“The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:”
By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places has not yet been revealed as long as the outer tent is still standing — the Spirit himself (dia toutou dēloi to pneuma to hagion) interprets the tabernacle system prophetically: its very structure announces that full access to God remains blocked. The outer tent standing symbolizes the continued separation between God and people; the Mosaic system, while divinely ordained, was inherently provisional. This is a sophisticated hermeneutic: the Spirit uses the limitations of the old covenant to point to the removal of those limitations.
Church Fathers on Hebrews 9:8
Thus far there is no speculation. But from this point he philosophizes and says, Hebrews 9:8 “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.” For this cause (he says) have these things been thus “ordained,” that we might learn that “the Holy of Holies,” that is, Heaven, is as yet inaccessible. Let us not then think (he says) that because we do not enter them, they have no…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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