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路加福音生命读经 · 第79篇

人救主的升天（四）

The Man-Savior’s Ascension (4)
1读经：以弗所书1:22，10，歌罗西书1:18，以弗所书1:23，3:19下，希伯来书4:14，7:26，22，8:6，9:15-16，启示录1:13，2:1。在本篇信息里，我们要给人救主升天主观的一面下个结论。我们已经看见，基督在祂的升天里，同著召会作了万有的头，使万有在祂里面归一于一个元首之下。（弗一22，10。）现在我们要接著来看，升天的基督是召会的头，也是在诸天里的大祭司。
1Scripture Reading: Eph. 1:22, 10; Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:23; 3:19b; Heb. 4:14; 7:26, 22; 8:6; 9:15-16; Rev. 1:13; 2:1 In this message we shall give a concluding word on the subjective aspect of the Man-Savior’s ascension. We have seen that in His ascension Christ was given to be the Head over all things to the church so that all things might be headed up in Him (Eph. 1:22, 10). Now we shall go on to see that the ascended Christ is the Head of the church and also the High Priest in the heavens
基督身体召会的头，在祂的丰满里彰显神
THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, HIS BODY
TO EXPRESS GOD IN HIS FULLNESS
2基督在祂的升天里作了祂身体召会的头，在祂的丰满里彰显神。歌罗西一章十八节说，『祂也是召会身体的头。』按照以弗所一章二十三节，祂的身体乃是那在万有中充满万有者的丰满。在以弗所三章十九节，保罗说到我们『被充满，成为神一切的丰满。』这一切的丰满，都居住在基督里面。（西一19，二9。）基督藉著住在我们里面，将祂追测不尽的丰富分赐到我们里面，至终叫我们被充满，成为神一切的丰满。这使我们成为神
2In His ascension Christ was made the Head of the church, His Body, to express God in His fullness. Colossians 1:18 says, “He is the Head of the Body, the church.” According to Ephesians 1:23, His Body is the fullness of the One who fills all in all. In Ephesians 3:19 Paul speaks of our being “filled unto all the fullness of God.” All this fullness dwells in Christ (Col. 1:19; 2:9). Through His dwelling in us, Christ imparts His unsearchable riches into our being, so that eventually we shall be filled unto all the fullness of God. This makes us the expression of God, which is what the church should be
3的彰显，就是召会所该是的。头与身体的一
3The Oneness of the Head and the Body
4基督既是祂身体召会的头，就必然是联于身体的。正如在人的肉身里，头与身体是一；照样，头，基督，也联于祂的身体召会，二者乃是一。认为人的头与身体无关，这是荒谬的。照样，认为头，基督，与身体远离，也是错误的。然而，有些人就是认为，基督与我们，祂身体的肢体，很远。按这种观念，头是在诸天，身体是在地上。对于持有这种观念的人，诸天上的头与地上的身体，中间有很大的距离。若是这样，头与身体如何能接连一起呢？这样对头与身体的领会乃是荒谬的。
4As the Head of the church, His Body, Christ certainly is joined to the Body. Just as in one’s physical body the head and the body are one, so Christ, the Head, and the church, His Body, are joined and therefore are one. It would be absurd to think that one’she ad is not related to one’s body. Likewise, it would also be a mistake to think that as the Head Christ is far away from the Body. However, some think that Christ is far away from us, the members of His Body. According to this concept, the Head is in the heavens, and the Body is on earth. To those who hold this concept it seems that there is a vast distance between the Head in the heavens and the Body on earth. How, then are the Head and Body connected? This understanding of the Head and the Body is nonsensical
5基督在祂的升天里作了召会的头。我们怎能说，头在诸天里，而身体，召会，在地上，与头远离？按照圣经，头不是没有身体，单独的在诸天里；身体在地上也不是没有头。没有头的身体乃是怪物。
5In His ascension Christ was made the Head of the church. How can we say that the Head is in the heavens and that the church, the Body, is on earth, far away from the Head? According to the Bible, the Head is not alone in the heavens without His Body, and the Body is not on earth without the Head. The Body without the Head would be a monstrosity.
6无疑的，圣经启示头，基督，已经升到诸天。我们当然是在地上。那么，头与身体在那里，在天上还是在地上？头与身体乃是一，形成一个宇宙人。这宇宙人是在天上还是在地上？你若说，头在天上，身体在地上，你就犯了严重的错误。若是这样，头与身体怎样联起来？有些人可能说，头与身体都在天上，也在地上。但这是甚么意思？这是说我们有时候在天上，有时候在地上么？我们要回答头与身体在那里的问题，需要领悟这不包括空间和时间的因素。物质的事物有这些因素，但神圣的事物既没有空间的因素，也没有时间的因素。基督作祂身体召会的头，当然不是物质的事，这全然是神圣的事。对于这神圣的事，没有空间的因素，也没有时间的因素。我们需要看见，在神圣的生命和神圣的灵里，我们信徒与基督乃是一。
6No doubt, the Bible reveals that Christ, the Head, has ascended to the heavens. We, of course, are on earth. Then where are the Head and the Body—in heaven or on earth? The Head and the Body are one and form a universal man. But is this universal man in heaven or on earth? If you say that the Head is in heaven and the Body is on earth, you will be seriously mistaken. If this is the situation, what joins the Head and the Body? Some may say that the Head and the Body are both in heaven and on earth. But what does this mean? Does it mean that sometimes we are in heaven and that at other times we are on earth? In answering the question concerning the location of the Head and the Body, we need to realize that this does not involve the elements of space and time. With material things there are these elements. But with divine things there is neither the element of space nor the element of time. For Christ to be the Head of the church, His Body, is certainly not a material thing; this is altogether a divine matter. With this divine matter there is not the element of space nor the element of time. Therefore, we need to see that in the divine life and in the divine Spirit, we, the believers, are one with Christ
7身体与头在神圣的生命和神圣的灵里乃是一。论到头与身体，我们不该考虑空间和时间，因为这些因素在这里不适用。我们在神圣的生命和神圣的灵里是基督身体的肢体，不能被空间或时间分隔。现今我们
7The Body is one with the Head in the divine life and in the divine Spirit. Regarding the Head and the Body, we should not consider space and time, for here these elements do not apply. As members of the Body in the divine life and the divine Spirit, we are not separated by space or time. We all are now in the Body
8都在基督的身体里。
8
9我们要强调这事实：物质的事有空间和时间的因素，但神圣的事没有这些因素。譬如，主耶稣说，『除了从天降下仍旧在天的人子，没有人升过天。』（约三13。）这里主说，祂从天降下，但祂仍旧在天。这就是说，当祂在地上的时候，祂仍旧在天上。按著祂的肉身，祂说这些话时是在地上。但是按著祂的神圣所是，祂乃是在天上。
9We would emphasize the fact that with material matters we have the elements of space and time, but we do not have these elements with divine things. For example, the Lord Jesus said, “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven” (John 3:13). Here the Lord says that although He came down from heaven, He was still in heaven. This means that while He was on earth, He was still in heaven. According to His physical body, He was on earth when He spoke these words. But according to His divine being, which does not involve the elements of space and time, He was in heaven
10在召会生活里，我们不该从物质的观点来看头与身体。反之，我们需要从神圣的观点来看头与身体。按照神圣的观点，我们与升天的基督乃是一，祂的升天也就是我们的升天。（弗二6。）这里在升天里，我们在祂的丰满里彰显祂。
10In the church life we should not consider the Head and the Body from a physical point of view. Rather, we need to consider the Head and the Body from the divine viewpoint. According to the divine viewpoint, we are one with the ascended Christ, and His ascension is also ours (Eph. 2:6). Here in the ascension we express Him in His fullness.
基督的丰满作祂的彰显
The Fullness of Christ for His Expression
11以弗所三章十九节说到我们被充满，成为神一切的丰满；一章二十三节说，召会，祂的身体，是那在万有中充满万有者的丰满。我们时常指出，这丰满是享受基督丰富的结果，流出。（弗三8。）藉著享受基督的丰富，我们成为祂的丰满来彰显祂。我们享受基督，这享受就会有一个结果。享受基督的结果乃是丰满，这丰满就是正当的召会生活。在召会生活，就是基督的丰满里，召会彰显基督。基督在召会里的彰显，乃是在神圣的性情和神圣的范围里。
11Ephesians 3:19 speaks of our being filled unto all the fullness of God, and 1:23 says that the church, His Body, is the fullness of the One who fills all in all. We have often pointed out that this fullness is the result, the issue, of the enjoyment of the riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8). Through the enjoyment of Christ’s riches we become His fullness to express Him. When we enjoy Christ, there will be a result of this enjoyment. The result of enjoying Christ is the fullness, and this fullness is the proper church life. In the church life, which is the fullness of Christ, the church expresses Christ. This expression of Christ in the church is in the divine nature and the divine sphere
12我们由此可见，基督的升天与我们大有关系。乃是在祂的升天里，我们与祂是一。不仅如此，在祂的升天里，（不仅在祂的复活里，）就是我们的头，我们是祂的身体。新约不是说，在基督的复活里，神使祂作召会的头。圣经乃是启示，在基督的升天里，神使基督作了祂身体－召会－的头。
12We can see from this that Christ’s ascension has much to do with us. It is in His ascension that we are one with Him. Furthermore, in His ascension, not merely in His resurrection, He is our Head and we are His Body. The New Testament does not say that it was in Christ’s resurrection that God made Him Head of the church. Rather, the Bible reveals that it was in His ascension that God made Christ the Head of the church, His Body
在诸天里的大祭司
the High Priest in the heavens
13在基督的升天里，祂也作了在诸天里的大祭司。希伯来四章十四节说，我们有一位『经过了诸天，尊大的大祭司，就是神的儿子耶稣。』主藉著成为肉体，从神那里到我们这里来；然后藉著复活与升天，从我们这里回到神那里去，作我们的大祭司，在神面前担负我们，并照顾我们一切的需要。（来二17~18，四15。）所以，希伯来七章二十六节说，『像这样圣而无邪恶、无玷污、与罪人分别，并且高过诸天的大祭司，原是与我们合宜的。』基督在祂的升天里经过了诸天，现今不仅在天上，（来九，）更是高过诸天，远超诸天之上。（弗四10。）祂在升天里就职进入祂的祭司职任。祂在地上时，并没有执行祂祭司的职事，像祂现今在诸天里所作的。
13In His ascension Christ was also made the High Priest in the heavens. Hebrews 4:14 says that we have a “great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God.” The Lord came from God to us through incarnation, and then He went back from us to God through resurrection and ascension to be our High Priest to bear us in the presence of God and to care for all our needs (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15). Therefore, Hebrews 7:26 says, “For such a High Priest befits us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and become higher than the heavens.” In His ascension Christ passed through the heavens; now He is not only in heaven (Heb. 9:24), but is also higher than the heavens, far above all heavens (Eph. 4:10). In 24 His ascension He was inaugurated into His priestly office. When He was on earth, He did not carry on His priestly ministry as He is now doing in the heavens.
照顾众召会
Caring for the Churches
14在启示录里，首先不是揭示基督为执政管理者，乃是揭示祂为祭司；这是很有意义的。启示录一章十三节说，『灯台中间，有一位好像人子，身穿长袍，直垂到脚。』一面，基督是大祭司，在诸天里为众召会代求；（来七25～26，罗八34。）另一面，祂是大祭司，在众召会里行动，照顾众召会。启示录一章十三节描述基督为大祭司，就如祂的长袍所显示的，这长袍直垂到脚，乃是祭司袍。（出二八33～35。）在启示录里，第一个关于基督的异象，就是在一章所记载的，乃是身穿祭司长袍的大祭司。基督是大祭司，行走在灯台中间，并照顾这些灯台，特别是藉著修剪灯盏使灯台照亮。然后八章启示基督是把香献在金坛上的祭司：『另一位天使拿著金香炉，来站在祭坛旁边，有许多香赐给他，好同众圣徒的祷告献在宝座前的金坛上。』（启八3。）所以，一章启示基督是照顾灯台的祭司，八章揭示祂是向神献香的祭司。当然，五章启示祂是全宇宙的执政管理者。对于宇宙，基督不是祭司，乃是执政管理者。但对于召会，基督乃是大祭司。作为升到诸天里的一位，祂现今乃是祭司，仍然活著、工作并尽职。
14It is significant that in the book of Revelation Christ is unveiled first not as the Administrator, but as the Priest. Revelation 1:13 says, “In the midst of the lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment reaching to the feet.” On the one hand, Christ is the High Priest interceding in the heavens for the churches (Heb. 7:25-26; Rom. 8:34); on the other hand, He is the High Priest moving in the churches to care for them. In Revelation 1:13 Christ is depicted as the High Priest, as shown by His garment, a garment reaching to the feet, that is, a priestly robe (Exo. 28:33-35). The first vision of Christ in Revelation, recorded in chapter one, is that of the High Priest clothed with a priestly garment. As the High Priest, Christ is walking among the lampstands and taking care of them, especially of their shining by trimming the lamps. Then in chapter eight Christ is revealed as the Priest offering the incense at the golden altar: “And another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and much incense was given to Him that He should add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne” (v. 3). Therefore, in chapter one Christ is revealed as the Priest taking care of the lampstands, and in chapter eight He is unveiled as the Priest offering incense to God. Then, of course, in chapter five He is revealed as the Administrator over the whole universe. To the universe Christ is not the Priest; He is the Administrator. But to the church Christ is the High Priest. As the ascended One in the heavens, He is now living, working, and ministering as a Priest.
担负我们且托住我们
Bearing Us and Holding Us
15旧约里的大祭司豫表基督是我们的大祭司。按照出埃及记，大祭司在他的肩上和胸前担负以色列十二支派的名字：『要取两块红玛瑙，在上面刻以色列儿子的名字；六个名字在这块宝石上，六个名字在那块宝石上，都照他们生来的次序…亚伦要在两肩上，担他们的名字，在耶和华面前作为记念。』（出二八9～10，12。）大祭司配带的金胸牌镶著十二块宝石，上面也刻著十二支派的名字：『这些宝石，都要按著以色列十二个儿子的名字，彷佛刻图书，刻十二个支派的名字…亚伦进圣所的时候，要将决断胸牌，就是刻著以色列儿子名字的，带在胸前，在耶和华面前当作记念。』（出二八21，。）刻在红玛瑙和胸牌宝石上的名字，表征大祭司常在神面前担负神选民的名字。今天基督是我们的大祭司，我们在祂的肩上，也在祂的胸前。神在诸天里是担负我们且托住我们的大祭司。
15In the Old Testament the high priest typifies Christ as our High Priest. According to the book of Exodus, the high priest bore the names of the twelve tribes of Israel on his shoulders and on his heart: “And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth... and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial” (Exo. 28:9-10, 12). The names of the twelve tribes were also engraved on the twelve stones set in the breastplate of gold worn by the High Priest: “And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes....And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually” (Exo. 28:21, 29). The names engraved on the onyx 29 stones and on the stones of the breastplate signify that the high priest always bore the names of God’s chosen people before God. Today Christ is our High Priest, and we are on His shoulders and on His breast. He is in the heavens as the High Priest bearing us and holding us.
16基督作我们的大祭司，也照顾我们。祂『在关于神的事上，成为怜悯、忠信的大祭司，』（来二17，）就是能同情我们软弱的大祭司。（来四15。）虽然基督作大祭司照顾我们，但对于祂该如何照顾我们，我们都有自己的想法和感觉。比方说，我们都想要健康且长寿，甚至活到一百岁还不满足。倘若我们活到一百岁，我们也许又巴望活到一百二十岁。主照顾我们的方法常和我们所巴望的不同。所以，我们可能抱怨说，『主，你为甚么好像不顾我的健康？我病了，我祷告求医治。主，你的能力在那里？你的医治在那里？主，你为甚么不听我？』主可能不答应求医治的祷告。祂照顾某人，可能让那人因病而死。我们不知道甚么对我们有益，但是主知道，祂知道我们在地上的生活需要甚么。我们对我们的生活都有偏好，我们巴望富有，拥有许多物质的东西。但主可能让我们贫穷，剥夺我们许多东西。同样的，我们巴望孩子爱主、事奉主；那些有女儿的，盼望女儿嫁给召会里最好的弟兄。然而，我们儿女的光景可能和我们所巴望的大不相同。我们若以这事问主，主会说，『你不知道甚么对你最好，我知道事情应该就是这样。』
16As our High Priest, Christ is also taking care of us. He is a “merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God” (Heb. 2:17), a High Priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Heb. 4:15). Although Christ as the High Priest is taking care of us, we all have our own thought and feeling as to how He should care for us. For example, we all want to be healthy and have a long life. We may not even be satisfied if we lived to be a hundred years of age. If we reach the age of one hundred, we may desire to live to be one hundred and twenty. However, often the Lord’sway of caring for us is different from what we desire. Therefore, we may complain and say, “Lord, why do You not seem to care about my health? I’m sick, and I pray for healing. Lord, where is Your power? Where is Your healing? Lord, why don’tY ou hear me?” The Lord may not answer a prayer for healing. In His care for a certain one, He may allow that one to die of his illness. We do not know what is good for us, but the Lord knows. He knows what is needed for our life on earth. We all have our preferences concerning our living. We may desire to be wealthy and have many material things. But the Lord may allow us to be poor and deprive us of many things. Likewise, we may desire to have children who love the Lord and serve Him. Those who have daughters may hope that they will marry the best brothers in the churches. However, the situation concerning our children may turn out to be much different from what we desire. If we ask the Lord about this, He may say, “You do not know what is best for you. I know that this is the way it should be
17也许你以为这样的事与基督的升天无关。然而，基督的升天实在与这些有关。主的升天包括祂的祭司职任。升天的主乃是担负我们、托住我们、并照顾我们的大祭司。究竟甚么对我们有益，这不在于我们的解释，乃在于主的解释。比方说，你也许买了一辆新车，盼望用许多年。但主对这件事的意见乃是：你的车子只该用很短的时间。你若来对我说，『我买了一辆新车，几星期后就撞毁了，为甚么有这事呢？主岂不知道我会发生意外，车子会撞毁么？祂既知道这事，为甚么许可我买车？祂为甚么不阻止我？』我当然无法解释为甚么。只有主知道，因为祂是大祭司。
17Perhaps you are thinking that matters such as these have nothing to do with the ascension of Christ. However, the ascension of Christ certainly is related to these things. The Lord’s ascension includes His priesthood. As the ascended One, He is the High Priest bearing us, holding us, and taking care of us. However, what is good for us is a matter not of our interpretation but of His. For example, you may buy a new car, hoping that it will last many years. But the Lord’so pin i on of the matter is that your car should last a very short time. If you were to come to me and say, “I bought a new car, and after a few weeks it was wrecked. Why did this happen? Didn’tt he Lord know that I would have an accident and that the car would be wrecked? Since He knew this, why did He allow me to buy it? Why didn’tHe stop me?” I, of course, cannot explain why. Only the Lord knows the reason; He is the High Priest
18通常我收到圣徒来信问到他们的情况，我都把信摆在一边。我把这样的信摆在一边，是因为我并非大祭司，我不知道他对圣徒的心意是甚么。对于这样的事，我无法替主说甚么。倘若我试看说甚么，实际上也不会帮助圣徒。五十五年前，我对这样的问题有许多可说的，因为我甚么也不知道，所以我妄自说了许多事。但是现在我对主经历更多，认识更多，就是我要说，也说得非常少。但是我能这样说，主照顾我们，总是积极的。有一天我们会看见祂，并要敬拜祂。有人可能对祂说，『主耶稣，赦免我向你抱怨我的情况。现在我知道神为著我的旨意都是美好的。』我们的大祭司正在妥善的照顾我们众人。
18Usually when I receive letters from saints asking me about their situation, I set the letters aside. The reason I set such letters aside is that I am not the High Priest, and I do not know what is on His heart concerning the saints. I cannot say anything for Him about such matters. If I were to try to say something, I actually would not be helping the saints. Fifty-five years ago I had a great deal to say when I was asked such questions. I had much to say because I did not know anything, and therefore I spoke many things in a presumptuous way. But now, having more experience of the Lord and more knowledge of Him, I have very little, if anything, to say. Nevertheless, I can say this: the Lord’s care for us is always positive. One day we shall see Him and worship Him. Some of us may say to Him, “Lord Jesus, forgive me for complaining to You about my situation. Now I know that God’s will for me is good.” Our High Priest is taking good care of us all
顾到神的愿望
Caring for God’s Desire
19升天的基督不仅顾到我们和我们的利益，祂也顾到神的愿望。这位大祭司顾到神的需要，过于我们的需要。神要灯台，所以主建立灯台，并修剪灯盏以彰显神。（启一13，二1。）这工作包括祂造就圣徒并建造召会。主现今正在建造耶稣活的见证。
19The ascended Christ cares not only for us and our welfare: He cares for God’s desires. This High Priest cares more for God’s need than for our need. God wants lampstands. Therefore, the Lord establishes lampstands and trims the lamps for the expression of God (Rev. 1:13; 2:1). This work includes His edifying of the saints and His building up of the church. The Lord is now building up a living testimony of Jesus
新约的执行者
The Executor of the New Testament
20主这位在诸天里的大祭司，是更美之约的保证和中保，也是新约的执行者。希伯来七章二十二节说，『他就成了更美之约的保证。』基督成了更美之约的保证，乃是基于祂是大祭司的事实。希伯来八章六节告诉我们：『祂也是更美之约的中保。』不仅如此，希伯来九章十五和十六节说，『所以，祂作了新约的中保，既然受死，赎了人在第一约之下的过犯，便叫蒙召之人得著所应许永远的产业。凡有遗命，立遗命者的死必须证实出来。』
20As the High Priest in the heavens, the Lord is the surety and Mediator of the better covenant and the Executor of the New Testament. Hebrews 7:22 says, “Jesus has become the surety of a better covenant.” That Christ has become the surety of a better covenant is based on the fact that He is the High Priest. Hebrews 8:6 tells us, “He is also the Mediator of a better covenant.” Furthermore, Hebrews 9:15 and 16 say, “And because of this He is Mediator of a new covenant, so that, death having taken place for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, those who have been called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament there must of necessity be the death of him who made it.”
21十五节有『约，』十六节有『遗命；』在原文，约与遗命同字。约是合同，带著一些应许，要为受约的人成就一些事；遗命是遗书，带著一些已成就的事物，遗赠给承受的人。基督的血所完成的新约，不仅是约，更是遗命，将基督的死所成就的一切，遗赠给我们。神先应许要立新约，（耶三一31～34，）然后基督流血，立了新约。（路二二20。）这约所应许的既有已成就的事实，这约也就是遗命。这遗命，遗嘱，因基督的死已经得以确定并生效，现今且由在升天里的基督执行。我们的大祭司正在建立灯台，并且修剪灯盏。在建立与修剪的时候，祂也在为我们执行新约。新约有许多遗赠，这一切遗赠全是给众召会神圣的福分。在圣经里，『遗命』一辞等于现代的『遗嘱。』所以，新约（新遗命，）乃是给我们承受的新遗嘱。这新遗嘱是为著遗赠神圣的福分，包括基督的身位和祂包罗万有的救赎工作。那位立新遗嘱的乃是耶稣基督。祂为著立这遗嘱而死。现今凡祂所立的，都已经遗赠给我们，对我们都是可取用的。
21In verse 15 we have the word “covenant,” and in verse 16, the word “testament.” In Greek the same word is used for both covenant and testament. A covenant is an agreement with some promises to accomplish certain things for the covenanted people, while a testament is a will with certain accomplished things bequeathed to the inheritor. The new covenant consummated with the blood of Christ is not merely a covenant but a testament with all the things which have been accomplished by the death of Christ bequeathed to us. First God gave the promise that He would make a new covenant (Jer. 31:31-34). Then Christ shed His blood to enact the covenant (Luke 22:20). Since there are accomplished facts promised in this covenant, it is also a testament. This testament, this will, has been confirmed and validated by Christ’s death, and it is now being executed by Christ in His ascension. Our High Priest is establishing lampstands and trimming the lamps. In this establishing and trimming, He is also executing the New Testament for us. The New Testament has many bequests, all of which are divine blessings bequeathed to the churches. In the Bible the word “testament” is equal to the modern word “will.” The New Testament, therefore, is a new will for our inheritance. This new will New testament is for the bequeathing of the divine blessings, including the Person of Christ and His all-inclusive redemptive work. The One who enacted this new will is Jesus Christ, who died for its enactment. Now whatever He enacted has been bequeathed to us and is available to us.
22若要遗嘱及其中所遗赠的一切得以成立，需要立遗嘱的人死了。立遗嘱的人一旦死了，承受的人就可取用遗嘱里的遗赠。赞美主，基督受死，立了遗嘱，现今祂且在诸天里作遗赠给我们之遗嘱活的执行者！祂怎样执行这遗嘱？祂执行这新遗嘱，乃是藉著建立召会为灯台，并且修剪所有的灯盏。就在这时刻，升天的基督正在建立灯台，并修剪灯盏。我能见证，我每天都在祂的修剪之下，因为我有许多东西需要修剪。我也领悟祂正行走在众地方召会中间，祂在建立金灯台。藉此，祂就实际的执行、完成新约。新遗命里的每一项福分都是一项遗赠，由活著、复活、升天的基督应用到我们身上。这是在升天里的基督。赞美祂，我们可以这样享受祂！
22The enactment of a will and all that is bequeathed in it requires the death of the one who makes the will. Once the maker of the will dies, the bequests in the will become available to the heirs. Praise the Lord that Christ died to enact the will and that He is now in the heavens as the living Executor of the will He has bequeathed to us! How does He execute this will? He executes the new will by establishing the churches as the lampstands and by trimming all the lamps. At this very moment the ascended Christ is establishing lampstands and trimming the lamps. I can testify that daily I am under His trimming, for I have much that needs to be trimmed. I also realize that He is walking among the local churches, that He is establishing the golden lampstands. By doing this He is executing, carrying out, the New Testament in a real way. Every blessing in the New Testament is a bequest applied to us by the living, resurrected, and ascended Christ. This is Christ in His ascension. Praise Him that we may enjoy Him in this way!
23基督作了在诸天里的大祭司，祂的职事有一个目标！新耶路撒冷。新耶路撒冷乃是基督在祂升天里工作的完成，凡基督现今在祂升天里所作的，都要完成于要来的新耶路撒冷。
23Christ’s ministry as the High Priest in the heavens has a destination—the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem will be the consummation of Christ’s work in His ascension. Whatever Christ is now working in His ascension will consummate in the coming New Jerusalem