The Saints of Matthew 27: Why Do they Linger in their Tombs?
Matthew’s crucifixion narrative recounts the opening of tombs, the raising of long-deceased saints and their entrance into Jerusalem. One odd feature of the story is that it contains a strange time gap: the saints are raised when Jesus dies, but they exit their tombs only after his resurrection. Sch...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sage
2022
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| In: |
Journal for the study of the New Testament
Year: 2022, Volume: 44, Issue: 4, Pages: 477-495 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Resurrection
/ Crucifixion
/ Bible. Matthäusevangelium 27
/ Bible. Ezechiel 37,1-14
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| IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament HC New Testament KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Matthew’s crucifixion narrative recounts the opening of tombs, the raising of long-deceased saints and their entrance into Jerusalem. One odd feature of the story is that it contains a strange time gap: the saints are raised when Jesus dies, but they exit their tombs only after his resurrection. Scholars have tried to explain away this time gap in several ways, but none convinces. I advance a new proposal: the time gap is a natural consequence of Matthew’s theological narrative. Drawing on Ezek. 37.1-14, Matthew connects the moment Jesus gives up his breath with the raising of the saints, and he links Jesus’ resurrection with the saints’ entrance into Jerusalem. The time gap, therefore, is a natural and unproblematic result of the way Matthew tells his story. |
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| ISSN: | 1745-5294 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the New Testament
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/0142064X221079358 |