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Mark 15:38

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does Mark 15:38 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom.
Mark 15:38 — American Standard Version

Context — Mark 15

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
35And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elijah.
36And one ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take him down.
37And Jesus uttered a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
38And the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom.
39And when the centurion, who stood by over against him, saw that he so gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
40And there were also women beholding from afar: among whom [were] both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
41who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him; and many other women that came up with him unto Jerusalem.
← Mark 15:37Mark 15:39 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom.] At which time also there was an earthquake, and the rocks were rent, and graves were opened, as Matthew relates, (see Gill on “<402751>Matthew 27:51-52”).”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“15:38 The curtain that was torn in two might have been the one that separated the sanctuary from the courtyard (a magnificent tapestry eighty feet tall) or the one that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the sanctuary. If it was the former, the tearing (like the darkness, 15:33) was visible to people; it would indicate that Jesus’ prediction of the sanctuary’s destruction (14:58; 15:29) was being fulfilled spiritually (see Rom 9–11) but awaited physical fulfillment in AD 70. If it was the interior curtain that tore, it was probably a sign that, just as the heavens were split for Jesus to reveal his direct access to God (see study note on Mark 1:10), his death now extended this…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Exo 26:31-34, Exo 40:20, Exo 40:21; Lev. 16:2-19; Ch2 3:8-14; Mat 27:51-53; Luk 23:45; Heb 4:14-16, Heb 6:19, Heb 9:3-12, Heb 10:19-23 Mark 15:39”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification