The Father Responds to the Death of His Son (Matthew 27:50-54).

Thursday April 23, 2026

Main Idea: 

At the moment Jesus yielded up His spirit on the cross, God unleashed a powerful explosion of supernatural signs that declare two glorious truths: the finished work of atonement has torn open the way to God, and the victory over sin and death has begun. The death of Jesus is not defeat—it is the decisive, world-changing triumph of God.

Mat 27:50-54

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

1. Jesus Yielded Up His Spirit (v. 50) 

This was no ordinary death, but it is a human death. Jesus did not have His life taken from Him—He willingly released it. Throughout His life He had lived in perfect submission to the Father.

“Into Your hand I commit my spirit” (Psa 31:5). 

All His life He had submitted; now, at the appointed moment, with relief, He entrusted His spirit to the One who had sent Him. His suffering was finished. The Father received His own.

2. The Veil Was Torn (v. 51a) 

This was God’s dramatic interpretation of what had just happened. The tearing came from above—from God Himself. It signaled two things at once: 

Judgment: The old temple system, with all its sacrifices and rituals, was finished.

Salvation: The way into God’s presence was now wide open. One sacrifice had been offered once for all (Heb 10:10). 

Heb 10:10

By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

But God was not finished speaking.

3. The Earth Shook and the Rocks Split (v. 51b) 

Heaven and earth bear witness. They were divine signs that the death of Jesus shook the very foundations of the old creation. 

Luk 19:40

“If these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

4. The Tombs Were Opened and Saints Were Raised (vv. 52-53) 

This is one of the most astonishing details in all of Scripture.

In a single, unrepeated act of celebration, the Father honored His Son’s death by giving a preview of the resurrection victory that would soon break out fully on Easter morning.

Matthew cannot wait for Easter Sunday. He wants us to see, already at the cross, that Jesus’ death killed death. “The last enemy that will be abolished is death” (1 Cor 15:26). In the death of Jesus, death itself began to die. 

They were raised in physical bodies. 

One Man, in six hours on a cross, did what all the wisdom and power of the world could never do—He conquered both sin and death. 

They are called “saints”—a word the New Testament always uses for living believers.

This was a foretaste. Jesus is the firstfruits.

5. The Centurion’s Confession (v. 54) 

Faith may come from the most unlikely people.

Even in that moment, God opened the eyes of some so they could see what the mockers missed. Faith opens the eyes to truly see.

The centurion declared, “Truly this was the Son of God!” A voice from the mocking crowd – whosoever may come.

Closing / Application 

Your access to God is secure. The veil is torn. No matter what my conscience says or anyone else’s to me, I am welcome in the Holy of Holies. 

Your greatest enemies have been defeated. Sin has been atoned for. Death has been abolished.

Boasting is only in the Lord. One Man, in six hours, accomplished what nothing else in history could.

1Co 1:30-31

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

Your life is as a saint. You are not waiting to become a saint after you die. Saint means sanctified – you live set apart.

If you are in Christ, you are a saint now—alive to God; alive “unto” God. Live like it. Love like Jesus loved. Bear fruit like He did. He is your example in everything.