Matthew 27:52-53 - ??

[Morghaine]

I read my Bible daily, and have taken a Bible studies at my church - but I don't ever recall reading verses 27:52-53 in Matthew - or if I did, for some reason it didn't sink in.

For two small verses, I sure have a lot of questions, and wish I had more information! When it says "saints", does that mean these people were followers of Christ, or just holy ones? When they "went into the holy city and appeared to many", were they known? What happened to them after they went to the city?

I thought I would check to see if anyone else had any insight, or had studied these verses.

Thanks, and God bless!

 

[GregorytheGood]

WOW
What a strange verse!
I also do not remember studying this verse.
How "night of the living dead"
Gregory

 

[Morghaine]

I know - I don't know how I missed these verses!

It also almost sounds like a mini-rapture...in a way?

 

[Under_His_Shadow]

I read my Bible daily, and have taken a Bible studies at my church - but I don't ever recall reading verses 27:52-53 in Matthew - or if I did, for some reason it didn't sink in.

For two small verses, I sure have a lot of questions, and wish I had more information! When it says "saints", does that mean these people were followers of Christ, or just holy ones? When they "went into the holy city and appeared to many", were they known? What happened to them after they went to the city?

I thought I would check to see if anyone else had any insight, or had studied these verses.

Thanks, and God bless!

A careful study of the contexts of the passages in the New Testament where the word "saint/saints" is used, will clearly show that it refers to believers in Christ, who have believed the truth about Him and received Him as their Savior.

It seems likely that at least those who had only been deceased for a period of months or a few years would still be recognized by any people who had been living in Jerusalem and interacting with them before they died.

Just as people who were healed of diseases or even raised from the dead by Christ eventually died again physically. I'm sure the resurrected believers mentioned in this passage died (physically) again too.

 

[BalaamsAss51]

Hello Morgaine1205.

Matthew 27:52-52. OK. First let's put it in context. The section we need to look at is 51-54. This section follows immediately after Jesus dies on the cross, yielding up His spirt. Now Matthew records certain things that happened in reaction to Jesus's death.

The torn curtain of the temple, the shaken earth, the opened tombs, and the exclamation of the centurion mark the significance of what happened on the cross.

The rending of the curtain which divided the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place signifies that God will no longer be restricted to that one plae for worship and that Christians have immediate access to God the Father without needing to go through the OT priesthood (which is now obsolete).

The shaking of the earth is a frequent feature in many OT theophanies (appearances of God). Here God is manifesting Himself.

The saints proceeding from their tombs and appearing in the holy city indicate that Christ's death is the victory over death, and that He is the firstborn from the dead. I would think that "saints" in this verse referres to believers who had died.

The exclaimation of the centurion and those who were with him, who where all Gentiles, indicates that in His dying the Christ has fulfilled His ministry to the Jew and now goes to all nations to assert His Lordship over all.

Hope this helps.

Going back to the raised saints, this is not a "mini-rapture". Mainly because there is no such thing as a rapture. That teaching is a false teaching which comes from men and is not taught in the Bible.

Pax

Pax

 

[ritawal]

Hello Morgaine1205.

Matthew 27:52-52. OK. First let's put it in context. The section we need to look at is 51-54. This section follows immediately after Jesus dies on the cross, yielding up His spirt. Now Matthew records certain things that happened in reaction to Jesus's death.

The torn curtain of the temple, the shaken earth, the opened tombs, and the exclamation of the centurion mark the significance of what happened on the cross.

The rending of the curtain which divided the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place signifies that God will no longer be restricted to that one plae for worship and that Christians have immediate access to God the Father without needing to go through the OT priesthood (which is now obsolete).

The shaking of the earth is a frequent feature in many OT theophanies (appearances of God). Here God is manifesting Himself.

The saints proceeding from their tombs and appearing in the holy city indicate that Christ's death is the victory over death, and that He is the firstborn from the dead. I would think that "saints" in this verse referres to believers who had died.

The exclaimation of the centurion and those who were with him, who where all Gentiles, indicates that in His dying the Christ has fulfilled His ministry to the Jew and now goes to all nations to assert His Lordship over all.

Hope this helps.

Going back to the raised saints, this is not a "mini-rapture". Mainly because there is no such thing as a rapture. That teaching is a false teaching which comes from men and is not taught in the Bible.

Pax

Pax

VERY GOOD ASSESSMENT!!! THIS IS THE SAME WAY I SEE IT.

 

[Morghaine]

Thank you for all your responses - that was one of my main questions - by saints, did they mean followers of Christ that had died before Christ was crucified.

I have to admit, I'm confused at times on the rapture, it seems like there a few verses that seem to describe a rapture, but I know it's something that not everyone believes.

Thanks again for all the responses, and God bless!