51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Three miracles occurred after the death of Christ:
-The temple curtain split in two.
-An earthquake
-Some Old Testament saints rose from the dead.
27:51
Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom;
The purpose of the curtain of the temple was to restrict access into the presence of God. This veil was the thick veil that hung between the Holies and the Holy of Holies. This veil was woven of 72 twisted pleats. Each pleat had 24 threads. The veil was 60 feet long and 30 wide. It took 300 priests to handle it.
High priest accessed the Holy of Holies once a year to make atonement for sins. The Greek word for “temple” here means the Holy of Holies. This system came to an end with the death of Christ. We have confidence to enter the presence of God by the blood of Christ (rather than by a sacrificial lamb). This ends the sacrificial system of the Old Testament economy. Christ finished the supreme sacrifice for sin.
He 10: 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh . . .
This establishes the priesthood of every believer.
and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
We have two miracles in this verse: (1) the splitting of the veil and (2) an earthquake at the precise time of the death of Christ. These events show significance in the death of Christ.
27:52
and the graves were opened; and many [not all] bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
A third miracle occurred at the death of Christ; some, not all, Old Testament saints rose from the dead. This was a special resurrection (they rose only to die again).
27:53
and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Resurrected saints went into the city of Jerusalem to be seen by many.
27:54
So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly,
Two reactions to the death of Christ occur in verses 54-56:
Soldiers saw supernatural occurrence.
Women from Galilee attended to the Savior.
A “centurion” commanded 100 men. Those who superintended the crucifixion of Christ saw God’s hand in catastrophic events. Fear struck their souls about the person they had crucified.
saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
There is no definite article “the” in the Greek, indicating that they did not recognize Jesus as God’s Son but simply as a demigod.
27:55
And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar,
Women following Jesus from Galilee attended to His needs.
27:56
among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Mary Magdalene was not the Mary of Bethany or the woman deemed to be a woman of ill repute. The second Mary in this verse to follow Jesus was the mother of Joses and James (one of the apostles). The third woman in this group was Zebedee’s wife. These were not all the women who attended Jesus.
PRINCIPLE:
We have complete access into the presence of God through the death of Christ.
APPLICATION:
The death of Christ is the turning point of God’s salvation plan. Symbolic significance of temple worship ceased at the death of Christ. We have new authority to access God’s presence through the blood of Christ. Not only does the blood of Jesus give us eternal life but also authority to come to God in prayer.
He 4: 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
You say in verse 52….(they rose only to die again). But we know that the book of hebrews says….Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
I had always thought Jesus went to the "good" side of Hades (Abrahams bosom) when he died and took all the righteous people who had died before him into heaven….Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Because……Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
So all the righteous who died before Christ was in Hades? Hence, Matthew 27:52? Then they went to heaven after Jesus's resurrection?
Kris, most of what you say is true (e.g., resurrection of OT saints) but this passage has to do with a special case of resuscitation after death. This is not ultimate resurrection. These people experienced something like Lazareth when he rose from death only to die again.
Why did the the earth shake and the rocks crack ?
Tara, I believe it was to get the attention of the non-believing world at that time.
How did you come to the conclusion that those who rose with Christ in verse 52 died again.
This seems to fit with 1 Cor. 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:23 | ESV
Jim, the Matthew passage was a particular situation not related to the resurrection of Old Testament or New Testament believers. Note this study: https://versebyversecommentary.com/1-corinthians/1-corinthians-1523-26/
Walvoord suggests this event was “a fulfillment of the Feast of the Firstfruits of harvest mentioned in Leviticus 23:10-14. On that occasion, as a token of the coming harvest, the people would bring a handful of grain to the priest. The resurrection of these saints, occurring after Jesus Himself was raised, is a token of the coming harvest when all the saints will be raised” (Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come, p. 236).
The Feast of Firstfruits
Lev 23:9 “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, 11 and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the Lord with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin. 14 And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Leviticus 23:-14 | ESV