15:1–2. Moreover, tells us that Paul has finished his answers to the Corinthians’ questions and he now goes on to a new subject. I declare unto you, primarily looks ahead to verses 3 and 4. The gospel which I preached unto you. The good news which the Corinthians have received … stand … are saved. Paul is now at the very heart of the gospel message. Unless ye have believed in vain. In vain may mean “without cause,” i.e., blind faith (cf. Gal 2:21). Or it may mean “without effect,” i.e., to no purpose (cf. Gal 3:4; 4:11). The latter idea seems to be best. If, as some are saying in Corinth, there is no resurrection, then faith is vain and worthless (cf. vs. 14).
3–4. First of all, that is, in order of priority. I also received. Paul is not speaking of his personal salvation experience but the fact that the gospel which he preached was from direct revelation of God (cf. 11:23; Gal 1:12). Four vital truths are asserted here, identified by the word that. That Christ died for our sins. This is a substitutionary and propitiatory sacrifice (cf. Rom 3:23–26). That he was buried. This evidences the reality and totality of his death. That he rose again. The Greek perfect tense stresses the certainty of the fact. According to the scriptures. The facts of the gospel are not only important historically, but prophetically as well. They occurred as had been predicted (cf. Jn 20:9; Acts 26:23; Ps 16:10).
5–7. That he was seen of Cephas. The fourth vital truth of the gospel is that Christ appeared after the resurrection, not to a few but to Cephas, then of the twelve: After that … of above five hundred brethren at once. It is not certain when this last event occurred. The most likely possibility is Matthew 28:16–20. Since Jesus had previously announced this meeting (cf. Mt 26:32; 28:10, 16) it is unlikely that anyone would have intentionally missed it. Seen of James. Probably the Lord’s brother (Mt 13:55). He was earlier mentioned as an unbeliever (cf. Jn 7:5) and later with the assembly of believers (cf. Acts 1:14; 12:17; 15:13; 21:18). One wonders if this was not the turning point of his life.
8–9. Last of all he was seen of me also. In Paul’s characteristically self-effacing way, he cites the fact that he too had the honor of seeing the risen Lord (cf. Acts 9:1–6). For I am least of the apostles. Not simply because he was the last to see the risen Lord but because he was not meet (unworthy). Paul has not yet recovered from the “wonder of it all” that he should be elevated to the honor and office of apostleship, because I persecuted the church of God.
10–11. But by the grace of God I am what I am. Paul does not magnify his personal credentials but only the sovereign grace of God. Yet this least of the apostles labored more abundantly than they all. Whether this is taken to mean any of the apostles individually or all of them collectively the intent of the apostle is not to boast but to magnify the grace of God which was with me … so we preach. Paul’s message and that of the other apostles is the same. Furthermore, both included the message of the resurrection. And so ye believed. If some of the Corinthians are now questioning the resurrection they are departing from their initial starting point. If they believed the message of the gospel they believed in the resurrection.
12. This verse stands as a focal point around which the first nineteen verses revolve. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead directs our attention to the first eleven verses. How say some among you that there is no resurrection? This question looks ahead to verses thirteen through nineteen. Paul has established first of all that resurrection is an essential fact of the gospel. He now tabulates the logical consequences of denying the resurrection.
13. Then is Christ not risen. The first consequence of denying the resurrection is that Christ is still in the grave. The nature of Paul’s argument here does not suggest that his objectors admitted the resurrection of Christ, only that it led to an unthinkable conclusion for any genuine believer.
14–19. The logic is inescapable. If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain. The proclamation of the gospel as outlined in verses 1–11 is hollow. Not only that, but your faith is also vain, i.e., “groundless.” Faith in a dead Saviour is both preposterous and pathetic. And not only so, but we are found false witnesses of God (lit., false witnesses against God). If Paul’s preaching affirms something that God did not really accomplish, his message and ministry are opposed to God. They perpetrate a lie about Him. Paul summarizes his logic here and goes on to suggest yet another consequence. Ye are yet in your sins. Since the resurrection of Christ is essential to our justification (Rom 4:25), then the denial of it vitiates the forgiveness of sins. Not only that, but they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. “Fall asleep in Christ” is used to speak of those who die in Christ (cf. 1 Thess 4:14 and Rev 14:13). “Perish” is tantamount to “perdition.” Only is to be taken with the entire opening clause. If our hope in Christ does not take us beyond this present life, then we are of all men most miserable. Indeed, we are both deceived and unwitting deceivers. What a sad lot among men the Christian becomes.
Having shown the relationship of the doctrine of resurrection to biblical soteriology, Paul now goes on to show its vital link to biblical eschatology.
b. Resurrection is vital to the prophetic preaching of the gospel. 15:20–28
20. The first important truth is that Christ has become the first fruits of them that slept (cf. Lev 23:9–14). The “first fruits” in Israel always anticipated a harvest.
21. For since by man came death is to be understood in the light of the parallel idea in verse 22. By man came also the resurrection of the dead. If the death which Adam brought is physical death then the life which Christ brings also includes physical life.
22. As in Adam all die. The plight of all the descendants of Adam is that they must pay the consequences of his sin. Even so in Christ shall all be made alive. The two occurrences of all are to be understood in a restricted sense. In the first instance it is qualified in Adam. In the second instance it is qualified “in Christ.” Paul does not subscribe to universalism, i.e., that all are saved, as some liberal theologians aver: it is only in Christ that the sinner receives life.
23–26. Order (lit., rank). Christ the first fruits. He was the first to experience the resurrection of the body from the dead. Afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. When Christ comes for the church at the Rapture, then the believers will also experience the resurrection (cf. 1 Thess 3:13; 4:14–18. Then suggests an interval in the same way afterward (cf. vs. 23) suggests an interval of an indeterminate length of time. The end refers to the end of the kingdom of God. At that time he will have put down all rule.
27–28. Then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him. This is a difficult expression and has often been misunderstood to suggest that the apostle subordinated the Son to the Father. However, two facts must be accounted for here. First, when Paul says that the Son is subject to the Father he is not speaking of the Son in terms of his essence, but in terms of his function, or ministry, as the incarnate Son. Second, the force of Paul’s statement is best understood dispensationally. At this present time the administration of the messianic kingdom is given to the Son (cf. Mt 28:18). However, at the conclusion of the messianic kingdom this function will be returned to the triune God that God may be all in all.
c. Resurrection is vital in suffering persecution for the gospel. 15:29–34
Not only is the resurrection vital to both the content and the implications of the gospel but such a hope is also vital to the enduring of suffering for the gospel.
lit. literally
lit. literally
Edward E. Hindson and Woodrow Michael Kroll, eds., KJV Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994), 2326–2328.
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