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希伯来书生命读经 · 第35篇

属天的执事与更超特的职任

A HEAVENLY MINISTER WITH A MORE EXCELLENT MINISTRY
1在本篇信息中,我们要来看属天的执事与更超特的职任。我们在前几篇信息看过基督君尊的祭司职分和祂神圣的祭司职分之后,必定都已经豫备好、装备好、甚至都在正确的位置,可以来听本篇信息。我们已经看过基督职事的两部分,就是亚伦在地上的部分,与君尊、神圣的天上部分。我们能对基督职事的这两面有清楚的认识,并不是一件小事。我们有了这种认识为背景,就不难明白甚么是属天的执事与更超特的职任。在说到这事之前,我要先把希伯来书与罗马书再一次作个比较。罗马五章和八章都题到罪和死。八章二节说,生命之灵的律,在基督耶稣里已经释放了我们,使我们脱离了罪与死的律。三节接著说,神在肉体中定罪了罪。六节又说,心思置于肉体,就是死。到了八章的中间和末了,就不再题罪与死,而题到叹息、虚空、败坏和辖制等等,这些都是死的副产品。胜过罪与死是一件事,而消除死的一切副产品是另一件事,也是极重要的事。
1In this message we come to the subject of a heavenly Minister with a more excellent ministry. After the foregoing messages on Christ’s kingly priesthood and divine priesthood, we are surely prepared, equipped, and even positioned to hear this message. We have seen the two sections of Christ’s ministry: the Aaronic section on earth and the kingly and divine section in heaven. It is not a small thing for us to be clear regarding these two aspects of Christ’s ministry. With this understanding as our background, it is not difficult to understand this matter of the heavenly Minister with a more excellent ministry. Before we come to this, however, I would like to speak further about the comparison between Hebrews and Romans. Sin and death are mentioned in both Romans 5 and 8. Romans 8:2 says that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed us from the law of sin and death, 8:3 says that God has condemned sin in the flesh, and 8:6 says that the mind set on the flesh is death. When we come to the middle and last part of Romans 8, there is no more mention of sin and death but of groaning, vanity, corruption, and bondage, which are the by-products of death. It is one thing to overcome sin and death and quite another thing, a most crucial thing, to eliminate these by-products of death
2从罗马三章到八章,我们看见神经纶救恩的三个步骤:称义、圣化和荣化。称义与神的公义有关,圣化与神的圣别有关,荣化与神的荣耀有关。神的公义、圣别和荣耀,都对我们有所要求。我们若要彻底而终极的得著救恩,就必须满足神这三项要求。神的称义,满足祂公义的要求;神的圣化,满足祂圣别的要求;神的荣化,满足祂荣耀的要求。神经纶的救恩,不仅要称义我们,或圣化我们,也要荣化我们。我们在上一篇信息曾指出,得荣耀就是我们全人被基督神圣的祭司职分所浸透。当我们全人被祂神圣的祭司职分所浸透、所充满时,那就是我们的得荣耀,也就是神救恩的最后一步。那时,我们要享受完满的儿子名分,终极完成于身体的得赎。(罗八23。)得荣耀并不是救我们脱离罪,甚至不是救我们脱离死,乃是救我们脱离死的副产品,就如叹息、虚空、败坏、辖制和毁坏。死的这些副产品还在这里,所以我们需要被拯救到底,而基督有这能力。拯救到底不仅救我们脱离罪与死,也减弱并吞灭死的一切副产品。当死的一切副产品都被吞灭时,就是神的众子显现在荣耀里的日子。(19。)那时,不仅神的众子,甚至一切受造之物,都要从虚空和败坏的奴役得著释放,得享荣耀的自由。(21。)当我们这样被拯救到底,我们就被带进完满的完全里。这就是得荣耀的真正意义。
2In Romans 3 through 8 we can see three steps of God’s economical salvation: justification, sanctification, and glorification. Justification is related to God’s righteousness, sanctification to God’s holiness, and glorification to God’s glory. God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory all have requirements upon us. In order for us to be thoroughly and ultimately saved, we need to meet all of these requirements. God’s justification meets the requirements of His righteousness, God’s sanctification meets the requirements of His holiness, and God’s glorification meets the requirements of His glory. God’s economical salvation is not only to justify us or to sanctify us but also to glorify us. As we pointed out in the last message, to be glorified is to have our being completely saturated with Christ’s divine priesthood. When our whole being has been saturated and permeated with His divine priesthood, that will be our glorification, the last step of God’ss alvation. At that time we shall enjoy full sonship, which will be consummated by the redemption of our body (Rom. 8:23). Glorification does not save us from sins or even from death; it saves us from the by-products of death, from groaning, vanity, corruption, bondage, and decay. These by-products of death require that we be saved to the uttermost, and Christ is able to do this. Salvation to the uttermost not only rescues us from sin and death but also diminishes and swallows up all the by-products of death. When all the by-products of death are swallowed up, that will be the time of the manifestation of the sons of God in glory (Rom. 8:19). At that time not only the sons of God but also the whole creation will be freed from the bondage of vanity and corruption into the freedom of glory (Rom. 8:21). When we have been saved to the uttermost, we shall be brought into complete perfection. This is what it means to be glorified.
3三十节说,『祂所豫定的人,又召他们来;所召来的人,又称他们为义;所称为义的人,又叫他们得荣耀。』我们从这节经文看见,得荣耀就是蒙拯救到底。这个得荣耀,就是希伯来七章二十五节的说明,那一节说,基督能拯救我们到底。蒙拯救到底就是得荣耀,而得荣耀就是拯救我们脱离死的一切副产品。在得荣耀的时候,就不再有叹息、奴役、辖制、虚空、败坏或毁坏。谁在作这拯救我们到底的工作?乃是我们的麦基洗德这位君尊并神圣的大祭司。在圣经中,只有希伯来七章二十五节和罗马八章三十四节这两节告诉我们,基督为我们代求;这两节圣经彼此相对应。在罗马八章,基督不是为可怜的罪人代求,使他们得称为义,(称义是在四章,)基督乃是为我们代求,使我们得荣耀。这与希伯来七章二十五节的代求相对应,因为这里说,基督为我们代求,使我们能蒙拯救到底。蒙拯救到底等于得荣耀。因此,这两章是说到同一件事。没有希伯来七章,我们绝不会知道,代求的基督就是君尊、神圣的大祭司。没有希伯来七章,我们会以为,根据罗马八章来看,代求的基督只不过是救主而已。但是代求的基督不只是救主─祂乃是君尊、神圣的大祭司,属天的执事。如今我们知道,谁是属天的执事─就是我们的麦基洗德。麦基洗德的职事,不是要救罪人。你若仍是一个罪人,你就需要基督那由亚伦所豫表的职事。但我们不再是可怜的罪人;我们乃是战士,与死的一切副产品争战。亚伯拉罕所杀败的基大老玛,不是代表罪,乃是代表死的副产品。当亚伯拉罕听说罗得被掳去时,那是指被死的副产品所掳去。众召会中的长老,都该是杀败仇敌的长老。长老们到聚会中,看见许多亲爱的弟兄们被基大老玛掳去时,应当立即杀败那王。不要责备或定罪那些被掳去的弟兄,只要击杀那将弟兄姊妹掳去并捆绑的基大老玛,就是死的副产品。你若这么作,我们的麦基洗德就会进来,你就会享受祂的供应。
3Romans 8:3 0 says, “And whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Recovery Version). We see from this verse that glorification is salvation to the uttermost. This glorification is the definition of Hebrews 7:25, which says that Christ is able to save us to the uttermost. This uttermost salvation is glorification, and glorification means to deliver us from the by-products of death. At the time of glorification, there will be no more groaning, slavery, bondage, vanity, corruption, or decay. Who is doing this work of saving us to the uttermost? Our Melchisedec, the kingly and divine High Priest. Only two verses in the Bible, Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:34, tell us that Christ is interceding for us, and these two verses correspond to one another. According toRo mans 8, Christ is not interceding for poor sinners to be justified— justification is in Romans 4—but He is interceding for us to be glorified. This corresponds to the interceding in Hebrews 7:25, for here Christ intercedes for us that we may be saved to the uttermost. Being saved to the uttermost is the equivalent of glorification. Hence, both of these chapters tell us the same thing. Without Hebrews 7 we would never realize that the interceding Christ is the kingly, divine High Priest. Without Hebrews 7 we might think, according to Romans 8, that the interceding Christ is only the Savior. But the interceding Christ is more than the Savior — He is the kingly and divine High Priest, the heavenly Minister. Now we know who is the heavenly Minister— it is our Melchisedec. The ministry of Melchisedec is not to save sinners. If you are still a sinner, then you need Christ’s ministry as typified by Aaron. But we are no longer pitiful sinners; we are fighters, fighting a gainst the by- products of death. Chedorlaomer, who was slaughtered by Abraham, does not represents in but represents the by- products of death. When Abraham learned that Lot had been captured, that capture was a matter of the by-products of death. All of the elders in the churches must be slaughtering elders. When the elders come into the meetings and see that many of the dear brothers have been captured by Chedorlaomer, they must slaughter that king. Do not rebuke or condemn the brothers who have been captured but slaughter Chedorlaomer, the by-products of death that have captured the brothers and sisters and hold them in bondage. If you do this, our Melchisedec will come in, and you will enjoy His ministry.
4许多基督徒不认识希伯来七章和罗马八章,因为他们一直停留在可怜罪人的地位上,几乎没有人作击杀仇敌的亚伯拉罕。我们必须击杀罗马八章所题死的一切副产品;我们必须击杀叹息、虚空、辖制、奴役、败坏和毁坏。我们怎能杀除死的这些副产品?乃是藉著我们大祭司的代求。当我们击杀基大老玛和死的一切副产品时,祂就会为我们代求。这就是我们的大祭司,属天的执事,今天所作的工作。我们在以色列人与亚玛力人交战的事上,能看见一幅代求职事的图画。(出十七8~13。)摩西在山顶举起手祷告,约书亚在山下争战打仗。摩西在祷告,约书亚在击杀敌人。照样,我信当亚伯拉罕在击杀诸王时,麦基洗德就在为他祷告。照样,当我们在击杀死的副产品时,我们属天的执事基督,就以祂更超特的职任,在天上为我们代求。
4Many Christians do not understand Hebrews 7 and 8 because they maintain the position of being pitiful sinners. Hardly any one of them is a slaughtering Abraham. We must slaughter all of the by-products of death mentioned in Romans 8; we must slaughter groaning, vanity, bondage, slavery, corruption, and decay. How can we slaughter these by-products of death? Through the intercession of our High Priest. While we are slaughtering Chedorlaomer and all of the by-products of death, He will be interceding for us. This is the ministry of our High Priest, the heavenly Minister, today. We see a picture of this ministry in the case of the warfare between Israel and Amalek (Exo. 17:8-13). Moses was holding up his hand (that is, praying) on the top of the hill and Joshua was fighting in the midst of the battle. While Moses was praying, Joshua was slaughtering the enemy. Likewise, I believe that while Abraham was slaughtering the kings, Melchisedec was praying for him. In the same way, while we are slaughtering the by-products of death, Christ, our heavenly Minister with a more excellent ministry, is in heaven interceding for us
5今天基督更超特的职任是甚么?乃是为战士代求。基督的代求如同一个强力的发动机,带动机器,使其运转。机器如何才得著动力?乃是靠发动机。发动机转动时,动力就传输到机器里。照样,诸天之上代求的基督,正把属天的能力传输到我们里面。
5What is Christ’s more excellent ministry today? It is to intercede for the fighters. Christ’s intercession is like a powerful motor which energizes a machine that it may operate. How can power be brought into the machine? By the motor. When the motor runs, the power is transmitted into the machine. In like manner, the interceding Christ in the heavens is transmitting the heavenly power into us
6再说亚伯拉罕杀败诸王的事。假设你是亚伯拉罕,听到罗得被掳去的消息。如果这事发生了,我们可能怕得要死,赶快钻进帐棚里面祷告说,『主阿,怜悯我们,保护我们,不要让那些王到这里来。』但亚伯拉罕听见那个消息后,似乎说,『他们竟然把我的弟兄罗得掳去!不管他们有多少人,我却有至高的神,我要与那些王争战,救回罗得。』亚伯拉罕和属他的三百一十八人极为勇敢,因为他们藉著麦基洗德的代求得了加力;他们得著属天、宇宙发动机的加力。当麦基洗德来给亚伯拉罕祝福时,他称颂至高的神把仇敌交在亚伯拉罕的手中。(创十四20。)换句话说,麦基洗德告诉亚伯拉罕,这次得胜的原因,乃是因他向至高的神代求的结果。
6Consider once again the case of Abraham’s defeating the kings. Suppose you had been Abraham hearing the news that Lot had been captured. If that had happened to us, we would have been frightened to death and would have gone into the inner part of our tent and prayed, “O Lord, have mercy on us and protect us. Don’tall ow the kings to come here.” But when Abraham heard the news, he seemed to say, “They have captured my brother Lot! I don’t care how many men they have—I have the Most High God, and I am going to fight against the kings and rescue Lot.” Abraham and his three hundred eighteen men were bold because they were energized by the intercession of Melchisedec. They were empowered by a heavenly, universal motor. When Melchisedec came to bless Abraham, he blessed the Most High God for delivering Abraham’s enemies into his hands (Gen. 14:20). In other words, Melchisedec was telling Abraham that his victory was the result of his intercession to the Most High God on his behalf.
7我们需要看见基督这更超特职任的异象。这不是为著可怜罪人的低浅职事,乃是为著得胜的战士,神的得胜者,就是亚伯拉罕正确后裔的高超职事。这不是利未记里的祭司职分,乃是创世记十四章里祭司职分的延续。主将祂的话向我们开启,使我们都能作战士,像亚伯拉罕和属他的三百一十八人一样。我们必须争战,击杀死的一切副产品。我们不该再抓住客观的观点,以为只要过了一段时间,我们就都要得荣耀,神的众子就都要显出来,一同被带进荣耀的自由。在罗马八章,我们看见基督在天上代求,也看见整个宇宙都在叹息。一切受造之物都在叹息要得著自由,叹息要脱离死的副产品。这就是今天的光景:一面,我们有麦基洗德在诸天之上代求;另一面,整个宇宙都在叹息。今天,神必须在地上寻得一班人,作祂运转的『机器』,好带进那荣耀的自由。神能藉以运行,而带进荣耀的一班人是谁?乃是我们。
7We need to have a high vision of Christ’s more excellent ministry. It is not a low ministry for pitiful sinners; it is a high ministry for victorious fighters, for God’s victors, the proper descendants of Abraham. This is not the priesthood that we find in Leviticus but the continuation of the priesthood that we see in Genesis 14. The Lord is opening up His Word to us so that we might be fighters like Abraham and his three hundred eighteen men. We need to fight the battle, slaughtering all the by-products of death. We should no longer hold to the objective view that, after the mere passing of time, we shall be glorified and all the sons of God will be manifested and brought into the freedom of glory. In Romans 8 we see Christ’s intercession in heaven as well as the groaning throughout the whole universe. The whole creation is groaning for liberation, groaning to be released from the by-products of death. This is the situation today: we have the intercession of our Melchisedec in the heavens and the groaning throughout the whole universe. Today God must find a people on earth to be His operating machine to bring in that glorious freedom. Who are the people through whom God is operating to bring in glorification? We are
8这个荣耀的自由,必须先作到我们里面。这乃是藉著为我们代求的麦基洗德作成的。第三层天上的发动机,带动著地上的机器,使我们灵里发出『砰、砰、砰』的声音。有时候,主从诸天上的发动机所传来的力量太强了,叫我几乎无法自制。每当我在内室里跪下祷告时,我能觉出这『砰、砰、砰』,就是主代求所加给、所传输的能力。让宗教人士等著看属天发动机所发动力量的结果罢。不要以为主的恢复不过是基督教的另一种工作。不,这是属天发电机传到我们里面这『砰、砰、砰』的动力,所成就的工作。每当我们为著主的恢复祷告时,我们都深深觉得,主的代求从里面加力给我们。这就是为甚么我们这些在祂恢复里的同伙,乃是今天在地上最进取的基督徒。基督天上的职事,不是照顾可怜罪人的职事,乃是更超特的职任,为著执行神的经纶。
8This glorious freedom must firstly be brought into our being. This is accomplished through our interceding Melchisedec. The motor in the third heavens energizes the machine on the earth: it makes a lot of “pum, pum, pums” in our spirit. Sometimes the Lord’s transmission of energy from the motor in the heavens is so strong that I can hardly contain myself. Whenever I kneel down to pray in my bedroom, I sense the “pum, pum, pum,” the empowering, the energizing from the Lord’s intercession. Let the religious people wait and see the result of the energizing of the heavenly motor. Do not think that the Lord’s recovery is merely another type of Christian work. No, it is the work accomplished by the “pum, pum, pum” with the energy transmitted into us by the heavenly dynamo. Whenever we pray for the Lord’s recovery, we have the deep sense that the Lord’s intercession is empowering us from within. This is why we, the partners of the Lord in His recovery, are the most aggressive Christians on earth today. Christ’she aven ly ministry is not a ministry that takes care of pitiful sinners; it is the more excellent ministry operating God’secon o my.
9我完全相信,这位属天的执事,正在为我们尽职。许多次,当我在写希伯来书注解的时候,似乎有属天的电流通到我的笔,使我对圣经中的事有新的异象。圣经在地上已经有许多世纪,但很少基督徒看见我们今天所看见的。我们比他们聪明么?不,我们所看见的,乃是属天执事代求的结果。这就是为甚么我们所尽的职事,与今天的宗教截然不同。我若扣住不说主在我里面所给我看见的、和祂在我里面所作的,我一定会爆炸。我必须把主的属天职事,告诉祂的子民。我看见了主的君尊祭司职分,我知道祂在为我们代求,也正在供应我们。我们有这样一位属天的执事,祂的职任乃是更超特的职任。
9I have the full assurance that the heavenly Minister is ministering on our behalf. Many times as I was writing the notes for the Recovery Version of Hebrews, the heavenly electricity came to my pen, and I had a new vision of the things in the Bible. Although the Bible has been on earth for centuries, few Christians, if any, have seen the things that we are seeing today. Are we smarter than they are? No. What we see is the result of the intercession of the heavenly Minister. This is why what we are ministering is absolutely different from what is found in today’s religion. If I withheld what the Lord has been showing me and doing within me, I would explode. I must tell the Lord’sp eople of His heavenly ministry. I have seen the Lord’s kingly priesthood and I know that the Lord is interceding for us and ministering to us. We have such a heavenly Minister with a more excellent ministry
壹 属天的执事
I. A HEAVENLY MINISTER
一 坐在诸天之上至尊至大者宝座上的大祭司
A. A High Priest Sitting on the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens
10希伯来八章一节说,我们有一位『大祭司,祂已经坐在诸天之上至尊至大者宝座的右边』。这就是属天的基督,君尊、神圣的大祭司,也就是我们今天的麦基洗德。我们的大祭司今天不是站在地上完成救赎的工作;祂乃是坐在诸天之上至尊至大者的宝座上。祂坐在那里,指明祂已经完成了救赎之工,现今在诸天之上神格之威荣的荣耀里,为祂所救赎的人安然的代求,使他们得以完全。这不是亚伦祭司职分的工作,乃是君尊、神圣祭司职分的职任。基督今天不是站在地上的亚伦,乃是坐在诸天之上,甚至坐在神宝座上,带著神圣威荣的麦基洗德。二在那联于我们灵的
10Hebrews 8:1 says that we have a “High Priest, Who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” This is the heavenly Christ, the kingly and divine High Priest, our today’s Melchisedec. Our High Priest today is not standing on earth to accomplish the work of redemption; He is sitting on the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. His sitting there indicates that the work of redemption has been accomplished by Him, that He is now in glory in the majesty of the Godhead in the heavens, and that He is interceding restfully for the perfecting of His redeemed ones. This is not the work of the Aaronic priesthood but the ministry of the kingly and divine priesthood. He is not our Aaron standing on earth but our Melchisedec sitting in the heavens, even on the throne of God with the divine majesty. B. Ministering in the True Tabernacle in Heaven
天上真帐幕里供职
Joined to Our Spirit
11在神的经纶里,有三样东西总是联在一起,就是帐幕(或圣所),祭司职分和律法。这三样联在一起乃是一个,为著完成神的经纶。在旧约时期,没有人能把这三样东西彼此分开;今天也是这样。我们有圣所,既在天上又在我们灵里;有祭司的职分;也有更美的生命之律。我们今天所享受的圣所、祭司职分和律法,比旧的圣所、祭司职分和律法更美。这些旧事不过是影儿。我们今天所享受的这些新的项目,乃是影儿的实际。
11In God’secon o my three things are always combined: the tabernacle, or the sanctuary, the priesthood, and the law. These three things, which are one, are combined for the fulfillment of God’secon o my. During the time of the Old Testament, no one could separate these three things from each other. It is the same today. We have the sanctuary, which is both in heaven and in our spirit, the priesthood, and the better law of life. The sanctuary, priesthood, and law that we enjoy today are much better than the old sanctuary, priesthood, and law. Those old things were merely a shadow. These new items, which we are enjoying today, are the reality of the shadow
12八章二节说,基督『作了圣所,就是真帐幕的执事;这帐幕是主所支的,不是人所支的』。基督在那联于我们灵的天上真帐幕里供职。基督在诸天之上作大祭司,带我们进入了天,就是从地上的外院进入天上的至圣所,这至圣所乃是藉著祂作天梯(创二八12,约一51)与我们的灵相联。地上的祭司所事奉的乃是影儿,(来八5,)但这天上的执事所事奉的乃是实际。旧约祭司在地上所作的一切,都是那要来真事的影儿。他们在地上所作的工作,一无所成。他们在地上所作的,只是事奉实际的影儿;但这位新约在天上的执事,所作的一切都是实际。祂在天上更超特的职任所事奉的,乃是在神圣经纶中属天事物的实际。
12Hebrews 8:2 says that Christ is a “Minister of the holy places, even of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.” Christ ministers in the true tabernacle in heaven which is joined to our spirit. As our High Priest in the heavens, Christ brings us into heaven, from the earthly court into the heavenly Holy of Holies, which is joined to our spirit by Him as the heavenly ladder Gen. 28:12; John 1:51). The priests on earth served the shadow (Heb. 8:5), but this Minister in heaven serves the reality. Whatever was done by the priests on earth in the Old Testament was a shadow of the real things to come. Their work on earth did not accomplish anything. What they did on earth only served a shadow of the reality, but whatever this Minister ministers in heaven in the New Testament is the reality. His more excellent ministry in heaven serves the reality of the heavenly things in the divine dispensation
贰 更超特的职任
II. A MORE EXCELLENT MINISTRY
13旧约中地上祭司的职任虽好,但新约中我们的大祭司基督,在天上的职任却更超特。更超特的原因,在于以下各点:
13The ministry of the priests on earth in the Old Testament was good, but the ministry of Christ, our High Priest, in heaven in the New Testament is more excellent. It is more excellent in the following aspects
一 作那基于更美应许所立定为法之更美之约的中保
A. As the Mediator of a Better Covenant Enacted upon Better Promises
1 中保
1. The Mediator
14在今天这祭司职分里,我们有一位在神与我们之间的人作为中保。这位中保又是执行者,来执行遗嘱,执行遗命。基督这位中保,是在复活里新约(新遗命)的执行者,这新遗命是藉祂的死遗赠给我们的。
14In this priesthood today we have a Mediator, a man who goes between God and us. This Mediator is also the Executor, the One who executes the will, the testament. Christ, as the Mediator, is the Executor in resurrection of the new covenant, the new testament, which He bequeathed to us by His death
2 更美之约
2. A Better Covenant
15基督为我们所立定为法,并遗赠给我们的约,就是新遗命,乃是更美之约。这更美之约不仅是凭更美之律法(内里生命的律法─10~12)的更美应许立定为法的,也是藉著基督更美的祭物,(九23,)和基督更美的血而完成的;更美的祭物为我们成就了永远的救赎,(12,)更美的血洁净了我们的良心。(14。)不仅如此,这更美之约的大祭司,活神永远的儿子,也在更大、更全备的帐幕里,(11,)尽更超特的职任。(八6。)
15The covenant which was enacted for us and bequeathed to us as the new testament by Christ is a better covenant. Not only has this better covenant been enacted upon better promises of a better law, the inner law of life (8:1 0-1 2), but it also was consummated with Christ’s better sacrifices (9:2 3), which have accomplished for us eternal redemption (9:12), and with the better blood of Christ, which purifies our conscience (9:14). As the High Priest of this better covenant, Christ, the eternal Son of the living God, ministers with the more excellent ministry (8:6) in the greater and more perfect tabernacle (9:11).
3 更美的应许
3. Better Promises
16这更美的约,是凭更美的应许立定为法的。(6。)这更美的应许,是在耶利米三十一章三十一至三十四节所赐,而在希伯来八章八至十二节和十章十六至十七节所引用的,说到两件事,就是赦罪和生命的律。在旧约里没有赦罪,只有遮罪。在新约里,我们不仅是罪得遮盖,更是罪得赦免。在新约里,今天我们也有生命的律,而不是有字句的律法。
16This better covenant has been enacted upon better promises (8:6). The better promises, which are given in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and quoted in 8:8-12 and 10:16-17, are of two things—the forgiveness of sins and the law of life. Under the old covenant there was no forgiveness of sins, only the covering of sins. In the new covenant we do not have just the covering of sins but the forgiveness of sins. In the new covenant today we also have the law of life, not the law of letters
二 完成更美的约
B. To Carry Out the Better Covenant
1 使新约的事实生效
1. Making the Facts in the New Covenant Effective
17基督这位有更超特职任的属天执事,来实施更美的约。祂乃是藉著使新约的事实生效,而实施更美之约。以后我们要看见,新约里每一个事实,乃是藉著这位有更超特职任的属天执事,而能一一生效。
17As our heavenly Minister with a more excellent ministry, Christ carries out the better covenant. He does this by making the facts of the new covenant effective. As we shall see later, every fact in the new covenant is made effective by the heavenly Minister with His more excellent ministry
2 执行新约里的遗赠
2. Executing the Bequests in the New Testament
18基督这属天的执事,执行新约里的遗赠。凡在约里的事实,都是遗命里的遗赠。事实与遗赠有甚么分别?事实就是指一些已成就的事,但还没指定要遗赠给人。已成就的事实一旦遗赠给人,就立即成为指定给我们的遗赠。约和遗命之间的分别乃是:在约里的一切都是事实,而在遗命里的一切都是遗赠。从前在约里的事实,如今在遗嘱里、在遗命里,成为给我们的法定遗赠。新约里有四个事实,现在都成为新遗命里给我们的遗赠:不义得了宽恕,罪得了赦免;生命之律的分赐;得著神为福分,以及作祂子民的福分;内里认识主的能力。在以下各篇信息中,我们要更清楚的来看这些项目。
18Christ, the heavenly Minister, executes the bequests in the New Testament. Whatever is a fact in the covenant is a bequest in the testament. What is the difference between facts and bequests? Facts refer to certain things that have been accomplished but which are not yet designated until they are bequeathed. After the accomplished facts have been bequeathed, they immediately become bequests designated for us. This is the difference between a covenant and a testament: whatever is in a covenant is a fact, but whatever is in a testament is a bequest. What were facts in the covenant have now become legally designated for us as bequests in the will, in the testament. There are four facts of the new covenant which have all become bequests in the new testament: the propitiation for unrighteousnesses and forgiveness of sins; the imparting of the law of life; the blessing of having God and of being His people; and the inward ability of knowing the Lord. We shall see all of these items more clearly in the following messages