Easter Is Coming in 8 Weeks

So, we are and were talking about the resurrection of Jesus. I mentioned this somewhere else, but I found this quote in the bible. It is a little different depending on which version of the bible you have, but this is the jist of it:

Quote: Matthew 27

The Death of Jesus

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Earlier we had said that Jesus was the only one ever resurrected. Clearly, we were wrong, as this quote says "many" were raised to life, at the moment of the death of Jesus.

I'm surprised when we were talking about the resurrection of Jesus, and the evidence of those who witnessed him afterwords, that no mention of these previous resurrections were made.

I'm not a biblical scholar. After all, I just found this, and it is in one of the most famous stories in the bible. Is it mentioned anywhere else in the bible? Any witness accounts of these holy people, and who they appeared to in the holy city? What holy city? Any mentions outside of the bible?

Quote: Dalex64

I'm surprised when we were talking about the resurrection of Jesus, and the evidence of those who witnessed him afterwords, that no mention of these previous resurrections were made.

I'm surprised a notorious rebel and 50-odd other people "resurrected" in a troublesome province, and not one single Roman account of the event survives to this day. It's almost as though it were all made up.

Quote: Dalex64

The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

You want to see some tap dancing around
a subject, do some research on this. Everybody
has an opinion on what it means. Not only
is Jesus hobnobbing with his pals, there are
long dead saints doing it too. Just more
supernatural mumbo jumbo added later for
effect. Contrived fairy tale nonsense.

Where do your numbers of 50-odd or 53 come from? Are they elsewhere in the bible? The numbers in the quote I made are the verse numbers.

Quote: Dalex64

Where do your numbers of 50-odd or 53 come from? Are they elsewhere in the bible? The numbers in the quote I made are the verse numbers.

Yup, fixed it.

My wife informs me that Lazarus was also resurrected. But she hadn't heard about this part of Matthew.

Quote: Dalex64

The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life

I remember it from decades ago, but they
really don't want to talk about it because
it takes away from the myth of Jesus. Not
only did tens of thousands die like him,
he wasn't the only one resurrected. FrG
will say of course they talk about it because
it makes perfect sense others would come
flying out of their graves life Jesus did.

The Churches stance when things in the Bible
don't make sense or sound stupid (like saints
waking up) they just agree with it, and then
ignore it. Move on, nothing to see here.

Quote: Dalex64

Where do your numbers of 50-odd or 53 come from? Are they elsewhere in the bible? The numbers in the quote I made are the verse numbers.

My mistake.

Still, several people "resurrected" and no other contemporary accounts of it exist.

Quote: Dalex64

I'm not a biblical scholar. After all, I just found this, and it is in one of the most famous stories in the bible. Is it mentioned anywhere else in the bible?

No, Matthew is the only Gospel that mentions it.

Quote:

Any witness accounts of these holy people, and who they appeared to in the holy city?

Nothing outside of the Gospel and the early Church Fathers reflecting on these difficult verses.

Quote:

What holy city?

The Holy City of Jerusalem or Mount Zion, which gives us a clue, along with the veil reference, that Matthew who is very intent on trying to show how Jesus fulfills numerous OT prophecies may be talking about the prophecy of Is. 25:7-8.

Quote:

Any mentions outside of the bible?

No, but this argument from silence is often overplayed.