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It is of faith that Christ rose again from the dead on the third day,
as declared in the Gospel, the Epistles of the apostles, and in the
Apostles' Creed.[2283] In fact, it was declared that He
rose again by His own power;[2284] that it was a true
resurrection of the body,[2285] that the soul was reunited to the
body,[2286] and that He afterward truly did eat, though He did
not have to.[2287]
First Article: Whether It Was Necessary For Christ To Rise
Again
Christ's resurrection was not absolutely necessary, but it was
necessary if we take into consideration the divine plan, the
prophecies, the merits of Christ, and our benefit.
St. Thomas gives five reasons for asserting this necessity, all of
which have their foundation in Sacred Scripture.
The resurrection was necessary:
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1) For the commendation of divine justice, to which it belongs to
exalt the humble. For Christ by His charity and obedience humbled
Himself even to death on the cross; hence it behooved Him to be
exalted by God to a glorious resurrection.[2288]
2) For our instruction in the faith; because by Christ's
resurrection our belief in His divinity is confirmed.[2289]
3) For the raising of our hope, because in seeing Christ, who is
our head, rise again, we hope that we, too, shall rise
again.[2290]
4) To set in order the lives of the faithful, so that we also may
walk in newness of life.[2291]
5) To complete the work of our salvation, because Christ was thus
glorified in rising again, so that He might advance us to good
things.[2292] For it was so ordained by God, that only after
the resurrection would the Holy Spirit be given, or the apostles be
sent to preach.[2293]
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