It may be that these resurrected saints were Jewish Christians such as Simeon and Anna, Zacharias and Elizabeth who had recently perished. If these kinds of people were resurrected they would have been immediately recognized by friends and loved ones. It also could have been a sampling of believers from many periods of history. Matthew doesn’t elaborate on who these “holy ones” were. If the saints raised were notable historical persons such as Job, Moses, Abraham or Isaac, it is likely that they would have been identified by name. “[T]hose who lived and died before the death and resurrection of Christ, had saving benefit thereby, as well as those who have lived since; for he was the same yesterday that he is today, and will be for ever, Heb. xiii.8.”[15]
Regarding the specific nature of this resurrection Matthew is silent. Therefore, commentators are divided as to whether these saints were resurrected like Lazarus, who resumed a normal earthly existence and died of old age; or, received glorified spiritual bodies which were eventually received up into heaven. Given the fact that these saints were resurrected as a sign of the victory of the Redeemer’s sacrificial death; and, as a token of all believers, it is likely that they were resurrected with glorified bodies that could not die. “t would appear to be absurd to suppose that, after having been once admitted by Christ to the participation of a new life, they again returned to dust.”[16] According to Hebrews 11 (cf. 11:13-16, 35, 39-40) the Old Testament saints all died looking forward to resurrection and a better life in a heavenly country. For a select group that hope now comes to fruition at the death of Jesus.
Third, why did God only raise some saints to life when He could have raised all, now that the Redeemer’s vicarious suffering and death was accomplished? The answer to this question lies in the purpose of this resurrection. The purpose of this resurrection was to testify regarding the efficacy of the Savior’s suffering and death. It was designed to give the people of God an example of the new life which they ought to expect. “n order that the minds of believers might be more quickly raised to hope, it was advantageous that the resurrection, which was common to all of them, should be tasted by a few.”[17]
Further, the New Testament makes it abundantly clear that the final resurrection of the saints and their receiving glorified bodies occurs at the second bodily coming of Christ. Therefore, a resurrection of all would be premature. God ordained that in the salvation of His elect, which occurs over a long process of history, the final act in the application of redemption in the broadest sense of that term comes at the very end of human history. Therefore, in this resurrection of “many saints” around Jerusalem God was giving His people a taste of the result of Christ’s redemptive work. Although their appearance on Sunday testified to the Redeemer’s resurrection, it also gave the church, which would soon be sorely persecuted, a glimpse of the end of history. Therefore, this resurrection looks back at the death of Jesus and looks forward to complete victory of the cross at the consummation. This exhibition of the resurrected saints ought to give the church a great optimism as it battles the forces of evil and suffers affliction. It would be akin to the British troops at Dunkirk in 1940 getting a glimpse of the end result of World War II and seeing themselves marching in a victory parade in London.
Fourth, why is it significant that only believers were raised? Our Lord is showing us that the benefits of His death and resurrection are applied only to His people and not unbelievers. The cross opens the prisons of our graves. It takes rotten flesh, old bones and even bodies obliterated into nothing but dust and makes them into perfect, beautiful, flawless, glorified, incorruptible bodies. Adam was formed from the dust of the ground and we shall be reformed from the dust of death. Modernists, skeptics and full-preterists cannot accept this truth. But the eyes of faith know that our omnipotent Savior will have no difficulties with this miracle.
This miracle demonstrates the efficacy of Christ’s death to spiritually resurrect His own people. If the Redeemer can take the dust of a dead man and give it new glorified life, then can He not also raise up dead hearts of stone? These miracles that accompanied the death of the Savior prove that the resurrected, glorified Mediator will continue to exercise His great saving power throughout history until He comes again: “rocky hearts are rent, graves of sin are opened, those who have been dead in trespasses and sins, and buried in sepulchers of lust and evil are quickened, and come out from among the dead, and go into the holy city, the New Jerusalem.”[18]
