8.1 上帝按祂自己所喜悦的，照祂永恒的旨意，选定祂的独生子主耶稣作上帝与人之间的中保1；为先知2、祭司3和君王4，教会的元首和救主5，万有的承受者6，和世界的审判者；上帝在永世中便将一群人赐给祂作后裔8，而且到了时候，就使他们由祂得赎、蒙召、称义、成圣并得荣耀9。

1 赛42:1; 彼前1:19–20; 约3:16; 提前2:5; 2 使3:22; 3 来5:5–6; 4 诗2:6. 路1:33; 5 弗5:23; 6 来1:2; 7 使17:31; 8 约17:6; 诗22:30; 赛53:10; 9 提前2:6; 赛55:4–5; 林前1:30。

8.1    It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man,1 the Prophet,2 Priest,3 and King,4 the Head and Savior of His Church,5 the Heir of all things,6 and Judge of the world:7 unto whom He did from all eternity give a people, to be His seed,8 and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.9

1 Isa 42:1; 1 Pet 1:19–20; Jn 3:16; 1 Tim 2:5; 2 Acts 3:22; 3 Heb 5:5–6; 4 Ps 2:6. Lk 1:33; 5 Eph 5:23; 6 Heb 1:2; 7 Acts 17:31; 8 Jn 17:6; Ps 22:30; Isa 53:10; 9 1 Tim 2:6; Isa 55:4–5; 1 Cor 1:30.

世界还未创造、人类还未堕落那时候，拥有统治权的上帝已经选定祂的独生子主耶稣作上帝与人之间的中保。这提示到基督之人与行在救赎计划里是照祂永恒的旨意其中，并不是反思之后的想法，也不是后备计划。我们不能以为上帝只在撒旦在伊甸园成功地诱惑亚当与夏娃后，才定计送耶稣入这个世界来拯救人类；这则是上帝一直以来所计划的。

Even before the creation of the world and the fall of mankind into sin, the sovereign God had already chosen and ordained His only begotten Son to be the Mediator between God and man. This reminds us that the person and work of Christ in redemption was not an afterthought or a plan B but was very much part of God’s eternal purpose. We must never think that God devised His plan of sending Jesus into this world to save mankind only after Satan successfully tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Instead, it has always been part of God’s plan to do so.

所谓的“中保”是为了使敌对双方和解而介入调解的人。堕落之前，上帝与人之间不需中保。反而在那时，上帝与人之间所存在的已是一个友谊团契的状态。但是，堕落之后所接着的就是一个敌意仇恨的状态；若想让双方重新恢复团契，中保就变得绝对有必要了。

Now a mediator is someone who comes between two parties who are at enmity with one another for the purpose of reconciling them to each other. Prior to the fall, there was no need for a mediator between God and man. A state of friendship and fellowship existed between God and man. However, after the fall, a state of enmity ensued, and a mediator was absolutely necessary if the two were ever to have fellowship again.

上帝委任主耶稣作为上帝与人之间的中保，耶稣因而得尽一些重要的职分、完成一些重要的任务。其一，作为先知祂把上帝的话语带给人。其二，作为祭司祂把人的话语带给天父。其三，作为君王祂统治上帝的王国，带人进入乐意服从于上帝的境界。作为祂先知、祭司、君王三重职分的一部分，基督充当教会的元首与救主。（教会也能称为属于祂的全体。）此外，祂作为万有的承受者（就是有宇宙万物的统治权和拥有权），也作为世界的审判者。

As the divinely appointed mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus has several important offices to fulfill and tasks to perform. First, He acts as prophet to bring the word of God to man. Second, He acts as priest to speak the words of man to God. Third, He acts as king to rule over the kingdom of God, and to bring man into a state of willing submission and obedience to God. As part of His threefold office of prophet, priest and king, Christ serves as the Head and Savior of the church, which is His body. He is also the Heir of all things – referring to His dominion and possession of this whole universe, and the Judge of the world.

最后，此信条教——上帝在永世中守约赐给主耶稣一份礼物——那就是，一群人作为祂的后裔，来效法祂、拥有属祂的形象，而且也是祂所欢悦喜爱的。这群人就是在适当的时候被祂使为得赎、蒙召、称义、成圣并得荣耀。

Finally, our confession teaches us that, from all eternity, God promised to give a gift to the Lord Jesus, namely, a people to be His seed, i.e. a people who would be like Him and bear His image, and whom He would delight and take pleasure in. These are the ones who would, in time, be redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified by Him.

若你是基督徒，不如趁此时花些时间，默想你如何属于圣父在永世中赐给圣子的礼物这个美妙的真理。

If you are as Christian, then take time this day to meditate on the wonderful truth that you are part of that gift of God to His Son from all eternity.