The veil was rent from top to bottom because God Himself tore it open after Jesus' death, opening the way into His presence for everyone.
Les Feldick teaches that the direction of the tear was deliberate: it was from top to bottom, signifying that no man had anything to do with it. At the moment Jesus died, this barrier that had kept even the priests from the Holy God was split open. The veil pictured Christ's body, and its tearing meant access into the very presence of God was no longer reserved for the high priest alone.
Matthew 27:51 — This is the direct account of the temple veil being rent from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus' crucifixion.
Exodus 36:35 — It describes the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the sanctuary, the very veil that was later torn.
Leviticus 16:2 — It shows why the veil stood as a barrier: God's presence appeared above the mercy seat, and only the high priest could enter behind the veil on the Day of Atonement.
At the moment of Jesus' death, the Bible records: "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" (Matthew 27:51). The event was not a gradual tearing but an immediate rending of the temple veil, and the direction is specifically stated to be from the top to the bottom. The veil itself was first made for the tabernacle. Exodus 36:35 says, "And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work." This veil separated the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies. Behind it stood the Ark of the Covenant with the mercy seat, and the LORD said, "I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat" (Leviticus 16:2). So Scripture sets the veil as a barrier between the priests and God's presence, permitting only the high priest to enter behind it once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Les Feldick explains that the veil being rent from top to bottom signified that no man had anything to do with it—it was an act of God. He identifies the veil as the beautiful curtain that separated the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant sat and where the Shekinah glory, the very presence of God, rested above the mercy seat. In the Old Testament order, only the high priest could go behind that veil, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. Les also teaches that the veil pictured the very body of Christ. Just as the veil kept the priests from approaching the Holy God, it was a barrier that only the high priest could pass once a year. When Jesus died—giving up His life of His own volition—the veil was rent from top to bottom. Les concludes that the way into the very holiest of holies, the presence of God, was opened up and made available not just to the high priest on the Day of Atonement but to everybody. Christ's death fulfilled everything a holy God could demand, and the righteousness of God was unveiled.
Les Feldick stresses the direction: "Well, it was rent from the top to the bottom. Not from the bottom to the top, but from the top to the bottom, signifying that no man had anything to do with it. It was an act of God." The direction shows that no human effort or priestly action caused the tearing. It was something God Himself did at the moment of Christ's crucifixion.
Les teaches that the veil "depicted the very body of Christ Himself." It was the heavy, beautiful curtain that kept the presence of God from the view of the priests as they performed their daily ministrations. Behind the veil was the Ark of the Covenant, with the Shekinah glory—the cloud of God's presence—above the mercy seat. The veil was the barrier between the priests and the Holy God.
Les Feldick explains that when Christ died, "the way into the very holiest of holies, the very presence of God, had been opened up and made available, not just to the high priest on the Day of Atonement, but to everybody." The veil was rent, and man could look right into the holy of holies. Christ's death so completely fulfilled everything a holy God could demand that the barrier was removed.
In the tabernacle and temple order, only the high priest, and only once a year, would come in behind the veil on the Day of Atonement. He alone could go behind the veil and sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat. Behind the veil was the Shekinah glory, the very presence of God, resting above the mercy seat. This old-convenant restriction sets the stage for why the tearing of the veil was so significant: it opened access to God's presence beyond the high priest's yearly entrance.
Jesus' Voluntary Death
Les emphasizes that Jesus gave up His own life of His own volition, which sets the moment when the veil was torn at the crucifixion.
Torn from Top to Bottom
Les explicitly says the veil was rent from the top to the bottom signifying that no man had anything to do with it; it was an act of God. He also says the veil pictured the body of Christ.
The Veil as Barrier to the Holy God
Les explains the veil kept even the priests from any approach to the Holy God, who was represented by the Shekinah glory above the Ark. Only the high priest could go behind it, once a year.
The Veil in the Temple at Jesus' Day
Les sets the context by noting that in Jesus' day the veil was in the temple, and at the moment of His crucifixion something happened to it.
Access Opened to Everybody
Les teaches that when Christ died, the way into the holiest of holies was opened to everybody, not just the high priest on the Day of Atonement; the veil was rent and man could look into the holy of holies.
The High Priest's Once-a-Year Entrance
Les reminds us that only the high priest could come behind the veil once a year, underscoring the exclusivity that the torn veil ended.
The Shekinah Glory Behind the Veil
Les explains that the very presence of God was above the mercy seat behind the veil, and access was only on the Day of Atonement.
The High Priest's Exclusive Blood Work
Les emphasizes that only the high priest could go behind the veil and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat, showing the old order's limitation.
Matthew 27:51: 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;
This is the direct record of the veil being torn from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus' death.
Exodus 36:35: And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.
It describes the construction of the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the sanctuary.
Leviticus 16:2: And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
It reveals why the veil was a barrier—God's presence appeared above the mercy seat and Aaron could not enter at all times.
Matthew 27:50: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
It shows the voluntary nature of Christ's death that Les makes part of the crucifixion context.
Les Feldick says the direction showed that no man had anything to do with it; it was an act of God. The tearing opened the way into the very presence of God after Christ's death.
Les teaches the veil pictured the very body of Christ. It was the barrier that kept the priests from approaching the Holy God, whose presence was above the mercy seat behind the veil.
Only the high priest, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. He alone could go in behind the veil and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat.
Les explains that the way into the holiest of holies became available to everybody, not just the high priest on the Day of Atonement. Christ's death fulfilled everything a holy God could demand, and the veil was rent from top to bottom.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Temple Veil Tore — Matthew 27 Explained