Posted on 10/14/2017 10:32:31 AM PDT by Salvation
Q: Matthew’s Gospel says that, right after Jesus died, “the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many” (27:52-53). What else do we know about these appearances of the dead who had been raised after the Resurrection? Who would’ve been among them?
Bob, Oakland, California
A: This is a very mysterious text that does not lend itself to simple or satisfying explanations. Matthew seems to have two purposes in mind: He reports what actually happened, but he does this with the goal of showing how Scripture is fulfilled. And this second purpose may explain why he supplies so little information, since his primary purpose is to highlight the fulfillment of prophecy, not report the details.
The rending of the veil in the Temple and the earthquake reported in the same passage are not merely events, they are signs of God’s judgment on this world. In the same way that the dead rise and are seen walking about is in fulfillment of passages such as Ezekiel 37:1-14, which includes: “I will make you come up out of your graves, my people, and bring you back to the land of Israel. You shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and make you come up out of them” (vv. 12-13).
We are left to wonder why the other Gospels do not mention this. But we must recall that each of the Evangelists selected their material carefully and according to set purposes. Brevity of written texts in those times was more important than verbiage, given the costly nature of writing, long before the printing press.
What should be avoided is the notion that the dead emerged from their tombs and wandered the streets in a zombielike way. This is not an American horror film being described. Matthew asserts that many (indicating more than a few, but not necessarily thousands, hundreds or even dozens) rose bodily and appeared to many (again, indicating more than a few, but not necessarily thousands, hundreds or even dozens). This is similar to the way that Scripture reports the appearances of Jesus, who was seen “not to all the people, but to … witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead” (Acts 10:41).
Beyond this the details permit little more than speculation about this mysterious and wondrous incident.
OSV Column by Monsignor Pope Ping!
does not lend itself to simple or satisfying explanations
But what about the witnesses — including Matthew?
If you accept the resurrection of Christ...why is it so hard to accept the resurrection of others?
I always took this as twofold: 1. they were ‘saints’ - i.e., saved by the same forward-looking Faith that the Bible says Abraham was saved by - and 2. therefore it’s to me an action by God, in His supernatural way, fulfilling Ezekiel’s prophecy but doing it with the benefit of comforting those of Jesus’ disciples that were mourning - to let them know that these things must come about as the prophets of old had spoken about. That Jesus would die for the sins of the world but be raised again and break the power of Sin and Death.
I also consider the verses that said Jesus, when he died, descended to the depths of Hell and raised captivity captive, i.e., those saints waiting for the Resurrection. Just a thought.
Jesus showed this when he told the young man who wanted to follow him, but first had to bury his father, "Let the dead bury the dead." Plenty of spiritually dead people around to handle that task.
The author says this “does not lend itself to simple or satisfying explanations.” Apparently some are more easily satisfied than others.
This is quite simple to understand and is the reason Jesus is my savior. He died and blazed the trail through the darkness to Heaven for us.
When I died and went to Heaven, a bright light surrounded me as I left my physical body. It filled me with so much Love and bliss that I had no choice to follow it.
The light was a portal through the layer of darkness separating us from Heaven. It serves as an etheric fence to block evil souls from entering Heaven as when they see the gargoyles and evil in the darkness, their fear blocks them from passing through.
When the light of Heaven shines through the portal, it is a joy to cross over. God’s perfect Love casts out all fear.
When He’s us died, the layer of darkness descended upon earth. ( Per Matthew 27.)
This allowed Jesus to open the door to the room (heaven) he was preparing for us. This in turn made the journey possible for other Saints that were stuck here until Jesus blazed the trail.
This same process is happening again. The turmoil of Heavenly energies hitting earth again will create many earthquakes and turmoil. Heaven on earth can only happen by earth passing through the darkness again.
I write this from my own experiences passing through the darkness to Heaven and coming back here in my physical body several times.
We truly are entering wonderful times.
The Lord God Almighty put it in His Book.
I'll take that over Judge Judy every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
The Rapture happened already, how about that.
The Rapture happened already, how about that.
Yes, Yeshua the first born from among the dead and the firstfruits of the celebration of FirstFruits, on the day after the Sabbat, during the week of UnleavenedBread. Those risen w/Yeshua were the FirstFruits from the dead. A select shock or bundle of barley, is waved before YHVH, just as these became. Thank you for bringing this neglicted event forward.
I write this from my own experiences passing through the darkness to Heaven and coming back here in my physical body several times.
—
Really?
Did you almost die a few times?
**descended to the depths of Hell and raised captivity captive, i.e., those saints waiting for the Resurrection. Just a thought.**
This is the Paradise of which Christ speaks to the Good Thief. “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Christ was the first person into heaven at the Ascension — so Paradise does not mean heaven. Many make this mistake.
The Romans were not among those chosen to be witnesses.
Huh? Sure you have the right forum?
Mysterious Passage;
For God So Loved the World...
No... I did die. Meningitis. ..
Then spent 30 years in prayer and meditation learning to re-experience the original event. I have crossed many times. Most frequently by praying with people at the moment they die. For some reason they allow me to re-experience God’s Love and cross over with the person.
Often people come to me while in a coma and I help them look the right direction.
Fear is the biggest obstacle to the process for most people.
Smile. Please ping me with any replies and/or comments.
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