The Expiation Cover—the Propitiation Place
读经∶出二五16～22，三七6～9，利十六14～15、29～30，来四16，九3～5
壹 遮罪盖（出二五16～22，三七6～9），平息处，是约柜上那遮蔽罪的盖；罗马三章二十五节说，基督是我们的平息处：─引用经文
I. The expiation cover (Exo. 25:16-22; 37:6-9), the propitiation place, was the sin-covering lid on the Ark; Romans 3:25 says that Christ is our propitiation place:
一 作为在旧约里的预表，约柜上的遮罪盖隐藏在至圣所里；在新约，基督作为平息处，即遮罪盖的实际，是公开向一切的人摆出─25节。
A. As a type in the Old Testament, the expiation cover, the lid of the Ark, was hidden in the Holy of Holies; in the New Testament Christ as the propitiation place, the reality of the expiation cover, is openly set forth before all men—v. 25.
二 约柜是神与祂子民相会的地方，约柜里放着十条诫命的律法，借其圣别并公义的要求，暴露并定罪来接触神之人的罪；然而，借着约柜的盖，连同遮罪日洒在其上遮罪的血，罪人的整个光景就完全得着遮盖─利十六14～16。
B. The Ark was the place where God met with His people; in the Ark was the law of the Ten Commandments, which by its holy and righteous requirement exposed and condemned the sins of the people who came to contact God; however, by the lid of the Ark, with the propitiating blood sprinkled on it on the Day of Expiation, the entire situation on the sinner's side was fully covered—Lev. 16:14-16.
三 因此神能在这遮罪盖上，与干犯祂公义律法的百姓相会，即使在那载着神的荣耀，并遮掩柜盖之基路伯的注视下，在行政上也丝毫不抵触祂的公义─出二五22。
C. Therefore, upon this sin-covering lid God could meet with the people who broke His righteous law, and He could do this without, governmentally, any contradiction to His righteousness, even under the observing of the cherubim that bore His glory and overshadowed the lid of the Ark—Exo. 25:22.
四 如此就平息了人与神之间的难处，使神能宽恕、怜悯人，而向人施恩。
D. Thus, the problem between man and God was appeased, enabling God to forgive and be merciful to man and thereby to give His grace to man.
五 这预表基督作神的羔羊，除去人与神出事的罪，满足了神一切圣别、公义和荣耀的要求，平息了人与神之间的关系。
E. This is a prefigure of Christ as the Lamb of God taking away the sin that caused man to havea problem with God, thus satisfying all the requirements of God's holiness, righteousness, and glory and appeasing the relationship between man and God.
六 因此，神能越过人先时所犯的罪；为着显示祂的义，神必须这样作；这就是罗马三章二十五节所指的。─引用经文
F. Hence, God could pass over the people's sins that had previously occurred; and, in order to show forth His righteousness, He had to do this; this is what Romans 3:25 refers to.
七 约柜的盖，在希伯来文是kapporeth，卡培瑞特，其字根意“遮盖”；七十士希腊文译本将这字译作hilasterion，希拉斯特利昂，意即平息（含宽恕、怜悯意─新约圣经恢复本希伯来八章十二节之宽恕及路加十八章十三节第一注之可怜，原文均与此字同源）的地方。─引用经文
G. The Hebrew word for the lid of the Ark is kapporeth, from a root meaning "to cover"; in the Septuagint this word is translated hilasterion, which means "the place of propitiation" (implying to forgive and to give mercy—the word rendered "propitious" in Hebrews 8:12 is the root of hilasterion, and the word rendered "propitiated" in Luke 18:13 is derived from this root).
八 钦定英文译本译为mercy seat（怜悯座），中文和合本译为施恩座，指神怜悯人向人施恩的地方；保罗在希伯来九章五节说到约柜上的盖，也用希拉斯特利昂这字称之；在罗马三章二十五节就用这字说明约柜上的座（盖），如何预表基督乃是神摆出的平息处。─引用经文
H. The King James Version adopts the rendering "mercy seat," referring to the place where God grants mercy to man; in Hebrews 9:5 Paul used the word hilasterion for the lid of the Ark; in Romans 3:25, the same word, hilasterion, is used to show that the lid of the Ark signifies Christ as the propitiation place set forth by God.
九 除希拉斯特利昂一字外，新约还用两个与其同源的字，说到基督为人除罪，平息人与神之间的关系：
I. In addition to hilasterion, two other words derived from the same Greek word as hilasterion are used in the New Testament to show how Christ took away man's sin to appease the relationship between man and God:
1 一个是hilaskomai，希拉斯哥迈（来二17），指平息的事，就是成就平息，满足一方的要求，而使双方和息相安；基督满足了神对我们的要求，使我们与神和好。─引用经文
1. One is hilaskomai (Heb. 2:17), which means "to propitiate," that is, "to appease," to reconcile one by satisfying the other's demand; Christ has reconciled us to God by satisfying God's demands on us.
2 另一个是hilasmos，希拉斯模斯（约壹二2，四10），指平息物，就是平息的祭物。─引用经文
2. The other is hilasmos (1 John 2:2; 4:10), which means "that which propitiates," that is, a propitiatory sacrifice.
十 基督为我们的罪成就了平息（来二17），如此祂就成了我们与神之间的平息物，就是平息的祭物（约壹二2，四10），也就作了我们在神面前得享平息，并神向我们施恩的地方，就是约柜的盖所预表的（来九5）。─引用经文
J. Christ made propitiation for our sins (Heb. 2:17); hence, He has become that which propitiates, the propitiatory sacrifice, between us and God (1 John 2:2; 4:10), and He has also become the place, as typified by the lid of the Ark (Heb. 9:5), where we enjoy propitiation before God and where God gives grace to us.
十一 因此，基督乃是成就平息者，祂是平息的祭物，祂也是平息盖，就是神与祂赎民相会的地方─出二五21～22。
K. Therefore, Christ is the One who propitiates, He is the propitiatory sacrifice, and He is the propitiatory cover, the place where God and His redeemed people meet together—Exo. 25:21-22.
贰 遮罪盖，即平息处，表征基督作神公义律法的遮盖，也作神在恩典中对祂赎民说话的地方；因此，平息处等于神施恩的宝座；这施恩的宝座，神赐恩给我们的地方，实际上就是牧养的基督自己，在二基路伯中间登宝座，并住在我们灵里─来四16，诗八十1，出二五22：
II. The expiation cover, the place of propitiation, signifies Christ as the cover of God's righteous law and also the place where God speaks to His redeemed people in grace; hence, the place of propitiation equals God's throne of grace; this throne of grace, the place where God gives us grace, is actually the shepherding Christ Himself who is enthroned between the cherubim and dwells in our spirit—Heb. 4:16; Psa. 80:1; Exo. 25:22:
一 用以作这盖的纯金，表征基督纯净的神圣性情。
A. The pure gold of which the cover was made signifies Christ's pure divine nature.
二 遮罪盖的尺寸表征见证─17节。
B. The measurements of the expiation cover signify a testimony—v 17.
叁 “要用金子锤出两个基路伯，安在遮罪盖的两端”─18节：
III. "And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of beaten work you shall make them, at the two ends of the expiation cover"—v. 18:
一 基路伯表征神的荣耀（结十18，来九5）；因此，遮罪盖上的基路伯指明基督彰显神的荣耀（约一14）。─引用经文
A. The cherubim signify God's glory (Ezek. 10:18; Heb. 9:5); thus, the cherubim on the expiation cover indicate that Christ expresses God's glory (John 1:14).
二 基路伯是锤出来的，指明基督彰显神的荣耀，乃是借着受苦─参来二9～10，罗八17～18。
B. That the cherubim were made of beaten work indicates that Christ's expressing of the divine glory was through sufferings—cf. Heb. 2:9-10; Rom. 8:17-18.
肆 “这端作一个基路伯，那端作一个基路伯，两端的基路伯要与遮罪盖接连一块”─出二五19：
IV. "And make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; of one piece with the expiation cover you shall make the cherubim on its two ends"—Exo. 25:19:
一 两个基路伯与遮罪盖接连一块，指明神的荣耀是从基督这遮罪盖照耀出来，并照耀在基督这遮罪盖上，成为一个见证─参约一14，林后四4、6。
A. That the two cherubim were one piece with the expiation cover indicates that God's glory shines out from Christ and upon Christ as the expiation cover to be a testimony—cf. John 1:14; 2 Cor. 4:4, 6.
二 基路伯的形状、大小和重量没有记载，指明基督照耀的荣耀是无法测度，且是奥秘的─参约三34。
B. The form, size, and weight of the cherubim are not given, indicating that the glory of Christ's shining is immeasurable and mysterious—cf. John 3:34.
伍 “两个基路伯要在盖上展开翅膀，遮掩遮罪盖；基路伯要脸对脸，朝着遮罪盖”─出二五20：
V. "And the cherubim shall spread out their wings above the cover, covering the expiation cover with their wings, with their faces toward one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the expiation cover"—Exo. 25:20:
一 基路伯的翅膀遮掩遮罪盖，指明神的荣耀在基督里彰显出来，成为完满的见证─来一3上，弗三21与注3。
A. That the wings of the cherubim covered the expiation cover indicates that God's glory is expressed in Christ to be a full testimony—Heb. 1:3a; Eph. 3:21 and footnote 4.
二 基路伯脸对脸，并且朝着遮罪盖，表征神的荣耀注视并观看基督所作成的事。
B. The faces of the cherubim were toward each other and toward the cover, signifying that God's glory watches over and observes what Christ has done.
陆 “要将遮罪盖安在柜的上边，又将我所要赐给你的见证版放在柜里”─出二五21：
VI. "And you shall put the expiation cover upon the Ark above it, and into the Ark you shall put the Testimony that I shall give you"—Exo. 25:21:
一 基路伯和遮罪盖是用纯金作的（17～18），表征基督是神荣耀的光辉（来一3上），其照耀是神圣的。─引用经文
A. That the cherubim and the expiation cover were made of pure gold (vv. 17-18) signifies that the shining of Christ as the effulgence of God's glory (Heb. 1:3a) is divine.
二 金的遮罪盖安在皂荚木的约柜（出二五10）上边，表征基督的人性而非祂的神性，是祂彰显神圣性情之荣耀的基础；皂荚木表征基督的人性，品质坚刚，标准崇高。─引用经文
B. That the expiation cover of gold was put on top of the Ark of acacia wood (Exo. 25:10) signifies that Christ's humanity, notHis divinity, is the base for Him to express the glory of His divine nature; acacia wood signifies Christ's human nature, strong in character and high in standard.
柒 “我要在那里与你相会，又要从见证的柜遮罪盖上两个基路伯中间，和你说我所要吩咐你传给以色列人的一切事”─22节，参诗八十1，来九3～5：
VII. "And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the expiation cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the Ark of the Testimony, of everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel"—v. 22; cf. Psa. 80:1; Heb. 9:3-5:
一 神在遮罪盖上二基路伯中间与祂的子民相会，并向他们说话，表征神在成就平息的基督里，并在那作祂见证、成就平息的基督所彰显的荣耀中，与我们相会，向我们说话─参林后三8～11、18：
A. That God met with His people and spoke to them from above the expiation cover and between the cherubim signifies that God meets with us and speaks to us in the propitiating Christ and in the glory expressed in the propitiating Christ as His testimony—cf. 2 Cor. 3:8-11, 18:
1 神在其中与我们相会并对我们说话的荣耀，乃是基督那无法测度且无法解释的照耀。
1. The glory in which God meets with us and in which He speaks to us is the immeasurable and unexplainable shining of Christ.
2 平息处，即遮罪盖，连同基路伯，一点不差就是我们亲爱的主耶稣自己；每当神与我们相会并对我们说话时，这位宝贵的基督都与我们同在；事实上，神乃是在这位照耀的基督里与我们相会，并与我们说话。
2. The place of propitiation, theexpiation cover, with the cherubim is nothing less than our dear Lord Jesus Himself; whenever God meets with us and speaks with us, this precious Christ is present; actually, it is in this shining Christ that God meets with us and speaks with us.
3 要紧的是我们要看见平息不仅是一个举动；平息也是基督自己成为一个地方；按照罗马三章二十五节，神摆出基督自己这人位作平息盖；在这个人位身上，神能与我们相会，我们也能与神相会。─引用经文
3. It is important to see that propitiation is not only an act; it is also Christ Himself as a place; according to Romans 3:25, God set up Christ Himself, the person, to be a propitiation cover; it is upon this person that God can meet with us and we can meet with God.
4 平息的血弹在遮罪盖，即平息盖上（利十六14～15），满足了遮罪盖下神的公义律法，以及遮罪盖上神的圣别性情和照耀之荣耀的要求，因此人的良心就能有平安。─引用经文
4. The propitiatory blood sprinkled upon the expiation cover, the propitiation cover (Lev. 16:14-15), satisfies the requirements of God's righteous law under the cover and God's holy nature and shining glory above the cover and thus gives peace to man's conscience.
二 因此，遮罪盖连同在遮罪日洒在盖上祭牲的血（14～15、29～30），描绘在人性里救赎的基督（同祂法理的救赎），以及在神性里照耀的基督（同祂生机的救恩），是堕落的罪人能与公义、圣别、荣耀的神相会，并听祂说话的地方，借此他们就被那作为恩典的神所灌注，并从祂领受异象、启示和指示，以支配他们的日常生活（箴二九18）：─引用经文
B. Thus, the expiation cover with the blood of the sacrifices sprinkled on it on the Day of Expiation (vv. 14-15, 29-30) portrays the redeeming Christ in His humanity (with His judicial redemption) and the shining Christ in His divinity (with His organic salvation) as the place where fallen sinners can meet with the righteous, holy, and glorious God and hear His word, thereby being infused with God as grace and receiving vision,revelation, and instruction from Him to control their daily life (Prov. 29:18):
1 当神在基督的荣耀里临到我们，祂看不见公义律法的要求，也看不见我们的罪；反之，祂乃是看见遮罪盖上救赎的血。
1. When God comes to us in the glory of Christ, He does not see the requirements of His righteous law, and He does not see our sins; instead, He sees the redeeming blood on the expiation cover.
2 基督的人性是为着救赎，而祂的神性乃是为着照耀；遮罪盖上的基路伯，表征基督带着祂神性的照耀；弹在遮罪盖上的血，表征祂那为着救赎的人性；现今我们与神能在救赎并照耀的基督里一同聚集，一同谈话。
2. Christ's humanity is for redeeming, and His divinity is for shining; the cherubim on the expiation cover signify Christ's shining with His divinity, and the blood sprinkled on the cover signifies His humanity for redeeming; now we and God can meet together and talk together in the redeeming and shining Christ.
3 在遮罪盖上并在祂荣耀的照耀中间，我们能听见神的声音，得知祂心头的愿望。
3. Upon the expiatory cover and in the midst of the shining of His glory, we can hear God's voice and learn the desire of His heart.
4 不仅如此，我们越花时间与主同在，并认识祂的宝血和照耀的荣耀，祂就越将祂自己注入我们里面；活基督乃是被祂注入的自然结果─参林后三18，腓一19～21上。
4. Furthermore, the more time we spend with the Lord, having the realization of His precious blood and shining glory, the more He infuses Himself into us; living Christ is the spontaneous issue of being infused with Him—cf. 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 1:19-21a.
三 在至圣所里得着神的注入，并照着神的注入而行事为人的基督徒，乃是最有意义的基督徒；这乃是在主终极恢复里的基督徒；这终极的恢复要结束这时代，引进国度时代，至终带进新耶路撒冷。
C. To be a Christian who receives God's infusion in the Holy of Holies and walks according to it is to be a Christian in the most wonderful sense of all; it is to be a Christian in the Lord's ultimate recovery that will terminate this age, usher in the age of the kingdom, and ultimately issue in the New Jerusalem.