On our Behalf

Luke 23:44-49

The whispers of the crowd were Jesus is dead and Dr. Luke gives this account; “It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed recorded it in this way And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.”  (Luke 23:44-49 ESV)

God tears the curtain and darkness explodes at around 12-noon time to 3:00 P.M and the curtain of the Holy of Holies is torn from top to bottom.  It is no normal curtain and it is no normal darkness, what is happening and why did the people return home beating their breast?  It is clear they feared God at this moment, and they worry about God’s judgment on them and their families, and the nation of Israel.  I have no knowledge of the writer of this piece below, but it seems to be handled correctly.

Solomon's temple was 30 cubits high (1 Kings 6:2), but Herod had increased the height to 40 cubits, according to the writings of Josephus, a first century Jewish historian. There is uncertainty as to the exact measurement of a cubit, but it is safe to assume that this veil was somewhere near 60 feet high. An early Jewish tradition says that the veil was about four inches thick, but the Bible does not confirm that measurement. The book of Exodus teaches that this thick veil was fashioned from blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.

The size and thickness of the veil makes the events occurring at the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross so much more momentous. “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:50-51a).

So, what do we make of this? What significance does this torn veil have for us today? Above all, the tearing of the veil at the moment of Jesus' death dramatically symbolized that His sacrifice, the shedding of His own blood, was a sufficient atonement for sins. It signified that now the way into the Holy of Holies was open for all people, for all time, both Jew and Gentile. (Taken from www.gotquestions.org/temple-veil-torn.html)

Our high priest is Jesus Christ and we have full access to him at anytime and have need of no one to be our middle person, for Jesus is interceding on our behalf.  Hebrews 9:24, “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice