I have enjoyed the way you broaden people's understanding of the Bible, and wish to wholeheartedly thank you. My question regards Matt 27:51-53, where as Jesus dies and many holy people are raised to life and appear to in Jerusalem. Are there any ancient writings that record these resurrections?
.
No record of these resurrections as far as I know. Yours is a good question, it's really a modern question. Ask not "How did it happen?" or "Where were they re-buried?" etc., but "What does it mean?".
.
Here's my take. These reanimations show us that Christ's death affected even those who were already dead! In particular, there is hope for those who lived faithfully under the old covenant. The power of the cross brings hope not only for the present, and for future generations; it reaches backward in time. Otherwise anyone dying before Christ would have no hope.
.
With this in truth mind, just think how great is the power of God (Eph 1:19-21; 3:20-21)!
.
However, one small qualification. These aren't "resurrections" in the full biblical sense of the word. Jesus was, so far, the only person in history to be resurrected. He is the "first fruits" of the resurrection, as Paul says in 1 Cor 15. That means he has a resurrection body. If we understand the account of those raised in Matt 27 literally, they were only reanimated. Presumably they would die again. And be raised at the last day. John 5 tells us all the dead will hear his voice at the day, and be raised.
