I Corinthians 15:4 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 15:4 Commentary: Buried and Raised on the Third Day
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul's early creed: Christ buried, raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Christ’s burial and resurrection are historic events that fulfill the Old Testament pattern, proving his death was real and his exaltation is ongoing.
- Key words: ἐτάφη (was buried, aorist) and ἐγήγερται (has been raised, perfect), tense shift underscores resurrection as a permanent state.
- Main debate: How “the third day” is “according to the Scriptures,” since the OT nowhere says “on the third day” explicitly.
- Theological theme: The resurrection is not an addendum to the crucifixion; it is the gospel’s center, grounding both faith and hope.
- Best use: A cornerstone for apologetics and assurance, the creed’s antiquity and specificity anchor Christian confidence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
WEB World English Bible 2000
that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
KJV King James Version 1769
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and that he was buried, and that he hath risen on the third day, according to the Writings,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and that he was buried; and that he was raised the third day, according to the scriptures;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And that he was buried: and that he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y que fué sepultado, y que resucitó al tercer día, conforme á las Escrituras;
E que foi sepultado, e que ressuscitou ao terceiro dia, segundo as Escrituras;
qu’ il a été enseveli, et qu’ il est ressuscité le troisième jour, selon les Écritures;
und daß er begraben sei, und daß er auferstanden sei am dritten Tage nach der Schrift,
En dat Hij is begraven, en dat Hij is opgewekt ten derden dage, naar de Schriften;
che fu seppellito; che risuscitò il terzo giorno, secondo le Scritture;
A iż był pogrzebiony, a iż zmartwychwstał dnia trzeciego według Pism.
и что Он погребен был, и что воскрес в третий день, по Писанию,
而且 埋葬了；又 照 聖經所說，第三 天 復活了，
And he was put in the place of the dead; and on the third day he came back from the dead, as it says in the Writings;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 15:4
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse preserves an early creed Paul received and passed on. The burial confirms Christ’s genuine death, Gill and Barnes point to Isaiah 53:9 and Psalm 16:10. The verb for “was raised” shifts from aorist (for died and buried) to the perfect tense ἐγήγερται (“has been raised”), as Vincent, the Cambridge Bible, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note, marking an abiding state: Christ lives still. “According to the Scriptures” is not read as a single proof-text. Barnes argues that the resurrection itself is predicted (Psalm 16:10, Acts 2:24-32), while the third day finds its warrant in types and patterns, Jonah’s three days (Gill, Matthew Henry) and Hosea 6:2. No commentator claims an explicit Old Testament verse for the third day; rather they see a divinely orchestrated pattern climaxing in Christ.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Typological fulfillment: Points to Jonah 1:17 and the binding of Isaac (Genesis 22:4) as patterns that anticipate the third day.
- Prophetic prediction: Sees Hosea 6:2 as a direct prophecy that the Messiah would be raised ‘on the third day.’
- General scriptural harmony: Argues that ‘according to the Scriptures’ refers to the resurrection in general (Psalm 16:10, Isaiah 53:10-12) without specifying the day.
What is clear: Christ was genuinely buried and truly raised from the dead on the third day, and this event is in continuity with God’s plan as revealed in the Old Testament.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Burial in the creed | Burial confirms Jesus died a real, historical death, fulfilling Isaiah 53:9 and Psalm 16:10. | Some emphasize burial as a separate act of witness; others see it mainly as a transition to the resurrection. |
| Third day timing | The third day is the day of resurrection, not a random detail but laden with scriptural pattern. | Whether the Old Testament ‘predicts’ the third day directly (Hosea 6:2) or only typologically (Jonah, Isaac) is debated. |
| According to the Scriptures | Both death and resurrection are in harmony with the Old Testament’s overall message. | Barnes argues the Scriptures predict resurrection (Psalm 16:10) but not necessarily the third day; Gill and others see explicit third-day prophecies. |
| Perfect tense of raised | The perfect tense (ἐγήγερται) indicates Christ’s resurrection has continuing effects. | Whether the emphasis is on his ongoing life or on the completed action with present results is a matter of nuance, not major disagreement. |
Historical & Cultural Context
First Corinthians 15 confronts a specific error: some in Corinth denied the resurrection of the dead (v. 12). Paul anchors his answer in a tradition he “received” and “delivered”, a creed that likely took shape within the first years after the crucifixion. The four elements (died, buried, raised, appeared) echo the earliest apostolic preaching, vetted by witnesses (vv. 5-8).
Burial mattered in Jewish culture. It demonstrated that death was real and complete; Joseph of Arimathea’s act (Matthew 27:57-60) fulfilled Isaiah 53:9. Unlike Greek thought, which saw the body as a prison, Judaism looked for a bodily resurrection. The “third day” carried typological weight. Hosea 6:2 promised revival “on the third day.” Jonah’s deliverance after three days was read as a sign (Matthew 12:40). Jewish tradition already associated the third day with resurrection, Gill cites a rabbinic saying linking Hosea 6:2 to the resurrection.
Paul’s phrase “according to the Scriptures” does not isolate one verse. It claims that the entire Old Testament narrative, the pattern of death, burial, and vindication, anticipated Christ. The apostles read their Bibles backward from the resurrection, discovering how “the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead” (Acts 17:2-3).
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants on 1 Corinthians 15:4. The manuscript tradition is consistent: the verb ἐγήγερται (perfect passive indicative) and the phrase τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ are stable. A few later manuscripts add a definite article before ‘Scriptures,’ but this does not affect meaning. The creedal form (died, buried, raised, appeared) appears uniformly across witnesses.
Reception History
This verse has been central to Christian creedal confessions from the earliest period. Its fourfold structure is echoed in the Apostles’ Creed (“was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose again from the dead”). Patristic writers like Augustine used the burial to argue for Christ’s full humanity and the reality of death. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin appealed to the verse to ground faith in history rather than speculation. Modern scholarship, while critical of some traditional readings, affirms that the verse represents an early, pre-Pauline tradition, likely dating to within a decade of the crucifixion. The verb tense (perfect) has been a staple in Eastern Orthodox theology, emphasizing Christ’s eternal life. Across traditions, the verse is sung in hymns of resurrection hope and recited at Easter liturgies.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Burial proves death was real. Jesus was not merely unconscious or swooning; he was interred. The tomb was not an accident, it was prophesied (Isaiah 53:9) and typified (Jonah).
- The resurrection is an ongoing reality. The perfect tense (ἐγήγερται) means Christ “has been raised and still lives.” His victory is not a past moment but a present power.
- Scripture anticipated both death and resurrection. “According to the Scriptures” ties the entire event to God’s redemptive plan, already written, now fulfilled.
Five-point outline
- The creed Paul delivered is not his own invention; it comes from the earliest church.
- Burial is the seal of death, no resurrection without real dying.
- The third day is not an arbitrary marker; it is the day God vindicated his Son, prefigured in Hosea, Jonah, and Isaac.
- “According to the Scriptures” means the resurrection is not a surprise; it is the point of the whole story.
- This is the gospel: not an idea but an event, witnessed and proclaimed.
Illustration hooks
- A signed receipt. Burial is like a canceled check, proof the transaction was complete. The resurrection is the bank statement showing the funds are still available.
- A wedding ring. The resurrection is not a one-time ceremony; it is a covenant bond that continues every day. Christ “has been raised” and remains alive.
- Reading a mystery novel backward. When you know the ending, clues on earlier pages jump out. The apostles read the Old Testament in the light of Easter.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If the resurrection was “according to the Scriptures,” why doesn’t the Old Testament explicitly say “on the third day”?
- Why did Paul include burial as a separate point? Does it matter for my faith?
- How can I be sure the resurrection is still real for my life today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the heart of apostolic preaching. Paul summarizes the gospel in four short phrases, then builds an entire argument on the resurrection. Notice the details: burial, third day, according to the Scriptures. Each word carries weight. Let these phrases shape your group’s conversation.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. What does Paul emphasize by including burial in the creed?
- The verb for “raised” is in the perfect tense in Greek. Why does it matter that Christ “has been raised” rather than simply “was raised”?
- Look up the Old Testament passages Paul may have had in mind: Psalm 16:10, Isaiah 53:9, Hosea 6:2, Jonah 1:17. How does each one help explain “according to the Scriptures”?
- Some Corinthians denied the resurrection entirely (v. 12). How does this verse answer that denial before Paul even makes his argument?
- Barnes notes that the Old Testament predicts the resurrection, but not necessarily the third day. Does that weaken the claim, or deepen it?
- Gill mentions Jewish traditions that already expected the resurrection on the third day. How does that shape how you read this verse?
- If you met someone who doubted the resurrection, what would you say about the reliability of this creed?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 2:7 | I will tell of the decree: Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father. |
| Psalms 16:10 | For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption. |
| Psalms 16:11 | You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more. |
| Isaiah 53:9 | They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. |
| Isaiah 53:10 | Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand. |
| Isaiah 53:12 | Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors. |
| Hosea 6:2 | After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him. |
| Jonah 1:17 | Yahweh prepared a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a careful distinction: the Scriptures foretold Christ's burial and his resurrection, but not necessarily that he would rise specifically on the third day. The prophetic proof for the resurrection itself comes from Psalm 16, as Peter argues in Acts.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator draws attention to the Greek verb tenses: the burial uses the aorist, indicating a single completed event, while the resurrection uses the perfect, pointing to Christ's ongoing living state that continues from that moment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes the repeated phrase "according to the Scriptures," drawing attention to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in Christ's burial and resurrection. These events were not separate from God's declared plan but the precise accomplishment of what had been foretold long before.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that Christ's burial and resurrection each fulfilled specific Old Testament prophecies and types, such as Jonah and Isaac. Burial confirms the reality of Christ's death, and the third-day resurrection was foreordained in Scripture. This prophetic pattern, including Jewish traditions about remarkable third-day events, establishes the certainty of the resurrection.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that Christ's burial connects more directly to His resurrection than His death does. At the moment of death, the power of His indestructible life was already active. The grave was not a place of decay but a chamber made for entering into life.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the Corinthians were not merely confused about the resurrection but flatly denied it, whether by twisting it into allegory or rejecting it as unreasonable. He insists the resurrection is a literal, future reality tied to God's recompense, not a symbolic change of life or a past event.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the shift in Greek tenses: "died" and "was buried" are aorist, describing past events, but "rose" is perfect, pointing to a lasting condition. The resurrection is not merely a moment in history but an abiding state. Christ was raised and remains alive.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the argument proceeds in two stages: first from Scripture itself, then from the supporting testimony of many witnesses. He highlights this as the apostle's deliberate method of proof.