Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:43 pm Post subject: Mathew 27:52 & 53
Can anyone explain?
Matthew 27:52-53 (New International Version)
52The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
JUNE, 1941 BIBLE STUDENTS MONTHLY________________________________67
A FURTHER SUGGESTION on MATTHEW 27; 52-53
These notes have been submitted by a contributor as an examination of these verses from an angle not touched upon in the artirle in February issue.
To students of the Bible this scripture has been difficult to reconcile with other features of the Divine Plan. The late Pastor Russell had doubts concerning the authenticity of the passage but he was unable, in spite of exhaustive enquiry to find evidence which would warrant its rejection as a whole; and he recommended its acceptance in the form given in the Sinaitic MS.
The preferred reading is:—
"And the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and many bodies of the saints who had slept aroused, and (coming out of the tombs after his rousing into the holy city) appeared unto many."
There is, of course no punctuation in the Sinaitic MS, but as KA1 (and) is missing after the word "city* the parenthesis appears necessary to present the text to the English reader. The punctuation suggested above should be accepted with all reserve. It is possible to understand the verse to imply either that He was raised to the Holy city or that the saints went to the holy city. The terms used strongly suggest that the description is that of a vision. This will be clear if the account is compared with that of the "vision on the mount." (Matt. 17; 1-9). In both instances the event is recorded as seen by the witnesses. In both cases nothing more is witnessed after the occurrence. Jesus told Peter, James and John not to tell the vision to anyone, the vision (like that of Daniel) to be kept a secret until a later time.
The vision of the awakened saints was not again seen after it had been recorded on the minds of the witnesses, It is significant that the raising (whether of the saints or the Lord) is into the holy city. If the saints walked the streets of Jerusalem, why is that not stated? The term "holy city" directs our attention to the "holy city," "New Jerusalem." Rev. 2 I ; 2. The word from which ' appeared" is translated is emphanized which is never used to describe an ocular demonstration.
The vision of the rising saints (holy ones) is descriptive of the first resurrection. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection." (Rev. 20; 6)
Notice also the promise to the Church in Philadelphia: "I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem." Students who have studied the Parallel Dispensations will remember how the Jewish Age and the Gospel Age follow similar courses, and that the "harvest is the end of the Age." The events of our Lord's time on earth have their counterpart or fulfilment when He comes again, and we should look for the fulfilment of those things He taught by parable, sign and vision. Ouit Lord, when he spake, was often misunderstood because His words were obscure. He purposely spoke in parables to hide His meaning, but He did not speak needlessly, because He said the word which men rejected would judge them in thd last day. (John 12; 4.
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I hope you bring up some more.
