| I'll do the best I can to relay how it was explained by the "Teaching" Pastors I've had the privilege to listen to:
The Old Testament describes the early relationship between God and man - man's creation, his fall from grace (Adam & Eve) and the subsequent struggles man experienced as a result. Throughout the Old Testament man tries to atone for their sins through sacrifices in the temples built to God. Per custom, the common man was not allowed to perform the sacrifices (of a lamb) much less even enter into the temples, so intermediaries were chosen (priests, etc) to perform the services. There was one area of the temple in which the Arc of the Covenant was kept behind a curtain and only the holiest/highest priests could enter.
The New Testament describes man’s new relationship with God. As a result of Jesus (called the Lamb of God) dying /atoning for the sins of man, temple sacrifices were no longer required. The tearing of the temple curtain at the moment of Christ’s death signified that man no longer needed an intermediary in order to have a relationship with God the Father.
This is a really simplistit version. I found the whole explanation of the Old & New Testaments absolutely fascinating. |