Matthew 27:52–53: Did Old Testament saints rise when Jesus died? Why is this not mentioned elsewhere?
— Nathan R., Chennai

Thank you for this question, Nathan. These verses are among the most mysterious in the New Testament:

“The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints (God’s people) who had fallen asleep were raised [to life]; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many people.”
— Matthew 27:52–53 (AMP)

At face value, this seems to describe a literal resurrection of certain Old Testament saints. But why do no other Gospels, apostles, or Church epistles mention this? Was it symbolic, spiritual, or actual? Let’s explore both the natural and the spiritual dimensions of this passage.

Literal Reading: A Real Resurrection? #

Matthew is the only Gospel writer to record this event. It happens at the death of Christ, though the saints only come out of their tombs after His resurrection, showing that Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20).

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:20 (ESV)

The word “resurrection” here is the Greek ἀνάστασις (anastasis), meaning a bodily rising. The Greek word used for “appeared” is ἐνεφανίσθησαν (enephanisthēsan), which means to manifest oneself visibly, not in a vision or symbol, but in physical form.

So yes, the text is clearly describing a real, bodily resurrection of “many saints” who had died in earlier times and were now seen in Jerusalem.

But why this event? And why only here?

Why Is It Not Mentioned Elsewhere? #

There are a few likely reasons:

1. Matthew’s Gospel Focuses on Fulfilment of Jewish Prophecy #

Matthew often writes with Jewish themes and prophetic fulfilment in mind. He includes details others do not, especially to show Messianic fulfilment. This resurrection echoes:

“Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy…”
— Isaiah 26:19 (NASB)

“After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up…”
— Hosea 6:2 (AMP)

2. It Was a Sign, Not the Main Resurrection #

This was not the general resurrection promised at the end of the age. Rather, it was a first sign, a token, that Christ’s death broke open death itself. These saints testified—perhaps briefly—of what was to come through the greater resurrection of all in Christ.

Their silence in later epistles likely means:

• Their appearance was brief and local.
• Their return may have been temporary (like Lazarus).
• The apostles were careful not to focus on signs, but on Christ’s resurrection, which is the foundation of the faith (1 Cor 15:17).

Spiritual Revelation Behind This Event #

This resurrection was not merely historical—it was prophetic, theological, and positional. It revealed that:

1. Christ’s death tore the veil between heaven and earth (v. 51).
2. Graves opened because the grip of death was broken.
3. Old Covenant saints who had died in faith could now be released, because the blood had been shed (Hebrews 11:39–40).
4. It foreshadowed our spiritual resurrection in Christ.

“Even when we were dead in sins, He made us alive together with Christ… and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
— Ephesians 2:5–6 (AMP)

This is Only When… #

All of this only becomes meaningful when Christ is in you, you are moved by the Holy Spirit, dead to the world, dead to Adam and the flesh, but alive in Christ and in the Spirit. Then, the power that raised Christ and the saints is alive and working in you (Romans 8:11).

Summary #

Hope this unlocks the Scripture for you, Nathan. May you walk in the power of resurrection life, fully alive in the Spirit, and no longer bound to death or the old man. Christ in you is the surest sign that the grave has lost its grip.

In Christ,
Shaliach.