doubtingthomas

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;


Are there any external sources that record the veil in the Jewish temple being torn in two? I would expect there would be if it happened, since the temple was of great importance to the Jews.

funinspace

Nada, zip, not a shred of external evidence. Just like the sky turning red, again no one else noticed it, that has been preserved (of course). It's amazingly just like no one noticed Joshua's solar object demands in the 12th century BC; the sun being set back 10 degrees in the 7-8th century; the exodus...well you probably get the idea.

Clivedurdle

Any comments about this?

Portents

Magdlyn

Keep in mind the Greek word for veil is misleading. The Temple "veil" was actually a heavy embroidered tapestry. We think of lightly woven netting veils ripping easily. But a heavy tapestry? No.

However, there is speculation that when Jerusalem was sacked and the Temple raided, by the Romans in 70 CE, the "veil" may have suffered damage, or had already been worn and frayed after hanging in the Temple for hundreds of yrs.

So the "ripped" rumor may have started.

Freke and Gandy also have a metaphorical gnostic theory they propose in Jesus and the Lost Goddess.

yalla

Somewhere, but I cannot remember where, I read that the torn veil was displayed in Rome in the triumph of Titus.Somewhere else I read that it is portrayed on his arch but I could not see it when I found a picture of the arch on the web.And just to keep up my average for reliable reporting I read somewhere else that there were always 2 "veils of the temple" so that if one was found to be imperfect it could be immediately replaced by the temple priests.This would render the torn veil supposedly displayed in Rome 40 odd years after the alleged time of JC as not being the one allegedly torn a la gospel "Mark".I MUST keep better records of my sources.Maybe someone can verify or otherwise any of the preceding?