Many Arose With Him

“Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to

bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves

were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were

raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went

into the holy city and appeared to many” (Matt. 27:51–53, NKJV).

What does this incredible account teach us about the resurrection of

Jesus and what it accomplished?

An earthquake marked the death of Jesus (Matt. 27:50, 51), and

another one marked His resurrection (Matt. 28:2). At the moment

Jesus died, “the earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.

The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the

holy city and appeared to many people” (Matt. 27:51–53, NIV). These

saints were raised glorified as witnesses of Christ’s own resurrection

and as prototypes of those who will be raised at the final resurrection.

Thus, right after the resurrection of Jesus, many of the Jewish people

were given powerful evidence to believe in His resurrection and thus

to accept Him as their Savior, which many did, including many priests

(see Acts 6:7).

“During His ministry, Jesus had raised the dead to life. He had

raised the son of the widow of Nain, and the ruler’s daughter and

Lazarus. But these were not clothed with immortality. After they

were raised, they were still subject to death. But those who came

forth from the grave at Christ’s resurrection were raised to everlasting

life. They ascended with Him as trophies of His victory over death

and the grave. . . . These went into the city, and appeared unto many,

declaring, Christ has risen from the dead, and we be risen with Him.

Thus was immortalized the sacred truth of the resurrection.”—Ellen

G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 786.

Humanly speaking, the chief priests and elders had great advantages.

They held the religious power of the nation and were even able to convince

the Roman authorities and the crowds to help them with their schemes. But

they forgot that “ ‘ “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and

bestows it on whomever He wishes” ’ ” (Dan. 4:32, NASB). Their lies were

contradicted and invalidated by the existence of those resurrected saints.

No matter how bad things can get now, why can we trust in God’s

ultimate victory for us as we still struggle in this fallen world?