The splitting of the Temple Veils
Some background information before we get into the splitting of the veils.
A little more than fifty years after the destruction of the First Temple, the Babylonians, who had destroyed the First Temple, were vanquished by the rising Persian Empire. The Persian king, Cyrus the Great, soon authorized the Jews to rebuild the Temple, but construction ground to a halt due to interference by the Samaritans. In 353 BCE, exactly seventy years after the destruction of the First Temple, the Jews began building again—at first independently, but King Darius soon ratified their effort. The Second Temple was completed in 349 BCE. Under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, the community in Judea became vibrant and secure.
The Second Temple era spanned 420 years, ending with the Romans' destruction of the Holy Temple in 70 CE.1 For much of this period, Judea was under foreign domination. First the Jews were ruled by the Persians, and then, after the conquests of Alexander the Great, they were ruled by the Greeks. The Hasmonean revolt in 140 BCE brought about a period of Jewish monarchy. But the Hasmoneans did not rule for long.
Glory of the Lord
Glory of the Lord had not returned to Zion. Nowhere is there any passage corresponding to 1 Kings 8. According to which, when Solomon’s temple had been finished, ‘a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.’”
Melachim I - I Kings - Chapter 8
9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made (a covenant) with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy (place), and the cloud filled the house of the Lord.
11 And the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
12 Then Solomon said, "The Lord said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.
13 I have surely built You a house to dwell in; a settled place for You to dwell in forever."
14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel, and all the congregation of Israel stood.
“Yet when the temple is dedicated under Zerubbabel and Joshua (Ezra 6:13–18), there is no indication that God’s glory fills it. … There is no sign that God’s glorious presence returns to the rebuilt temple.”
The Second Temple did not have the Ark of the Covenant. In fact, this was one of a number of items which the Talmud (Yoma 21b) states the Second Temple lacked.
The Second Temple lacked the following holy articles:
§ The Ark of the Covenant containing the Tablets of Stone, before which were placed the pot of manna and Aaron's rod.
§ The Urim and Thummim (divination objects contained in the Hoshen)
§ The holy oil.
§ The sacred fire.
The prophets spoke of a worldwide and supremely intense manifestation of God’s presences as prophecies are fulfilled.
Chaggai - Haggai - Chapter 2
1 In the seventh [month], on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet, saying:
2 Say now to Zerubbabel the son of Shaltiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak the High Priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying:
3 Who among you is left, who saw this house in its former glory? And as you see it now, is it not as nothing in your eyes?
RASHI'S COMMENTARY
Who among you is left: who was of the exiles and is still alive?
who saw, etc.: Who saw the first one this [one] is of no esteem in his eyes.
is it not as nothing: I know that to one who saw the first one, this one is but nothing in his eyes.
is it… as nothing: It and nothing are equal, as in (Hos. 4:9) “And it shall be like people like priest” Here, too, כָמֹהוּ כְּאַיִן; it [the Second Temple] and nothing are equal.
4 And now, be strong, Zerubbabel, says the Lord; and be strong, Joshua the son of Jehozadak the High Priest; and be strong, all the people of the land, says the Lord. And (for I am with you, says the Lord of Hosts) do the thing that I set up with you when you left Egypt. And My spirit stands in your midst; fear not.
The Shechinah resides within the Temple mount because it is believed that the Ark of The Covenant is hidden in the Temple Mount, but it did not reside within the Second Temple.
6 For so said the Lord of Hosts: [There will rise] another one, and I will shake up the heaven and the earth and the sea and the dry land [for] a little while.
During the time of Ikvot Meshicha there will be earthquakes, storms, and volcanoes.
7 And I will shake up all the nations, and they shall come [with] the precious things of all the nations. And I will fill this House with glory, said the Lord of Hosts.
Zechariah - Chapter 8
23 So said the Lord of Hosts: In those days, when ten men of all the languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a Jewish man, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
“And I will fill this House with glory, said the Lord of Hosts.”
It is said in verse (9) “The glory of this last House shall be greater than the first one”
The Third Temple will be the LAST HOUSE!
8 The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of Hosts.
9 The glory of this last House shall be greater than the first one, said the Lord of Hosts. And in this place I will grant peace, says the Lord of Hosts.
The Last House will be the Third Temple, The Moshiach will establish an ever-lasting peace throughout the Earth.
Herod’s Temple
Zerubbabel’s Temple stood until the beginning of Herod the Great’s new temple in 19 B.C.
When the Romans replaced the Seleucids as the great power in the region, they granted the Hasmonean king, Hyrcanus II, limited authority under the Roman governor of Damascus. The Jews were hostile to the new regime, and the following years witnessed frequent insurrections. A last attempt to restore the former glory of the Hasmonean dynasty was made by Mattathias Antigonus, whose defeat and death brought Hasmonean rule to an end (40 BCE), and the Land became a province of the Roman Empire.
The temple of Herod was built on massive quarried blocks still visible today at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
Herod the Great also known as Herod the Great and Herod I; He was the second son of Antipater the Idumaean, a high-ranked official under ethnarch Hyrcanus II, and Cypros, a Nabatean. Herod's father was by descent an Edomite whose ancestors had converted to Judaism. King Herod was a Roman client king; client King means he was appointed by Rome, not by G-d as the king of Israel) of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He has been described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis", "the evil genius of the Judean nation”, "prepared to commit any crime in order to gratify his unbounded ambition". Vital details of his life are recorded in the works of the 1st century CE Roman–Jewish historian Josephus. (Herod’s tyrannical authority has been demonstrated by many of his security measures aimed at suppressing the contempt his people, especially Jews, had towards him. For instance, it has been suggested that Herod used secret police to monitor and report the feelings of the general populace towards him. He sought to prohibit protests, and had opponents taken away by force.
Politically Herod wanted to gain the favor of his Jewish subjects, so he rebuilt the temple by combining the requirements of the Jewish religion with elements of the Graeco-Roman style. He extended the area of the temple to its present size of 985 feet by 1,575 feet.
When it came to building the Temple Herod truly outdid himself, and even the Talmud acknowledges that the end-result was spectacular. "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building." (Talmud-Bava Basra 4a)
Herod saw fit however, to place at the main entrance a huge Roman eagle, which the pious Jews saw as a sacrilege. A group of Torah students promptly smashed this emblem of idolatry and oppression, but Herod had them hunted down, dragged in chains to his residence in Jericho, where they were burned alive.
Having built the Temple, Herod took pains to make sure it would be run without future problems of the Jewish people that objected to the corruption of the Temple. He appointed his own High Priest, having by then put to death forty-six leading members of the Sanhedrin, half of the rabbinical court. The other half were intimidated by king Herod and towed the line.
The Glory of the lord never resided within the Second Temple, especially Herod's Temple of which was built by a power hungry evil MADMAN! A fake king appointed by the Romans!!!
The Temple Veils were 60 feet long, 30 feet wide, and the thickness of the palm of a man’s hand, wrought in 72 squares. They were so heavy that we are told 300 priests were needed to manipulate each 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.
But yet the Glory of the Lord never resided within Herod's Temple!
Says the Jewish Talmud in Yoma 39b of the events which occurred in 30 A.D.:
“Forty years before the Temple was destroyed [i.e., 40 years before 70 A.D., or in 30 A.D.] . . .the gates of the Hekel [Holy Place] opened by themselves, until Rabbi Yohanan B. Zakkai rebuked them [the gates] saying, Hekel, Hekel, why alarmist thou us? We know that thou art destined to be destroyed...”
For the huge doors of the Temple behind the Veil to open, of their own accord, or in association with the great earthquake, would cause them to pull powerfully against the Veil, and with the lintel falling, at the same time, could have torn it in two from top to bottom.
This same year, 30A.D., the Sanhedrin had to abandon the Chamber of Hewn Stones, near the Holy Place in the Temple, which was its official seat or location. This was about 40 yards southeast of the entrance to the Holy Place. In 30 A.D. the Sanhedrin had to move to another location, called “The Trading Place,” farther to the east and a much less significant spot. To be forced to move from a beautiful, gorgeous, awesome location in the Temple to a spot much less beautiful, esteemed, and reverential, must have seemed a terrible “put down.” Says the Talmud: "
Is this really what the Talmud says? Let us take a look at Yoma 39b in the Talmud and see what it really says.
Talmud - Mas. Yoma 39b
hamzan’ [grasper] until his dying day. Rabbah b. R. Shela said: What Scriptural basis [is there for this appellation]? — O my God, rescue me out of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp of the unrighteous and homez [ruthless] man.1 Raba said, From here [is the basis obtained]: Learn to do well, seek justice, strengthen hamoz [the oppressed]2 i.e., strengthen him hamoz [who is oppressed], but strengthen not homez [the oppressor].3
Our Rabbis taught: In the year in which Simeon the Righteous died, he foretold them that he would die. They said: Whence do you know that? He replied: On every Day of Atonement an old man, dressed in white, wrapped in white, would join me, entering [the Holy of Holies] and leaving [it] with me, but today I was joined by an old man, dressed in black, wrapped in black, who entered, but did not leave, with me. After the festival [of Sukkoth] he was sick for seven days and [then] died. His brethren [that year] the priests forbore to mention the Ineffable Name in pronouncing the [priestly] blessing.4
Our Rabbis taught: During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-coloured strap become white; nor did the westernmost light shine; and the doors of the Hekal would open by themselves, until R. Johanan b. Zakkai rebuked them, saying: Hekal, Hekal, why wilt thou be the alarmer thyself?5 I know about thee that thou wilt be destroyed, for Zechariah ben Ido has already prophesied concerning thee:6 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.7
Notice the numbers? They are footnotes. Let's take a look at them.
Footnote 6 is the one of interest to us and it reads.
(6) I.e., concerning this significant omen of the destruction of the Temple.
Now lets take a look at Zechariah - Chapter 11
1 Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.
2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, for the mighty ones have been spoiled. Wail, O oaks of the Bashan, for the fortified forest has gone down.
3 Hearken [to] the wailing of the shepherds, for their glory has been spoiled. Hearken [to] the roar of the young lions, for the pride of the Jordan has been spoiled.
Now let us look at the commentary of this verse, it will show us as to how all this is tied together in the Talmud.
for the pride of the Jordan has been spoiled: The pride of the Jordan, which is the place of the young lions and the old lions. Our Sages (Yoma 39b) explained “Open your doors, O Lebanon,” as the prophet prophesying about the destruction of the Second Temple; that forty years prior to the destruction, the doors of the Temple proper would open by themselves. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai rebuked them. He said, “Temple, how long will you terrify yourself? I know that you will eventually be destroyed. Zechariah the son of Iddo has already prophesied concerning you: 'Open your doors, O Lebanon, etc.’”
It has been my experience that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John would make it seem that the gospel fit biblical prophecy, the story of Jesus was probably accommodated to the images found in the Hebrew Scriptures. By comparing different renditions of the same story in two different Gospels, one can easily see that stories were written about Jesus to make it appear that Jesus fulfilled prophecy.
Let’s take a look at Matthew 27 first, and then we'll look at Luke 23.
Matthew 27 King James Version (KJV)
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Now if Jesus was truly the son of G-d and the Messiah, how could he then lose faith in his father?
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Now let’s look at Luke
Luke 23 King James Version (KJV)
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
Notice the discrepancy?
In Matthew 27 verse 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
The Glory of the Lord never resided within Herod's Temple.
Now in Luke 23
Verse
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
Notice that in Luke 23 verse 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
The veil was rent before Jesus died in Luke, but in Matthew 27 The veil was rent after Jesus died.
Why the difference? I have found many discrepancies within the gospels.
I've often heard the gospel truth, the word of G-d, if that is the case then why the discrepancies?
Looking at the account of Mark is almost the same as Matthew 27, but John doesn’t even mention the splitting of the veil. Why? This account should be very important. Let’s take a look at John’s account.
John 19King James Version (KJV)
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Not one mention of the veil of the temple. And another point of contention is the piercing of Jesus being the fulfillment of Scripture. I’ll now address that prophesy.
It is claimed that Psalm 22:16 foretells the piercing of the hands and feet of Jesus. Now let’s look at that verse from the King James Bible.
Psalm 22King James Version (KJV)
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
But is that what it really says? Let’s look at this scripture as it is written within the Tanakh, which is the Hebrew Bible.
Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 22
15 I was spilled like water, and all my bones were separated; my heart was like wax, melting within my innards.
16 My strength became dried out like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my palate; and You set me down in the dust of death.
17 For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me, like a lion, my hands and feet.
RASHI’s Commentary on verse 17
like a lion, my hands and feet: As though they are crushed in a lion’s mouth, and so did Hezekiah say (in Isa. 38: 13): “like a lion, so it would break all my bones.”
Now there is reference to Isaiah 38: verse 13. Let us take a look at Isaiah 38 Verse 13.
Yeshayahu- Isaiah - Chapter 38
13 I made [myself] until morning like a lion, so it would break my bones; from day and night You shall finish me.
RASHI’s Commentary on Verse 13
I made [myself]: myself all night to suffer the tortures of the illness, and I strengthened myself like a lion to suffer.
so it would break my bones: Comp. (Ex. 1:12) “So they would multiply and so they would spread.” The more I would strengthen myself, so the illness would overpower me to break all my bones.
So it appears to me, that the prophesy of being pierced is not being pierced at all.