Why was the curtain torn when JESUS died?

Answer 1

Thanks for your question. In the first Temple there was a wall dividing the holy and the holy of holies. This wall was approximately half a meter thick, a curtain covered the wall. In the second Temple there was no wall but two curtains separating between the holy and the holy of holies. Each curtain was 10 centimeters (4in') thick with the height of 20 meters (22 yds)by the length of 10 meters(11 yds).

The Temple curtain situated between the holy and the holy of holies was 10 meters by 20. Its thickness was approximately 8 centimeters. That would make the weight approximately between 4 to 6 tons depending on the materiel used. In fact the Talmud teaches us that it took some 300 priest to carry it to its place.

Answer 2

Description? I'm assuming that you mean "interpretation" here.

Back then in the Temple they would have a curtain that separated let there be light.

be suggested, is this event mentioned: on the contrary, with the exception of this bare Synoptical notice, every trace of it is lost; which could scarcely have been the case if it had really formed a ground of apostolical argument. Thus the divine purpose in ordaining this miracle must have totally failed, or, since this is inconceivable, it cannot have been ordained for this object -- in other words, since neither any other object of the miracle, nor yet a mode in which the event might happen naturally can be discovered, it cannot have happened at all" (Leben Jesu, p. 789).

==Correct Answer==

Commenting on the answer immediately above mine, it wasat one time believed that the Gospel according to Matthew was written in Hebrew and then translated into Greek. However, the vast majority of scholars reject this theory. The writing style, particularly the numerous idiomatic expressions, is Greek. Furthermore, certain sections, like the Beatitudes, are very similar to the Greeks' style of instruction. Finally, the author's references to the Hebrew Scriptures all come from the Septuagint and show the same inconsistencies. If written in Hebrew, there would be no need to copy the inconsistencies from the Septuagint and translate them into Hebrew. Now it may be true that the author drew upon a Hebrew source to supplement the material he took from the Gospel according to Mark. Scholars label this material unique to Matthew simply as "M". (Google the 4 Source Theory).

Now to the original question, the Gospel according to Mark is the first New Testament author to reference this event. There were actually two curtains from within the Temple. The first separated the outer courtyard from the inner courtyard. Gentiles were permitted in the outer courtyard but only Jews could go in the inner courtyard. The other curtain, which is described as a veil, separated the inner sanctuary from the Holy of Holies, in which God's presence was suppose to reside in an explicit way. Both curtains had a similar style and are described by the ancient Jewish historian Josephus. Concerning the design, Josephus writes:

...it was made of Babylonian tapestry, with embroidery of blue and fine linen, of scarlet also and purple, wrought with marvelous skill. Nor was this mixture of materials without is mystic meaning: it typified the universe....On this tapestry was portrayed a panorama of the heavens, the signs of the Zodiac expected.

In other words: The outer curtain and the inner veil was a representation of the sky or heavens as interpreted within Jewish cosmology.

Now, what is the interpretation? I do not differ too much from the original post, but I do want to explain what Mark was trying to do. Many people fail to appreciate the literary skill of this evangelist.

To begin with, we should note that there are two occurrences of the motif of tearing in Mark. Both occur at pivotal moments: namely the precise beginning (the baptism) and the precise end (the death) of the earthly ministry of Jesus. This literary device, known as an inclusio, frames the entire Gospel. Based on the description of the temple's outer curtain and veil, it is clear that the author had in mind a connection between the 15: 38). These tearing motif are actually part of a larger inclusio connecting Jesus' baptism by water with his baptism by death (this suffering baptism is mentioned in Mk 10: 38-39 and again in Luke 12: 50) In addition to the fact that at both of these moments something is torn, at both moments a voice is heard declaring Jesus to be the Son of God (at the baptism it is the voice of God, while at the death it is the voice of the centurion), at both moments something is said to descend (at the baptism it is the spirit-dove, while at the death it is the tear in the temple veil, which Mark explicitly describes as moving downward), at both moments the figure of Elijah is symbolically present (at the baptism Elijah is present in the form of John the Baptist, while at Jesus' death the onlookers think that Jesus is calling out to Elijah), tand the he spirit (pneuma) which descends on Jesus at his baptism is recalled at his death by Mark's repeated use of the verb ekpneo (expire), a cognate of

Answer 3

Curtain 1. Ten curtains, each twenty-eight cubits long and four wide, made of fine linen, also eleven made of goat's hair, covered the tabernacle #Ex 26:1-13 36:8-17 2. The sacred curtain, separating the holy of holies from the sanctuary, is designated by a different Hebrew word (peroketh). It is described as a "veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work" #Ex 26:31 Le 16:2 Nu 18:7

3. "Stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain" #Isa 40:22 is an expression used with reference to the veil or awning which Orientals spread for a screen over their courts in summer. According to the prophet, the heavens are spread over our heads as such an awning. Similar expressions are found in comp. #Isa 44:24 Job 9:8

Answer 4

A:The gospels say that at the very moment Jesus died, the veil, or curtain, at the entrance to the Holy of Holies was rent from top to bottom ("And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." - Mark 15:38).

Josephus, who was a former priest at the temple and would have been familiar with the curtain before the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, describes it and its images and colours in considerable detail (Wars of the Jews, Book 5), but makes no mention of any damage to it, or any repairs. Either Mark was quoting an unreliable source or was using poetic licence in describing a supposed event that none of Jesus' followers or acquaintances was likely to have seen.

Answer 5

Another answer from our community:

(Hebrews 9:12) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

(Hebrews 10:19)Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

The writers of Hebrews are saying that Jesus entered the Holy Place on the merit of His own blood. And because His blood paid the penalty for everyone for ever, we all have access to the Most Holy Place, access to which was formerly obstructed by the veil (reported to have been 4" thick). In short, the veil was torn because Jesus' body was torn. Because it was torn, we now enjoy direct access into the Holy of Holies. It's there for anyone who will receive it by faith and enter in.

Answer 6

A:The gospels say that at the very moment Jesus died, the veil, or curtain, at the entrance to the Holy of Holies was rent from top to bottom ("And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." - Mark 15:38).

Mark might have been using an unreliable source, as Josephus, who would have been familiar with the Temple veil before the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, describes the curtain and its images and colours in considerable detail (Wars of the Jews, Book 5), but makes no mention of any damage to it, or any repairs.

Another Answer:

There were two curtains to the Temple - an external one (Exodus 26) and the 'Inner Veil' to the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9). The latter is the one that split at the time of Jesus' death as Matthew, Mark and Luke record. Many Commentaries associated this with God the Father showing us that with the Sacrifice of His Son, His Holy Spirit is now available again to mankind if they choose to repent and follow His Son. We now have the path opened for all to come to God.

Hebrews 10:19-20 (New King James Version - NKJV) 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

Answer 7

The gospels say that at the very moment Jesus died, the veil, or curtain, at the entrance to the Holy of Holies was rent from top to bottom ("And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." - Mark 15:38). Mark seeems to suggest that the temple tore because of the terrible thing that just happened, as if even nature was agonising. We could also assume that God caused the curtain to tear, but there was apparent no reason for him to do so.

Mark might have been using an unreliable source, as Josephus, who would have been familiar with the Temple veil before the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, describes the curtain (of fine flax) and its images and colours in considerable detail (Wars of the Jews, Book 5), but makes no mention of any damage to it, or any repairs.

Answer 8

Josephus, who was actually a priest in the Temple some years after the death of Jesus, provides a good, detailed description of the curtain in War of the Jews, V.5: "But that gate which was at this end of the first part of the house was, as we have already observed, all over covered with gold, as was its whole wall about it; it had also golden vines above it, from which clusters of grapes hung as tall as a man's height. But then this house, as it was divided into two parts, the inner part was lower than the appearance of the outer, and had golden doors of fifty-five cubits altitude, and sixteen in breadth; but before these doors there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple, and of a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was this mixture of colors without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe; for by the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified fire, by the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple the sea; two of them having their colors the foundation of this resemblance; but the fine flax and the purple have their own origin for that foundation, the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain had also embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens, excepting that of the [twelve] signs, representing living creatures."

This would be the curtain of which the evangelists wrote, but Josephus also goes on to mention an inner curtain, that certainly only the priests could ever see, again without mention of damage or repairs. The evidence of Josephus tends to support a conclusion that the curtain was not actually torn, at least until the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

God tore the curtain when Jesus died as symbolic of the removal of the great barrier between God and man, removed by the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ.