Temple Curtain Torn

The Death of Jesus
…50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. Matthew 27

When Jesus died the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. It was six inches thick. How much effort would it have taken to tear something that thick? 

It was torn from top to bottom. The earthquake did not have that effect. Not unless the Temple walls fell outward in opposite directions in such a way that they pulled on each side of the curtain in a more or less equal way.

I was taught this about the torn curtain: 

Either God or and angel tore the curtain. Probably an angel.

The curtain was originally made to separate the people from their Holy God. If they looked directly at Him they would have died.

Only the high priest was allowed behind the curtain and only once a year - carrying smoking incense to prevent a direct look at God's glory.

After Jesus died, the curtain was torn to show that now all people were allowed to approach God.

I believe these are valid points.

But I also wonder. There was an ancient Jewish custom of tearing one's clothes from the neck down when one heard bad news or was in mourning.

Might it not have been that God tore His "clothes", His covering, when His only Son died?

Maybe it's some of each.

May God bless us all.

Kathi