The First People to Rise from the Dead! Matthew 27:51-56

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” 55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

The moment Jesus gives up his spirit and dies, it sets off a whole string of events.  First, the temple curtain, which separated the holy of holies from the rest of the temple was torn in two.  Only the high priest could go into the holy of holies one time per year after all of the requirements of the Law had been met.  It was a vivid demonstration of the chasm between man and God, and between the holy and unholy.  The fact that the curtain was torn from top to bottom shows it was not just a small hole, but a large, gaping opening.  This is symbolic of the fact that salvation was made available to all people. Jesus said he was the door, and he opened it for all to go through to be with God! 

There was also a giantic earthquake that split the rocks in half.  This shows how all of Creation reacted to the Son of God surrendering his life.  After all, Jesus was with God before the world was created, co  creating with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Though the men present did not respond to the dying cries of Jesus on the cross the whole earth cried out. (Guzik)  

Matthew writes that the bodies of holy people were then raised from the dead at the moment of Jesus' death.  This verse is unique to Matthew and not any other gospel.  Most say these holy people were those who came to believe in Jesus during his ministry and had died before Jesus died. Some think it refers to Old Testament saints, but there seems to be more logical evidence they were those who had come to faith. The fact that the rocks split and the graves opened would be more physically attributable to those just buried.  Also the term saints was almost always applied to the first community of disciples.  

An important part of Matthew's account is showing there were many  witnesses who saw what happened to Jesus.  The witness included: those raised from dead and went to give witness, the women who followed Jesus, and the centurion and other guards who when they saw what happened said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" It is significant that Matthew mentions the women and also after the resurrection in other versions say the women were the first to the tomb.  

How do the details of this story give evidence for the resurrection and that Jesus was the Son of God?  What other motivation would the centurion and his guards have had for saying what they did?  If you have experienced an earthquake, or another natural disaster how does it remind you of God's power?  How did Jesus' death bring you into the holy of holies and into an intimate relationship with God despite your sin?  


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