EVERY SINGLE WORD IS INSPIRED!

I attended two seminaries.  First, Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky.  This was the eastern school of choice for Free Methodist students during my time.  We lived in this community for three years and I acquired sixty credit hours (of ninety) toward a Master of Divinity degree.  This was sufficient credit (at that time) for me to be fully ordained in the Free Methodist Church. 

Within three years, I realized my error in judgment and was accepted at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary where I would complete my degree – although they required 106 credit hours and granted me thirty from ATS.  It was a liberal, Presbyterian school where the theology department was dominated by feminist theology, process theology, liberation theology and Calvinistic theology. 

I learned much at both schools and found certain professors who made an indelible imprint on my life.  One from ATS was Dr. Robert Traina.  He believed in the divine inspiration of the Bible!  He believed and emphasized that if it was divinely inspired, then every word was inspired by the Holy Spirit through the human recipients!!!!

This perspective emphasized the importance of pastors to be trained in the original languages:  Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.  How else can one fully grasp the meaning of the original writings.  I remember studying my flash cards while sitting in traffic on Greentree Hill four days a week!  That traffic enabled me to get A’s in Hebrew and Aramiac!  J

I frequently think about Dr. Traina’s contention! 

Like today.  I was reading the latter verses of Mark 15  [NASB}.  I came across the following and stopped in absolute wonder!

v. 37   And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last.

v. 38  And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Why was this included in the text?
Why in this exact location?
Why did the Holy Spirit want us to have this information?
Was this the result of an earthquake?
Or was something more powerful happening?
Did SOMEONE rip the veil?
If so, WHO?
WHY?
What did this mean?
Why did the Holy Spirit want us to know that it was a thorough tearing – torn in two from top to bottom?

When I was at my first full-time church, the ministerial association broke up the passage for each of us to handle a section at the Good Friday service.  One of our group was a very liberal Lutheran pastor who had irritated me at times with his ideas and attitude.  So, I played the devil’s advocate [pardon me in my youth and zeal, please], and approached him about my passage.

I showed him verse 38, indicating that it was part of my section.  I asked, “I’m in my first appointment and fresh out of seminary.  Could I ask what you make of this verse?”  His response was terse and without passion:  “I don’t make anything of it!  I don’t think it has any meaning for us at all?” 

Dr. Traina and I would differ! 

In the Jewish temple, the veil served as the barrier to the Holy of Holies.  The Holy of Holies was said to be where God’s presence rested and it housed the Ark of the Covenant.  Only the high priest could enter this area, and then only one time per year, to make atonement for the sins of Israel [Exodus 30:10].

I Kings 6:2 records that Solomon’s temple was 45 feet tall.  The first century Jewish historian, Josephus, records that Herod extended the temple’s height to about 60 feet tall.  He also records that the veil was four inches thick.

Notice the details:

• Jesus died.
• The enormous 45 to 60-foot high, four inch thick curtain was torn in half.
• The tear was from top to bottom clearly indicating the destruction was not man-made, but came from God.

This connection between the death of Jesus and the torn veil is not just about God’s power, but is demonstrative of who Jesus is, what the cross accomplished, and the access we have to God through Christ. 

Hebrews 8:1-2 [NASB] notes, “Now the main point in what has been said is this:  we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man." 

Jesus Himself now serves as our high priest!  There is no longer a need for a Jewish high priest to stand before the Lord and make atonement for our sins.  Jesus has provided for our atonement through His death on the cross!      [Some copied from compellingtruth.org]

This Jesus is always available to you!  Thick clouds can’t interfere with your connection to Him!  He never sleeps!  He has no difficulty hearing even your faintest whisper.  He, Himself, hears your very words and thoughts and responds with compassion and forgiveness!  24/7/365!  From anywhere in His universe! 

That’s what these fourteen words imply! 

Mark 15:38  [NASB]  And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.