By a new and living way
Which is Christ, the God-man and Mediator; who is called the
"new" way, not as to contrivance, revelation, or use; for it was
contrived before the world was, and was revealed to our first
parents, immediately after the fall, and was made use of by all
the Old Testament saints; but in distinction to the old way of
life, by the covenant of works; and because newly revealed with
greater clearness and evidence; see ( Hebrews 10:8
) and because it is always new, it never will be old, nor
otherwise, there never will be another way: some render it, "a
new slain way"; because Jesus was but newly slain, and his blood
lately shed, by which the way is, and entrance is with boldness:
and Christ is a "living way"; in opposition to the dead carcasses
of slain beasts, and to the dead and killing letter of the law;
Christ gives life to all his people; and all that walk in him,
the way, live; and none in this way ever die; it leads to eternal
life, and infallibly brings them thither:
which he hath consecrated for us;
either God the Father, and so it intends the designation of
Christ to be the way to life and happiness, and the qualification
of him for it, by preparing a body, an human nature for him, and
anointing it with the Holy Spirit, and the instalment of him into
his priestly office, called a consecration, ( Hebrews
10:28 ) or else Christ himself, and so designs his compliance
with his Father's will, and his devoting of himself to this
service; his preparation of himself to be the way, by the
shedding of his blood, and by his entrance into heaven, and by
giving a clearer discovery of this way in the Gospel, by which
life and immortality are brought to light: and this is
done through the vail, that is to say, his
flesh;
the human nature of Christ, through which the way to heaven is
opened, renewed, and consecrated, is compared to the vail of the
tabernacle, ( Exodus
26:31-33 ) the matter of which that was made, was fine twined
linen, which the Jews F25 say was of thread six times
doubled; which may denote the holiness of Christ's human nature;
the strength, courage, and steadfastness of it, under all its
sorrows and sufferings; and the purity and duration of his
righteousness; the colours of it were blue, purple, and scarlet,
which may signify the sufferings of the human nature; the
preciousness of Christ's blood, and the dignity of his person,
and his royalty; purple and scarlet being wore by kings: the vail
was of cunning work, which may intend the curious workmanship of
Christ's human nature, and the graces of the Spirit, with which
it is adorned; and it was made with "cherubim", pointing to the
ministration of angels, both to Christ, and to his people. The
pillars of it may signify the deity of Christ, the support of his
human nature, in which it has its personal subsistence; and being
of Shittim wood, may denote his eternity: and being covered with
gold, his glory: its hooks and sockets may be symbolical of the
union of the two natures in him.