A Light for My Path

By the time this post publishes, it will be the Monday after Easter. Many of my devotionals and Bible readings during this Lenten season have been about the events leading up to Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection. Three of the gospels, Matthew, John, and Luke tell the Easter story. But, Matthew describes something that neither of the other two writers do. In chapter 27, verses 51-53, Matthew says that at the moment Christ died “the temple curtain was torn in two, and there was an earthquake that split rocks apart and opened graves.” And then, “the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.”

They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Matthew 27:53

I cannot remember this particular passage being emphasized in any Easter sermon I’ve ever heard. Of course, the greatest occurrence in the Christian religion is the resurrection of Jesus. His sacrifice, wrongful conviction and execution, and his triumph over death are the amazing gift to believers that we are able to share in eternal life with Him.

But, I can’t help from feeling that Matthew kind of glossed over a really important part of the story. As soon as Jesus left that sealed tomb, God’s promises to His people started to be fulfilled. Matthew refers to these people as holy. Now, there were a lot of people who considered themselves to be holy. Including the Pharisees who tried and tested Jesus and His followers. I don’t think that’s who Matthew was referring to. I think these people were holy in the sense that they, like the disciples; like Mary, Martha, and Lazarus; like the woman at the well; and many others recognized Jesus as the Messiah. And, so they were brought back to life to show that God means what He says.

These three short verses give me so much hope and conviction. God’s promises aren’t just somewhere off in the future.  They’ve already happened.

Laura