In his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul wrote: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4 NIV).
Paul regarded his message as of first importance. These historical facts of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection are absolutely fundamental to the Christian faith. Paul let it be known that these facts are not according to him, but rather according to God’s Word; hence he adds according to the Scriptures.
The burial of Christ was evidence of His death on the cross. By using the words “according to the Scriptures,” Paul quite likely was referring to Isaiah’s prophecy on the vicarious sacrifice of Christ which says in part: “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
The death of the Lord Jesus, certainly met God’s divine approval. As the Scripture says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
We also read: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 NIV).
God’s love is an unfathomable, unconditional, incomparable, and amazing love. The Bible says: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
The sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus on the cross was a ‘substitutionary’ death. The Bible says: “For our sake [God] made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus predicted His own crucifixion when He said: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24 NIV).
The Lord is actually referring to Himself as a kernel of wheat that must die in order to produce many seeds. If it doesn’t die, it remains only a single seed.
The spiritual application is that the Lord Jesus must therefore die, since the great purpose of His death would surely result in the way of salvation for many people.
The Bible says: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). And Philippians 2:8 says this about Jesus: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
In first Corinthians 11 the Apostle Paul explains the order and meaning of the Lord’s Supper, which is a memorial of the shed blood and death of the Lord Jesus. And the Church is required to commemorate this until the Lord’s return. Paul then says: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).
This clearly demonstrates that Christians are saved by Jesus’ death and not His life. And by shedding His blood, He died for the sins of mankind.
Christ died and was buried. If He did not die, He could not be buried. This is evidence of Jesus’s burial: “Joseph . . . asked for Jesus’s body, and took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away” (Matt. 27:57-60 NIV).
Rolling a big stone in front of the entrance of the tomb is significant in order to make “the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard” (Matt. 27:66). These steps were taken to ensure Christ’s body remain in the tomb while awaiting His resurrection.
The Bible presents many undeniable proofs of Christ’s resurrection. One such instance is the empty tomb. Early the Sunday morning after Jesus’ burial, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went with the intent of anointing Jesus’ body. When they arrived at the tomb, they were informed: “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him” (Mark 16:6).
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, provide details of Christ’s resurrection and events of that most wonderful, great, and all-important historical event.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is most significant for Christians in that it brings hope for the present and the future. Paul states: “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19 NIV).
What a desperate condition to be in. But this is definitely not the case. Paul gives this blessed assurance: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). Glory to God!
And the fact that “He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time” (1 Corinthians 15:5,6 NIV); is absolute proof of Christ’s glorious resurrection.