116. MAT 27:51. THE RENT VEIL

Mat_27:51. The Rent Veil

"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom."’97Mat_27:51.

The death of Jesus was accompanied by a number of striking events. The earth quaked, the rocks rent, the graves were opened, the sun was darkened, and, according to the text, "the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom."

Let us consider, I. The event as literally recorded. IT. In its spiritual significancy. And, III. The effects it should produce upon us.

I. The Event as literally recorded.

Several things will deserve our attention. Notice,

1. What it was that was rent.

"The veil of the temple." An account of it is furnished, Exo_26:31. The veil was designed to separate between the holy and most holy place; and was never passed, neither did human eye glance beyond it, except once a year, when the great highpriest entered with the blood of expiation. Heb_9:7. Notice,

2. What took place.

"The veil was rent." And the rent was,

(1) Supernatural. No human hand could have done it. Earthquake might have thrown it down, but could not have divided it in twain. It was evidently the work of the finger of God.

(2) It was systematical. Not torn in shreds, but equally divided.

(3) It was complete. From the top to the bottom; from the highest to the lowest thread; so that the division was entire. Notice,

3. When it occurred.

Connected with two very important events. The one was, that it occurred when the highpriest was just standing before the mercy-seat; the other was, that now Christ was offering himself to God a sacrifice for the sin of the world. The true Sacrifice was now being offered, who came expressly to die the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.

Let us consider it.

II. In its spiritual significancy.

What did the veil represent? It exhibited,

1. The human nature of Christ, which was now suffering for sin.

As the veil concealed the holiest place so Christ’s humanity enshrouded the deity of Christ. The Godhead tabernacled in the man Jesus, see Heb_10:20. It represented,

2. The veil of sin which separated between God and us.

Sin has broken off our fellowship with Jehovah. Separated between us. Christ died to break it down, and became the Mediator between God and man. It was by his death, which was now taking place, that this was effected; Heb_10:19 &c.

3. It was the grand signal for he abolition of Jewish ordinances.

They never were designed to continue, they were merely shadows and types of Christ, and the blessings of the gospel. Now, therefore, the holiest in the temple ceased to possess its sacredness, now the offerings ceased to be acceptable, and now the priesthood was superseded by the Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedec.

4. It denoted the removal of all distinctions between the Jewish and Gentile nations.

God had chosen the seed of Abraham; to them he committed the oracles and ordinances, and of them Christ came, &c. But the Christian economy, the foundation of which was laid in Christ’s death, swept away all distinctions, and Christ’s religion was designed and suited alike to all the nations that dwell on the face of the earth Let us consider,

III. The Effects it should produce upon us.

It should produce,

1. Reverence for the person and work of Christ.

If the veil was considered so sacred, how much more so the Holy and Blessed Redeemer. What elevated views we should have of his person, and mediatorial undertaking! It should,

2. Inspire us with confidence in the offering of Christ.

Yes, God has testified to the greatness and preciousness of Christ’s sacrifice, by all the phenomena connected with his death upon the cross. We may now build with the strongest assurance of acceptance upon what he hath effected for us.

3. We here see how our persons and all our services must be presented to God.

"By a new and living way opened by Christ, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh," &c. No man cometh to the Father, out by him. We learn, also,

4. The necessity of the veil of sin being removed from our hearts.

This veil of ignorance, unbelief, and disobedience must be removed. Christ’s salvation must have an open passage into our hearts, and nature’s depraved veil must be torn from the top to the bottom We are admonished,

5. That the veil of our mortal flesh must be rent, before we can enter the holiest of all.

Flesh and blood cannot enter that immaculate place. We must be unclothed before we can be clothed upon; the bodily tabernacle must be dissolved, before we can enter that "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." And there is a happy connection subsisting between all these things. It is necessary that we have right conceptions of Christ and his work; this will tend to inspire us with confidence in his sacrificial offering; thus we shall know how to come to God; by-coming to him, our sins will be blotted out, and our hearts cleansed; and thus we shall be prepared for being unclothed, and for the enjoyment of Christ in the holiest of all forever.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS