When someone examines the Christology of the early Church, he or she would survey whether the early followers of Jesus viewed him as fully divine and that pre-existed before becoming human (“High Christology”). One support of this high view of Christology is 1 Corinthians 15.
Paul penned 1 Corinthians 15 to the church in Corinth ~8-10 years prior to his martyrdom by Nero in AD 64. Within his letter is an early song or creed (v 3-8) which was sung by followers of Jesus, within 2-3 years of His bodily resurrection in AD 30 or 33 during Passover. [1]
What does this “homologia” communicate?
✔️Jesus of Nazareth was a real man (Jewish).
✔️Jesus died for our sins.
✔️Jesus’s life, death, and bodily resurrection were promised in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament).
✔️Jesus appeared bodily to Peter, James, the Disciples, and to more than 500 people.
✔️This was proclaimed, sung, & written down very early.
Per historian Justo L. Gonzalez, “The early Christians did not believe that they were following a new religion (worldview). They were Jews, and their main difference with the rest of Judaism was that they were convinced that the Messiah (Christ) had come, whereas other Jews continued awaiting his advent.” [2]
Early Christians believed Jesus had fulfilled the prophecies pertaining to the Messiah from the Old Testament scriptures. The works Jesus had performed, the status He claimed to share with the Father, and the worship he had received, made it clear to these early Christians that Jesus was God incarnate (Ps 22; Isaiah 9:6; 53; Mk 2; John 1:1-3; 8:58; 20:28). [3]
The hope God has provided is trustworthy and true, no matter our mood or circumstance. We can think upon the historical reality of the cross when we doubt and rejoice in the significance of the empty tomb in our hardships. What God has done for us (on our behalf) is the greatest gift ever given!
Sources:
Hold Fast Apologetics 