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Author: Stephen Weller
697 words, 4 minutes read time

Tear, Shake, Split and Open

Scripture: Matthew 27:51-53

We ended the previous lesson with the centurion praising God over the events leading up to the death of Jesus and his death, but there was more to come. At the death of Jesus other events were set into motion that we will cover in this lesson.

^{Mt 27:51} And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. ⁵² The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, ⁵³ and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

As Jesus bowed his head and breathed his last breath out, three things were triggered: (1) the curtain of the temple was torn in two, (2) the earth shook and the rocks were split, and (3) the tombs were opened releasing many bodies of saints who had died.

“The curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place was an elaborately woven fabric of 72 twisted plaits of 24 threads each. It was 60 feet (18 m) high and 30 feet (9.1 m) wide. No one was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place behind the curtain except the high priest, and he only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Heb. 9:2-7).” (Footnote for Matthew 27:51, ESV Study Bible, page 1887). This massive curtain formed a separation between God and the people and when Jesus died, and the curtain was torn from top to bottom a new kind of relationship with God had begun through the person of Jesus Christ.

As the curtain tore the earth shook and the rocks were split. It is true that Palestine sits on a major seismic rift, so earthquakes were not uncommon. To say that an earthquake just happened to occur at this precise moment that Jesus died is nullified by the statement that the rocks were split, and the tombs were opened. Combining the rocks being split with the tombs being opened implies God’s hand in this and makes this a major testimony to the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection.

These saints who had fallen asleep had died and were in their grave or tomb and when Jesus surrendered up his life, life came into them and they were raised as Lazarus was but in this case with resurrected bodies so that they would not have to experience death again as did Lazarus. They were a foretaste of what would happen to all believers at the return of Jesus Christ. These resurrected bodies may have been taken up to heaven at or near the time Jesus ascended to heaven. What a powerful witness this would be to the people who saw this or heard about it.

Jesus died in our place so that we could have life and that was demonstrated by the resurrection of these saints for people to see. Realizing that not all graves were opened indicates a condition that must have been met by those raised. That condition was faith, as they looked ahead to the cross, in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 ESV).

Conclusion

What a powerful witness death can be. How we die when being persecuted for our faith or how we live when we lose a loved one through death can be a most powerful witness. How Jesus died and the associated events were a powerful witness to at least the centurion and those who were with him as we will see in the next lesson. Jesus came to live in obedience to his Father and then die to provide for our salvation. At the time of our salvation we were made new creatures in Jesus Christ and given a work assignment like Jesus was (Ephesians 2:10). At our death will we be able to say to our Father that we have finished our assigned work as Jesus did.