聖子的本質

過去,神在不同的時代,用不同的方式,藉著先知們對祖先說話, 但在末後的這些日子裡[a],神藉著他的[b]兒子向我們說話。神預定了他為萬有的繼承人,也藉著他造了宇宙[c] 他是神榮耀的光輝,是神本體的真像,以自己大能的話語托住萬有。他成就了潔淨罪孽的事[d],就坐在高天至尊者的右邊。 他遠比天使更美好,就像他所繼承的名比天使的名更尊貴。

聖子高過天使

從前神到底對哪一位天使說過「你是我的兒子,我今天生了你」[e],又說「我將成為他的父親,他成為我的兒子」[f]呢? 不過當神再次帶領長子[g]進入世界的時候卻說:「神所有的天使都當敬拜他。」[h] 關於天使,他確實說:

「神使他的天使為風,
使他的僕役為烈火。」[i]

但是關於兒子,他卻說:

「神哪,你的寶座是永永遠遠的;
你國度的權杖是正義的權杖。
你愛公義,恨罪惡[j]
為此,神——你的神用喜樂的油來膏立你,
而不膏立你的同伴。」[k]

10 他又說:

「主啊,你在起初立定了大地的根基,
諸天也是你手所造的。
11 天地[l]將要毀滅,你卻繼續存留;
天地都要像衣服那樣漸漸破舊。
12 你將要把天地像外衣那樣捲起來,
天地也要像衣服那樣[m]被更換;
你卻永不改變,
你的歲月沒有窮盡。」[n]

13 從前神到底對哪一位天使說過

:「你坐在我的右邊,
等我把你的敵人放在你的腳下做腳凳」[o]呢?

14 難道所有的天使不都是服事的靈、奉差派服事那些將要繼承救恩的人嗎?

Footnotes

  1. 希伯來書 1:2 在末後的這些日子裡——或譯作「在這些日子的末後」。
  2. 希伯來書 1:2 他的——輔助詞語。
  3. 希伯來書 1:2 宇宙——或譯作「各世代」。
  4. 希伯來書 1:3 他成就了潔淨罪孽的事——有古抄本作「他藉著自己成就了潔淨我們罪孽的事」。
  5. 希伯來書 1:5 《詩篇》2:7。
  6. 希伯來書 1:5 《撒母耳記下》7:14;《歷代志上》17:13。
  7. 希伯來書 1:6 長子——原文直譯「首生者」。
  8. 希伯來書 1:6 《申命記》32:43;《詩篇》97:7。
  9. 希伯來書 1:7 《詩篇》104:4。
  10. 希伯來書 1:9 罪惡——原文直譯「不法」。
  11. 希伯來書 1:9 《詩篇》45:6-7。
  12. 希伯來書 1:11 天地——原文直譯「它們」。
  13. 希伯來書 1:12 有古抄本沒有「像衣服那樣」。
  14. 希伯來書 1:12 《詩篇》102:25-27。
  15. 希伯來書 1:13 《詩篇》110:1。

 神借着儿子说话

 神在古时候,曾经多次用种种方法,借着先知向我们的祖先说话; 在这末后的日子,却借着他的儿子向我们说话。 神已经立他作万有的承受者,并且借着他创造了宇宙(“宇宙”或译:“诸世界”或“众世代”)。 他是 神荣耀的光辉,是 神本质的真象,用自己带有能力的话掌管万有;他作成了洁净罪恶的事,就坐在高天至尊者的右边。 他所承受的名比天使的名更尊贵,所以他远比天使崇高。

 神的儿子比天使崇高

 神曾对哪一个天使说过:

“你是我的儿子,

我今日生了你”呢?

或者说:

“我要作他的父亲,

他要作我的儿子”呢?

 神差遣长子到世上来的时候,又说:

“ 神所有的天使都要拜他。”

论到天使,说:

“ 神以他的天使为风,

以他的仆役为火焰。”

但是论到儿子,却说:

“ 神啊!你的宝座是永永远远的,

你国的权杖,是公平的权杖。

你喜爱公义,恨恶不法,

所以, 神,就是你的 神,

用喜乐的油膏抹你,胜过膏抹你的同伴。”

10 又说:

“主啊!你起初立了地的根基,

天也是你手的工作。

11 天地都要毁灭,你却长存;

天地都要像衣服一样渐渐残旧,

12 你要把天地像外套一样卷起来,

天地就像衣服一样被更换;

只有你永不改变,

你的年数也没有穷尽。”

13  神可曾向哪一个天使说:

“你坐在我的右边,

等我使你的仇敌作你的脚凳”呢?

14 天使不都是服役的灵,奉差遣为那些要承受救恩的人效劳吗?

I. Introduction[a]

Chapter 1

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe,(A)

who is the refulgence of his glory,
    the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,(B)
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.(C)

II. The Son Higher Than the Angels

Messianic Enthronement.[b] For to which of the angels did God ever say:

“You are my son; this day I have begotten you”?(D)

Or again:

“I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”?

And again, when he leads[c] the first-born into the world, he says:

“Let all the angels of God worship him.”(E)

Of the angels he says:

“He makes his angels winds
    and his ministers a fiery flame”;(F)

but of the Son:

“Your throne, O God,[d] stands forever and ever;
    and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.(G)
You loved justice and hated wickedness;
    therefore God, your God, anointed you
    with the oil of gladness above your companions”;

10 and:

“At the beginning, O Lord, you established the earth,(H)
    and the heavens are the works of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
    and they will all grow old like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a cloak,
    and like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

13 But to which of the angels has he ever said:

“Sit at my right hand
    until I make your enemies your footstool”?(I)

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?(J)

Footnotes

  1. 1:1–4 The letter opens with an introduction consisting of a reflection on the climax of God’s revelation to the human race in his Son. The divine communication was initiated and maintained during Old Testament times in fragmentary and varied ways through the prophets (Hb 1:1), including Abraham, Moses, and all through whom God spoke. But now in these last days (Hb 1:2) the final age, God’s revelation of his saving purpose is achieved through a son, i.e., one who is Son, whose role is redeemer and mediator of creation. He was made heir of all things through his death and exaltation to glory, yet he existed before he appeared as man; through him God created the universe. Hb 1:3–4, which may be based upon a liturgical hymn, assimilate the Son to the personified Wisdom of the Old Testament as refulgence of God’s glory and imprint of his being (Hb 1:3; cf. Wis 7:26). These same terms are used of the Logos in Philo. The author now turns from the cosmological role of the preexistent Son to the redemptive work of Jesus: he brought about purification from sins and has been exalted to the right hand of God (see Ps 110:1). The once-humiliated and crucified Jesus has been declared God’s Son, and this name shows his superiority to the angels. The reason for the author’s insistence on that superiority is, among other things, that in some Jewish traditions angels were mediators of the old covenant (see Acts 7:53; Gal 3:19). Finally, Jesus’ superiority to the angels emphasizes the superiority of the new covenant to the old because of the heavenly priesthood of Jesus.
  2. 1:5–14 Jesus’ superiority to the angels is now demonstrated by a series of seven Old Testament texts. Some scholars see in the stages of Jesus’ exaltation an order corresponding to that of enthronement ceremonies in the ancient Near East, especially in Egypt, namely, elevation to divine status (Hb 1:5–6); presentation to the angels and proclamation of everlasting lordship (Hb 1:7–12); enthronement and conferral of royal power (Hb 1:13). The citations from the Psalms in Hb 1:5, 13 were traditionally used of Jesus’ messianic sonship (cf. Acts 13:33) through his resurrection and exaltation (cf. Acts 2:33–35); those in Hb 1:8, 10–12 are concerned with his divine kingship and his creative function. The central quotation in Hb 1:7 serves to contrast the angels with the Son. The author quotes it according to the Septuagint translation, which is quite different in meaning from that of the Hebrew (“You make the winds your messengers, and flaming fire your ministers”). The angels are only sent to serve…those who are to inherit salvation (Hb 1:14).
  3. 1:6 And again, when he leads: the Greek could also be translated “And when he again leads” in reference to the parousia.
  4. 1:8–12 O God: the application of the name “God” to the Son derives from the preexistence mentioned in Hb 1:2–3; the psalmist had already used it of the Hebrew king in the court style of the original. See note on Ps 45:7. It is also important for the author’s christology that in Hb 1:10–12 an Old Testament passage addressed to God is redirected to Jesus.