Why is this never discussed by Bible expositors?

[Richard_yaash]

That's not quite true...

Isaiah 26:19 Your dead will come back to life;

your corpses will rise up.

Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground!

For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew,

and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits.

The problem is that we don't know is isaiah 26:19 is a direct prophecy regarding the matthew passage

Agreed EricH.

However it also remains that there is a possibility of a 'dual'-fulfillment. There again, we run into different aspect with a whole new set of inherant problems once we allow a 'dual'-fulfillment in the equation.

Once we allow such as this, we open the door for all sorts of teachings. So on the basis of a lone verse, I do not advocate such. Besides, I have already seen one cult leader use this verse to promote that the resurrection had already occurred and that 1 Thessalonians 5 and 2 Thessalonians 2 were as naught. IMO: It is dangerous ground.

[Richard_yaash]

To whom they appeared, in what manner, and how they disappeared, we are not told; and we must not desire to be wise above what is written.

Thank you for sharing that Eric. Very timely IMO.

[Guest Biblicist]

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;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. Matthew 27:51-53 KJV

The death burial & resurection of Jesus at the conclusion of the Holy Week are the gospel. Yet most pulpits save their focus on the events of that week to the Spring of the year. Then there are so many angles and texts to examine it gets a general treatment. This may not be your experience but mine in church. I have heard a lot of references to the temple veil being rent and its significance. I have never heard a live teacher address the resurection of saints that immediately follows the death of Jesus. Note as well the time lapse they do not go into the city until after Jesus' resurection 3 days later. Then we do not know if they continue their life cycle or ascend to heaven. Some of these question we can only guess at, but what is the significance and spiritual purpose of these events, and why didn't it turn the Roman world upside down?

As it is a lone verse with no 'second witness', it is hard to place a lot of authority upon it. However it can not also be ignored IMO. Beyond this, I agree with EricH.

That's not quite true...

Isaiah 26:19 Your dead will come back to life;

your corpses will rise up.

Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground!

For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew,

and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits.

The prblm is that we don't know is isaiah 26:19 is a direct prophecy regarding the matthew passage

prblm? Texting too much again EricH?

The problem is that we can't say either way...I think this is the fulfillment of a prophecy and a promise. I do believe this is a direct reference to the happenings at Jesus resurrection. Isaiah is speaking expressly to Jerusalem and of the Anointed One's coming, which we know is Jesus Christ. I do not believe it is connected to either passage in Thessalonians. "The Lord's return..." Jesus had to come a first time to "return". But hey, it could be! Who knows. No one has ever addressed it before.

John 14:6 I am the Way, The Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me.

John 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.

John 5:28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

I think this answers a big question. What about the Saints that died before Christ? It's a question I know I've asked. And this is the answer. Their salvation was in Jesus Christ, just as our's is. And their future is just as secure as ours is. He is THE resurrection and life, for all Saints!

We should not be afraid to address these verses. I think that is just as dangerous as interpreting them wrong. There is a teaching here, something to be learned.

[traveller]

I've always wondered at these verses. And, I've always wondered who came out of their graves. Perhaps Joseph, who asked for his bones to be taken out of Egypt?

Exd 13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

Or job?

Job 19

25For I know that my Redeemer lives,

and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

26And after my skin has been thus destroyed,

yet in my flesh I shall see God,

27whom I shall see for myself,

and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Of course, it could be only a passing mention in order to not take any attention away from the importance of the resurrection of Christ.

[Guest Biblicist]

Yes, trav, it would be interesting to know who it was that came out of their graves, and who they visited, or spoke to?

[stan4257]

Yes, trav, it would be interesting to know who it was that came out of their graves, and who they visited, or spoke to?

Yes. I agree. It is quite possible that in an effort not to offend the opinions of others we keep quiet about some verses in the Bible, I know I do, and in the process lose some of the insights and beauty contained in them.

The following apparently contradictory quotes emphasise this.

"To whom they appeared, in what manner, and how they disappeared, we are not told; and we must not desire to be wise above what is written." (Matthew Henry)

"We should not be afraid to address these verses. I think that is just as dangerous as interpreting them wrong. There is a teaching here, something to be learned." (Biblicist)

(And thank you eric for the commentary from Matthew Henry. Very helpful.)

So I will stick out my neck and suggest a couple of things about the sentences we are discussing, trying not to add anything that is not there but being unafraid to think of what it might mean.

One thing that is not there is all the evidence of empty tombs. With the resurrection of Jesus Christ this was an obvious and emphasised fact and would have been repeated and recorded had there been empty tombs all over the place

Another is that the episode appears to be a temporary one. If these resurrected saints had continued in the area it would have been widely and loudly recorded. It was not.

The third point is that the appearance did not take place until AFTER the resurrection of Jesus Christ had occurred and was widely known.

Taking these three basics and not dressing them up in any way. or extrapolating from them as examples of this or that or the other, one possibility is worth thinking about.

Starting with the enormous excitement and sweeping power of the Holy Spirit at the time of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the whole atmosphere was on fire. People were amazed and full of wonder and the possibilities of something that had never happened before. Anything was now possible. The facts and what we now understand about the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ were not yet known as we know them. All people knew was that it was now possible for a person to be raised from the dead.

In the atmosphere of highly charged emotions and beliefs it is quite possible that many saw their loved ones walking around. Nothing would be more natural. After the death of a very close and much loved friend, I well remember running up to people in the street several times afterwards thinking that it was my friend only to be disappointed. Mad. No. A quite common reaction in times of great stress and excitement. Everyone now knew it was possible. It had actually happened. Jesus Christ was the proof. All the people knew that the physical Jesus had been resurrected from the dead.

That is my thought.

If it is correct then it would have been reported to Matthew and recorded just the way it was. And, of course, if there was nothing else to report like empty tombs or a continuing presence of resurrected saints that there would be nothing else to report and Matthew would not have invented proofs that were not there.

Like we all should do, he reported the facts as he heard them, without any embellishment or attempt to rationalise what he did not understand but knew had happened.

The teaching here, if this suggestion is correct, is further evidence, if any is needed, that the people of the time knew for a fact that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead and were in a highly emotional state, believing that now it could physically happen to anyone.

There would be a similar atmosphere now were such an event to happen in similar circumstances.

And Matthew recorded it just like it was.

[~~ angelique ~~]

Could they have been ghosts since it said they "appeared"??? idk.. just a question

[BlindSeeker]

It has been my persuasion for some time that this resurrection event was a limited resurrection of some of the recently deceased saints being restored to life and health just like Lazarus was. How else would the people they appeared to have recognized them? I mean, if my great, great grandfather appeared to me today I would have no idea who he was and would need credible proof that the person in front of me was indeed who he says he was.

I do not believe this was a resurrection from the dead to glorified bodies simply because of these verses at the end of the faith chapter.

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

[traveller]

It has been my persuasion for some time that this resurrection event was a limited resurrection of some of the recently deceased saints being restored to life and health just like Lazarus was. How else would the people they appeared to would have recognized them? I mean, if my great, great grandfather appeared to me today I would have no idea who he was and would need credible proof that the person in front of me was indeed who he says he was.

I do not believe this was a resurrection from the dead to glorified bodies simply because of these verses at the end of the faith chapter.

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

You make an excellent point, brother. (nice to see you BTW! )

[BlindSeeker]

. . . (nice to see you BTW! )

Thanks Traveller - Much love back to you