Matthew 27:51

“And behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain, etc.] Just at the time that Christ spake with so loud a voice, and expired, and which was at the time of the offering up of the evening incense; and so must be seen by the priest that was then offering, and those that assisted him, for the incense altar was near the vail; and which must be a very astonishing sight unto them: the vail was of a very great thickness; it was made of fine twined linen, (<022631>Exodus 26:31), and it is a rule with the Jews f1707, that “where ever mention is made in the law of fine linen, or fine twined linen, it means a thread six times doubled:” and whereas this was made of blue, and purple, and scarlet,…”

“SIGNS AND CIRCUMSTANCES FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE LORD JESUS--HE IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND BURIED--THE SEPULCHRE IS GUARDED. ( = Mar 15:38-47; Luk 23:47-56; Joh 19:31-42). (Mat. 27:51-66) And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom--This was the thick and gorgeously wrought veil which was hung between the "holy place" and the "holiest of all," shutting out all access to the presence of God as manifested "from above the mercy seat and from between the cherubim"--"the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest" (Heb 9:8). Into this holiest of all none might enter, not even the high priest, save once a…”

“The vail of the temple - This was doubtless the veil, curiously performed, which separated the holy from the most holy place, dividing the temple into two apartments, Exodus 26:31-33. In twain - In two pieces or parts. This was the time of day when the priest was burning incense in the holy place, and it is probable that he witnessed it. The most holy place has been usually considered as a type of heaven, and the tearing of the veil to signify that the way to heaven was now open to all - the great High Priest, the Lord Jesus, being about to enter in as the forerunner of his people. However, about the design of the tearing of the veil, the Scriptures are silent, and conjecture is useless. And…”

“Immediately upon his death, while the sun was still darkened, the veil of the temple, which separated the holy of holies from the court of the priests, though made of the richest and strongest tapestry, was rent in two from the top to the bottom: so that while the priest was ministering at the golden altar (it being the time of the sacrifice) the sacred oracle, by an invisible power was laid open to full view: God thereby signifying the speedy removal of the veil of the Jewish ceremonies the casting down the partition wall, so that the Jews and Gentiles were now admitted to equal privileges, and the opening a way through the veil of his flesh for all believers into the most holy place. And…”

“27:51 The significance of the splitting of the curtain in the Temple is that the wall dividing people from God has been torn down by the death of Jesus Christ (see also Eph 2:11-22; Heb 6:19; 9:1–10:25). • The earth shook, rocks split apart: These are portents of the arrival of judgment (see Exod 19:18; Judg 5:4; Ps 18:7; Joel 3:14-17; Amos 8:8-10). Josephus records the appearance about AD 30 of a star resembling a sword and a spontaneous opening of the gates of the Temple (Josephus, War 6.5.3-4).”

“the veil: Exo 26:31-37, Exo 40:21; Lev 16:2, Lev 16:12-15, Lev 21:23; Ch2 3:14; Isa 25:7; Mar 15:38; Luk 23:45; Eph 2:13-18; Heb 6:19, Heb 10:19-22 the earth: Mat 28:2; Psa 18:7, Psa 18:15; Mic 1:3, Mic 1:4; Nah 1:3-5; Hab 3:10, Hab 3:13; Heb 12:25-27; Rev 11:13, Rev 11:19 Matthew 27:52”