O Hades, where is your victory? In this chapter the apostle treats of that great article of Christianity—the resurrection of the dead. Death is swallowed up in victory: A resurrected body is not a resuscitated corpse. From the first, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. b. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. While our present bodies are adapted for the environment of time and earth, our resurrection bodies will be adapted for the environment of eternity and heaven. I speak, Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”, Where did the Corinthian Christians get their strange ideas about the resurrection, ideas Paul spent this chapter trying to correct? For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal, Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, : Paul is not saying, “material things cannot inherit the kingdom of God,” because Jesus’ resurrection body was a, , in this context, means “our present bodies.” Jesus’ resurrection body was not a “pure spirit” body, but a material body described as. It is foolish to question the Almighty power of God to raise the dead, when we see it every day quickening and reviving things that are dead. He was a changed man, forgiven, cleansed, and full of love when he used to be full of hate. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. “The sting of death lay in this, that we had sinned and were summoned to appear before the God whom we had offended. Acts 18 gives us Either the present dead in Christ are with the Lord in a spiritual body, awaiting their final resurrection body; or because of the nature of timeless eternity, they have received their resurrection bodies already because they live in the eternal “now.”. Paul’s third proof for the resurrection in this section is also compelling. And with what body do they come?”. God raises the dead. Sin gives death all its hurtful power. 1 Corinthians: Bible Study and Commentary. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (42-44) Comparison of the two kinds of bodies. For those who are not in Jesus Christ, death still has its sting. Finally, have all your affairs in order so that you are ready to die. Jesus met with these 500 followers in the region of Galilee. means “good news.” As the word was used in ancient times, it didn’t have to describe the message of salvation in Jesus Christ; it could describe any good news. All that are by faith united to Christ, are by his resurrection assured of their own. i. For some, this would just be spiritual sounding talk, which showed more pride than humility. : Our resurrection body will be glorious! These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. We have all borne the image of the first Adam, and those who put their trust in the last Adam will also bear His resurrection image. (20-34) Objections against it answered. “But though this text doth not prove the general resurrection, (being only intended of believers, that are members of Christ,) yet it doth not oppose it. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Yet not it, but the grace of God which was with me. How do some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? Even those who died in the faith, had perished in their sins, if Christ had not risen. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: Corinth was an important and wealthy city on the isthmus (narrow strip of land) separating Northern and Southern Greece. . “The sting of death lay in this, that we had sinned and were summoned to appear before the God whom we had offended. after His death. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. We should work hard in everything now, working for the Lord, because, Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. The Corinthian Christians just did not think carefully. Some of them denied the reality of resurrection, while believing in a resurrected Jesus. ©2018 David Guzik – No distribution beyond personal use without permission. a. How many springs of joy to the saints, and of thanksgiving to God, are opened by the death and resurrection, the sufferings and conquests of the Redeemer! 12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? The message of the gospel must first be believed and embraced. You received it from me and you continue to believe it as a true message. It must be ignorance of God that leads any to disbelieve the resurrection and future life. The dead in Christ shall not only rise, but shall rise thus gloriously changed. If the cross is the, iv. 1-corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 1-corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. c. I tell you a mystery: In the Biblical sense, amystery is simply a thing to be understood by spiritual, rather than by merely human perception. All the redeemed on the earth at that time will rise up to meet the Lord in the clouds, and will receive their resurrection bodies. The changed character of the apostles, and their willingness to die for the testimony of the resurrection, eliminate, For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. If you do not, you have believed it for nothing. The way Paul lived his life all-out for the gospel was evidence of the truth of the resurrection. “The plain fact is that Paul did not know when these events would take place, and nowhere does he claim to know. This is the sting of death to you, unconverted ones, not that you are dying, but that after death is the judgment, and that you must stand before the Judge of the quick and dead to receive a sentence for the sins which you have committed in your body against him.” (Spurgeon). We know that Jesus could do this after His resurrection; He could miraculously appear in a room that had all the doors locked and the windows shut. He regarded himself as. Paul understood this principle well, writing, “. 6. So, even though our resurrection bodies come from our present bodies, we should not expect that they will be the same bodies or just “improved” bodies. “This is the sharpest and the shrillest note, the boldest and the bravest challenge, that ever man rang in the ears of death… Death is here out-braved, called craven to his face, and bidden to do his worst.” (Trapp), ii. 1 Corinthians 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. ii. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. How much of this came in because of they kept evil company? : Paul would argue hard for his apostolic credentials, because he knew he had to be respected as an apostle. Our resurrection body will be a heavenly (celestial) body, suited for life in heaven, not only life on this earth. None can answer its demands, endure its curse, or do away his own transgressions. a. Therefore… be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord: Because we know death is defeated and we have an eternal, resurrected destiny with Jesus Christ, we should stand firm and unshakable all the more for Him right now. It is a new order of life that will never die again. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 3. Paul always remembered how he had sinned against Jesus’ church. To deny the resurrection is absurd (1 Corinthians 15:12-34). ii. (3-4) The content of the gospel Paul preached. i. Philippians 3:21 repeats Paul’s theme: , the best example we have of what a resurrection body will be like is to see what Jesus’ resurrection body was like. When writing Scripture, Paul was infallible, but not omniscient. They could not have known this unless God revealed it to them. . Through much of this book, Paul deals with the moral problems of the Corinthians: envy, divisions, pride, immorality, greed, irreverence, and selfishness. is simply a thing to be understood by spiritual, rather than by merely human perception. Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord: Even if your labor is vain to everyone else, and everyone else discounts or doesn’t appreciate what you do for the Lord, your labor is not in vain in the Lord. . Secondly, it was right and proper for Paul to live as if the coming of Jesus was imminent, though he did not in fact know when Jesus would return. ix. Ἀντὶ περιβολαίου, for a covering) Not but that an artificial covering ought to be added, but because her longer hair is a proof of covering the head as much as possible: the will ought to correspond to nature.—[94] δέδοται, has been given) by nature. Hence terror and anguish. The answer is, “Yes!” God does it and we do it. iii. Though it is hard to comprehend, when Christ returns, both the dead in Christ and those who still live will be transformed in an instant into these new and glorified heavenly bodies that will never die. He, therefore, who neglects the life of the soul, casts away his present good; he who refuses to live to God, squanders all he has. If there is no principle of resurrection, then, ii. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Among other issues addressed in this letter, Paul turns his attention in chapter 15 to the teaching that there is no resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. This is the sting of death to you, unconverted ones, not that you are dying, but that after death is the judgment, and that you must stand before the Judge of the quick and dead to receive a sentence for the sins which you have committed in your body against him.” (Spurgeon), The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, : The principle of resurrection also proves that we are not under the law any longer. We should work hard in everything now, working for the Lord, because right now counts forever! There will be an order in the resurrection. A “mystery” is a truth that had been concealed by the apostles from Christians until a certain point in time. They will be then glorious and spiritual bodies, fitted to the heavenly world and state, where they are ever afterwards to dwell. 2. . . Significantly, in the gospels, Jesus’ brothers are hostile to Him and His mission (John 7:3-5). “Man’s flesh only is informed by a reasonable and immortal soul, not so the flesh of other creatures: and hence the difference.” (Trapp). 1. Through much of this book, Paul deals with the moral problems of the Corinthians: envy, divisions, pride, immorality, greed, irreverence, and selfishness. This may seem like a small distinction to us, but it must be an important distinction to God. : If the Corinthian Christians did not continue to, , one day they might let go of the gospel. i. Paul expressed the same idea again in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18. Jesus plainly spoke of both, i. So also is the resurrection of the dead: It’s hard to understand what our resurrection bodies will be like, so Paul will use contrast to help us, giving four contrasts between our present body and our future resurrection body. It may simply be unrecorded, or Paul may mean “. “You must not only work, but you must labour – put forth all your strength; and you must work and labour in the Lord – under his direction, and by his influence; for without him you can do nothing.” (Clarke). Yet He was no phantom; He had a real flesh and bone body. Click on the different category headings to find out more. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. In the Old Testament, the offering of firstfruits brought one sheaf of grain to represent and anticipate the rest of the harvest (Leviticus 23:9-14). 4. If the dead rise not, it would mean Christ did not (1 Corinthians 15:13). The coming of Christ in 1 Corinthians 15:51ff. We shall rise in a full and perfect age, (as is generally thought) and without those defects and deformities which may here make our bodies appear unlovely.” (Poole), ii. How are the dead raised up? i. Jesus did not die as a mere martyr for a cause. The faith of the Corinthians must be vain who believe it, 1 Corinthians 15:16, 1 Corinthians 15:17. For those who are not in Jesus Christ, death still has its, . This may be a foolish question (Paul calls his imaginary questioner “Foolish one” in 1 Corinthians 15:36), but it is a question Paul will answer. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. It doesn’t matter if you get the praise or the encouragement; sometimes you will and sometimes you won’t. All flesh is not the same flesh explains why animals do not rise in the resurrection. Redeeming God. If any man’s work shall be burned —as consisting of the inflammable “wood, hay, stubble,” he shall suffer loss —loss of his time, his pains, his hopes, his credit; his whole ministry, even though right at bottom, yet all of it which is of this character, disappearing. we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, mean that Paul predicted Jesus would come in his lifetime? d. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory: Some take this to mean there will be different degrees of glory for believers in heaven. Death never shall appear in the regions to which our Lord will bear his risen saints. They take the submission of God the Son as “proof” that He must not be equal in deity to God the Father. All flesh is not the same flesh: There are all different kinds of “bodies” in God’s creation, including celestial bodies. Trust God, rely on Him, v. If I neglect my end of the partnership, God’s grace doesn’t accomplish all that it might, and is therefore given. We get our English word. A, iv. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father. , and therefore an enemy we need not fear. We work in a partnership with God, not because He needs us, but because He wants us to share in His work. The resurrection body of Jesus was material and could eat (Luke 24:39-43), yet it was not bound by the laws of nature (Luke 24:31, 24:36-37). i. First, every day carefully consider the certainty of death. “Whether there are degrees of glory, as it seems probable, so we shall certainly know, when we come to heaven.” (Trapp). Let us not be joined with ungodly men; but warn all around us, especially children and young persons, to shun them as a pestilence. But it is not so; they, of all men, enjoy solid comforts amidst all their difficulties and trials, even in the times of the sharpest persecution. 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