The Holy Ghost this signifying
This shows that the Holy Ghost existed under the Old Testament;
that he is a distinct person in the Godhead, a personal act being
here ascribed to him; that he is truly and properly God, the God
whose service the priests accomplished in the tabernacle; and by
whom Moses was admonished to make all things in it according to
the pattern, and by whom the high priest was warned not to come
at all times within the vail; moreover, that the Levitical
ordinances were of God, and that they had a spiritual
signification; that the Old Testament saints were not without
some knowledge of the spiritual meaning of them; and that the
Holy Ghost was the author of that knowledge; particularly by
enjoining the high priest to enter within the vail but once a
year, he gave a plain and strong intimation,
that the way into the holiest of all was not yet manifest,
while as
the first tabernacle was yet standing;
by which is meant, not only the first part of the tabernacle, as
in ( Hebrews
9:2 Hebrews
9:6 ) but the whole of it; and not only that, but the temple
built in its room, and also the whole Levitical service is
included; and the sense is, that while the tabernacle and
tabernacle worship, the temple and temple service, were in being,
"the way into the holiest of all was not yet manifest": the
Vulgate Latin and all the Oriental versions render it, "the way
of the saints"; of the priests who ministered in holy things, and
were holy to the Lord, and of all the saints that lived before
Christ; not that they did not go to heaven, but their way to it
was not so manifestly known; life and immortality were not so
clearly brought to light, as now by the Gospel; though rather it
designs holy places, even heaven itself, which was typified by
the holy place within the vail; and may be called the holiest of
all, it being the residence of the holy God, holy angels, and
holy men, and is sanctified by the presence of Christ, for his
people, and where perfect holiness will be the glory of it: the
way to it is not by works of righteousness done by men, which
being imperfect cannot justify, and so not save, though this is
the way men naturally seek and take; but Christ is the only way,
and he is the plain, pleasant, and safe one: now let it be
observed, that heaven was not shut to the Old Testament saints;
there was a way into it for them, and they went the same way New
Testament saints do; and that way was in some measure known, but
it was not fully manifested; it lay hid in obscure prophecies,
types, shadows, and sacrifices; hence being more clearly revealed
under the Gospel dispensation, in comparison, of its former
obscurity, and with respect to the manifestation of it, it is
called a "new way".