Tabletalk Devotions with R.C. Sproul - December 21, 2020

The Soldiers Recognize Jesus Matthew 27:52–54 "When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake…they were filled with awe and said, 'Truly this was the Son of God!'" (Matthew 27:54). Given the emphasis in Matthew's gospel on how Jesus fulfills the old covenant (Matthew 27:17; Matthew 12:15–21; 26:47–56), it is hard to miss the significance of the hour of His death. Our Savior dies at the ninth hour (Matthew 27:45–50) — three o'clock p.m. — the same hour at which the daily sacrifices begin in the Jerusalem temple. By this we see that Christ fulfills all of the old covenant sacrifices. After His atonement, there is no need to offer up the blood of bulls and goats; sin has been dealt with and the temple rituals therefore pass away (Heb. 10:1–18). The earthquake following the death of Jesus (Matt. 27:51), Matthew Henry writes, signifies "the mighty shock, indeed, the fatal blow now given to the devil's kingdom." God's people can now, by His Spirit, defeat temptation, for sin can no longer enslave us (Heb. 2:14–15). Jesus came to destroy the Devil (1 John 3:8), vanquishing the evil one on the cross. In the new covenant era, Satan's kingdom is crumbling and the nations are granted the obedience of faith (Rom. 1:1–6). Today's passage reports that the earthquake also opens several tombs, from which appear many resurrected saints after our Lord rises from the dead (vv. 52–53). We do not know their identities, but these holy ones clearly died before Jesus inaugurated the new covenant and are raised only after He is resurrected. By this we see that the only way believers, whether they live under the old covenant or the new, can find final salvation (resurrected life in a new heavens and earth, Rev. 20:1–6; 21) is through Christ's death and resurrection. Scripture does not say whether the people of Matthew 27:52 die again or ascend to heaven. In any case, their resurrection is a sign that Jesus' death has inaugurated the last days, for this raising to life is the signal event of judgment day (Dan. 12:1–2). The resurrection of others, John Calvin says, also makes evident that Jesus died and rose again not only for Himself, but also to restore life to His people. Ironically, many Jewish leaders will not believe even after these signs (Matt. 27:62–66; 28:11–15). To the soldiers guarding Jesus, however, these supernatural events prove they have killed a divine man (Matt. 27:54). This may not be saving faith, but it does reveal that their hearts are not so hard as to miss the obvious. Coram deo: Living before the face of God Because of the influence Greek philosophy has long had on Christian thought, we can never say too often that Scripture never teaches that we are complete persons without a body. Rather, we look forward to the resurrection of the body at the last day and our final state of life forever, body and spirit, in the presence of God. Whatever physical defects and problems we have now, they will all be gone in the new heavens and earth. Let us rejoice in that today. For further study: 2 Kings 4:8–37 The Bible in a year: Habakkuk 1–2

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Copyright Information INTO the WORD daily Bible studies from TableTalk Magazine, Matthew Studies. Copyright © 2008 by Ligonier Ministries.  Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog by Bible Gateway, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA. This email is part of a devotional or newsletter that you signed up for on BibleGateway.com. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact us. *Manage all Bible Gateway subscriptions —  *Opt Out of all Bible Gateway communication *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally R C Sproul R.C. Sproul (Drs, Free University of Amsterdam) was the founder of Ligonier Ministries and general editor of The Reformation Study Bible. A prolific author, he wrote more than sixty books, including The Holiness of God, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone, Chosen by God, What Is Reformed Theology?, The Glory of Christ, The Mystery of the Holy Spirit, and Getting the Gospel Right. Dr. Sproul was professor of systematic theology and apologetics at Knox Theological Seminary in Fort Lauderdale until 2004 and, before that, taught at Reformed Theological Seminary. He served as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, Sanford, Florida, and taught on the national daily radio program Renewing Your Mind. Want to buy R. C. Sproul books on Alibris?