The Torn Veil
“And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, Truly this man was the Son of G_D!” - Mark 15:38-39
Traditional interpretations have often determined that these passages are symbolic of a new paradigm, indicating that;
1) the 'old' covenant has been abolished, or, torn as one would tear up a contract.
2) and, that all of humanity have immediate direct access to G_D - no longer simply the Jews.
As pervasive as these ideas have been, there is perhaps a different message awaiting us if we restore this passage to its context. and clear up some common misconceptions.
Two Veils
Starting with the veil itself, perhaps a little-known fact is that the Second Temple in Jerusalem actually had (2) veils; an inner and an outer. In Christian tradition, the assumption is that the torn veil was the inner veil, the one guarding the Holy of Holies.
However, the inner veil would have been hidden from view given its location deep inside the Temple. The purpose of this veil was not to impede access to G_D, but to protect people from the destructive power of His Holy presence. Direct exposure to Holiness can be dangerous, as we have covered in a separate article. This is why even Moses was warned that he would not survive exposure to the Glory of G_D¹.
If we follow the narrative of the gospel account literally (in the peshat), the Centurion witnessed the tearing of the veil from his vantage point atop Golgotha where he was overseeing the executions. From this location, only the outer veil would have been visible to him. The outer veil was located in front of the large entry way doors to the Temple².
The Temple
Well established in Judaism, the Tabernacle and [both] Temples represented something far greater than a building to worship G_D. They were decorated to resemble the Garden of Eden, echoing the themes of the Creation narrative in Genesis.
Secondly, the Temple was a physical representation of the ultimate redemption to come. It was modeled after the higher dimensional Temple, as the author of Hebrews affirms.
“.... For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was instructed by G_D, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you above on the mountain.” - Hebrews 8:5
So with these, let's look at what the outer veil may have represented to the trained eye.
The Outer Veil
In “The Jewish War”, Josephus describes the outer veil:
“… 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 its mystic meaning: it typified the universe.... Portrayed on this tapestry was a panorama of the entire heavens.” - Josephus, The Jewish War
Affirming the thematic design of the structure, a later Rabbinic commentary states;
“... it was divided into three parts. 1) The area beyond the dividing curtain... 2) the area in front of the dividing curtain known as 3). The courtyard in front of the Tabernacle which was enclosed by curtains.
These three sections symbolized the three parts of the cosmos, 1) the world of the disembodied beings, the Angels; 2) the world of the inert bodies, the stars and the planets; 3) our terrestrial universe, inhabited by living creatures with bodies.
- Rabbi Bachya, Exodus 25:9
If we can visualize this image for a moment, the outer veil contained imagery of the universe, the celestial bodies, the sun, moon - in other words, the heavens.
The Heavens and the Earth
Following the Gospel account, tearing the outer veil would be literally tearing a pictorial rendering of the heavens. This imagery was also used by the prophets:
“For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.” - Haggai 2:6-7
Think back to the beginning of Yeshua’s immersion in the first chapter of Mark:
And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. - Mark 1:10
Here, we read that the heavens were torn open as the Spirit descended. The word used for “tearing” in this passage is Schizó (Strong’s 4977). Mark uses this same word at the tearing of the outer veil - the one with the heavens embroidered upon it.
Jewish mystical cosmology maintains that there are [supernatural] veils between the upper and lower worlds³. Thus, with brilliant Midrashic flare, Mark bookends Yeshua's ministry with the tearing of these veils.
The author of Hebrews also shares this idea:
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of G_D, let us hold fast our confession.” - Hebrew 4:14
In concluding then, we find that the Jewish author of the Gospel was not laying the foundation for later Replacement Theologies, or removing the covenantal roles of the Jewish people. Though the Jewish people maintain a unique role, G_D is available to anyone who calls upon Him, always.
Instead, using kabbalistic concepts, he conveyed the story of how the Spirit of Messiah entered and exited time and space, sparking the beginning of the arduous process of global redemption, of which we still await the conclusion.
Notes:
¹ “ But, he said, you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” - Exodus 33:20
² Temple institute: https://templeinstitute.org/illustrated-tour-the-holy-temple/
³ But the Holy One, praise to Him, seems to be far away when there is no one closer than Him, as Levi said: From the earth to the heaven is a distance of 500 years’ walk... From one heaven to the next is a distance of 500 years’ walk. The thickness of each heaven is a distance of 500 years’ walk.- Jerusalem Talmud, Berakhot 9:1
If you like this article, there is more available in this book, "Into the Orchard. The Midrashic Tradition in the New Testament. Available on Amazon.
