Comentario del capítulo
Hebrews Capítulo 1
서론
Sin título
Original en inglés
In this chapter we have a twofold comparison stated: I. Between the evangelical and legal dispensation; and the excellency of the gospel above that of the law is asserted and proved, Heb 1:1-3. II. Between the glory of Christ and that of the highest creatures, the angels; where the pre-eminence is justly given to the Lord Jesus Christ, and clearly demonstrated to belong to him, Heb 1:4-14.
1-3
Law and Gospel Compared; Dignity and Glory of Christ (62 AD)
律法與福音的比較；基督的尊嚴與榮耀（公元62年）
¹ 神既在古時藉着眾先知多次多方地曉諭列祖，
² 就在這末世藉着祂兒子曉諭我們；又早已立祂為承受萬有的，也曾藉着祂創造諸世界。
³ 祂是神榮耀所發的光輝，是神本體的真像，常用祂權能的命令托住萬有。祂洗淨了人的罪，就坐在高天至大者的右邊。
使徒在此開始概括地宣告福音的安排勝過律法的安排，他從神在二者中將自己和自己的心意旨意傳達給人的不同方式來證明：兩種安排都是出於神，都是極好的，但二者從神而來的方式有很大的不同。請注意：
I. 神在舊約下將自己和自己的旨意傳達給人的方式。我們在此得到記載：1. 神在舊約下藉以傳達心意的人；他們是「眾先知」——即神所揀選、由神裝備，擔任向人啟示神旨意之職分的人。人非蒙召不能自取這尊榮；凡蒙神呼召的，都由神裝備。2. 神藉先知向他們說話的人：「列祖」——一切在那安排下的舊約聖徒。神賜恩、使他們有尊榮得着遠比本性之光更清楚的光——其餘的世界被留在其中。3. 神在福音之前那些時代向人說話的次序：「多次多方」。（1）「多次」——原文意為「分部」，可指舊約安排的各個時代——族長時代、摩西時代、先知時代；或指關於救贖主之心意的逐步啟示：向亞當啟示彌賽亞將出於女人的後裔，向亞伯拉罕啟示祂將從他的腰中而生，向雅各啟示祂將屬猶大支派，向大衛啟示祂將出於他的家，向彌迦啟示祂將生於伯利恆，向以賽亞啟示祂將由童女而生。（2）「多方」——照神看為合適向祂先知傳達心意的不同方式：有時藉着聖靈的感動，有時藉着夢，有時藉着異象，有時藉着可聽見的聲音，有時藉着祂親手寫的清楚字句——如祂將十誡寫在石版上。這些不同方式中的一些，神自己在民12:6-8中加以說明：「你們中間若有先知，我耶和華必在異象中向他顯現，在夢中與他說話。我的僕人摩西不是這樣：我要與他面對面說話，明說，不用謎語。」
II. 神在新約安排下——被稱為「這末世」，即世界的末了或猶太國的末了——傳達心意和旨意的方法。福音的時代是末後的時代，福音的啟示是我們當期望從神得的最後啟示。先有自然啟示；然後是族長的啟示，藉着夢、異象和聲音；然後是摩西的啟示，頒佈並寫下律法；然後是先知的啟示，解釋律法，更清楚地啟示基督：但如今我們不可期望新的啟示，只當期望基督的靈更多地幫助我們更好地明白已經啟示的。如今福音啟示勝過先前的，在於兩件事：
1. 它是最終的、完成的啟示，在神啟示的末後日子賜下，不能再加添甚麼，聖經正典已定立封印：因此如今人的心思不再因期望新的啟示而懸着，而是在神旨意的完全啟示中歡喜——無論是誡命的還是護理的，就他們為得引導和安慰所當知道的而言。因為福音包含了對神的教會直到世界末了將臨到的大事的啟示。
2. 它是神藉着祂兒子賜下的啟示——從未差到世上的最卓越的使者，遠勝於神從前藉以向百姓傳達旨意的一切古時族長和先知。此處我們得到關於我們主耶穌基督榮耀的卓越記載。
（1）祂職分的榮耀，在三方面：[1] 神已立祂「為承受萬有的」。作為神，祂與父同等；但作為神人和中保，祂被父立為承受萬有的——萬有的至高主宰、一切人和一切事物的絕對支配者、引導者和治理者（詩2:6,7）。「天上地下所有的權柄都賜給祂了；一切的審判都交給祂了」（太28:18、約5:22）。[2] 神藉着祂「創造諸世界」——無論可見的還是不可見的，諸天和大地；不是作為工具因，而是作為祂本質的道和智慧。神藉着祂創造了舊造，藉着祂造成了新造，藉着祂治理兩者。[3] 祂「常用祂權能的命令托住萬有」：祂保守世界不致解體。「萬有也靠祂而立。」整個受造之物的重量都放在基督身上：祂支撐着整體和各部。當世界因背道而在神的烈怒和咒詛下支離破碎之時，神的兒子承擔救贖之工，將之重新綁住，以祂的大能和良善使之穩固。古時的先知沒有一位擔任如此職分，沒有一位足以勝任。
（2）使徒由此轉到基督位格的榮耀——祂能執行如此職分：「祂是神榮耀所發的光輝，是神本體的真像」（Heb 1:3）。這是對榮耀救贖主的高超描述，是對祂位格卓越的記載。[1] 祂在位格上是神的兒子，神的獨生子，因此必有同一的本性。這位格上的分別總是假設同一本性。人的每一個兒子都是人；若非本性相同，那生便是怪異的。[2] 聖子的位格是父的榮耀，以真正神聖的光輝照耀出來。如同光線是太陽——光的父和泉源——的燦爛發射，耶穌基督在位格上是神在肉身顯現，祂是光中之光，真正的捨吉拿。[3] 聖子的位格是父位格的真正形象和特徵；既同本性，必有同樣的形象和樣式。在觀看主耶穌基督的能力、智慧和良善時，我們就是在觀看父的能力、智慧和良善；因為祂裏面有神的本性和完全。「人看見了子，就是看見了父」；即看見了同一位存有。人認識了子，就認識了父（約14:7-9）。因為子在父裏面，父在子裏面；位格上的分別不過是與本體的合一相容的分別。這是基督位格的榮耀；神本性的一切豐盛，不是預表性地，而是真實地居住在祂裏面。
（3）從基督位格的榮耀，他進而提到祂恩典的榮耀；祂的降卑本身就是真正榮耀的。基督的受苦在其中有一個極大的尊榮——作為對祂百姓之罪的完全滿足：「祂洗淨了人的罪」——即藉着祂的死和流血之正當內在功勞，藉着其無限的內在價值；因為這是祂自己的受苦，祂已為罪作了挽回。祂自己——祂位格和本性的榮耀——使祂的受苦具有如此功勞，足以對神所受的無限傷害和冒犯作出充分的榮耀補償。
（4）從祂受苦的榮耀，我們終於被引去思考祂高升的榮耀：「祂洗淨了人的罪，就坐在高天至大者的右邊」——在祂父的右邊。作為中保和救贖主，祂被授予最高的尊榮、權柄和能力，為祂百姓的益處；如今父藉着祂做一切事，也從祂領受百姓的一切事奉。祂既取了我們的本性，在地上在其中受苦，便將之帶回天上，在那裏得了緊鄰神的極大尊榮——這是祂降卑的報償。
如今神在這末世正是藉着這樣一位向人說話；既然使者的尊嚴使信息具有權威和卓越，福音的安排因此必遠勝於律法的安排。
Original en inglés
Law and Gospel Compared; Dignity and Glory of Christ (62 AD)
¹ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
² Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
³ Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Here the apostle begins with a general declaration of the excellency of the gospel dispensation above that of the law, which he demonstrates from the different way and manner of God's communicating himself and his mind and will to men in the one and in the other: both these dispensations were of God, and both of them very good, but there is a great difference in the way of their coming from God. Observe,
I. The way wherein God communicated himself and his will to men under the Old Testament. We have here an account, 1. Of the persons by whom God delivered his mind under the Old Testament; they were the prophets, that is, persons chosen of God, and qualified by him, for that office of revealing the will of God to men. No man takes this honour to himself, unless called; and whoever are called of God are qualified by him. 2. The persons to whom God spoke by the prophets: To the fathers, to all the Old-Testament saints who were under that dispensation. God favoured and honoured them with much clearer light than that of nature, under which the rest of the world were left. 3. The order in which God spoke to men in those times that went before the gospel, those past times: he spoke to his ancient people at sundry times and in divers manners. (1.) At sundry times, or by several parts, as the word signifies, which may refer either to the several ages of the Old-Testament dispensation—the patriarchal, the Mosaic, and the prophetic; or to the several gradual openings of his mind concerning the Redeemer: to Adam, that the Messiah should come of the seed of the woman,—to Abraham, that he should spring from his loins,—to Jacob, that he should be of the tribe of Judah,—to David, that he should be of his house,—to Micah, that he should be born at Bethlehem,—to Isaiah, that he should be born of a virgin. (2.) In divers manners, according to the different ways in which God though fit to communicate his mind to his prophets; sometimes by the illapses of his Spirit, sometimes by dreams, sometimes by visions, sometimes by an audible voice, sometimes by legible characters under his own hand, as when he wrote the ten commandments on tables of stone. Of some of these different ways God himself gave an account in Nu 12:6-8, If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses: with him I will speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches.
II. God's method of communicating his mind and will under the New-Testament dispensation, these last days as they are called, that is, either towards the end of the world, or the end of the Jewish state. The times of the gospel are the last times, the gospel revelation is the last we are to expect from God. There was first the natural revelation; then the patriarchal, by dreams, visions, and voices; then the Mosaic, in the law given forth and written down; then the prophetic, in explaining the law, and giving clearer discoveries of Christ: but now we must expect no new revelation, but only more of the Spirit of Christ to help us better to understand what is already revealed. Now the excellency of the gospel revelation above the former consists in two things:—
1. It is the final, the finishing revelation, given forth in the last days of divine revelation, to which nothing is to be added, but the canon of scripture is to be settled and sealed: so that now the minds of men are no longer kept in suspense by the expectation of new discoveries, but they rejoice in a complete revelation of the will of God, both preceptive and providential, so far as is necessary for them to know in order to their direction and comfort. For the gospel includes a discovery of the great events that shall befal the church of God to the end of the world.
2. It is a revelation which God has made by his Son, the most excellent messenger that was ever sent into the world, far superior to all the ancient patriarchs and prophets, by whom God communicated his will to his people in former times. And here we have an excellent account of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1.) The glory of his office, and that in three respects:—[1.] God hath appointed him to be heir of all things. As God, he was equal to the Father; but, as God-man and Mediator, he was appointed by the Father to be the heir of all things, the sovereign Lord of all, the absolute disposer, director, and governor of all persons and of all things, Ps 2:6,7. All power in heaven and earth is given to him; all judgment is committed to him, Mt 28:18;Joh 5:22. [2.] By him God made the worlds, both visible and invisible, the heavens and the earth; not as an instrumental cause, but as his essential word and wisdom. By him he made the old creation, by him he makes the new creature, and by him he rules and governs both. [3.] He upholds all things by the word of his power: he keeps the world from dissolving. By him all things consist. The weight of the whole creation is laid upon Christ: he supports the whole and all the parts. When, upon the apostasy, the world was breaking to pieces under the wrath and curse of God, the Son of God, undertaking the work of redemption, bound it up again, and established it by his almighty power and goodness. None of the ancient prophets sustained such an office as this, none was sufficient for it.
(2.) Hence the apostle passes to the glory of the person of Christ, who was able to execute such an office: He was the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person, Heb 1:3. This is a high and lofty description of the glorious Redeemer, this is an account of his personal excellency. [1.] He is, in person, the Son of God, the only-begotten Son of God, and as such he must have the same nature. This personal distinction always supposes one and the same nature. Every son of man is man; were not the nature the same, the generation would be monstrous. [2.] The person of the Son is the glory of the Father, shining forth with a truly divine splendour. As the beams are effulgent emanations of the sun, the father and fountain of light, Jesus Christ in his person is God manifest in the flesh, he is light of light, the true Shechinah. [3.] The person of the Son is the true image and character of the person of the Father; being of the same nature, he must bear the same image and likeness. In beholding the power, wisdom, and goodness, of the Lord Jesus Christ, we behold the power, wisdom, and goodness, of the Father; for he hath the nature and perfections of God in him. He that hath seen the Son hath seen the Father; that is, he hath seen the same Being. He that hath known the Son hath known the Father, Joh 14:7-9. For the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son; the personal distinction is no other than will consist with essential union. This is the glory of the person of Christ; the fulness of the Godhead dwells, not typically, but really, in him.
(3.) From the glory of the person of Christ he proceeds to mention the glory of his grace; his condescension itself was truly glorious. The sufferings of Christ had this great honour in them, to be a full satisfaction for the sins of his people: By himself he purged away our sins, that is, by the proper innate merit of his death and bloodshed, by their infinite intrinsic value; as they were the sufferings of himself, he has made atonement for sin. Himself, the glory of his person and nature, gave to his sufferings such merit as was a sufficient reparation of honour to God, who had suffered an infinite injury and affront by the sins of men.
(4.) From the glory of his sufferings we are at length led to consider the glory of his exaltation: When by himself he had purged away our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, at his Father's right hand. As Mediator and Redeemer, he is invested with the highest honour, authority, and activity, for the good of his people; the Father now does all things by him, and receives all the services of his people from him. Having assumed our nature, and suffered in it on earth, he has taken it up with him to heaven, and there it has the high honour to be next to God, and this was the reward of his humiliation.
Now it was by no less a person than this that God in these last days spoke to men; and, since the dignity of the messenger gives authority and excellency to the message, the dispensations of the gospel must therefore exceed, very far exceed, the dispensation of the law.
4-14
The Dignity of Christ (62 AD)
基督的尊嚴（公元62年）
⁴ 祂所承受的名，既比天使的名更尊貴，就遠超過天使。
⁵ 所有的天使，神從來對哪一個說：你是我的兒子，我今日生你？又指着哪一個說：我要作祂的父，祂要作我的子？
⁶ 再者，神使長子到世上來的時候，就說：神的使者都要拜祂。
⁷ 論到使者，又說：神以風為使者，以火焰為僕役。
⁸ 論到子卻說：神啊，祢的寶座是永永遠遠的；祢的國權是正直的。
⁹ 祢喜愛公義，恨惡罪惡；所以神，就是祢的神，用喜樂油膏祢，勝過膏祢的同伴。
¹⁰ 又說：主啊，祢起初立了地的根基；天也是祢手所造的。
¹¹ 天地都要滅沒，祢卻要長存。天地都要像衣服漸漸舊了；
¹² 祢要將天地捲起來，像一件外衣，天地就都改變了。惟有祢永不改變；祢的年歲沒有窮盡。
¹³ 所有的天使，神從來對哪一個說：祢坐在我的右邊，等我使祢仇敵作祢的腳凳？
¹⁴ 天使豈不都是服役的靈、奉差遣為那將要承受救恩的人效力嗎？
使徒既已從主耶穌基督超越眾先知證明了福音之於律法的優越，如今繼續表明祂不僅遠超眾先知，更遠超天使本身。如此他排除了猶太熱心分子可能提出的一個反對——律法不僅是藉天使傳的，「而且是藉天使設立的」（加3:19）。天使在頒佈律法時侍立，天上的萬軍被調出來在那可畏的場合侍奉主耶和華。天使是極榮耀的存有，遠比人榮耀卓越；聖經總是將他們描繪為一切受造物中最卓越的，我們所知道惟有神自己比天使更高；因此那藉天使設立的律法當被大大尊重。為要消除這論證的效力，本書信的作者繼續陳述耶穌基督與聖天使的比較——無論在本性上還是在職分上——並證明基督遠超天使本身：「祂遠超過天使，正如祂所承受的名比天使的名更尊貴。」此處請注意：
I. 基督本性的優越是從祂更尊貴的名得到證明。聖經所賦予的高貴榮耀頭銜，在本性中必有真實的根據和理由；若主耶穌基督不似那些話語所表明的那樣偉大卓越，就不會有如此偉大的話論到祂。當說基督被造成遠超天使之時，我們不可想像祂如天使一樣不過是受造物；「genomenos」一詞與形容詞連用時，從未譯為「被造」，此處可很好地讀為「更為卓越」——如敘利亞譯本所譯。我們讀到「ginesthe ho Theos alethes」——「讓神為真」——不是使之為真，而是承認祂為真。
II. 基督之名和本性之於天使的優越，已在聖經中宣告，並當從中推演出來。若沒有聖經，我們對基督或天使所知甚少或一無所知；因此我們對二者的觀念必須由聖經來定規。此處引用了幾段聖經，其中論到基督的事從未論到天使。
1. 論到基督說：「你是我的兒子，我今日生你」（詩2:7），這可指祂永恆的受生，或指祂的復活，或指祂在升天和坐在父右邊時榮耀國度的莊嚴就職。這從未論到天使，因此祂因產業承受了比天使更卓越的本性和名。
2. 論到基督而從未論到天使的話：「我要作祂的父，祂要作我的子」；取自撒下7:14。不僅是「我因本性和永恆的受生是祂的父，祂是我的子」；更是「我要作祂的父，祂要作我的子——藉着奇妙的成孕；而祂這兒子的身分將成為我與墮落人類之間一切恩典關係的泉源和根基」。
3. 論到基督說：「神使長子到世上來的時候，說：神的使者都要拜祂」；即當祂降生時被帶到這下層世界，讓天使侍奉敬拜祂；或當祂升天時被帶到上面的世界，就職於其中保的國度；或當祂再次將祂帶到世界來審判世界時，讓最高的受造物敬拜祂。神不容許一個不願順服基督、向祂致敬的天使繼續在天上；祂至終必使墮落的天使和惡人承認祂的神聖能力和權柄，俯伏在祂面前。那些不願讓祂作王的，那時必被帶出來在祂面前殺了。這證據取自詩97:7：「你們一切的諸神啊，你們當拜祂」，即「你們一切超越人的，當承認你們在本性和能力上都不如基督」。
4. 神論到基督說：「神啊，祢的寶座是永永遠遠的」（Heb 1:8-12）。但論到天使祂只說：「祂以風為使者，以火焰為僕役」（Heb 1:7）。將此處論到天使的話與論到基督的話比較，天使之於基督的極大 inferiority 便顯而易見。
（1）神在此論到天使說了甚麼？「祂以風為使者，以火焰為僕役。」這記載於詩104:4，似乎更直接地論到風和閃電，但在此應用於天使——神的護理在風、雷、閃電中使用他們的作為。請注意：[1] 天使的職分：他們是神的使者或僕人，「遵祂的旨意而行」。神有這樣的僕人是祂的榮耀；祂不需要他們，更顯祂的榮耀。[2] 天使如何裝備以從事事奉；祂以風和火焰造他們，即賜他們亮光和熱忱、活動和能力、迅速和決心以行祂的旨意：他們不過是神所造的，他們既事奉父，也事奉子。但請注意，
（2）父論到基督說了何等更大的事。此處引用了兩段聖經。
[1] 一段取自詩45:6,7，其中神宣告關於基督的事：第一，祂真實而實在的神性，而且是帶着極大的喜悅和情感宣告的，不吝將這榮耀歸給祂：「神啊，祢的寶座。」此處一位稱另一位為神——「神啊」。父神若宣告祂如此，祂必實在如此；因為神按人和事物的本相稱呼它們。如今誰若否認祂在本體上是神，後果自負；但我們當承認並敬重祂為神；因為祂若不是神，就永不能勝任作中保之工，也永不能戴上中保的冠冕。第二，神宣告祂的尊嚴和主權——祂有寶座、國度和國度的權杖。祂有一切的權利、統治、權柄和能力，無論作為自然、恩典和榮耀的神，還是作為中保；如此祂完全勝任祂中保國度的一切目的和用意。第三，神宣告基督主權和尊嚴的永恆持續——建立在祂位格的神性之上：「神啊，祢的寶座是永永遠遠的」——從亙古到亙古，貫穿一切的世代，不顧地和陰間一切企圖破壞推翻它的努力，並貫穿一切無盡的永恆世代——那時時間不再有了。這使基督的寶座有別於一切地上的寶座——那些寶座搖搖欲墜，至終必倒塌；但基督的寶座必如天之日之久。第四，神宣告基督管理的完全公正和祂權力執行的完全公正，貫穿祂治理的各部分：「祢國度的權杖是正直的」（Heb 1:8）。祂正直地得着權杖，也以完全的公義使用它；祂治理的公義出於祂位格的公義，出於對義本質而永恆的喜愛和對罪孽的恨惡——不僅出於審慎或利益的考慮，更出於內在不可動搖的原則：「祢喜愛公義，恨惡罪惡」（Heb 1:9）。基督來是要盡諸般的義，帶進永遠的義；祂在一切道路上都是公義的，在一切作為上都是聖潔的。祂向人推薦了公義，並在他們中間恢復了它——使之成為極其卓越而可愛的事。祂來要結束過犯，使罪歸於無有——罪之為可恨之物，亦為有害之物。第五，神宣告基督如何被裝備以勝任中保的職分，以及如何被設立並堅固於其中（Heb 1:9）：「所以神，就是祢的神，用喜樂油膏祢，勝過膏祢的同伴。」1. 基督的「彌賽亞」之名來自祂的受膏。神膏基督既表示以聖靈和諸般的恩典裝備祂勝任中保的職分，也表示將祂設立在這職分中——正如先知、祭司和君王是藉着受膏而設立的。「神，就是祢的神」表示父與子之間的救贖與平安之約對基督在中保職分上的堅固。神是基督的神，正如基督是人也是中保。2. 基督的這受膏是「用喜樂油」，既表示基督以何等的喜樂和甘心承擔並完成中保的職分（發現自己對此絕對勝任），也表示作為祂事奉和受苦之賞賜而擺在祂面前的喜樂——那榮耀和喜樂的冠冕，祂在受死的苦難之後要永遠戴上的。3. 基督的這受膏超過祂同伴的受膏：「神，就是祢的神，用喜樂油膏祢，勝過膏祢的同伴。」誰是基督的同伴？祂有同等的嗎？作為神沒有，除了父和聖靈，但此處不是指他們。然而作為人，祂有祂的同伴，作為受膏者也如此；但祂的膏抹超越他們一切。（1）超過天使——天使可被稱為祂的同伴，因他們是因受造而為神的兒子，是神所差遣在祂事奉中使用的使者。（2）超過一切曾受膏為油、在地上事奉神的先知、祭司和君王。（3）超過一切的聖徒——他們是祂的弟兄，同有一位父的兒女，正如祂與他們同有血肉之體。（4）超過一切與祂有肉身關係的人——超過大衛全家、超過猶大全支派、超過祂一切肉身的弟兄和親屬。神一切別的受膏者只在某種程度上有聖靈；基督有聖靈是沒有限量的。因此沒有人像基督那樣完成自己的工作，沒有人像基督那樣在其中得着如此多的喜悅；因為祂是用喜樂油膏的，勝過祂的同伴。
[2] 另一段表明基督超越天使的經文取自詩102:25-27，記於Heb 1:10-12，其中主耶穌基督的全能被宣告——在創造世界和改變世界上顯明。
第一，在創造世界上（Heb 1:10）：「主啊，祢起初立了地的根基；天也是祢手所造的。」主基督有治理世界的原始權利，因為祂在起初創造了世界。祂作為中保的權利是出於父的授權。祂作為與父同為神的權利是絕對的——出於祂的創造大能。這能力在創世之前祂已有，並在賜世界以開始和存在時運用了它。因此祂自己必不屬世界的一部分，否則祂必須給自己一個開始。祂是「在萬有之先」，「萬有也靠祂而立」（西1:17）。祂不僅在地位上超越萬有，在存在上也先於萬有；因此祂必是神，是自有永有的。祂立了地的根基，不僅將新的形式引入已存的物質中，更是從無中造了地的根基——「萬物的本原」；祂不僅立了地，天也是祂手所造的——包括居所和居民，天上的萬軍和天使本身；因此祂必無限地超越他們。
第二，在改變祂所造的世界上；此處世界的可變性被引入，以說明基督的不變性。請注意：1. 這世界是可變的，一切受造的本性都是如此；這世界已經歷了許多改變，還要經歷更多；這一切改變都在基督的許可和指引之下——祂創造了世界（Heb 1:11,12）：「天地都要滅沒，都要像衣服漸漸舊了；祢要將天地捲起來，像一件外衣，天地就都改變了。」我們這可見的世界（無論是地還是可見的天）正在老去。不僅人、獸、樹木老去，連這世界本身也在老去，正迅速走向它的解體；它如衣服般改變，已失去許多美麗和力量；它在初次背道時就早早老去，此後便越來越老、越來越弱；它帶着一個垂死之世界的症狀。但它的解體不是完全的毁滅，而是它的改變。基督要將這世界如衣服般捲起——不再被如此濫用，不再如以往那樣被使用。因此讓我們不要將心放在那不是我們所想像的那樣、也不會如現今這樣的事物上。罪已使世界變得更糟，而基督要使它變得更好。「我們照祂的應許，盼望新天新地，有義居在其中。」願這思想使我們對今世淡泊，使我們警醒、勤奮、渴慕那更美的世界；讓我們仰望基督改變我們，使我們適合那將臨的新世界；我們若不成為新造的人，就不能進入其中。2. 基督是不變的。父如此為祂作見證：「祢卻要長存，祢的年歲沒有窮盡。」基督自己在自己裏面是一樣的——昨日、今日、直到永遠是一樣的；在一切的變遷中對祂的百姓也是一樣的。這可充分支持一切在基督裏有分的人，無論他們在世上遇到甚麼變遷，或在自己裏面感受到甚麼變遷。基督是不變且不朽的：祂的年歲沒有窮盡。這可安慰我們，無論我們在自己或朋友身上觀察到怎樣的天然衰退，即使我們的肉體和心腸衰退、我們的日子迅速走向終結。基督活着看顧我們活着的時候，我們離去後也看顧我們的；這當激發我們一切的人使自己與祂的關係清楚而確定，使我們屬靈和永遠的生命可以與基督一同藏在神裏面。
III. 基督之於天使的優越也顯於此：神從未對天使說過祂對基督所說的話，Heb 1:13,14。
1. 神對基督說了甚麼？祂說了：「祢坐在我的右邊，等我使祢仇敵作祢的腳凳」（詩110:1）。「祢領受榮耀、主權和安息吧；在祢中保國度的治理中存留，直到祢一切的仇敵或因歸正而成為祢的朋友，或成為祢的腳凳。」請注意：（1）基督耶穌有祂的仇敵（誰會想到呢？）——甚至在人中間有仇敵——與祂的主權、祂的事業、祂的百姓為敵的人；那些不願讓祂治理他們的人。因此我們若有仇敵，不要以為奇怪。基督從未做過任何事使人成為祂的仇敵；祂做了許多事使他們全部成為祂和祂父的朋友，然而祂有祂的仇敵。（2）基督一切的仇敵都必成為祂的腳凳——或藉着謙卑的降服和完全的順從，俯伏在祂腳前；或藉着徹底的毁滅；祂要踐踏那些繼續頑梗的人，踏在他們上面。（3）父神已承擔了這事，祂必看見它成就，是的，祂自己要做這事；雖然現在尚未做成，卻必做成，而基督正等候這事；基督徒也當如此等候，直到神在他們裏面、為他們、藉着他們做成祂一切的工。（4）基督要繼續治理掌權，直到這事做成；祂必不留下任何大計劃未完成，祂要繼續征服又征服。祂的百姓也當繼續盡自己的本分——成為祂所要他們成為的、做祂所要他們做的、避開祂所要他們避開的、忍受祂所要他們忍受的，直到祂使他們成為征服者、並且得勝有餘——勝過他們一切屬靈的仇敵。
2. 神對天使說了甚麼？祂從未如對基督那樣對他們說：「祢坐在我的右邊」；但祂在此論到他們說：「他們是服役的靈，奉差遣為那將要承受救恩的人效力。」請注意：（1）天使在本性上是甚麼：他們是靈——沒有身體、也沒有對身體的傾向，但當神喜悅時他們能取上身體並在其中顯現。他們是靈——非物質、有理智、活潑的實體；他們在智慧和力量上卓越。（2）天使在職分上是甚麼：他們是服役的靈。基督作為中保是神在救贖大工中的偉大事奉者。聖靈是神和基督在施行這救贖中的偉大事奉者。天使是蒙福三一之下的服役之靈，執行神的旨意和喜悅；他們是神護理的使者。（3）天使被差遣正是為此——為那些將要承受救恩的人效力。此處請注意：[1] 對聖徒的描述——他們是「將要承受救恩的人」；目前他們尚未成年，是後嗣，不是承受者。他們是後嗣，因為他們是神的兒女；「如果是兒女，便是後嗣」。讓我們確保自己是因收養和重生而成的兒女——已與神立約將自己獻給祂，並在福音的為人中行在祂面前——如此我們便是神的後嗣，與基督同作後嗣。[2] 聖徒的尊嚴和特權——天使被差遣為他們效力。他們如此行了——在頒佈律法時侍立和行動，為聖徒爭戰，毁滅他們的仇敵。他們仍在為他們效力——抵擋邪靈的惡意和權勢，保護和看守他們的身體，在他們周圍安營，在基督和聖靈之下教導、激發並安慰他們的靈魂；在最後一日他們也必如此行——招聚一切聖徒在一起。要為天使的事奉感謝神，行在神的道中，並享受這應許的安慰——祂必「吩咐祂的使者，在祢所行的一切道路上保護祢。他們要用手托着祢，免得祢的腳碰在石頭上」（詩91:11,12）。
Original en inglés
The Dignity of Christ (62 AD)
⁴ Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
⁵ For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
⁶ And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
⁷ And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
⁸ But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
⁹ Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
¹⁰ And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
¹¹ They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
¹² And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
¹³ But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
The apostle, having proved the pre-eminence of the gospel above the law from the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ above the prophets, now proceeds to show that he is much superior not only to the prophets, but to the angels themselves. In this he obviates an objection that the Jewish zealots would be ready to make, that the law was not only delivered by men, but ordained by angels (Ga 3:19), who attended at the giving forth of the law, the hosts of heaven being drawn forth to attend the Lord Jehovah on that awful occasion. Now the angels are very glorious beings, far more glorious and excellent than men; the scripture always represents them as the most excellent of all creatures, and we know of no being but God himself that is higher than the angels; and therefore that law that was ordained by angels ought to be held in great esteem. To take off the force of this argument, the penman of this epistle proceeds to state the comparison between Jesus Christ and the holy angels, both in nature and office, and to prove that Christ is vastly superior to the angels themselves: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Here observe,
I. The superior nature of Christ is proved from his superior name. The scripture does not give high and glorious titles without a real foundation and reason in nature; nor would such great things have been said of our Lord Jesus Christ if he had not been as great and excellent as those words import. When it is said that Christ was made so much better than the angels, we are not to imagine that he was a mere creature, as the angels are; the word genomenos, when joined with an adjective, is nowhere to be rendered created, and here may very well be read, being more excellent, as the Syriac version hath it. We read ginesthe ho Theos alethes—let God be true, not made so, but acknowledged to be so.
II. The superiority of the name and nature of Christ above the angels is declared in the holy scriptures, and to be deduced thence. We should have known little or nothing either of Christ or of the angels, without the scriptures; and we must therefore be determined by them in our conceptions of the one and the other. Now here are several passages of scripture cited, in which those things are said of Christ that were never said of the angels.
1. It was said of Christ, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee (Ps 2:7), which may refer to his eternal generation, or to his resurrection, or to his solemn inauguration into his glorious kingdom at his ascension and session at the right hand of the Father. Now this was never said concerning the angels, and therefore by inheritance he has a more excellent nature and name than they.
2. It was said concerning Christ, but never concerning the angels, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son; taken from 2Sa 7:14. Not only, "I am his Father, and he is my Son, by nature and eternal promanation;" but, "I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son, by wonderful conception, and this his son-ship shall be the fountain and foundation of every gracious relation between me and fallen man."
3. It is said of Christ, When God bringeth his First-begotten into the world, let all the angels of God worship him; that is, when he is brought into this lower world, at his nativity, let the angels attend and honour him; or when he is brought into the world above, at his ascension, to enter upon his mediatorial kingdom, or when he shall bring him again into the world, to judge the world, then let the highest creatures worship him. God will not suffer an angel to continue in heaven who will not be in subjection to Christ, and pay adoration to him; and he will at last make the fallen angels and wicked men to confess his divine power and authority and to fall before him. Those who would not have him to reign must then be brought forth and slain before him. The proof of this is taken out of Ps 97:7, Worship him, all you gods, that is, "All you that are superior to men, own yourselves to be inferior to Christ in nature and power."
4. God has said concerning Christ, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, etc., Heb 1:8-12. But of the angels he has only said that he hath made them spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire, Heb 1:7. Now, upon comparing what he here says of the angels with what he says to Christ, the vast inferiority of the angels to Christ will plainly appear.
(1.) What does God say here of the angels? He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. This we have in Ps 104:4, where it seems to be more immediately spoken of the winds and lightning, but is here applied to the angels, whose agency the divine Providences makes use of in the winds, and in thunder and lightnings. Observe, [1.] The office of the angels: they are God's ministers, or servants, to do his pleasure. It is the glory of God that he has such servants; it is yet more so that he does not need them. [2.] How the angels are qualified for this service; he makes them spirits and a flame of fire, that is, he endows them with light and zeal, with activity and ability, readiness and resolution to do his pleasure: they are no more than what God has made them to be, and they are servants to the Son as well as to the Father. But observe,
(2.) How much greater things are said of Christ by the Father. Here two passages of scripture are quoted.
[1.] One of these is out of Ps 45:6,7, where God declares of Christ, First, His true and real divinity, and that with much pleasure and affection, not grudging him that glory: Thy throne, O God. Here one person calls another person God, O God. And, if God the Father declares him to be so, he must be really and truly so; for God calls persons and things as they are. And now let who will deny him to be essentially God at their peril, but let us own and honour him as God; for, if he had not been God, he had never been fit to have done the Mediator's work nor to have worn the Mediator's crown. Secondly, God declares his dignity and dominion, as having a throne, a kingdom, and a sceptre of that kingdom. He has all right, rule, authority, and power, both as the God of nature, grace, and glory, and as Mediator; and so he is fully adequate to all the intents and purposes of his mediatorial kingdom. Thirdly, God declares the eternal duration of the dominion and dignity of Christ, founded upon the divinity of his person: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, from everlasting to everlasting, through all the ages of time, maugre all the attempts of earth and hell to undermine and overthrow it, and through all the endless ages of eternity, when time shall be no more. This distinguishes Christ's throne from all earthly thrones, which are tottering, and will at length tumble down; but the throne of Christ shall be as the days of heaven. Fourthly, God declares of Christ the perfect equity of his administration, and of the execution of his power, through all the parts of his government: A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom, Heb 1:8. He came righteously to the sceptre, and he uses it in perfect righteousness; the righteousness of his government proceeds from the righteousness of his person, from an essential eternal love of righteousness and hatred of iniquity, not merely from considerations of prudence or interest, but from an inward and immovable principle: Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity, Heb 1:9. Christ came to fulfil all righteousness, to bring in an everlasting righteousness; and he was righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works. He has recommended righteousness to men, and restored it among them, as a most excellent and amiable thing. He came to finish transgression, and to make an end of sin as a hateful as well as hurtful thing. Fifthly, God declares of Christ how he was qualified for the office of Mediator, and how he was installed and confirmed in it (Heb 1:9): Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 1. Christ has the name Messiah from his being anointed. God's anointing of Christ signifies both his qualifying him for the office of the Mediator with the Holy Spirit and all his graces, and likewise his inauguration of him into the office, as prophets, priests, and kings, were by anointing. God, even thy God, imports the confirmation of Christ in the office of Mediator by the covenant of redemption and peace, that was between the Father and the Son. God is the God of Christ, as Christ is man and Mediator. 2. This anointing of Christ was with the oil of gladness, which signifies both the gladness and cheerfulness with which Christ undertook and went through the office of Mediator (finding himself so absolutely sufficient for it), and also that joy which was set before him as the reward of his service and sufferings, that crown of glory and gladness which he should wear for ever after the suffering of death. 3. This anointing of Christ was above the anointing of his fellows: God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Who are Christ's fellows? Has he any equals? Not as God, except the Father and Spirit, but these are not here meant. As man, however, he has his fellows, and as an anointed person; but his unction is beyond all theirs. (1.) Above the angels, who may be said to be his fellows, as they are the sons of God by creation, and God's messengers, whom he employs in his service. (2.) Above all prophets, priests, and kings, that ever were anointed with oil, to be employed in the service of God on earth. (3.) Above all the saints, who are his brethren, children of the same father, as he was a partaker with them of flesh and blood. (4.) Above all those who were related to him as man, above all the house of David, all the tribe of Judah, all his brethren and kinsmen in the flesh. All God's other anointed ones had only the Spirit in a certain measure; Christ had the Spirit above measure, without any limitation. None therefore goes through his work as Christ did, none takes so much pleasure in it as Christ does; for he was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows.
[2.] The other passage of scripture in which is the superior excellence of Christ to the angels is taken out of Ps 102:25-27, and is recited in Heb 1:10-12, where the omnipotence of the Lord Jesus Christ is declared as it appears both in creating the world and in changing it.
First, In creating the world (Heb 1:10): And thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. The Lord Christ had the original right to govern the world, because he made the world in the beginning. His right, as Mediator, was by commission from the Father. His right, as God with the Father, was absolute, resulting from his creating power. This power he had before the beginning of the world, and he exerted it in giving a beginning and being to the world. He must therefore be no part of the world himself, for then he must give himself a beginning. He was pro panton—before all things, and by him all things consist, Col 1:17. He was not only above all things in condition, but before all things in existence; and therefore must be God, and self-existent. He laid the foundations of the earth, did not only introduce new forms into pre-existent matter, but made out of nothing the foundations of the earth, the primordia rerum—the first principles of things; he not only founded the earth, but the heavens too are the work of his hands, both the habitation and the inhabitants, the hosts of heaven, the angels themselves; and therefore he must needs be infinitely superior to them.
Secondly, In changing the world that he has made; and here the mutability of this world is brought in to illustrate the immutability of Christ. Observe, 1. This world is mutable, all created nature is so; this world has passed through many changes, and shall pass through more; all these changes are by the permission and under the direction of Christ, who made the world (Heb 1:11,12): They shall perish, they shall all wax old as doth a garment; as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed. This our visible world (both the earth and visible heavens) is growing old. Not only men and beasts and trees grow old, but this world itself grows old, and is hastening to its dissolution; it changes like a garment, has lost much of its beauty and strength; it grew old betimes on the first apostasy, and it has been waxing older and growing weaker ever since; it bears the symptoms of a dying world. But then its dissolution will not be its utter destruction, but its change. Christ will fold up this world as a garment not to be abused any longer, not to be any longer so used as it has been. Let us not then set our hearts upon that which is not what we take it to be, and will not be what it now is. Sin has made a great change in the world for the worse, and Christ will make a great change in it for the better. We look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Let the consideration of this wean us from the present world, and make us watchful, diligent, and desirous of that better world, and let us wait on Christ to change us into a meetness for that new world that is approaching; we cannot enter into it till we be new creatures. 2. Christ is immutable. Thus the Father testifies of him, Thou remainest, thy years shall not fail. Christ is the same in himself, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever, and the same to his people in all the changes of time. This may well support all who have an interest in Christ under all the changes they meet with in the world, and under all they feel in themselves. Christ is immutable and immortal: his years shall not fail. This may comfort us under all decays of nature that we may observe in ourselves or in our friends, though our flesh and heart fail and our days are hastening to an end. Christ lives to take care of us while we live, and of ours when we are gone, and this should quicken us all to make our interest in him clear and sure, that our spiritual and eternal life may be hid with Christ in God.
III. The superiority of Christ to the angels appears in this that God never said to the angels what he has said to Christ, Heb 1:13,14.
1. What has God said to Christ? He has said, "Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thy enemies thy footstool, Ps 110:1. Receive thou glory, dominion, and rest; and remain in the administration of thy mediatorial kingdom until all thy enemies shall either be made thy friends by conversion or thy footstool." Note, (1.) Christ Jesus has his enemies (would one think it?), enemies even among men—enemies to his sovereignty, to his cause, to his people; such as will not have him to reign over them. Let us not think it strange then if we have our enemies. Christ never did any thing to make men his enemies; he has done a great deal to make them all his friends and his Father's friends, and yet he has his enemies. (2.) All the enemies of Christ shall be made his footstool, either by humble submission and entire subjection to his will casting themselves down at his feet, or by utter destruction; he shall trample upon those who continue obstinate, and shall trample over them. (3.) God the Father has undertaken for this, and he will see it done, yea, he will himself do it; and, though it be not done presently, it shall certainly be done, and Christ waits for it,; and so must Christians wait till God has wrought all their works in them, for them, and by them. (4.) Christ shall go on to rule and reign till this be done; he shall not leave any of his great designs unfinished, he shall go on conquering and to conquer. And it becomes his people to go on in their duty, being what he would have them to be, doing what he would have them to do, avoiding what he would have them to avoid, bearing what he would have them to bear, till he make them conquerors and more than conquerors over all their spiritual enemies.
2. What has God said to the angels? He never said to them, as he said to Christ, Sit you at my right hand; but he has said of them here that they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation. Note, (1.) What the angels are as to their nature: they are spirits, without bodies or inclination to bodies, and yet they can assume bodies, and appear in them, when God pleases. They are spirits, incorporeal, intelligent, active, substances; they excel in wisdom and strength. (2.) What the angels are as to their office: they are ministering spirits. Christ, as Mediator, is the great minister of God in the great work of redemption. The Holy Spirit is the great minister of God and Christ in the application of this redemption. Angels are ministering spirits under the blessed Trinity, to execute the divine will and pleasure; they are the ministers of divine Providence. (3.) The angels are sent forth for this end—to minister to those who shall be the heirs of salvation. Here observe, [1.] The description given of the saints—they are heirs of salvation; at present they are under age, heirs, not inheritors. They are heirs because they are children of God; if children, then heirs. Let us make sure that we are children by adoption and regeneration, having made a covenant-resignation of ourselves to God, and walking before him in a gospel-conversation, and then we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. [2.] The dignity and privilege of the saints—the angels are sent forth to minister for them. Thus they have done in attending and acting at the giving forth of the law, in fighting the battles of the saints, in destroying their enemies. They still minister for them in opposing the malice and power of evil spirits, in protecting and keeping their bodies, pitching their tents about theirs, instructing, quickening, and comforting their souls under Christ and the Holy Ghost; and thus they shall do in gathering all the saints together at the last day. Bless God for the ministration of angels, keep in God's way, and take the comfort of this promise, that he will give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your feet against a stone, Ps 91:11,12.
本章提出了一個雙重的比較：I. 福音的安排與律法的安排之間的比較，並斷言和證明福音勝過律法的卓越（Heb 1:1-3）。II. 基督的榮耀與最高的受造之物——天使——的榮耀之間的比較，在其中將優越性公正地歸於主耶穌基督，並清楚地證明這優越性屬於祂（Heb 1:4-14）。