Crucifixion & ResurrectionThe

The ten most important events in human history:

The American Revolution

The Reformation

The Life of Jesus

Tearing down the Berlin Wall

World War II

World War I

Guttenberg Inventing the Printing Press

Life of Muhammad

Pax Romana

The Renaissance

I was asked by a fellow student in college to show him the scripture the Apostle Paul used in 1 Cor. 15:3-5 that references the old testament scripture that Jesus would be raised on the third day.

I took Jason to 1 Cor 15:3-5 and read these verses. Jason was raised in a Christian home going to church every Sunday and Wednesday, but was now a practicing Satanist. Jason knew the Scriptures and that is why he threw this test before me, to watch me stumble and tell him there is no specific old testament scripture talking about the resurrection on Jesus Christ, but there are many! You just need to look closely or at the whole picture to see what God has woven through the old testament about Jesus being raised on the third day.

Jason said this is one of the numerous contradictions in the bible and that is why it is false.

We agreed that I would need time to research and get back to him. This was one of many questions and discussions Jason and I would have over the next several years.

Here is the scripture in question:

1 Corinthians 15:3–5 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

Christ died for our sins

Christ was buried

Christ raised on the 3rd day…according to the scriptures

According to the scriptures…What Scriptures?

The Old Testament

Famously, however, there is a problem.

It is relatively easy to identify passages pointing to the suffering and death of Christ for sins. Psalm 22, Isaiah 53, Zechariah 12:10-14.

What scripture does Paul have in mind when he says that Jesus was raised on the third day according to Scriptures?

Even my Thompson Chain Study Bible is perplexed. Usually overflowing with cross references, no reference to the Old Testament. The only Old Testament text suggested is Hosea 6:2 “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” Which appears to be talking about Israel as a whole. There are clear proof texts for the Crucifixion, like Isaiah 53, but no equivalent for the Resurrection, let alone Resurrection on the third day.

Yet this is not because the idea of rising to new life on the third day is nowhere in Scripture. In fact, it’s everywhere in Scripture. Seeing how and why this is can teach us how to read the Bible more attentively—which, more often than not, means listening for refrains and echoes in a symphony rather than Googling phrases for an exact match.

Scripture’s first example of life rising from the ground on the third day appears in the opening chapter of Genesis.

On day three, the land brings forth plants and fruit trees, and they carry seed “according to their kinds” (Gen. 1:12), with the capacity to continue producing life in subsequent generations.

From that point on, the rising to life of God’s life-giving “seed” on the third day becomes a pattern.

Isaac, the son destined for death on Mount Moriah, is raised on the third day, vs 22:4 (Gen. 22:1–14).

King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:5).

Daniel 12:2

Jonah (Jonah 1:17).

Joseph’s brothers are released from the threat of death on the third day (Gen. 42:18),

Pharaoh’s cupbearer (Gen 40:20–21).

Israel, dying of thirst in the wilderness, finds life-giving water on the third day (Ex. 15:22–25).

And on arrival at Sinai, the people are told to “be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down” (19:11).

Queen Esther, with the Jewish people under sentence of death, enters the king’s presence on the third day, finds favor with him, and brings her nation from death into life (Esther 5:1).

When Hosea talks about Israel being raised up on the third day, he is not plucking a random number out of nowhere. He is reflecting a well-established theme originating in the Bible’s first chapter. As Hosea says,

Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. (Hos. 6:1–2)

This is exactly what happened on Easter Sunday. Christ was not merely raised; he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He is the fruit tree with the capacity to bring new life according to his kind. He is the one and only Son, destined for death and then returned to his Father well and truly alive, having proved how deep the Father’s love really is. He is the new Jonah, vomited out of the depths after three days to preach forgiveness to the Gentiles. He is the new Esther, turning his people’s fortunes upside down by interceding in the heavenly throne room, finding favor with the King, conquering their enemies, and ultimately giving them rest.

On the third day, promised Hosea, God will restore us so that we may live in his presence. Now he has. So we can.