1Cor 15:4

“Paul reminded us that we are to confess the manner of the death and resurrection not so much by literally naming these things but strictly according to the testimony of the Scriptures, so that our understanding of his death might be in accord with the apostles.… He did this in order that we might not become helpless or to be tossed about by the winds of useless disputes or hampered by the absurd subtleties of unsound opinions.”

“"And that he was buried." And this also confirms the former topics, for that which is buried is doubtless a body. And here he no longer adds, "according to the Scriptures." He had wherewithal, nevertheless he adds it not. For what cause? Either because the burial was evident unto all, both then and now, or because the expression, "according to the Scriptures," is set down of both in common. Wherefore then doth he add, "according to the Scriptures," in this place, "and that He rose on the third day according to the Scriptures," and is not content with the former clause, so spoken in common? Because this also was to most men obscure: wherefore here again he brings in "the Scriptures" by inspiration, having so conceived this thought so wise and divine. How is it then that he doth the same in regard of His death? Because in that case too, although the cross was evident unto all and in the sight of all He was stretched upon it; yet the cause was no longer equally so. The fact indeed of his death all knew, but that He suffered this for the sins of the world was no longer equally known to the multitude. Wherefore he brings in the testimony from the Scriptures. This however hath been sufficiently proved by what we have said. But where have the Scriptures said that He was buried, and on the third day shall rise again? By the type of Jonah which also Himself alleges, saying, "As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall also the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." By the bush in the desert. For even as that burned, yet was not consumed, so also that body died indeed, but was not holden of death continually. And the dragon also in Daniel shadows out this. For as the dragon having taken the food which the prophet gave, burst asunder in the midst; even so Hades having swallowed down that Body, was rent asunder, the Body of itself cutting asunder its womb and rising again. Now if thou desirest to hear also in words those things which thou hast seen in types, listen to Isaiah, saying, "His life is taken from the earth," and, "it pleaseth the Lord to cleanse Him from His wound...to show unto Him light:" and David before him, "Thou wilt not leave My soul to Hades, nor wilt Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption." Therefore Paul also sends thee on to the Scriptures, that thou mayest learn that not without cause nor at random were these things done. For how could they, when so many prophets are describing and proclaiming them beforehand? And no where doth the Scripture mean the death of sin, when it makes mention of our Lord's death, but that of the body, and a burial and resurrection of the same kind.”

“Hosea [6:2] says: "He will revive us after two days; he will raise us up on the third day."”

“So, He also had a body. For it is the body that is buried. And he did not add the words "according to the Scriptures" either because the tomb was known to all, or because the phrase "according to the Scriptures" refers to everything in general. Where then do the Scriptures say that He rose on the third day? In the type of Jonah, and before this in Isaac, who in three days was preserved alive for his mother and was not slain, and in very many other types; also in the words of Isaiah: "The Lord wills to cleanse him from his wound, to show him light"; in the words of David: "Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell" (Ps. 16:10).”

“On the third day He rose from the dead, resuming the body which He had previously vivified, yet not such a body as it had been before: for before it was passible and mortal, but after He rose, it was impassible and immortal, living perpetually. In order to build up faith, by which we believe Christ to be true man and true God, and by which we also believe that he willed to redeem us through death and was able to restore us to life through resurrection: for this reason he willed to rise again to immortal life, yet with a due interval of time interposed, namely thirty-six hours, in which it is shown that he was truly dead. Nor ought he to have hastened more, lest, if he had risen sooner, it would be believed that he had not truly died but had feigned himself dead. Nor ought he to have delayed longer, lest, if he had remained forever in death, he would be believed powerless and unable to recall anyone to life. And therefore he rose on the third day.”

“Since the power that restores us is the power of the whole Trinity and also the power of the passion of Christ, who died and was buried and rose again on the third day: hence it is that in the Sacrament of baptism there ought to be a proper and ordered pronouncing of the baptizing word with a triple immersion for the expression of the death of Christ and his burial and resurrection accomplished after three days. And because both powers operate simultaneously and in the one Christ the Savior, both of these ought to be done by one and the same person simultaneously and at the same time, for the sake of preserving unity in the Sacrament and signifying unity in our Mediator.”

“896. – I delivered to you, secondly, the burial of Christ; therefore he says: that he was buried. But is the burial a special article of faith, because he makes special mention of it? The answer is that according to those who number the articles according to the things to be believed, it is not a special article of faith but is included in the article of the passion and death of Christ. The reason for this is that faith is concerned with things that are above reason. Hence, an article of faith begins where reason falls short. But the first is that the Lord was conceived and, therefore, the conception is an article of faith; the second is that God was born of a virgin and, therefore, this is another. The third is that God, incapable of suffering, suffers and dies, and this is another, and along with this is also understood the burial. Hence, it is not a special article. But the Apostle mentions the burial for three reasons: first, to show the truth of Christ's death. For the evident sign of one's death is burial. Secondly, to show the truth of the resurrection, because if He had not been buried, guards would not have been placed at the grave on these days, nor could they say that the disciples had stolen His body. Thirdly, because the Apostle wants to induce them to believe in the resurrection, and this seems more difficult, that a buried person should arise: "And his tomb shall be glorious" (Is 11:10); "They made his grave with the wicked" (Is 53:9). 897. – I also delivered to you the resurrection, that he rose on the third day: "After two days he will revive us" (Hos 6:2). He says, on the third day, not because they were three full days, but two nights and one day, by synechdoche. And the reason for this, as Augustine says, was that God by His simple, which is signified by one day, i.e., by the evil of punishment, destroyed our double, i.e., punishment and guilt, which is signified by the two nights.”