The Death of Jesus and the Veil Torn (Matthew 27:50–53)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily LXXXVIII (on Matthew 27:50–53) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.LXXXIV.html

On "And Jesus, when He had cried with a loud voice, yielded up the Ghost":

This is what He said, "I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again," and, "I lay it down of myself." So for this cause He cried with the voice, that it might be shown that the act is done by power. Mark at any rate saith, that "Pilate marvelled if He were already dead:" ... and that the centurion for this cause above all believed, because He died with power.

On the rending of the veil, the opening of the tombs, and the desolation of the temple:

This cry rent the veil, and opened the tombs, and made the house desolate. And He did this, not as offering insult to the temple ... but declaring them to be unworthy even of His abiding there ... but what took place was a prophecy of the coming desolation, and of the change into the greater and higher state; and a sign of His might.

On the rocks rent and the saints raised, as a sign of the resurrection to come:

And they are not merely raised, but also rocks are rent, and the earth shaken, that they might learn, that He was able to strike themselves blind ... For if for Lazarus to rise on the fourth day was a great thing, how much more for all those who had long ago fallen asleep, at once to appear alive, which was a sign of the future resurrection.

On the opening of what was unapproachable, and Heaven made ready:

showing that what were unapproachable are now to be entered, and that Heaven shall be opened; and the work removed to the true Holy of Holies.

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 27:50–51) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On the great things done at the loud cry:

Great things were done at the moment that Jesus cried with a great voice.

On the two veils, and the mysteries published from the top to the bottom:

It is understood that there were two veils; one veiling the Holy of Holies, the other, the outer part of the tabernacle or temple. In the Passion then of our Lord and Saviour, it was the outer veil which was rent from the top to the bottom, that by the rending of the veil from the beginning to the end of the world, the mysteries might be published which had been hid with good reason until the Lord's coming.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Harmony of the Gospels, Book III (on Matthew 27:51) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On the veil rent at the very moment He gave up the ghost:

The wording sufficiently shews that the veil was rent just when He gave up the ghost.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 27:51–53) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On what the great signs mean according to the letter:

It is not doubtful to any what these great signs signify according to the letter, namely, that heaven and earth and all things should bear witness to their crucified Lord.

On the saints who rose, that Christ might be the first-born of the resurrection:

As Lazarus rose from the dead, so also did many bodies of the Saints rise again to shew forth the Lord's resurrection; yet notwithstanding that the graves were opened, they did not rise again before the Lord rose, that He might be the first-born of the resurrection from the dead.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 27:51–52) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On the earth, the rocks, and the graves each confessing their Lord:

"The earth quaked," because it was unequal to contain such a body; "the rocks rent," for the Word of God that pierces all strong and mighty things, and the virtue of the eternal Power had penetrated them; "the graves were opened," for the bands of death were loosed. "And many bodies of the saints which slept arose," for illumining the darkness of death, and shedding light upon the gloom of Hades, He robbed the spirits of death.

St. Leo the Great (c. 400–461)

Sermons on the Passion (on Matthew 27:51–52) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On the commotion in the elements as witness to the Passion:

The sudden commotion in the elements is a sufficient sign in witness of His venerable Passion, "The earth quaked, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened."

On the rocks of unbelieving minds, and the sepulchres of mortality:

let the rocks of unbelieving minds be rent, and those who were pent up in these sepulchres of mortality leap forth, bursting the bonds that would detain them; and let them shew themselves in the Holy City, i.e. the Church of God, as signs of the Resurrection to come; and thus let that take place in the heart, which we must believe takes place in the body.