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耶穌是更美的約的中保

我們所講論的重點,就是我們有這樣的一位大祭司,他已經坐在眾天之上至尊者的寶座右邊, 在至聖所和真會幕裡供職;這真會幕是主支搭的,不是人支搭的。 所有大祭司都是為了獻禮物和祭品而設立的,所以這位大祭司,也必須有所獻上的。 如果他在地上,就不會作祭司,因為已經有按照律法獻禮物的祭司了。 這些祭司所供奉的職事,不過是天上的事物的副本和影像,就如摩西將要造會幕的時候, 神曾經警告他說:“你要留心,各樣物件,都要照著在山上指示你的樣式去作。” 但是現在耶穌得了更尊貴的職分,正好像他是更美的約的中保,這約是憑著更美的應許立的。 如果頭一個約沒有缺點,就沒有尋求另一個約的必要了。 可是 神指責他們,說:

“看哪,主說,日子要到了,

我要與以色列家

和猶大家訂立新約。

這新約不像從前我拉他們祖先的手,

領他們出埃及的日子與他們所立的約。

因為他們沒有遵守我的約,

我就不理會他們。這是主說的。

10 主說:‘因為在那些日子以後,

我要與以色列家所立的約是這樣:

我要把我的律法放在他們的心思裡面,

寫在他們的心上。

我要作他們的 神,

他們要作我的子民。

11 他們各人必不用教導自己的鄰居,

和自己的同胞,說:

你要認識主。

因為所有的人,從最小到最大的,

都必認識我。

12 我也要寬恕他們的不義,

決不再記著他們的罪惡。’”

13  神既然說到新的約,就是把前約當作舊的了;那變成陳舊衰老的,就快要消逝了。

A Better Promise

The main point of what we are saying is this: We have the kind of high priest who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. He is the minister in the Holy Place, which is the true sanctuary, which the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices, and for that reason this priest also needed to have something that he offered.

If this priest were on earth, he would not even be a priest, because there are priests[a] who are designated by the law to offer gifts. They serve at a place that is a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, a place exactly like that about which Moses was told when he was about to complete the tent.[b] For God said, “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.”[c]

But now, Jesus has obtained a ministry that is as much superior as the covenant that he mediates is better, because it has been established on the basis of better promises. Indeed, if that first covenant were without fault, there would have been no reason to look for a second. But because God found fault with the people, he said:[d]

Look, the days are coming, says the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
that I made with their forefathers
at the time when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt.
Because they did not remember my covenant,
I ignored them, says the Lord.
10 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord.

I will put my laws into their mind,
and I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 Never again will a man teach his fellow citizen[e]
or his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,”
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful in regard to their unrighteousness,
and I will not remember their sins any longer.[f]

13 When God said “new,” he made the first covenant obsolete, and something that is obsolete and growing old is going to disappear.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:4 Some witnesses to the text read those.
  2. Hebrews 8:5 Traditionally tabernacle
  3. Hebrews 8:5 Exodus 25:40
  4. Hebrews 8:8 Some witnesses to the text read Since he found fault, he said to them.
  5. Hebrews 8:11 Some witnesses to the text read neighbor.
  6. Hebrews 8:12 Jeremiah 31:31-34

The New Priestly Service

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, (A)who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of (B)the [a]sanctuary and of (C)the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

For (D)every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore (E)it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve (F)the copy and (G)shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, (H)“See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But now (I)He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a (J)better covenant, which was established on better promises.

A New Covenant(K)

For if that (L)first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: (M)“Behold, the days are coming, says 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 did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the (N)Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and (O)I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 (P)None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the (Q)Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, (R)and their sins [b]and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

13 (S)In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:2 Lit. holies
  2. Hebrews 8:12 NU omits and their lawless deeds