四月十九日

忽然，殿裡的幔子從上到下裂為兩半……（太27:51）

把又韌又厚的幔子裂為兩半實在是非同小可的神跡．但並為了彰顯神的能力有多大——其中給我們很多教訓。儀式的舊律法已經過去了，像一件破衣被撕碎之後擲在一旁。耶穌一死，一切祭物都終止了，因為都在他裡面成全了。當然那預表的東西被廢除，應當有一種清楚的記號。幔子的破裂也把舊制度時一切被隱藏的奧秘都顯露出來：神的榮光所遮掩的施恩座現在也可以被人看到了。因著主耶穌的死，神清楚地向我們啟示出來，因為神對我們並“不像摩西將帕子蒙在臉上”。生命和永生現在已經有了亮光，從創世以來所隱藏的奧秘都在他裡面彰顯出來了。每年一次灑血贖罪的禮也廢除了。本來贖罪的血是一年在幔子裡灑一次，現在卻由大祭司一勞永逸地獻上了，因此預表的禮就這樣被破除了，牛羊的血現在已經不需要了，因耶穌已經用自己的血進入幔內。現在我們可以坦然進到神的面前，這是每個信基督耶穌之人的特權。幔子並不是破了一點叫人可以窺視施恩座，乃是從上到下裂為兩半，我們可以坦然無懼地來到神的施恩寶座之前。若我們說主的呼喊開啟了至聖所，就是他藉著所受的苦為一切聖徒開了樂園之門的預表，我們豈是錯了嗎？流血的主有天門的鑰匙，他開了就沒有人能關；讓我們與他一同進入天堂，與他同坐等一切仇敵都作了得勝之王的腳凳。

April 19

"Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom." --Matthew 27:51

No mean miracle was wrought in the rending of so strong and thick a veil; but it was not intended merely as a display of power--many lessons were herein taught us. The old law of ordinances was put away, and like a worn-out vesture, rent and laid aside. When Jesus died, the sacrifices were all finished, because all fulfilled in Him, and therefore the place of their presentation was marked with an evident token of decay. That rent also revealed all the hidden things of the old dispensation: the mercy-seat could now be seen, and the glory of God gleamed forth above it. By the death of our Lord Jesus we have a clear revelation of God, for He was "not as Moses, who put a veil over his face." Life and immortality are now brought to light, and things which have been hidden since the foundation of the world are manifest in Him. The annual ceremony of atonement was thus abolished. The atoning blood which was once every year sprinkled within the veil, was now offered once for all by the great High Priest, and therefore the place of the symbolical rite was broken up. No blood of bullocks or of lambs is needed now, for Jesus has entered within the veil with his own blood. Hence access to God is now permitted, and is the privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus. There is no small space laid open through which we may peer at the mercy-seat, but the rent reaches from the top to the bottom. We may come with boldness to the throne of the heavenly grace. Shall we err if we say that the opening of the Holy of Holies in this marvellous manner by our Lord's expiring cry was the type of the opening of the gates of paradise to all the saints by virtue of the Passion? Our bleeding Lord hath the key of heaven; He openeth and no man shutteth; let us enter in with Him into the heavenly places, and sit with Him there till our common enemies shall be made His footstool.