what happened to the dead saints in matthew 27

Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

This is an intriguing passage. Do we have any further information on who these holy people were and what happened to them?

Originally posted by PawnChop
Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

This is an intriguing passage. Do we have any further information on who these holy people were and what happened to them?

I never head that one before. The question I would ask first is 'does this mean that Jesus' resurrection was really part of a much larger 'resurrection phenomena'? If so, then how do we know that the main target was him and not some other rather less recorded 'holy person'?

Obviously I personally don't think anyone got resurrected.

It also raises the point that seeing formerly dead people walking around seems to have been a rather frequent phenomena.

no names to my knowledge have been put to this, just a account of it happening, is all we have.

but to the second post its belived that the souls of man do not die they return to god for judgement, so the souls of the prophets are still alive with him. plus my own belief is souls are with us of them who have gone before.

Originally posted by PawnChop
Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

This is an intriguing passage. Do we have any further information on who these holy people were and what happened to them?

I do not know what happened to them. It is an unknown.

I doubt that they expired all over again.

Originally posted by PawnChop
Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

This is an intriguing passage. Do we have any further information on who these holy people were and what happened to them?

That's obvious really. They did just what any of us would have done had we died and then been resurrected.

Originally posted by PawnChop
Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

This is an intriguing passage. Do we have any further information on who these holy people were and what happened to them?

I asked my pastor and he said that they obviously went on and lived out the remainders of their lives. I agree--it's one of my favorite passages because it's very thought-provoking.

Originally posted by PinkFloyd
I asked my pastor and he said that they obviously went on and lived out the remainders of their lives. I agree--it's one of my favorite passages because it's very thought-provoking.

It is indeed! I always assumed that they were similar to Lazarus...the brother of Martha and Mary in Bethany whom Jesus brought back to life. He was not in a transformed body as Christ was at his resurrection...going directly to Heaven without dying again. So I have thought that they had to die again as Lazarus must have. Jaywill may be correct in his suggestion ....that they did not have to die again. But, that raises another problem....did they ascend to Heaven when Jesus did? It does not say so. And I am sure the account would have deemed it a very important event and have recorded it as such.

Originally posted by josephw
That's obvious really. They did just what any of us would have done had we died and then been resurrected.

Does this mean you think we're all holy people? 😉

Originally posted by PawnChop
Matthew 27:52-53
The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

This is an intriguing passage. Do we have any further information on who these holy people were and what happened to them?

Can we perhaps explore another possibility?

I propose that death, life and resurrection mentioned here are spiritual in nature and have nothing to do with physical life. I say a person can be physically alive and yet be called dead. That same dead person can believe and all of a sudden be considered alive.

Let's look at some proof from the Book.

But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. MAT 8:22

Now how can a dead person bury another dead person? The dead here are spiritually dead. These are the unbelievers.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. JOHN 3:36

Obviously, the people who believed in Jesus did not live for ever. They died physically, but spiritually, their souls live for ever. And obviously those who did not believe were alive even though it says they shall not see life. So life and death has to be symbolic for belief and unbelief.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1COR 15:50 TO 52

Here again, we are told that our flesh and blood is immaterial. What remains and what will enter the kingdom of God is the spiritual part of us.

But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live. JER 38:20

For thou hast delivered my soul from death. Psalms 56:13

The soul not the body.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1COR 2:14,15

Don't look at things naturally (Physically.) You are told here to look at things spiritually.

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 37:8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. EZE 37:7,8

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts…. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 37:14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live. EZE 37:10, 14

I don’t think spiritual resurrection can be any more clear. The whole house of Israel has lost faith so they are like dead with dried bones. Then when they believe and have the spirit of God in them, they come out of their graves and be resurrected.

I hope this will at least get some of you to think about it.

Originally posted by Varqa
Can we perhaps explore another possibility?

I propose that death, life and resurrection mentioned here are spiritual in nature and have nothing to do with physical life. I say a person can be physically alive and yet be called dead. That same dead person can believe and all of a sudden be considered alive.

Let's look at some proof from the Book.

[i]B ...[text shortened]... eir graves and be resurrected.

I hope this will at least get some of you to think about it.

Anyone care to comment on my post?

Originally posted by Varqa
Can we perhaps explore another possibility?

I propose that death, life and resurrection mentioned here are spiritual in nature and have nothing to do with physical life. I say a person can be physically alive and yet be called dead. That same dead person can believe and all of a sudden be considered alive.

Let's look at some proof from the Book.

B ...[text shortened]... graves and be resurrected.

I hope this will at least get some of you to think about it.

I disagree ... the way the passage is worded, I would go with a physical and not a spiritual resurrection.

Originally posted by Rajk999
I disagree ... the way the passage is worded, I would go with a physical and not a spiritual resurrection.

What part convinced you that the Bible was talking about physical and not the spiritual?

Was it the dead guys who were burying the dead?

Or was it the fact that no flesh or blood can inherit His kingdom?

Maybe it was when it says that things must be spiritually discerned?

I am sure that passage in Ezekiel where the Bible makes direct comparison with loss of Faith and death in graves, and belief and coming put of the grave had a lot to do with it.

Here I am forced to use one of my favorite Bible quotes:

perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? MAR 8:15

Originally posted by Rajk999
I disagree ... the way the passage is worded, I would go with a physical and not a spiritual resurrection.

I agree.

KJV
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

"Bodies" "arose". Sometimes there is no apparent why, it just happened.

Agree also about "the dead burying thier dead" refering to spiritually dead burying the physically dead, but not same reference in the case of Matt.

Originally posted by divegeester
I agree.

KJV
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

"Bodies" "arose". Sometimes there is no apparent why, it just happened.

Agree also about "the dead burying thier dead" refering to spiritually dead burying the physically dead, but not same reference in the case of Matt.

Yep .. 'bodies arose' is one clue. Another one is the fact that SAINTS were raised from the dead, not just any old body. Saints I would presume are already spiritually alive. So to claim that spiritually alive saints were made spirtually alive sounds foolish to me. I think Varqa is trying to make a point without thinking it through carefully.