Hebrews 8 – Overcome the Past and Live Out the Goodness 希伯來書 8 – 超越过去活出美好
Friday, 7th April 2023
星期五 2023年4月7日
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
潘锡安牧师
Jesus knew what He needed, not for God to hear His prayer and fulfil His needs, but for God’s Will to be done. Jesus was humble, He didn’t argue with God, He didn’t fight against God, He admitted His weakness as a man and asked God for strength. Can we also learn from Jesus, to stop asking ‘why’, to stop arguing with God, and to simply ask for God’s strength. We are selfish beings, we often want to fight for our right, we try to look for things that fulfil our own will, but when we do this, we are the ones, who will suffer, and we will also hurt those around us. We don’t know we are hurting ourselves and others, we don’t know how poor we are! God is talking to us through Hebrews 8 today, He wants to take us to overcome all our fears, and to experience His Goodness.
耶稣知道祂需要什么，不是为了让父神听到祂的祈祷和满足祂的需要，而是为了完成神的旨意。耶稣的谦卑就是，不与神争辩，不与神对抗，祂承认自己作为人的软弱，并向神求力量。我们是否也可以向耶稣学习，停止问“为什么”，停止与神争论，而只求神的力量。我们是自私的人，我们常常想争取自己的权利，我们试图寻找满足自己欲望的东西，但是当我们这样做的时候，我们才是受苦的人，我们也会伤害我们周围的人。我们不知道我们在伤害自己和他人，我们不知道我们有多贫穷！神今天通过希伯来书 8 章对我们说话，祂要带我们克服所有的恐惧，体验祂的良善。
The Jewish people at the time was living in a foreign society, full of idol-worship, full of greed, full of adultery, full of confusion, and full of sinful things. The churches were not easy facing all these temptations, people did not have full understanding of the salvation, they worshiped God but they also worshiped angels. There were many mysterious things happening around the churches, and they were confused, they called themselves Christians but the things they did were not pleasing to God. Today, we also live in a world full of temptations. So how can we overcome? We are so afraid of losing, we are so afraid of lacking, because we cannot trust anyone, we cannot trust God, we don’t believe God is real. We think that Jesus was only one of the saints, we take Jesus’ resurrection as a knowledge, instead of a truth that relates deeply to us.
当时的犹太人生活在异乡社会，充满了偶像崇拜，充满了贪婪，充满了奸淫，充满了迷惑，充满了罪恶的东西。面对这一切的试探，教会并不容易，人们对救恩没有充分的认识，他们敬拜神，但也敬拜天使。教会周围发生了许多神秘的事情，他们很困惑，他们自称为基督徒，但他们所做的事并不讨神喜悦。今天，我们也生活在一个充满诱惑的世界。那我们怎样才能克服呢？我们是如此害怕失去，我们如此害怕缺乏，因为我们不能相信任何人，我们不能相信神，我们不相信神是真实的。我们认为耶稣只是圣徒之一，我们把耶稣的复活当作一种知识，而不是一种与我们有深刻关系的真理。
Through Hebrews 8, God wants to talk to us, teach us how to overcome the past, everything we think is important, our money, our power, our ‘rights’… how can we overcome it and live our God’s Goodness?
通过希伯来书 8 章，神想要与我们说话，教导我们如何克服过去，我们认为重要的一切，我们的金钱、我们的权力、我们的“权利”……我们如何才能克服它并活出美好？
Section One V1-6 The Better High Priest 更美的大祭司
V1-2 ‘Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.’
V1-2 ‘我们所讲的事，其中第一要紧的，就是我们有这样的大祭司，已经坐在天上至大者的宝座右边，在圣所，就是真帐幕里做执事。这帐幕是主所支的，不是人所支的。’
This is the most important thing, the first priority, is that we have a High Priest seated at the right side of God. God’s right side is the side of blessings, He reaches out His right hand to bless us, and our High Priest is going to bless us. He sits in the throne of heaven, in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle, which is established by God.
这是最重要的事情，第一要务，就是我们有一位坐在神右边的大祭司。神的右边是祝福的一边，祂伸出右手祝福我们，我们的大祭司要祝福我们。祂坐在天上的宝座上，在神所设立的圣所和真帐幕里。
V3-6 ‘For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore 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 the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.’
V3-6 ‘凡大祭司都是为献礼物和祭物设立的，所以这位大祭司也必须有所献的。他若在地上，必不得为祭司，因为已经有照律法献礼物的祭司。 他们供奉的事本是天上事的形状和影像，正如摩西将要造帐幕的时候，蒙神警戒他，说：“你要谨慎，做各样的物件都要照着在山上指示你的样式。” 如今耶稣所得的职任是更美的，正如他做更美之约的中保。这约原是凭更美之应许立的。’
Jesus was the High Priest, who does not follow the world, but only offer the gifts of Heaven. We like to follow the world and offer what we think is better to God, we like to offer in our own time and according to our own will. We say, ‘we will offer to God when we have enough money’, ‘we will help others when we sort out ourselves’, ‘we will serve others when we become better’… we have so many excuses, we see what the world sees us, which is limited and lacking. But we didn’t see how God has already given us the strength and authority, and how God sees us as very good.
耶稣是大祭司，祂不随从世界，只献上天国的恩赐。我们喜欢跟随世界，把我们认为更好的东西献给神，我们喜欢在自己的时间按照自己的意愿奉献。我们说，‘有钱了就奉献给上帝’，‘整理好自己得事才去帮助别人’，‘自己变得更好了再为别人服务’……我们有那么多借口，我们看世界看到我们有限和缺乏的。但是我们没有看到神已经把力量权柄给了我们，神看我们是好的。
Eve did not see this and therefore she tried to eat the fruits of the Tree of Good and Evil, because she thought this would help her to be a better person, to know right from wrong. But God does not want us to build His sanctuary according to the world’s values or our own values, we don’t need to strive to be a better person, but only to seek His Will. Everyday God has given us His Word, which is fresh and only for us, when we humble ourselves, when we deny ourselves, when we put down our own right, and when we are willing to follow, then we will know God’s Will and we can follow God’s Will easily and joyfully.
夏娃没有看到这一点，因此她尝试吃善恶树的果实，因为她认为这会帮助她成为一个更好的人，知道是非。但神不希望我们按照世界的价值观或我们自己的价值观来建造祂的圣所，我们不需要努力成为一个更好的人，而只是寻求祂的旨意。每天神都赐给我们话语，是新鲜的，只为我们而设，当我们谦卑自己，当我们舍己，当我们放下自己的权利，当我们愿意跟随时，我们就会知道神的旨意，我们可以轻松愉快地遵循神的旨意。
Section Two V7-13 The Better Covenant 更美之约
V7-9 ‘For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “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.’
V7-9 ‘那前约若没有瑕疵，就无处寻求后约了。所以主指责他的百姓说：日子将到，我要与以色列家和犹大家另立新约，不像我拉着他们祖宗的手，领他们出埃及的时候，与他们所立的约。因为他们不恒心守我的约，我也不理他们。这是主说的。’
Why did God give the laws to the Israelites in the first place? Because the Israelites though what they did was right, they thought they were on the right track, and therefore God gave them the laws to redirect them from their wicked ways. Jacob knew it was wrong to stay in Egypt, he even asked his children to bring his ashes back to Canaan, every year, the Israelites had the opportunity to leave Egypt and went back home, but for 400 years they chose to stay in Egypt as slaves. Therefore God established laws and made a covenant with them, to pull them out of Egypt, and to hurry them out of the land of slavery.
为什么神首先将律法赐给以色列人？因为以色列人虽然他们所做的是对的，但他们认为自己走在正确的道路上，因此神赐给他们律法，使他们脱离邪恶的道路。雅各知道留在埃及是错误的，他甚至让他的孩子们把他的骨灰带回迦南，以色列人每年都有机会离开埃及回家，但400年来他们选择留在埃及，成为奴隶。所以神立律法，与他们立约，要把他们从埃及领出来，拉他们出为奴之地。
V10-13 ‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 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.’
V10-13 ‘主又说：“那些日子以后，我与以色列家所立的约乃是这样：我要将我的律法放在他们里面，写在他们心上；我要做他们的神，他们要做我的子民。 他们不用各人教导自己的乡邻和自己的弟兄说：‘你该认识主’，因为他们从最小的到至大的，都必认识我。 我要宽恕他们的不义，不再记念他们的罪愆。” 既说新约，就以前约为旧了；但那渐旧渐衰的，就必快归无有了。’
When the people continued to sin, then God established the priests, to make offering for people, to give sacrifice for people’s sins, because God wants us to fully rely on Him and top stop relying on ourselves. Yet people continued to act in their wickedness, they did not see God was helping them, instead, they thought God was using the laws to bind them and to restrict them. Therefore Jesus came to complete the laws, He lived on this earth as the Tree of Life, He did not uplift Himself but humbly follow every instruction from God. Jesus even obeyed His authority on the earth, and was willing to put down His ‘right’. Jesus had the favours of God and of men, He set us the best example for us, to live on the world as it is in Heaven.
当人们继续犯罪时，神设立了祭司，为人们的罪献上祭物，因为神要我们完全依靠祂，而不是依靠我们自己。可是人却继续作恶，他们没有看到神在帮助他们，还以为神是在用律法来捆绑、限制他们。因此，耶稣来完成律法，祂作为生命树生活在这个地球上，没有抬高自己，而是谦卑地遵循父神的每一个指示。耶稣甚至服从祂在地上的权柄，愿意放下祂的“权利”。耶稣得到了神和人的恩宠，为我们树立了最好的榜样，让我们学习如何活在地上，就像在天山一样。
Do we also have the favours of God and of people? Do we build up a good relationship with God and with people? Jesus has shown us how it is done, He put down His own identity as the Son of God, but to live out the righteousness as a man. He was humbled and let John the Baptist to baptize Him, He did not need to prove Himself, He did not need people to praise Him, but by simply obeying the Father, the Heaven was open for Him, and everyone heard God calling Jesus His Son. Jesus never worried if people recognize Him or not. Do we also believe and know our identity? We don’t need to worry about how people see us, God has given us a better covenant, and we must keep this covenant.
我们是否也有神的恩宠和人的恩宠？我们是否与神和人建立了良好的关系？耶稣已经向我们示范了祂是如何做到的，祂放下了自己作为神儿子的身份，成为完全的人活出公义。祂谦卑自己，让施洗约翰为祂施洗，祂不需要证明自己，不需要人赞美他，只要顺服天父，天就为祂打开，人人都听到神称耶稣为祂的儿子。耶稣从不担心人们是否认出祂是谁。我们是否也相信并知道我们的身份？我们不需要担心别人怎么看我们，神给了我们一个更好的约，我们要遵守这个约。
How to keep the better covenant? To stop complaining to God, and to start seeing God’s Way is the better way. Otherwise, we will continue to walk in the worldly way, by our own knowledge, our own values, our own strength, our own connection, and in the end, continue to live in slavery. The better covenant brought by Jesus was for us to engrave in our hearts, for Him to be our God and we can be His people. Jesus is love, He died for us and resurrected for us, He showed love to His disciples and His followers before He went on the cross and even after He was resurrected, He continued to teach them to humble and after He went to Heaven, He sent down the Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us.
如何遵守更美之约？停止向神抱怨，开始看到神的道路是更好的。否则，我们将继续走在世俗的道路上，凭借我们自己的知识、我们自己的价值观、我们自己的力量、我们自己的关系，最后继续活在奴役中。耶稣带来的更美之约是要我们铭记在心，让神作我们的神，我们可以作祂的子民。耶稣就是爱，祂为我们死，为我们复活，在祂上十字架之前，甚至在祂复活之后，都向祂的门徒和祂的追随者表达了爱，祂继续教导他们谦卑，在祂升天之后，又差遣圣灵来引导我们，带领我们。
Let us allow the Holy Spirit to help us, to convict ourselves for sins, for righteousness, and for judgement. Why can’t we repent our sins? Because we don’t have the love for God and for people, and we need this love, which is the better covenant engraved in our hearts. The first covenant is still there, but it will gradually vanish when we come to know that we are sinners, we are lacking, we are in need and we must rely on God. Slowly the old covenant will fade away in our lives, we will no longer praise ourselves, and we will no longer focus on ourselves.
让我们让圣灵帮助我们，为罪、公义和审判认罪。为什么我们不能悔改我们的罪？因为我们没有对神对人的爱，我们需要这种爱，就是刻在我们心里的更美之约。前约还在，但当我们知道自己是罪人，我们是缺乏的，我们是需要的，我们必须依靠神时，它就会逐渐消失。慢慢地，旧约会在我们的生命中淡去，我们不会再高举自己，也不会再以自己为中心。
Why are there so many problems in our society? Because it teaches us to look for problems, to ask questions and to fight for the rights; however God told us to read His Word everyday, to surrender before God, when we don’t understand, continue to seek God, and believe that when God wants us to understand He eventually will. Jesus never fought against God, let us learn from Him, to only seek the better covenant, and to live out the lives of goodness.
为什么我们的社会会出现这么多问题？因为它教会我们寻找问题、提出问题和争取权利；然而神告诉我们要每天阅读祂的话语，在神面前降服，当我们不理解时，继续寻求神，并相信当神要我们理解时，祂最终会使我们理解。耶稣从不与神争斗，所以让我们向祂学习，只求更美的约，过美好的生活。