MATTHEW: [ 27:53] EZEKIEL [37:12] CHEW ON THIS !

THE WEIRDEST MOMENT IN MATTHEW- POSSIBILITY , THE WEIRDEST MOMENT, IN HE ENTIRE GOSPEL TRADITION IS DESCRIBED IN MATTHEW (27:53). AS JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS,WE ARE TOLD NEAR BY "TOMBS" WERE OPEN AND MANY BODIES OF THE SAINTS WHO HAD FALLEN ASLEEP, WERE RAISED. AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, THEY CAME OUT OF THE "TOMBS' AND ENTERED THE HOLY CITY., AND "APPEARED TO MANY." IN OTHER WORDS AN UNSPECIFIED BUT LARGE NUMBER OF UNNAMED  PROPHETS AND HOLY FIGURES FROM THE TRADITIONS OF JUDAISM SPRANG TO LIFE AND ZOMBIED THEIR WAY THROUGH JERUSALEM. THE ASTONISHING SO- CALLED RISEN ONES NEVER COMES UP AGAIN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, WHICH RATTLED CHRISTIAN CAGES FOR GENERATIONS. VARIOUS ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO EXPLAIN THE PASSAGE, THE MOST POPULAR- SUPPORTED, AUGUSTINE, TERTULLIAN, AND JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, AMONG OTHERS-- BEING THAT MATTHEW DESCRIBED NOT A LITERAL RAISING BUT A SPIRITUAL ONE. THE LIKELIEST SOURCE OF THIS STRANGE PASSAGE? OF COURSE, JEWISH SCRIPTURE EZEKIEL [37:12]. " THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: I AM GOING TO OPEN YOUR GRAVES, AND BRING YOU UP FROM YOUR GRAVES,
                                                      " O  MY PEOPLE".
AND I WILL BRING YOU BACK TO THE LAND OF ISRAEL." EXCERPT FROM THE "APOSTLE"   BY TOM BISSELL. ( AMONG THE TOMBS OF THE TWELVE.)