神的真正使者与祭司
希伯来书三章1至13节
1同蒙天召的圣洁弟兄阿,你们应当思想我们所认为使者、为大祭司的耶稣。
2他为那设立他的尽忠,如同摩西在神的全家尽忠一样。
3他比摩西算是更配多得荣耀,好像建造房屋的比房屋更尊荣;
4因为房屋都必有人建造,但建造万物的就是神。
5摩西为仆人,在神的全家诚然尽忠,为要证明将来必传说的事。
6但基督为儿子,治理神的家;我们若将可夸的盼望和胆量坚持到底,便是他的家了。
7圣灵有话说:你们今日若听他的话,
8就不可硬着心,像在旷野惹他发怒、试探他的时候一样。
9在那里,你们的祖宗试我探我,并且观看我的作为有四十年之久。
10所以,我厌烦那世代的人,说:他们心里常常迷糊,竟不晓得我的作为!
11我就在怒中起誓说;他们断不可进入我的安息。
12弟兄们,你们要谨慎,免得你们中间或有人存着不信的恶心,把永生神离弃了。
13总要趁着还有今日,天天彼此相劝,免得你们中间有人被罪迷惑,心里就刚硬了。
信息分享
犹太人非常尊重颁布律法的摩西,很难想像会有另一个人能超越他。然而,希伯来书的作者却指出,基督在各方面都胜过摩西。基督建造了神的家,但摩西只是神家中的一份子。
作者在三章1节呼吁我们要「思想耶稣」,这意味着我们要定睛在祂身上。我们不单是要看祂的表面,而是要思考耶稣是谁,了解祂所做的一切,以及这一切事情对我们的意义。
我们在第1节也看见基督被称为「使者」。新约之中,只有此处是这样称呼基督。「使者」的意思,是指神「所差派,要进入世界来事奉神的那一位」。基督曾经自言,祂是父所差来的,要在地上服侍人。
同一节经文也称耶稣为「大祭司」。当祂作为使者的时候,祂是代表神来服侍人;但当祂作为大祭司的时候,祂就是代表人来向神祈求。耶稣基督至今仍是我们的大祭司(参来七25)。
此外,作者还给我们提出一个严厉的警告。摩西对神尽忠(5节),但以色列人却没有对神尽忠(8至11节)。神将各样好处赐给他们,但他们只管享受各种好处,却将赐恩的神忘怀。我们是否像他们那样呢?
「今天」永远是神的时间。我们经常会为「明天」许下很多轻率的承诺,但神却是注目「今天」。第7节提醒我们,要在今天便听从神的话,和抓紧基督给我们的一切。
祷告:
主啊,求你今天使我成为你的使者,差派我出去为你工作。
GOD'S TRUE APOSTLE AND PRIEST
Hebrews 3:1-13
1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.
3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.
4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’”
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Message
It would be very hard for a Jew to think of anyone as being greater than Moses, the law-giver. This book of Hebrews tells us that Christ is greater in every way than even Moses. Christ is the builder of the house of God. Moses was only one part of that house.
In verse 1 we are told to 'consider Jesus'. That means we are to fix our attention on him. It is more than just looking at a person. Anyone can do that. But we are to think about who Jesus is and what he has done and what it all means to us.
Christ is called 'the Apostle' also in verse 1. This is the only time in the New Testament where Christ is given that name. The word means 'one who has been sent' by God to serve him in this world. Christ said himself that the Father had sent him with a message and ministry here on earth.
He is also called the High Priest. As an apostle, he represented God to man. As High Priest, he represented man to God. He is still our High Priest today. (See Hebrews 7:25)
The writer gives a strong warning to us also. Moses was faithful to God (v. 5) but Israel was not (vv. 8-11). God would have done everything for them but they took all the privileges and forgot the one (God) who was giving them. Are we likely to do the same?
Today is God's time always. There is a limit to all of God's offers. We speak very lightly about tomorrow, but God's great word is NOW. As it says in verse 6 let us hold fast now to what God has given to us and to all that we have in Christ.
A PRAYER:
Lord make me your apostle and send me out in your service today.

