Matthew - Week 90

Death and Life 

READ 

Matthew 27:50-53 

50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. 

Finally, after all the tortures of the cross, Jesus “released his spirit.” He willingly gave up His life (see John 10:17-18). Then various miracles took place. The curtain in the Temple separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest could go once a year. In addition to an earthquake, many Old Testament believers were raised from the dead. Some think all Old Testament saints were raised at that time. Others believe that only “many” were, and that the main resurrection of Old Testament believers will be at the end of the Tribulation so they might inherit the kingdom. 

REFLECT 

Consider how wonderful it is now that believers today can go directly to God in prayer because the temple curtain has been torn down.  

RESPOND 

With a friend consider passages that relate to the events mentioned in this passage in Matthew. Such passages are Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-20; 13:10-14. 

The Son of God 

READ 

Matthew 27:54-56 

54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” 55 And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. 

The soldiers were terrified by what occurred and realized that Jesus was “truly the Son of God.” Women had been following Jesus to care for Him and now they were “watching from a distance.” Matthew named these specific women in his Gospel. His was not just a report about the men who accompanied Jesus. Often women are not referred to by name, such as the half-sisters of Jesus, but here Matthew was specific about the women following Jesus to care for Him.  

REFLECT 

Thank the Lord for the women who followed Jesus to take care of Him. Thank Him also for the women serving Him today. 

RESPOND 

Talk to someone about the special women in your life. If God used one or more of them to bring you to faith in Jesus, honor what they did by telling about them.  

Joseph of Arimathea 

READ 

Matthew 27:57-58 

57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, 58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him.  

Joseph is a special person to consider. Here it says he “had become a follower of Jesus,” and John 19:38 describes him as a “secret disciple of Jesus.” Luke 23:50-51 reveals Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Court. John 19:39 also mentions Nicodemus who came to Jesus at night. Many feared the Jewish leadership in those days, but two believers stepped forward when other more outspoken ones did not.  

REFLECT 

Think about many in the world today who are afraid to speak out for Jesus because of fear of what might happen to them. Thank the Lord for the courageous ones who speak out.  

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about two kinds of people we need to be aware of. Some may be like Judas. He did what other believers were doing but He did not believe in Jesus. Some may be like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. They were believers but feared speaking out about it.  

Placed in a Tomb 

READ 

Matthew 27:59-61 

59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. 61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. 

To see what else Joseph and Nicodemus did, see John 19:39-42. Matthew reports details about Joseph’s tomb. While this went on, the two Marys were watching. Women were there while the men were hiding. If they killed the ringleader, it would be assumed they would be coming for His followers. John 19:25 indicates Jesus’ mother saw His crucifixion. How terrible that must have been for her. 

REFLECT 

Think of the special care Joseph gave the body of Jesus. He was surely a wealthy person to have a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about how many more details God could have revealed about the awful death of Jesus on the cross. The Gospels reveal only minimum details about the horrors of the crucifixion.  

Sealed and Guarded 

READ 

Matthew 27:62-66 

62 The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.” 65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. 

Jesus’ disciples could not grasp the meaning of His promise to rise on the third day, but unbelievers knew of His comments and took them seriously. They thought the disciples might steal the body of Jesus and claim He had risen from the dead. Pilate agreed and told them to take guards and “secure it the best you can.”  

REFLECT 

Is it not strange how some unbelievers acted on the words of Jesus even though His own disciples did not fully grasp them? 

RESPOND 

Take the time with a Christian friend to read the other Gospel accounts of these events. See Mark 15:33-47; Luke 23:44-56; and John 19:28-42.