話を語ることができるのですか。あの世に行っている預言者も、すべて女性を通して生まれたのであって、石の間から生まれたのでしょうか。すべて女性から生まれ、洗礼ヨハネも女性から生まれ、イエス様がメシヤであると証したのですから、あの世でも大きな存在でなければならないはずなのに、彼はなぜ小さくなるのかというのです。
 
なぜかというと、あの世に行っている過去の預言者たちは、歴史的な距離をおいてメシヤを証してきましたが、預言者として送られた洗礼ヨハネは、直接的にメシヤを証する使命をもっている立場なのですから、一番大きくならざるを得ないのです。
 
しかし、なぜ天国では最も小さい人も洗礼ヨハネよりは大きいと言ったのでしょうか。霊界に行っている最も小さい預言者も、イエス・キリストをメシヤだと思って迎えます。ところが、洗礼ヨハネはイエス様を証し、イエス様に直接従って、大きい人になるべきだったにもかかわらず、それができなかったので、最も小さい者になるしかないというのです。このような内容でおっしゃったことを知らなければなりません。
 
事実かどうか、十二節を見てみましょう。「バプテスマのヨハネの時から今に至るまで、天国は激しく襲われている。そして激しく襲う者たちがそれを奪い取っている」とあり、洗礼ヨハネと、のちのイエス様の弟子との間で、天国を奪い合う争奪戦が展開していることを語っています。これは、洗礼ヨハネが自らの使命を中心として、尽力できなかったことを示しています。もし、洗礼ヨハネが努力したとすればどうなっていたでしょうか。洗礼ヨハネは、イエス様の一番弟子になっていたでしょう。
 
もし、洗礼ヨハネが一番弟子になったとすれば、洗礼ヨハネの弟子たちは十二弟子に入るのであり、洗礼ヨハネに従う群れが七十門徒、百二十門徒になり、ユダヤの国全体の忠臣たちがイエス様に従っていくのではないかというのです。イエス様に反対するために洗礼ヨハネを送ったのですか。それでは、洗礼ヨハネがどれほど偉大な人なのかを調べてみましょう。神様が、メシヤのために公認して送った彼は、どれほど特別な人なのか、イエス様のみ言を通して調べてみます。
 
十三節に、「すべての預言者と律法とが預言したのは、ヨハネの時までである」と旧約聖書を完成させる結実的存在として来たとイエス様は宣布しました。洗礼ヨハネがイエス様と一つになれば、ユダヤ教の聖書、旧約聖書を信じていた人々はみなついてきて、一つになるようになっています。そうすれば、誰がイエス様の命を奪うでしょうか。神様の王子であるメシヤというお方は、築いておいた基盤を活用するために来られるのであって、貧しく聖書にも無知な漁夫や売春婦や取税人たちを従えさせて彼らを食べさせ、彼らの主人になり、師になるために来られたのでしょうか。
 
それでは、洗礼ヨハネがイエス様に従ったか従わなかったかを、もう一度はっきりと調べてみましょう。ヨハネによる福音書第三章二十六節以下を見れば、洗礼ヨハネの弟子たちがイエス様のことを聞いて、「先生、ごらん下さい。ヨルダンの向こうであなたと一緒にいたことがあり、そして、あなたがあかしをしておられたあのかたが、バプテスマを授けており、皆の者が、そのかたのところへ出かけています」と報告すると、洗礼ヨハネは「彼は必ず栄え、わたしは衰える」と言いました。これをキリスト教では「洗礼ヨハネは立派な預言者なので、イエス様をそのように高め、自分は滅びると謙遜に言った」と解説しています。
 
メシヤのために三年間以上苦労し、願っていたそのメシヤに出会って証したのなら、当然、死んでもメシヤのために死ななければならないというのです。これはどういうことかというと、一緒に共同歩調を取ったなら、メシヤが栄えれば自分も栄え、メシヤが滅びれば自分も滅びるべきです。それなのに「わたしは衰える」と言ったのは、「従わない」という決定的な事実をありのままに告げたことなのです。
 
このように見るとき、第一に旧約聖書を文字どおり信じたゆえに、第二に洗礼ヨハネの不信ゆえに、イエスが十字架で亡くなられるようになったことを、私たちは今まで知らなかったというのです。

Pyeong Hwa Gyeong (034) - The New Future of Christianity

5. The mistake of John the Baptist
The Jewish people could seize Jesus by virtue of their understanding of the Old Testament, yet what about John the Baptist? When you read Matthew 11:2 and following, you find the story of how, when John the Baptist was imprisoned and about to die for having spoken about the love affairs of Herodias, he sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Did John the Baptist, then, believe Jesus or not? How could he, with the same mouth that had once declared at the river Jordan before a large crowd, “He is the Lamb of God who bears the sins of the world,” ask the question, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” And by proxy!


Think about how dumbfounded Jesus must have been when he heard these words, for it was at a time when no one in the world acknowledged him and the entire nation was opposing him. And here was John the Baptist, whom Jesus had looked upon as his last ray of hope and only lifeline, asking him at the last moment, “Are you the Messiah or not?” That was why he pointed out in Matthew 11:6, “And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”


In the next verse, Matthew 11:7, Jesus criticized what John the Baptist had said and done when he had witnessed to Jesus in front of a crowd. That is why Jesus denounced him with the words, “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.”


And in verse 11 he said, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” How could he say such contradictory things about John? The prophets who have passed on into the next world were all born of women, for they surely were not born from rocks, were they? They were all born of women and John the Baptist was also born of woman, and so he must be great even in the next world. Why, then, would he become the least of them?


It is because the prophets who came and passed on into the next world were sent to earth to testify to the Messiah from a historical distance, yet John the Baptist was sent as the prophet whose mission was to testify directly to the Messiah. Since he was the one who was to see the Messiah with his own eyes and testify to him, his mission was the greatest.


Why then did Jesus say that the least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than he? Even the least prophet who had gone to the spirit world knew Jesus Christ was the Messiah and attended him as such. On the other hand, John the Baptist, who would have become great by testifying to Jesus, was unable to attend him when he was supposed to attend him, and so he could be only in the bottommost position. You need to know that this is the content upon which Jesus based his words.


Let us look up Matthew 11:12 to see if this is in fact true. It says, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” This refers to the fact that a struggle could have broken out between Jesus and John the Baptist to occupy the kingdom of heaven. What this signifies is that John the Baptist did not devote his energies to fulfilling his mission. We must now find out what would have happened if he had devoted his energies properly.


If he had done so, John the Baptist would have become Jesus’ first disciple. If John the Baptist had become the first disciple, wouldn’t his disciples have joined the twelve disciples, wouldn’t John the Baptist’s multitude of followers have been included in the ranks of the seventy disciples and 120 followers, and wouldn’t the ruling class of the entire Jewish nation have joined the group following Jesus? Was John the Baptist sent to oppose Jesus? Then let us look into the matter of how great a man John the Baptist was. Through the words of Jesus and the Bible, let us find out what a special man he was, sent down with God’s official approval.


In Matthew 11:13, Jesus declared, “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John,” signifying that John came as the fruit that culminates the Old Testament. If John the Baptist had become one with Jesus, the people who believed in the Old Testament were bound to follow in his footsteps and become one with Jesus. If such a thing had come to pass, who could have seized and killed Jesus? The Messiah, the prince of God, came to utilize the foundation that was laid down. Would he have had to bring together lowly fishermen, prostitutes and tax collectors and feed them to become their master and teacher?


Let us once again look clearly into the matter of whether John did indeed follow Jesus or not. If you read the Gospel of John 3:26 and following, you will find that the disciples of John the Baptist reported to John about Jesus, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John the Baptist answered, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” Christian tradition interprets this to mean that since John the Baptist was a great prophet he humbled himself before Jesus in this manner and said that he, John, would decrease.


If one has suffered hardships for three years to receive the Messiah and then has finally met the Messiah he has been longing to meet and has testified to him, he needs to be ready to die for the Messiah if the time comes for that. What this means is that, if John the Baptist had walked the same path as Jesus by his side, if the Messiah increased he too would increase, and if the Messiah decreased he too would decrease. Therefore, when he said that they had to go separate ways, he plainly stated the decisive truth that he would not follow Jesus.


Based on this, we realize our ignorance until now that the Crucifixion of Jesus was caused first by the wrong interpretation of the Old Testament, and second by John the Baptist.