Graves Open Dead Rise Again Drawing

Question: At that place is a passage in Matthew's Gospel that says something quite astonishing, but I about never hear information technology explained or preached. It says that when Jesus died on the cross, "the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming along from their tombs subsequently his resurrection, they entered the holy urban center and appeared to many" (Mt 27:52-53). Can you lot explain this?

— Albert Cross, Detroit, Michigan

Respond: It is a very mysterious text that does not lend itself to simple or satisfying explanations. Information technology also raises other questions: Was this reported elsewhere in literature from the time? Why do the other Gospels non mention something and then startling? Who rose? How many? What happened after they rose? Did they go back to life in Jerusalem or did they announced for only a moment?

We are simply left to wonder as to the details. Simply we must recall that each of the evangelists selected their fabric advisedly and according to gear up purposes. Brevity of written texts in those times was more of import than verbiage given the costly nature of writing long before the press press.

Matthew seems to have two purposes in mind: He reports what actually happened, merely he does this with the goal of showing how Scripture is fulfilled — for example: "Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Look! I am going to open your graves; I will make you come upwards out of your graves, my people, and bring you back to the land of Israel" (Ez 37:12), or again, "Shall I deliver them from the power of Sheol? shall I redeem them from decease?" (Hos 13:14).

While the details of the passage almost the dead coming forth and appearing to many are thin, what should be avoided are notions of the expressionless wandering the streets in a zombie-similar way. This is not an American horror film being described. Rather, Matthew asserts that many (indicating more than a few, simply not necessarily thousands, hundreds or even dozens) rose actual and appeared to many (again, indicating more than a few, but not necessarily thousands, hundreds or even dozens). How they appeared and to whom is non elaborated. Just the text does not describe them walking nearly Jerusalem and beingness seen indiscriminately by everyone. It may well have been a select number who were privileged to see the risen expressionless.

St. Thomas Aquinas gives what seems the most satisfying answer. He bases his views on Jerome. First of all, he does not recall this event really happened at this moment of the Lord's death, but only later on the Lord'southward resurrection. And thus Matthew puts it here every bit a kind of proleptic. St Thomas says, "And one should note that although this was said in the clarification of Christ's death, yet one should understand that information technology was said by style of apprehension, because it was done after the Resurrection; for Christ is the showtime born of the dead" (cf. Rv one:5).

Farther, St. Thomas speculates on the possibility that the Holy City mentioned hither where they appear may non have been Jerusalem at all, merely the Holy Urban center called heaven. He writes: "They entered into the holy urban center, namely the heavenly city, because they went with Christ into glory. And appeared in that location to many."

God is honey

Question: Why was the Resurrection so hidden? Scripture says Jesus was "visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in accelerate, who ate and drank with him later on he rose from the dead" (Acts 10:40-41).

— Name withheld

Answer: I can merely speculate by recalling that God is dear (cf. 1 Jn iv:16). Love is not merely something God does, nor is it just one of his many attributes. Scripture says that God is dear. It is in the nature of true love for the lover to invite (or woo) his beloved rather than overwhelming, coercing or forcing. The lover wants to be loved, just forcing his honey into a fearful dearest would hateful non receiving true dearest in return.

God does non engage in egotistical displays meant to intimidate his opponents and gloat. He does not force them to believe past overwhelming them with bear witness or forcing their worship. He whispers. Likewise with u.s. all, he calls u.s. and gently draws us in. He provides prove and supplies grace but does non overwhelm us with fearsome or noisy events. He is the still, small voice that Elijah heard afterward the fire and the convulsion (cf. 1 Kgs 19:12).

Msgr. Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian in Washington, D.C., and writes for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. at blog.adw.org. Send questions to msgrpope@osv.com.

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Source: https://www.osvnews.com/2020/04/14/who-rose-after-jesus-according-to-matthew/