Introduction:
We now come to that part of the Nicene Creed that covers what may be the Nicene Creed's center of gravity - the doctrine of Christ's resurrection. As we dwell on this phrase "and the third day He arose again, according to the Scriptures", the immediate reference is from 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
What is remarkable about these two verses is that they form part of an ancient Christian credal statement that was current in Paul's day. Many New Testament scholars of all stripes have concluded that Paul's material derives from what the early Christians were reciting shortly after Christ's resurrection. Most would place this creedal material within five years or less after the event of the empty tomb. Paul's inclusion of this material in his letter to the Corinthians (itself dated roughly 55 A.D.) means he acquired it most likely from the time he was converted in 34 A.D. or when he received during his time in Arabia as we read of in Galatians 1. Either way, this early creed gives us the earliest evidence of what the early Christians understood about the cause of Jesus' empty tomb - He had risen from the dead!
When the Council of Nicea met in 325 A.D. to draft the original Creed of Nicaea, as well as the update of the creed that we have studied in this series from the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D., the goal of the Creed was to confess the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. At the time of both editions of the creed in the 4th century, many heresies were attempting to redefine the Biblical teaching on Christ. There were movements within the church such as Arianism that denied Christ's deity. There were also movements outside of Christianity that denied fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, including Manichaeism and Gnosticism. My point in mentioning this is to remind us that Creeds served as much of an apologetic need (that is, defending the Christian faith) as they did a confessional need in worship services of gathered Christians on Sunday morning. I won't say too much more beyond this regarding our need to defend the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For those readers who are interested in knowing the evidential and historical arguments for Christ's resurrection, please click the following link to a post I wrote back in 2019 here Growing Christian Resources: How to show and know that Jesus raised from the dead.
Why the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is so central to Christian faith and practice.
The Nicene's Creed's co-opting of this phrase from 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 reminds us of the importance of creeds in the life of the early church. They function as summaries of what the church has always taught and what is essential to confess as a follower of Jesus Christ. Notice the follow reasons why the resurrection of Jesus is the most important truth of Christianity, life and existence...
1. The resurrection provides the basis for truth, meaning and life's purpose.
To begin, the clearest statement found in the Bible on the significance of Christ’s resurrection from the dead is found in 1 Corinthians 15:19-20a “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most pitied. (20) But now Christ has been raised from the dead…". All Christianity, and life and the entirety of existence rises or falls with this doctrinal and historical reality.
2. The resurrection is the only explanation for the beginnings and spread of Christianity.
Christ’s empty tomb, post-mortem appearances, the sudden switch of the disciples’ skepticism to robust faith and the early church can only be explained by the historical, physical, supernatural resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
3. The resurrection of Jesus is the power-source behind the preaching of the Bible.
Christian doctrine would be jeopardized (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) as well as Christian preaching and the church itself if Christ had not risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). Moreover, any ability to derive hope in this present life must be abandoned if Jesus Christ had never risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20-28). For finding the purpose of existence and hope for the future, such quests must be abandoned if indeed Jesus Christ’s resurrection never took place (1 Corinthians 15:29-58).
4. Jesus' resurrection is the basis for worship and adoration of God.
But praise be to God – Jesus has risen – and thus we serve a risen, exalted Savior! The existence, reality and identity of the true and living God of the Bible is verified chiefly by the fact that He is credited with raising Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:4-11; Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 1:3). Jesus’ own Deity and true humanity are both verified by this event (John 10:17; Romans 1:1-3; Romans 9:5). Christ’s resurrection from the dead –deemed “firstfruits” in 1 Corinthians 15:20b, guarantees the Christian’s future glorified transformed resurrection body at His return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:42-58).
5. Jesus' resurrection validates the truth of the Bible.
Christ’s resurrection also has made certain all of the prophecies and predictions pertaining to the rest of the Old Testament saints in the resurrection of the righteous, of which we will be a part (Job 14:14; Daniel 12). The Kingdom of darkness and Satan himself stand condemned and defeated as a result of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Colossians 2:11-12; Hebrews 2:11-14; 1 Peter 3:18-20).
6. The resurrection of Jesus is relevant for the power to live the Christian life today.
To summarize – Jesus’ resurrection stands as the epicenter of Christian experience, doctrine, history, the present and future hope for all who believe. As Paul and the early Christians confessed such truth, and just as the Nicene Creed affirms this as essential to the faith as the confession of the Trinity or Christ's deity and humanity, we confess: "and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures".
