Jesus Dies
When Jesus died the skies blackened so much so that Luke tells us “the light from the sun was gone.” The land was without sunlight for 3 hours. Luke is the one that tells us that just before Jesus breathed His last “the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.” (Luke 23:45) But it was Mark that added an important detail: “Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed His last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”
“The curtain contributed to the splendor of the Temple. From Josephus and rabbinic texts we can gain some idea of its appearance. Within that central structure of the Temple, the curtain covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies which was ... 60’ high by 30’ feet wide.” [1]
It was a woven curtain that was 4” thick, so the event that took place was quite impossible from a human standpoint. In other words, it is apparent that the tearing of the curtain was nothing less than a supernatural event. Man would not have been able to reach 60’ up at that precise moment, let alone tear in half the 4” thick woven material. The only way to effectively describe what took place was that Almighty God caused the tearing of the veil Himself. How else could it have happened?
That is an important detail, because it represented to believers that God was opening up the Holy of Holies (aka, the Most Holy Place) to all, not just the Jewish high priest. Up to that point the high priest was the only one who was allowed by God to enter the Holy of Holies. So man was now able to interact with his creator at any time.
Several guards acknowledged Jesus deity after the startling events of the day had transpired. It was certainly NOT a normal day. “This significant event symbolized Christ’s work on the cross. The Temple had three parts: the courts, which were for all the people; the Holy Place, where only priests could enter; and the Most Holy Place, where the high priest alone could enter once a year to atone for the sins of the people. It was in the Most Holy Place that the Ark of the Covenant, and God’s presence with it, rested. The curtain that was torn was the one that closed off the Most Holy Place from view. At Christ’s death, the barrier between God and humanity was split in two. Now all people can approach God directly thru Christ (Hebrews 9:1-14; 10:19-22).”
Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.
In His Name & for His Glory,
RL Keller
Bread of Life Ministries
Source: The Life Application Study Bible
[1] https://www.patternsofevidence.com/2021/04/02/torn-temple-curtain/
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