属天的祭司

以上所说的要点是:我们有这样的一位大祭司,已经坐在诸天之上至尊者的宝座右边, 他是圣所和真会幕的服事者。这会幕是主所搭建的,不是人所搭建的。 每一位大祭司受委任,都是为了献上礼物和祭物;故此,这一位也必须有所献上。 既然如此,如果他在地上,就不会做祭司,因为地上已经有照着律法献祭物的祭司[a] 那些祭司所事奉的,是天上事物的模型和影子,就如摩西将要完成会幕的时候,得了神的指示,说:“你要注意,一切都要按照在山上指示你的样式去造。”[b] 但如今,耶稣得了更尊贵的服事工作,就像他也是更美好之约的中保那样;这约建立在各样更美好的应许之上。

完美的新约

原来,如果那第一个约[c]是无可指责的,就没有寻求第二个约的必要了, 因为神[d]指责说:

“看哪,时候就要到了!
主说,我要与以色列
犹大家订立新约。
这约[e]不像从前我拉着他们祖先的手,
在领他们出埃及地的日子里
与他们所立的约。
因为他们没有持守我的约,
我就不理他们——这是主说的。
10 主又说,在那些日子以后,
我要与以色列家订立这样的约:
我要把我的法则放在他们的意念中,
刻在他们的心上;
我将要做他们的神,
他们将要做我的子民。
11 他们绝不需要教导各自的同胞[f]、各自的兄弟,说:
‘你要认识主’——
因为他们所有的人,
从卑微的到尊贵的,
都将认识我;
12 又因为我要宽恕他们的不义,
绝不再想起他们的罪孽[g]。”[h]

13 当神[i]说到“新约[j]”,就已经把第一个当做旧的;而那渐渐变旧、渐渐变老的,很快就要消逝了。

Footnotes

  1. 希伯来书 8:4 有古抄本没有“祭司”。
  2. 希伯来书 8:5 《出埃及记》25:40。
  3. 希伯来书 8:7 约——辅助词语。
  4. 希伯来书 8:8 神——原文直译“他”。
  5. 希伯来书 8:9 这约——辅助词语。
  6. 希伯来书 8:11 同胞——有古抄本作“邻人”。
  7. 希伯来书 8:12 有古抄本附“和他们的罪恶”。
  8. 希伯来书 8:12 《耶利米书》31:31-34。
  9. 希伯来书 8:13 神——原文直译“他”。
  10. 希伯来书 8:13 约——辅助词语。

Jesus Our High Priest

(A)The whole point of what we are saying is that we have such a High Priest, who sits at the right of the throne of the Divine Majesty in heaven. He serves as high priest in the Most Holy Place, that is, in the real tent which was put up by the Lord, not by human hands.

Every high priest is appointed to present offerings and animal sacrifices to God, and so our High Priest must also have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer the gifts required by the Jewish Law. (B)The work they do as priests is really only a copy and a shadow of what is in heaven. It is the same as it was with Moses. When he was about to build the Sacred Tent, God told him, “Be sure to make everything according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.” But now, Jesus has been given priestly work which is superior to theirs, just as the covenant which he arranged between God and his people is a better one, because it is based on promises of better things.

If there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant, there would have been no need for a second one. (C)But God finds fault with his people when he says,

“The days are coming, says the Lord,
    when I will draw up a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors
    on the day I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt.
They were not faithful to the covenant I made with them,
    and so I paid no attention to them.
10 Now, this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel
    in the days to come, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds
    and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
11 None of them will have to teach their friends
    or tell their neighbors,
    ‘Know the Lord.’
For they will all know me,
    from the least to the greatest.
12 I will forgive their sins
    and will no longer remember their wrongs.”

13 By speaking of a new covenant, God has made the first one old; and anything that becomes old and worn out will soon disappear.

The High Priest of a New Covenant

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,(A) who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,(B) and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle(C) set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

Every high priest(D) is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices,(E) and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.(F) If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.(G) They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy(H) and shadow(I) of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned(J) when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a](K) But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant(L) of which he is mediator(M) is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.(N) But God found fault with the people and said[b]:

“The days are coming, declares the Lord,
    when I will make a new covenant(O)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
    I made with their ancestors(P)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
    and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord.
10 This is the covenant(Q) I will establish with the people of Israel
    after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
    and write them on their hearts.(R)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.(S)
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,(T)
    from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
    and will remember their sins no more.(U)[c](V)

13 By calling this covenant “new,”(W) he has made the first one obsolete;(X) and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:5 Exodus 25:40
  2. Hebrews 8:8 Some manuscripts may be translated fault and said to the people.
  3. Hebrews 8:12 Jer. 31:31-34