更美之約的大祭司

我們所講的要點是:我們有這樣一位大祭司,祂現在已經坐在天上至高上帝的寶座右邊, 並在聖所裡供職。這聖所就是真正的聖幕,不是人建立的,而是主親手建立的。 所有的大祭司都是為了向上帝獻禮物和祭物而設立的,因此我們這位大祭司也必須有所獻上。 祂如果是在地上,根本不會做祭司,因為地上已經有照律法向上帝獻禮物的祭司了。 這些祭司的事奉都是仿效和反映天上的事,正如摩西建聖幕的時候,上帝指示他說:

「你務要照著在山上指示你的樣式造各樣的器具。」

但如今,基督得到了一個更超越的職任,正如祂擔任了更美之約的中保,這約是根據更美的應許所立的。 因為如果第一個約沒有缺點,就不必另立新約了。 然而,上帝指責祂的百姓,說:

「看啊,時候將到,
我要與以色列家和猶大家另立新約,
這約不同於我與他們祖先所立的約,
就是我牽著他們祖先的手領他們離開埃及時所立的。
因為他們不持守我的約,
所以我不再理會他們。
這是主說的。
10 主又說,那些日子以後,
我將與以色列家立這樣的約,
我要把我的律法放在他們腦中,
寫在他們心上。
我要作他們的上帝,
他們要作我的子民。
11 誰都無需再教導自己的鄰居和弟兄,
說,『你要認識主。』
因為他們無論尊卑都必認識我。
12 我要赦免他們的過犯,
忘掉他們的罪惡。」

13 上帝既然說要立新約,就是把以前的約當作舊的了,那漸漸過時、陳舊的東西很快就會消失。

耶稣—我们的大祭司

我们现在谈到的重点是:我们有这样一位大祭司,他坐在天堂里伟大的上帝的宝座的右边。 他在至圣处 [a],即真正的圣幕中担任祭司,这个圣幕是上帝建造的,而不是人建造的。

所有的大祭司都被指命去奉献礼品和祭物,所以,我们的大祭司也该有所奉献。 如果他在地上,他是当不上祭司的,因为已经有按照律法的规定祭献贡品的人了,那么他在地上甚至连个祭司都当不上, 但是,那些人所做的工作只是天堂事物的副本就像当时摩西要去建圣幕时受到了上帝警告的那样,他(上帝)说∶“你必须按照我在山上给你看的样式来建造一切。” [b] 然而,耶稣得到的祭司职位远超过他们所得到的,就像由他做中间人的契约比旧契约更加优越一样。

假如第一个契约无懈可击,那就不需要再有第二个契约取代它了。 不过,上帝发现了人们的错误,他说:

“主说,‘我与以色列人和犹大
人定立新誓约的日子就要到了。
这个誓约不同于我与他们的祖先们定立的誓约。
那时,我牵着他们的手带领他们离开了埃及的国土,
因为他们没有信守我的誓约,所以我离弃了他们。’
10 ‘这个誓约是在那之后,我将与以色列人订立的。
我要把我的律法装进他们的大脑,
写在他们的心上。
我将是他们的上帝;
他们将是我的子民。
11 一个人没有必要去教导他的同胞与兄弟说:
“去认识主”,
因为他们从最微不足道到最伟大的人都将知道我。
12 因为我将宽恕他们的过错,
也不再记他们的罪过。”

13 他称这个契约为“新约”,使第一个契约过时作废。任何逐渐衰老与过时的事物都即将消亡。

Footnotes

  1. 希 伯 來 書 8:2 至圣处: 上帝所居住的属灵的地方。也是受崇拜的地方。
  2. 希 伯 來 書 8:5 “你必须按照我在山上给你看的样式来建造一切。”《出埃及记》25:40。

Yeshua, Mediator of a Better Covenant

Now here is the main point being said. We do have such a Kohen Gadol, who has taken His seat at the right hand[a] of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. He is a priestly attendant of the Holies and the true Tent—which Adonai set up, not man. For every kohen gadol is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, so it is necessary for this One also to have something to offer. [b] Now if He were on earth, He would not be a kohen at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Torah. They offer service in a replica[c] and foreshadower of the heavenlies—one that is just as Moses was instructed by God when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For He says, “See that you make everything according to the design that was shown to you on the mountain.” [d] But now Yeshua has obtained a more excellent ministry, insofar as He is the mediator of a better covenant which has been enacted on better promises.

For if that first one had been faultless, there would not have been discourse seeking a second. For finding fault with them, He says,

“Behold, days are coming,
    says Adonai,
    when I will inaugurate a new covenant
    with the house of Israel
    and with the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
    I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not remain in My covenant,
    and I did not care for them, says Adonai.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make
    with the house of Israel
    after those days, says Adonai.
I will put My Torah into their mind,
    and upon their hearts I will write it.
And I will be their God,
    and they shall be My people.[e]
11 And no more will they teach,
    each one his fellow citizen
    and each one his brother, saying,
    ‘Know Adonai,’
    because all will know Me,
    from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
    and their sins I will remember no more.”[f]

13 In saying “new,” He has treated the first as old; but what is being made old and aging is close to vanishing.