893 英翻中 (593) HE IS GREATER THAN AARON THE HIGH PRIEST. 比大祭司亞倫更大. 11/01/2024

893 英翻中 (593)  HE IS GREATER THAN AARON THE HIGH PRIEST.  比大祭司亞倫更大.   11/01/2024

Chapt. 4      GREATER THAN AARON THE HIGH PRIEST       Hebrews 4:14—5:10                  第四章 4      比大祭司亞倫更大                                                         希伯來書 4:14—5:10

Moses did not lead the people of Israel into the promised rest; in fact, he himself was forbidden to enter the land. Joshua led them into their physical rest, but not into the promised spiritual rest  (see Heb. 4:8). But what about Aaron, the first high priest? Is it possible that the Aaronic priesthood, with all of its sacrifices and ceremonies, could bring a troubled soul into rest?              摩西沒有帶領以色列人進入所應許的安息地；事實上，他本人也沒有進入這地。約書亞帶領他們進入體的安息地，但沒有進入應許的屬靈安息（見  希伯來書 4:8）。但是首位大祭司亞倫呢？  亞倫的祭司有沒有可能通過所有的祭祀和禮儀，讓陷入困境的他的靈魂得到安息呢？

The Hebrew Christians who received this letter were sorely tempted to return to the religion of their fathers. After all, any Jew could travel to Jerusalem and see the temple and the priests ministering at the altar. Here was something real, visible, concrete. When a person is going through persecution, as these Hebrew Christians were, it is much easier to walk by sight than by faith. Some of us have doubted the Lord under much less provocation than these people were enduring.                                                                                                                                                    收到這封信的希伯來基督徒非常想回歸他們祖先的宗教。全然，任何猶太人都可以前往耶路撒冷，看到聖殿和祭壇前祭司行他的職事。這是真實的、可見的、具體的事。當人正在遭受迫害時，就像這些希伯來基督徒一樣，行事為人，憑眼見比憑信心容易得多。一些在我們中間的人，比這些人在忍受挑釁的情況下者，對主的懷疑要少得多。

The central theme of Hebrews is the priesthood of Jesus Christ, what He is now doing in heaven on behalf of His people. Is the high priestly ministry of Christ superior to that of Aaron and his successors? Yes, it is, and the writer proves his assertion by presenting four arguments.                 希伯來書的中心主題是耶穌基督的祭司職分，祂如今在天上為祂的子民的作為。基督的大祭司職事是否優於亞倫和他的繼任者？  是的，完全對，作者通過提出四個論點來證明他的觀點。

1.  Jesus Christ Has a Superior Title (Heb. 4:14–16)                                                                              1.  耶穌基督有更高的尊榮（希伯來書  4:14-16）

“Seeing then that we have a GREAT High Priest” (Heb. 4:14, emphasis mine). Aaron was a “high priest,” but Jesus Christ is the GREAT High Priest. No Old Testament priest could assume that title. But in what does our Lord’s greatness consist?                                                                         “既然看到我們有位尊榮偉大的大祭司”（希伯來書  4:14，重點是 “我的”）。亞倫過去是“大祭司”，但現在耶穌基督是尊榮偉大的大祭司。沒有舊約的祭司可以承擔這個頭銜。但我們主何以稱為偉大尊榮呢？

To begin with, Jesus Christ is both God and Man. He is “Jesus, the Son of God.” The name “Jesus” means “Savior” and identifies His humanity and His ministry on earth. “Son of God” affirms His deity and the fact that He is God. In His unique person, Jesus Christ unites Deity and humanity, so that He can bring people to God and bring to people all that God has for them.       首先，耶穌基督既是完全的上帝又是完全的人。祂是“耶穌，上帝的兒子”。 “耶穌”這名字是“救主” 的意思，表明祂的人性和在地上的職事。 “上帝的兒子”肯定了祂的神性和是子上帝的事實。耶穌基督在祂獨特的位格中將神性和人性結合在一起，以便祂能夠將人帶到上帝面前，並將上帝為他們所有的作為帶給人。

Not only in His person, but also in His position Jesus Christ is great. Aaron and his successors ministered in the tabernacle and temple precincts, once a year entering the Holy of Holies. But Jesus Christ has “passed through the heavens” (Heb. 4:14, literal translation). When He ascended to the Father, Jesus Christ passed through the atmospheric heavens and the planetary heavens into the third heaven where God dwells (2 Cor. 12:2). How much better is it to have a High Priest who ministers in a heavenly tabernacle than in an earthly one! But there is another aspect to Christ’s position: not only is He in heaven, but He is enthroned. His throne is “the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16). The mercy seat on the ark of the covenant was God’s throne in Israel (Ex. 25:17–22), but it could never be called “a throne of grace.” Grace does not veil itself from the people. Grace does not hide itself in a tent.                                                                                           不僅在耶穌基督的人性，而且在祂的位格上，祂都是偉大的。亞倫和他的繼任者在會幕和聖殿領域的事奉，每年一次進入至聖所。但是耶穌基督已經“經過諸高天”（希伯來書  4:14，直譯）。祂他升入高天到父上帝那裡時，耶穌基督穿過大氣層的諸天和行星的諸天，進入了上帝居住的第三層天（哥林多後書  12:2）。在天上的帳幕裡事奉的大祭司比在地上的帳幕裡服事要更美得多！但基督的地位還有另一方面：不僅耶穌在天上，而且還祂坐在寶座上。祂的寶座是“施恩寶座”（希伯來書   4:16）。  約櫃上的施恩座是上帝在以色列的寶座（出埃及記   25:17-22），但它永遠不能稱為“施恩的寶座”。因為恩典不能向人隱瞞自己。恩典不會把自己藏在帳幕裡。

Furthermore, the common people were not permitted to enter the holy precincts of the tabernacle and the temple, and the priests got only as far as the veil. The high priest alone went beyond the veil, and only on the day of Atonement (Lev. 16). But every believer in Christ is invited, and is even encouraged, to “come boldly unto the throne of grace”! What a great throne it is because our Great High Priest is ministering there.                                                                                                   此外，平民不得進入會幕和聖殿的神聖區域，祭司只能到達幔子。只有在贖罪日（利未記 16 章），大祭司才獨自穿過幔子。但每一個在基督裡的信徒都被邀請，甚至被鼓勵“勇敢地來到主的施恩的寶座前”！這是多麼偉大的寶座，因為我們的大祭司正在那裡事奉。

Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, is enthroned in heaven. Something else makes Him great: He is ministering mercy and grace to those who come for help. Mercy means that God does not give us what we do deserve; grace means that He gives us what we do not deserve. No Old Testament high priest could minister mercy and grace in quite the same way. When an Israelite was tempted, he could not easily run to the high priest for help, and he certainly could not enter the Holy of Holies for God’s help. But as believers in Jesus Christ, we can run to our High Priest at any time, in any circumstance, and find the help that we need.                                                                           耶穌基督，我們的偉大尊榮大祭司，在天上登寶座。還有一些事使祂變得偉大：祂正在為那些前來尋求幫助的人，提供憐憫和恩典。 “憐憫” 的意思是上帝賜予我們不應得的； “恩典” 是祂賜給我們不配得的。沒有任何舊約大祭司能以完全相同的方式提供憐憫和恩典。以色列人受試探時，不能輕易跑到大祭司那裡求助，更不能進入至聖所尋求上帝的憐憫和恩典。但作為耶穌基督的信徒，可以在任何時間、任何情況下跑到我們的大祭司那裡，尋求需要的幫助。

Now because of the superiority of Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest, over Aaron, two important conclusions can be drawn. First, there is no need in giving up our profession just because we are going through testing and trial (Heb. 4:14). The word translated “profession” means “confession.” These Hebrew Christians were tempted to give up their confession of faith in Christ and their confidence in Him (see Heb. 3:6, 14). It was not a matter of giving up their salvation, since salvation through Christ is eternal (Heb. 5:9). It was a matter of their public confession of faith. By returning to the Old Testament system, they would be telling everyone that they had no faith in Christ (see Gal. 2:11–21). This kind of unbelief would only bring reproach to Christ’s name.                                                                                                                                                           現在，由於大祭司耶穌基督優越於亞倫，因此可以得出兩個重要結論。首先，沒有必要因為正在經歷的考驗和試煉，而放棄我們的 “認罪”（希伯來書 4:14）。“認罪” 可譯成為“悔改”。希伯來基督徒因受誘惑而放棄對基督信仰的告白，和對祂的信任（見  希伯來書 3:6、14）。這不是放棄他們的救恩的問題，因為藉由基督的救恩是永恆的（希伯來書5:9）。這是他們對基督信心的公開認罪的事。通過回到舊約傳統宗教體系，他們每個人會承認不相信基督（見  加拉太書  2:11-21）。這種的不信只會使基督的名受羞辱。

After all, the great purpose of salvation is the glory of God (see Eph. 1:6, 12, 14). It was the glory of God that so concerned Moses when Israel broke God’s law and made the golden calf (Ex. 32). God offered to destroy the nation and to begin a new one from Moses, but Moses refused the offer. Instead Moses interceded for Israel on the basis of God’s glory and God’s promise, and God spared the people, even though He disciplined them for their sin (Ex. 32:11–13).                             全然，救恩是以榮耀上帝的偉大為目標（見  弗 1:6、12、14）。當以色列人違反上帝的律法，並製造金牛犢抵制摩西如此關注上帝的榮耀（出埃及記  32章）。斯時，上帝提出要毀滅這國家，並從摩西開始建造新的國家，但摩西拒絕這提議。儘管上帝因他們的罪而管教他們，相反，摩西根據祂的榮耀和應許為以色列代求，上帝寬恕以色列國（出埃及記  32:11-13）。

The second conclusion is this: there is no need to go back because we can come boldly into the presence of God and get the help we need (Heb. 4:16). No trial is too great, no temptation is too strong, but that Jesus Christ can give us the mercy and grace that we need, when we need it. “But He is so far away!” we may argue. “And He is the perfect Son of God! What can He know about the problems of weak sinners like us?”                                                                                                 第二個結論是：沒有必要回到舊約傳統宗教體系，因為我們可以大膽地來到上帝的施恩寶座前，得憐憫和幫助（希伯來書  4:16）。沒有考驗會太大，沒有誘惑會太強，但耶穌基督可以在我們需要的時候，賜給我們所需的憐憫和恩典。我們會爭論說，“可是耶穌離得那麼遠！ 而且祂是這樣完美的上帝之子！ 對我們這些軟弱罪人的問題怎麼會了解呢？”

But that is a part of His greatness! When He was ministering on earth in a human body, He experienced all that we experience, and even more. After all, a sinless person would feel temptations and trials in a much greater way than you and I could ever feel them. Christ was tempted, yet He did not sin, and He is able to help us when we are tempted. If we fail to hold fast our confession, we are not proving that Jesus Christ has failed. We are only telling the world that we failed to draw on His grace and mercy when it was freely available to us.                                   但這也就是耶穌偉大之處！當祂道成肉身在地上服侍時，經歷了我們所經歷的一切，甚至更多。畢竟，無罪的人子耶穌會以比你我對誘惑和考驗所能感受到的方式更大。基督受試探，然而祂不是犯罪，當我們受試探時，祂能夠幫助我們。如果我們不能堅持向祂認罪，我們就不能證明耶穌基督的應許已經不應驗。只是在告訴世界，當我們可以白白獲得祂的恩典和憐憫時，却失敗未能及時去取用這恩典和憐憫。

2.  Jesus Christ Has a Superior Ordination (5:1, 4–6)                                                                          2.  耶穌基督受按立更高更美的職事（5:1, 4-6）

When I became pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in Covington, Kentucky, it was necessary for me to go to the city hall and be bonded. Otherwise, I would not have the authority to perform marriages. I had to show my ordination certificate and prove that I was indeed ministering at the church.                                                                                                                                                       當我成為肯塔基州科文頓城的骷髏地( Calvary) 浸信會牧師時，我有必要去市政廳豋記及聯繫。否則，我將無權在教會進行舉行婚姻証明的事。我必須出示我的按立證書，並證明我確實在教會事奉。

One day I received a frantic phone call from one of our members. Some Christian friends were being married the next day by a relative from Michigan, and they discovered that he was not authorized to perform the ceremony! Could I help them? The visiting pastor could read the ceremony as well as I could, and he knew the couple better than I did, but he lacked the authority to minister.                                                                                                                                                 有一天，接到我們教會裡一位同工的瘋狂電話。他說，第二天，有一些基督徒朋友在密歇根州的一位親戚家結婚，他們發現他沒有權柄來主持婚禮！  問我可以幫助他們嗎？ 訪問牧師和我一樣知道教會結婚禮儀，他比我更了解這對夫婦，但他沒有具備主持婚禮的權力。

No man could appoint himself as a priest, let alone as high priest. King Saul invaded the priesthood and lost his kingdom (1 Sam. 13). Korah and his fellow rebels tried to make themselves priests, and God judged them (Num. 16). When King Uzziah tried to enter the temple and burn incense, God smote him with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:16–21).                                                 沒有人可以按立自己為祭司，更別提大祭司了。掃羅王入侵了祭司的職事，就失去了他的王位（撒母耳記上   13 章）。可拉(Korah)和他的同夥反叛試圖讓自己成為祭司，上帝審判了他們（民數記  16 章）。當烏西雅(Uzziah)王試圖進入聖殿燒香時，上帝使他患上了麻風病（歷代記下  26:16-21）。

Aaron was chosen by God to be the high priest, and he was duly ordained and installed in office (Ex. 28). He was chosen from men to minister for men. His main task was at the altar: to offer the sacrifices God had appointed (see Heb. 8:3–4; 9:14). Unless the sacrifices were offered in the right place, by the right person, they were not accepted by God.                                                                 亞倫被上帝選為大祭司，他正式受按立，並就職（出埃及記  28 章）。他是從人中選出來為人服務的。他主要的職事是在祭壇上： 為上帝所指定的祭物獻祭（見  希伯來書  8：3-4；9：14）。除非祭物是在適當的地方，由有權柄主持獻祭的人獻上，否則上帝不會接納的。

The very existence of a priesthood and a system of sacrifices gave evidence that man is estranged from God. It was an act of grace on God’s part that He instituted the whole Levitical system. Today, that system is fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus Christ. He is both the sacrifice and the High Priest who ministers to God’s people on the basis of His once-for-all offering on the cross.              祭司等次和獻祭制度的存在，本身就證明人與上帝疏遠了。上帝建立了整個利未人祭司系統，這是上帝的恩典。今天，這個系統在耶穌基督的職事中得以實現。祂既是祭物，又是大祭司，根據祂在十字架上一次性的獻祭，為上帝的子民贖罪。

The subject of ordination stated in Hebrews 5:1 is further developed in Hebrews 5:5–6. Jesus Christ did not appoint Himself as High Priest. He was appointed by God the Father. The quotation in Hebrews 5:5 is from Psalm 2:7. This psalm was already quoted in Hebrews 1:5 to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. But the emphasis in Hebrews 5:5 is on the priest[1]hood of Jesus Christ not on His deity. What significance, then, does this quotation have for the argument?                                                                                                                                     希伯來書 5章1節中提到按立的主題，在希伯來書 5章5-6兩節中得到進一步發展。耶穌基督並沒有按立自己為大祭司。祂是父上帝所按立的。希伯來書 5章5節中的引文，來自詩篇 2篇7節。希伯來書 1 章 5 節已經引用了這篇詩篇，以證明耶穌基督是上帝的兒子。但希伯來書 5章5節的重點是，耶穌基督的祭司身份，而不是祂的神性。那麼，這段引文經節對論證有什麼意義呢？

The answer to that question is in Acts 13:33–34, where the apostle Paul quoted Psalm 2:7 and explained what it means. The phrase, “Today have I begotten thee,” does not refer to the birth of Christ at Bethlehem, but to His resurrection from the dead. The Son of God was “begotten” into a glorious new life in His resurrection! He ascended to heaven in a glorified body to become our High Priest at the throne of grace. When Aaron was ordained to the priesthood, he offered the sacrifices of animals. But Jesus Christ, to become our High Priest, offered the sacrifice of Himself—and then arose from the dead!                                                                                                             問題的答案在使徒行傳 13章33-34兩中，使徒保羅引用了詩篇 2章7節，來解釋了該問題的意思。 “我今天生祢”這句話不是指基督在伯利恆的誕生，而是指祂從死裡復活講的。上帝的兒子在復活中“誕生”進入榮耀的新生命！祂以榮耀的身體升天，成為我們坐在施恩寶座上的大祭司。當亞倫受按立為祭司時，他獻上了動物為祭。但是耶穌基督為了成為我們的大祭司，先獻上了自己的生命   — 然後從死裡復活！

But God the Father not only said, “Thou art my Son” in Psalm 2:7; He also said, “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 5:6, quoted from Ps. 110:4). This psalm was also quoted earlier in Hebrews (1:13) to affirm Jesus Christ’s final victory over all His enemies. When Aaron was ordained, God did not speak directly to him and declare his priest[1]hood. But the Father did make this special declaration concerning His Son.                                                       但父上帝不僅在詩篇 2篇7節中說，“祢是我的兒子”；祂還說，“祢是照麥基洗德的等次永遠為祭司”（希伯來書  5:6，引自  詩篇 110:4）。希伯來書早些時候（1:13）也引用了這節詩篇，以肯定耶穌基督最終戰勝了祂所有的敵人。當亞倫被按立時，上帝並沒有直接對他說話，並宣布他的祭司身份。但是天父確實對祂的兒子做出了這特別的宣告。

Two factors make Christ’s priesthood unique and, therefore, His ordination greater. First, He is a High Priest forever. No Old Testament priest ministered for[1]ever, because each priest died and relinquished the office to his successor. The word forever is an important one in this epistle. At least six times the writer affirmed that Christ’s high priesthood is forever (Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21, 24, 28). And, since He is a Priest forever, He gives His people salvation forever (Heb. 7:23–28).有兩個因素使基督的祭司聖職是獨特的，因此，祂的按立更偉大。首先，祂是永遠的大祭司。舊約中沒有神職人員是永遠服事，因為每位神職人員都死了，並將職位交給了他的繼任者。永遠這個詞在這封書信中很重要。作者至少六次肯定基督的大祭司是永遠的（希伯來書 5:6；6:20；7:17、21、24、28）。而且，因為祂是永遠的祭司，永遠將救恩賜給祂的子民（希伯來書  7:23-28）。

The second factor that makes Christ’s ordination unique is that He belongs to a different order from the Old Testament priests. They belonged to the order of Aaron; He belongs to the order of Melchizedek. This is a key concept in Hebrews, so we must take time to examine and understand it.                                                                                                                                                                 使基督的按立獨特的第二個因素是祂屬於與舊約祭司不同的等次。他們是屬於亞倫的；而基督是屬於麥基洗德的等次。這是希伯來書中的關鍵概念，所以我們必須花時間來檢查和理解它。

Melchizedek is mentioned in only two places in the entire Old Testament—Genesis 14:17–24 and Psalm 110:4. His name means “King of Righteousness,” and he was also “King of Salem [peace].” But the fascinating thing about Melchizedek is that he was both a priest and a king! King Uzziah wanted to be both a priest and a king, and God judged him. Only in Jesus Christ and in pre-law Melchizedek were these two offices combined. Jesus Christ is a High Priest on a throne!               在整個舊約中，只在兩處提到麥基洗德，創世記 14章17-24等節和詩篇 110篇4節。他的名字的意思是“公義王”，同時也是“撒冷  ‘和平’  王”。但麥基洗德的獨特之處在於，他既是祭司又是君王！  烏西雅王既想當祭司又想當王，上帝就審判他。只有在耶穌基督和律法前的麥基洗德，對他們來說，這兩個職分才合二為一。耶穌基督是坐在寶座上的大祭司！

The reason Jesus Christ can be “a priest forever” is that He belongs to the “order of Melchizedek.” As far as the Old Testament record is concerned, Melchizedek did not die (see Heb. 7:1–3). Of course, because he was a real man, he did die at some time, but the record is not given to us. So Melchizedek becomes a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ who is a Priest forever.             耶穌基督之所以能成為“永遠的祭司”，是因為祂屬於“麥基洗德的等次”。就舊約聖經的記載而言，麥基洗德並沒有死（見  希伯來書 7：1-3）。當然，因為他是真正的人，他確實在某時候死了，但記錄沒有發表。所以麥基洗德成為我們主耶穌基督的圖像，他永遠是祭司。

But Melchizedek also pictures our Lord as a heavenly High Priest. Jesus Christ could never have served as a priest when He was on earth because He did not belong to the tribe of Levi. Jesus was born of the seed of David, the tribe of Judah. He became the sacrifice on earth that He might become the High Priest in heaven. All of these truths will be developed in Hebrews 7—10, but they are introduced here.                                                                                                                         但麥基洗德的圖像，也將我們的主描繪成天上的大祭司。耶穌基督在世時永遠不可能擔任祭司，因為祂不屬於利未支派。耶穌是猶大支派大衛的後裔。祂成為地上的祭物，好成為天上的大祭司。所有這些真理都將在希伯來書 7-10 等章中述說，但在此僅僅介紹。