I Corinthians Study I Corinthians 15:1-58 The Resurrection

Having dealt with the subject of Spiritual Gifts (Chapter 12), Love (Chapter 13), Use of Gifts (Chapter 14), we come to the Resurrection (Chapter 15).  From verses 1-4, the Apostle Paul declares to us the gospel, which is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The gospel that Paul presented was given to him by Jesus Christ.  This is the same gospel that Paul declared the Corinthians were saved by when they believed.  The Corinthian church was proof of the saving reality of the gospel message.

Beginning in verses 5-11, Paul gave a list of some credible witnesses of Christ’s resurrection.  Paul even affirmed that he was witness of the Risen Saviour.  As a result of the Corinthians receiving the gospel, they became believers.  Thank God that these witnesses were convinced and that their faith rests upon the historical facts of the gospel.  The credible witnesses were: Cephas, the twelve, the five hundred, James, all the apostles except Judas, and Paul.

Beginning in verse 12, there were those who denied the resurrection.  Paul held firm to the fact of the doctrine of the Resurrection.  Paul argued if there was no resurrection from the dead, then Christ is not risen (v. 13), our preaching and faith is vain (v. 14), we are false witnesses (v. 15), we are yet in our sins (vv. 16-17), those who have fallen asleep in Christ are perished (v. 18), we are miserable in this life if we have hope in Christ (v. 19).

Paul presents Christ as the “first fruits of them that slept” (v. 20).  Christ’s resurrection is surety to us that we will be raised bodily and will receive a glorified body!  Because of the disobedience of Adam, death reigned upon all men; moreover, because of the obedience of Christ, resurrection will come to all those who are related to Him by spiritual birth (vv. 21-22).  Paul asserted that every man will be raised in his own order; Christ is the first fruits, and then “afterward they that are Christ’s at His Coming” (v. 23).  Paul unveils that the end of the age will come, and afterwards, Christ will subdue all rule and authority and power, and the eternal Kingdom will come (vv. 24-28).

In verse 29, Paul revealed a teaching of being baptized for the dead as a practice of some who denied the Resurrection.  However, Paul declared: “if the dead rise not al all?”, then “What shall they accomplish which are baptized for the dead?”  Revealing his confident assurance of the Resurrection, Paul was willing to put his life in danger (vv. 30-32).   Paul’s life was in constant peril.  The Corinthian believers were being deceived by false teachers who didn’t believe in the Resurrection; the Corinthians were to avoid these false teachers because though they claimed great knowledge, they were in fact ignorant of God.  The Corinthians were to be aware and not listen to these false teachers (vv. 33-24).

Paul answers two questions regarding the Resurrection: “How are the dead raised?  With what kind of body will they come?”  Paul states that belief in the Resurrection was like belief in seed time and harvest.  Neither could be completely understood; however, both were real.  As a plant which sprouted from a seed was really linked to it but is remarkably different from it, so too was the relationship of a natural and a resurrected body (vv. 35-37).  Paul stated that there were differences in the animate and inanimate creation, but both reflects the will of the Creator, and express His splendor, resulting in praise being given to Him (vv. 38-41).

Paul points out in verses 42-44, that there is a natural body, that is weak and temporal, and there is a spiritual body, that is eternal, perfect and powerful.

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Like a seed sown in the earth and a plant sprouts from it, there is continuity but a glorious evident difference.  In verses 45-49, Paul contrasts Adam, the first man who exemplifies the earthly, and Christ, the last Adam, who exemplifies the heavenly spiritual body.  Because our natural body must give way to our spiritual body, there must be a change in our body before we inhabit heaven, that is, bodily.  Paul utters in verse 50: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God: neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”  We must understand in verse 50 that Paul has reference to those who are not dead at Christ’s coming.  You see, flesh and blood (the natural body) cannot enter the eternal state!

In verse 51, Paul mentioned the word mystery which meant a truth in the Old Testament that had not be revealed.  The Rapture of the church was indeed a mystery!  At the Rapture, those who have died in Christ will first be raised, and those who are living will be immediately changed or transformed!  The trumpet will be the blast that signals Christ’s Coming.  It is the last blast for the church!

In verses 53-54, those living at the time of the Rapture will experience a change from mortality to immortality, much as those who were changed from corruptibility to incorruptibility.  For those who are in Christ (the church), death’s power will be removed!  Because of Christ’s triumphant victory over death and the grave, the grand Apostle Paul began to taunt death and Satan! (v. 55).  Although in verses 56-57, death has gained authority and victory over mankind, and the law has revealed that mankind is a sinner, the grand Apostle exclaimed that there is victory in Jesus Christ.  Belief in the last Adam, Jesus Christ, results in Victory and Life (I Corinthians 15:22).

Finally, doctrinal certainty in the Resurrection is a great incentive to faithful service, therefore Paul said: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

May God Bless!