What is the significance of the temple veil tearing in Matthew 27:51? The dramatic moment Matthew 27:51: “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.” • “From top to bottom” signals a divine act. • The tearing occurs “at that moment,” the instant Jesus yields His spirit (v. 50), tying the veil’s destruction directly to His death. What the veil meant • A thick curtain (Exodus 26:31–33) separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. • Only the high priest could pass it—and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2, 29-34). • It embodied humanity’s separation from God because of sin. Jesus fulfills the sacrificial system Hebrews 9:12: “He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.” • Every sacrifice and priestly ritual pointed forward to Christ’s once-for-all offering (Hebrews 10:1-10). • The veil’s tearing proclaims that the old priestly order has reached its God-intended climax in Jesus. Open access to the Father Hebrews 10:19-20: “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 veil—that is, His flesh—” • The barrier is gone; believers may draw near continually (v. 22). • Ephesians 2:13-18 reinforces that Jew and Gentile now approach God on equal footing. Judgment on the temple system • The temple’s central symbol is supernaturally damaged—a preview of the temple’s complete destruction in A.D. 70 (Matthew 24:2). • God no longer dwells in a building made with hands (Acts 17:24); He indwells His people (1 Corinthians 3:16). Assurance for daily life • Confidence in prayer: we come “boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). • Security of forgiveness: the finished work of Christ stands, even when feelings waver (1 John 1:7-9). • Call to holiness: freedom to enter God’s presence motivates a life set apart (1 Peter 1:15-16). In summary The torn veil declares that Jesus’ sacrificial death removed every obstacle between God and humankind, inaugurated the new covenant, and invites believers into continual, intimate fellowship with the Father. |
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