On April 5, 30 A.D., the
14th of Nisan (Fast
of the Firstborn), the day of the Passover sacrifice. Jesus has stood
trial before Pilate who has found Jesus innocent of the charges against Him. In
fact, Pilate has found no wrong that Jesus has committed. But the Jewish
leaders have stirred up the crowd into a frenzy so that Pilate feels he must
hand Jesus over to be crucified to prevent an uproar. Mark 15:20 tells us that
once they had finished mocking Jesus, they stripped Jesus of the purple robe,
tearing open the flesh recently wounded from the flogging, put His own clothes
on Him and led Him out to be crucified.
The
cross was so cruel that the Romans refused to allow their own citizens to be
crucified, regardless of what the person had done. Cicero called crucifixion “a
most cruel and disgusting punishment.” He went on to say, “It is a crime to put
a Roman citizen in chains, it is an enormity to flog one, sheer murder to slay
one; what, then, shall I say of crucifixion? It is impossible to find the word
for such an abomination.” If the Romans considered it an abomination, then
consider how horrible it truly was in light of all the abominations the Romans
tolerated! The cross was so horrible that Cicero also said, “Let the very
mention of the cross be far removed not only from a Roman citizen’s body, but
from his mind, his eyes, his ears.”
The
cross was even more offensive to the Jews because of the law of Moses.
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says, “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and
he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain
overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do
not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance;
for he who is hanged is accursed of God.” Because of this passage, the Jews
understood someone who was hung on a tree or crucified to be abandoned by God. This
is also the reason why the crucifixions were not allowed to take place inside
the city. The crucifixions would take place outside of the city walls because
to be crucified was an abomination to the Jews as well.
(Mark 15:33 -41)
In
verse 33 we see that it was noon. There were at least three or four miracles
that took place during the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Mark records two of
these miracles, and we will spend our time this morning considering only these
two. Which just as a bit of side information, Most if not all Jewish Historians
and Rabbis will deny happening but I'll list a few other historians who state
this as fact. The first miracle is the darkness coming over the land at
noontime and lasting for three hours. While most versions say that this
happened over the land, there is reason to believe that this actually happened
over the entire earth. The Greek word ge can refer to earth or land. The word
is used 189 to refer to the world or the earth and is used 62 times to speak of
land, ground, or country. However, it seems that when the word refers to land,
the context is very obvious such as “the land of Israel ,” and so forth.
However, when the word ge is alone, it is translated “earth.” Therefore, it is
reasonable for us to understand that the darkness was over the whole earth.
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, or simply Tertullian a Christian Author
from Carthage in the Roman Empire, says that it was a well-observed phenomenon,
because he tells the heathen nations to look in their history books to see they had record of this
darkness.
Of
course, this is an amazing miracle that has been explained away by unbelievers
through natural means. The most common explanation is that this was simply an
eclipse. However, there is no eclipse that causes this much darkness. And what
makes it even harder to be explained away by science is at time of the Passover
the moon is full. Meaning there could not be a solar eclipse. This darkness
over the earth was a supernatural act of God. No other explanation can be given
for it. What a powerful sign that must have been. For the entire earth to be
cast into darkness. Imagine what you would think if in a few moments instead of
seeing light from twelve to three in the afternoon, it was totally dark.
At
three in the afternoon, after three hours of darkness, Jesus cries out, “My
God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Now, we can make some fanciful
statements that the reason for the darkness was that God had turned His back on
Jesus, as if God would end his relationship with his son. But the scriptures
never say he does.So then why does Jesus use these words?
First,
Jesus said that the Father would never forsake Him. In speaking about
His coming crucifixion, Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you
will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father shown
Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not
left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:28 -29).
Later, Jesus made this point again to His disciples saying, “Indeed the hour is
coming, yea, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and
will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because my Father is with Me”
(John 16:32 ).
I
believe He was teaching even while hanging on the cross. Saying the words “My
God, My God, why have You forsaken Me” is the very first line of the 22nd
psalm. Memorizing the first few words of passage was the way the Jews
remembered and memorized the scriptures. By saying these words, Jesus is
calling to the Jews’ minds this very psalm. What is the message of Psalm 22?
David felt like he was forsaken by God, but came to realize that though events
made it seem he was forsaken, God was right there all along (Psalm 22:24
).
This
was important because of the scripture that Says, “cursed is anyone who hangs
on a tree.” The Jews understood that since Jesus was hanging on a cross, God
had abandoned Him. Jesus is teaching by fulfilling this prophetic psalm that He
was not forsaken by God. In fact, Psalm 22 ends by saying that God has done
this. This is the will of God. God has done this. But if we look more carefully
we will see that the word “this” is not in the original language, but is
supplied by the translators for clarity. Therefore, this psalm literal ends “he
is done” or “it is done,” for it is just one Hebrew word. These are the very
words that Jesus Himself utters from the cross, “It is done.” or "it is
finished". Jesus quotes the first verse and the last verse of Psalm 22 to
teach the people that this is the will of God and that, just as He said, He has
not been forsaken by the Father and the old Covenant had been fufilled.
This
leads to the second miracle that Mark records, which is the veil of the temple
being split in two from top to bottom. Now, in our minds this may not be so
miraculous. So what if a veil was torn in two. We know the spiritual
implications because in Hebrews it tells us that this was symbolic, signifying
that all could now come into the presence of God to obtain mercy and grace
(Hebrews 4:14 -16; Hebrews 9-10). It was symbolic of the end of the copies, as
Jesus was passing through the holy place of heaven as a high priest making
atonement for our sins with His blood. The act of the tearing of the veil has
deep significance, showing the access to the blood of Jesus Christ we all can
obtain. This event showed that the Old Testament had been fulfilled.
But
we also must see that this was a miraculous event. The Temple Veils, yes I said
Veils because there were a few of them that were switched out once a year, were
60 feet long, 30 feet wide, and Josephus tells us that one layer is 4 inches
thick it was 5 layers thick that were then fastened togeather.(show the phone
book prop) It was so heavy that we are told it took about 300 priests to move
one. The Veil being rent from top to bottom was such a terrible portent because
it indicated that God’s Own Hand had torn it in two, His Presence thus
deserting and leaving that Holy Place. No person could tear this. It has been
said that a herd of oxen could not have torn this veil, especially in the
manner it was torn. This veil could not have been torn by natural means because
of its thickness. Try tearing any material that is about 18 to 20 inches thick.
I promise, something inside of you would tear first. But even more so, note the
direction the veil was torn. The veil was torn from top to bottom, not bottom
to top. A Man would grab the bottom and tare it upwards but this was God’s
tearing from the top down to the bottom. Scholars say that at about three in
the afternoon the priests would have been in the temple preparing for the
evening sacrifice. Suddenly, the veil was torn from top to bottom, I bet there
were quite a few surprised priests in the sanctuary.
What
Was the Significance of the Temple Veil being Torn in Two when Jesus Died?
During
the lifetime time of Jesus, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the center of
Jewish religious life. Here was the place that animal sacrifices were carried
out, and worship according to the Law of Moses was commanded, and followed
faithfully
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 forever. It now signified that the way into the Holy of
Holies was open for all people, for all time, both Jew and gentile.
John
14:6-7
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the
truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7
If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do
know him and have seen him.”
The
picture of the veil was that of a barrier between man and God, showing man that
the holiness of God could not be trifled with. God’s eyes are too pure to look
on evil and He can tolerate no sin (Habakkuk 1:13). The veil was a barrier to
make sure that man could not carelessly and irreverently enter into God’s
awesome presence. Even as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day
of Atonement, he had to make some meticulous preparations: He had to wash
himself, put on special clothing, bring burning incense to let the smoke cover
his eyes from a direct view of God, and bring blood with him to make atonement
for sins, or else the priest would die.
So
the presence of God remained shielded from man behind a thick curtain during
the history of Israel. However, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross changed
that. As the veil was torn, the Holy of Holies was exposed. God’s presence was
now accessible to all. Shocking as this may have been to the priests ministering
in the temple that day, it is indeed good news to us as believers, because we
know that Jesus’ death has atoned for our sins and made us right before God.
The torn veil illustrated Jesus’ body broken for us, opening the way for us to
come to God. As Jesus cried out “It is finished!” on the cross, He was indeed
proclaiming that God’s redemptive plan was now complete. The age of animal
offerings was over. The ultimate offering had been sacrificed.
We
can now boldly enter into God’s presence, “the inner sanctuary behind the
curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” (Hebrews
6:19-20)
“Therefore,
brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of
Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his
body …let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.”
(Hebrews 10:19-22)
The
Holy of Holies is a representation of heaven itself, God’s dwelling place,
which we have access now through Christ. In Revelations, John’s vision of
heaven — the New Jerusalem — also was a perfect square, just as the Holy of
Holies was (Revelation 21:16).
“For
Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one;
he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he
enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters
the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. …But now he has
appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the
sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26)
So
what do we make of this? What significance does this rent-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 OUR sins forever. It now signified that the way into
the Holy of Holies was open for all time. And As Matthew 27:54 and Luke 23:47
both record that the Centurion at the crucifixion site saw the Veil tearing in
two. This means that this Gentile sinner could also see straight into the Holy
of Holies. This is a picture to show us that it is now possible, on the basis
of faith in Jesus' death for our sins, to stand in the presence of God as a
justified and forgiven people.
Amen
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