Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross – the true meaning of Easter – is full of symbolisms. One of the most awe-inspiring is the tearing of the temple veil in two.

The temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life, the place where animal sacrifices were carried out and worship according to the Law of Moses was followed faithfully. A huge curtain (approximately 60 feet high and four inches thick!) separated the Holy of Holies—the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence—from the rest of the temple where men dwelt. This signified that man was separated from God by sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). Only the high priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once each year (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:7) to enter into God’s presence for all of Israel and make atonement for their sins (Leviticus 16).

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:50-51a).

Why is this so incredible? First, no human could’ve achieved this feat of strength! Above all, it dramatically symbolized that His sacrifice, the shedding of His own blood, was a sufficient atonement for sins. It signified that now the way into the Holy of Holies was open for all people, including you and me!

When the veil was torn, God moved out of that place never again to dwell in a temple made with hands (Acts 17:24). God was through with that temple and its religious system. A new covenant was being established (Hebrews 8:13)!

The veil was symbolic of Christ Himself as the only way to the Father (John 14:6). The high priest had to enter the Holy of Holies through the veil. Now Christ is our superior High Priest, and as believers in His finished work, we can now enter the Holy of Holies through Him. Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “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.” Here we see the image of Jesus’ flesh being torn for us just as He was tearing the veil for us.

The veil being torn from top to bottom is a fact of history. The Old Testament temple was a shadow of things to come, and they all ultimately point us to Jesus Christ. Through His death the faithful now have free access to God.

The veil in the temple was a constant reminder that sin renders humanity unfit for the presence of God. The fact that the sin offering was offered annually and countless other sacrifices repeated daily showed graphically that sin could not truly be atoned for or erased by mere animal sacrifices. Jesus Christ, through His death, has removed the barriers between God and man, and now we may approach Him with confidence and boldness (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Praise God that He took care of everything we need, and even illustrated it through the many astonishing symbolisms of Easter!