Are the “captives” in Ephesians 4:8 the same people raised in Matthew 27:52–53, and does this imply humans are already in heaven?

The short answer to the OP's question is "NO." The longer answer has two components:

Humans already in Heaven

We are not told how many humans are already in heaven but we know of at least three: Enoch, Elijah and Moses. How many more, is unknown. Paul's man "caught up to the third heaven" was presumably only a temporary visit because he told his story to Paul afterward. We do not know if he later returned to heaven or not.

Further the fate of those raised at the special resurrection described in Matth 27:52–53 is also unknown. Whether they we later translated to heaven or died of natural causes, we do not know.

Eph 4:8 - Captives or Captivity?

Let me quote Eph 4:8 very carefully:

Therefore it says: “Having ascended on high, He led captive captivity, and gave gifts to men.”

Note what this text says and what it does not say. It says nothing about captives (plural) but He that led captivity (singular) captive (the verb is also singular), ie, an abstract noun suggesting that Jesus had led away whatever was keeping people captive, ie, captive to sin - Jesus' ministry liberated sinners from the captivity of sin.

In doing this, Jesus enabled the distribution of the spiritual gift to men as described in the previous verses and 1 Cor 12 and Rom 12.

Gill expresses this well when he says:

he led captivity captive; which is expressive of Christ's conquests and triumph over sin, Satan, the world, death, and the grave; and indeed, every spiritual enemy of his and his people, especially the devil, who leads men captive at his will, and is therefore called captivity, and his principalities and powers, whom Christ has spoiled and triumphed over; the allusion is to the public triumphs of the Romans, in which captives were led in chains, and exposed to open view

Eph. 4:8 is a paraphrase of Psalm 68

17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. 18 When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, Lord God, might dwell there.

This apparently refers YHWH's triumph over rebellious ones (whether people or spiritual beings) that had dwelt on Sinai. In the case of Mattew 27:52–53, the text speaks of "saints." Since saints are not rebellious, and God does not take them captive, Ephesians 4:8 cannot refer to the events of Mt. 27. Moreover, the psalm refers to people who lived on Mount Sinai, but Matthew speaks of people "coming out of the tombs" near Jerusalem. Thus, the evidence strongly suggests that the events described in Matthew are not the same as what Ephesians refers to.

Before turning to Ephesians 4:8, it is important to clarify the meaning of "saints" (KJV) or "holy people" (NIV) in Matthew 27:52.

The Greek ἁγίων (Strong's 40) means "Holy, sacred, set apart." It refers to those who belong to God - those set apart by covenant. It does not imply that these individuals had already been glorified or resurrected into immortality in the eschatological sense described in Revelation. If Matthew intended to emphasize their moral status or perfected condition, he would more naturally have used "righteous." Instead, "holy" highlight their identity as God's covenant people, not their eschatological status.

Therefore, there is no textual basis for claiming that these individuals were raised into immortal, glorified bodies or they had already in heaven.

Comparison of Ephesians 4:8 and Psalm 68:18

Ephesians 4:8 (NIV)

“When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”

Psalm 68:18 (KJV)

Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

1. "Captives" (Ephesians 4:8) vs "Captivity captive" (Psalm 68:18)

Paul is citing Psalm 68:18 from the Septuagint (LXX), where the underlying Hebrew uses a singular collective noun. The phrase "captivity captive" expresses the idea of a single enslaving dominion - the entire power of captivity itself - being conquered. The LXX's wording - "He led captivity captive" - preserves the literal Hebrew expression.

The NIV, however, chooses to render the meaning rather than the form, translating it as "he took many captives," which interprets the expression as referring to individuals rather than the abstract dominion.

2. "Gave gifts" (Ephesians 4:8) vs "Received gifts" (Psalm 68:18)

Psalm 68:18 says that the victorious King receives tribute. Paul intentionally adapts this to say Christ gives gifts. This is not a contradiction but a messianic interpretation: the victorious King receives tribute and then distributes gifts to his people. Paul applies this imagery to Christ's ascension and His giving of spiritual gifts to the church.

Who is/are the captive(s)?

In Ephesians 4:8, Paul's theology is that Jesus' exaltation has conquered the dominion of captivity - the enslaving power of sin, death, and Satan. As a result, those who were once held under that dominion are now set free.

Thus:

• "Captivity captive" refers to Satan's dominion - the enslaving power itself.
• "Captives" refers to sinners who were held under that dominion.

Both readings are theologically coherent, but the former reflects the Hebrew expression more precisely.

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus foretells His victory over Satan's dominion:

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

The "gates of Hades" symbolize the power of death and the realm that holds the enslaved. Christ's triumph means that His church will overcome this dominion, and those once enslaved to sin will be set free from the power of Hades.