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No. Perhaps you should quote the complete sentence not merely a fragment of a sentence to support your claim.
From the King James Bible Matthew 27:
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
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.
“Arose” and “came out of the graves” are different actions. The first occurred when“Jesus yielded up the ghost” (ie died) and the second after his resurrection three days later.
And perhaps you should consult the Greek New Testament for an accurate translation of the verse. Matthew 27 Interlinear Bible
If you see arose and came out of the graves as two events, what difference does it make? I see it as one event, because that makes sense to me. And because it says after His resurrection, they came not out before Jesus was resurrected, that is a fact. If they awoke from sleep 3 days earlier as you say, the bodies still were resurrected after Jesus resurrection.
First of all, Galileo2, you are using an NIV which, in this case cannot be used to show it was "at that moment". The actual text uses a Greek word which means "behold", or "see", which is used as a word to verify the fact that it actually happened. There is no time bearing in that word.
The people that "came out of the graves" were saints, which sets a limit on how many came out of the grave. It also says that "their bodies came out", which can be an inferrence to the fact that they were NOT resurrected, and this fact is proven in the Greek text, where the word "raised" is the same word used when Lazarus was raised, which was not a resurrection. The word used when Jesus was resurrected is a different word.
It says that there was an earthquake, but there is no mention that it was a huge destructive one.
There is also scripture evidence that the resurrection of Jesus stands alone as the only resurrection that has thus far taken place; sorry to those that think that Jesus' mother Mary was resurrected. That is scripturally impossible. Then there is the scripture in Revelation 20 that says that there is the first resurrection at the beginning time of the thousand years, and then those that will "live again" for the Final Judgment. There are only 3 resurrections in total. Jesus' resurrection, the First Resurrection before the thousand years, and the Resurrection of all the rest of humanity for the White Throne Judgment.
These people that "came back to life", like Lazarus, were few in number, they probably had died recently before Jesus died, and they then would have died a natural death later. They probably would have given a testimony similar to Lazarus.
You are right, there are 3 resurrections 1. Cor 15:20-23. They are the harvest of the saints. The First Fruits I believe are the saints of the OT Jesus saved and took with Him to Heaven (Luk 24:39). There are witnesses that confirm that Abraham and king David for instance are in Heaven. The First resurrection is the first of two resurrections as you said. But as the harvest the Greek word pleros means here the main resurrection and the last is the rest that comes to life in the kingdom after 1000 years. But there is no proof from scripture what kind of resurrection Mat 27:52+53 was, so people like to argue about what is not clear in scripture, every one has his opinion.
If you see arose and came out of the graves as two events, what difference does it make? I see it as one event, because that makes sense to me. And because it says after His resurrection, they came not out before Jesus was resurrected, that is a fact. If they awoke from sleep 3 days earlier as you say, the bodies still were resurrected after Jesus resurrection.
RESPONSE:
No. They were resurrected (returned to live, not just left a tomb)) when Jesus died. They came out of their tombs three days later just after Jesus was raised from the dead or resurrected.
Matt 27: The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised [ or resurrected]. [Just like Jesus was three days later] 53 After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many.
[This is, of course, accepting Matthew's story written fifty years after the fact by a non-witness as history rather than legend. No other New Testament writer tells this story, and evidently none of the "many" they appeared to recorded anything about the marvelous event]
Hebrews 9:27 King James Version
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die , but after this the judgment. Do you suppose that they are still walking around somewhere ???
Last edited by Aristotle's Child; 10-25-2014 at 05:55 PM..
No. They were resurrected (returned to live, not just left a tomb)) when Jesus died. They came out of their tombs three days later just after Jesus was raised from the dead or resurrected.
Matt 27: The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised [ or resurrected]. [Just like Jesus was three days later] 53 After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many.
[This is, of course, accepting Matthew's story written fifty years after the fact by a non-witness as history rather than legend. No other New Testament writer tells this story, and evidently none of the "many" they appeared to recorded anything about the marvelous event]
Hebrews 9:27 King James Version
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die , but after this the judgment. Do you suppose that they are still walking around somewhere ???
It says, many bodies, not many saints.
Not living people. No resurrection at all.
If it had meant a resurrection the word body would be a redundancy. While the Greek word can mean living or dead body, when joined with the word Saints, it limits the application to the dead body. If it had just said many Saints arose, it would mean a resurrection.
In the normal Greek it always meant Dead Body. With context we can see where it would refer to a living body such as:
KJV Matthew 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
The syntax is critical and in the verse under consideration it points to dead bodies coming out of their tombs/graves, not a resurrection to life.
If it had meant a resurrection the word body would be a redundancy. While the Greek word can mean living or dead body, when joined with the word Saints, it limits the application to the dead body. If it had just said many Saints arose, it would mean a resurrection.
In the normal Greek it always meant Dead Body. With context we can see where it would refer to a living body such as:
KJV Matthew 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
The syntax is critical and in the verse under consideration it points to dead bodies coming out of their tombs/graves, not a resurrection to life.
RESPONSE:
>>In the normal Greek it always meant Dead Body<<
From Strong's Greek Lexicon:
386. anastasis an-as'-tas-is from 450; a standing up again, i.e. (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, genitive case or by implication, (its author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth):--raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead, that should rise, rising again.
1454. egersis eg'-er-sis from 1453; a resurgence (from death):--resurrection.
1815. exanastasis ex-an-as'-tas-is from 1817; a rising from death:--resurrection.
And in English, the Merriam-Webster definition - resurrection : the event told about in the Bible in which dead people will be brought back to life before the day of final judgment.
Do you seriously mean that when Jesus was resurrected he was still "a dead body"?:think:
386. anastasis an-as'-tas-is from 450; a standing up again, i.e. (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, genitive case or by implication, (its author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth):--raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead, that should rise, rising again.
1454. egersis eg'-er-sis from 1453; a resurgence (from death):--resurrection.
1815. exanastasis ex-an-as'-tas-is from 1817; a rising from death:--resurrection.
And in English, the Merriam-Webster definition - resurrection : the event told about in the Bible in which dead people will be brought back to life before the day of final judgment.
Do you seriously mean that when Jesus was resurrected he was still "a dead body"?:think:
Two points.
Strong's is just a lexicon based on the KJV and giving the definitions used. It is not a genuine Biblical Greek lexicon, so it is to be used carefully.
Note:
Friberg Biblical Lexicon:
7564 evgei,rw ***. evgerw/; 1aor. h;geira; pf. pass. evgh,germai; 1aor. pass. hvge,rqhn; 1fut. pass. evgerqh,somai; (1) transitively and literally, of a sleeping person; (a) active wake, rouse (MT 8.25); (b) passive with an intransitive meaning wake up, awaken (MT 1.24); figuratively, of a state of watchfulness or readiness become aware, think carefully, pay attention (EP 5.14); (2) transitively and literally, of persons sitting or lying down; (a) active raise up, help to rise, lift up (AC 3.7); (b) passive with an intransitive meaning rise, get up (MT 9.19); (c) as an imperatival formula get up! stand up! (MK 2.9); (d) figuratively, as healing the sick raise up, restore to health (JA 5.15); (e) figuratively, as bringing back from death raise, cause to rise (MT 10.8); of the resurrection of Jesus (AC 5.30); (3) transitively; (a) active, as causing a person to appear in history raise up, bring into being (MT 3.9); (b) passive with an intransitive meaning appear, rise (MT 11.11); (4) transitively, passive with an intransitive meaning, of nations fighting each other evgei,resqai evpi, rise up against (MT 24.7); (5) transitively, of buildings erect, restore (JN 2.20); metaphorically, of the body as a dwelling place belonging to God make alive again, resurrect (JN 2.19)
Here you see all the meanings; and context (and syntax) is needed to determine if a resurrection or simply a rising up as in appearing but not alive or even figurative.
The context indicates if dead or alive, as I pointed out. In Matt 27 the context supports dead bodies, not living Saints.
Please remember No one could go to heaven before Jesus ascended to heaven, so it would be exposed corpses who came out of the exposed graves of Matthew 27 vs 52,53. It would have been the living people who witnessed the exposed corpses that went into Jerusalem.
Also, the holy ones or saints would Not have their first or earlier resurrection to heaven [ Rev. 20 v 6 ] until our day or time frame because Revelation [ 1 v 10 ] is written for our time period. Since ' flesh ' [physical ] can Not inherit the kingdom [ 1st Cor. 15 v 50 ] then all the saints or holy ones would be resurrected in a spirit body which is Not visible to anyone on earth.
Strong's is just a lexicon based on the KJV and giving the definitions used. It is not a genuine Biblical Greek lexicon, so it is to be used carefully.
Note:
Friberg Biblical Lexicon:
7564 evgei,rw ***. evgerw/; 1aor. h;geira; pf. pass. evgh,germai; 1aor. pass. hvge,rqhn; 1fut. pass. evgerqh,somai; (1) transitively and literally, of a sleeping person; (a) active wake, rouse (MT 8.25); (b) passive with an intransitive meaning wake up, awaken (MT 1.24); figuratively, of a state of watchfulness or readiness become aware, think carefully, pay attention (EP 5.14); (2) transitively and literally, of persons sitting or lying down; (a) active raise up, help to rise, lift up (AC 3.7); (b) passive with an intransitive meaning rise, get up (MT 9.19); (c) as an imperatival formula get up! stand up! (MK 2.9); (d) figuratively, as healing the sick raise up, restore to health (JA 5.15); (e) figuratively, as bringing back from death raise, cause to rise (MT 10.8); of the resurrection of Jesus (AC 5.30); (3) transitively; (a) active, as causing a person to appear in history raise up, bring into being (MT 3.9); (b) passive with an intransitive meaning appear, rise (MT 11.11); (4) transitively, passive with an intransitive meaning, of nations fighting each other evgei,resqai evpi, rise up against (MT 24.7); (5) transitively, of buildings erect, restore (JN 2.20); metaphorically, of the body as a dwelling place belonging to God make alive again, resurrect (JN 2.19)
Here you see all the meanings; and context (and syntax) is needed to determine if a resurrection or simply a rising up as in appearing but not alive or even figurative.
The context indicates if dead or alive, as I pointed out. In Matt 27 the context supports dead bodies, not living Saints.
I do not need Greek to understand Matt 27. I need Greek to twist scipture and get my biased faith proofed and that works fine if the scripture is not clear as it is here. What does scripture say? There was an earthquake, it does not say when. In that moment is a wrong translation. Then it says that the saints in the sheol awake and their dead bodies come out of the grave and enter Jerusalem and are seen by many. Without any Greek I understand that dead bodies cannot come out of the grave, walk (enter) into Jerusalem and are seen by many. This needs a resurrection and the time is also given, after Christ's resurrection. I believe that they belong to the First Fruits of 1. Cor 15:23, and went with Christ into Heaven (Eph4:8--10; Heb 2:14-15). If somebody believes they are resurrected as Lazarus was, it makes no sense to me, because this kind of resurrection is through prayer and never accurs of a company of people, but only to individuals.
It seems to me that the resurrection probably was the first fruits (plural), after Jesus’ first fruit (singular) - as being the physical manifestation of something great that had occurred in the spiritual realm. The penetrating reality is that ‘resurrection’ of the sort that happened in the scripture referred, is something that is ‘done’ to us – not something we have the power to choose when, how, orto what manner of reality we are resurrected to – it’s totally in God’s hands. If we die and sleep for millennia, we won’t know a thing and how long we’ve been out of it for – it’ll be “the next thing I knew…”. If we die and are instantly in another world, or slowly moving ‘toward the light’, or anything else, that is also all God’s doing. If we die and never wake up, we won’t know a thing of it. It’s interesting how dying people appear not to have the same existential anxiety that the living, onlookers, have about the same. The graph/chart of anxiety about death is probably tailing off with contradictory hard-core acceptance as one is (hopefully unconsciously) ebbing away – there’s not a lot exactly that one can do about it; that ‘choosing to live’. Waking up, at all, to anything, has to be a nice surprise, with that “I’m not dead, after all” feeling.
What I find interesting from NDE accounts, is that whatever young age people die at, even little children and unborn babies are observed to have been cared for and ‘grow up’ on the other side (reference: Heaven is for real). The lack of maturity, responsibility or person-hood is totally and perfectly accounted for and the nurturing process has been, or on an ongoing basis, is being performed. I think that is beautiful.
Please remember No one could go to heaven before Jesus ascended to heaven, so it would be exposed corpses who came out of the exposed graves of Matthew 27 vs 52,53. It would have been the living people who witnessed the exposed corpses that went into Jerusalem.
Also, the holy ones or saints would Not have their first or earlier resurrection to heaven [ Rev. 20 v 6 ] until our day or time frame because Revelation [ 1 v 10 ] is written for our time period. Since ' flesh ' [physical ] can Not inherit the kingdom [ 1st Cor. 15 v 50 ] then all the saints or holy ones would be resurrected in a spirit body which is Not visible to anyone on earth.
First exposed corpses cannot enter Jerusalem. Then you have a problem with a spirit being, which has also a "body" but without materie, that means if you want to touch your head after death as a departed spirit, your hand goes through your head, but you are full concious. The resurrection is always of dead bodies. Before Christ's resurrection they all came back in their human body (Lazarus). The same can and has happened in our time. But Jesus was not resurrected in this way. He still has flesh and bone and is therefore not a spirit as He said, but His body is glorified and spiritual, but different from spirits who are not visible. Jesus was visible and the resurrected saints were also visible. Rev 1:10 refers to the Lord's Day when John got the revelation, Rev 1:19 refers to past, present and future, no limit of time is set, Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. Human flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom, therefor the dead and the living get a changed (immortal) body. That is something much better than we have now.
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