Before talking about the tearing of the veil, we must first of all look into what birthed the veil renting. The death of Jesus as a “ransom” for many (Matthew 20:28) — a payment offered to rescue mankind, from the sacrificial language of the Old Testament paved way for the tearing of the veil. Jesus’ death is for the purpose of the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28). It is by His death on the cross — as a ransom that achieves the forgiveness of sins — that Jesus accomplishes His mission to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Having seen what is recorded in the Gospel according to St Matthew about the death of Jesus, we can now look at what is important in *the tearing of the veil*.
Renting of the veil is so profoundly significant that it has triggered the following events, which explain to some degree the meaning of Jesus’ death.
1. *. Reopening of Paradise to God’s Children*:
The curtain of the temple was a sign of separation between God and man because of the sin of man, to separate between the clean and the unclean. But by the the shed of Jesus’ Blood for the remission of sin, the curtain was torn, this implies that God himself tore the veil. This is confirmed by description of the damage: “from top to bottom.” Note also the extent: “in two.” This singular cultic artefact is now irreparably damaged — it can no longer perform the function for which it was intended. This means that there is no longer a physical or spiritual barrier between God and His people, suggesting that the theological necessity of the veil is thereby removed. The angelic guardians are disarmed, and reentry into the Edenic presence of God is again permitted for the first time since the fall.
The crucial element here is this: all this is accomplished by the death of Jesus, a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28), whose blood accomplishes the forgiveness of sins and establishes the new covenant – Matt. 26:28.
2. *It gives Access to the Father*:
The veil was a spiritual barrier, though visible and indicating that access to God was strictly prohibited because of His holiness. It is expedient to note that the holiness of God remains unchanged from all eternity — even after the veil is torn. What has changed, then, is that the atoning death of Jesus on the cross has provided the appropriate wrath-bearing sacrifice, one which the bulls and goats of the Old Covenant could not provide (Hebrews 10:4).
Hebrew expounds on this very clearly: “We have confidence to enter the holy places” (Hebrews 10:19), and this is accomplished by the blood of Jesus. Christ opened for us through the veil the new and right way to live for God, which, is through His flesh/death. This means that the breaking of Jesus’s body at the crucifixion is the unprecedented means by which believers have access to the presence of God.
3. *Coming to Jesus for Salvation*.
The event of Salvation anticipated in the Old Testament occurred at the tearing of the veil.
Jesus come to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21), a mission tied up in His very name which, in Hebrew, is the same as Joshua and means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is Salvation.”
In Jesus, the Salvation of Yahweh (God) has been accomplished — coming to God for Salvation through the Law which is Old Covenant is now by the death of Christ and through renting of the veil changed into the New Covenant.
Hebrews 9:1-9 tells us that in the temple a veil 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 to make atonement for their sins (Leviticus 16).
The tearing of the veil at the moment of Jesus’ death symbolizes that His sacrifice, the laying down of His own life as 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, for all time, both Jew and Gentile.
When the veil got torn, God moved out of that place never again to dwell in a temple made with human hands ever again(Acts 17:24).
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, removed the barriers between God and man, and now we may approach Him with confidence and boldness (Hebrews 4:14-16). Hallelujah!!!