Secondly, for our instruction in the faith, since our belief in
Christ's Godhead is confirmed by His rising again, because, according
to 2 Cor. 13:4, "although He was crucified through weakness, yet He
liveth by the power of God." And therefore it is written (1 Cor.
15:14): "If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain,
and our [Vulg.: 'your'] faith is also vain": and (Ps. 29:10): "What
profit is there in my blood?" that is, in the shedding of My blood,
"while I go down," as by various degrees of evils, "into corruption?"
As though He were to answer: "None. 'For if I do not at once rise
again but My body be corrupted, I shall preach to no one, I shall
gain no one,'" as the gloss expounds.

Thirdly, for the raising of our hope, since through seeing Christ,
who is our head, rise again, we hope that we likewise shall rise
again. Hence it is written (1 Cor. 15:12): "Now if Christ be preached
that He rose from the dead, how do some among you say, that there is
no resurrection of the dead?" And (Job 19:25, 27): "I know," that is
with certainty of faith, "that my Redeemer," i.e. Christ, "liveth,"
having risen from the dead; "and" therefore "in the last day I shall
rise out of the earth . . . this my hope is laid up in my bosom."

Fourthly, to set in order the lives of the faithful: according to
Rom. 6:4: "As Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the
Father, so we also may walk in newness of life": and further on;
"Christ rising from the dead dieth now no more; so do you also reckon
that you are dead to sin, but alive to God."

Fifthly, in order to complete the work of our salvation: because,
just as for this reason did He endure evil things in dying that He
might deliver us from evil, so was He glorified in rising again in
order to advance us towards good things; according to Rom. 4:25: "He
was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification."

Reply Obj. 1: Although Christ did not fall by sin, yet He fell by
death, because as sin is a fall from righteousness, so death is a
fall from life: hence the words of Mic. 7:8 can be taken as though
spoken by Christ: "Rejoice not thou, my enemy, over me, because I am
fallen: I shall rise again." Likewise, although Christ's body was not
disintegrated by returning to dust, yet the separation of His soul
and body was a kind of disintegration.

Reply Obj. 2: The Godhead was united with Christ's flesh after death
by personal union, but not by natur