The answer
The authors of the gospels say that Christ’s tomb in the garden was a new one. This detail tells us that the death of Christ heralds and leads us into Paradise, “where the forerunner has entered for us” (Heb. 6:20). In fact, the newness of the tomb means taking a path that no one has ever taken before, by which we return from death to life; the renewal of our souls. It also means that Christ created this way for us, and by it, abolished corruption. Therefore, by the death of Christ, death for us was transformed into nothing more than a kind of sleep, similar in its characteristics to merely resting. Yet we remain “alive to God” (Rom. 6:11), and we live forever as scripture says. Further, St. Paul in many places describes death as sleep for those who die in Christ. In ancient times, the dread of death cause people to live in terror. But now:
“For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Ps. 16:10).
“Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight” (Hos. 6:1–2).
Both these verses are prophecies about the resurrection of Christ, the Lord of Glory; while the second of them adds the detail that the resurrection occurs on the third day.
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty