Resurrection of the saints after Jesus death in Mt 27

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narrowpath Sep 10, 2010

Mat 27: 51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Reading this passage it sounds as if the saints were resurrected right after Jesus death on the cross and stayed in the open graves for 3 days but did not come out until after Jesus was resurrected. This seems a bit strange to me but there must be a plausible explanation.

Has anyone studied this passage and can explain what exactly happened or can point towards good study material that explains this phenomenon?

sermonindex Sep 11, 2010

One of the things that I have noticed is that it doesn't mean that they resurrected while Jesus was on the cross, it's my understanding that they were resurrected sometime after because the scriptures need to be fulfilled in regards to the (do I dare say it), the last days, ugh! Daniel was promised by the Angel that he would rise again at the end of the days in Chapter 12 of his book. There was a last day when the resurrection took place but it was much much later after Christ death and His ascension. It's my estimation that it could very well have taken place 40 years after, when the 70 weeks of Daniel would have been completed. The reason why I've pulled 40 years is because this was a Jewish covenant and since it was 40 years that God "put up" with the unbelieving Jews in the wilderness, it's here that He gave them 40 years to decide to accept His Christ as their Lord and Saviour or the doom of their holy city and the temple would be destroyed. It is my firm conviction that it's around this time of the destruction that the resurrection took place.

The answers to the question you've presented are found in the Old Testament.

Happy searching!

L

Lysa Sep 11, 2010

It was explained to me and others that these were resurrected when Christ was resurrected. He preached into hell and through the Scriptures confirmed that He was the Messiah, the first fruit; and those who believed rose from the graves also. I also believe that when Christ ascended, they too, ascended - that is just a personal belief since Scripture does NOT say one way or another.

We will never know till we reach that other shore!!

Lisa

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Goldminer Sep 11, 2010

This just goes to show how much we can skim over in the word. I have read the bible through almost every year for 34 years and never picked up on it was after the resurrection. Wow, food for thought.

D

davidc Sep 12, 2010

This bodily resurrection of the saints is truly an amazing event;no wonder it draws so many differing interpretations We could ask what became of these saints, but the bible does not say, and God does not make revelations to satisfy curiosity. I don't think (but could easily be wrong) that the passage is saying that they arose on Christ's death and stayed in their graves until after His resurrection, but rather that historically, after His resurrection, they arose and appeared in Jerusalem. Also it is a question of the bodies of saints — a precious anticipation of the first resurrection Rev 20 v5, when death will be swallowed up in victory.
Christ had on the cross opened the way to God for faith, rending the veil. He had taken away the sting of death and made it, for faith again, a very weak power. He also there disposessed the devil of his power over death and now has the keys of hell and death. No wonder the saints couldn't wait to rise.

We could ask "which saints were they?' Again not a lot to go on, except that they appeared unto many in Jerusalem, where they had been buried (or is this presumtious?).This would exclude Daniel and Ezekiel, who died in captivity in Babylon; Jeremiah was thought to have died in Egypt. Moses was buried by God outside the land of promise, and Elijah and Enoch were 'translated so that they did not see death". But Jerusalem was notorious for stoning the prophets. The Fathers were buried in the cave of the field of Machpelah at Mamre.
Perhaps King David was there who said: "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness" Psalm 17.
Jerusalem was and will be again a holy city and the Lord delights in her, so it is not surprising to see the first fruits of resurrection coming from her.

M

mguldner Sep 12, 2010

Glad I am not the only one confused about this :) I read this and thought Wow the life giving power of Christ is so awesome that He can raise the dead that had been long dead. I don't know how accurate that thought was according to scripture but I took what I read literally as soon as the veal was ripped a large group of saints were raised from the dead.

sermonindex Sep 12, 2010

Again not a lot to go on, except that they appeared unto many in Jerusalem, where they had been buried

A lot of shooting in the dark on this one I might add.

If my Great Great Grand Father whom I have never known appeared at my front door and told me that he rose from the dead and we were related, I'd wonder two things. He is either a coo coo, or he is looking for my lottery winnings.

I mean come on. First of all, Kodak wasn't invented yet and how did any of these so called people in Jerusalem know that these were dead saints having risen?

Peter was the only one who was able to blurt out that Jesus was the son of God and everyone in Jerusalem was dead to anything spiritual, and God reveals Himself to an ignorant fisherman, and then Jesus says not to tell anyone. The condition of the people is pretty bleak. What I am saying is this, if they didn't recognize Jesus, how were they to recognize the saints that arose?

sermonindex Oct 6, 2010

DavidC

Jerusalem was and will be again a holy city and the Lord delights in her, so it is not surprising to see the first fruits of resurrection coming from her.

You mean the physical Jerusalem, right now over in Israel?

D

davidc Oct 6, 2010

Pilgrim asks
"You mean the physical Jerusalem, right now over in Israel? "

Jerusalem, physical, right over in Israel, has been since the time when Abraham offered up Isaac at mount Moriah, the place which the Lord delights in. King David recognised this when he brought the ark and tabernacle to that place, and Solomon built the temple there.
It is prophesied throughout the old testament that at Christ's second coming, this is where He would return, on the Mount of Olives, where He ascended from, and set up His kingdom there for 1000 years.

I know that there are some who believe that this is all picture language and symbolism, but I believe the bible is true.

Sorry not to provide chapter and verses at this time as there are so many, and I'm not sure where you are coming from. But I can oblige if you wish.
Love in Him
David

sermonindex Oct 7, 2010

I know that there are some who believe that this is all picture language and symbolism, but I believe the bible is true.

Good for you David, I am glad that you believe the bible is true. You have just joined a huge community of believers that believe the same thing.

The whole of the Old Testament is one big picture, symbols and typologies, even the Gospels are included in that because the New Testament doesn't start with Matthew, Mark Luke and John, it starts when Jesus said, "It is finished" when He gave up the ghost on the cross.

Everything before Acts of the Apostles along with the Old Testament are all types and shadows, even our Lord was a shadow of good things to come. I know that's hard to grasp, but it's true. The flesh of which Christ robed Himself in was a foreshadow, it wasn't His true self. His true self is Spirit, and on the day of Pentecost He was glorified in His saints when He rained down Himself to all those that obey Him in what the bible calls, the Holy Spirit.

sermonindex Oct 7, 2010

Perhaps King David was there who said: "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness" Psalm 17.

Now THIS is quite interesting. I've had this verse as one of the ones on the back burner of my mind for a while, and never thought of it this way. Something to think about for sure. Thanks for posting that.