Notes on the
Temple Veil
N. B. I feel comfortable with what I have
written here and feel I am correct. But I
feel it is only proper to mention that no one
else seems to agree with me on this one. Bob Bayer
wrote a nice commentary in an email
discussion group to which we both belong. Bob's
Comments.
All three synoptic gospels agree that at the
point that Jesus died the veil in the temple
split or rent from top to bottom. Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45. The
question is what temple? The conventional wisdom
is that it must refer to the main temple in
Jerusalem , the Temple of Herod the Great.
I being a simple man I did not know the
conventional wisdom and I came up with a
completely different answer.
I see heaven as the temple and the veil is
that which was the seperation between Man and
God. I was quickly informed that I was
"wrong" by a virtually everyone to whom
I spoke. My favorite bit of logic was my dear
friend John
Bingham Geib who said he would have an easier
time accepting my premise if anyone else had come
up with it in the last 2000 years. I doubt that I
am the only one to figure this out, 2000 years is
a long time. Nonetheless I find my explanation
more compelling the deeper I delve.
The
"true tabernacle"
The temple holds the tabernacle covered by the
veil. So if we refer to the temple in which the
veil was rent at the death of Jesus then I
suggest that the correct temple must be the one
with the "true tabernacle". The
"true tabernacle" was pitched by the
Lord not by man Hebrews
8:2 Obviously Herod's Temple is not
"pitched by the lord".
"a
greater and more perfect tabernacle"
To clarify this further we are told "But
Christ being come an high priest of good things
to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say,
not of this building;". Hebrews 9:11 In this
case "perfect tabernacle" can also be
translated as final tabernale. But with either
perfect or final it is "not made with
hands". Again the temple of the Idumean who
ruled from Jerusalem was clearly and
unequivically made by human hand.
Why then did Jesus need to die.
"And almost all things are by the law
purged with blood; and without shedding of blood
is no remission." Hebrews 9:22 But we
are told in Hebrews 10:4
"For it is not possible that the blood of
bulls and of goats should take away sins."
The blood of animals and birds was insufficient
and a better sacrifice was needed. Hebrews 9:23 The
better sacrifice was Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:10
What is the temple?
The real temple is heaven. Hebrews 10:12
So what then is the veil?
As it says in Hebrews
10:20 the veil is the flesh of Jesus Christ.
So I must conclude that when the veil was rent
it was the flesh of Jesus. If the veil in the
temple of Herod was rent there is noting in the
Bible in support of such a premise.
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References in
Scripture Matthew
27:51
Mark 15:38
Luke 23:45
Hebrews 8:1 -
2
Hebrews 9:3
Hebrews 9:11
Hebrews 9:19 - 25
Hebrews 10:4
Hebrews 10:10
Hebrews 10:12
Hebrews
10:20
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Matthew
27:51
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in
twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did
quake, the rocks rent;and
Mark 15:38
38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from
the top to the bottom.
Luke 23:45
45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the
temple was rent in the midst.
Hebrews 8:1 - 2
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the
sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right
hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true
tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Hebrews 9:3
3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is
called the Holiest of all;
Hebrews 9:11
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things
to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not
made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Hebrews 9:19 - 25
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the
people according to the law, he took the blood of calves
and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop,
and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which
God hath enjoined unto you.
21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the
tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with
blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of
things in the heavens should be purified with these; but
the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices
than these.
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for
us:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the
high priest entereth into the holy place every year with
blood of others;
Hebrews 10:4
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and
of goats should take away sins.
Hebrews 10:10
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:12
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice
for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Hebrews 10:20
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated
for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Subject:
Re: Hebrews 9.23-28
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 17:02:38 -0400
From: Robert A Bayer
<robertbayer@juno.com>
Reply-To: biblestudy@bibelcenter.de
To: biblestudy@bibelcenter.de
Thank you Barry for your provocative
e-mail on this subject. I've been
giving it quite a bit of thought and
prayer the last few days.
On Thu, 26 Apr 2001 17:11:17 -0400 jboc
< jboc@erols.com
> writes:
>
> All three synoptic gospels agree
that at the point that Jesus died
> the veil in the temple split or rent
from top to bottom.
> Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke
23:45. The question is what temple?
This is not a question for most people.
The common sense understanding
is that it was the veil in the temple in
earthly Jerusalem that was torn.
> The conventional wisdom is that it
must refer
> to the main temple in Jerusalem ,
the Temple of Herod the Great. I
> being a simple man I did not know
the conventional
> wisdom and I came up with a
completely different answer.
I don't know about conventional wisdom
but the natural understanding and
sense of the references would be to the
temple in earthly Jerusalem.
<snip>
> The "true tabernacle"
>
> The temple holds the tabernacle
covered by the veil. So if we refer
> to the temple in which the veil was
rent at the
> death of Jesus then I suggest that
the correct temple must be the
> one with the "true
tabernacle".
Why not both. Since the holy places in
earthly Jerusalem were figures of
those in heaven, why not accept the
natural reading of the references in
the Gospels while understanding that
which happened on earth signified
that which happened in the true holy
places which are in heaven?
>The "true tabernacle" was
pitched by the Lord not by man Hebrews
8:2
Obviously Herod's
> Temple is not "pitched by the
lord".
>
> "a greater and more perfect
tabernacle"
>
> To clarify this further we are told
"But Christ being come an high
> priest of good things to come, by a
greater and more
> perfect tabernacle, not made with
hands, that is to say, not of
> this building;". Hebrews 9:11
In this case "perfect
> tabernacle" can also be
translated as final tabernacle. But with
> either perfect or final it is
"not made with hands". Again
> the temple of the Idumean who ruled
from Jerusalem was clearly and
> unequivocally made by human hand.
>
> Why then did Jesus need to die.
>
> "And almost all things are by
the law purged with blood; and without
> shedding of blood is no
remission." Hebrews 9:22
> But we are told in Hebrews 10:4
"For it is not possible that the
> blood of bulls and of goats should
take away sins." The
> blood of animals and birds was
insufficient and a better sacrifice
> was needed. Hebrews 9:23 The better
sacrifice was
> Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:10
>
> What is the temple?
>
> The real temple is heaven. Hebrews
10:12
I'm a little uncomfortable with you
describing the "true" temple as
the
real temple. The scriptures tell us that
God created the heavens and the
earth in the beginning. I can understand
that the things in heaven,
being uncorrupted, are more true than
things on the earth; but I do not
think the material world is any less real
than the spiritual world or
vice a versa. The temple in Jerusalem was
real and the Gospels indicate
that the veil was rent there. Yet I am
also grateful to you for pointing
out that what happened on earth was
significant of more important
realities in heaven.
>
> So what then is the veil?
>
> As it says in Hebrews 10:20 the veil
is the flesh of Jesus Christ.
>
> So I must conclude that when the
veil was rent it was the flesh of
> Jesus. If the veil in the temple of
Herod was rent
> there is noting in the Bible in
support of such a premise.
Only the records in the Gospels which
taken in their natural sense refer
to the veil in the temple that Herod
refurbished. I am always careful
about spiritualizing and allegorizing the
scriptures. Unless we are very
cautious about this, I think we end up
rejecting clear reason and the
testimony of sacred scriptures in favor
of whatever pleases or
imagination.
I hope to have more to write on Hebrews
10:20 when we come to it in our
study.
Bob Bayer
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
wisdom, and the knowledge of
the All-holy is understanding. (Proverbs
9:10 JPS) |
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