Matthew 27:52Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Indeed, if it was remarkable for Lazarus, who had been dead four days, to emerge from the tomb, it was far more extraordinary for those who had been dead for so long to suddenly rise, heralding the promise of future resurrection.

When everything was shaken and unsettled, engulfed by fear, the divine spirit's return brought life back to all, revitalizing and restoring everything as if the divine presence was felt universally, and as if the act of crucifixion had reverberated through all creation.

Nonetheless, this notion might seem overly imaginative. It is important to acknowledge that the resurrection of the dead at the Lord's crucifixion signified the liberation of souls from the realm of the dead. Those who were resurrected subsequently manifested themselves to many, ensuring that the event could not be dismissed as mere illusion; their resurrection served as a divine sign, and it is clear they eventually faced death again. Some, however, assert that these individuals were raised after Christ's resurrection and did not experience death anew. Whether this claim holds validity remains unclear.

It seems to me that the earthquake and other occurrences symbolize the faithful, who initially resembled the graves of the deceased but subsequently abandoned their former transgressions, softened their hardened hearts, and recognized Him as their Redeemer. Many bodies of the holy ones were raised and emerged from their graves after His resurrection; they entered the holy city and appeared to numerous individuals. Just as Lazarus was brought back to life, so too were many of the saints, demonstrating the Resurrection of the Lord (See Jn. 11:1-44). However, although the tombs were opened, the dead did not rise until after the Lord's resurrection, establishing Him as the firstborn from the dead. The holy city where the resurrected ones manifested is understood either as the heavenly Jerusalem or the earthly Jerusalem, which was previously holy. Likewise, Matthew is referred to as a tax collector not because he continued in that role after becoming an apostle, but because he retained that earlier designation. The city of Jerusalem is deemed holy due to its temple and the Holy of Holies, as well as to set it apart from other cities that honored idols. The phrase, “They appeared to many,” indicates that the resurrection was not universal or for all, but specifically for certain individuals, so that those favored might witness it.

Yet, there are skeptics today who, witnessing the separation of spirit from flesh, the decay of the body, and its return to dust—so reduced that it becomes invisible—doubt the prospect of resurrection. They see only desolate bones and refuse to believe they will be clothed anew with flesh and restored to life. However, if they reject resurrection based on the authority of God's Word, they ought to heed their own reason. For what does the world daily display if not the prefiguring of our resurrection? Each night, the fleeting daylight appears to die, only to re-emerge with the dawn. Likewise, in seasons of the year, trees lose their leaves and stand bare, only to awaken in spring—as if on resurrection day—to bring forth fresh foliage, blossoms, and fruit, revealing the revitalized tree in all its splendor. We continually observe how tiny seeds, when sown, yield expansive trees full of vitality. Reflect on the small seed buried in the ground—where within it was the mighty tree that would arise? Where was the root, the trunk, the bark, the lush leaves, or the delightful fruit? Was any of this visible in the seed when it was cast into the soil? Yet, in the profound wisdom of the Creator, the gentleness of the seed conceals the strength of the trunk, and its apparent frailty encompasses potential for abundance. How marvelous it is, then, that the smallest ashes can be fashioned into man by Him who transforms the tiniest seeds into towering trees! As beings created in His image, we should draw assurance of our own resurrection and eternal life from observing the world around us. Yet, recognizing our dull and darkened intellects, the grace of the Redeemer comes to our rescue. The Creator Himself draws near to us, triumphing over death and unveiling the resurrection, so that we, unable to grasp the truth through reason alone, might be persuaded by His example. For the sake of our growth in understanding and the fortification of our frailty, our Lord willingly presented not just His own resurrection, but that of many others as well. He alone met His end upon the cross, yet it was not just one, but many who rose—the bodies of the departed saints. Now, every excuse for disbelief is rendered void. In view of the resurrection of those who were undeniably human alongside the God-Man, no one can claim that humanity cannot anticipate what God has incorporated in His own flesh. Therefore, as members of our Redeemer, we should expect to experience what has already been realized in our Head; we can at least look forward to the same outcomes that were witnessed in the multitude before us.

This clearly signifies that Christ Jesus embodies life for humanity, which is spiritually dead due to sin. 'The tombs were opened as a foreshadowing of the universal resurrection to come.' At Jesus’s initial appearance in the realm of death, those who had perished come to the One they had long awaited and yearned to see—the anticipated Source of life. The resurrected individuals made their way to Jerusalem to testify through their presence about the Messiah whom humanity had so continuously rejected. 'To ensure that reality would not be mistaken for a mere dream, as St. Chrysostom notes, the dead reveal themselves to many in the city,' which is also the very place designated for the manifestation of the Messiah King, even as they chose to deny Him. Given this interpretation, we can ascertain with confidence who these resurrected holy ones were: they are those who eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Lord’s Messiah, with that hope forming the spiritual foundation of their existence. This expectation is what earned them the title of Saints, as believers in Christ were referred to during the time of the Apostles (Acts 9:13, 41; Acts 26:10; Rom. 8:27; Rom. 12:13; Rom. 1:7).

However, two points warrant attention: first, that many Saints were raised, indicating that not all were resurrected, but rather a selection; second, they appeared to many so that they could be recognized by some distinguishing feature, hence those who had departed appeared to those who knew them in life. St. Epiphanius states they 'appeared to many, being known by their own as those who had died some time before.' It is thus believed with great likelihood that among those raised were Simeon the Hospitaller, Anna the Prophetess, and Zachariah and Elizabeth; there is even a tradition about the resurrection and appearance of two of Simeon’s sons.

Consider the remarkable might displayed in the Son of Man who died on Calvary as He rises! The manifestation of God on Sinai was accompanied by the terrors of thunder and lightning. At Golgotha, the dying utterances of Jesus tore the temple veil, shook the earth, and awakened the dead from their graves. There is divine power evident on both occasions; yet the contrast is stark: at Sinai, holiness remains unreachable, while at Calvary, the resonances are of humility and love. The command was given, “Let no one approach Sinai; whoever touches the mountain will die” (Ex. 19:12). At Calvary, while the earth trembles, it consumes no one; the rocks may fracture, yet they bring no harm; the tombs open not to entomb the living, but to usher in life.

What could be more grievous than the crime of those who brought about the death of God? Yet, while the transgressors of Moses descended alive into the abyss (Numbers 16:33), the executioners of the only begotten Son of God suffer no immediate consequence; neither their households nor their hair is touched. Both heaven and earth tremble at the sight of Caiaphas’s unconceivable wickedness; nevertheless, the wrongdoers are unaffected, and the cries of a grieving creation only urge them towards a shattered faith in the crucified Lord, calling them to life and salvation. What was the penalty for ridiculing the Prophet Elisha? What recompense was there for the dishonoring of the king’s ambassadors sent to the messenger of the Lord? Yet to those who crucified Jesus, His messenger proclaims, 'Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit' (Acts 2:38). Oh, boundless Love! Shelter us under Thy wings from the wrath of God’s Righteousness that our sins have provoked, granting us the ability to sing to Thee: Alleluia! Amen.

Thus, the authority of Christ, who dismantles the very foundations of death’s dominion, ‘immediately flowed into all that was capable of receiving it and was marked with a life-giving effect.’ Even as the Lord hung weary and silent on the cross, ‘both heaven and earth proclaim His glory, and the dead proclaim the resurrection of the Crucified One; even the stone cries out for Him’ (Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow), bearing witness that all authority in heaven and on earth has been entrusted to Him, holding the keys of hell and death. Therefore, the proclamation of Christ to the Jews was realized: ‘when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that it is I’ (John 8:28), you will recognize My divine sonship and the extent of My power and authority. The Evangelist does not specify the names of those raised from the dead because the wonder resides not in their identities but in the miracle of resurrection itself. ‘Christ,’ reflects St. Gregory the Dialogist, ’died alone, yet He did not rise alone; He raised many alongside Himself, affirming the hope of our own resurrection through their revival.’ The righteous who rose through the Lord's death received renewed bodies, akin to those that all saints will possess at the final resurrection. Hence, the holy fathers believe that these saints did not experience death again but rather accompanied the Lord invisibly to heaven during His ascension, forming the essence of renewed humanity around Him, later joined by the Mother of God, who was taken into heaven with her body.