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Third Sunday of Easter and the Fulfillment of God’s Word

In the Nicene Creed we find the phrase, “[Jesus] suffered death and was buried, and rose again . . .  in accordance with the Scriptures.” These words of the creed echo a statement from Saint Paul: “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, ”[1] The words of Jesus in the Gospel for today confirm Saint Paul’s insight:

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.[2]

Such texts, and they could be multiplied, are commonplace throughout the New Testament in its abundant use of the Old Testament. The general principle was enunciated by Jesus when he read a passage from the Prophet Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”[3] And yet, when we turn to the pages of the Old Testament, we find nothing explicit about the Messiah’s dying and rising again, despite the fact that the liturgy invoked the Prophet Hosea for evidence of the resurrection: “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up.”[4] Read literally, however, the text exhibits the prophet’s confidence that God will quickly restore the fortunes of Israel. Another text, similarly employed by Saint Peter, is in fact a prayer to be kept alive, not to be brought back from the dead: “For thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let thy Holy One see corruption.”[5]

Praise the Lord

Read the Whole Article at https://catholicinsight.com/