Mark 15:38
“And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”
When Jesus breathed His last, something astonishing happened. Heaven was the first to react to the death of the spotless Son of God. And it wasn’t on Golgotha. Nope. It was inside the temple in Jerusalem.
The massive veil separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn in two.
This curtain was not a small decorative divider. Jewish sources describe it as roughly sixty feet high and extremely thick, a massive woven barrier separating sinful humanity from the symbolic presence of God.
Behind that curtain was the Holy of Holies—the place where the Ark of the Covenant once stood, representing the throne of God.
Only one person could go behind that curtain: the high priest.
Only once a year.
Only with sacrificial blood.
Leviticus 16 describes this Day of Atonement ritual, where the high priest entered trembling, representing the people before God.
The message of the curtain was clear:
God is holy, and you cannot come near.
But when Jesus died, the curtain was torn from top to bottom.
This detail matters.
The tear began at the top.
No human hand could reach there.
This was not the work of priests or soldiers.
It was the work of God.
John Calvin wrote:
“The rending of the veil was not merely the removal of ceremonies but the opening of heaven.”
The cross accomplished what centuries of sacrifices could not.
Hebrews explains the meaning:
“We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus… through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.” (Hebrews 10:19–20) (read all of Hebrews 10 for context)
When Christ’s body was torn, the veil was torn.
The barrier between God and humanity was removed.
Because of Jesus, the presence of God is no longer restricted to a room in a temple.
Believers now approach God directly through Christ.
The cross opened the way.
The torn veil was the ‘out of business’ sign for the Temple system of worship. It was the Theological sign of the New Covenant. History would catch up 37 years later when the temple was completely destroyed.
Reflection Questions
- Do you approach God with the confidence Christ purchased?
- What barriers do you still imagine standing between you and God?
Prayer
Lord, thank You that through Jesus the barrier between us has been removed. Help me come to You boldly through the grace purchased at the cross.