Mark 15:38 Meaning and Explanation
“And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →At Jesus' death the veil of the temple is torn in two from top to bottom.
What Does Mark 15:38 Mean?
Across the city, at the moment of his death, the great woven veil of the temple, the barrier before the holiest place, tears in two. Mark notes the direction, from the top to the bottom: begun from above, not by human hands.
The torn veil is God's own commentary on the cross. The way into the holiest, long barred, now stands open: a new and living way, consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh (Hebrews 10:19-20). What sin shut, his death has opened. Access to God is no longer one priest, one day a year, but an open invitation to all who come through Christ, boldly, to a throne that has become a throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).
Mark 15:38 in the Original Language
schizo (σχίζω), 'rent' -- torn apart, the same verb Mark uses for the heavens opening at Jesus' baptism.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 15:38
What does Mark 15:38 mean?
At Jesus' death the veil of the temple is torn in two from top to bottom.