what does the bible say?

In Matthew 27:50-51 we read about an amazing event that occurred at the death of Jesus Christ.  “Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit.  And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split…”

This incident has great spiritual significance!  The rending of the Temple veil symbolized the fact that it was now possible for man to have direct access in prayer to God the Father in heaven.  Believe it or not humans have not always had this access to the Father.  Although few people realize it, the God of the Old Testament with whom faithful men of old walked and talked was NOT the Father, but the One who later became Jesus Christ.  The Apostle Paul tells us that the One Moses talked to and the One who led the children of Israel out of Egypt – their Rock (Psalm 18:2; Deuteronomy 32:4) was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).

The inside of the Old Testament Tabernacle, and later the Temple, was divided into two parts.  First was the Holy area.  Second was the Holy of Holies which symbolized God’s throne of mercy.  These two parts were separated by a veil. No one but the High Priest ever went into the Holy of Holies (past the veil), and only once a year as an act of making atonement and asking forgiveness for the sins of Israel before God’s throne.

After Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, He went to God’s heavenly throne to intercede for us as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 9:24).  The rending of the veil was symbolic of the fact that men now had direct access to the Father through a perfect High Priest.  Christ’s perfect sacrifice tore down the barrier – the veil – of sin between man and God.  

The physical rending of the veil from top to bottom was a type of that spiritual event.  Paul shows us we should now have “…boldness to enter the Holiest [Holy of Holies] by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way [through Christ – not a physical priesthood] which he consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh…” (Hebrews 10:19-20). We can now come directly before God the Father in prayer (Matthew 6:9).  But, we are to pray in Jesus’ name (John 16:24) – that is, acknowledging Him as our High Priest and Intercessor.  “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).