(Continuation)
Luke
Luke’s narrative in this case consistent with Mark:
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. (Luk 23:44-45 NAU)
It is the tendency of Luke to insert explanatory phrases such as “because the sun was obscured” into the narrative. I love this about Luke. Many of these insertions were likely added because of questions that were being asked by the readers of Mark, and this gives us valuable insight into the issues being discussed at the time.
Matthew
Now we come to Matthew:
Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. (Mat 27:45 NAU)
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. (Mat 27:51-53 NAU)
Really? An earthquake causing tombs to open and, three days later, a mass resurrection? I am sorry, but these events cross the line of credibility in my opinion. These events, if true, should not have been overlooked by the previous authors.
Strike one.
In addition to this, the incredible event was never alluded to in the epistles.
Strike two.
The event is inconsistent with the message of the resurrection. Christ is the firstborn from among the dead, and the resurrection of the saints will occur at His second coming. In this, the remainder of the New Testament stands very opposed to Matthew’s insertion.
Strike three.
My conclusion: with a very high level of certainty based on this analysis, the event simply did not happen.
Recovery Version Footnotes
WL commented on this event in his footnotes. In support of the historical accuracy, he makes an argument that the firstfruit of the harvest would not be a single stem of wheat, but a sheaf of wheat. So Christ was raised as part of a group?
Lee also states that “Where [the resurrected saints] went after this we have no way to trace.” This is problematic. If Lee said they ascended to Heaven with Christ as part of a “sheaf”, that would of course be challenged. If Lee said they died again and returned to Sheol, then that also seems to counter the “sheaf” argument.
My explanation is much simpler. It did not happen, and Christ is the sole firstborn of the dead who alone has been harvested and collected by the Father until the general harvest occurs.