Why was the Temple veil torn from top to bottom?

The rending of the temple veil, Matt 27:51, probably had two significances:

1. It was a supernatural act

The dividing veil between the Holy Place and Most Holy Place was a very heavy material that was both strong and very high (18 m according to the OP's source). No man or even a group of men could have torn it.

Further, the record states that the curtain was ripped from top to bottom eliminating any possible human source of the tear!

The only possible way such an unnatural act could have been achieved is by supernatural means, perhaps by an angel or by order of God.

2. Type Met Antitype

The rending of the temple veil clearly signified that all the symbols in the sanctuary ritual such as sacrificial lamb, the true significance of Passover, etc, etc, had met their fulfilment in Christ Jesus. That is, the entire ceremonial system was a teaching system to inculcate the plan of salvation, Heb 9:8, 9, 11-14, 10:1, Col 2:16, 17.

There could be no clearer sign that that this was indeed a divine act signifying that the ceremonial system had ended.

Henceforth, sinners had direct access to the heavenly Father-God via the High Priest of Jesus Christ, Heb 4:14, 15, 7:26-28, etc.

This opens a third possible significance for the rent veil:

3. The way into the heavenly Holy of Holies was now open

Heb 6:19, 20 - We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

Heb 9:24, 25 - For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.

The High Priest was the only one who was permitted to access the Most Holy Place and once a year on the Day of Atonement.

The curtain represented the division between God and the fallible human race. It delineated the line that separated the holiness of God from human immorality.

Why was the Temple veil torn from top to bottom?

1. To show that no mere man could do it.

It was the removal of the separation between God and man:

The separation between God and humanity was removed by God's initiative, not by human effort.

The fact that the veil was torn from the top down, some 60 feet from the floor (where humans could not reach it), shows that God was the One that caused the veil to be torn.

The veil was 60 feet long, 30 feet wide, and was four inches thick. The veil was so massive and heavy that it took 300 priests to manipulate it. An important point here is that no one could simply tear the veil themselves. It would take more than human strength to tear it. The analogy is that it took the mighty hand of God Himself to tear it supernaturally and this tearing, which represents the removal of the separation of God and man, could not be done by humans. It had to be done by God alone and that’s the point. No one can remove our separation from God but God Himself (Isaiah 59:2).

The torn veil symbolized several things:

• Access to God. (Hebrews 10:19-20, Ephesians 2:18)
• Fulfillment of prophecy. (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 9:11-12)
• An end to the Old Covenant. (Hebrews 8:13)
• Jesus’ victory over death. (Hebrews 2:14-18)