Commentaire par chapitre
Ezekiel Chapitre 44
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繁體中文
Original anglais
In this chapter we have, I. The appropriating of the east gate of the temple to the prince, Eze 44:1-3. II. A reproof sent to the house of Israel for their former profanations of God's sanctuary, with a charge to them to be more strict for the future, Eze 44:4-9. III. The degrading of those Levites that had formerly been guilty of idolatry and the establishing of the priesthood in the family of Zadok, which had kept their integrity, Eze 44:10-16. IV. Divers laws and ordinances concerning the priests, Eze 44:17-31.
1-3
Message of the House of Israel (574 BC)
繁體中文
以色列家的信息(主前574年)
¹ 他又帶我回到聖地朝東的外門,那門關閉著。 ² 耶和華對我說:「這門必須關閉,必不敞開,誰也不可由其中進入;因為耶和華以色列的神已經由其中進入,所以必須關閉。 ³ 至於王,王要在耶和華面前坐在其中吃餅;他必須由門廊進入,也必須由原路而出。」
先知在此被帶去重看他從前已察看過的事物;因為我們縱然常常查考神的事,它們仍值得再次細看——其中所蘊何等豐盛。我們已學過的功課,仍當不斷對自己複習。每逢我們重新查考聖經中那聖事物的神聖結構,總會發現從前未嘗留心的一些新意。先知第三次被帶到東門前,見它關閉著——這暗示其餘的門對敬拜者始終敞開。然而關於這門為何關閉,所作的說明卻將尊榮歸於:1. 以色列的神。為著祂的尊榮,當祂的榮耀進入並接管這殿時所經過的內院之門,此後永遠關閉,無人可由其中進入(結四十四2)。此後這門與其餘的門之間長久維持的區別——別的門敞開時這門卻關閉——既是為要長久記念耶和華榮耀莊嚴地進入聖殿(這將成為其真實性的傳統證據),也是為要使百姓心中充滿對神聖威嚴的敬畏,並對祂那超然的榮耀存極其敬畏之念——正如神在荊棘火焰中對摩西所吩咐的:「把你腳上的鞋脫下來。」神要為自己留一條道路。2. 以色列的王(結四十四3)。這也是王的尊榮:他雖然不可由這門進入(無人可以),但(一)他可以「坐在這門」裏,在耶和華面前「吃」他當得的平安祭之分——那聖潔的食物。(二)他可以「由門廊的道」進入——或許是門上或門旁的一個小門或邊門,這被稱為「門廊的道」。這表明神將自己的一部分榮耀賜給官長,賜給祂百姓的君王,因為祂曾說:「你們是神。」有人將此處的「王」理解為大祭司,或撒甘(即副祭司);惟獨他可由這門進入,因他是神的代表。基督乃是我們所認之大祭司,祂親自進了至聖所,並「為一切信的人開了天國的門」。
Original anglais
Message of the House of Israel (574 BC)
¹ Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.
² Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
³ It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.
The prophet is here brought to review what he had before once surveyed; for, though we have often looked into the things of God, they will yet bear to be looked over again, such a copiousness there is in them. The lessons we have learned we should still repeat to ourselves. Every time we review the sacred fabric of holy things, which we have in the scriptures, we shall still find something new which we did not before take notice of. The prophet is brought a third time to the east gate, and finds it shut, which intimates that the rest of the gates were open at all times to the worshippers. But such an account is given of this gate's being shut as puts honour, 1. Upon the God of Israel. It is for the honour of him that the gate of the inner court, at which his glory entered when he took possession of the house, was ever after kept shut, and no man was allowed to enter in by it, Eze 44:2. The difference ever after made between this and the other gates, that this was shut when the others were open, was intended both to perpetuate the remembrance of the solemn entrance of the glory of the Lord into the house (which it would remain a traditional evidence of the truth of) and also to possess the minds of people with a reverence for the Divine Majesty, and with very awful thoughts of his transcendent glory, which was designed in God's charge to Moses at the bush, Put off thy shoe from off thy foot. God will have a way by himself. 2. Upon the prince of Israel, Eze 44:3. It is an honour to him that though he may not enter in by this gate, for no man may, yet, (1.) He shall sit in this gate to eat his share of the peace-offerings, that sacred food, before the Lord. (2.) He shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, by some little door or wicket, either in the gate or adjoining to it, which is called the way of the porch. This is to signify that God puts some of his glory upon magistrates, upon the princes of his people, for he has said, You are gods. Some by the prince here understand the high priests, or the sagan or second priest; and that he only was allowed to enter by this gate, for he was God's representative. Christ is the high priest of our profession, who entered himself into the holy place, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
4-9
Idolatry of the Levites (574 BC)
繁體中文
利未人的拜偶像（主前574年）
⁴ 他又帶我由北門而來，在殿前；我觀看，見耶和華的榮光充滿耶和華的殿；我就俯伏在地。 ⁵ 耶和華對我說：人子啊，我對你所說耶和華殿的一切法則和一切律例，你要留心，用眼看，用耳聽；並要留心殿的入口和聖所的一切出口。 ⁶ 你要對那悖逆的以色列家說：主耶和華如此說：以色列家啊，你們行這一切可憎的事，夠了！ ⁷ 你們把心中未受割禮、肉身也未受割禮的外邦人，領進我的聖所，褻瀆我的殿，就是我的聖所；你們獻我的餅、脂肪和血的時候，他們因你們一切可憎的事，背了我的約。 ⁸ 你們沒有看守我的聖物，卻在自己的聖所立了看守的人。 ⁹ 主耶和華如此說：以色列人中的外邦人，就是心中未受割禮、肉身也未受割禮的，都不可進我的聖所。
這段與我們在 Eze 43:1-31 開頭所領受的，要旨大致相同。正如先知必須重新觀看從前所見，他也要重新被告知從前所聽見的。此處和從前一樣，他看見殿「被耶和華的榮光充滿」，這使他心生敬畏，以致他一見這景象就俯伏在地—這是最謙卑的敬拜姿勢，也是聖潔敬畏的表達：「我就俯伏在地」（Eze 44:4）。請注意，我們越看見神的榮耀，就越在自己眼中看為卑微。如今在此：
I. 神吩咐先知要特別留意他所見的一切，以及對他說的一切（Eze 44:5）：「用你的眼看」所「給你看」的，特別是「殿的入口」和「聖所的一切出口」，就是聖所一切的入口和一切的出口；那些他當特別留意。請注意，我們在認識屬神的事上，當著眼的不在於對事物本身的抽象推測，而在於找到與這些事物相交相通的清楚指定之路，好叫我們「出入得草吃」。
2. 「用你的耳聽我對你所說的」，關於「殿的」「律例」和「法則」，他當以此教導百姓。請注意，那些被任命作教師的人，需要作非常勤奮謹慎的學習者，好叫他們既不遺忘所託付的任何事，也不在其中發生誤解。
II. 神差遣他去見百姓，去見「那悖逆的以色列家」（Eze 44:6）。想到以色列家竟然從那完全認識他們的神那裏配得這個稱號，實在令人痛心—與神立約的百姓竟悖逆祂。以色列家若是叛徒，誰還是祂的子民呢？但這是神豐盛憐憫的一個實例：他們雖然「悖逆」，既然是「以色列家」，祂卻不棄絕他們，反而差遣使者到他們那裏，邀請並鼓勵他們歸回效忠；祂若喜悅除滅他們，就不會這樣做了。整個人類都落在此處加在以色列家身上的稱號之下；但我們的主耶穌升上高天的時候，擄掠了仇敵，將恩賜賞給人，「就是悖逆的人也*」，為要「叫耶和華神可以」如這裏一樣「與他們同住」（Ps 68:18）。
1. 他必須告訴他們的過失，向他們顯明他們的悖逆，向雅各家說明他們的罪。請注意，那些奉差遣去安慰神百姓的人，必須先使他們知罪，從而為安慰作預備。「你們行這一切可憎的事，夠了！」（Eze 44:6）。請注意，那些長久停留在罪中的人，現在該算計已經夠久了、太久了，當開始考慮及時回頭，離棄邪惡的道路。「以往在世……的時候已經夠了」，因為到如今你們必定已對可憎之物生膩，並對之感到厭惡了（1Pe 4:3）。此處加在他們身上的指控是：(1) 他們接納了那些無權享有聖所特權的人進入其中；神曾說「挨近的外人必被治死」，他們不但縱容外人侵入聖所，更親自引進他們（Eze 44:7）：「你們把肉身未受割禮的外邦人領進來」，因此在律法上無資格進入聖所，這是違背了割禮之約，拆毀了他們獨特性的一道籬笆，使自己與世界其餘的人混為一體。這些外人若是敬虔的好人，雖未受割禮，罪行也不致如此重大；但他們「心中也未受割禮」，沒有謙卑，沒有歸正，實在是神和一切良善的陌生人。他們來獻祭時把這些人帶來，一同在祭物上設宴，因為他們喜歡他們的陪伴；這就是他們的可憎之事之一，他們以此「褻瀆神的聖所」；這是「把聖物丟給狗」（Mt 7:6）。請注意，接納那些公然邪惡和不敬虔的人參與特別的聖禮，就是褻瀆神的聖所，是對祂極大的冒犯。(2) 他們任用了那些不適合的人在聖所事奉。雖然只有祭司和利未人可在聖所事奉，但我們可以設想，並非所有祭司和利未人都立刻在那裏當值，而是從中選出最合格的人—最有智慧、最認真、最有良心、最可能謹慎看守聖物的人；但在作這選擇時，他們並不顧及功勞和擔任這工作的資格：「你們在自己的聖所立了看守的人」，是你們有所偏愛或喜愛的人，是你們要從他們身上得好處或指望得好處的人，或是會遷就你們的脾氣、會為討好你們而放寬聖所律法的人；「這樣你們就沒有看守我的聖物。」請注意，那些有權選擇看守聖物之人的人，若為服事某種世俗自私的目的而選擇那些不適任和不忠心的人，把聖物託付給壞人之手以致辜負了聖物，這公正地要歸咎於他們。
2. 他必須告訴他們的本分（Eze 44:9）：「凡外邦人都不可進我的聖所」，直到他先順服其律法。但為免有人以為這把悔改信主的外邦人排除在教會之外，此處的外人被描述為「心中未受割禮」的人—不是真誠地同意聖約、不除去肉體污穢的人；而信主的外邦人是「受了不是人手所行的割禮」（Col 2:11）。這心中的割禮，「在於靈，不在於儀文」，正是不信的猶太人所陌生、所漠不關心的，而他們卻熱心要將未受割禮的外邦人擋在聖所之外；試看他們對保羅的狂怒，不過是懷疑他把「希臘人帶進殿裏」（Ac 21:28）。
Original anglais
Idolatry of the Levites (574 BC)
⁴ Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I fell upon my face.
⁵ And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary.
⁶ And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,
⁷ In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.
⁸ And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.
⁹ Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.
This is much to the same purport with what we had in the beginning of Eze 43:1-31 As the prophet must look again upon what he had before seen, so he must be told again what he had before heard. Here, as before, he sees the house filled with the glory of the Lord, which strikes an awe upon him, so that he falls prostrate at the sight, the humblest posture of adoration and the expression of a holy awe: I fell upon my face, Eze 44:4. Note, The more we see of the glory of God the more low we shall lie in our own eyes. Now here,
I. God charges the prophet to take a very particular notice of all he saw, and all that was said to him (Eze 44:5): "Behold with thy eyes what is shown thee, particularly the entering in of the house and every going forth of it, all the inlets and all the outlets of the sanctuary;" those he must take special notice of. Note, In acquainting ourselves with divine things we must not aim so much at an abstract speculation of the things themselves as at finding the plain appointed way of converse and communion with those things, that we may go in and out and find pasture. 2. Hear with thy ears all that I say unto thee about the laws and ordinances of the house, which he was to instruct the people in. Note, Those who are appointed to be teachers have need to be very diligent careful learners, that they may neither forget any of the things they are entrusted with nor mistake concerning them.
II. He sends him upon an errand to the people, to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Eze 44:6. It is sad to think that the house of Israel should deserve this character from him who perfectly knew them, that a people in covenant with God should be rebellious against him. Who are his subjects if the house of Israel be rebels? But it is an instance of God's rich mercy that, though they had been rebellious, yet, being the house of Israel, he does not cast them off, but sends an ambassador to them, to invite and encourage them to return to their allegiance, which he would not have done if he had been pleased to kill them. The whole race of mankind has fallen under the character here given of the house of Israel; but our Lord Jesus, when he ascended on high, received gifts for men, yea, even for the rebellious also, that, as here, the Lord God might dwell among them, Ps 68:18.
1. He must tell them of their faults, must show them their rebellions, must show the house of Jacob their sins. Note, Those that are sent to comfort God's people must first convince them, and so prepare them for comfort. Let it suffice you of all your abominations, Eze 44:6. Note, It is time for those that have continued long in sin to reckon it long enough, and too long, and to begin to think of taking up in time, and leaving off their evil courses. "Let the time past of your lives suffice, for by this time, surely, you have surfeited upon your abominations and have become sick of them," 1Pe 4:3. That which is here charged upon them is, (1.) That they had admitted those to the privileges of the sanctuary that were not entitled to them; whereas God had said, The stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death, they had not only connived at the intrusion of strangers into the sanctuary, but had themselves introduced them (Eze 44:7): You brought in strangers uncircumcised in flesh, and therefore under a legal incapacity to enter into the sanctuary, which was a breaking of the covenant of circumcision, throwing down the hedge of their peculiarity, and laying themselves in common with the rest of the world. Yet if these strangers had been devout and good, though they were not circumcised, the crime would not have been so great; but they were uncircumcised in heart too, unhumbled, unreformed, and strangers indeed to God and all goodness. When they came to offer sacrifice they brought these with them to feast with them upon the sacrifice, because they were fond of their company, and this was one of their abominations, wherewith they polluted God's sanctuary; it was giving that which was holy unto dogs, Mt 7:6. Note, The admission of those who are openly wicked and profane to special ordinances is a polluting of God's sanctuary and a great provocation to him. (2.) That they had employed those in the service of the sanctuary who were not fit for it. Though none but priests and Levites were to minister in the sanctuary, yet we may suppose that all who were priests and Levites did not immediately attend there, but chosen men of them, who were best qualified, who were most wise, serious, and conscientious, and most likely to keep the charge of the holy things carefully; but, in making this choice, they had not regard to merit and qualification for the work: "You have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves, such as you had some favour or affection for, such as you either had got, or hoped to get, money by, or such as would comply with your humours and would dispense with the laws of the sanctuary to please you; thus you have not kept the charge of my holy things." Note, Those who have the choice of the keepers of the holy things, if, to serve some secular selfish purpose, they choose such as are unfit and unfaithful, will justly have it laid at their door, that they have betrayed the holy things by lodging them in bad hands.
2. He must tell them their duty (Eze 44:9): "No stranger shall enter into my sanctuary till he has first submitted to the laws of it." But, lest any should think that this excluded the penitent believing Gentiles from the church, the stranger here is described to be one that is uncircumcised in heart, not in sincerity consenting to the covenant, nor putting away the filth of the flesh; whereas the believing Gentiles were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, Col 2:11. This circumcision of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter, was what the unbelieving Jews were strangers to and unconcerned about, while yet they were zealous to keep out of the sanctuary uncircumcised Gentiles, witness their rage against Paul when they did but suspect him to have brought Greeks into the temple, Ac 21:28.
10-16
Idolatrous Priests Degraded (574 BC)
繁體中文
拜偶像的祭司被貶（主前574年）
¹⁰ 當以色列人走迷離開我的時候，那些利未人遠離我、隨從他們的偶像走迷離開我，他們必擔當自己的罪孽。
¹¹ 然而他們在我的聖所中供職，要看守殿門，在殿中伺候，為百姓宰殺燔祭牲和平安祭牲，站在他們面前伺候他們。
¹² 因為這些利未人曾在偶像前伺候他們，使以色列家陷在罪孽之中；所以主耶和華說：我向他們起誓，他們必擔當自己的罪孽。
¹³ 他們不可親近我，給我供祭司的職分，也不可親近我的一切聖物，就是在至聖的物上；他們卻要擔當自己的羞辱和所行可憎的事。
¹⁴ 然而我必使他們看守殿的職責，辦理殿中一切事務和其中所當行的事。
¹⁵ 至於那些曾看守我聖所、當以色列人走迷離開我的時候仍盡忠職守的祭司，就是利未人撒督的子孫，他們可以親近我事奉我，在我面前獻上脂油和血。這是主耶和華說的。
¹⁶ 他們必進入我的聖所，就近我的桌子事奉我，看守我的職責。
這家的主人既要重新建立家業，便清點他的僕人——祭司們，看看哪些該被革職、哪些該被留任，並相應地採取措施對待他們。
I. 那些曾背信棄義的人被貶黜，地位被置於那些利未人之下——即從前被捲入以色列背道潮流中的祭司，他們隨從偶像走迷離開了神（Eze 44:10），他們曾與以色列或猶大的拜偶像君王妥協，在偶像面前伺候他們（Eze 44:12），與他們一同在臨門廟中屈身，或為他們築壇——如烏利亞為亞哈斯所行的——從而使以色列家陷在罪孽之中，引領他們犯罪並使他們在罪中剛硬；因為若祭司走迷了路，許多人就必跟從他們敗壞的道路。也許在巴比倫，一些猶太祭司曾與當地的拜偶像者妥協，對他們的信仰造成極大的羞辱。如今這些如此反覆無常的祭司，理當被置於神不悅的標記之下；或者若他們已經死了（若罪行是在被擄之前犯的，這很有可能），罪孽就追討到他們兒女身上。又或者，也許是整個亞比亞他家族犯了這過犯，如今被傳召來交帳。1. 他們被判決部分喪失職位，從祭司的尊榮降為普通利未人的地位。神已向他們起誓，已說了，並且起誓了，他們必擔當自己的罪孽（Eze 44:12）；他們必定為此受罰，必定為此受辱；他們必擔當自己的羞辱（Eze 44:13），因為雖然（我們存善意希望）他們已為之悔改，然而他們不可親近來供祭司的職分，就是那些專屬於他們的部分職務，他們不可親近聖所內任何聖物（Eze 44:13）。請注意，那些奪取神榮耀的人，理當被剝奪自己的尊榮。而且被禁止親近神實在是重大的刑罰；那些曾一度遠離神的人，理當被視為永遠不配親近他而遭棄絕，被置於永遠的距離之外。2. 然而在這判決中也有憐憫的成分。神對待那些曾對他不忠的人，並沒有像他本可以的那樣嚴厲，而是減輕了刑罰（Eze 44:11,14）。他們只被部分革職——離了職位，但看來絲毫沒有失去俸祿。他們可以協助宰殺祭牲，這是利未人被允許做的，而在這殿中這是在桌子旁而非在祭壇上進行的（Eze 40:29）。他們要在殿門作看守，並*看守殿的職責，辦理殿中一切事務。*請注意，那些不宜被用於某一種事奉的人，可能仍宜被用於另一種；即使那些犯了過犯的人，也可以被使用，而不完全被丟在一邊，更不是被丟棄。
II. 那些曾忠心的人被尊榮並被堅立（Eze 44:15,16）。他們與前者顯著地區別開來：*「至於撒督的子孫，」在普遍背道的時候持守了他們的正直，在別人走迷的時候沒有偏離，他們可以親近我，可以就近我的桌子。*請注意，神必在動搖試煉的時刻中賜下忠心和恆忍的證據，在他們身上加上尊榮的標記，並使用那些在別人離棄和退縮時仍緊守事奉的人來事奉他。而且，在職責上的穩固得以在職責上被堅立，這應當被視為真實而極大的賞賜。我們若緊守與神相近，神也必保守我們與他相近。
Original anglais
Idolatrous Priests Degraded (574 BC)
¹⁰ And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.
¹¹ Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.
¹² Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity.
¹³ And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.
¹⁴ But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.
¹⁵ But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:
¹⁶ They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.
The Master of the house, being about to set up house again, takes account of his servants the priests, and sees who are fit to be turned out of their places and who to be kept in, and takes a course with them accordingly.
I. Those who have been treacherous are degraded and put lower than those Levites—or priests who were carried down the stream of the apostasy of Israel formerly, who went astray from God after their idols (Eze 44:10), who had complied with the idolatrous kings of Israel or Judah, who ministered to them before their idols (Eze 44:12), bowed with them in the house of Rimmon, or set up altars for them, as Urijah did for Ahaz, and so caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, led them to sin and hardened them in sin; for, if the priests go astray, many will follow their pernicious ways. Perhaps in Babylon some of the Jewish priests had complied with the idolaters of the place, to the great scandal of their religion. Now these priests who had thus prevaricated were justly put under the mark of God's displeasure; or, if they were dead (as it is probable that they were, if the crime were committed before the captivity), the iniquity was visited upon their children. Or perhaps it was the whole family of Abiathar that had been guilty of this trespass, which was now called to account for it. And, 1. They are sentenced to be deprived, in part, of their office, and from the dignity of priests are put down into the condition or ordinary Levites. God has lifted up his hand against them, has said it, and sworn it, that they shall bear their iniquity (Eze 44:12); assuredly they shall suffer for it, shall suffer disgrace for it; they shall bear their shame (Eze 44:13), for though they have (we charitably hope) repented of it, yet they shall not come near to do the office of a priest, that is, those parts of the office that were peculiar to them, they shall not come near to any of the holy things within the sanctuary, Eze 44:13. Note, those who have robbed God of his honour will justly be deprived of their honour. And it is really a great punishment to be forbidden to come near to God; and justly might those who have once gone away from him be rejected as unworthy ever to come near to him and put at an everlasting distance. 2. Yet there is a mixture of mercy in this sentence. God deals not in severity, as he might have done, with those who had dealt treacherously with him, but mitigates the sentence, Eze 44:11,14. They are deprived but in part, ab officio—of their office, and, it should seem, not at all à beneficio—of their emoluments. They shall help to slay the sacrifice, which the Levites were permitted to do, and which in this temple was done, not at the altar, but at the tables, Eze 40:29. They shall be porters at the gates of the house, and they shall be keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof. Note, Those who may not be fit to be employed in one kind of service may yet be fit to be employed in another; and even those who have offended may yet be made use of, and not quite thrown aside, much less thrown away.
II. Those who have been faithful are honoured and established, Eze 44:15,16. These are remarkably distinguished from the other: "But the sons of Zadok, who kept their integrity in a time of general apostasy, who went not astray when others did, they shall come near to me, shall come near to my table." Note, God will put marks of honour upon those who give proofs of their fidelity and constancy to him in shaking trying times, and will employ those in his service who have kept close to his service when others deserted it and drew back. And it ought to be reckoned a true and great reward of stability in duty to be established in it. If we keep close to God, God will keep us close to him.
17-31
Directions Concerning the Priests (574 BC)
繁體中文
關於祭司的指示（主前574年）
¹⁷ 他們進內院門時必穿細麻衣；在內院門內和殿中事奉的時候，身上不可穿羊毛的衣服。 ¹⁸ 他們頭上要戴細麻布裹頭巾，腰間要穿細麻布褲子；不可穿使身體出汗的衣服。 ¹⁹ 他們出到外院、到外院百姓那裏的時候，必脫下事奉時所穿的衣服，放在聖屋內，穿上別的衣服；免得因衣服使百姓成聖。 ²⁰ 他們不可剃頭，也不可容髮長長；只可剪髮。 ²¹ 祭司進內院的時候，都不可喝酒。 ²² 不可娶寡婦和被休的婦人為妻；只可娶以色列家後裔中的處女，或是祭司的寡婦。 ²³ 他們要教導我的民分辨聖與俗，使他們分辨潔淨與不潔淨。 ²⁴ 有爭訟的事，他們應當站立審判，要按我的典章審判；在我的一切節期中，他們要守我的律例和典章；又要以我的安息日為聖。 ²⁵ 他們不可挨近死屍使自己不潔淨；但為父親、母親、兒子、女兒、兄弟，或未曾嫁人的姐妹，才可以不潔淨。 ²⁶ 祭司潔淨之後，還要為他計算七日。 ²⁷ 他進聖所、進內院事奉聖所的那日，要獻贖罪祭。這是主耶和華說的。 ²⁸ 這要作他們的產業：我是他們的產業；你們在以色列中不可給他們產業；我是他們的分。 ²⁹ 他們要吃素祭、贖罪祭和贖愆祭；以色列中一切永獻之物都要歸他們。 ³⁰ 各樣初熟的果子中最好的，你們各樣供物中的頭一個，都要歸祭司；你們也要將麵的頭一個給祭司，使福氣臨到你們的家。 ³¹ 祭司不可吃自死的或被野獸撕裂的，無論是飛鳥是走獸。」
神的祭司必須是「規律的」，而非「世俗的」；因此此處為他們定下了治理自己的規則，並給予適當的勉勵以按照這些規則生活。此處給予了指示：
I. 關於他們的衣服；他們在「進去事奉」或在內院或聖所中作任何事奉時，必須穿「細麻衣」，不可穿「羊毛」，因為那會「使身體出汗」（Eze 44:17-18）。他們必須穿涼爽的衣服，使他們可以更輕快地工作；他們更需要如此行，因為他們要照管的壇上常有火。他們也必須穿乾淨芬芳的衣服，避免一切出汗和污穢的東西，以表示事奉神當有的心思純潔。汗是隨罪而來的，是咒詛的一部分。「你必汗流滿面才得餬口。」衣服也是隨罪而來的，皮衣就是；因此祭司當盡量使用最少、最輕的衣服，不可穿使身體出汗的。事奉完畢後他們必須再換衣服，將細麻衣存放在為此指定的屋子裏（Eze 44:19），如先前（Eze 42:14）。他們不可穿著聖衣到百姓中間，免得百姓想像因觸摸聖衣而得以成聖；或「他們使百姓成聖」，即（如Eze 42:14所解釋的），他們在「普通的衣服」中「到為百姓所預備的事那裏去」。
II. 關於他們的頭髮；在這方面他們必須避免兩個極端（Eze 44:20）：「不可剃頭」，不可效法外邦祭司，如同羅馬教會的祭司所行的；另一方面，也不可「容髮長長」，如同花花公子，或使人以為他們是拿細耳人，其實不是；他們必須端莊適度，「剪髮」，保持頭髮短。若一個男人，特別是傳道人，留「長髮」，是不合宜的（1Co 11:14）；那是女性化的。
III. 關於他們的飲食；他們進去事奉時務必「不喝酒」，免得喝到過量，免得喝了就忘記律法（Eze 44:21）。「君王喝酒不相宜」，不可喝到超過對他們有益的量，何況祭司。見Le 10:9、Pr 31:4-5。
IV. 關於他們的婚姻（Eze 44:22）。在此他們必須顧及自己職分的聲譽，不可娶「被休的」婦人—至少有不貞潔之嫌疑的，也不可娶「寡婦」，除非是祭司的寡婦—已經習慣了祭司家族的生活方式的人。別人可以做的事，傳道人不可以做，卻必須在這些事上克制自己，以榮耀自己的身分。他們的妻子與他們自己一樣必須有好名聲。
V. 關於他們的傳道和教會治理。1. 教導百姓是他們職責的一部分；在此他們必須證明自己既有技巧又忠心（Eze 44:23）：「他們要教導我的民分辨聖與俗」，分辨善惡、合法與不合法，使他們既不為合法的事過分顧慮，也不涉足不合法的事，使他們既不褻瀆聖物，也不以俗物玷污自己。傳道人必須努力使「百姓分辨潔淨與不潔淨」，使他們不混淆是非之間的區別，也不在其中弄錯，以至於「以暗為光、以光為暗」，而在自己的行為上有良好的判斷力。2. 根據上訴作判決也是他們職責的一部分（De 17:8-9）；「有爭訟的事，他們應當站立審判」（Eze 44:24）。他們當有誠實為正義站起來，當作出正確判決後，當有勇氣堅持它、支持它。他們不可根據自己的幻想、偏好或世俗利益審判，而要「按我的典章」；那必須是他們的規則和標準。請注意，傳道人必須照神的話語—「訓誨和法度」—裁決爭議。「願審判者公正無私。」他們的職責是奉神的名開庭，在祂百姓的聚會中主持。在此他們必須訴諸律法書：他們要「在我的所有聚會中守我的律例」。神稱祂百姓的聚會為「祂的」聚會，因為它們是奉祂的名、為祂的榮耀而舉行的。傳道人是那些聚會的主持，在其中主持，在一切行動中必須嚴守神的律法。他們作為教會治理者的另一部分工作是「以神的安息日為聖」，以適當的謹慎和敬畏來盡那日的公眾之工，如同聖日之工當如此行的，並確保神的百姓也守那日為聖，不作任何褻瀆它的事。
VI. 關於他們為已故親屬的哀悼；此處的規則與摩西律法一致（Le 21:1, 11）。祭司不可挨近任何「死屍」（因為他們必須「從死行中得潔淨」），除了至近親屬之外（Eze 44:25）。為親愛的親屬被死亡取去而有的敬虔悲哀的合宜表達，與傳道人的品格並不衝突。然而因接近親屬的屍體，他們染上了禮儀上的不潔，在再次進去事奉之前必須藉「贖罪祭」得潔淨（Eze 44:26-27）。請注意，雖然為死者哀傷十分合理且值得稱讚，但在其中有犯罪的危險，無論是過度或虛假；那些眼淚往往需要「重新再流」。
VII. 關於他們的供養；他們必須靠所事奉的壇而活，並且活得舒適（Eze 44:28）：「你們在以色列中不可給他們產業」，不可給他們土地或房屋，免得他們被今生的事務纏住；因為神說過：「我是他們的產業」，他們不需要別的留作後備；「我是他們的分」，他們不需要別的在手。他們得了部分土地（Eze 48:10），但他們的主要生活來源是靠他們的職分。神所分別為聖歸自己的，他們是承受者，為自己正當的用途和益處而領受；他們靠聖物而活，因此神自己既是他們產業的分，也是他們杯中的分。請注意，那些以神為產業和分的人可以知足於少數，不當貪戀這地上的產業和財物。我們若有神，就有「一切」；因此可以坦然認為自己夠了。請留意：
1. 祭司要從百姓那裏得到的，作為他們的供養和勉勵。(1) 他們要得許多祭物的肉—「贖罪祭和贖愆祭」，這必為他們和他們的家屬供應肉食，以及「素祭」，這必為他們供應餅。我們獻給神的，必歸我們自己的益處。(2) 他們要得以色列中一切永獻之物，在許多情形中要折成銀錢交給祭司。這在Eze 44:29中有解釋。「各樣供物或甘心祭（在改革和敬虔的時代必很多且可觀）中，你們各樣供物的頭一個，都要歸祭司。」關於這些我們有律法（Le 27:1-34）。(3) 他們要得「麵的頭一個」，當它要進爐之時，正如他們要得「初熟的果子」，當它們要進倉之時。神既是首位的，就必須得頭一個的；若屬於祂，祂的祭司就必須得。我們唯有「先」將一份分別出來為敬虔和慈善之用，才能舒適地享受所有的。使徒的規則與此有類似之處：「每逢七日的第一日」為敬虔之用分別出來（1Co 16:2）。祭司既如此供應充足，他們若（違背每個以色列人當守的律法）「吃自死的或被野獸撕裂的」，就不可推諉了（Eze 44:31）。那些缺乏必要食物的人或許可望在這情形中得豁免。貧窮有其試探，但祭司供應如此充足，沒有任何藉口如此行。
2. 百姓可以期望從祭司那裏得著回報。那些善待先知、善待祭司的，必得先知、祭司的賞賜：「使福氣臨到你們的家」（Eze 44:30），就是神可以藉命令使福氣臨到，祭司可以藉祈求使福氣臨到；而「奉耶和華的名為百姓祝福」是祭司工作的一部分，不僅為他們的聚會，也為他們的家庭。請注意，任何家庭得著神的福氣、使福氣住在其中、與我們同住、並將之延及我們的後裔，是一切安慰中最大的。使神的福氣常在我們產業上的方法，就是以產業榮耀神，將當納的分歸給祂和祂的僕人、歸給祂和祂的窮人。神賜福，必定賜福給如此公正之人的居所（Pr 3:33）。傳道人藉著教導和為善待他們的家庭禱告，當盡自己的本分使福氣住在那裏。「願平安歸於這家。」
Original anglais
Directions Concerning the Priests (574 BC)
¹⁷ And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within.
¹⁸ They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.
¹⁹ And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.
²⁰ Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads.
²¹ Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.
²² Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.
²³ And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
²⁴ And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
²⁵ And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves.
²⁶ And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days.
²⁷ And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, saith the Lord GOD.
²⁸ And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.
²⁹ They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs.
³⁰ And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.
³¹ The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.
God's priests must be regulars, not seculars; and therefore here are rules laid down for them to govern themselves by and due encouragement given them to live up to those rules. Directions are here given,
I. Concerning their clothes; they must wear linen garments when they went in to minister or do any service in the inner court, or in the sanctuary, and nothing that was woollen, because it would cause sweat, Eze 44:17,18. They must dress themselves cool, that they might go the more readily about their work; and they had the more need to do so because they were to attend the altars, which had constant fires upon them. And they must dress themselves clean and sweet, and avoid every thing that was sweaty and filthy, to signify the purity of mind with which the service of God is to be attended to. Sweat came in with sin and was part of the curse. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. Clothes came in with sin, coats of skins did; and therefore the priests must use as little and as light clothing as possible, and not such as caused sweat. When they had finished their service they must change their clothes again, and lay up their linen garments in the chambers appointed for that purpose, Eze 44:19, as before, Eze 42:14. They must not go among the people with their holy garments on, lest they should imagine themselves sanctified by the touch of them; or, They shall sanctify the people, that is (as it is explained, Eze 42:14), they shall approach to those things which are for the people, in their ordinary garments.
II. Concerning their hair; in that they must avoid extremes on both hands (Eze 44:20): They must not shave their heads, in imitation of the Gentile priests, and as the priests of the Romish church do; nor, on the other hand, must they suffer their locks to grow long, as the beaux, or that they might be thought Nazarites, when really they were not; but they must be grave and modest, must poll their heads and keep their hair short. If a man, especially a minister, wear long hair, it is not becoming (1Co 11:14); it is effeminate.
III. Concerning their diet; they must be sure to drink no wine when they went in to minister, lest they should drink to excess, should drink and forget the law, Eze 44:21. It is not for kings to drink wine, more than will do them good, much less for priests. See Le 10:9, Pr 31:4,5.
IV. Concerning their marriages, Eze 44:22. Here they must consult the credit of their office, and not marry one that had been divorced, that was at least under the suspicion of immodesty, nor a widow, unless she were a priest's widow, that had been accustomed to the usages of the priests' families. Others may do that which ministers may not do, but must deny themselves in, in honour of their character. Their wives as well as themselves must be of good report.
V. Concerning their preaching and church-government. 1. It was part of their business to teach the people; and herein they must approve themselves both skilful and faithful (Eze 44:23): They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the profane, between good and evil, lawful and unlawful, that they may neither scruple what is lawful nor venture upon what is unlawful, that they may not pollute what is holy nor pollute themselves with what is profane. Ministers must take pains to cause people to discern between the clean and the unclean, that they may not confound the distinctions between right and wrong, nor mistake concerning them, so as to put darkness for light and light for darkness, but may have a good judgment of discretion concerning their own actions. 2. It was part of their business to judge upon appeals made to them (De 17:8,9); and in controversy they shall stand in judgment, Eze 44:24. They shall have the honesty to stand up for what is right, and, when they have passed a right judgment, shall have the courage to stand to it and stand by it. They must judge, not according to their own fancies, or inclinations, or secular interests, but according to my judgments; that must be their rule and standard. Note, Ministers must decide controversies according to the word of God, to the law and to the testimony. Sit liber judex—Let the judge be unbiased. Their business is to keep courts in God's name, to preside in the congregations of his people. And herein they must go to the statute-book: They shall keep my statutes in all my assemblies. God calls the assemblies of his people his assemblies, because they are held in his name, to his glory. Ministers are the masters of those assemblies, are to preside in them, and in all their acts must keep close to God's laws. Another part of their work, as church governors, is to hallow God's sabbaths, to do the public work of that day with a becoming care and reverence, as the work of a holy day should be done, and to see that God's people also sanctify that day and do nothing to pollute it.
VI. Concerning their mourning for dead relations; the rule here agrees with the law of Moses, Le 21:1,11. A priest shall not come near any dead body (for they must be purified from dead works) except of his next relations, Eze 44:25. Decent expressions of a pious sorrow for dear relations, when they are removed by death, are not disagreeable to the character of a minister. Yet by this approach to the dead body of a relation they contracted a ceremonial pollution, from which they must be cleansed by a sin-offering before they went in again to minister, Eze 44:26,27. Note, Though sorrow for the dead is very allowable and commendable, yet there is danger of sinning in it, either by excess or dissimulation; and those tears have too often need to be wept over again.
VII. Concerning their maintenance; they must live upon the altar at which they served, and live comfortably (Eze 44:28): "You shall give them no possession in Israel, no lands or tenements, lest they should be entangled with the affairs of this life;" for God has said, I am their inheritance, and they need no other in reserve; I am their possession, and they need no other in hand. Some land was allowed them (Eze 48:10), but their principal subsistence was by their office. What God appropriated to himself they were the receivers of, for their own proper use and behoof; they lived upon the holy things, and so God himself was the portion both of their inheritance and of their cup. Note, Those who have God for their inheritance and their possession may be content with a little, and ought not to covet a great deal of the possessions and inheritances of this earth. If we have God, we have all; and therefore may well reckon that we have enough. Observe,
1. What the priests were to have from the people, for their maintenance and encouragement. (1.) They must have the flesh of many of the offerings, the sin-offering and trespass-offering, which would supply them and their families with flesh-meat, and the meat-offerings, which would supply them with bread. What we offer to God will redound to our own advantage. (2.) They must have every dedicated devoted thing in Israel, which was in many cases to be turned into money and given to the priest. This is explained, Eze 44:20. Every oblation or free-will offering (which in times of reformation and devotion would be many and considerable) of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's. We have the law concerning them Le 27:1-34. (3.) They were to have the first of the dough when it was going to the oven, as well as the first of their fruits when they were going to the barn. God, who is the first, must have the first; and, if it belong to him, his priests must have it. We may then comfortably enjoy what we have, when a share of it has been first set apart for works of piety and charity. To this the apostle's rule bears some analogy, to begin the week with laying by for pious uses, 1Co 16:2. The priests being so well provided for, it would be inexcusable in them if they (contrary to the law which every Israelite is bound by) should eat that which is torn or which died of itself, Eze 44:31. Those that were in want of necessary food might perhaps expect to be dispensed with in such a case. Poverty has its temptations, but the priests were so well provided for that they could have no pretence for it.
2. What the people might expect from the priest for their recompence. Those that are kind to a prophet, to a priest, shall have a prophet's, a priest's reward: That he may cause the blessing to rest in thy house (Eze 44:30), that God may cause it by commanding it, that the priest may cause it by praying for it; and it was part of the priest's work to bless the people in the name of the Lord, not only their congregations, but their families. Note, It is all in all to the comfort of any house to have the blessing of God upon it and to have the blessing to rest in it, to dwell where we dwell and to attend the entail of it upon those that shall come after us. And the way to have the blessing of God abide upon our estates is to honour God with them, and to give him and his ministers, him and his poor, their share out of them. God blesses, he surely blesses, the habitation of those who are thus just, Pr 3:33. And ministers, by instructing and praying for the families that are kind to them, should do their part towards causing the blessing to rest there. Peace be to this house.
在本章我們看到：一、把聖殿的東門歸給王，結 44:1-3。二、責備以色列家從前褻瀆神聖所，並吩咐他們日後當更加嚴謹，結 44:4-9。三、貶黜那些從前犯拜偶像之罪的利未人，並把祭司職任確立在持守忠貞的撒督家族中，結 44:10-16。四、關乎祭司的各樣律例典章，結 44:17-31。