Strange Scripture: Matthew 27:51-53

[Manji2012]

Matthew 27:51-53 NKJV

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.

For everyone who reads this post, what is your interpretation of this scripture? Do you believe this actually happened as it is described in the text above?

 

[mee]

Matthew 27:51-53 NKJV

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.

For everyone who reads this post, what is your interpretation of this scripture? Do you believe this actually happened as it is described in the text above?

Getting the correct meaning works wonders to our understanding , and Jehovahs witnesses have it


And, look! the curtain of the sanctuary was rent in two, from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rock-masses were split. 52 And the memorial tombs were opened and many bodies of the holy ones that had fallen asleep were raised up, 53 (and persons, coming out from among the memorial tombs after his being raised up, entered into the holy city,) and they became visible to many people. 54 But the army officer and those with him watching over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things happening, grew very much afraid, saying: "Certainly this was God’s Son."




ok then , what happens when an earthquake happens ,it splits the ground up and if you happen to be near a few graves it would make the dead bodies visible ,not a pretty sight i would think and any persons who happen to be around at the time and see it would go and tell others what happened, i know i would .


thats what the bible is refering about, when it speaks about that ,it does not mean that the dead bodies came to life.


when the verse says , and persons
(Or, "they," not referring to the "bodies.")
coming out from the memorial tombs after his being raised up went to the holy city)
it is talking about the people who saw the bodies being disruped from the graves,

not referring to the "bodies."


So it is not strange when the correct understanding is applied it makes perfect sense


The moment Jesus breathes his last, a violent earthquake occurs, splitting open the rock-masses. The quake is so powerful that the memorial tombs outside Jerusalem are broken open and corpses are thrown out of them. Passersby who see the dead bodies that have been exposed enter the city and report it.

 

[17th Angel]

Getting the correct meaning works wonders to our understanding , and Jehovahs witnesses have it

Zomg!! The zombie movies are true!!

"When hell is full, the dead shall walk the Earth!!"

 

[juantoo3]

Matthew 27:51-53 NKJV

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.

For everyone who reads this post, what is your interpretation of this scripture? Do you believe this actually happened as it is described in the text above?

I want to believe.

One can argue the merits of whether or not Jesus was Divine until the cows come home, and in the end it has little to no bearing on salvation.

But this, the resurrection. Without it, Christianity is a false hope. There is no life after.

Kinda puts the kaibosh on any religion that teaches any form of life after this, if this is not true. No resurrection, no reincarnation, no rebirth...why bother with any of it? Why not be an atheist?

 

[mee]

I want to believe.

One can argue the merits of whether or not Jesus was Divine until the cows come home, and in the end it has little to no bearing on salvation.

But this, the resurrection. Without it, Christianity is a false hope. There is no life after.

Kinda puts the kaibosh on any religion that teaches any form of life after this, if this is not true. No resurrection, no reincarnation, no rebirth...why bother with any of it? Why not be an atheist?

so do you think the verses in matthew 27 are meaning that those dead bodies were resurrected at that time ?

because the correct interpretation of those verses is not talking about people being resurrected at that time . but many have put the wrong interpretation to those verses , by saying that the dead bodies at that time were raised from the dead ,but that is not what the verses in matthew 27 are talking about. but as you mentioned , the bible does teach about the resurrection of the dead but that is not what is happening in those verses

 

[juantoo3]

"the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;"

Dunno guy, this doesn't seem metaphorical to me. It's written pretty plain. This "asleep" is *dead.* Just like putting a dog to sleep. So this is plainly speaking of a raising of the dead, although I do believe this was in a spirit body.

 

[Dream]

Matthew 27:51-53 NKJV

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.

For everyone who reads this post, what is your interpretation of this scripture? Do you believe this actually happened as it is described in the text above?

In Christian theology the veil of the temple represents the object of God's judgment within us -- that which blinds us from seeing Him and which also bars us from life. For Jesus, his obedient death destroyed this object within himself, so that he became perfected. The veil of the temple was torn to represent how important this event was. This is why the Christian is to consider his or herself to have been crucified with Christ.(Galations 2:20, 5:24)

(Hebrews 5:8-9 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Romans 8:3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, Hebrews 10:20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, )

The rocks splitting and the earthquake are important, too.

Jews are not to accept any prophet on the basis of miracles alone. They were commanded to anticipate both real and false prophets who performed miracles and to judge prophets by certain other criteria -- not just miraculous ones.(Deut 13:1, Deut 18:22), only Christian Jews considered this resurrection miracle to have been significant. Descendents of non-Christian Jews do not recognize them as valid. Additionally, the miracle of the resurrection is related to the point of Jesus' parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:31) -- that even a resurrection isn't enough to cause someone to believe if they won't accept the testimony of Moses and the Prophets.

 

[juantoo3]

You know, it occurred to me that this was a rending of two veils.

Let's chase this and see if it makes any sense...

The rending of the Temple veil opened the inner sanctum, the Holy of Holies, to the congregation. Symbolically this allowed the everyday joe Jew into communion with G-d. Now, this is not just anybody, this is the practising obedient subservient Jew who would have been present about that time in the sanctuary, give or take...(they were preparing for the Passover meal, so the timing is pretty critical) There is a great deal of symbolism in the rending of the Temple veil, the exposing of the old way, the opening of the new way, the birth of a new order so to speak, all of which are contained in the metaphor. That's one veil.

The second veil is the veil between the material and spirit worlds, the living and the dead. And that the two veils should simultaneously be rent. The people, or at least some, were allowed a brief glimpse into the next realm behind the veil. This is not the first occurance, even Ezekiel saw visions; but it is the first semi-large scale occurance, and a presage of spirit moving in a large manner such as the tongues of fire at Pentecost. It also opens possibilities pertaining to the open grave a few days later, and those who were found guarding it.

The more I consider on this the deeper it gets, but a lot is speculation on my part. Does any of it seem to make sense?

 

[mee]

"the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;"

Dunno guy, this doesn't seem metaphorical to me. It's written pretty plain. This "asleep" is *dead.* Just like putting a dog to sleep. So this is plainly speaking of a raising of the dead, although I do believe this was in a spirit body.

they were raised up from the ground that is what happens in an earthquake, its not refering to raising people from the dead at that time ,its talking about the earthquake.
those dead people who were asleep in death were disrupted from their graves, an earthquake can do things like that .



‘Tombs Opened’ at Jesus’ Death. The text at Matthew 27:52, 53


concerning "the memorial tombs [that] were opened" as the result of an earthquake occurring at the time of Jesus’ death has caused considerable discussion, some holding that a resurrection occurred.

However, a comparison with the texts concerning the resurrection makes clear that these verses do not describe a resurrection but merely a throwing of bodies out of their tombs, similar to incidents that have taken place in more recent times, as in Ecuador in 1949 and again in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1962, when 200 corpses in the cemetery were thrown out of their tombs by a violent earth tremor.—El Tiempo, Bogotá, Colombia, July 31, 1962.

 

[mee]

The apostle Paul explains that the curtain of the tabernacle, separating the Most Holy from the Holy compartment, pictures Jesus’ flesh.

When Jesus sacrificed his life, this curtain was rent in two, showing that Jesus’ flesh was no longer a barrier to his entry into Jehovah’s presence in heaven.

On the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice, his anointed underpriests who died faithful would, in due course, also pass into the heavens. (Matthew 27:50, 51; Hebrews 9:3; 10:19, 20)

 

[juantoo3]

they were raised up from the ground that is what happens in an earthquake, its not refering to raising people from the dead at that time ,its talking about the earthquake.
those dead people who were asleep in death were disrupted from their graves, an earthquake can do things like that .



‘Tombs Opened’ at Jesus’ Death. The text at Matthew 27:52, 53


concerning "the memorial tombs [that] were opened" as the result of an earthquake occurring at the time of Jesus’ death has caused considerable discussion, some holding that a resurrection occurred.

However, a comparison with the texts concerning the resurrection makes clear that these verses do not describe a resurrection but merely a throwing of bodies out of their tombs, similar to incidents that have taken place in more recent times, as in Ecuador in 1949 and again in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1962, when 200 corpses in the cemetery were thrown out of their tombs by a violent earth tremor.—El Tiempo, Bogotá, Colombia, July 31, 1962.

Did a quick little research, mee:

Matthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Matthew 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

A quick little search by no means exhaustive, it seems Matthew is the only Gospel to mention this opening of the graves. However:

St. Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
St. Mark 16:13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
St. Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Luke 24:37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
Luke 24:38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Luke 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
Luke 24:40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

St. John 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
St. John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

It would seem from these passages that all point to around the same time (Acts being up to 40 days after), that the writers were familiar with spirits, what we might call ghosts, and that is what they saw. Luke and John stress a Jesus in the flesh, while curiously in other places Jesus tells others such as Mary Magdelane not to touch him because he hasn't yet ascended.

Point being, the idea of corpses being cast out of their graves by an earthquake is a tall stretch by anyone's imagination. Appearing unto many...albeit an ambiguous term, but let us not forget the people were between the Temple and home preparing the Passover. A devout Jew wasn't gonna cut down the road to look at disinterred corpses, so how else would many "view" if these "saints which slept" didn't come around to see them?

Even if any of these passages could somehow be shown to be spurious, I think it is beyond the pale to suggest that is what was being alluded to. It just doesn't fit the context without forcing. But then, that is a common occurance, no? Various denominations and teachers forcing their own views into the text? Including JWs?

If the implication is that resurrection has not yet occurred, ever, then who is this Jesus who reappears to the disciples? A phantom?

Admittedly there is a strange mystical quandary...how can a Jesus who is not Divine resurrect?

 

[seattlegal]

so do you think the verses in matthew 27 are meaning that those dead bodies were resurrected at that time ?

Here are the Strong's numbers for the scripture. Notice how the raising of the dead is linguistically related to a resurgence from death?

Mat 27:51 And [2532], behold [2400], the veil [2665] of the temple [3485] was rent [4977] (5681) in [1519] twain [1417] from [575] the top [509] to [2193] the bottom [2736]; and [2532] the earth [1093] did quake [4579] (5681), and [2532] the rocks [4073] rent [4977] (5681);

Mat 27:52 And [2532] the graves [3419] were opened [455]; and [2532] many [4183] bodies [4983] of the saints [40] which [3588] slept [2837] (5772) arose [1453] (5681),

Mat 27:53 And [2532] came [1831] out of [1537] the graves [3419] after [3326] his [846] resurrection [1454], and went [1525] (5627) into [1519] the holy [40] city [4172], and [2532] appeared [1718] (5681) unto many [4183].


1453. egeiro eg-i'-ro probably akin to the base of 58 (through the idea of collecting one's faculties); to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence):--awake, lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-)rise (again, up), stand, take up.

1454. egersis eg'-er-sis from 1453; a resurgence (from death):--resurrection.

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because the correct interpretation of those verses is not talking about people being resurrected at that time . but many have put the wrong interpretation to those verses , by saying that the dead bodies at that time were raised from the dead ,but that is not what the verses in matthew 27 are talking about. but as you mentioned , the bible does teach about the resurrection of the dead but that is not what is happening in those verses

What evidence do you have to support this interpretation?

 

[juantoo3]

Thank you Seattlegal for properly citing your source!

 

[Manji2012]

"...entered into the holy city...."

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Uhhh, I think that is the part ya missed.
They were walking into the city.
​

 

[mee]

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Uhhh, I think that is the part ya missed.
They were walking into the city.​

they did a lot of walking in those days no cars

 

[mee]

What evidence do you have to support this interpretation?

JEHOVAHS WITNESSES view of the event harmonizes with Bible teachings.


In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the apostle Paul gives convincing proof of the resurrection, but he completely ignores Matthew 27:52, 53.

So do all other Bible writers. (Acts 2:32, 34)

The corpses raised up at Jesus’ death could not have come to life in the way Epiphanius thought, for on the third day thereafter, Jesus became "the firstborn from the dead." (Colossians 1:18)

Anointed Christians, also called "holy ones," were promised a share in the first resurrection during Christ’s presence, not in the first century.—1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:14-17.

 

[juantoo3]

They were walking into the city.

Dunno, the one Mee quoted says "entered," the reference Seattlegal and I used says "went." Not exactly specific about *how* they entered the city, but that they did. Could have been on chariots, on horseback, on camelback, in the back of a cart, on the shoulders of somebody else...it doesn't say. If they were spirits, they could have floated into the city...it doesn't say, so we have to be careful how much we infer and presume.

It is fairly reasonable to presume they walked into the city, but that is not a given.

 

[juantoo3]

JEHOVAHS WITNESSES view of the event harmonizes with Bible teachings.


In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the apostle Paul gives convincing proof of the resurrection, but he completely ignores Matthew 27:52, 53.

So do all other Bible writers. (Acts 2:32, 34)

The corpses raised up at Jesus’ death could not have come to life in the way Epiphanius thought, for on the third day thereafter, Jesus became "the firstborn from the dead." (Colossians 1:18)

Anointed Christians, also called "holy ones," were promised a share in the first resurrection during Christ’s presence, not in the first century.—1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:14-17.

Source please...

 

[seattlegal]

The corpses raised up at Jesus’ death could not have come to life in the way Epiphanius thought, for on the third day thereafter, Jesus became "the firstborn from the dead." (Colossians 1:18)

Then what about all the people Jesus raised from the dead before his death and resurrection? Jesus is "firstborn from the dead" because:
John 8:58
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

 

[seattlegal]

"...entered into the holy city...."

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Uhhh, I think that is the part ya missed.
They were walking into the city.
​

Dunno, the one Mee quoted says "entered," the reference Seattlegal and I used says "went." Not exactly specific about *how* they entered the city, but that they did. Could have been on chariots, on horseback, on camelback, in the back of a cart, on the shoulders of somebody else...it doesn't say. If they were spirits, they could have floated into the city...it doesn't say, so we have to be careful how much we infer and presume.

It is fairly reasonable to presume they walked into the city, but that is not a given.

Here are the Strong's numbers for the scripture. Notice how the raising of the dead is linguistically related to a resurgence from death?

Mat 27:51 And [2532], behold [2400], the veil [2665] of the temple [3485] was rent [4977] (5681) in [1519] twain [1417] from [575] the top [509] to [2193] the bottom [2736]; and [2532] the earth [1093] did quake [4579] (5681), and [2532] the rocks [4073] rent [4977] (5681);

Mat 27:52 And [2532] the graves [3419] were opened [455]; and [2532] many [4183] bodies [4983] of the saints [40] which [3588] slept [2837] (5772) arose [1453] (5681),

Mat 27:53 And [2532] came [1831] out of [1537] the graves [3419] after [3326] his [846] resurrection [1454], and went [1525] (5627) into [1519] the holy [40] city [4172], and [2532] appeared [1718] (5681) unto many [4183].



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From above source:
1525. eiserchomai ice-er'-khom-ahee from 1519 and 2064; to enter (literally or figuratively):--X arise, come (in, into), enter in(-to), go in (through).
It means entered. It says their bodies were raised up or awakened, but does this mean that their spirits haunted the holy city, where the veil in the temple was rent in two?