Description:
"And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split." --Matthew 27:51
Many believe that the tearing of the temple curtain means that Jesus's death gave us direct access to God. But this idea is not obvious in the Gospels themselves. What if there is a better explanation?
In this book, Adam W. Jones and J. Daniel Hays argue that God the Father tore the curtain of the temple as an act of mourning over his Son's death. This interpretation has been neglected, though it has ancient precedent. In Jewish and Greco-Roman cultures, tearing clothes was a common expression of grief. And early Christian interpreters often linked this custom to the tearing of the temple curtain.
The Tearing of the Temple Curtain provides insights on ancient culture, God, grief, and how we approach Good Friday.
Brief description: J. Daniel Hays is senior professor of Old Testament at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He previously served for nearly three decades as dean of the Pruet School of Christian Studies and professor of biblical studies at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of over a dozen books, including The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary, Grasping God's Word, and The Message of the Prophets. Hays has also led numerous study trips to Israel and Turkey.