第十一篇　祭司的事奉与召会的建造

　　读经：撒迦利亚书六章十二至十三节，彼得前书二章四至五节，启示录五章九至十节，哥林多前书十四章一节，出埃及记二十七章二十至二十一节，三十章六至八节。

　　撒迦利亚六章十二至十三节说，“万军之耶和华如此说，看哪，有一人，名为苗；他要从自己的地方长起来，并要建造耶和华的殿。他要建造耶和华的殿，并担负尊荣，坐在宝座上掌权；又必在宝座上作祭司，在两职之间筹定和平。”这是预言主耶稣建造神的殿。苗，乃是指主耶稣。照着主在肉身说，祂是从大卫出来的，是从大卫长出来的苗（参耶二三5）。这里也提到祂要建造耶和华的殿，并担负尊荣，这个尊荣就在于祂建造神的殿。祂要掌王权，也要作祭司，在两职之间筹定和平。这是一节很奇特的圣经，因为全本圣经只有这一处，将君王和祭司两种职分合并在主耶稣身上，而这一个合并乃是为着建造神的殿。

　　彼前二章四至五节说，“你们来到祂这…活石跟前，也就像活石，被建造成为属灵的殿，成为圣别的祭司体系，借着耶稣基督献上神所悦纳的属灵祭物。”九节说，“唯有你们是蒙拣选的族类，是君尊的祭司体系。”君尊的祭司就是将王权和祭司联在一起。这给我们看见，这两种职分不只是合并在主耶稣身上，也合并在圣徒身上。这两种职分合并在圣徒身上，也是为着建造属灵的殿，并且这属灵的殿，就是圣别的祭司体系。启示录五章九至十节说，“你曾被杀，用自己的血从各支派、各方言、各民族、各邦国中，买了人来归与神，又叫他们成为国度，作祭司，归与我们的神；他们要在地上执掌王权。”这里又一次提到圣徒是祭司，是君王。君王和祭司这两种职分，也汇聚在圣徒身上。

　Scripture Reading: Zech. 6:12-13; 1 Pet. 2:4-5; Rev. 5:9-10; 1 Cor. 14:1; Exo. 27:20-21; 30:6-8

　Zechariah 6:12-13 says, “Thus speaks Jehovah of hosts, saying, Here is a man, whose name is the Shoot; and he will shoot forth from his place and will build the temple of Jehovah. Indeed, it is he who will build the temple of Jehovah; and he will bear majesty and will sit and rule on his throne; and he will be a priest on his throne; and the counsel of peace will be between the two of them.” This is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus building the temple of God. Shoot denotes the Lord Jesus. According to the flesh, the Lord is out of David; He is the Shoot growing out of David (Jer. 23:5). As the Shoot, He will build the temple of Jehovah and bear the majesty associated with building the temple of God. He will reign as a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the priesthood and the kingship. These are extraordinary verses; it is the only place in the Bible that speaks of the combination of the priesthood and the kingship in the Lord Jesus for the building of the temple of God.

　First Peter 2:4-5 says, “Coming to Him, a living stone,...you yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood.” Verse 9 says, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.” The kingship and the priesthood are combined in the term royal priesthood. This shows that both offices are combined in the saints, just as they were combined in the Lord Jesus. The combination of these offices in the saints is for the building of a spiritual house, which is the holy priesthood. Revelation 5:9-10 speaks of Christ’s death and of the saints being priests and kings, saying, “You were slain and have purchased for God by Your blood men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made them a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign on the earth.” In these verses the kingship and priesthood are combined in the saints.

　　全本圣经说到神子民的事奉，共分三种职分，就是祭司、君王和申言者。祭司和神交通，君王为神掌权，而申言者替神说话。在圣经里，祭司和君王这两种职分总是联在一起，并且二者是不可断、不可缺的。然而，申言者这种职分是可以断，是可有可无的。当君王和祭司都正常时，就不需要申言者。只有君王失败了，祭司也出事了，申言者才出来；所以，申言者这职分不能算是一个经常有的职分。

　　在以色列国的历史中，有两个最显著的申言者，是以利亚和以利沙；他们是在以色列人最荒凉时兴起的。当时亚哈作以色列王，所行的都是神所看为恶的；而犹大王约沙法和亚哈家结亲，所行的也和他们差不多。那时，君王的情形实在太差了，祭司也没有正常尽职，所以申言者就站在一个非常明显的地位上。

　　到了新约，圣经很重的说到主是君王，是祭司，却不着重说到祂是申言者。新约里有一卷马太福音，专讲主耶稣是君王；还有一卷希伯来书，专讲主耶稣作祭司，却没有一卷书专讲主耶稣是申言者。只有行传三章二十二节，曾引申命记十八章的话，说到神要在以色列人中间，兴起一个申言者像摩西（15，18），以此指明主耶稣有申言者的职分。另外，旧约预言主建造圣殿时，只说到祂身上有君王和祭司这两种职分，并没有提及申言者的职分（亚六12~13）。这指明祭司和君王乃是两个最重要的职分。当祭司和君王正常的时候，申言者的地位就不明显。

　　关于信徒，圣经告诉我们一件希奇的事，就是每一个得救的人都是神的祭司，能与神交通；也都是神的君王，要与主一同作王（启五9~10）。这意思是，我们都是君尊的祭司。然而，圣经并没有说，我们得救的人都是申言者，却说我们需要切慕作申言者，追求作申言者（林前十四1）。因此，神的儿女并不一定能作申言者；但神的儿女都是君王，是祭司，并且也必须作祭司，作君王。乃是在祭司和君王这两个职分衰弱了、不行了、荒凉了，申言者才出来。

　　实在说，今天我们的事奉有一个特别厉害的缺。这个缺是什么呢？就是在神的儿女中间，不容易看见君王，更不容易看见祭司，只看见少数人作申言者尽话语的职事。尤其是在基督教里，神的儿女完全倚靠传道人。这种光景说出神的儿女有了毛病，因为君王和祭司职分被忽略了。这种情形若不改正，神的建造绝没有办法完成。

　　按正常的光景，召会中应当全数是君王，是祭司。众圣徒应当都能与神交通，在神面前点灯、烧香，叫圣所里的光是明亮的，气味是芬芳的；同时身上也满了神的王权，能为神掌权。然而，今天神的儿女都轻忽了这两面的职分，结果只有少数人作申言者。这是舍了正常的路，而走荒凉的路。我们要清楚看见，如果在一地的召会中，只有少数人作话语执事，显得特别强，而圣徒普遍作祭司和君王的情形却很弱，那就很不正常，就无法建造。今天人注重讲道，倚靠听道，乃是召会堕落而有的光景。在旧约里，乃是当神的百姓荒凉，君王失职，祭司消踪时，申言者才出来。今天基督教办神学，培养少数人作牧师、传道人，这说出神的子民是在一种荒凉的光景里。

　In the Bible the service of God’s people is carried out by the offices of the priesthood, the kingship, and the prophethood. Priests fellowship with God, kings reign for God, and prophets speak for God. The priesthood and the kingship are permanently and indispensably linked with each other. However, the prophethood is primarily supplemental. When the priesthood and kingship are functioning properly, there is no need for prophets. Prophets are needed only when kings fail and priests fall short. Hence, the prophethood should not be considered as a permanent office.

　The two most prominent prophets in the history of Israel were Elijah and Elisha, who arose at the height of Israel’s desolation. At that time Ahab, who was the king of Israel, “did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah, more than all who were before him” (1 Kings 16:30). Similarly, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, allied himself in marriage with the house of Ahab (2 Chron. 18:1). Elijah and Elisha held prominent positions as prophets because the kings were in a poor condition, and the priests were not ministering properly.

　The New Testament extensively speaks of the Lord as a King and a Priest but not so extensively as a Prophet. For example, the Gospel of Matthew speaks of the Lord Jesus as a King, and the Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the Lord Jesus as a High Priest. However, there is no book devoted to the Lord Jesus as a Prophet. There are some verses that indicate the prophethood of the Lord Jesus, such as Acts 3:22-23, which refers to Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18 through 19, saying that God will raise up a Prophet from the midst of Israel. Even in the prophecy concerning the Lord’s building of the temple in Zechariah 6:12-13, only the priesthood and the kingship are mentioned, not the prophethood. When the function of the priests and kings is normal, the function of the prophets is not prominent.

　Every believer is a priest to fellowship with God and a king to reign with the Lord (Rev. 5:9-10). We are royal priests (1 Pet. 2:9). In contrast, the Bible does not speak of all the believers as being prophets; rather, it says that we should desire earnestly to prophesy (1 Cor. 14:1). Although God’s children may not all function as prophets, they all are kings and priests and must function as priests and kings. It is only when the priesthood and kingship are weak, failing, and desolate that prophets emerge.

　We have a serious lack in our service today. Although a few are ministering the word as prophets, it is hard for the saints to function according to the priesthood and kingship. Furthermore, there is almost a complete reliance upon preachers in Christianity. This shows that the priesthood and the kingship have been neglected. If this condition is not corrected, there will be no way to carry out God’s building.

　Under normal circumstances everyone in the church should function as a priest and king. Every saint should fellowship with God, burn the incense, and light the lamps before God so that the fragrance of Christ would be rich, and the light in the Word would be bright. Furthermore, the saints should be full of God’s authority to reign for God. Regrettably, God’s children have neglected these two offices. Relying on prophets deviates from the normal way and leads to desolation. A church in a locality may have a few particularly strong ministers of the word, but if the condition of the priesthood and kingship among the saints is weak, very little building can occur because the situation is abnormal. When believers focus on preaching and depend upon preaching, the condition of a church is one of degradation. Prophets were raised up in the Old Testament only when God’s people were desolate, when the kings neglected their duties, and when the priests were absent in their function. The establishment of seminaries to train a minority of believers to be pastors and ministers speaks of the desolate condition of God’s people.

　　过去，我虽然为召会的建造背负沉重的担子，但是并没有看见作祭司和建造的关系。直到最近，主将撒迦利亚六章十二至十三节摆在我眼前，我才看见建造乃是在于祭司和君王的配合。这个光越过越清楚，越过越透亮。所以，我有把握说，要叫召会得着建造，非恢复祭司的事奉，非注意灵里的交通不可。换句话说，如果没有祭司，神的居所就无法得着建造，因为神的居所在本质上，乃是一个祭司的体系（彼前二5）。

　　在旧约的时候，甚至帐幕也和祭司体系相连；祭司不能没有帐幕，帐幕也不能没有祭司。祭司和帐幕实在就是一体的两面，一面是神子民对神的事奉，一面是神在祂百姓中间的居所。到了新约更是如此，神的居所就是一个祭司体系。所以唯有作祭司，我们才能被建造。

　　保罗在以弗所二章说到，召会是被建造在使徒和申言者的根基上（20）；使徒和申言者的根基，是指他们为着建造召会所得的启示。四章说，“祂所赐的，有些是使徒，有些是申言者。”（11）这里的使徒和申言者是指神所赐给召会特别有恩赐的人，并不是指所有的信徒。此外，保罗在林前十四章说到要切慕申言（1）；这件事在哥林多书里提起，是因为当时哥林多召会荒凉，圣徒中间满了肉体、纷争和紊乱，只注重恩赐，根本谈不到神的权柄或神的交通。在这种情形下，使徒向他们提起申言的问题，因为当时申言比别的恩赐，更能叫哥林多召会得着建造。从这一面说，是对的。然而，从另一面说，话语执事在召会中强过祭司，强过君王，并不是正常的光景，乃是反常的情形。这说出召会缺少建造，没有成为祭司的体系。召会在正常的光景下，应该满了祭司的气氛、祭司的事奉，是一个带着权柄的祭司体系。有时也许在某些方面，也需要申言者的加强，但是在经常的事奉上，乃是需要人人普遍的作君尊的祭司。

　In the past I did not see the relationship between the priesthood and the building, even though I bore a heavy burden for the building up of the church. It is only recently that the Lord has showed me from Zechariah 6:12-13 that building is a matter of coordination between the priesthood and the kingship. This light has become increasingly clearer and brighter. Thus, I have the assurance to say that we must recover the priestly service and give heed to the fellowship in spirit in order for the church to be built. Without priests, God’s dwelling place cannot be built, because God’s dwelling place is intrinsically a priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5).

　The tabernacle was linked to the priesthood in the Old Testament; the priests could not be separated from the tabernacle, and the tabernacle could not be separated from the priests. The priests and the tabernacle implicitly reveal two aspects of one reality: The priests and the tabernacle speak of the service of God’s people to God, on the one hand, and of the dwelling of God among His people, on the other hand. Furthermore, the New Testament explicitly states that God’s dwelling place is a priesthood. Therefore, the building up of the church depends upon the priesthood.

　In Ephesians 2:20 Paul says that the church, as the household of God, is “being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” The foundation of the apostles and prophets refers to the revelation that the apostles and prophets received for the building of the church. In 4:11 Paul also speaks of the Lord giving “some as apostles and some as prophets.” Apostles and prophets refer to the gifts that the Lord has given to the church, that is, to some but not all the believers. Paul speaks of the need to earnestly desire to prophesy in 1 Corinthians 14:1 because the church in Corinth was in a desolate condition; they were fully in the flesh and full of discord and chaos. They were interested only in outward gifts, but the inward matters of fellowshipping with God and being under God’s authority were lacking. Due to this condition the apostle brought up the matter of prophesying, because prophesying was the most beneficial gift for the building of the church in Corinth. From Paul’s viewpoint it was necessary to speak of prophesying. However, if the function of the prophethood is stronger than that of the priesthood and the kingship in the church, our situation is not normal. Such a situation also shows that the church is lacking in the building and is not being manifested as a priesthood. In a normal situation the church should have a priestly atmosphere that is full of priestly service with authority. Even if there is an occasional need for strengthening from prophets, the service of the church should be carried out by a royal priesthood.

　　旧约里记载得很清楚，祭司的工作不仅是在外院子献祭，祭司经常的工作乃是在神面前点灯并烧香（出二七20~21，三十6~8）。并且圣经明显给我们看见，灯光系于烧香。祭司早晨收拾灯的时候，要烧这香；黄昏点灯的时候，也要烧这香。点灯是亮光问题，所以是读经；烧香是在神面前献上馨香，所以是祷告；二者合起来，就是我们今天所说的交通。在召会中，若是弟兄姊妹在神面前没有亮光，也没有馨香，必定是因为众人缺少交通。如果我们都作祭司，都活在交通中，我们在神面前必定满有亮光，满有香气。这就是神的祭司经常该有的光景。

　　我们必须承认，我们的工作和各种聚会，带给人的亮光不多，带给神的香气也少，原因就在于作祭司的人太少。纵然有申言者能把神的话告诉人，但是还需要祭司点灯、烧香。若是我们的事奉常有点灯、烧香的光景，人所得的供应就要远比听到一些劝勉更大。比方，你若只是用话语帮助一位弟兄，教导他，劝勉他，你不过是作申言者，还不一定能把他带到主的光中，带到主的馨香里。但你若是个服在神权柄底下，常常亲近神的人，换句话说，就是作君尊的祭司，不仅常为那位弟兄祷告，遇见他时，也能带他一同祷告，毫无疑问，你必定能把他带到与神的交通中，叫他全人明亮，并且满有馨香。

　　已往我们在这一点上太缺了。使徒们说，“我们要坚定持续地祷告，并尽话语的职事。”（徒六4）他们乃是把祷告放在尽话语职事之先。在使徒行传里，我们看见使徒们的确是君尊的祭司，他们身上有王权，并且活在交通中，作祭司来尽话语的职事。并且他们的话语职事，大部分是对着不信的人；等到人信了主，这些信主的人就一同作祭司。所以，今天神所要的，乃是你我都尽祭司的职分。你我都得回到神面前，运用灵来点灯、烧香。我们所最急切需要的，不是讲更多的道，给人更多的教导，乃是需要更多的祷告。我们众人都要起来作祭司，常常进到圣所里，尽祭司的职分。

　　一面，在我们中间的确有主的王权，也有申言者；但另一面，无可否认的，我们中间非常缺少祭司。许多时候，我们对一位弟兄讲了几个钟头劝勉的话，一直对他说，这样不对，那样不对，并且圣经是怎么说；但是讲了半天，他仍然毫无感觉。相反的，我们若带他祷告，让生命的活水在他里面流通，希奇得很，虽然我们没有说什么，他里头却蒙了光照，看见自己的败坏、不堪和污秽，他就在神面前流泪悔改。这不是因为我们给他什么教导，乃是因为我们在他里面点了一盏明灯。

　　总之，作祭司不是别的，乃是运用灵到神面前祷告，与神交通。这样，你就进入神的光中，蒙神光照，并且摸着基督的馨香，蒙神悦纳。这是个人的一面。此外，你还要常常带别人祷告，和别人一同进到神的光中。这比仅仅用话语教导人有益得多，深刻得多；唯有如此才能叫召会得建造。

　　启示录末了的新耶路撒冷，正说明这一点。在这座城里的宝座，就是表明主作君王；而从宝座流出来那一道生命水的河，是指主作祭司，借生命活水的流通，将神的百姓带到神的交通里。你我一面该服神的权柄，另一面也该让生命水流在我们灵里一直流通。这道水流一流通，一流过，就带来亮光，带来馨香，也带来生命的供应。这是召会今天最大的需要。

　　原刊于一九六一年六月“话语职事”第一百二十期

　The work of priests, as recorded clearly in the Old Testament, involved not only offering sacrifices in the outer court but also burning incense before God and lighting lamps (Exo. 27:20-21; 30:6-8). Furthermore, the Bible clearly shows that there is a relationship between lighting the lamps and burning the incense. The priests burned incense when they dressed the lamps in the morning and when they set up the lamps at twilight. Lighting the lamps is a matter of light; hence, it denotes the reading of the Bible. Burning the incense is a matter of offering up fragrant incense before God; hence, it denotes prayer. These two aspects are related to the fellowship of the church. If the brothers and sisters have no light or sweet fragrance before God, it is due to a lack of fellowship. If we all are priests and are living in the fellowship, we will be full of light and full of the fragrance of Christ before God. This should be our constant condition before God.

　We must admit that our work and our various meetings shine little light to people and offer little fragrance to God because of the lack of our priestly function. Although some can speak the word of God as prophets, there is an urgent need for priests who light the lamps and burn the incense. If our service involves lighting the lamps and burning the incense, the saints will receive a supply that is much greater than what comes through exhortation. If we can help a brother only with teachings and exhortation, we may not be able to shine the light of the Lord upon him or impart the fragrance of the Lord into him. In order to do this, we must be more than prophets; we must be priests. If we are under the authority of God and draw near to God, that is, if we are royal priests, who pray both for and with a brother, we will be able to bring him into fellowship with God so that his whole being is full of light and full of the fragrance of Christ.

　We have a great lack related to this point. The apostles said, “We will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). They placed prayer above ministering the word. The apostles were royal priests, who reigned and lived in fellowship to minister the word as priests. Moreover, their ministry of the word was mainly to unbelievers. After believing into the Lord, the new believers were brought into a priestly service. God wants us to fulfill a priestly service. We must go before the Lord and exercise our spirit to light the lamps and burn the incense. Our urgent need is not to give more messages but to pray more. We must rise up to be priests and enter into the Holy Place and into the Holy of Holies to fulfill our priestly service.

　Although we have some aspects of the Lord’s authority and speaking among us, we are lacking in our experience of His priestly function. We may be able to speak many words of exhortation to a brother based on the Bible, but he still may not be affected in a positive way. However, we should lead him to pray so that the water of life begins to flow in him. Then he can be enlightened with just a few words to see his corruption, worthlessness, and filth so that he repents in tears. Such a response can come only from the shining of light within him, not from mere teachings.

　In summary, being a priest is a matter of exercising our spirit to pray before God and of fellowshipping with God. We need to personally enter into God’s light, be enlightened by God, and touch the fragrance of Christ in order to be acceptable to God. Furthermore, we should pray with others to enter into God’s light with them. This is much more profitable than merely teaching with words, and this will build the church.

　The New Jerusalem illustrates this point. The throne in the city signifies the Lord as King; the river of water of life proceeding out of the throne refers to the Lord as Priest bringing God’s people into fellowship with God through the flow of the water of life. We should submit to the authority of God and allow the water of life to flow in our spirit. In this flow there will be light and the sweet fragrance of the supply of life. This is the greatest need of the church today.