麦基洗德

每一个从人间选出来的大祭司,都是受委任替人办理属神的事,要为罪孽献上礼物和祭物。 他能体谅那些不明白而被迷惑的人,因为他自己也被软弱所困。 因此,他怎样替子民为罪献祭,也必须照样替自己为罪献祭。 没有任何人能为自己取得这尊荣,除非蒙神召唤,就像亚伦那样。 同样,也不是基督荣耀了自己成为大祭司,而是曾经对他说“你是我的儿子,我今天生了你”[a]的那一位荣耀了他; 正如在另外一处也说:“你是照着麦基洗德的等级[b]做祭司,直到永远。”[c]

基督在他肉身的日子里,曾经用强烈的呼号和泪水,向能救他脱离死亡的那一位献上了祈祷和恳求,就因着他的虔诚蒙了垂听。 他虽然是儿子,还是从他所受的苦难中,学了顺从。 他既然得以完全,就为所有顺从他的人成了永恒救恩的本源, 10 并且被神称为“照着麦基洗德之等级[d]的大祭司”。

不成熟的问题

11 关于这事[e],我们还有很多话要说,可是很难解释,因为你们听不进去了。 12 其实从时间来说,你们早就应该做教师了,却还需要有人把神话语的基本原则重新教导你们;你们成了那需要吃奶、而不能吃干粮的人。 13 要知道,凡是吃奶的人,都对称义的道理不熟悉,因为他是个小孩子; 14 不过干粮是给成熟之人[f]吃的——他们经过实践,识别能力得到操练,以致能分辨善恶。

Footnotes

  1. 希伯来书 5:5 《诗篇》2:7。
  2. 希伯来书 5:6 等级——或译作“体系”。
  3. 希伯来书 5:6 《诗篇》110:4。
  4. 希伯来书 5:10 等级——或译作“体系”。
  5. 希伯来书 5:11 这事——或译作“他”。
  6. 希伯来书 5:14 成熟之人——或译作“完全的人”。

從人間選出來的大祭司,都是受委任代表人辦理與上帝有關的事,為人的罪向上帝獻上禮物和贖罪祭。 他能體諒那些無知和迷失的人,因為他自己也有人性的軟弱。 所以,他不但要為眾人的罪獻祭,也要為自己的罪獻祭。 沒有人能自取這大祭司的尊榮,只有像亞倫一樣蒙上帝呼召的人才可以做大祭司。

同樣,基督也沒有自取榮耀做大祭司,是上帝對祂說:

「你是我的兒子,
我今日成為你父親。」

在聖經的另一處,上帝又說:

「你照麥基洗德的模式永遠做祭司。」

基督在世為人的時候,曾經聲淚俱下地祈求能救祂脫離死亡的上帝。祂因為敬虔而蒙了應允。 基督雖然是上帝的兒子,仍然從所受的苦難中學習了順服。 祂既然達到了純全的地步,就成了永恆救恩的源頭,使所有順服祂的人都得到拯救。 10 上帝照著麥基洗德的模式立祂做大祭司。

信徒要長進

11 關於這方面的事,我們還有很多話要說,但因為你們已經聽不進去,很難向你們解釋。 12 按你們學習的時間來算,你們本該做別人的老師了,可惜你們還需要別人向你們傳授上帝話語的基本道理,成了不能吃乾糧、只能吃奶的人。 13 因為只能吃奶的人還是嬰孩,不熟習仁義的道理。 14 乾糧是給成年人吃的,他們的心思歷經鍛煉,能夠分辨善惡。

Every leader of God's priests comes from among the people. That special priest's work is to serve God on behalf of God's people. He offers gifts and sacrifices to God, so that God will forgive the people's sins. That priest himself may often do wrong things, because he is weak and human. As a result, he understands other people who make mistakes. He can be kind to people who do wrong things. But, because he himself does wrong things, he must offer sacrifices to God on behalf of himself, as well as on behalf of the people.

Nobody decides for himself to become a leader of the priests. God himself must choose him. That is how Aaron became a priest.[a]

It is the same with Christ. He did not choose himself to be God's special priest. He did not choose to make himself important like that. God chose him. God showed that Christ was very important. God said to him:

‘You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.’[b]

And in another place in the Bible God says this:

‘You will be a priest for ever,
in the same way that Melchizedek was a priest long ago.’[c]

When Jesus Christ lived on earth as a man, he often prayed to God. He asked God to help him. He prayed strongly and he cried loudly with many tears. He knew that God could save him from death. And God listened to Jesus when he prayed, because Jesus served God.[d]

Jesus is God's Son. But he still had trouble and pain. In that way, he learned to obey God completely. As a result, Jesus became the person who can save everyone who obeys him. Because of Jesus, God forgives their sins for ever. 10 God has chosen Jesus to be his special priest in the same way that Melchizedek was.

We must be careful that we do not go away from Christ

11 We have a lot more to say to you about these things. But you are slow to understand things. As a result, it is difficult to explain any more to you now. 12 After all this time as believers in Jesus, you ought to be teachers. Instead of that, you still need someone to teach you the first lessons about God's message. You have become like babies, who need milk instead of proper food. 13 Anyone who still thinks like a baby does not yet understand God's message about what is right. It is as if they are still drinking only milk. 14 People who have grown up eat proper food. In the same way, people who have been believers for a long time should understand more about God's message. They should have learned about what is good and about what is bad. They should know the difference between those.

Footnotes

  1. 5:4 Aaron was Moses' brother. He lived many years before Jesus was born. He was the first priest for Israel's people. After that, everyone who became a priest needed to be from Aaron's family. See Exodus 28:1; 1 Chronicles 23:13.
  2. 5:5 See Psalms 2:7.
  3. 5:6 Long ago, Melchizedek was a priest and a king. Abraham met him and gave gifts to him. See Genesis 14:18-20. Also see Hebrews 7:1-17.
  4. 5:7 In this verse the writer remembers when Jesus prayed in the garden. Jesus knew that he would die soon. He was very sad. He asked his Father to make him strong. And God did what Jesus asked. See Luke 22:41-44.

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God,(A) to offer gifts and sacrifices(B) for sins.(C) He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray,(D) since he himself is subject to weakness.(E) This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.(F) And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.(G)

In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory(H) of becoming a high priest.(I) But God said(J) to him,

“You are my Son;
    today I have become your Father.”[a](K)

And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
    in the order of Melchizedek.(L)[b](M)

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions(N) with fervent cries and tears(O) to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard(P) because of his reverent submission.(Q) Son(R) though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered(S) and, once made perfect,(T) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest(U) in the order of Melchizedek.(V)

Warning Against Falling Away(W)

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths(X) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!(Y) 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,(Z) is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature,(AA) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:5 Psalm 2:7
  2. Hebrews 5:6 Psalm 110:4