When Jesus died on the cross something cataclysmic happened. For one thing, the veil in the temple was ripped wide open. Then there is another thing that we miss or read over without thinking about it. Dead people were raised and appeared to many in the city. This, we thought should have happened with the resurrection of Jesus, but no, it happened when He died and descended into Hades. Dead people came out. This was a sign that Jesus had crashed through the Gates of Hell and defeated Death. Dead saints came forth to be seen in Jerusalem, and then their spirits went with Jesus to Paradise, along with the redeemed thief on the cross. That’s greater than an earth quake that split rocks.
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also 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 went into the holy city and appeared to many.” (Matthew 27:51–53 ESV)
