ETERNAL LIFE RESULTS FROM JESUS’ SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH: Matthew’s narrative of Jesus’ death is the most dramatic of all four Gospels. He mentions that the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. He also mentions that there was an earthquake, the earth shook and the rocks split (Matt. 27:51).

Matthew can’t wait to tell us that Jesus’ death on the cross is, in fact, a victory! So after letting us know that there was an earthquake, he records the following event: “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” (Matt. 27:52, 53). There was a long-awaited expectation that when the Messianic age started, when the king in David’s line would start his everlasting reign, the dead would be raised to life (see Isa. 26:19; Dan 12:2). Matthew is announcing that because of Jesus’ death this new age has started. Full victory over death has been gained.

When Adam and Eve sinned, humankind became mortal (Gen. 2:17; 3:19). Jesus’ death in our place gave us eternal life (see 2 Cor. 5:21). Death had been conquered by Jesus’ death on our behalf. This is when we start realizing the full and deeper meaning of the promise in Genesis 3:15.

“Although these raisings of the dead saints, like those in the Old Testament, do not mean that they will not die again, they prefigure Judaism’s anticipated final resurrection, when the dead will be raised never to die again” (Keener, IVP Background Commentary of the New Testament, p. 128).

This foreshadowing also applies to the new Israel, Christ’s church. “Matthew seems to be saying that with the death of Jesus history has begun its final rush to the eschatological denouement. That which happens now in miniature is an intimation, an anticipation, of what is due to happen on a grand, even a cosmic, scale” (Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew [NIGTC], p. 1214).

When we believe in Jesus’ death, what exactly guarantees our eternal life?

JESUS’ RESURRECTION & AUTHORITY: I absolutely love the language Matthew uses for resurrection morning. Another earthquake: “For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it” (Matt. 28:2). Sat on it! This is so like Matthew! It is “sitting on the throne” type of language, except that this time the angel sat on the stone of Jesus’ tomb. Death has been conquered! Think about it for a moment: Imagine the angel sitting on the stone that was placed in front of Jesus’ tomb. The angel sat on it, as if saying, “Any questions, anyone?”

The Gospel of Matthew ends with an authoritative statement of Jesus before the Great Commission: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18). “[This statement] echoes Dan 7:14, ‘To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him,’ a kingship which is to be everlasting and indestructible; there will be further echoes of Daniel 7:14 in the mission to ‘all the nations’ (verse 19), and in Jesus’ powerful presence until ‘the end of the age’ (verse 20)” (France, The Gospel of Matthew [NICNT], p. 1112).

The fact that the tomb was empty (see Matt. 28:6; Luke 24:1-3) is the core theological proclamation regarding the resurrection for the Christian church. It was not some kind of spiritual resurrection, with the body remaining in the tomb. This was not just the resurrection of Christ’s divinity, with His humanity remaining in death. No! Jesus was resurrected, body and soul. The tomb is empty! He lives! And “all authority” has been given to Him!

New Way to God’s Presence: The sacrificial system foreshadowed the Redeemer. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement (see Lev. 16), the High Priest entered the veil into the Most Holy place where, through the sprinkling of blood, the sins of the people where cleansed. When Jesus died, this veil was torn: “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51). “The curtain of the temple is torn, confirming that a new way to God’s presence has been opened up through Jesus’ death” (Strauss, Four Portraits, One Jesus, p. 238).

This amazing truth is further explained in the book of Hebrews: “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:19-22). Yes! In full assurance of faith through His blood, that’s the new and amazing way.

LET’S REFLECT

“The flawless plan proceeded with incredible speed and remarkable efficiency. The rescue of 33 miners trapped under 700,000 tons of rock put an end to the longest underground entrapment in history. The saga, which started on August 5, 2010 when the mine collapsed, dragged on for 69 days as the world watched spellbound in solidarity with the Chilean people and its government, while rescuers continued their restless efforts. Can you imagine being alive nearly a half mile underground, knowing there is absolutely nothing you could do to get out? Help could only come from above, and it did. No cost was too great. After 17 days with no contact with the miners, word that they were still alive circled the globe. For 52 days the country placed all its resources into bringing the trapped miners to the surface.

Meanwhile, the men underground had only two choices: faith or fear. They chose faith. As they waited, they prayed. One of them, Sepulveda, described his choice: “I was with God and with the devil. I reached out for God.” On October 12, a global audience in the hundreds of millions—myself included—watched live TV images showing the first rescuer arriving at the bottom, filmed by the miners. A little more than 24 hours later, all 33 miners and their rescuers were on the surface, celebrating in joy beyond words. “I can’t describe the joy we are all feeling right now,” said one of the miners.

I can’t even describe what I felt, and I was just watching it on TV! Two words kept coming up in the interviews that followed: all and joy. All had been rescued: the healthy and the sick, the strong and the weak. All had been saved through the plan designed from above.

The Savior of the world came down to fulfill heaven’s plan to rescue the world! No wonder the word “joy” keeps coming up in the Gospels’ narratives!

LET’S COMPREHEND JESUS IN SCRIPTURE

Let’s concentrate on the way Jesus treated those who failed, such as Peter. In one chapter of the Gospel of Mark we find Peter’s name mentioned nine times, more than in any other chapter in this Gospel. It is one of the most meaningful incidents between Jesus and His disciples, and it is the moment when Jesus explains that the Passover Feast was a symbol of His death. Take a moment to read this fascinating account in Mark 14:22-31. The disciples had to understand that Jesus Himself was the Passover Lamb, whose blood of the covenant had to be poured out as a ransom for many (1 Cor. 5:7; Mark 10:45).

After these incredible revelations, Jesus and His disciples sing a hymn and go out to the Mount of Olives (Mark 14:26). Then Jesus makes this strange announcement: “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.‘ But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee” (Mark 14:27, 28). What kind of God is this? Who makes a covenant to give His life as a ransom for people who He knows are going to fail Him? In one of the most unbelievable juxtapositions recorded in the Bible, Jesus is saying that His blood of the covenant will be poured out, and at the same time He is saying that His own disciples will abandon Him. He goes on, “But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee” (verse 28). What? You will still want to see us? Even if we failed You? Seriously, what kind of God are You, Jesus?

Then Peter says, “OK, Jesus, maybe some of the ‘weaklings’ among the disciples might need a Savior like that, you know, for failing people. But I am Peter, and that’s not going to happen to me! No way!” The actual Scriptural version is recorded in Mark 14:29, 31. But Jesus knew Peter better than Peter knew himself: “And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times’ “ (verse 30). This is how thoroughly Peter would deny Jesus. This is how complete would be his failure!

Read Peter’s terrible failure and denial in Mark 14:66-72. The account ends in a description of Peter’s desperate situation: “And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, ‘Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times,’ And he began to weep.” (Mark 14:72). Yes, Peter failed Jesus, just as many of us have. Mark doesn’t mention Peter throughout Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. It’s like Peter doesn’t deserve to be in the picture anymore.

But Mark tells us something that no other Gospel writer records on the morning of the resurrection: “Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, ‘Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you’ “ (Mark 16:5-7).

Did you catch that? Did you see the two words? The one who had failed is called by name! Jesus didn’t want Peter to think he was excluded. Christ’s sacrifice covered even Peter’s ransom. I am convinced that it even covers mine.