Matthew 27: 52-53

Yes this has been discussed before.

There was speculation but no definitive answers from Scripture.

HankD

 

The imagery is great! Certainly there are echoes of Ezekiel 37 and perhaps 1 Enoch 91.

I assume you're speaking of the fact that the holy ones are said to go into the city AFTER "His resurrection".

Commentators have differing views. Raymond Brown and Donald Hagner think that the best way to see this is that the saints did not enter the city to be visible until Jesus arose. Some (like Robert Gundry) think that they did not arise from the tombs until Sunday (thoguh they were alive on Friday).

Davies and Allison suggest the the clause "after His resurrection" is an early gloss (addition to the text) - likely so that it does not conflict with Colossians 1:18 (firstborn of the dead). They note that while this phrase in present in nearly all the NT manuscripts in Greek it is absent from the Diatesseron and some later Aramaic writings.

Yep, no definite answer!

 

In my opinion the passage simply means that after the resurrection of Jesus Christ the graves were opened and the dead came out of their graves. There is no reason to insist that the event is to be interpreted in a strict chronological manner.

Furthermore, I believe that these bodies were not glorified resurrection bodies but re-entered the graves to await the general resurrection.

 

I believe this passage speaks of the Old Testament saints were risen and follow Jesus Christ from Abraham's bosom according to Eph. 4:8-9. Also, when Christ was on the cross, the thief on the cross, told Christ to remember him. Christ told to the thief, he promised, that he(thief) shall be with Christ in the paradise today. Obivously, when Christ died on that day, both thief and Christ went to Abraham's bosom. Then, Christ risen, all the graves open, all O.T. saints risen, and went to heaven with Christ.

Do all O.T. saints already have new body? I am not sure. But, I do not worry what happened to all O.T. saints. God already care all O.T. saints. No doubt, I am sure that all O.T. saints are now in the heaven with the Lord.

What we are focus on in our present age - New Testament period. There shall be physical resurrection of the saints by follow at Christ's coming - 1 Thess. 4:15-17. We are looking forward for it, but, not just for resurrection only, also, we are looking forward for new glorified body while we are alive and remain shall be quickly changed into immortlaity, never taste of death at Christ's coming.

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!