Regarding Matthew 27, was this rising of the saints foretold in scriptures? Also since in Matthew 27:50 Jesus yielded up the ghost and then v53 says after his resurrection, was Christ's resurrection immediate?
Matthew 27:50-54
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, 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; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Was this rising of the saints foretold in scriptures?
Yes there are many verses in the Old Testament where it was both prophesied about and was a foreshadowing of what will take place in the kingdom when He returns in the future! Here is one that makes it crystal clear.
Isaiah 26:19
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
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Was Christ's resurrection immediate?
My answer: If you mean immediate, like the exact moment after He gave up the ghost and died, then NO! If you mean immediate like on the third day, then yes.
The scriptures make it crystal clear that our Lord Jesus died, was buried and on the third day He rose again!
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
And even right there in the chapter...
Matthew at 27:64
Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
So it is clear from scripture that our Lord did not rise from the dead until the third day!
So what is that verse all about then?
Matthew 27:50-53
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, 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; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Well Matthew, who is writing this account by the Holy Ghost years after the actual event is looking back and simply giving the readers commentary on what took place back in those days. He is giving proof that Jesus rose from the dead and now has power over death and the grave, by showing that others saints back in that day who had died rose from the dead as well and appeared to their loved ones at the same time. This was proof that Jesus was who He said He was, the Christ, the Son of God as the Jews require a sign to believe! Plus it was in fulfillment of that verse in Isaiah 26 that the kingdom of Heaven was at hand!
Isaiah 26:19
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Anyway, because Matthew focuses on Jesus being Christ the King, Son of David, and proof of it was his resurrection and that of those who believe on him, then God has Matthew comment on this event even though it did not happen in the chronological order of the events that Matthew records. No marvel though, the bible often records significant events out of "chronological" order in order to make a statement and to focus on one particular aspect of the story. And here, the focus is on the fulfillment of the kingdom promise that death will not have a hold on the believing Jews in that day!
Evidently, during that earthquake that took place the moment that he died, the earth rent and the graves were opened then! But it is clear that although the graves were opened on the day he died, the people did not come out until he resurrected.
I think that this is symbolic of the fact that through his crosswork, Christ freed the nation of Israel from their bondage of sin/death/hell the moment that he shed his blood. But the delay of the third day is symbolic of the fact that it won't be until after 2,000 years that they actually arise and walk into the kingdom!
Hosea 6:1-2
Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Furthermore, most likely, when the Lord went to Paradise, he arranged to have the souls of these particular saints return to their bodies to prove his power over hell and death to all the other Jews in Jerusalem.
Hopefully this
helps!
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