The Unveiled Christ

© Copyright 2013 PJ Stassen

All Rights Reserved

   All Heaven is interested in the Cross of Christ, all Hell terribly afraid of it, while men are the only beings who more or less ignore its meaning.

                   -          Oswald Chambers.

   The first time I heard this song was during the middle or late seventies in an old-fashioned tent campaign in Vanderbijlpark, a well-known iron & steel manufacturing centre in South Africa, where our family-business at the time was also situated.  The evangelist, Annatjie C., a petite lady in middle-age with a melodious soprano, did most of the singin’ and preachin’ (!) herself and clearly was a person of considerable spiritual devotion and ability.  She had a soft, humble and winsome preaching style and her rendering of The Unveiled Christ was simply superb, so much so that I still cherish that evening as one of my most memorable in the Church (meaning the global ‘Ecclesia’, not necessarily the local denomination).  The Bible says:

Matthew 27:50  And crying again with a loud voice, Jesus released His spirit.

Matthew 27:51  And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared,

Matthew 27:52  and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose,

Matthew 27:53  and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Matthew 27:54  But the centurion and those guarding Jesus, seeing the earthquake, and the things that took place, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this One was Son of God. (MKJV, eSword).

    What a magnificent thought … the unveiling of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Saviour of the world when the veil in the temple, according to Flavius Josephus, possibly as much as 18 metres (60 feet) high and 100 mm (4 inches) thick, symbolising the separation between man and God, as well as between Jew and Gentile, was rent asunder (torn from top to bottom) during His crufixion at Calvary.  The old temple was destroyed (exactly as Jesus had promised) and the true temple (Jesus Himself) revealed.   Clarke’s Commentary (eSword): 

   “The veil of the temple was rent - That is, the veil which separated the holy place, where the priests ministered, from the holy of holies, into which the high priest only entered, and that once a year, to make a general expiation for the sins of the people. This rending of the veil was emblematical, and pointed out that the separation between Jews and Gentiles was now abolished, and that the privilege of the high priest was now communicated to all mankind: All might henceforth have access to the throne of grace, through the one great atonement and mediator, the Lord Jesus.”  

The Bible says:

Hebrews 10:19  Therefore, brothers, having boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus,

Hebrews 10:20  by a new and living way which He has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh;

Hebrews 10:21  and having a High Priest over the house of God,

Hebrews 10:22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies having been washed with pure water.  (Hebrews 10:19-22 MKJV, eSword).

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The Unveiled Christ

(© Copyright 1943 by Noah B. Herrell, b.1916)

Once our blessed Christ of beauty

Was veiled off from human view;

But thro’ suff’ring death and sorrow

He has rent the veil in two.

Yes, He is with God, the Father,

Interceding there for you;

For He is the mighty conq’ror,

Since He rent the veil in two.

Holy angels bow before Him,

Men of earth give praises due;

For He is the well beloved,

Since He rent the veil in two.

Throughout time and endless ages,

Heights and depths of love so true;

He alone can be the giver,

Since He rent the veil in two.

CHORUS: O behold the man of sorrows,

O behold Him in plain view

Lo! He is the mighty conq’ror,

Since He rent the veil in two,

  Lo! He is the mighty conq’ror,

Since He rent the veil in two.

Piet Stassen

eLiterature/eLiteratuur:

1. Scribd Publishing Site:  www.scribd.com/PietStassen (ENGLISH & AFRIKAANS)
2. eBook: 'Evolution: The Science That Evolved Into A Fairy Tale' (ENGLISH)  
3. eBook:  'Bertrand Russell Revisited: Rebuttal Of Bertrand Russell's 'Why I Am Not A Christian''(ENGLISH)
4. eBook: 'Meditations & Contemplations: A Reader For Both Atheists And Creationists' (ENGLISH)
5. eBook: 'Conservation, Rhino Poaching And Hypocrisy' (ENGLISH)
6. eBook: 'Why Darwinism ('Evolution') Does Not Make Sense' (ENGLISH)
7. eBook: 'Names And Titles Of Jesus Of Nazareth (ENGLISH)'
8. eBoek:  'Darwin Of Christus: Suid-Afrikaners By 'n Kruispad!' [AFRIKAANS].
9. eBoek:  'Bevryding Van Die Anti-Evangelie Van Ateisme-Evolusionisme' [AFRIKAANS].
10. eBoek:  'Name & Titels Van Jesus Christus' [AFRIKAANS].
11. eTracts, Christian (Free, Downloadable):  Free, downloadable Christian eTracts for free distribution (ENGLISH)
12. eTraktate, Christelik (Gratis, Aflaaibaar): Gratis, aflaaibabre Christelike Traktate vir gratis verspreiding (AFRIKAANS)

Bibliography

1.  Clarke’s Commentary  ‘Matthew 27:51’. Accessed At www.e-sword.net [online] 2013

2.  Hymntime Noah B. Herrell Accessed At <http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/u/n/v/unveiled.htm> [online] 2013

3.  Josephus, Flavius transl. Whiston, William, A.M. (1960) Josephus Complete Works. Kregel Publications. Grand Rapids, Michigan.   
4.  McCasland, David (2008) The Quotable Oswald Chambers. Oswald Chambers Publications Association Ltd. Discovery House Publishers. Grand Rapids, Michigan.
5.  Smith, Alfred B. ((1946). Favorites No. 2.  'The Unveiled Christ'.  Singspiration Inc. Grand Rapids, Michigan.