And that He was buried.

Thus, He also had a body. For the body is buried. He did not add the word according to the Scriptures, either because the tomb was known to everyone, or because the word according to the Scriptures refers to everything in general.

And that He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.

Where do the Scriptures say that He rose again on the third day? In the type of Jonah, and before that in Isaac, who was kept alive for his mother in three days, and was not slain, and in very many other types; also in the words of Isaiah: "The Lord wants to cleanse him from the plague, to show him light"; in the words of David: "Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell" (Psalm 15:10).

And that Cephas appeared.

In the former, he sets up a witness, the most reliable of all. Although the Gospel says that the Lord appeared before Mary (Mark 16:9), yet of the men He appeared to Peter first, as the best of the disciples. For he who first confessed Him to be Christ should have been the first to see the Resurrection; appears to him before the others, and because of his denial, in order to show him that he is not rejected.

Then the twelve (τοις δώδεκα).

Matthias was numbered in place of Judas after the Ascension of the Lord. How then does Paul say, then the twelve? We answer: He probably appeared to Matthias after the Ascension, just as He appeared to Paul, who was called after the Ascension. For this reason he did not specify the time, but expressed himself indefinitely. Some say that this is a scribe's error; or: The Lord, knowing in advance and despising that Matthias would be numbered among the eleven, appeared to him also, so that he would not be inferior to the other apostles in this respect. Something similar is expressed by John when he says: "Thomas, one of the twelve" (John 20:24). For everyone would rather say that He numbered Matthias among the other apostles by foreknowledge, than Judas after his betrayal and suicide.

Then He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at the same time.

After the proof from the Scriptures, he brings the apostles and other faithful people as witnesses. The word more (επάνω) is explained by some as follows: "from above", from heaven; that He appeared high and above their heads in order to vouchsafe them in truth to the Ascension. Others understood it thus: more than five hundred.

Most of whom are still alive, and some have died.

I, he says, have living witnesses. By the saying "rest" he prepares the beginning of the resurrection. For he who sleeps also rises.

Then he appeared to James.

To the brother of the Lord, who was made by Him the first bishop in Jerusalem.