Luk 23:45

The veil of the temple was rent

The rent veil

This miraculous event was plainly typical of several important things.

1. This was a type of the violent rending of Christs body on the cross.

2. This typified our Lords own entrance into heaven.

3. This miracle intimated that, by the death of Christ, the ceremonies of the law were, at once, explained and abolished.

4. This miracle intimated that the distinction between Jew and Gentile was at an end.

5. The rending of the veil typified evangelical freeness of access to the throne of grace.

6. The miraculous rending of the veil was typical of Christs having opened up, by His death, an entrance into heaven for all His followers. (James Foote, M. A.)

The rent veil of the temple

I. THE VEIL IS REMOVED FROM HUMANITY. Surrounded by this ethereal light, how pale and sickly is the lamp of philosophy–how shallow are the findings of human reason–how contemptible and unintelligible are the mutterings of infidelity! Both for the reach and the grandeur of its discoveries, Christianity stands alone. Not only is it a mighty advance on all which went before, but it includes within itself that which will take infinite ages to evolve.

II. NATURE IS UNVEILED. It is a fact of which we ought never to lose sight, that there is no discrepancy between the readings of Nature and the higher readings of the Christian Book. Christianity did not come to ignore nature, but rather to unveil her more hidden life and beauty. Amid those disturbing forces which we everywhere find to be at work, we are reminded that the present condition of our world does not correspond with its original integrity; that all nature stands in need of a grand renovation; that this chancre must be brought about by the exertion of Divine power; and that the present throes of creation will result in some mightier birth. All nature will be delivered from the bondage of corruption; and the glorious liberty of the children of God will be preceded by making all things new. Such is the light which Christianity sheds over the constitution, design, and final condition of this material world.

III. TRUTH IS UNVEILED. We say not that this rending of the veil has left no mystery in the great wide field of revelation. Such a result would have been no positive advantage. Progress in discovery and in knowledge seems to be involved in the idea of mental existence and activity. Mind is endued with exhaustless power, and that power must be directed to pursuits and employments corresponding with the dignity of its nature, and the elevation of the ground to which it is raised. For this element of our nature, provision is made in that fulness of revelation which is reserved for another state of being. Heaven is a world of everlasting development.

IV. THE VEIL IS LIFTED FROM THE GRAVE. For the revelation of this immortality we are indebted to the advent and the ministry of Christ. He brought life and incorruption to light.

V. THE GLORIOUS FUTURE IS UNVEILED. It was like a morning without a dawn on which the Saviour rose from the dead. His resurrection was not only the triumph of Life over Death, but it became the pledge and assurance of a glorious immortality. (R. Furguson, LL. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 45. The sun was darkened] See an examination of the accounts of Phlegon, Thallus, and Dionysius, on Mt 27:45.

The veil – was rent] See Mt 27:51.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

And the sun was darkened,…. There was an eclipse of it, which was preternatural, it being now full moon, and lasted three hours, and so total, as to darken the whole earth; and now was the prophecy in Am 8:9 literally fulfilled: and the vail of the temple was rent in the midst. The Persic version renders it, “the gate of the temple”; and so the Syriac version, “the face of the gate of the temple”; [See comments on Mt 27:51].

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The sun’s light failing ( ). Genitive absolute of the present active participle of , an old verb, to leave out, omit, pass by, to fail, to die. The word was used also of the eclipse of the sun or moon. But this was impossible at this time because the moon was full at the passover. Hence many documents change this correct text to “the sun was darkened” ( ) to obviate the difficulty about the technical eclipse. But the sun can be darkened in other ways. In a London fog at noon the street lights are often turned on. The Revised Version translates it correctly, “the sun’s light failing.” Leave the darkness unexplained.

In the midst (). In the middle. Mark 15:38; Matt 27:51 have “in two” ( ).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Veil. See on Mt 27:51.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “And the sun was darkened,” (tou heliou eklipontos) “And the sun failed,” to shine or give forth light-rays, for a period of three hours, Mar 15:33. The time was from high noon, until three in the afternoon, as Jesus hung on the cross.

2) “And the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.” (eschisthe de to ratapetasma tou naou meson) “Then the veil of the temple shrine proper, was torn in the middle,” when He died. It hung between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. It signified the departure of the Shekinah presence from the temple, Heb 6:19; Heb 9:13; Heb 10:19-20.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

‘And the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.’

And as a result of that time, the veil of the Temple was torn in two. There is a difference of opinion as to which veil is meant, the veil which separated the Holy Place in the Temple from the Holy of Holies, or the veil that guarded the way into the Holy Place. Both were only symbolic for they had been replaced by doors, but the veils were hung over the doors so as to preserve the old features of the Tabernacle. The tearing of the veil was almost certainly intended by the evangelists to indicate that the way into the presence of God was being laid open (compare Heb 10:19-20). Although the alternative was that it indicated that God had deserted the Holy of Holies (compare Eze 11:22-23). Or that it represented the equivalent of His ‘rending His garment’.

In favour of the outer veil being torn is the fact that it would then be a sight visible to all, and if a sirocco was the cause of the sudden darkness, that could also have caused the splitting of the veil. In favour of the inner veil is its deeper symbolism, and even though it would not be seen by all, such a happening would not be able to be hidden. Too many priests would become aware of it, to say nothing of those who had to replace the veil.

The Jewish Talmud (the Gemara – Rabbinic comments on the Mishnah which latter was the written record of the oral Law) states that forty years before the destruction of temple, thus around this time, something happened which made the massive doors of the temple open of their own accord (Babylonian Talmud Yoma 39b).

And that strange things happened in the temple some time prior to its destruction at the fall of Jerusalem is recorded also by Josephus (Jewish Wars 6:5.2 – although not referring to this particular event). Among other things Josephus describes how the eastern gate of the inner court, which was of brass and very heavy, which took twenty men to shut and rested on a base strengthened with iron, and had bolts fastened very deeply into the firm floor which was made of one solid stone, opened of its own accord. It would seem that the temple mount was subject to earth movements which caused strange things to happen. It may well therefore also have happened forty years before.

Note that in the chiasmus this descent of darkness and splitting of the veil parallels the distress and beating of the breasts of the onlookers (Luk 23:48). God’s distress at what was happening is seen to have communicated itself to men.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Luk 23:45. The veil of the temple was rent This being so high a day, it was very probable that Caiaphas himself might now be performing the solemn act of burning incense just before the veil; which if he did, it is inexpressibly astonishing that his obdurate heart should not be impressed with so aweful and significant a phaenomenon. There is no room to doubt that many of the other priests who had a hand in Christ’s death, saw the rent of the veil, which, considering the texture and other circumstances of it, must as fully convince them of the reality of this extraordinary fact, as if they had been present when it was rent. The veil of the temple was rent, the wall of separation was broken down, that the Gentiles might come in; and the use of the temple, with its typical rites, abolished and superseded by the death and resurrection of Christ. See the note on Mat 27:51.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

Ver. 45. See Mat 27:51 ; Mar 15:38 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

45. ] The words . . are probably added to give solemnity to the preceding, assigning its reason; so that the gloss . shews a right apprehension of the words. It can hardly be, as Me [116] ., that the earth was darkened till the ninth hour, and then the sun became dark also.

[116] Meyer.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Luk 23:45 . : this phrase (a well-attested reading as against the T.R. .) ought to mean the sun being eclipsed, an impossibility when the moon is full. If all that was meant was the sun’s light totally failing, darkened, e.g. , by a sand storm, the natural expression would be .

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

the veil. See Lev 4:6. Mat 27:51.

the Temple- the Naos. See note on Mat 23:16.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

45.] The words . . are probably added to give solemnity to the preceding, assigning its reason; so that the gloss . shews a right apprehension of the words. It can hardly be, as Me[116]., that the earth was darkened till the ninth hour, and then the sun became dark also.

[116] Meyer.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

and the veil: Exo 26:31, Lev 16:12-16, 2Ch 3:14, Mat 27:51, Mar 15:38, Eph 2:14-18, Heb 6:19, Heb 9:3-8, Heb 10:19-22

Reciprocal: Gen 1:14 – and let 2Sa 22:10 – darkness Psa 105:28 – sent Mat 27:45 – from Mar 15:33 – when Heb 10:20 – through Rev 6:12 – the sun Rev 8:12 – and the third part of the sun

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Luk 23:45. The ran failing, i.e., its light. This was the cause of the darkness. It can scarcely imply that the sun had been visible during the darkness and at last itself disappeared.

And the vail of the temple, etc. Matthew, who is more detailed, speaks of this after our Lords death. It probably took place at the moment He expired. Luke places it here, without implying that it occurred before that moment.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

CHAPTER 28

CONCURRENT MIRACLES

Luk 23:45-49; Mar 15:38-41; Mat 27:51-56. Our Lord has already expired on the cross, and now we proceed to consider the concurrent miracles so overwhelmingly attesting His Divinity, and pouring a cataract of conviction on the multitude, which rankled like Scythian arrows in their spiritual vitals, preparing them for the glorious Pentecostal revival which followed at the end of fifty days. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. The old dispensation was on the plane of justification, which is symbolized by the outer court of the temple, in which the shewbread had to be renewed frequently, as it would get stale and moldy, while the lamps had to be supplied with oil and lighted, or they would go out, thus in constant need of human agency and attention. Not so with the inner court of the temple, the Holy of Holies. There the manna in the golden pot was always fresh and delicious, while Aarons rod constantly exhibited swelling buds, evolving leaves, blooming flowers, growing fruits, and ripe almonds, delicious to the taste and ready to be eaten. Meanwhile the Shekinah, the symbol of the Divine presence, kept the temple bright as cloudless noonday all the time, so no one could discriminate the night as it went by, as perennial noonday did there abide, so wonderfully illustrating the truly sanctified experience. The moment Jesus expired on the cross, the dispensation of Christian perfection was inaugurated, God with His own hand tearing down the veil, and admitting all the inmates of His temple into the Holy of Holies, the Old Testament saints being priests and the New Testament saints high priests unto God. You see this veil was rent from the top to the bottom, showing that the sanctifying power always comes from heaven. When you get it by priestcraft or carnal ordinances, it is always spurious.

The earth did quake, and the rocks were rent. During both of my tours in the Holy Land, as Calvary had more charms for me than any other spot, I spent much time praying and meditating on this holy mount, where Jesus laid down His life for me. I could have no idea as to the number of my visits to that hallowed summit, or the time I spent there. Though one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven years have rolled away, the footprints of the old earthquake that visited the land are still obvious. I saw them in the irregular ruptures of the great rocks.

The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the sleeping saints did rise, and coming out from the tombs after His resurrection, did come into the holy city, and were made manifest unto many. There is an Oriental tradition that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as other eminent prophets and saints, did rise at that time. We have no revelation as to what became of them. I doubt not but that they accompanied our Lord the ensuing forty days and ascended with Him to heaven. You see that though the great stone tombs were broken up by the earthquake, occurring at 3 P.M., Friday, when Jesus bowed His head and died, yet they did not come out of the tombs till after He arose at the early dawn the ensuing Sunday morning.

Good reasons for this: He was to be the first fruits of them that slept, the antecedent resurrections being abnormal and abortive, as the persons arose with their mortal bodies, and consequently died again. As these resurrections, above described, were subsequent to our Lords, they of course received their immortal bodies, no more subject to death, and consequently flew away to heaven, constituting a prelude of the glorious first resurrection, including all the members of the Bridehood, and taking place at the Lords premilennial coming. (Rev 20:4-6.)

Mar 15:39-41. And the centurion, standing in front of Him, and thus crying out He expired, said, Truly this was the Son of God. And there were women from a distance looking on, among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome; who , when He was in Galilee, were accustomed to follow Him, and minister unto Him; and many other women having come up along with Him to Jerusalem. Luk 23:47-48 : And the centurion seeing that which took place, glorified God, saying, Truly this was a righteous Man. And all the multitudes being present at this sight, seeing the things which took place, were going away, beating their breasts. Mat 27:54 : And the centurion, and those along with him, having charge of Jesus, seeing the earthquake and the events which took place, became alarmed exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. Thus you see, an awful pall fell on the vast multitude, so that even the heathen Roman soldiers, who, under the rigor of military law, had been forced to execute this bloody work stalwart men, who never knew fear on the battle-field tremble and quake with paralyzing trepidation and heart-convulsing terror, confessing outright, Surely this was the Son of God. Among the Jews, beating the breast denoted the deepest sorrow and most terrible anguish. Luke says the multitudes who were present at that awful scene went away beating their breasts. O what a volcano of conviction came upon the Jews, who were there from all parts of the world attending the Passover, and returning to their homes in all lands were thus so wonderfully prepared for the coming of the apostles and the preaching of Jesus! As these Roman soldiers were Gentiles, and the time had arrived for the evangelization of the Gentile world, I trow the convictions fastened on them transformed them into prolific seed-corn, soon to germinate in many countries throughout the world-wide Roman Empire.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

23:45 {14} And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

(14) Christ enters bravely and resolutely into the very darkness of death, and he does this so that he might overcome death even within its most secret places.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes