During the time of Jesus, the temple had two rooms: the Holy Place
and the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies represented the presence of
God. These two rooms were separated by a veil, or curtain. Once a year,
on the Day of Atonement, the high priest passed from the Holy Place
through the veil of the temple and entered into the Holy of Holies,
where he sprinkled the blood of a sin offering to atone for the sins of
all the congregation of Israel (see Leviticus 16).
When the veil of the temple was torn in two at the death of Jesus
Christ, it was a dramatic symbol that Jesus Christ, the Great High
Priest, had passed through the veil of death and would shortly enter
into the presence of God the Father.
Elder
Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“The
Holy of Holies is now open to all, and all, through the atoning blood
of the Lamb, can now enter into the highest and holiest of all places,
that kingdom where eternal life is found. … The ordinances performed
through the veil of the ancient temple were in similitude of what Christ
was to do, which he now having done, all men become eligible to pass
through the veil into the presence of the Lord to inherit full
exaltation” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:830).
