In Acts 26:23 the Apostle Paul states that the Messiah was first to rise from the dead. However, Matthew 27:52 states otherwise.
Acts 26:23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.
Matthew 27:52 (50-54)
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
The event seems to fit better in place with chapter 28:2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
Matthew 27 is written in chronological order. That is the consistent literary style and character of the chapter. Why would the verse 52 all of a sudden jump out of time from the chronological flow of the events? The verse loses the style and character. The verse in question within Matthew has the red flags of being a gross mistranslation, an interpretation, or matter of intellectual bickering amongst a schism within those who denied the gospels and letters of Paul. Paul does not mention during the trials in Acts about this event. Acts 22:6 Paul states that the reason he is on trial is because of his hope, belief in the resurrection of the dead. If the events were known to have occurred there in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin surely would’ve been aware.