Who could have watched the veil of the temple tear when Jesus died?
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The Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy Place, was separated from the outter room (the Holy Place) by the veil. Only the High Priest could go beyond the veil into the Most Holy Place, but other priests could enter the Holy Place. Thus any priest at the Temple would have been able to see it.
The non-priest Levites may have also been able to enter the Holy Place (they were originally charged with tearing down and setting up the Tabernacle in the wilderness)
So any number of people could have seen it. Even if they weren't immediately present, it would have been known within a day (if crucified Friday as many believe) or within a few days (if crucified on wed. as others argue). It would have been found within the week at the latest.
Obviously the two events couldn't be watched simultaneously, so there is no doubt some interpretation/correlation being done by Mark and others between these two events. Mind, the veil ripping in half would be no small event.
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“Because this disciple was known to the high priest, …” (John 18:15 NIV) seems to indicate how the torn Temple curtain event might have become known to the disciples, especially as John and Peter were in the high priest’s courtyard at the time of Jesus’ trial. God bless.
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What
There were two veils in the Second Temple, aka Herod's Temple. One was from the outside court or court of the gentiles that veiled the Holy Place. The second was between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, but into the Holy Place the other priests could enter. For example, the Holy Place is where the father of John the Baptist had his vision while ministering.
There could have been a lag time between when the inner veil ripped from top to bottom to when the news spread, but there may be another explanation.
In these two pericopes, the timing is different.
In the first, the veil (outer) tears and then Jesus dies.
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Luke 23:45-46
In the second, Jesus dies and then the veil (inner) tears.
And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. Mark 15:37-38
Veil in Luke
καταπέτασμα katapetasma
Veil in Mark
καταπέτασμα katapetasma
So, it appears the bible is telling us a time line of the outer veil tearing first, Jesus dying, and the inner veil tearing second.
Who and How
With that in mind, who could have watched this and how (from where)? This question leads to the question of where Christ was crucified?
If one uses the traditional view that Christ was crucified north of the city of Jerusalem, there is no line of sight into the temple. This tradition is where the Church of the Holy Sepelchre is located.
But other research is indicating the crucifixion happened in an area east of the city and thus east of the temple. From that vantage, it could be possible that one could see into the temple. Here are links to the second view.
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