John Chrysostom : "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 existence: inasmuch as neither did we enter the Most Holy place. — Homily on Hebrews 15 Oecumenius : "made clear by the Holy Spirit." For this reason, he says, the tabernacle was thus constructed, where the lampstand and the table of showbread are in the first sanctuary, and since the remaining priests ascend into the Holy of Holies, it is evident that heaven remains inaccessible. For the Holy of Holies is a type of heaven. But only the high priest enters there, which was a type that only Christ, the true high priest, has ascended into heaven. But thereafter, having ascended, he brought in the race of mankind, for before this it was inaccessible. Now, however, it has become accessible through Christ. "not yet been made clear." It is not yet a path that is walkable and accessible to the heavens, which Christ first initiated. "was still standing," he says, and in a certain way blocking the passage to the Holy of Holies. — The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews Origen of Alexandria : We indeed who are of the church rightly receive Moses and read his writings, believing that he is a prophet who wrote down the future mysteries which God revealed to him in symbols, figures and allegorical forms, which we teach were fulfilled in their own time. But whoever does not receive such an understanding in him, whether one of the Jews or even one of us, certainly cannot teach that he is a prophet. For how will he prove he is a prophet whose writings he asserts to be common, containing no knowledge of the future or anything of a hidden mystery? Whoever thinks thus the divine word censures, saying, "Do you understand what you are reading?"Therefore, the law and all the things that are in the law are, according to the opinion of the apostle, "imposed until the time of reformation." … Those whose craft is to make tokens from copper and to pour statues, before they produce a true work of copper or of silver or of gold, must first form figures from clay to the likeness of the figure image. (The model is necessary only until the work that is principal is completed, for when that work for which that image was made of clay is completed, its use is no longer sought.) [Thus we] understand also something like this in these things which were written or done "in a type" and in a figure of the future in the law and prophets. For the artist and creator of all himself came and transformed "the law which has but a shadow of the good things to come" to "the true form of these realities." But lest perhaps the things we say appear difficult for you to be able to prove, examine them one by one. First, there was Jerusalem, that great, royal city, where the most renowned temple had been constructed for God. But after that, one who was the true temple of God came and said about the temple of his body, "Destroy this temple," and began to open the mysteries "of the heavenly Jerusalem." This earthly place was destroyed, and the heavenly became visible, and in the temple "stone" did not remain "upon stone" from the time when the flesh of Christ was made the true temple of God. First there was a high priest who purified the people "by the blood of bulls and goats"; but when the true high priest who "sanctifies" believers "through his own blood" came, that first high priest existed no more, and neither was any place left for him. First there was the altar, and sacrifices were being celebrated; but when the true Lamb came who "gave himself up as an offering to God," all these other, as it were, temporary institutions ceased. Therefore, does it not seem to you that, according to the figure set forth above, there were some models made from clay, as it were, through which true images were represented? Finally, for this reason, the divine dispensation provided that the city and the temple and all those as well be overthrown, lest he who is perhaps still "a child and feeding on milk of the faith" be enraptured by the view itself of the diverse forms, if he should see them standing and be astonished and amazed during the ritual of sacrifices and during the order of the services. But God, watching out for our weakness and desiring his church to be multiplied, made all these to be overthrown and taken away completely, so that without any hesitation, when those ceased, we might believe these to be true for which the type was contained in advance in them. — HOMILIES ON Leviticus 10.1.1-4 Tertullian : Inserting thus the particle of present time, "And now," He shows that He had made for a time, and at present, a prolongation of man's life. Therefore He did not actually curse Adam and Eve, for they were candidates for restoration, and they had been relieved by confession. — Against Marcion Book II Theodoret of Cyrus : We are being taught through figures, he is saying, that the law bears of this life and is appropriate for those who still have a moral nature.… He also clearly taught us in these words that he does not reject the law as a whole—only the regulations about eating and drinking, menstruation, leprosy, childbirth and periods; they washed themselves and purified themselves with sprinkling, but none of this could make the conscience pure. Now none of these was imposed without reason but to meet some need, specifying which is not relevant at the present time. They were all temporary, however, looking forward to the time of perfection. — INTERPRETATION OF Hebrews 9