Question: In Matthew 27:52, it says the saints rose and “came out of the graves after his (Jesus’) resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Where was this holy city; and how long did these saints remain alive?
Answer: It seems according to the way these verses read that at the death of Jesus the rocks were rent and the graves were opened at that time. Graves at that time were hewn out of rocks and the bodies of the dead were placed in them and they were sealed with a stone at the entrance. The earthquake which occurred at the time of Jesus’ death and rent the rocks would naturally open graves which were in those rocks. However, the arising of the saints to life and coming out of their graves did not occur until after Jesus’ resurrection. Apparently their dead bodies just lay there in open graves until Jesus’ resurrection, then they came forth to life, left their graves, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Jerusalem is the city that was called the “Holy City” in that time. We read in Nehemiah 11:1, “And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.” Nehemiah 11:1-19 gives a list of the dwellers in Jerusalem and the remainder tells of those living in other cities. In verse 18 it says, “All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four.” These two verses (1 and 18) make it clear that Jerusalem was known as the holy city. Psalm 48:2 says, “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion,…the city of the great King.” “In Matt 5:35, Jesus said that Jerusalem is “…the city of the great King.” Psalm 46:4 says, “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.”
It was in Jerusalem that the temple (tabernacle) of God was built. Regarding the tabernacle which was the forerunner of Solomon’s temple, God said in Exodus 25:8, “…Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” During the forty years the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness and moving about with no certain dwelling place, God’s sanctuary was a portable tabernacle which could easily be moved with them. When they became established in their own land and their wanderings were over, then the tabernacle was replaced by a permanent, magnificent temple which was God’s dwelling place among His people. This temple was built in Jerusalem, and I Kings 14:21 tells us that God chose Jerusalem out of all the tribes of Israel to put His name there. His name was there, He dwelt there in the most holy place of the temple, and this was the city of the great King the holy city.
It was on the outskirts of this city on Golgotha’s Hill where Jesus was crucified. Near that place was a garden with a tomb in which He was buried. After His resurrection, these saints arose and went into the city (Jerusalem) and appeared unto many bearing confirmation of the resurrection of Jesus.
If you are thinking of the “holy city” which John saw coming down out of heaven from God (Revelation 21:2), I would remind you that city, which is the New Testament Church, was not yet in existence at that time so it could not have been that city these resurrected saints went into. That city was not established and set in operation until the Day of Pentecost about fifty days after this.
The last part of this question (How long did these saints remain alive?) has me totally stopped. I know of no other reference to them in the Scriptures. If any one out there who reads this has any scriptural information concerning this point, I would appreciate hearing from you. I am sorry I cannot give the inquirer a better answer and more satisfaction than this on this part of the question.
However, while this question is up, there are some interesting observations that I might point out. First: these people were saints Old Testament saints not born-again saints according to New Testament standards to be sure. That had not yet come to pass when these people lived and died. But all through the Old Testament times there were many who loved God and had faith in the promise made by God Himself of a coming Messiah, Redeemer, and Saviour, and these people God loved and respected. His power worked mightily in them. The writer of the Hebrew Epistle gives a long list of these champions of faith and what they accomplished under God through faith; it was wonderful, illustrious, and glorious. In chapter 11, verses 32 through 35 give a description of the glorious victories many obtained; verses 36 and 37 describe bitter and severe persecutions and experiences many went through, and verse 38 says the world was not worthy to have such people as these in it. Verses 39 and 40 say of this whole company from one end to the other of the list, “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” The promise these folks did not receive was the promise of the Messiah who was to bring a full and free and uttermost salvation saved from sin and sanctified holy and wholly; with the power and dominion broken and destroyed out of the life and in which salvation we could live victoriously and triumphantly over all sin. Actually Christ was a “…Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8), and His redemption reached backward as well as forward. Those of the Old Testament times who believed in God’s promise of a Redeemer were people of God. Hebrews 9:15 says that the death of Christ was “…for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament,…” So we see the atonement of Christ covered them as well as us.
The second observation is that these people did not only confirm the resurrection of Jesus, but attested to His power to resurrect all the rest of us. Jesus said, “…Because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19), and here is living confirmation and proof of it. Paul said to Agrippa in Acts 26:8, “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” There was definite, unimpeachable proof of this which even this heathen king could not doubt. And surely we who have the first fruits and earnest of the Spirit in our hearts should be firmly established in this faith and live out our lives in the strong hope of this consolation.
