“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people” (Matthew 27:50-53).
Every time I read this Scripture I think of how my pastor and my friend, David Baird, labeled this scene. He calls this passage “The Day Religion Died.”
There is no denying the significance of the curtain in the Temple being torn from top to bottom. When Jesus died the barrier that once kept men from the presence of God was removed. Practically, it means that the death of Jesus made God accessible to each of us now. We can experience His presence wherever we are.
What I had overlooked in reading this many times was the fact that dead saints were raised when Jesus died. His crucifixion defeated death. The nails that pierced His hands and feet penetrated the power of death and hell that had kept men captive. When He died life triumphed! Those saints who came out of their tombs when Jesus died had been in Abraham’s bosom awaiting Jesus’ victory. He set them free. Scripture teaches that they are in heaven now, so they just stopped in Jerusalem on the way to heaven to demonstrate how complete the victory of Christ was.
No matter how much we learn about our faith and no matter how long we have walked with Jesus, our journey always leads us back to the Cross. That is where death was defeated, the barrier between us and God was torn in two and life triumphed over death. As Paul the apostle said, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).
