Michael Doyle
Puritan Board Junior
I was working on this passage tonight and came across this and it is as if I have never noticed this before? How is this possible?
My question is:
1. Who are these people who had fallen asleep?
2. Was this their full resurrection into their new heavenly bodies?
3. How could this happen before Christ`s resurrection? This is the perplexing question to me. I am going to read through some commentaries but am looking for help.
Thank you all
-----Added 3/23/2009 at 07:10:04 EST-----
This is, of course the perplexing if I did not make myself clear enough.
-----Added 3/23/2009 at 07:14:05 EST-----
Here is the ESV study bible commentary.
This seems like much conjecture. How can I agree with this? If it is true, how can it be substantiated?
My question is:
1. Who are these people who had fallen asleep?
2. Was this their full resurrection into their new heavenly bodies?
3. How could this happen before Christ`s resurrection? This is the perplexing question to me. I am going to read through some commentaries but am looking for help.
Thank you all
-----Added 3/23/2009 at 07:10:04 EST-----
52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
This is, of course the perplexing if I did not make myself clear enough.
-----Added 3/23/2009 at 07:14:05 EST-----
Here is the ESV study bible commentary.
Matt. 27:52–53 saints who had fallen asleep. Probably pious OT figures and godly intertestamental Jews, reembodied to witness to the new order of things that was now in the process of dawning. This shows that the resurrection of people who died looking forward to the Messiah depends on Christ's actual death and resurrection, just as does the future resurrection of Jesus' disciples today. coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city. Matthew apparently jumps ahead here (treating materials topically, as he often does) and begins to speak of events that would happen after the resurrection. The wording suggests that these saints were not merely brought back to life (like Lazarus; John 11:44) but were “raised” (Matt. 27:52) with new, resurrection bodies, a foretaste of what would happen to all believers at Christ's return. No other historical information about this event has been found, but it is natural to suppose that if they had resurrection bodies, they would not have died again. They may have been taken up to heaven at or after Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:1–11).
This seems like much conjecture. How can I agree with this? If it is true, how can it be substantiated?