Mark 15
May 20, 2022
“The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (v38)
This was no ordinary curtain. The temple curtain was twenty meters long, ten meters wide, four inches thick, and weighed between 8,000-12,000 pounds. According to the Talmud, it took 300 priests to hang the temple curtain in its place. This curtain served as a visual reminder that there was an impassable barrier between sinful human beings and a holy God. That is, until this day, when Jesus died on the cross – and the temple curtain was TORN (“schizo” in Greek) in two. ‘Schizo,’ is where we get our English word, ‘schism,’ an irreparable division between two things. Mark says there was an irreparable tear that happened to the temple curtain the moment Jesus died, meaning the way to God has been opened for all who turn to the One who opened the way!
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I praise you for the tearing of the temple curtain, and for doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. You bridged the impassable chasm, so that we can now live in relationship with You, and look forward to spending eternity with You in Paradise. May I not only look forward to that final reunion with You in Heaven, but daily take advantage of the access You’ve given me into Your Presence - because the curtain has been torn. Even today, may I call on You whenever I need wisdom, strength, peace or to be reminded of the good news of what You did for me on that little blood-stained patch of real estate in the Middle East two thousand years ago.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
