John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 15:3

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;" — 1 Corinthians 15:3 (ASV)

For I delivered to you first of all He now confirms what he had previously stated by explaining that the resurrection had been preached by him, and also as a fundamental doctrine of the gospel. First of all, he says, as is customary with a foundation in erecting a house. At the same time, he adds to the authority of his preaching when he adds that he delivered nothing but what he had received, for he does not simply mean that he related what he had from the report of others, but that it was what had been commanded him by the Lord.

For the word must be explained in accordance with the connection of the passage. Now it is the duty of an apostle to bring forward nothing but what he has received from the Lord, so as, from hand to hand (as they say), to administer to the Church the pure word of God.

That Christ died, etc. See now more clearly from where he received it, for he quotes the Scriptures in proof. In the first place, he mentions the death of Christ, indeed also of his burial, so that we may infer that, as he was like us in these things, so he is also in his resurrection. Therefore, he has died with us so that we may rise with him. In his burial, also, the reality of the death he has shared with us is made clearer.

Now there are many passages of Scripture in which Christ’s death and resurrection are predicted, but nowhere more plainly than in Isaiah 53, Daniel 9:26, and Psalm 22.

For our sins That is, that by taking our curse upon himself he might redeem us from it. For what else was Christ’s death but a sacrifice for expiating our sins — what but a satisfactory penalty by which we might be reconciled to God — what but the condemnation of one for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness for us?

He also speaks in the same manner in Romans 4:25, but in that passage, on the other hand, he also ascribes to the resurrection its effect — that it confers righteousness upon us; for as sin was done away with through the death of Christ, so righteousness is obtained through his resurrection.

This distinction must be carefully observed, so that we may know what we must look for from the death of Christ and what from his resurrection. When, however, Scripture in other places mentions only his death, let us understand that in those cases his resurrection is included in his death; but when they are mentioned separately, the commencement of our salvation is (as we see) in the one, and the consummation of it in the other.