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The doctrine of the priestly office of Christ is so excellent in itself, and so essential a part of the Christian faith, that the apostle loves to dwell upon it. Nothing made the Jews so fond of the Levitical dispensation as the high esteem they had of their priesthood, and it was doubtless a sacred and most excellent institution; it was a very severe threatening denounced against the Jews (Ho 3:4), that the children of Israel should abide many days without a prince or priest, and without a sacrifice, and with an ephod, and without teraphim. Now the apostle assures them that by receiving the Lord Jesus they would have a much better high priest, a priesthood of a higher order, and consequently a better dispensation or covenant, a better law and testament; this he shows in this chapter, where, I. We have a more particular account of Melchisedec, Heb 7:1-3. II. The superiority of his priesthood to that of Aaron, Heb 7:4-10. III. An accommodation of all to Christ, to show the superior excellency of his person, office, and covenant, Heb 7:11-28.
1-10
Melchisedec's Priesthood (62 AD)
繁體中文
麥基洗德的祭司職分（公元62年）
¹ 這麥基洗德就是撒冷王，又是至高神的祭司，本是長遠為祭司的。他迎接亞伯拉罕殺敗諸王回來的時候，就為他祝福。
² 亞伯拉罕也將自己所得來的，取十分之一給他。他頭一個名翻出來就是仁義王，他又名撒冷王，就是平安王的意思。
³ 他無父、無母、無族譜、無生之始、無命之終，是與神的兒子相似。
⁴ 你們想一想，先祖亞伯拉罕將自己所擄來上等之物取十分之一給他，這人是何等尊貴呢！
⁵ 那得祭司職任的利未子孫，領命照律法向百姓取十分之一，這百姓是自己的弟兄，雖然是從亞伯拉罕身中生的。
⁶ 獨有麥基洗德，不與他們同譜，倒收納亞伯拉罕的十分之一，為那蒙應許的祝福。
⁷ 從來位分大的給位分小的祝福，這是駁不倒的理。
⁸ 在這裏收十分之一的都是必死的人；但在那裏收十分之一的，有為他作見證的說，他是活的。
⁹ 並且可說那受十分之一的利未，也是藉着亞伯拉罕納了十分之一。
¹⁰ 因為麥基洗德迎接亞伯拉罕的時候，利未已經在他先祖的身中。
前一章以重複先前一再引用的詩110:4的話作結：「耶穌照麥基洗德的等次永遠為大祭司。」如今本章如同那經文的講章；使徒在此向他們擺上他先前所說的乾糧中的一些，盼望他們藉着更大的勤奮能更好地預備消化它。
I. 首先出現的大問題是：這麥基洗德是誰？我們在舊約中所有關於他的記載在創14:18等以及詩110:4。我們對他實在所知甚少；神看為合適如此留下，使這麥基洗德可以更活潑地作那無人能述說其家世之人的預表。人若不以所啟示的為足，便只能在黑暗中漫無止境地猜測——有人幻想他是天使，有人說他是聖靈；但：
1. 最值得我們考慮的關於他的意見有三：（1）拉比和多數猶太作者認為他是挪亞的兒子閃——他照別的族長的樣式為他們的祖先作王和祭司；但他如此改名是不大可能的。此外，我們也沒有關於他定居迦南地的記載。（2）許多基督徒作者認為他就是耶穌基督自己，以特殊的安排和特權向亞伯拉罕在肉身中顯現，並為亞伯拉罕所知的名為「麥基洗德」——這很適合基督，也適合約8:56所說的：「亞伯拉罕歡歡喜喜地仰望我的日子。」這意見有許多可說的，Heb 7:3所說的似乎不適合任何純粹的人；但使基督成為自己的預表，看來又很奇怪。（3）最普遍的意見是他是一位迦南王，在撒冷作王，維持宗教和對真神的敬拜；他被高舉作基督的預表，並被亞伯拉罕當作如此而予以尊榮。
2. 但我們暫且放下這些猜測，盡力理解使徒在此關於他所說的，以及基督由此如何被描繪，Heb 7:1-3。（1）麥基洗德是王，主耶穌也是——神所膏的王；政權擔在祂的肩頭上，祂為祂百姓的益處治理萬有。（2）他是「仁義王」：他的名字意為「公義的王」。耶穌基督是正當而公義的王——論頭銜正當，論治理公義。祂是耶和華我們的義；祂盡了諸般的義，帶來了永遠的義，祂喜愛公義和公義之人，恨惡罪惡。（3）祂是撒冷王，即平安王；先是仁義王，然後是平安王。我們的主耶穌也是如此；祂以祂的義成就了和平，義的果子就是和平。基督傳揚和平，創造和平，是我們的和平締造者。（4）祂是「至高神的祭司」，以特殊方式受膏裝備作祂在外邦人中的祭司。主耶穌也是如此；祂是至高神的祭司，外邦人必須藉着祂到神面前；惟有藉着祂的祭司職分，我們才能得着和好和罪的赦免。（5）祂「無父、無母、無族譜、無生之始、無命之終」（Heb 7:3）。這不可按字面理解；但聖經選擇以非凡的人物來描繪祂，不給我們祂的家譜，使祂可以更適合作基督的預表——基督作為人無父，作為神無母；祂的祭司職分沒有家譜，不是從別人傳給祂的，也不是從祂傳給別人的，而是個人而永久的。（6）祂「迎接亞伯拉罕殺敗諸王回來的時候，就為他祝福」。這事件記載於創14:18等。他拿出餅和酒，在亞伯拉罕和他的僕人疲乏時使他們舒解；他如王一般給予，如祭司一般祝福。如此我們的主耶穌在祂百姓的屬靈爭戰中遇見他們，使他們舒解，更新他們的力量，祝福他們。（7）「亞伯拉罕將自己所得來的取十分之一給他」（Heb 7:2），即如使徒所解釋的，從一切「擄物」中；亞伯拉罕如此行，是為麥基洗德為他所做的表達感恩，或作為對他如王一般的臣服和效忠的見證，或作為許願獻給神、由祂的祭司獻上的供物。如此我們也有義務對主耶穌從祂所領受的一切豐富而尊榮的恩惠，盡力報以愛和感恩，向祂獻上我們的臣服和效忠作我們的王，並將我們一切的供物交在祂手中，由祂在祂自己犧牲的香氣中獻給父。（8）這麥基洗德「是與神的兒子相似，長遠為祭司」。他在敬虔和權柄上带着神的形象，作為不朽的大祭司留在記錄上；是那為父的永恆獨生子——永遠為祭司者——的古時預表。
II. 讓我們如今思想（如使徒所建議的）這麥基洗德有何等大，他的祭司職分如何遠超亞倫等次（Heb 7:4,5等）：「你們想一想……這人是何等尊貴呢。」這人和他祭司職分的偉大顯明於：1. 亞伯拉罕向他納擄物的十分之一；而且有人恰當地觀察到，利未在亞伯拉罕裏面也納了十分之一給麥基洗德（Heb 7:9）。利未從神領受祭司職分，當照律法向百姓取十分之一，然而連利未也在亞伯拉罕裏面向麥基洗德納了十分之一——視為比自己更大更高的祭司；因此那位以後要出現的、麥基洗德為其預表的大祭司，必遠勝於任何在亞伯拉罕裏面向麥基洗德納十分之一的利未子孫的祭司。而藉着人在其先祖的腰中就行權利或傷害之事的論證，我們得到說明：我們如何可說是在亞當裏犯了罪，在他初次過犯中與他一同墮落。亞當犯罪時我們在他腰中，人性在我們始祖身上時所招致的罪咎和敗壞，公平地歸算並傳遞給同樣的人性——如今它存在於一切從他們自然生出的人身上。它們公正地歸於人性，若要被除掉，必須出於恩典之舉。2. 從麥基洗德為亞伯拉罕祝福——亞伯拉罕是「那蒙應許的」；「從來位分大的給位分小的祝福，這是駁不倒的理」（Heb 7:6,7）。此處請注意：（1）亞伯拉罕極大的尊嚴和福樂——他領受了應許。他與神立約，神賜他極大而寶貴的應許。那在神自己的手和印記下的票據和文書中有產業的人，實在是富有而幸福的。這些應許既有今生的也有來生的；凡接待主耶穌的人都有這尊榮——在祂裏面神的應許都是是的、都是阿們的。（2）麥基洗德更大的尊榮——為亞伯拉罕祝福是他的地位和特權；而「位分大的給位分小的祝福」是無可爭辯的格言（Heb 7:7）。賜福者大於受福者；因此基督——麥基洗德的實體、人類兒女一切祝福的賺得者和中保——必大於亞倫等次的一切祭司。
영문 원문
Melchisedec's Priesthood (62 AD)
¹ For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
² To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
³ Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
⁴ Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
⁵ And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
⁶ But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
⁷ And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
⁸ And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
⁹ And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham.
¹⁰ For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
The foregoing chapter ended with a repetition of what had been cited once and again before out of Ps 110:4, Jesus, a high priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec. Now this chapter is as a sermon upon that text; here the apostle sets before them some of the strong meat he had spoken of before, hoping they would by greater diligence be better prepared to digest it.
I. The great question that first offers itself is, Who was this Melchisedec? All the account we have of him in the Old Testament is in Ge 14:18, etc., and in Ps 110:4. Indeed we are much in the dark about him; God has thought fit to leave us so, that this Melchisedec might be a more lively type of him whose generation none can declare. If men will not be satisfied with what is revealed, they must rove about in the dark in endless conjectures, some fancying him to have been an angel, others the Holy Ghost; but,
1. The opinions concerning him that are best worthy our consideration are these three:—(1.) Therabbin, and most of the Jewish writers, think he was Shem the son of Noah who was king and priest to their ancestors, after the manner of the other patriarchs; but it is not probable that he should thus change his name. Besides, we have no account of his settling in the land of Canaan. (2.) Many Christian writers have thought him to be Jesus Christ himself, appearing by a special dispensation and privilege to Abraham in the flesh, and who was known to Abraham by the name Melchisedec, which agrees very well to Christ, and to what is said, Joh 8:56, Abraham saw his day and rejoiced. Much may be said for this opinion, and what is said in Heb 7:3 does not seem to agree with any mere man; but then it seems strange to make Christ a type of himself. (3.) The most general opinion is that he was a Canaanite king, who reigned in Salem, and kept up religion and the worship of the true God; that he was raised to be a type of Christ, and was honoured by Abraham as such.
2. But we shall leave these conjectures, and labour to understand, as far as we can, what is here said of him by the apostle, and how Christ is represented thereby, Heb 7:1-3. (1.) Melchisedec was a king, and so is the Lord Jesus—a king of God's anointing; the government is laid upon his shoulders, and he rules over all for the good of his people. (2.) That he was king of righteousness: his name signifies the righteous king. Jesus Christ is a rightful and a righteous king—rightful in his title, righteous in his government. He is the Lord our righteousness; he has fulfilled all righteousness, and brought in an everlasting righteousness, and he loves righteousness and righteous persons, and hates iniquity. (3.) He was king of Salem, that is, king of peace; first king of righteousness, and after that king of peace. So is our Lord Jesus; he by his righteousness made peace, the fruit of righteousness is peace. Christ speaks peace, creates peace, is our peace-maker. (4.) He was priest of the most high God, qualified and anointed in an extraordinary manner to be his priest among the Gentiles. So is the Lord Jesus; he is the priest of the most high God, and the Gentiles must come to God by him; it is only through his priesthood that we can obtain reconciliation and remission of sin. (5.) He was without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, Heb 7:3. This must not be understood according to the letter; but the scripture has chosen to set him forth as an extraordinary person, without giving us his genealogy, that he might be a fitter type of Christ, who as man was without father, as God without mother; whose priesthood is without descent, did not descend to him from another, nor from him to another, but is personal and perpetual. (6.) That he met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him. The incident is recorded Ge 14:18, etc. He brought forth bread and wine to refresh Abraham and his servants when they were weary; he gave as a king, and blessed as a priest. Thus our Lord Jesus meets his people in their spiritual conflicts, refreshes them, renews their strength, and blesses them. (7.) That Abraham gave him a tenth part of all (Heb 7:2), that is, as the apostle explains it, of all the spoils; and this Abraham did as an expression of his gratitude for what Melchisedec had done for him, or as a testimony of his homage and subjection to him as a king, or as an offering vowed and dedicated to God, to be presented by his priest. And thus are we obliged to make all possible returns of love and gratitude to the Lord Jesus for all the rich and royal favours we receive from him, to pay our homage and subjection to him as our King, and to put all our offerings into his hands, to be presented by him to the Father in the incense of his own sacrifice. (8.) That this Melchisedec was made like unto the Son of God, and abideth a priest continually. He bore the image of God in his piety and authority, and stands upon record as an immortal high priest; the ancient type of him who is the eternal and only-begotten of the Father, who abideth a priest for ever.
II. Let us now consider (as the apostle advises) how great this Melchisedec was, and how far his priesthood was above that of the order of Aaron (Heb 7:4,5, etc.): Now consider how great this man was, etc. The greatness of this man and his priesthood appears, 1. From Abraham's paying the tenth of the spoils unto him; and it is well observed that Levi paid tithes to Melchisedec in Abraham, Heb 7:9. Now Levi received the office of the priesthood from God, and was to take tithes of the people, yet even Levi paid tithes to Melchisedec, as to a greater and higher priest than himself; therefore that high priest who should afterwards appear, of whom Melchisedec was a type, must be much superior to any of the Levitical priests, who paid tithes, in Abraham, to Melchisedec. And now by this argument of persons doing things that are matters of right or injury in the loins of their predecessors we have an illustration how we may be said to have sinned in Adam, and fallen with him in his first transgression. We were in Adam's loins when he sinned, and the guilt and depravity contracted by the human nature when it was in our first parents are equitably imputed and derived to the same nature as it is in all other persons naturally descended from them. They justly adhere to the nature, and it must be by an act of grace if ever they be taken away. 2. From Melchisedec's blessing of Abraham, who had the promises; and, without contradiction, the less is blessed of the greater, Heb 7:6,7. Here observe, (1.) Abraham's great dignity and felicity—that he had the promises. He was one in covenant with God, to whom God had given exceedingly great and precious promises. That man is rich and happy indeed who has an estate in bills and bonds under God's own hand and seal. These promises are both of the life that now is and of that which is to come; this honour have all those who receive the Lord Jesus, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. (2.) Melchisedec's greater honour—in that it was his place and privilege to bless Abraham; and it is an uncontested maxim that the less is blessed of the greater, Heb 7:7. He who gives the blessing is greater than he who receives it; and therefore Christ, the antitype of Melchisedec, the meriter and Mediator of all blessings to the children of men, must be greater than all the priests of the order of Aaron.
11-28
Melchisedec and Christ Compared (62 AD)
繁體中文
麥基洗德與基督的比較（公元62年）
¹¹ 從前百姓在利未人祭司職任下受律法，若是藉這職任能得完全，又何用另外興起一位祭司，照麥基洗德的等次，不照亞倫的等次呢？
¹² 祭司的職任既已更改，律法也必須更改。
¹³ 因為這些話所說到的祭司，本屬別的支派，那支派裏從來沒有一人伺候祭壇。
¹⁴ 我們的主分明是從猶大出來的；但這支派，摩西並沒有提到祭司。
¹⁵ 倘若照麥基洗德的樣式，另外興起一位祭司來，我的話更是顯而易見了。
¹⁶ 祂成為祭司，並不是照屬肉體的條例，乃是照無窮之生命的大能。
¹⁷ 因為有給祂作見證的說：「祢是照着麥基洗德的等次永遠為祭司。」
¹⁸ 先前的條例，因軟弱無益，所以廢掉了，
¹⁹ （律法原來一無所成）就引進了更美的指望；靠這指望，我們便可以進到神面前。
²⁰ 再者，耶穌為祭司，並不是不起誓立的，
²¹ （那些人為祭司，原沒有起誓，只是另外一位起了誓；因為那立祂的對祂說：「主起了誓，決不後悔，祢是永遠為祭司。」）
²² 既是起誓立的，耶穌就作了更美之約的中保。
²³ 那些成為祭司的，數目本多，是因為有死阻隔，不能長久。
²⁴ 這位既是永遠常存的，祂祭司的職任就長久不更換。
²⁵ 凡靠着祂進到神面前的人，祂都能拯救到底；因為祂是長遠活着，替他們祈求。
²⁶ 像這樣聖潔、無邪惡、無玷污、遠離罪人、高過諸天的大祭司，原是與我們合宜的。
²⁷ 祂不像那些大祭司，每日必須先為自己的罪，後為百姓的罪獻祭；因為祂只一次將自己獻上，就把這事成全了。
²⁸ 律法本是立軟弱的人為大祭司；但在律法以後起誓的話，是立兒子為大祭司，乃是成全到永遠的。
請注意，必須興起另一位祭司——照麥基洗德的等次，而非照亞倫的等次——藉着祂來到利未祭司職分所不能帶來的完全；因此祭司職分既必須更改，整個體制也隨之更改（Heb 7:11,12等）。此處：
I. 斷言完全不能藉利未祭司職分和律法而來。它們不能使就近它們的人完全享受它們所指引的美事；它們只能給他們指路。
II. 因此必須興起另一位祭司——照麥基洗德的等次——藉着祂和祂信心的律法，完全可以臨到一切順從祂的人；感謝神，我們可以在恩典之約中、照着福音、藉着基督得着完全的聖潔和完全的幸福，因為我們在祂裏面得了豐盛。
III. 斷言祭司職分既已更改，律法也必須更改；祭司職分與律法之間既有如此密切的關係，在另一位祭司職分下的安排不可能相同；新的祭司職分必須在新的規則之下，以另一種方式管理，並以適合其本性和等次的規則。
IV. 祭司職分和律法已更改，這不僅被斷言，更被證明（Heb 7:13,14）。不能帶來完全的祭司職分和律法已被廢除，一位祭司已興起，一個安排現已設立——藉此真信徒可以得以完全。如今這樣的更改是顯而易見的。
1. 在祭司職分出於的支派上有改變。從前是利未支派；但我們的大祭司出自猶大——關於祭司職分，摩西對這支派沒有說過甚麼（Heb 7:14）。這家族的改變表明祭司職分之律法的真正改變。
2. 在設立祭司的形式和等次上有改變。從前在利未祭司職分中，他們是照屬肉體條例的律法設立的；但我們的大祭司是照無窮之生命的大能設立的。先前的律法規定這職分在父親死後傳給他的長子——照肉體或天然出生的等次；因為律法下的大祭司沒有一個是無父無母、無族譜的：他們本身沒有生命和不朽。他們既有生的起頭、也有命的終結；因此那屬肉體的條例——或長子繼承的律法——指引他們的繼任，正如在民事權利和產業的事上一樣。但基督照麥基洗德等次被設立為祭司的律法，是無窮之生命的大能。祂在自己裏面有的生命和不朽是祂祭司職分的權利和名分，而不是祂從前祭司而出的後裔。這在祭司職分上造成了極大的不同，在體制上也是如此，並使基督和福音無限超越。設立利未祭司職分的律法本身假定祭司是軟弱、脆弱、必死的受造物——不能保全自己天然的生命，而必須滿足並樂意在肉身的後裔中存留；更不用說他們能以任何他們有的權柄或權力將屬靈的生命和福樂傳給就近他們的人了。但我們所宣認的大祭司憑着祂在自己裏面那與生俱來的無窮生命的大能擔任職分——不僅保全自己活着，更將屬靈和永遠的生命賜給一切適當倚靠祂犧牲和代求的人。有人認為「屬肉體條例的律法」指的是外在的就職儀式和所獻的屬肉體祭物；而「無窮之生命的大能」指的是適合福音的屬靈的活祭，以及基督所買贖的屬靈和永遠的特權——祂是由祂所領受的無限量的永生之靈所設立的。
3. 在祭司職分的功效上有改變。先前的軟弱無益，一無所成；後者引進了更美的指望，靠這指望我們可以進到神面前（Heb 7:18,19）。利未祭司職分不能帶到完全：它不能使人的位格從罪咎中稱義；它不能使他們從內在的污穢中成聖；它不能潔淨事奉者的良心脫離死行；它所能做的只是引領他們到實體那裏。但基督的祭司職分帶着更美的指望；它向我們顯明了我們對神赦免和拯救之盼望的全部真正根基；它更清楚地啟示了我們盼望的偉大對象；因此它傾向於在我們裏面產生對蒙神悅納更堅強活潑的盼望。我們因這指望受鼓勵就近神，與祂立約聯合，過與祂相交和交通的生活。我們如今可以存着誠實的心、滿有信心的確據來就近神，我們的心思從邪惡的良心中蒙灑。先前的祭司職分寧可使人遠遠站着，在奴僕的靈之下。
4. 在神在這祭司職分中行事的方式上有改變。祂已向基督起了誓——這是祂從未對亞倫等次中任何人所做的。神從未給他們任何關於他們繼續的保證，從未以起誓或應許承擔他們的祭司職分是永遠的，因此沒有給他們理由期望它的永久性，倒要視之為暫時的律法。但基督是帶着神的起誓被立為祭司的：「主起了誓，決不後悔，祢是永遠為祭司，照麥基洗德的等次」（Heb 7:21）。在此神已藉着起誓宣告了基督祭司職分的不變性、卓越性、功效性和永恆性。
5. 在祭司職分為其保證、祭司為其中保的那約上有改變——即在那約的安排上有改變。福音的安排比律法的安排更完全、更自由、更清晰、更屬靈、更有效。基督在這福音之約中為我們向神、為神向我們作保證，看顧條款在雙方都得以履行。祂作為保證已在自己位格中將神性和人性聯合，在其中給了和好的保證；祂作為保證已將神和人聯合在永約的紐帶中。祂向人懇求持守他們與神所立的約，也向神懇求祂向人成就應許——這祂總是隨時樂意在一個適合祂威嚴和榮耀的方式中——即藉着中保——來做。
6. 在這兩個等次下祭司的數目上有顯著的改變。在亞倫的等次中有許多祭司、大祭司——不是同時，而是相繼；但在基督的這等次中只有一位且是同一位。原因很簡單：利未祭司之所以多，「是因為有死阻隔，不能長久」。他們的職分無論多高多尊榮，不能保他們不死；一個死了，另一個必須繼任，不久又讓位給第三個，直到數目變得很大。但我們的這位大祭司永遠常存，祂的祭司職分是「不更換的」——不從一人傳到另一人，如先前的那樣；它總是在同一位的手中。這祭司職分中不可能有缺位——沒有一個時刻百姓在天上沒有祭司為他們辦理屬靈的事務。這樣的缺位對他們可能非常危險而有害；但他們的安全和幸福在於：這位永活的大祭司能拯救到底——在一切時候、一切情形、每一關頭——拯救一切藉着祂到神面前的人（Heb 7:25）。所以這裏有一個明顯的、大為改善的改變。
7. 在祭司的道德資格上有顯著的不同。那些屬亞倫等次的不僅是必死的人，更是有罪的人——他們既有有罪的軟弱，也有天然的軟弱；他們需要先為自己的罪、然後為百姓的罪獻祭。但我們的大祭司——藉着起誓的話設立的——只需一次為百姓獻上，完全不為自己獻上；因為祂不僅在職分上有不可更改的設立，在位格上也有不可更改的聖潔。祂是「像這樣聖潔、無邪惡、無玷污」等「與我們合宜的大祭司」（Heb 7:26-28）。此處請注意：（1）我們作為罪人的情形需要一位大祭司為我們作出滿足和代求。（2）沒有一位祭司能使我們與神和好——除了一位在自己位格上完全公義的；祂自己在自己裏面必須是公義的，否則祂不能作我們罪的挽回祭，也不能作我們在父那裏的中保。（3）主耶穌正是我們所需的那樣一位大祭司，因為祂有絕對完全的個人性聖潔。請注意我們所得關於基督個人性聖潔的描述——以不同的詞語表達，有學問的神學家認為這一切都關乎祂的完全純潔。[1] 祂是聖潔的——完全沒有一切罪的習慣或原則，本性中沒有絲毫向罪的傾向；沒有罪住在祂裏面——雖然它在最好的基督徒裏面，卻沒有絲毫有罪的傾向。[2] 祂是無邪惡的——完全沒有一切實際的過犯，未行強暴，口中沒有詭詐，從未對神或人做過最小的錯事。[3] 祂是無玷污的——祂從未參與別人的罪。保持自己純潔、不因在某方面促成別人的罪或不盡力防止它們而有分於別人罪的罪咎，這是困難的事。基督是無玷污的；雖然祂擔當了我們罪的罪咎，卻從未捲入它們的事實和過犯中。[4] 祂是遠離罪人的——不僅在祂現今的狀態中（既已作我們的大祭司進入至聖所——那裏沒有玷污之物可以進入），也在祂位格的純潔上：祂與罪人沒有任何天然或盟約上的聯合，以至於將原罪歸算於祂。原罪因着我們與首先的亞當之天然和盟約的聯合——我們以尋常的方式從他而出——臨到我們。但基督藉着祂在童女腹中那不可言喻的成孕，遠離罪人；雖然祂取了真實的人性，但那成孕的奇蹟方式使祂與全人類中其餘的一切人有了分別的地位。[5] 祂是「高過諸天」的。大多數解經家理解這是指祂在天上被高舉的狀態——在神的右邊，以完成祂祭司職分的設計。但古德溫博士認為這可以非常合理地指基督位格的聖潔——比天上眾軍——即聖天使——的聖潔更大更完全，因為他們雖然沒有罪，本身卻不是沒有犯罪的可能性。因此我們讀到：「主不信靠祂的聖者，在祂眼前天也不潔淨」（伯4:18）——即指軟弱和可罪性。他們可能一個小時是天使，下一個小時是魔鬼——他們中有許多正是如此；而聖天使如今不再墜落，不是出於本性的不能墜落，而是出於神的揀選；他們是蒙揀選的天使。很可能這對「高過諸天」一語的解釋會被認為過於勉強，而應理解為基督狀態的尊嚴，而非祂位格的完全聖潔；尤其因為說祂是被造成「genomenos」高過諸天的；但眾所周知，這詞有中性用法，如「genesthe ho Theos alethes」——「讓神為真」。本節中其他描述顯然屬於基督在聖潔上的位格完全——與利未祭司有罪的軟弱相對；若可以合理如此理解，則設想這也是如此是恰當的；而這顯得更可能，因為基督祭司職分在Heb 7:27中的有效和功效正建立在它的公正和無私上。祂不需為自己獻上：這是無私的中保；祂為別人所求的憐憫是祂自己不需要的；祂若自己需要，祂便是當事人，不能作中保——是罪犯，不能作罪人的辯護者。如今，為使祂的中保更公正無私，似乎不僅需要祂現今不需要祂為別人所求的那恩惠，更需要祂絕不可能需要它。雖然祂今日不需要，但祂若知道自己明天或將來任何時候可能處於需要它的境況，祂必被認為多少顧及了自己的利益，因此不能以公正的關注和純潔的熱忱——一面為神的尊榮，一面對可憐的罪人以溫柔純潔的同情——行事。我在此無意跟從我們已故的卓越解經家的註解——我們已進入他的勞苦——卻冒昧為有學問的古德溫博士的這觀念辯護，使之免受我所知已有人提出的異議；我如此做更是因為，若這觀點站得住，它給了我們進一步的證據——中保為何必須是神，因為沒有任何純粹的受造物在自己裏面擁有那使他在一切可能的情形下都不需要為自己求恩惠和憐憫的不可犯罪性。
영문 원문
Melchisedec and Christ Compared (62 AD)
¹¹ If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
¹² For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
¹³ For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
¹⁵ And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
¹⁶ Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
¹⁷ For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
¹⁸ For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
¹⁹ For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
²⁰ And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
²¹ (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
²² By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
²³ And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
²⁴ But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
²⁵ Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
²⁶ For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
²⁷ Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
²⁸ For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Observe the necessity there was of raising up another priest, after the order of Melchisedec and not after the order of Aaron, by whom that perfection should come which could not come by the Levitical priesthood, which therefore must be changed, and the whole economy with it, Heb 7:11,12, etc. Here,
I. It is asserted that perfection could not come by the Levitical priesthood and the law. They could not put those who came to them into the perfect enjoyment of the good things they pointed out to them; they could only show them the way.
II. That therefore another priest must be raised up, after the order of Melchisedec, by whom, and his law of faith, perfection might come to all who obey him; and, blessed be God, that we may have perfect holiness and perfect happiness by Christ in the covenant of grace, according to the gospel, for we are complete in him.
III. It is asserted that the priesthood being changed there must of necessity be a change of the law; there being so near a relation between the priesthood and the law, the dispensation could not be the same under another priesthood; a new priesthood must be under a new regulation, managed in another way, and by rules proper to its nature and order.
IV. It is not only asserted, but proved, that the priesthood and law are changed, Heb 7:13,14. The priesthood and law by which perfection could not come are abolished, and a priest has arisen, and a dispensation is now set up, by which true believers may be made perfect. Now that there is such a change is obvious.
1. There is a change in the tribe of which the priesthood comes. Before, it was the tribe of Levi; but our great high priest sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood, Heb 7:14. This change of the family shows a real change of the law of the priesthood.
2. There is a change in the form and order of making the priests. Before, in the Levitical priesthood, they were made after the law of a carnal commandment; but our great high priest was made after the power of an endless life. The former law appointed that the office should descend, upon the death of the father, to his eldest son, according to the order of carnal or natural generation; for none of the high priests under the law were without father or mother, or without descent: they had not life and immortality in themselves. They had both beginning of days and end of life; and so the carnal commandment, or law of primogeniture, directed their succession, as it did in matters of civil right and inheritance. But the law by which Christ was constituted a priest, after the order of Melchisedec, was the power of an endless life. The life and immortality which he had in himself were his right and title to the priesthood, not his descent from former priests. This makes a great difference in the priesthood, and in the economy too, and gives the preference infinitely to Christ and the gospel. The very law which constituted the Levitical priesthood supposed the priests to be weak, frail, dying, creatures, not able to preserve their own natural lives, but who must be content and glad to survive in their posterity after the flesh; much less could they, by any power or authority they had, convey spiritual life and blessedness to those who came to them. But the high priest of our profession holds his office by that innate power of endless life which he has in himself, not only to preserve himself alive, but to communicate spiritual and eternal life to all those who duly rely upon his sacrifice and intercession. Some thing the law of the carnal commandment refers to the external rites of consecration, and the carnal offerings that were made; but the power of an endless life to the spiritual living sacrifices proper to the gospel, and the spiritual and eternal privileges purchased by Christ, who was consecrated by the eternal Spirit of life that he received without measure.
3. There is a change in the efficacy of the priesthood. The former was weak and unprofitable, made nothing perfect; the latter brought in a better hope, by which we draw near to God, Heb 7:18,19. The Levitical priesthood brought nothing to perfection: it could not justify men's persons from guilt; it could not sanctify them from inward pollution; it could not cleanse the consciences of the worshippers from dead works; all it could do was to lead them to the antitype. But the priesthood of Christ carries in it, and brings along with it, a better hope; it shows us the true foundation of all the hope we have towards God for pardon and salvation; it more clearly discovers the great objects of our hope; and so it tends to work in us a more strong and lively hope of acceptance with God. By this hope we are encouraged to draw nigh unto God, to enter into a covenant-union with him, to live a life of converse and communion with him. We may now draw near with a true heart, and with the full assurance of faith, having our minds sprinkled from an evil conscience. The former priesthood rather kept men at a distance, and under a spirit of bondage.
4. There is a change in God's way of acting in this priesthood. He has taken an oath to Christ, which he never did to any of the order of Aaron. God never gave them any such assurance of their continuance, never engaged himself by oath or promise that theirs should be an everlasting priesthood, and therefore gave them no reason to expect the perpetuity of it, but rather to look upon it as a temporary law. But Christ was made a priest with the oath of God: The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, Heb 7:21. Here God has upon oath declared the immutability, excellency, efficacy, and eternity, of the priesthood of Christ.
5. There is a change in that covenant of which the priesthood was a security and the priest a surety; that is, a change in the dispensation of that covenant. The gospel dispensation is more full, free, perspicuous, spiritual, and efficacious, than that of the law. Christ is in this gospel covenant a surety for us to God and for God to us, to see that the articles be performed on both parts He, as surety, has united the divine and human nature together in his own person, and therein given assurance of reconciliation; and he has, as surety, united God and man together in the bond of the everlasting covenant. He pleads with men to keep their covenant with god, and he pleads with God that he will fulfil his promises to men, which he is always ready to do in a way suitable to his majesty and glory, that is, through a Mediator.
6. There is a remarkable change in the number of the priests under these different orders. In that of Aaron there was a multitude of priests, of high priests, not at once, but successively; but in this of Christ there is but one and the same. The reason is plain, The Levitical priests were many, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. Their office, how high and honourable soever, could not secure them from dying; and, as one died, another must succeed, and after a while must give place to a third, till the number had become very great. But this our high priest continues for ever, and his priesthood is aparabaton—an unchangeable one, that does not pass from one to another, as the former did; it is always in the same hand. There can be no vacancy in this priesthood, no hour nor moment in which the people are without a priest to negotiate their spiritual concerns in heaven. Such a vacancy might be very dangerous and prejudicial to them; but this is their safety and happiness, that this ever-living high priest is able to save to the utmost—in all times, in all cases, in every juncture—all who come to God by him, Heb 7:25. So that here is a manifest alteration much for the better.
7. There is a remarkable difference in the moral qualifications of the priests. Those who were of the order of Aaron were not only mortal men, but sinful men, who had their sinful as well as natural infirmities; they needed to offer up sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the people. But our high priest, who was consecrated by the word of the oath, needed only to offer up once for the people, never at all for himself; for he has not only an immutable consecration to his office, but an immutable sanctity in his person. He is such a high priest as became us, holy, harmless, and undefiled, etc., Heb 7:26-28. Here observe, (1.) Our case, as sinners, needed a high priest to make satisfaction and intercession for us. (2.) No priest could be suitable or sufficient for our reconciliation to God but one who was perfectly righteous in his own person; he must be righteous in himself, or he could not be a propitiation for our sin, or our advocate with the Father. (3.) The Lord Jesus was exactly such a high priest as we wanted, for he has a personal holiness, absolutely perfect. Observe the description we have of the personal holiness of Christ expressed in various terms, all of which some learned divines consider as relating to his perfect purity. [1.] He is holy, perfectly free from all the habits or principles of sin, not having the least disposition to it in his nature; no sin dwells in him, though it does in the best of Christians, not the least sinful inclination [2.] He is harmless, perfectly free from all actual transgression, has done no violence, nor is there any deceit in his mouth, never did the least wrong to God or man. [3.] He is undefiled, he was never accessory to other men's sins. It is a difficult thing to keep ourselves pure, so as not to partake in the guilt of other men's sins, by contributing in some way towards them, or not doing what we ought to prevent them. Christ was undefiled; though he took upon him the guilt of our sins, yet he never involved himself in the fact and fault of them. [4.] He is separate from sinners, not only in his present state (having entered as our high priest into the holiest of all, into which nothing defiled can enter), but in his personal purity: he has no such union with sinners, either natural or federal, as can devolve upon him original sin. This comes upon us by virtue of our natural and federal union with the first Adam, we descending from him in the ordinary way. But Christ was, by his ineffable conception in the virgin, separate from sinners; though he took a true human nature, yet the miraculous way in which it was conceived set him upon a separate footing from all the rest of mankind. [5.] He is made higher than the heavens. Most expositors understand this concerning his state of exaltation in heaven, at the right hand of God, to perfect the design of his priesthood. But Dr. Goodwin thinks this may be very justly referred to the personal holiness of Christ, which is greater and more perfect than the holiness of the hosts of heaven, that is, the holy angels themselves, who, though they are free from sin, yet are not in themselves free from all possibility of sinning. And therefore we read, God putteth no trust in his holy ones, and he chargeth his angels with folly (Job 4:18), that is, with weakness and peccability. They may be angels one hour and devils another, as many of them were; and that the holy angels shall not now fall does not proceed from an indefectibility of nature, but from the election of God; they are elect angels. It is very probable that this explanation of the words, made higher than the heavens, may be thought too much strained, and that it ought to be understood of the dignity of Christ's state, and not the perfect holiness of his person; and the rather because it is said he was made higher genomenos; but it is well known that this word is used in a neutral sense, as where it is said, genesthe ho Theos alethes—Let God be true. The other characters in the verse plainly belong to the personal perfection of Christ in holiness, as opposed to the sinful infirmities of the Levitical priests; and it seems congruous to think this must do so too, if it may be fairly taken in such a sense; and it appears yet more probable, since the validity and prevalency of Christ's priesthood in Heb 7:27 are placed in the impartiality and disinterestedness of it. He needed not to offer up for himself: it was a disinterested mediation; he mediated for that mercy for others which he did not need for himself; had he needed it himself, he had been a party, and could not have been a Mediator—a criminal, and could not have been an advocate for sinners. Now, to render his mediation the more impartial and disinterested, it seems requisite not only that he had no present need of that favour for himself which he mediated for in behalf of others, but that he never could stand in need of it. Though he needed it not to-day, yet if he knew he might be in such circumstances as to need it to-morrow, or at any future time, he must have been thought to have had some eye upon his own interest, and therefore could not act with impartial regard and pure zeal for the honour of God on one hand, and tender pure compassion for poor sinners on the other. I pretend not here to follow the notes of our late excellent expositor, into whose labours we have entered, but have taken the liberty to vindicate this notion of the learned Dr. Goodwin from the exceptions that I know have been made to it; and I have the rather done it because, if it will hold good, it gives us further evidence how necessary it was that the Mediator should be God, since no mere creature is of himself possessed of that impeccability which will set him above all possible need of favour and mercy for himself.
基督祭司職分的教義本身如此卓越，又是基督教信仰如此重要的一部分，以至使徒樂於在其中停留。猶太人之所以如此迷戀利未人的安排，無非是因為他們對自己的祭司職分極為推崇，而這確實是一個神聖而極其優越的制度；向猶太人所宣告的一個極其嚴厲的警告是（何3:4）：以色列人必多日沒有君王、沒有祭司、沒有祭物，沒有以弗得，沒有家中的神像。如今使徒向他們保證，他們若接受主耶穌，便有一位遠為美好的大祭司，一個更高等次的祭司職分，因此也有更好的安排或聖約，更好的律法和遺命；他在本章中表明這一點：I. 我們得到關於麥基洗德更詳細的記載（Heb 7:1-3）。II. 他的祭司職分超越亞倫的（Heb 7:4-10）。III. 將這一切應用於基督，以顯明祂的位格、職分和聖約的卓越（Heb 7:11-28）。