“基督已经从死里复活，成为睡了之人初熟的果子。” - 林前 15:20
我们为什么说耶稣在“第三天”复活呢？有些人或许会争辩说，祂在坟墓里已经停留几天，足以确定祂已经死了。另有些人则指出，这个事件应验了关于耶稣之死的一个预言（马太福音 16:21；哥林多前书 15:4）。然而，使徒信经说“第三天从死人中复活”时提到的“第三天”，并不是信经此处要表达的重点。
这里的重点是耶稣在一个特定的时刻，从死人中复活了！
耶稣的复活，不单是使徒信经的要点，它更是圣经教导的核心。实际上，基督教信仰建立在基督复活这个根基上的。因为，正如使徒保罗强调，耶稣若没有从死里复活，凡在祂里面有指望的人，就比众人更可怜。因为，耶稣若没有复活，我们便仍然被罪的锁炼捆绑、注定是永远死亡了。
然而，因着衪的复活，耶稣已经战胜死亡、洗净我们的罪、又以祂自己的义覆庇我们。因着祂的复活，我们已经归属于祂，而祂也将我们提升到与祂同行的新生命的地位。因着祂的复活，耶稣进一步向我们保证，有一天我们也会被提升天，从死里复活的。
哈利路亚！祂真的复活了！
祷告
耶稣啊，你已从坟墓中复活、战胜了罪和死亡！我们感谢和赞美你。求你帮助我们今天为你而活。奉你的名祈求，阿们。
哥林多前书 15:12-23
12既传基督是从死里复活了，怎么在你们中间有人说没有死人复活的事呢？
13若没有死人复活的事，基督也就没有复活了。
14若基督没有复活，我们所传的便是枉然，你们所信的也是枉然。
15并且明显我们是为神妄作见证的，因我们见证神是叫基督复活了；若死人真不复活，神也就没有叫基督复活了。
16因为死人若不复活，基督也就没有复活了。
17基督若没有复活，你们的信便是徒然，你们仍在罪里。
18就是在基督里睡了的人，也灭亡了。
19我们若靠基督只在今生有指望，就算比众人更可怜！
20但基督已经从死里复活，成为睡了之人初熟的果子。
21死既是因一人而来，死人复活也是因一人而来。
22在亚当里众人都死了，照样，在基督里众人也都要复活。
23但各人是按着自己的次序复活：初熟的果子是基督，以后在他来的时候，是那些属基督的。
On The Third Day He Rose
“Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” - 1 Corinthians 15:20
Why do we say that Jesus rose “on the third day”? Some people might argue that the number of days he lay in the grave would confirm that he had died. Others point out that this fulfills a prophecy about Jesus’ death (Matthew 16:21; 1 Corinthians 15:4). But the mention of “the third day” isn’t the main point of the creed’s declaration saying, “The third day he rose again from the dead.”
The main point is that at a specific moment in time Jesus rose again from the dead!
Jesus’ resurrection not only stands at the center of the Apostles’ Creed; it stands firmly at the center of the Bible’s teaching. Indeed, Christ’s resurrection is the foundation on which our Christian faith rests. For, as the apostle Paul emphasizes, if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, all who hope in him should be the most pitied of all people. For if Jesus didn’t rise, we are all still shackled by the chains of sin and doomed to death forever.
But by his resurrection, Jesus has conquered death, washed away our sins, and covered us with his own righteousness. By his resurrection, Jesus has made us his own and raised us to a new life of walking with him. By his resurrection, Jesus also assures us that one day we too will be raised from the dead.
Alleluia! He is risen indeed!
Prayer
Jesus, you rose from the grave in triumph over sin and death! We thank you and praise you! Now help us to live for you. In your name we pray. Amen.
