Add parallel Print Page Options

 神藉著兒子說話

 神在古時候,曾經多次用種種方法,藉著先知向我們的祖先說話; 在這末後的日子,卻藉著他的兒子向我們說話。 神已經立他作萬有的承受者,並且藉著他創造了宇宙(“宇宙”或譯:“諸世界”或“眾世代”)。 他是 神榮耀的光輝,是 神本質的真象,用自己帶有能力的話掌管萬有;他作成了潔淨罪惡的事,就坐在高天至尊者的右邊。 他所承受的名比天使的名更尊貴,所以他遠比天使崇高。

 神的兒子比天使崇高

 神曾對哪一個天使說過:

“你是我的兒子,

我今日生了你”呢?

或者說:

“我要作他的父親,

他要作我的兒子”呢?

 神差遣長子到世上來的時候,又說:

“ 神所有的天使都要拜他。”

論到天使,說:

“ 神以他的天使為風,

以他的僕役為火燄。”

但是論到兒子,卻說:

“ 神啊!你的寶座是永永遠遠的,

你國的權杖,是公平的權杖。

你喜愛公義,恨惡不法,

所以, 神,就是你的 神,

用喜樂的油膏抹你,勝過膏抹你的同伴。”

10 又說:

“主啊!你起初立了地的根基,

天也是你手的工作。

11 天地都要毀滅,你卻長存;

天地都要像衣服一樣漸漸殘舊,

12 你要把天地像外套一樣捲起來,

天地就像衣服一樣被更換;

只有你永不改變,

你的年數也沒有窮盡。”

13  神可曾向哪一個天使說:

“你坐在我的右邊,

等我使你的仇敵作你的腳凳”呢?

14 天使不都是服役的靈,奉差遣為那些要承受救恩的人效勞嗎?

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.