Matthew 27:52

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 27:50-56

We have here, at length, an account of the death of Christ, and several remarkable passages that attended it. I. The manner how he breathed his last (Matt. 27:50); between the third and the sixth hour, that is, between nine and twelve o?clock, as we reckon, he was nailed to the cross, and soon after the ninth hour, that is, between three and four o?clock in the afternoon, he died. That was the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, and the time when the paschal lamb was killed; and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 27:51-56

27:51-56 And, look you, the veil of the Temple was rent in two from top to bottom, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split, and the tombs were opened, and the bodies of many of God's dedicated ones were raised, and they came out of the tombs after his resurrection and came into the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and those who were watching Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, and they were exceedingly afraid. "Truly," they said, "this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:52

And the graves were opened ,.... Which were near the city of Jerusalem: this was a proof of Christ's power over death and the grave, by dying; when he through death, destroyed him that had the power of it, and abolished death itself; and became the plague of death and the destruction of the grave, taking into his hands the keys of hell and death: and many bodies of saints which slept, arose : not that they arose at the time of Christ's death: the graves were opened then, when the earth... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:52

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. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:52

Verse 52 52And graves were opened. This was also a striking miracle, by which God declared that his Son entered into the prison of death, not to continue to be shut up there, but to bring out all who were held captive. For at the very time when the despicable weakness of the flesh was beheld in the person of Christ, the magnificent and divine energy of his death penetrated even to hell. This is the reason why, when he was about to be shut up in a sepulcher, other sepulchers were opened by him.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 27:45-54

Prodigy rebuking levity. Levity had diabolical revelry while the blessed Lord Jesus meekly suffered injustice the most outrageous, and cruelty the most refined. At its height it was rebuked— I. BY A HORROR OF DARKNESS . 1 . This was preternatural . 2 . It was portentous . II. BY THE RENDING OF THE TEMPLE 'S VEIL . 1 . This also was preternatural . 2 . This too was portentous . III. BY THE PORTENTS FROM THE EARTH . ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 27:51-56

Signs following the death of Christ. ( Mark 15:38-41 ; Luke 23:47-49 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 27:51-56

Witness to the Lord's Divinity. I. THE WITNESS OF PORTENTS . 1 . The rending of the temple veil. "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." It may be that Christ, the Lamb of God, yielded up the ghost on the day and at the hour when they killed the Passover. It was the hour of evening prayer. The priests as they entered into the holy place found the great veil, which hid the holy of holies from the eye of man, rent in twain from the top to the bottom. This had happened at... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 27:52

The graves were opened. The earthquake tore away the stones that closed the mouths of many of the adjacent tombs. This and the following fact are mentioned only by St. Matthew. Many bodies of the saints which slept ( τῶν κεκοιμημε ì νων , who had fallen asleep ) arose. Matthew anticipates the time of the actual occurrence of the marvel, which took place, not at this moment, but after our Lord's resurrection, who was "the firstfruits of them that slept" (see the next... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 27:52

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... read more

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