The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
This episode reveals that Christ’s death was not an end, but a new beginning of life: as He was giving up His spirit, the tombs were opened, showing that death had lost its power. The resurrection of the bodies of the saints testified to the divine power by which Christ opened the doors of life for all the righteous. This event was a foreshadowing of His own resurrection and the promise of the future universal resurrection. It emphasizes that salvation extended not only to living believers, but also to all who fell asleep in righteousness, awaiting the coming of the Messiah. The opening of the tombs symbolizes the liberation of the human soul from the bonds of death, and the resurrection of the saints is the living confirmation of God’s saving word. This scene also shows that at the moment of Jesus’ death the whole universe responded—heaven, earth, and hell—acknowledging His Lordship.