ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Monite Ma’asi 22, 2021 

to serve me as priests

ke ne fai kiate au ‘a e ngāue fakataula‘eiki

'Ekisoto 28 (Exodus 28)

(v. 1) “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

(v. 1) PEA ko eni te ke fakaofi mai mei he lotolotonga ‘o ha‘a ‘Isileli ‘a ‘Ēlone ko ho tokoua, ‘a ia mo hono ngaahi foha, koe‘uhi ke ne fai kiate au ‘a e ngāue fakataula‘eiki; ‘a ‘Ēlone, ‘a Nātapi mo ‘Āpiu, ‘a ‘Eliesa mo ‘Ītama, ‘a ia ko e ngaahi foha ‘o ‘Ēlone.

*Commentary:  The Reformation Study Bible*

28:1 serve me as priests. First and foremost, the priests are to serve as mediators between God and humanity. As priests and representatives of a holy God, Aaron and his sons participate in the in holiness of the tabernacle and are held to strict standards of ritual purity (Lev.21:1-22:16). In addition to their ceremonial duties, such as offering sacrifices and caring for the place of worship, they act as judges (Deut. 17:8-13), dispense blessings (Num. 6:22-27), give oracles (Num. 27:21), and teach God's rules and instructions to the people (Deut. 33:10).

*Tohi Vete:  Tohitapu Ako ‘a e Fakalelei Lotu´*

‘Uluaki, ko e kau taula’eiki ‘oku nau hoko ko e tu’u vaha’a ‘i he vā ‘o e ‘Otua mo e tangata.  ‘I honau tu’unga ko e taula’eiki mo e kau fakafofonga ‘o e ‘Otua Toputapu, ko ‘Elone mo hono ngaahi foha na’a nau fai fatongia ‘i he tapanekale pea na’e pau ke nau tauhi ‘a e ngaahi taputapui mo e ouau kehekehe ‘i he ma’a mo e mā’oni’oni (Levitiko 21:1-22:16).  Na’e tanaki atu ki honau ngaahi fatongia ‘o e ouau fakalotu, tauhi ‘o e ngaahi feilaulau mo hono tokanga’i ‘o e potu fai’anga lotu, na’a nau toe hoko ko e kau fakamaau (Teutalonome 17:8-13), fai ‘a e ngaahi fakatāpui (Nomipa 6:22-27), tala ‘o e ngaahi fono (Nomipa 27:21), pea na’a nau toe ako ‘a e ngaahi lao mo e tu’utu’uni ‘a e ‘Otua ki he kakai (Teutalonome 33:10).

GOD IS . . . (KO E ‘OTUA, KO E . . )

3        GOD IS SPIRIT

            Application

Because God is spirit, we who are both body and spirit (i.e., soul) stand in a most remarkable position. The omnipresent God dwells among and in his people. In his Upper Room Discourse, Christ promises that God will be with his people forever because the “Spirit of truth" will dwell in them (John 14:17).

The glory of the new covenant may be summarized thus: the Christ who is for us, in terms of his life, death, and resurrection, is also the Christ who is in us, because of the power of his ascended ministry in the heavenly places. God is spirit, but the Spirit of God dwells among his people based on the fact that Christ is in his Father: "In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" (John 14:20). Hence, other parts of Scripture refer to the Holy Spirit as "the Spirit of Christ" or "the Spirit of Jesus” (Acts 16:7; Rom. 8:9; 1 Pet. 1:11). The apostle Paul nowhere better expresses this truth in his writings than when he prays for the Ephesians that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:16-17). If God were not spirit, the realities expressed above-that Christ through his life-giving Spirit dwells in the hearts of his people-would be utterly impossible.

GOD IS . . . (KO E ‘OTUA, KO E . . )

3        KO E ‘OTUA´, KO E LAUMALIE

            Ko e Akonaki kiate kitautolu

Koe’uhi ko e ‘Otua ko e laumalie, ko kitautolu ‘i hotau tu’unga sino mo laumalie, ‘oku tau ma’u ha tapuaki makehe. Ko e ‘Otua tokaima’ananga, ‘oku ne lotolotoi mo nofo’ia hono kakai. ‘I he’ene malanga tuku ‘i he loki ‘i ‘Olunga, na’e palomesi ai ‘e Kalaisi, ‘e nofo ma’u ‘a e ‘Otua mo hono kakai ‘o ta’engata koe’uhi ‘e nofo ‘iate kinautolu ‘a e “Laumalie ‘o e mo’oni” (Sione 14:7).

Ko e langilangi ‘o e kovinanite fo’ou ‘e ala fakama’opo’opo pehe ni: ko e Kalaisi ‘oku ne kau mo kitautolu, koe’uhi ko ’ene mo’ui, pekia, mo e toetu’u; ‘oku ne toe hoko pe ko e Kalaisi ‘oku ne nofo’ia kitautolu, koe’uhi ko e ivi ‘o ‘ene ngaue ‘i he’ene ha’ele hake, ‘a ee ‘oku ne fai mei langi. Ko e ‘Otua ko e laumalie, ka ko e Laumalie ‘o e ‘Otua ‘oku ne nofo’ia ‘a hono kakai, koe’uhi, he ‘oku ‘i he Tamai ‘a Kalaisi: “‘I he ‘aho ko ia te mou ‘ilo, ko au ‘oku ou ‘i he‘eku Tamai, pea mo kimoutolu ‘iate au, pea mo au ‘iate kimoutolu.” (Sione 14:20). ‘Ikai ko ia pe, ka ‘oku toe fakamatala ‘a e ngaahi potu Folofola kehekehe fekau’aki mo e Laumalie Ma’oni’oni, ko e “Laumalie ‘o Kalaisi” pe ko e “Laumalie ‘o Sisu” (Ng 16:7; Lom 8:9; 1 Pita 1:11). Na’e fakahaa’i ‘e Paula ‘a e fo’i mo’oni ko eni, ‘i he’ene lotu ma’ae kainga ‘o ‘Efeso, “ko ‘eku kole ke foaki kiate kimautolu, ‘o taau mo e mohu me‘a ‘o ‘Ene ‘Afio, ke ne tuku ke fou mai ha ivi ‘i hono Laumālie ki homou tangata-‘i-loto ke mou mālohi ai; 17kae fale ‘a Kalaisi ‘i homou loto, ko e me‘a ‘i ho‘omou tui;” (‘Efeso 3:16-17). Kapau na’e ‘ikai ko ha laumalie ‘a e ‘Otua, ‘oku ta’e malava ‘aupito ke hoko ‘a e ngaahi mo’oni ‘oku fakahaa’i atu ‘i ‘olunga - ‘a e fa’ofale ‘e Kalaisi ‘a e loto ‘o hono kakai ‘o fou ‘i he mo’ui ‘oku tafe mei hono Laumalie.