to the holy of holies, so the whole Levitical tabernacle was to the heavenly sanctuary ; then, as the holy place prevented the people from having access to the holy of holies, so the whole tabernacle prevented an entrance into the heavenly sanctuary. Therefore --paj-/,c, first, which immediately follows, has a para bolic amphibology : if we understand it of place, it denotes the anterior part of the tabernacle, as opposed to the holy of holies ; but if of time, it denotes the whole Levitical tabernacle, as op posed to heaven. — 6dw, the way) much less efaodov, entrance; comp. ch. x. 19, 20. — sy^lo^g ffrdffiv, having as yet a standing) A suitable phrase. "T&J7B, LXX., ffrdt/g. When Paul was writing, the temple, or first tabernacle, was not yet destroyed ; but still it had no standing (or status) any longer, from the time that the veil had been rent ; and when its standing was broken up, the tabernacle itself soon after was utterly destroyed.
9. ' ilnq tfotpotpoXy, which is a figure) r,nc for o, before the feminine, cra^a/3oX?j. This relative has regard to the three pre ceding verses. — li/stfnjjcoYa) present, in respect of that standing. The standing, emphatically as such, now no longer existed, although YI axqvJi, the tabernacle, was not yet broken up, was not yet destroyed, wTas not yet razed to the foundation. The anti thesis is, psXXovruv, of things to come, ver. 11. — 8upd rt xui Ovc/ai //yy dwapsvai, x.r.?.., gifts and sacrifices not able, etc.) The victims (sacrifices) might seem to be more efficacious than the other gifts : therefore with great elegance the efficacy is more expressly with held from the sacrific.es [by dwd^svai being made agree with 6ve/ai, not dupoi], — ffvvslfygiv, conscience) The same word occurs, ch. x. 2, 22. The antithesis is capxoc, of the flesh, ver. 10, as ver. 13, 14 [1 Pet. iii. 21]. — rw tMrpevovru, him that did the service) the priest, who offered for himself; or the Israelite, for whom the priest offered.
10. MO'JW, only) The commandments concerning meats are as it were an appendage to the commandments concerning sacrifices ; and this particle lessens the weight of that append age. Sacrifices do not purge the conscience ; meats have respect to the flesh. Concerning both, comp. ch. xiii. 9, etc. Paul often puts fAovov, only, absolutely; 1 Cor. vii. 39 ; Gal. ii. 10, v. 13; Phil. i. 27 ; 2 Thess. ii. 7. — SKI, on) IT/, with the Dative, implies something concurrent, as we have already remarked