Matt 27:52-53-And the memorial tombs were opened and many bodies of the holy ones that had fallen asleep were raised up, (and persons, coming out from among the memorial tombs after his being raised up, entered into the holy city,) and they became visible to many people. [Gr. and the tombs were opened and many bodies of the having fallen asleep saints were raised; and coming forth out of the tombs after the rising of him entered into the holy city and appeared to many.]
Answer: I think the above example shows a good example of how faithfully the NWT renders this passage, especially after reading the NIV, Good News Bible and others that insert words like "raised TO LIFE". I wonder if Mr Quick objects to these interpolations? Protestant Bible Commentator, Adam Clarke, states: "It is difficult to account for the transaction mentioned in Mt 27 verses 52 and 53. Some have thought that these two verses have been introduced into the text of Matthew from the gospel of the Nazarenes, others think the simple meaning is this:—by the earthquake several bodies that had been buried were thrown up and exposed to view, and continued above ground till after Christ's resurrection, and were seen by many persons in the city. Why the graves should be opened on Friday, and the bodies not raised to life till the following Sunday, is difficult to be conceived. The place is extremely obscure." Jesus mentioned a resurrection of life or judgement at John 5:28, 29, but this account states that neither happened.
Greetings Heinz, this is another great answer to Mr. Quick. I wonder do any of these people respond back. Thank you my brother, for sharing all these responses, they have help me out several times
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, I am not sure I'll ever understand those versus
ReplyDeleteThe NWT translation of Matthew 27:52-53 is flawed due to several key reasons related to Greek grammar, context, and theological implications. The Greek verbs "ἐξελθόντες" (exelthontes) and "εἰσῆλθον" (eisēlthon) are in the aorist active voice, indicating that the saints' bodies actively came out of the tombs and entered the holy city. The NWT suggests a passive action, implying the bodies were merely exposed by the earthquake, which contradicts the Greek text.
ReplyDeleteThe proper translation indicates that the bodies of the saints were resurrected and came out of their tombs after Jesus' resurrection. The NWT introduces a new subject, suggesting that passersby reported seeing dead bodies rather than the resurrected saints. This misinterpretation is unsupported by the Greek text, which consistently indicates a single subject: the resurrected bodies of the saints.
The phrase "μετὰ τὴν ἔγερσιν αὐτοῦ" (meta tēn egersin autou), meaning "after his resurrection," clearly refers to Jesus. The NWT disrupts this reference by implying a separate event from the resurrection. The context and grammar of the passage indicate that the bodies were raised in conjunction with or immediately following Jesus’ resurrection.
The NWT translation also weakens the resurrection terminology used in the NT. The verb "ἠγέρθησαν" (ēgerthēsan), commonly associated with resurrection in the NT, is misinterpreted to imply mere physical emergence rather than a miraculous raising from the dead. This undermines the consistency of resurrection language found throughout the NT.
Moreover, the NWT fails to account for the absence of necessary Greek grammatical markers indicating a subject change. For the NWT translation to be correct, there would need to be additional Greek words such as "τινές" (tines, some) or "οἱ" (hoi, the ones). These markers are absent, reinforcing that the same subject (the resurrected bodies) is discussed throughout the passage.
Logical and contextual coherence supports the interpretation that the bodies of the saints were resurrected and entered the holy city after Jesus' resurrection. This interpretation highlights the miraculous nature of Jesus' resurrection and its immediate impact. The NWT’s rendering creates a disjointed narrative that introduces ambiguity and confusion.
In summary, the NWT translation of Matthew 27:52-53 misinterprets key Greek terms and grammatical structures, leading to an incorrect understanding of the passage. The correct interpretation maintains that the saints' bodies were resurrected, came out of their tombs following Jesus’ resurrection, and subsequently entered the holy city, appearing to many. The NWT’s insertion of additional subjects and actions not indicated by the Greek text distorts the original meaning and continuity of the passage. This correct interpretation preserves the coherence and miraculous nature of the resurrection narrative as intended in the original Greek text.
It has been a while since I've looked at this text. One wonders if should even be included in the New Testament (see https://2001translation.org/notes/matthew27-5253 )
DeleteUlrich Lutz' Commentary on Matthew states that the resurrection of the saints episode could be some kind of pre-Matthean Easter tradition that's been incorporated haphazardly by the author himself. Alternatively, the time statement could be a scribal interpolation (a post-Matthean marginal gloss that was later inserted into the text).
Codex Sinaiticus omits the word for "they entered" (eisēlthon) from verse 53. So, in that manuscript, after His resurrection, they simply 'came out of the tombs and appeared to many in the holy city'.
These verses were also used at the brutal death of Julius Caesar that even those saints in Rome were resurrected to protest against the brutal murder of Caesar.