What New Testament passages connect with the concept of a sacred entrance? The Courtyard Gate – Exodus 27:16 Revisited “For the gate of the courtyard there shall be a curtain twenty cubits long, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with four posts and four bases.” (Exodus 27:16) • A single, beautifully woven entrance stood between common ground and the holy space where God met His people. • The gate was the only authorized way in; everything else was fenced off. Christ Declares: I Am the Gate • “Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.’ ” (John 10:7) • “I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture.” (John 10:9) • Just as the tabernacle courtyard had one doorway, God now offers one entrance into salvation—His Son. The Torn Veil – A New Way Opened • “At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Matthew 27:51) • “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body…” (Hebrews 10:19-20) • The inner veil once blocked access to the very presence of God; Christ’s death ripped it open, fulfilling what the outer gate prefigured. Confident Access in Daily Life • “For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18) • “Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” (Romans 5:2) • “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul… It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf.” (Hebrews 6:19-20) Key takeaways – Access is no longer limited to priests; every believer may draw near. – The entrance is permanent and secure because it rests on Christ’s finished work. The Narrow Gate Choice • “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction… But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) • The gracious invitation is universal, yet the path is exclusive—trusting Christ alone. Eternal Gates of Glory • “The city had a great high wall with twelve gates… The twelve gates were twelve pearls.” (Revelation 21:12, 21) • “Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there.” (Revelation 21:25) • “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.” (Revelation 22:14) The earthly courtyard gate foreshadows the open, never-shut portals of the New Jerusalem—permanent fellowship with God. Quick Reference – New Testament Passages on the Sacred Entrance • John 10:7-9 — Jesus, the Gate • Matthew 27:51 — Veil torn • Hebrews 9:8; 10:19-22; 6:19-20 — Way into the Most Holy Place opened • Romans 5:1-2 — Access by faith • Ephesians 2:18 — One Spirit, one access • Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:24 — Narrow gate • Revelation 21–22 — Eternal gates of the heavenly city |
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