Only the Priest may enter the Holy of Holies, and under specific conditions and times. Priests never knew if they were entering into the temple right with God, so they tied bells to their robes and, as legend has it, ropes to their legs to be pulled out if struck dead.
Priesthood and the Holy of Holies
Other Priestly Garments
31 “Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, 32 with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar[a] around this opening, so that it will not tear. 33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. 34 The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. 35 Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die.
Exodus 28:31-35
11 “Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. 12 He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain. 13 He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die. 14 He is to take some of the bull’s blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.
Leviticus 16:11-14
The high priest could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement, carrying the blood of a sacrifice for his sins and the sins of the people.
The bells on his robe served as a sign of life—if the bells stopped ringing, it was assumed he had died in the presence of God due to sin.
The veil was a massive, thick curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies in the temple. The Holy of Holies was the innermost and most sacred part of the temple where God’s presence dwelled. The veil, described in Exodus 26:31-33, was made of fine linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into it. These cherubim reminded the Israelites of the cherubim guarding the way to the Tree of Life after Adam and Eve’s sin (Genesis 3:24). It signified that sinful humanity was excluded from God’s holy presence.
The separation between God and man underscored the holiness of God and the unworthiness of sinful humans to approach Him without atonement.
The rope tied tied to his leg is a tradition and not found in the Bible. This is a mystical Jewish tradition that the high priest of Israel would enter the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle or temple with a rope tied to his foot. The purpose of the rope, according to the tradition, was to retrieve the high priest’s body in case he died in the course of his duties within the Holy of Holies.
Most likely, there was no rope tied to the high priest’s leg. The idea is pure fiction. The Bible does not allude to ropes for any purpose on the high priest. In fact, the Bible has specific instructions regarding what the high priest can and cannot wear (Exodus 28—35). Also, the practice of the high priest wearing a rope around his foot is never mentioned in the Mishnah or the Talmud. No text in the Dead Sea Scrolls mentions a rope, and neither does the Apocrypha or pseudepigrapha. In the end, the idea that the high priest entered the Most Holy Place with a rope tied around his foot is a fanciful notion.
Jesus as Our High Priest
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split
Matthew 27:51
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16
23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely[a] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
Hebrews 7:23-27
The Blood of Christ
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Hebrews 9:11-14
When Jesus died on the cross, Matthew 27:51 records that the curtain of the temple was torn completely. The tearing was not a human act—it was torn from top to bottom, signifying that God Himself removed the barrier from above.
Jesus fulfils the priesthood. Jesus is the perfect High Priest who did not need to atone for His own sins as he did not sin. Through His sacrifice, He entered the true Holy of Holies (heaven itself) to make atonement once for all on our behalf. No more sacrifices are required, and the way to God is permanently opened.
Jesus tore the veil, removing the separation between God and man. Because of this, we have confidence to approach God’s throne of grace without fear.
Law vs. Grace
24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
Galatians 3:24-25
Life Through the Spirit
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[ free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:1-4
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21
The Old Testament law emphasized humanity’s inability to meet God’s standard. The veil and bells symbolize the inability for man to directly approach God and the fear and uncertainty in your own righteousness with God.
Through Jesus, we are made righteous by faith (2 Corinthians 5:21). This allows us to approach God without fear of judgment.
The Rope Untied: Boldness in Christ
A Call to Persevere in Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:19-22
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Ephesians 2:13-18
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Romans 8:15-16
We no longer need the veil, ropes or bells. Our “robe of righteousness” is provided by Christ (Isaiah 61:10). Instead of fear, we have intimacy with God as His children (Romans 8:15-16).
These passages should emphasize the joy and peace of living as redeemed believers. We are invited to live in the presence of God daily, without fear of condemnation.
Approach God Daily. Reflect on the privilege of prayer and worship. No more barriers exist because Jesus removed them. We do not need a priest to interpret or atone for us – we have Jesus and a direct relationship with God.
Teach Others the Joy of Grace. Share this truth with others who may feel burdened by guilt or unworthiness.
Live in Holiness. Though the fear of death has been removed, we are still called to live holy lives in reverence for God (1 Peter 1:15-16).
SYMBOLISM OF THE BELLS AND ROPES
THE BELLS
The bells on the high priest’s robe made noise as he moved, symbolizing that he was still alive in the Holy of Holies.
They represented vigilance, awareness, and the constant acknowledgment of God’s holiness.
The sound of the bells indicated that the priest was performing his duties properly and that his life was spared.
The sound was a literal “sign of life” in the presence of a holy God. We no longer need external signs of being “alive” before God; instead, we are alive spiritually through faith in Christ.
The bells remind us of humanity’s need to remain “alive” in our relationship with God.
Without God’s provision for atonement, sin leads to death (Romans 6:23).
They symbolize the tension and reverence required in approaching God under the Old Covenant—a reminder that God’s holiness was not to be taken lightly.
The constant sound of the bells is replaced by the quiet assurance of the Holy Spirit living within us (Romans 8:15-16).
THE VEIL
The veil in the Temple symbolizes the Separation of sinful humanity from the holy presence of God.
The Cherubim Design on the veil is a reminder of humanity’s exclusion from Eden and God’s holiness.
The tearing of the Veil signed the removal of separation, direct access to God through Jesus’ sacrifice.
The Top to Bottom Tear showed God’s initiative to reconcile humanity to Himself.
Jesus as the Veil shows us His broken body opened the way to the presence of God.
You have direct access to God.
THE ROPES
While the ropes are only legendary and not biblical, they still represent how we were once bound to the law.
The Ropes represent humanity’s Separation and Fear. It acknowledged the possibility that the priest, in his human frailty, might die if he approached God improperly.
The rope also reflected the communal recognition that no one else was worthy to enter the Holy of Holies. The people outside had to pull the priest out if something went wrong, emphasizing the corporate unworthiness of humanity.
The rope represents the distance between God and man caused by sin. It’s a tangible reminder that approaching God was dangerous without proper atonement.
It underscores humanity’s helplessness—without God’s provision, we would be unable to survive His holy presence.
The rope is untied in Christ because He removed the separation between God and humanity. When Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn (Matthew 27:51), signifying that we now have direct access to God through Him.
Fear is replaced with boldness (Hebrews 4:16). No longer do we fear death in God’s presence because Jesus, our eternal High Priest, has made us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Are you still tied to the “rope” of works or self-righteousness?
What are the “ropes” we still tie around our ankles today (e.g., legalism, fear, guilt), and how can we untie them through Christ?
Temporary Nature of Old Testament Practices
The veil, bells (and ropes) were temporary measures pointing forward to a better, permanent solution in Jesus. They highlighted the insufficiency of animal sacrifices and human priests to fully deal with sin (Hebrews 10:1-4). Jesus fulfills the purpose of the priesthood. He entered the true Holy of Holies (heaven) once for all with His own blood, securing eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11-14). We no longer have to worry if we are right with God. Jesus made us right. We can untie the bells from our robes and enter into the direct relationship with God knowing we have been made right.
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