Good evening, Minister,<\/p>\n
This question has been lingering on my mind for quite a while now. In Matthew, we read of the dead being resurrected after Jesus died. So what happened to these people?<\/p>\n
I know the Bible is silent on what happened to them, but I was just thinking: Where did they live? Did they go back to their relatives? How would their relatives receive them? What was their testimony about death? Like where they were when they died.<\/p>\n\t
“The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many<\/em>” (Matthew 27:52-53).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
All we know is that at Jesus’ death and resurrection, many of the righteous (saints) who had died physically arose from their graves. There are debates about whether these are the great people in Israel’s past or people who more recently died and whose relatives would recognize them. It also appears to be more limited to those in the Jerusalem region since they entered that city, and many people could testify to seeing them. Since no more is mentioned of these people, we can assume that it was only a temporary resurrection and they returned to their graves.<\/p>\n
This event is recorded as evidence that Jesus was God. Only God has the power to raise the dead. “The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up<\/em>” (I Samuel 2:6). It also reflects God’s prophecy in Ezekiel.<\/p>\n
“Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD<\/em>” (Ezekiel 37:11-14).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The prophecy discussed the revival of the spiritually dead in Israel, which is similar to the events in Matthew. It is also done so that people know that it was God who did this.<\/p>\n\t
Response:<\/h2>\n
Thank you, minister.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Good evening, Minister, This question has been lingering on my mind for quite a while now. In Matthew, we read of the dead being resurrected after Jesus died. So what happened to these people? I know the Bible is silent on what happened to them, but I was just thinking: Where did they live?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[228,109,664],"class_list":["post-86965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-crucifixion","tag-death","tag-resurrection"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12801,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-there-any-other-mentions-of-the-saints-rising-from-the-dead-at-jesus-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":86965,"position":0},"title":"Are there any other mentions of the saints rising from the dead at Jesus’ death?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 22, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In Matthew 27:51-53,\u00a0it says\u00a0\"And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53237,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/who-were-raised-at-christs-death-and-where-did-they-go\/","url_meta":{"origin":86965,"position":1},"title":"Who were raised at Christ’s death and where did they go?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Matthew 27:52-53 says \"And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.\" I have a friend who, based on this, believes all the Old Testament\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19750,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-near-death-experiences-reflect-the-afterlife\/","url_meta":{"origin":86965,"position":2},"title":"Do near-death experiences reflect the afterlife?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 3, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have heard about different accounts that people have had in the afterlife.\u00a0 I have heard people who were unbelievers say that nothing happened and it was simply dark, but no experience of hell.\u00a0 I have also heard an account of a pastor who was in a car accident\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24086,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-jesus-stay-around-for-forty-days-after-his-resurrection\/","url_meta":{"origin":86965,"position":3},"title":"Why did Jesus stay around for forty days after his resurrection?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day, Brother Jeffrey, I am asking for your help regarding this question: Why did Jesus stay around for 40 days, after He came back from the grave, instead of going immediately into Heaven? I know you are busy answering hundreds of emails every day so I am sorry\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4060,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-jesus-believe-in-life-after-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":86965,"position":4},"title":"Did Jesus believe in life after death?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 13, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Did Jesus believe in life after death all of his earthly life? Was His knowledge gained from the Torah, or was it revealed specifically to Him by God? 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