Graves opened up

[SharonL]

Matthew 27:51-54

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!”

????
This is the only reference there seems to be about this - it is strange that such a thing happened and we do not see any other reference - what happened to them - the Bible says it is appointed to man once to die - they could not have died again?

 

[JSGuitarist]

I think they would likely die a second time, and it probably wouldn't bother them, because for the believer, death has no sting. Matter of fact, if they were believers they would probably welcome it the second time.

Hebrew 9:27-28
(27)Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, (28)so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

The point of the passage really isn't whether a man dies once or twice, but how that one time death that brings us before the judgment seat is a shadow of Christ dying once to take away our sins. It concerns to context, it might be best to look at the clause as just being an analogy of something else. I don't think it's an absolute statement for another reason, and that is I'm sure the author was aware of many other resurrections--the widow's son, the many Jesus resurrected, Eutychus, even the calling from the grave you mentioned, so I would guess that he means this in the sense that death in the physical body is the very much general rule. In the reader's mind, death is a certainty, so it makes the certainty of Christ's atonement even more real. "In the same way you're absolutely going to die, Christ absolutely died to take away the sins of many people, and he will absolutely appear a second time to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

 

[lismore]

????
This is the only reference there seems to be about this - it is strange that such a thing happened and we do not see any other reference - what happened to them - the Bible says it is appointed to man once to die - they could not have died again?

It does not say much about them apart from that they went into the Holy City and appeared to many. There also seemed to be quite a number of them. Its making the point that the death and resurrection of Jesus was a unique and spectacularly supernatural event.

Elsewhere in the bible though, there are people who never even died once. Enoch, Elijah for example.

That passage in Hebrews is more general I think. because even Paul said 'we will not all sleep {die} but we will be changed'.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Matthew 27:51-54

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!”

????
This is the only reference there seems to be about this - it is strange that such a thing happened and we do not see any other reference - what happened to them - the Bible says it is appointed to man once to die - they could not have died again?

Is Lazarus still alive?

 

[SharonL]

Is Lazarus still alive?

Balance you have a way of putting things in prespective. Never even thought of that.

Nor the others mentioned above - talk about tunnel vision - I was only thinking of all those people walking around that had already died.

 

[lismore]

Is Lazarus still alive?

The bible doesnt mention that he died again, it only says that the leaders and pharisees wanted to murder Lazarus.

 

[Always in His Presence]

The bible doesnt mention that he died again, it only says that the leaders and pharisees wanted to murder Lazarus.

Does your comment mean you think he is still alive?

 

[Codger]

Matthew 27:51-54

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!”

????
This is the only reference there seems to be about this - it is strange that such a thing happened and we do not see any other reference - what happened to them - the Bible says it is appointed to man once to die - they could not have died again?

Here is a little interesting background history. The veil that was torn was the outer curtain of the Heichel chamber which housed both the Holy Place and The Holy of Holies - not the veil between the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. The veil to the Holy of Holies was two overlapping curtains one attached on one edge to the north wall and the inner veil or curtain was attached to the south wall. There was a space between where the priest would walk on his way to the Holy of Holies. The curtains were both tied back on their unattached side. The veil or curtain which was torn was the 80+ feet high curtain which was about 24 feet wide.

The earthquake caused a failure of the massive stone lintel which supported the curtain. The curtain was very heavy and required 200 priests to hang it in place. When the supporting lintel failed the curtain was torn in two from the top down. Also the Chamber of Hewn Stones where the Sanhedrin met was also destroyed and they had to move to another location. No one was killed as far as we know. But just a few hours previous Jesus the Creator of the universe was condemned to death in this very chamber.

Hebrews 12:1 (NASB)
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

We always have about us a great cloud of witnesses - that is - people who have died and are now observing what is going on down here from Heaven. They are no longer allowed to interact with mankind. I suspect that some of them were allow to appear in Jerusalem when the Lord was resurrected. There is a lot of conflicting theology in this passage - especially to once again having bodies - which puzzles me. Maybe some with Greek training could help us out here.

Larry

 

[Elijah2]

Is Lazarus still alive?

Elijah is, and he is roaming amongst us right now!

 

[Allen1901]

Is Lazarus still alive?

It is my understanding that the remains of Lazarus were taken from Constantinople to the south of France after the fourth crusade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus#Tombs_of_Lazarus

God Bless!

 

[Supplanter]

Does your comment mean you think he is still alive?

Actually, I bought Lazarus a pint at the pub last night.

 

[soap]

I read something in a book several years ago that talked about the man in Mark 14:51-52:

And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.



The author said that the word linen cloth was the word used for grave clothes in the Greek translation. The idea in the book was when everyone fell back, it was because the power of the Lord knocked everyone down, and resurrected the young man:



John 18:

5They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
6As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.


The only problem I see with this is that the word is used SOMETIMES for burial clothes, but not all the time. It seems like a stretch to me, but I thought it was an interesting idea.