Matthew 27:52-53 (KJV)the phrase “after Jesus’ resurrection” goes with the words were raised to life and came out of the tombs. This is possible in the Greek, and is suggested in the kjv and the nasb. The tombs, then, broke open at Christ’s death, probably by the earthquake, thus heralding Christ’s triumph in death over sin, but the bodies were not raised till Christ was raised.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
John Gill, Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, A.T. Robertson (Greek scholar), Adam Clarke, Albert Barnes, and of course Dake all concur with this.The graves were opened during the terrifying earthquake (Matthew 27:51), but the bodies did not arise until after Jesus' resurrection (Matthew 27:52). Christ had to be the first to arise from the dead—the first who was never to die again (1 Cor. 15:20; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Matthew.