There are many resurrections from the dead recorded in the Bible, but none as significant as the resurrection of Jesus who died on the cross to forgive us of our sins, and then was raised to life to give us the promise of life after death.
Elijah raised a widow’s son from the dead. Elisha raised a young man from the dead. There was even a case where a dead man was thrown into Elisha’s grave, and because he came in contact with the bones of Elisha, and was raised to life!
Jesus raised the widow’s son to life at Nain. He raised Jairus’ daughter to life. And He brought Lazarus back from the dead. Peter raised Tabitha back to life, and Paul raised Eutychus from the dead.
But there is one resurrection event that is the strangest, most unusual, and bizarre one that has ever been recorded. It happened during the time of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Himself. Let’s take a look.
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:50-53)
The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead? Wow! Does the Bible give more detail about this? Maybe the other gospels talk more about it? The answer is no! This is it. I wished there was more. All we know is right here in just two sentences.
Let’s break this down. First, at the moment when Jesus died, there were repercussions. Creation itself was affected. The curtain was torn, the earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs were opened. That is clear. What’s unclear is whether the people were raised to life at that moment, or at the moment when Jesus resurrected. My view is the latter — the tombs were broke open when Jesus died, but they were raised from the dead when Jesus was raised from the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus after three days in the tomb was so powerful, so intense of a moment, so significant, that as a consequence, it incidentally brought up other people as well.
Now comes the bizarre part. The people who were raised from the dead went into Jerusalem and appeared to many people! Can you imagine the chaos this caused? People saw dead people walking into the city — maybe their friends — maybe their relatives. Crazy. Were the resurrected people able to talk? Or were they more like zombies? Did they remain alive, or did they soon rise up to heaven as Jesus did? We will never know the details. We just need to accept it as truth.
One thing is for sure — there was a spiritual upheaval going on during this time. Death was just defeated! Jesus was victorious over death! Maybe their resurrection was a spiritual statement, announcing to everyone that death was just defeated by Jesus. What an amazing story!
We, as baptized believers, are able to relate to the details of this event. That’s because we are resurrected from the dead as well, and not just once, but twice!
1) We are Resurrected -- with Jesus, spiritually speaking, when we are baptized.
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:3-5 NIV)
Baptism is that point when we bury our old self (and our old ways) and rise up to walk into a new life with Jesus. It’s a washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). As the book of Romans says, through Christian baptism we are raised, resurrected, united with Jesus in a resurrection like His.
2) We are Resurrected -- to be with Jesus, after we die.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25)
Yes, we have the promise of eternal life! And it's all because Jesus resurrected from the grave.
Perhaps our best takeaway from all this would be to get in the mindset of praising God for the resurrection of Jesus. The Apostle Peter said it well…
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you. (1 Peter 1:3-4)
