更美之约的大祭司

我们所讲的要点是:我们有这样一位大祭司,祂现在已经坐在天上至高上帝的宝座右边, 并在圣所里供职。这圣所就是真正的圣幕,不是人建立的,而是主亲手建立的。 所有的大祭司都是为了向上帝献礼物和祭物而设立的,因此我们这位大祭司也必须有所献上。 祂如果是在地上,根本不会做祭司,因为地上已经有照律法向上帝献礼物的祭司了。 这些祭司的事奉都是仿效和反映天上的事,正如摩西建圣幕的时候,上帝指示他说:

“你务要照着在山上指示你的样式造各样的器具。”

但如今,基督得到了一个更超越的职任,正如祂担任了更美之约的中保,这约是根据更美的应许所立的。 因为如果第一个约没有缺点,就不必另立新约了。 然而,上帝指责祂的百姓,说:

“看啊,时候将到,
我要与以色列家和犹大家另立新约,
这约不同于我与他们祖先所立的约,
就是我牵着他们祖先的手领他们离开埃及时所立的。
因为他们不持守我的约,
所以我不再理会他们。
这是主说的。
10 主又说,那些日子以后,
我将与以色列家立这样的约,
我要把我的律法放在他们脑中,
写在他们心上。
我要做他们的上帝,
他们要做我的子民。
11 谁都无需再教导自己的邻居和弟兄,
说,‘你要认识主。’
因为他们无论尊卑都必认识我。
12 我要赦免他们的过犯,
忘掉他们的罪恶。”

13 上帝既然说要立新约,就是把以前的约当作旧的了,那渐渐过时、陈旧的东西很快就会消失。

更新更美之約的大祭司

我們所講的事,其中第一要緊的就是:我們有這樣一位大祭司,他已經坐在天上至大者寶座的右邊, 在聖所,就是在真帳幕裏作僕役;這帳幕是主所支搭的,不是人所支搭的。 凡大祭司都是為獻禮物和祭物設立的,所以這位大祭司也必須有所獻上。 他若在地上,就不用作祭司,因為已經有照律法獻禮物的祭司了。 他們所供奉的本是天上之事的樣式和影像,正如摩西將要造帳幕的時候, 神警戒他,說:「要謹慎,一切都要照着在山上指示你的樣式去做。」 如今耶穌已經得了更優越的事奉,正如他作更美之約的中保;這約原是憑更美之應許立的。

第一個約若沒有瑕疵,就無須尋求第二個約了。 所以 神指責他們說:

「主說,看哪,日子將到,
我要與以色列
猶大家另立新的約;
不像我拉着他們祖宗的手
領他們出埃及地的時候,
與他們所立的約;
因為他們不恆心守我的約,
所以我也不理他們;這是主說的。
10 主又說:
那些日子以後,
我與以色列家所立的約是這樣:
我要將我的律法放在他們的心思裏,
寫在他們的心上;
我要作他們的 神,
他們要作我的子民。
11 他們各人不用教導自己的鄉親和自己的弟兄,說:你要認識主;
因為從最小的到最大的,
他們都要認識我。
12 我要寬恕他們的不義,
絕不再記得他們的罪惡。」

13 既然 神提到「新的約」,那麼第一個約就成為舊的了;而那漸舊漸衰的必然很快消逝了。

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.