五旬节六

有君尊的祭司

——彼得前书二章九节

神拣选我们成为他的子民，决非要我们离群索居，或凌驾于人。他所要求于我们的，只是作为祭司，作为人的代表侍立在他祭坛之旁。

作为祭司，我们要有一付挑得起万人的双肩，要有一个装得下万人的胸怀。正如旧约祭司的肩带与胸牌上都要镶上宝石，并在宝石上镌刻着代表整个民族的十二支派的名字。

我们当在凡事上与自己的弟兄相同，而不是高人一等。不如此，我们将不知何为慈悲忠信。“超人”不能作为人的真正代表，因为基督所要救拔的不是天使，而是作为亚伯拉罕后裔的“凡人”。

我们必须经受试探，不如此，难以体恤人的软弱。我们甚至必须被软弱所困，不如此，我们难以体恤那些愚蒙失迷的人。

我们被召，并非由于我们有任何过人之处。实际上，我们与常人无异，正如利未人并不高明于其他以色列人。所以，这祭司的尊荣没有人能自取，也没有人配自取，而只在那召我之主。

Pentecost 6

1 Peter 2:9

 A royal priesthood

God has not chosen us to be his people that we might live apart from others or place ourselves above them. Rather, God wants us to be a priesthood to represent the people at his holy altar.

  As priests, we must have shoulders which can support the multitude, arms capable of embracing them. We must be like the priests in the Old Testament, who wore shoulder clasps and breastplates mounted with precious stones and inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

  We should be like our brothers and sisters in all things, not setting ourselves above them. If we act otherwise, we will not know the meaning of mercy and faithfulness. “Supermen” cannot represent the people, because Jesus came, not to save angels, but to save women and men, the descendents of Abraham.

  As priests, we must ourselves be tested, otherwise it will be difficult for us to understand human weakness. And what is more, we must be conscious of our own weakness, otherwise we will have trouble understanding those lost in foolishness and confusion.

  We have not been called because we are in any way superior to others. In fact, we are no different from anyone else, any more than the Levites were cleverer than the rest of the Israelites. Therefore, the honor of the priesthood is not something we can choose for ourselves. No one is worthy. God calls us to it.