Hi Pastor John,
I love the new book “After Jesus Died”. What a precious thing. It just makes so much sense. And, wow, the disciples were clueless! I love that we know that! I love it!
One of the things that astonished me when I read it is at the very beginning. After Jesus gave up his spirit and died, dead people came up from the dead and were seen walking around in Jerusalem!!!!!! I read that and was like, “WHAT IN THE WORLD!” What an astonishing thing! Corpses don’t just get up from their graves and just walk around!! And it really made me wonder a lot about it. What is the spiritual significance of Jesus just having given up his spirit, gone down to the place of the dead, and then dead people get up and walk about, before Jesus even rose again himself? What does it mean? Is it some kind of parable to what Jesus was about to do? I really wonder about this.
=========
The information about some dead saints rising is given to the readers of the Bible after it tells of Jesus dying, but that event did not take place until after Jesus rose from the dead:
“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the graves AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Mt. 27:52-53).
Still, who those saints were and why the were brought back from the dead at that time, we do not know. Those two verses are the only time they are ever mentioned.”
=========
The other astonishing thing is that the people were just looking on! I’d be running away!
Jenny
==========
A few souls loved Jesus too much to run away from him when he was dying on the cross after they had traveled with him so much, felt his sweet spirit, and seen him do so much good. I suspect that you might have stayed nearby, too, under those circumstances.
Thanks for the question!
Pastor John