What is the meaning of Matthew 27:51? At that moment “Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and yielded up His spirit” (Matthew 27:50). Matthew ties the tearing of the veil and the earthquake directly to the instant of Christ’s death. • The timing is precise—no delay, no gradual change. God responds the very second the atoning work is finished (John 19:30; Mark 15:37). • By linking cause and effect so tightly, Scripture affirms that what follows is God’s intentional, literal sign, not coincidence. The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom That inner curtain separated the Holy of Holies from every human except the high priest on the Day of Atonement (Exodus 26:33; Leviticus 16:2). • Torn “from top to bottom” shows the action comes from God, not man. No priest on a ladder; the Father Himself removes the barrier (Hebrews 10:19-20). • The once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus opens direct access to God (Hebrews 4:16; 6:19-20). • The literal tearing also foreshadows the end of the temple system (Matthew 24:2) and heralds a new covenant written on hearts, not stone (Jeremiah 31:31-34; 2 Corinthians 3:14-16). The earth quaked Creation itself reacts to the Creator’s redemptive act. • Earthquakes in Scripture often mark divine revelation or judgment (Exodus 19:18; 1 Kings 19:11-12; Acts 4:31). • At Christ’s death, the shaking signals both judgment on sin borne by Jesus (Isaiah 53:6) and the birth pangs of a new creation (Romans 8:19-22). • This literal quake validates the historical reality of the cross, witnessed by soldiers and citizens alike (Matthew 27:54). And the rocks were split The splitting rocks picture hardened hearts being broken open by the Gospel’s power. • Prophets foretold that mountains would tremble at God’s presence (Micah 1:3-4; Nahum 1:5). • When Jesus later rises, tombs open and saints are raised (Matthew 27:52-53), reinforcing that His death shatters both physical and spiritual barriers. • The detail underscores the total upheaval sin and death experience when the Son of God lays down His life (Colossians 2:14-15). summary Matthew 27:51 records God’s unmistakable, literal signs that Jesus’ sacrifice has accomplished redemption: at the very moment of His death, the Father tears the temple veil to invite repentant sinners into His presence, shakes the earth to declare divine judgment and new creation, and splits rocks to illustrate broken barriers. The verse proclaims that through Christ crucified, the way to God is now wide open, the old order is passing, and all creation bears witness. |
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