For background, go to the Christianity Today article on the matter here. For Mike Licona’s 2011 ETS paper in which he addresses this controversy, go here. (An mp3 of his November 17, 2011 presentation of his paper can be found here.) Best blog post on the controversy can be found here.
Mr. Licona’s position is quite wrong. 1 Cor. 13 (KJV) tells us that if we love someone we believe all things thus if a believer loves Jesus and God they will believe His words. The passage of scripture in question at the center of this feud is quite clear and does not have Matthew using some ancient secular historian’s trick but rather shows him REPORTING what actually took place at the time when Jesus gave up His spirit.
Why God did it we do not know. How it applies to today is simple, we learn something about the other events that took place in conjunction with Jesus’ crucifixion and we see God impressing upon people exactly WHO JESUS IS.
Those who declare that it did not happen now call God a liar and sin.