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When Jesus died, the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom:
What made the centurion say that and what's the significance of the torn curtain? Does this event hold doctrinal significance? |
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First understand the architecture of the temple. There were three chambers. A large courtyard where a very large altar lay. An indoor lobby where only the priests could enter after washing and finally the Holy room which only the high priest himself could enter. The Holy room contained the ark of the covenant. This room was shielded from the lobby by a large curtain, the curtain was said to be something like one hundred feet wide and one hundred and fifty feet tall. Anybody that entered past the curtain into the Holy room would surely die, the high priest could only enter once a year. When Jesus died, Jesus became our ambassador to God. No longer did we require a high priest to enter the Holy room and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat. Jesus died and once and for all completed this requirement. Thus God tore the curtain in the temple and opened up His Holiness to the entire world, through Jesus Christ. |
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Two things are significant. The first is that the curtain symbolically divided the Holy of Holies, the most revered place in the temple where God was believed to dwell and only priests were allowed to enter, from the rest of the temple where ordinary people were allowed. Removing that division was a symbol that there was now no barrier between ordinary people and God; we no longer needed specially appointed people to intercede for us. The second is that the curtain was torn from top to bottom, as opposed to from bottom to top. This indicates that the curtain was not ripped by man but by God. |
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It means that everyone is directly linked to God now without priests and obstacles and rules and tests separating us from God and salvation. Done deal. Thanks. The ripping of the curtain also symbolizes the end of religion as it was known then. Not so sure it was great to start a whole new religion after this. |
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