Why the Third Day in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
Paul does not give the third day as a calendar curiosity but as part of the scripturally shaped message he received and passed on. The raising on the third day belongs to the good news itself, announced beforehand in the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:3–4: The Gospel Paul Received
The heart of the Christian message is not a new idea but a received report of events: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised. Paul passes on what was handed to him, and calls the church to hold firmly to it.