第七章

¹⁶ 他成了祭司，不是按著律法上肉身的條例，卻是按著不能毀壞的生命的大能。 ¹⁷ 因為有為他作證的說：「你永遠作祭司，是照著麥基洗德的體系。」 ¹⁸ 一方面，從前的條例因為軟弱，沒有用處，就廢棄了； ¹⁹ （因為律法從來沒有使甚麼得到完全，）另一方面，它卻帶來了更美的盼望，藉著這盼望，我們就可以親近神。

²²   耶穌既然是用誓言立的，就成了更美好的約的保證。 ²³   一方面，從前那些作祭司的，因為受死亡的限制，不能長久留任，所以人數眾多。 ²⁴   另一方面，因為耶穌是永遠長存的，就擁有他永不更改的祭司職位。 ²⁵   因此，那些靠著他進到神面前的人，他都能拯救到底；因為他長遠活著，為他們代求。 ²⁶   這樣的一位大祭司，對我們本是合適的。他是聖潔、沒有邪惡、沒有玷污、從罪人中分別出來、高過眾天的。 ²⁷   他不必像那些大祭司，天天先為自己的罪獻祭，然後為人民的罪獻祭；因為他獻上了自己，就把這事一次而永遠的成全了。 ²⁸   律法所立的大祭司，都是軟弱的人；可是在律法以後，用誓言所立的兒子，卻是成為完全直到永遠的。

 

思想

1.  「祭司」這個字拉丁文的意思是「築橋者」。在神與我們中間，有個無法跨越的鴻溝，耶穌成了我們的大祭司，就是為人築橋，使我們可以來到神面前。
2. 基督永遠為祭司對我們的意義，就是神向我們保證，藉著耶穌基督從死裡復活成為我們的大祭司，完成了神拯救的計劃，為我們「帶來了更美的盼望……我們就可以親近神。」（19節）；這表明耶穌不單拯救我們脫離罪的刑罰，祂並且每一天都在不斷拯救我們脫離罪惡對我們的思想與行為的陰險掌控，耶穌是我們罪得赦免與生命更新的源頭。  我們只要藉著信心，將自己和所有一切都交託給這位完全的大祭司，祂必能保全我們所交託祂的，直到那日（提後1：12）。
3. 想像一下，耶穌是我的「祭司——築橋者」的圖像是怎樣的？我在那裡？神在那裡？ 耶穌在那裡？有什麼感想？將心中的感受告訴耶穌。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

CHAPTER 7

¹⁵ And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” ¹⁸ The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless ¹⁹ (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

²²Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.  ²³Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; ²⁴but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  ²⁶Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. ²⁷Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. ²⁸For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

MEDITATION

1. The word “priest” in Latin is pontifex, which means “bridge builder”.  There is an impassable gulf separating us from God.  Jesus Christ, being our High Priest, is the bridge builder from humans to God.
2. What does this permanent priesthood mean to us?  It is God’s promise to us that, through Jesus’ resurrection and His role as the High Priest, God’s plan for our salvation is complete and “a better hope is introduced, by which we are drawn near to God” (v19).  Note the phrase “save completely” (v25), which means that we are not only saved by Jesus from punishment for our sins, but also from sin’s insidious control of our thoughts and actions daily.  Jesus is the source of our forgiveness of sin and renewal of life.  All we need is to come to this perfect High priest in faith, and be “convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day”(2Tim 1:12).
3.  Visualize the image of Jesus as my “priest – the bridge builder”.  Where do I see myself, God, and Jesus in that picture?  How does that make me feel?  Share this feeling and thought with Jesus.

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the  “Spiritual Journal” book.