At Christ's moment of death we are given to understand the Veil in the Holy Of Holy Temple in Jeruselem was torn asunder. What are your thoughts on the meaning this?

-- jean bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), June 28, 1999

Answers

Here is my opinion: I believe it to mean that there is no longer a priest(man)interceder that goes into the holiest of holies to ask God for repentance of the children of God's sins. Since it takes place imediately after the death of Christ it would signify that Christ now is the priest you go to for forgiveness of your sins to the Father God.

-- Michael(non-catholic) (mdroe@erinet.com), June 28, 1999.

. . . in addition, I believe it signifies the point at which the Holy Spirit stopped dwelling in buildings made by man. Then on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit took up dwelling in the hearts of believers.

-- David Bowerman (dbowerman@blazenet.net), June 28, 1999.

Generally the early Christian writers say that this rending of the veil symbolized the abolition of the Old Covenant.

-- Br. Rich S.F.O. (repsfo@prodigy.net), June 28, 1999.

I agree with much of what both Michael and David wrote. Michael is right that the splitting of the Temple veil means that all believers have access to the Holy of Holies (indeed, even better; see below). And David is right that it means that the Holy Spirit will dwell with each of us. And Br. Rich is right that it means the abolition of the New Covenant (and that was finalized with the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70).

I would say in addition that Jesus also promised to be with us "always, even to the end of the age." But Jesus is not exclusively a spirit, He is the Incarnate Word; He has flesh and blood now glorified and exalted by the Resurrection. His dwelling with His people cannot be an exclusively spiritual one. And so He dwells with us in the Eucharist. He dwells inside each one of us as we receive His Body and Blood in the Eucharist; we each become a Holy of Holies with the holy Bread inside us. And the tabernacles of our churches reserve the Lord's Incarnational presence among us.

-- David Palm (djpalm64@yahoo.com), June 29, 1999.

Wow! this is how we should be talking! I think thats the first time David P. and i have agreed on something. Maybe we should just keep the questions going like this? What do YOU think? I will admit that many of the catholic resposes i read i can see where you might get that answer but i don't always here the samething when i read a piece of scripture.

As for David B. answer i would agree with that one also but, i do not believe that the torn veil represents a total end to the old covenant unless the whole temple was destroyed at that time.

-- Michael(non-catholic) (mdroe@erinet.com), June 29, 1999.

To The Group,

Wonderful input in this question. My own thoughts are as follows: The Veil was apparently very large dark blue and had the heavens (stars) woven into it. When it was torn apart I think the " membrane " of sin holding man back from total union with the Father was taken away. Through Christ His Son we have been given the instructions of how to reconcile with the Father.

Peace - Jean B.

-- jean bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), June 29, 1999.

I am doing a study of the old testament tabernacle. I am having trouble finding alot of information about the veil garding the holy of holyies. I would like to know how thick it was according to history. The reference is Exodus 26:31. Could someone please help me research this.

Thanks, God Bless

-- Bud Plake (budplake@integrity.com), February 27, 2002.

Hello, Bud.

In his Bible study guide, D. Guzik writes this: "The ancient Jews said the later veil of the temple was four finger breadths wide, so that no one could possibly see into the Most Holy place."
You can read Guzik's whole analysis of Exodus 26 here.

God bless you.
John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.

It's been a long time since you all participated in this thread, so I expect this will not reach you. Nonetheless, I am compelled to contribute my perspective on this subject.

I am only slightly amazed that none of you spoke about the Father's heart at this most painful moment. It is not uncommon for us to forget that He is infinitely more passionate and emotional than are we. Let us not forget that this was His Son that had suffered this horrible death and indignation at the very hands of the sons of Adam, of Noah, of Abraham and of Israel for whom He offered Himself up as a perfect sacrifice.

The irony of that moment was outweighed by the very injustice of it. Why should we not ascribe the Father's rage, pain, and mournful agony at this most terrible, most tragic, and yet most wonderful of all moments.

Of course, your observations are all relevant. The failure of the Old Covenant to produce righteousness in mankind (the sons of Adam) was made completely evident in that the Son of God had been rejected by the supposed hierarchy of the faith. The need for a temple made of human hands was forever undone. But if we but listen with our hearts to the awful sound of the renting of the great veil, we will hear the Father's anguished cry for His "only begotten Son."

Just a side note: there is an old tradition that the orthodox Jews still maintain when a man is beset by such grief, he rends his garments from the neck down, symbolically ripping apart his chest to expose his heart -- I believe this is closer to the heart of our Father's motivation for rending the veil.

Marc Koltun

-- Marc Koltun (marckoltun@hotmail.com), November 15, 2002.

Mark is right, it truly shows the heart of God. Matt 27:51 says it was torn 'from top to bottom'. The phrase 'from top' occurs also in John 3, where Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be born 'from top (above).' The language of the text shows Nicodemus thought Jesus was saying you had to be born a second time (literally), Jesus said you have to be born a second time (spiritually) from above -- of divine origin. Final note: 'in two' is a sign that what was accomplished cannot be fixed. I.e., you can't stitch up the veil again. Or, as Jesus says in John "it is finished".

-- Dan G. (dmg5@st-andrews.ac.uk), February 06, 2003.

the veil was in represent flesh. When Christ died his flesh was ripped when he died. He is our example: we are to die let our flesh be ripped. Totally exposed for Him. (God).

-- Vicki Eller (veller@asapchoice.com), May 31, 2003.

Don't apply everything that strikes your fancy to a narrative that shows Calvary as the central event of all world history.

When Christ expired on the cross the veil of Israel's temple was torn from top to bottom within a minute. Jesus had earned the privelege of infinite GRACE for us. The temple thereafter was obsolete. Nothing inside it would ever again win grace for the Jews or for anyone.

This curtain was violently opened for God to DEPART! His presence was over in that sacred place, and He left through the torn curtain forever. He was accepting from Jesus the ultimate, infinitely holy offering. And then He was gone.

He is reigning over all Creation from the White Throne; with Christ His Son sitting at His right hand.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), May 31, 2003.

I have been intrigued and drawn to the subject of the tabernacle and in particular the place where the High Priest met God, the holy of holies. Many years ago God took me onto His lap as He began his healing work in me. I called it, the secret place. God began to open to me the scriptures about His fatherhood, and that I had not come to a God who could not be touched, but to someone who loved me where I was at. When I first came onto His lap, He didn't touch me or hold me, He just let me sit and enjoy the space. Today on Easter, I ran right up to Him and He held me tight and I held Him. This is the intimacy the Father wants for His me.

This intimacy came at the price of His dear son. This intimacy was hailed by the renting of the veil. Finally the Father can enter into the hearts of His children and love them and show Himself to them. Who can say they have a God like ours, who humbled Himself and bowed the heavens to enter our hearts, the holy of holies. The all encompassing, overwhelming presence of God.

-- Meron Waller (merrychild@optusnet.com.au), April 10, 2004.