Hebrews 9:8 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The Holy Ghost this signifying, &c.— "The Holy Ghost manifesting, δηλουντος , plainly shewing this: not intimating, but clearly pointing it out,—that the way of the holies (or into the holy of holies,) was not open to all, while the first tabernacle stood." By the first tabernacle, the apostle does not mean that part of the tabernacle which he called the first tabernacle in the second verse; but he means the tabernacle as it was first ordered in the wilderness, long before Solomon built the temple. The Holy Ghost plainly manifested, that the way into the holy of holies was not free or open to all: there was not permission to all to enter into it; since none but the high-priest alone, and he but once a year, was allowed to enter into it. The apostle had observed, that the holy of holies in the tabernacle, like the outward part of it, was all κοσμικος, worldly; that is, furnished only with such things as were suited to this world, and not to make the worshippers perfect as to conscience. The Holy Ghost plainly shewed, that a true internal worship, such as would render every particular person happy for ever, was not the design of the ceremonial law, any farther than that law had reference to the atonement and intercession of Jesus Christ. But in this latter respect it pointed entirely to heavenly things; and therefore the opinion of those who hold that the Mosaic economy, in all its different views, has no respect to a future state, is greatly to be reprobated. The words, the Holy Ghost this signifying, seem to me not to refer to the present verse only, but to the whole which follows, as the spiritual explication of the legal ceremonies referred to in the preceding part of the chapter.