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Selected Verse: Matthew 27:52 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mt 27:52	Strong Concordance	And [2532] the graves [3419] were opened [455]; and [2532] many [4183] bodies [4983] of the saints [40] which [3588] slept [2837] arose [1453],
	King James	And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose--These sleeping saints (see on Th1 4:14) were Old Testament believers, who--according to the usual punctuation in our version--were quickened into resurrection life at the moment of their Lord's death, but lay in their graves till His resurrection, when they came forth. But it is far more natural, as we think, and consonant with other Scriptures, to understand that only the graves were opened, probably by the earthquake, at our Lord's death, and this only in preparation for the subsequent exit of those who slept in them, when the Spirit of life should enter into them from their risen Lord, and along with Him they should come forth, trophies of His victory over the grave. Thus, in the opening of the graves at the moment of the Redeemer's expiring, there was a glorious symbolical proclamation that the death which had just taken place had "swallowed up death in victory"; and whereas the saints that slept in them were awakened only by their risen Lord, to accompany Him out of the tomb, it was fitting that "the Prince of Life . . . should be the First that should rise from the dead" (Act 26:23; Co1 15:20, Co1 15:23; Col 1:18; Rev 1:5). and went into the holy city--that city where He, in virtue of whose resurrection they were now alive, had been condemned. and appeared unto many--that there might be undeniable evidence of their own resurrection first, and through it of their Lord's. Thus, while it was not deemed fitting that He Himself should appear again in Jerusalem, save to the disciples, provision was made that the fact of His resurrection should be left in no doubt. It must be observed, however, that the resurrection of these sleeping saints was not like those of the widow of Nain's son, of Jairus' daughter, of Lazarus, and of the man who "revived and stood upon his feet," on his dead body touching the bones of Elisha (Kg2 13:21) --which were mere temporary recallings of the departed spirit to the mortal body, to be followed by a final departure of it "till the trumpet shall sound." But this was a resurrection once for all, to life everlasting; and so there is no room to doubt that they went to glory with their Lord, as bright trophies of His victory over death. The Centurion's Testimony (Mat 27:54).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose--These sleeping saints (see on Th1 4:14) were Old Testament believers, who--according to the usual punctuation in our version--were quickened into resurrection life at the moment of their Lord's death, but lay in their graves till His resurrection, when they came forth. But it is far more natural, as we think, and consonant with other Scriptures, to understand that only the graves were opened, probably by the earthquake, at our Lord's death, and this only in preparation for the subsequent exit of those who slept in them, when the Spirit of life should enter into them from their risen Lord, and along with Him they should come forth, trophies of His victory over the grave. Thus, in the opening of the graves at the moment of the Redeemer's expiring, there was a glorious symbolical proclamation that the death which had just taken place had "swallowed up death in victory"; and whereas the saints that slept in them were awakened only by their risen Lord, to accompany Him out of the tomb, it was fitting that "the Prince of Life . . . should be the First that should rise from the dead" (Act 26:23; Co1 15:20, Co1 15:23; Col 1:18; Rev 1:5).

and went into the holy city--that city where He, in virtue of whose resurrection they were now alive, had been condemned.

and appeared unto many--that there might be undeniable evidence of their own resurrection first, and through it of their Lord's. Thus, while it was not deemed fitting that He Himself should appear again in Jerusalem, save to the disciples, provision was made that the fact of His resurrection should be left in no doubt. It must be observed, however, that the resurrection of these sleeping saints was not like those of the widow of Nain's son, of Jairus' daughter, of Lazarus, and of the man who "revived and stood upon his feet," on his dead body touching the bones of Elisha (Kg2 13:21) --which were mere temporary recallings of the departed spirit to the mortal body, to be followed by a final departure of it "till the trumpet shall sound." But this was a resurrection once for all, to life everlasting; and so there is no room to doubt that they went to glory with their Lord, as bright trophies of His victory over death.

The Centurion's Testimony (Mat 27:54).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And the graves were opened - "Graves" or sepulchres were most commonly made, among the Jews, in solid rocks or in caves of rocks. The rending of the rocks, therefore, would lay them open. The graves were opened by this earthquake, but the dead in them did not rise until after his resurrection. And many bodies of the saints arose - Of course, it is not known who these were, nor what became of them. It is probable that they were persons who had recently died, and they appear to have been known in Jerusalem; at least, had the ancient saints risen, they would not have been known, and would not so soon have been credited as those who had recently died. Which slept - Which had died. The death of saints is often called "sleep," Dan 12:2; Co1 15:18; Th1 4:15.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
graves That these bodies returned to their graves is not said and may not be inferred. The wave-sheaf (Lev 23:10-12) typifies the resurrection of Christ, but a sheaf implies plurality. It was a single "corn of wheat" that fell into the ground in the crucifixion and entombment of Christ (Joh 12:24); it was a sheaf which came forth in resurrection. The inference is that these saints, with the spirits of "just men made perfect" (Heb 12:23) from Paradise, went with Jesus (Eph 4:8-10) into heaven.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Some of the tombs were shattered and laid open by the earthquake, and while they continued unclosed (and they must have stood open all the Sabbath, seeing the law would not allow any attempt to close them) many bodies of holy men were raised, (perhaps Simeon, Zacharias, John the Baptist, and others who had believed in Christ, and were known to many in Jerusalem,) And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, went into the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many - Who had probably known them before: God hereby signifying, that Christ had conquered death, and would raise all his saints in due season.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
And the graves were opened - By the earthquake; and many bodies of saints which slept, i.e. were dead, sleep being a common expression for death in the Scriptures.

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⁵⁴ Now [1161] when the centurion [1543], and [2532] they that were with [3326] him [846], watching [5083] Jesus [2424], saw [1492] the earthquake [4578], and [2532] those things that were done [1096], they feared [5399] greatly [4970], saying [3004], Truly [230] this [3778] was [2258] the Son [5207] of God [2316].

²¹ And it came to pass, as they were burying [06912] a man [0376], that, behold, they spied [07200] a band [01416] of men; and they cast [07993] the man [0376] into the sepulchre [06913] of Elisha [0477]: and when the man [0376] was let down [03212], and touched [05060] the bones [06106] of Elisha [0477], he revived [02421], and stood up [06965] on his feet [07272].

⁵ And [2532] from [575] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], who is the faithful [4103] witness [3144], and the first begotten [4416] of [1537] the dead [3498], and [2532] the prince [758] of the kings [935] of the earth [1093]. Unto him that loved [25] us [2248], and [2532] washed [3068] us [2248] from [575] our [2257] sins [266] in [1722] his own [846] blood [129],

¹⁸ And [2532] he [846] is [2076] the head [2776] of the body [4983], the church [1577]: who [3739] is [2076] the beginning [746], the firstborn [4416] from [1537] the dead [3498]; that [2443] in [1722] all [3956] things he [846] might have [1096] the preeminence [4409].

²³ But [1161] every man [1538] in [1722] his own [2398] order [5001]: Christ [5547] the firstfruits [536]; afterward [1899] they that are [3588] Christ's [5547] at [1722] his [846] coming [3952].

²⁰ But [1161] now [3570] is [1453] Christ [5547] risen [1453] from [1537] the dead [3498], and become [1096] the firstfruits [536] of them that slept [2837].

²³ That [1487] Christ [5547] should suffer [3805], and that [1487] he should be the first [4413] that should rise [386] from [1537] the dead [3498], and should [3195] shew [2605] light [5457] unto the people [2992], and [2532] to the Gentiles [1484].

¹⁴ For [1063] if [1487] we believe [4100] that [3754] Jesus [2424] died [599] and [2532] rose again [450], even so [3779] them also [2532] which sleep [2837] in [1223] Jesus [2424] will [71] God [2316] bring [71] with [4862] him [846].

¹⁵ For [1063] this [5124] we say [3004] unto you [5213] by [1722] the word [3056] of the Lord [2962], that [3754] we [2249] which [3588] are alive [2198] and remain [4035] unto [1519] the coming [3952] of the Lord [2962] shall [5348] not [3364] prevent [5348] them which [3588] are asleep [2837].

¹⁸ Then [686] they also [2532] which are fallen asleep [2837] in [1722] Christ [5547] are perished [622].

² And many [07227] of them that sleep [03463] in the dust [06083] of the earth [0127] shall awake [06974], some to everlasting [05769] life [02416], and some to shame [02781] and everlasting [05769] contempt [01860].

⁸ Wherefore [1352] he saith [3004], When he ascended [305] up [1519] on high [5311], he led captivity [162] captive [161], and [2532] gave [1325] gifts [1390] unto men [444].
⁹ (Now [1161] that he ascended [305], what [5101] is it [2076] but [1508] that [3754] he [2597] also [2532] descended [2597] first [4412] into [1519] the lower [2737] parts [3313] of the earth [1093]?
¹⁰ He [846] that descended [2597] is [2076] the same also [2532] that ascended up [305] far above [5231] all [3956] heavens [3772], that [2443] he might fill [4137] all things [3956].)

²³ To the general assembly [3831] and [2532] church [1577] of the firstborn [4416], which are written [583] in [1722] heaven [3772], and [2532] to God [2316] the Judge [2923] of all [3956], and [2532] to the spirits [4151] of just men [1342] made perfect [5048],

²⁴ Verily [281], verily [281], I say [3004] unto you [5213], Except [3362] a corn [2848] of wheat [4621] fall [4098] into [1519] the ground [1093] and die [599], it [846] abideth [3306] alone [3441]: but [1161] if [1437] it die [599], it bringeth forth [5342] much [4183] fruit [2590].

¹⁰ Speak [01696] unto the children [01121] of Israel [03478], and say [0559] unto them, When ye be come [0935] into the land [0776] which I give [05414] unto you, and shall reap [07114] the harvest [07105] thereof, then ye shall bring [0935] a sheaf [06016] of the firstfruits [07225] of your harvest [07105] unto the priest [03548]:
¹¹ And he shall wave [05130] the sheaf [06016] before [06440] the LORD [03068], to be accepted [07522] for you: on the morrow [04283] after the sabbath [07676] the priest [03548] shall wave [05130] it.
¹² And ye shall offer [06213] that day [03117] when ye wave [05130] the sheaf [06016] an he lamb [03532] without blemish [08549] of the first [01121] year [08141] for a burnt offering [05930] unto the LORD [03068].