Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked...

Thursday nights are always stomping grounds as far as discussions are concerned. This is generally expected as we provide an environment conducive for growth while challenging each person to test their personal convictions and understanding on a given passage. Students usually grab a cup of coffee and wait for the appropriate time to pitch in and give their fifty cents.

51 ¶ Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Matthew 27:51-54

The students know me for purposely giving them a hard time. I'll many times challenge them to "think outside of the box" in order to get them out of their comfort zone. I have always believed that a good teacher will do whatever he can to stimulate the class to "think." For me, the discussion does not necessarily have to be logical nor do people have to understand the concept or proposition initially. My goal is to encourage individuals to think things through so that they can learn how to use the scriptures for themselves. Rarely will I give a deductive type study where answers and details are provided along the way. Rather, I prefer that the students mine the gems for themselves (inductive approach) so that they can fully appreciate their discoveries together. Sometimes when Jesus would speak it wouldn't make sense at all. There was even a time when the disciples said that it was too difficult to understand what Jesus was teaching (John 6:60). Difficulty often precedes learning as clearly seen in the lives of the disciples.

I asked the class to see if they could ascertain the significance of the veil being torn from top to bottom. There were a mixture of answers and several insisted that we leave it alone since it's not clearly stated as to why it the veil tore. Of course, I had my own thoughts.

I'd like to cite some views held by scholars who we may or may not agree with. My reason for doing this is to show that there have been others who have attempted to make sense of this portion of scripture. I believe that there is significance which can be deduced when comparing scripture with scripture. In seminary this is sometimes called "systematizing." Sometimes the obvious is not clearly stated. Only through a careful comparison with other books of the Bible can one arrive at a conclusion. Though the significance may not be explicit regarding the torn veil, through the systematizing of verses we can get its implicit meaning from combined passages. We know for example the following truths gleaned from the Old Testament:

*Behind the veil was the presence of God
*Access to God was limited to the priest
*Confession of a nation or a people were done through the agency of a priest

Questions that will help us stay in keeping with the overall context and thrust of God's Word:

1. Is God behind a veil today? Why or why not?
2. Is access to God limited today? Why or why not?
3. Do we need a priest in order to confess sins to God? Why or why not?

When thinking biblically, one should strive to ascertain the meaning whether or not the meaning is clearly stated in the text. This requires work. This is where the break-down usually occurs with other ministries. Most of the time it's the text itself which is distorted away from it's true meaning. I realize that some at this juncture may feel a little uneasy, but our safeguard is in making sure that whatever we conclude will flow consistently with the rest of scripture.

We seem to be comfortable with the following doctrines/concepts even though the words themselves do not appear in scripture nor are they ever defined apart from a systematized approach (as I have done to arrive at my conclusion regarding an alternative way of understanding the significance of the torn veil)to making sense of the word or doctrine itself. Consider the following:

*Trinity (considered a key doctrine among evangelicals)
*Atheism
*Divinity
*Incarnation
*Monotheism
*Rapture
*Omniscience
*Omnipresence
*Omnipotent

Interestingly enough, none of these words ever appear in the Bible and neither are they defined. And yet we have volumes upon volumes of books shedding light on these subjects.

Something does not have to be clearly formulated in the Bible to be considered valid. Not all things in the Bible are perfectly clear. Consider the book of Revelation. It contains many things that are cryptic that must be interpreted after examining all of God's Word.

During class, I mentioned how we should be able to determine the significance of the veil being torn based on what we know. I mentioned how even if we stayed in the book of Matthew alone as the primary text we have enough info(as clearly seen and shared among the group)to be able to conclude what the significance was. Of course, if we did not have a basic understanding of the veil and it's significance or meaning, we would have to seek additional information in order for us to come up with any conclusion. I tend to believe that there are several meanings we can conclude with. That night I highlighted the fact that God is no longer behind the veil based on what I know to be true.

Here are the other views:

The tearing of the veil signified that the way into God's presence was now open to all through a new and living way (Heb. 10:19-22). The fact that it tore "from top to bottom" showed that no man had split the veil, God did it. John Macarthur Study Bible

This symbolizes the permanent opening of God's presence to us, giving us direct access to God through the atoning death of Christ (Heb. 10:19-20). Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible

The fact that this occurred from top to bottom signified that God is the One who ripped the thick curtain. It was not torn from the bottom by men ripping it. God was showing that the way of access into His presence was now available for everyone, not simply the Old Testament high priest (Heb. 4:14-16; 10:19-22). The Bible Knowledge Commentary

By splitting the veil "from top to bottom" God the Father dramatically showed His complete satisfaction with the Son's work on the cross. This showed that believers may now "enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh" (Heb. 10:19-20). Salvation by Dr. Earl Radmacher


The tearing of the veil from top to bottom followed soon after Jesus Christ completed the work on the cross. This points to the very fact that God no longer dwells within the confines of a tabernacle made from hands, but rather inside each and every believer who has believed in Jesus Christ for salvation.(Heb. 4:14-16; 10:19-22). A.I. Cortez, Jr.

You can get the audio teaching of last week's Bible class by clicking here:

http://tinyurl.com/5xmjmd

Freddy Cortez