1 Corinthians 15 - The Heavenly Resurrection
1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
Now I make known to you - The Corinthians had already heard the gospel. Now Paul makes it known to them in more detail.
the gospel which I preached to you - Here we are going to get an in depth look at exactly what the gospel is and, by inference, what it is not. We will be able to compare the gospel preached by Paul with the gospel preached today.
which also you received - The gospel is something that must be received in order to accomplish its work.
We must continually receive the message of God's love and not slip back into fear.
Romans 8:15
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"
in which also you stand - The gospel enables the Corinthians to stand firm against every speculation.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
by which also you are saved - We are saved by believing the message of the gospel. The message of the gospel is that God loves us so much.
if you hold fast the word which I preached to you - The best statement of the gospel that I know of is found in
Galatians 2:14-16
But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? "We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
So, then, the word of the gospel is that "a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus."
unless you believed in vain - We can believe in vain by falling away from "faith in Christ Jesus" and returning to "the works of the Law." This does not mean that we lose our salvation in the sense that we will go to Hell. It does mean that we will lose the salvation which is the transforming of the mind which leads us to live lives that reflect the image of the love of God.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
For I delivered to you as of first importance - There is one thing that is most important in the gospel.
what I also received - Paul was not an eyewitness of the death and resurrection of Jesus. He received the gospel as direct revelation of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:11,12
For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
that Christ died for our sins - Christ's death demonstrates God's love for us. God's love for us is the most important part of the gospel.
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
according to the Scripture - Christ's death was the fulfillment of prophecy.
Psalm 22:1, 16-18
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
Zechariah 12:10
"I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
He was buried - He died to show that He loves us.
He was raised - He was raised to show that the Father loves us and accepts us into His presence.
Romans 6:4
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
This newness of life is one of focusing on the fact that God loves us and works all things together for our good.
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
on the third day according to the Scriptures - Both the giving of the Law and the resurrection of Christ were on the third day.
Exodus 19:10,11
The LORD also said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments; and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
Hosea 6:2
"He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him.
5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
He appeared - Our Lord's appeared in a physical body as shown by
John 20:27,28
Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
Cephas - Paul refers to Peter by his Hebrew name. Even Peter, a poor, impetuous, denying Galilean, was a better Hebrew than Paul.
And even worse, Jesus chose to first appear to a lowly fisherman from the Gentile crossroads known as Galilee instead of the Hebrew of Hebrews, Paul.
But Paul wasn't the only one who had reason to be ashamed. Peter had just denied the Lord three times and needed to be restored. I think that's why the Lord chose to appear to him first.
Mark 16:7
But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.'"
An interesting side note is that if you look back at the gospels you'll see that Mary Magdalene was actually the first to really see Jesus, (she mistook Him for the gardener). At that point Peter and John had only seen the empty tomb.
the twelve - This is probably referring to the twelve disciples even though Judas wasn't around any more.
6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
After that - He first appeared to His unfaithful disciples to reassure them of His love.
more than five hundred brethren - The Scriptures don't tell us when or where this took place.
at one time - Apparently Jesus appeared to a crowd of over five hundred people sometime during the forty days He was on earth. I imagine that the disciples told the other followers of the earthly Jesus about His resurrection and then Jesus met with them all together to explain the meaning of His resurrection, (the things concerning the kingdom of God).
Acts 1:3
To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
most of whom remain until now - Most of the five hundred still remain as eyewitnesses of the resurrection.
but some have fallen asleep - 1 Corinthians was written about 20 years after the resurrection so probably about a third of the five hundred had died in Jesus.
7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;
James - James, the brother of Jesus, was not a believer before the resurrection. Apparently the resurrection inspired him to believe and then Jesus visited Him to tell him about the kingdom since He was to become the leader of the believers in Israel.
Galatians 2:9
and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
all the apostles - I'm not sure why Paul says this. Apparently Jesus appeared to the twelve a second time except now they are called the apostles. Maybe they now have been promoted from disciples to apostles because Jesus has explained the kingdom of God to them.
8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
last of all - It's almost as if Paul is ashamed that He is "last of all". Even though he was the ideal Israelite according to the standards of his day, Paul didn't recognize the Messiah until, after years of persecuting them, Christ was forced to open his Paul's heart and reveal Himself to him.
one untimely born - Paul spent his whole life devoted to pleasing God and yet he was the last to be reborn. As he, himself, writes of his Jewish brethren
Romans 10:1-3
Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
He appeared to me also - Finally, on the road to Damascus to persecute the Messiah he had devoted his life to, Paul's eyes were opened to the truth of who Jesus really was.
Acts 9:4,5
and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
And so, from his own experience, Paul could truly write
Romans 5:10
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
I am - Our image of who we are determines how much room is left for understanding who He is. As John the Baptizer realized,
John 3:30
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
the least of the apostles - When his eyes were opened to the truth about Jesus, Paul went from being the greatest of the Hebrews to being the least of the apostles.
not fit to be called an apostle - He was fit for death in his flesh, but saved from this death by the merciful love of God.
because I persecuted the church of God - What our flesh tells us is pleasing to God is often the exact opposite of what He wants.
John 16:2,3
"They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. "These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
by the grace of God - Paul's conversion is a powerful illustration of the grace of God. In a moment of grace Paul went from ignorance of the truth of God to become a passionate follower. His eyes were literally opened to the truth.
I am what I am - Everything that Paul values is the result of God's grace.
me did not prove vain - God's grace to us is in vain if it doesn't result in our reflecting His grace to our neighbors and to ourselves.
I labored - Even though everything is by the grace of God we still labor to express His love to those around us. Our labor of service expresses His labor of service on our/their behalf.
even more than all of them - Paul doesn't want to be considered inferior to the other Apostles in any way because God has uniquely chosen him as the champion of His grace to the Gentiles.
the grace of God with me - As hard as Paul labors, he still considers that it is all God working through him.
11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Whether then it was I or they - The persuasiveness of the preacher is not important. The important thing is the message preached.
Philippians 1:18
What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,
so we preach - It is the proclamation of the gospel that matters, not the power of argument.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
and so you believed - God uses the preaching of the gospel to open hearts to believe.
Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead - The message of the gospel is that Christ was raised from the dead because the resurrection shows that God was satisfied with Christ's sacrifice and is, therefore, satisfied with us as well. As He does in all things, God, our Father, has provided us with deliverance from our sins and has protected us from our enemies who wish to separate us from His loving provision of all our needs.
how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead - It is interesting that Paul doesn't say, "... will be no resurrection of the dead." There is no future tense. It is all present tense with Paul. Paul thought of the resurrection of the dead as a current reality, a present truth. Obviously believers were not physically resurrected in Paul's thinking or else one could overturn all of his preaching by merely rolling back the stone and exposing the bodies of those who had already died in Christ.
Christ's resurrection was a physical image of our spiritual resurrection. All of the miracles of Jesus were physical foreshadowings of spiritual miracles he would later work in the lives of those who believe in Him. Turning the water of ceremonial purification into wine represented turning the drudgery of living in slavery to the law into the joy of living in arms of His constant love. The feeding of the 5,000 represented the coming spiritual nourishment he would provide. The many healings represented the spiritual healing of our souls. The casting out of demons represented mental healing. Physical water represented the refreshment of new life in Him.
John 4:13,14
Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
If we have been raised with Christ and are now eternally in God's presence then why is there a need for our physical bodies to be raised in the future? Will the present spiritual reality of our resurrection with Christ give way to a future physical resurrection? Isn't that something like a butterfly becoming a caterpillar? This kind of thinking reverses everything Christ taught.
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;
if there is no resurrection of the dead - If there is no spiritual resurrection of believers...
not even Christ has been raised - then Christ was not raised since His resurrection prefigures the resurrection of all believers.
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
if Christ has not been raised - Christ's resurrection demonstrates that God was pleased with His sacrifice and the gospel is that God is now pleased with us because Christ was our representative on the cross.
then our preaching is vain - If Christ was not raised physically then we are not raised spiritually into God's presence. The gospel is that God loves us enough to wrap His arms around us as the father embraced his prodigal son.
your faith also is vain - Our faith that God loves and accepts us is empty if Christ was not really raised because Christ's resurrection is God's seal to us that He loves us.
15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ - Bearing false witness is one of the ten commandments and lying about what God has done is even more severe.
whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised - If we are not raised spiritually then God did not raise Christ.
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
your faith is worthless - Believing something that isn't true is worthless. The truth is that the physical resurrection of Christ demonstrated that sin and death had been dealt with once and for all. As the new representative of mankind, Christ's resurrection was a physical representation of the spiritual reality that death as separation from God had been utterly defeated. When Christ rose from the dead physically all mankind rose spiritually into the heavenly realms to be reunited with God as before the fall of Adam.
Because this truth is not evident to our senses, we must have faith that we have been raised with Him. If He hasn't been raised then our faith is worthless and we have not been raised out of sin and death.
you are still in your sins - If Christ has not risen then we are still under the wrath of God as children of Adam. If He is not risen then we are still condemned by our sins and have no fellowship with the Father.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
those also who have fallen asleep in Christ - How ironic of Paul to describe them as having fallen asleep in Christ. The phrase, itself, assumes that they will rise again as if from sleep.
have perished - If Christ is not risen then those who have died have not been given spiritual life and have not been reunited with the Father in heaven.
19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
hoped in Christ - Christ is our hope that God does not count our sins against us and that He has raised us out of our sins and into His presence that we might live in newness of life. Our hope is that we have been accepted into God's presence once and for all, never again to be subject to the fear of banishment.
Acts 23:6
But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!"
in this life only - If there is no spiritual resurrection then, "Let us eat, drink, and be merry." Our hope is that we have been resurrected into the presence of God. The focus of our lives is not on this physical world but on the spiritual world where we now live.
Colossians 3:1
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
we are of all men most to be pitied - How pitiful it is to give up the pleasures of this world if there is no higher pleasure.
Matthew 6:20,21
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
How pitiful it is to store up treasure in an imaginary heaven and to leave one's earthly storehouse bare.20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
But now - Paul sets aside conjecture and asserts the truth.
Christ has been raised from the dead - Christ's physical resurrection is a type of our spiritual resurrection.
the first fruits of those who are asleep - Christ slept for three days and three nights. He was then raised as an example of the harvest to come.
21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
by a man came death - Adam brought death to all mankind.
by a man also came the resurrection of the dead - Jesus brought life to all mankind.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
For as in Adam all die - All die because they are "in Adam." He is their representative.
so also - For as ... so also. Paul considers our relation to Adam to have an exact parallel in our relation to Christ.
in Christ all will be made alive - All will be made alive because they are "in Christ." He is their new representative.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming,
But each in his own order - Paul stresses that there is something different about the two resurrections.
Christ the first fruits - Christ's resurrection is typical of the resurrection to come.
after that those who are Christ's at His coming - The rest of the harvest will be at His second coming.
24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
then comes the end - This is the end of the Old Covenant age when the earthly, physical kingdom of Israel is replaced by the heavenly spiritual kingdom of all the nations together.
when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father - Paul spoke of a time when Christ would hand over the kingdom to His Father when His reign is finished and He has completed His work.
when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power - Christ spiritually abolished all rule and all authority and power at the cross. The physical and visible confirmation of this abolishing occurred in 70ad when every aspect of the Old Covenant system was destroyed.
Colossians 2:14,15
having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
He must reign - Christ's reign must replace the reign of the Law of Moses which increased transgression. Israel as a nation would rather serve the Law than Christ.
Romans 5:20,21
The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
until He has put all His enemies under His feet - Once every enemy has been shown to be defeated Christ will no longer reign.
26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
The last enemy - The enemies of the cross are sin, the Law, and death.
John 16:7-11
"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
Sin is trying to earn God's approval through obeying the Law. Sin is not believing that Christ has earned God's approval in our place and on our behalf.
Righteousness is the life of Christ. Righteousness comes to us, not through obedience to the Law of Moses, but through sharing in the life of Christ.
Judgment is the condemnation that comes when Satan accuses us of not obeying the Law of Moses. Now that Satan has been condemned, along with his accusations of failure to keep the Law, death as the punishment of the Law has been defeated.
that will be abolished - Christ abolished the Law of Moses.
Ephesians 2:15
by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
is death - By abolishing the Law Christ has also abolished death which is the penalty for failure to keep the Law of Moses.
2 Timothy 1:10
but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him.
For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET - This is a quote from the eighth Psalm which is also quoted in
Hebrews 2:8
"YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET."
For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.
At the cross Jesus destroyed all things that were not subject to Him. All that is left is subject to Him. At the time Hebrews was written in the late 60's of the first century, the spiritual victory over all that separated us from God had not yet been made visible. With the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, its holy temple and all that was necessary for the Old Covenant to continue, God made it evident to all that Christ had triumphed over sin and death.
But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him - In Psalm 8 David is describing the glory of man. God has put all things in subjection to mankind. This is referring back to Genesis where man is created in the image of God. He is created to reflect the love of the Godhead as male and female loving one another. He is created to reflect the gentle love of the Godhead as he rules over (cares for) the earth.
Genesis 1:26,27
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Hebrews 1:3
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
When all things are subjected to Him - This is when all things that do not reflect the image of God's unconditional loving providence are done away with.
When Jesus came and destroyed the holy city of Jerusalem and the temple and all that was necessary to practice the Law of Moses, nothing was left that was not subject to Him. After the destruction of the Old Covenant economy the grace of God as displayed in Christ truly reigned.
Hebrews 12:25-29
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN." This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.
This "removing of those things which can be shaken" denotes the removing of the Old Covenant system. Once it is taken away only the system which demonstrates God's love remains.
so that God may be all in all - Once all that is unloving is done away all that is left will be a reflection of God's character as the loving provider of His creation.
29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?
baptized for the dead -
Romans 6:3-7
Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.
If the dead are not raised at all - The dead here refers to those who are separated from God because of their sins; the spiritually dead.
Ephesians 2:5,6
even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
why then are they baptized for them - Baptism is the visible representation of the spiritual truth that we were spiritually raised with Christ out of our sins and raised with Christ into the place of favor with God. Paul is arguing that, since the Corinthians baptize for those who are spiritually dead, they must also baptize for those who are spiritually resurrected.
Since, in baptism, the Corinthians acknowledge spiritual death, they must also recognize spiritual resurrection.
30 Why are we also in danger every hour?
Why are we also in danger every hour - Paul is willing to face physical death because he now has an immortal spiritual body.
2 Timothy 1:10
but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel
31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
by the boasting in you - Paul boasts only in the part the Lord has given him in the harvest of the Corinthian believers.
which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord - All that Paul has is the Lord working in him.
I die daily - Each day Paul disregards his own accomplishments and focuses on the work of Christ on his behalf.
32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
If from human motives - Human motivation is always to act in order to gain something. Godly motivation is to act as a response to what God has done for us. Paul's motivation in this life is found in
Galatians 4:19
My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you
and also in
Philippians 3:9-11
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul's goal was for himself and for the whole world to know the power of the resurrection.
I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus - There is no explicit reference to this. Perhaps this incident is referred to in
2 Corinthians 1:8-10
For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us,
I think, rather, that the correct reference is to the Judaizers who tormented Paul in Asia. In other places Paul refers to the Judaizers as biting and devouring dogs and as a lion. What greater insult to a Jew than to be called an unclean dog?
Philippians 3:2
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:
Galatians 5:15
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
2 Timothy 4:17
But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might me fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
what does it profit me? - What gain is there for Paul if there is no resurrection from our sins? If death is an entrance into judgment for our sins then death is to be avoided at all costs.
If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE - If there is no resurrection from our sins then we might as well anesthetize ourselves from the pain of the coming judgment.
This quote is from
Isaiah 22:12,13
Therefore in that day the Lord GOD of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, To shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth.
Instead, there is gaiety and gladness, Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, Eating of meat and drinking of wine: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die."
33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
Do not be deceived - The bad company of the false teachers who taught that there was no resurrection would distract the Corinthians from living their lives to express the image of God.
"Bad company corrupts good morals." - This is a quote from the Greek poet, Menander. Paul adopts his message to the form of the Corinthians who were used to having their speeches sprinkled with quotations.
34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God I speak this to your shame.
Become sober-minded as you ought - This is in contrast to the drunkenness of the Menander quote.
stop sinning - This sinning is referring to living a life of drunkenness instead of living to express the image of God.
for some have no knowledge of God - Our lives are to be consumed with coming to the knowledge of God for ourselves and for those around us.
I speak this to your shame - The Corinthians should have been embarrassed because God had released them from the bondage to sin and yet they were doing nothing to help others come to a knowledge of their own release.
35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?"
But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? - This is an obvious question and one which is often asked today. How will one who has been cremated be raised? What about someone whose body was mangled in an accident? What about infants or the elderly?
And with what kind of body do they come?" - Will they have ashen bodies, mangled bodies, baby bodies or wrinkled bodies?
36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;
You fool! - These are all foolish questions that show a lack of understanding of the spiritual nature of the resurrection.
That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies - Paul uses examples from nature to show that the sown body and the raised body will be entirely different.
37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
you do not sow the body which is to be - The seed is not similar to the fruit.
but a bare grain - The bare grain doesn't resemble the finished fruit.
38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own.
But God gives it a body - God determines the kind of body that comes from the seed. The appearance of the seed is not analogous to the risen body.
just as He wished - The finished body is whatever God wants it to be.
and to each of the seeds a body of its own - Each seed bears its own kind of fruit.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish.
All flesh is not the same flesh - Paul uses the diversity in creation to show that the resurrection fruit will be different from the body that is sown.
Is a watermelon seed like a watermelon?
Is an acorn like an oak tree?
Is a butterfly like a caterpillar?
Is the spiritual body like the natural body?
but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish - There is great diversity in the created animals.
40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.
There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies - There are even great differences in the earthly creation and the heavenly creation.
but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another - I would say that the glory here is the brightness of each item. The heavenly creations have more brightness than the earthly creation.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars - The sun, the moon, and the stars all give off varying amounts of light.
for star differs from star in glory - Even the stars have different degrees of brightness from one another.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;
So also is the resurrection of the dead - Just as God's creation is filled with contrast, so also the resurrection body will contrast with the physical body.
It is sown a perishable body - The first contrast is that the physical body perishes.
it is raised an imperishable body - The spiritual body will never perish.
43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
it is sown in dishonor - The physical body is ashamed that it has been subjected to the Edenic curse of death.
it is raised in glory - The spiritual body is freed from the curse of death and shares in the glory (brightness) of Christ's resurrection. Notice the images of light and white clothing in the gospel message. Light and whiteness speak of glory.
it is sown in weakness - The physical body is weak in that it is frustrated by sin.
it is raised in power - The spiritual body has overcome sin.
44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
it is sown a natural body - The body that dies is natural, it perishes because it is subject to death, it is dishonored because it is tainted by sin, and it is weak because it is subject to sin.
it is raised a spiritual body - The body that rises is spiritual, it does not perish because it has overcome death, it is glorious because it is clothed in Christ's righteousness, and it is powerful because it has overcome sin.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body - Paul argues that the contrasts in creation demonstrate that there must be a spiritual body of a different order than the natural body.
45 So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
So also it is written - Paul refers back to Genesis to begin his contrast between the first Adam and the last.
"The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." - Adam was the seed. He became a living soul whose sin brought death to all men.
The last Adam became a life-giving spirit - Christ was the first fruits from the seed. He became a spirit whose righteousness brought life to all men.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.
the spiritual is not first - Paul argues that the type always precedes the fulfillment. The natural type comes before the spiritual fulfillment.
but the natural; then the spiritual - Just as the shadow precedes the body. the natural precedes the spiritual.
47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.
The first man is from the earth, earthy - Adam was made from the earth.
the second man is from heaven - Jesus came from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.
As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy - Our natural bodies are earthy like Adam.
and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly - Our resurrection bodies are like Jesus, seated in the heaven.
49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.
Just as we have borne the image of the earthy - Prior to the resurrection we have bodies like Adam.
we will also bear the image of the heavenly - After the resurrection we will have heavenly bodies.
50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God - Our spiritual bodies will not be flesh and blood. This reference to inheriting the kingdom comes from our Lord's parable where He says,
Matthew 25:31-36
"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
Paul refers to inheriting the kingdom three other times and each time he says that those who have a selfish lifestyle will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9,10
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:5
For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable - The perishable and imperishable are as different as oil and water; they cannot mix together.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
I tell you a mystery - Mystery should be translated as secret. Paul is telling us something that hasn't been told before under the old covenant. The bodily resurrection was spoken of in the Old Testament.
we will not all sleep - There are those who will still be alive at the time of the resurrection.
but we will all be changed - At the resurrection we will all be changed.
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye - The change will happen in a moment.
at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound - This moment of change will take place when the last trumpet sounds.
the dead will be raised imperishable - At the moment of the last trumpet the dead will be raised to no longer die.
and we will be changed - And we will be changed from perishable, natural, earthy bodies to imperishable, spiritual, heavenly bodies.
53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
For this perishable must put on the imperishable - We must have bodies that are not subject to the corruption of sin in order to dwell with God.
Colossians 3:1-3
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
this mortal must put on immortality - We are mortal due to sin and once sin is conquered mortality will be conquered as well.
Notice the language of clothing, "put on," which Paul also uses in Colossians chapter three.
Colossians 3:10
and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him--
Putting on the new self is similar to the resurrection.
Romans 6:9-11
knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Consider yourselves to be resurrected. Notice that "resurrected" is past tense.
54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.
then will come about the saying that is written - This is from
Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death for all time,And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces,
And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;
"DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory - So when is/was death swallowed up in victory?
1 Timothy 2:10
but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"
"O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? - Paul repeats himself for emphasis.
O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" - Paul adds "where is your sting?" which comes from
Hosea 13:14
Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from death?
O Death, where are your thorns?
O Sheol, where is your sting?
Compassion will be hidden from My sight.
This passage is actually about the judgment of Israel where God rhetorically asks if He should redeem Israel from death.
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;
The sting of death is sin - Sin gives death its power to harm us.
Romans 5:20,21
The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
the power of sin is the law - The law gives sin its power to harm us.
Romans 6:14
For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. but thanks be to God -
2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
who gives us the victory - The victory over the Law, sin, and death.
Colossians 2:12-15
having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
through our Lord Jesus Christ - Through Adam we failed but through our Lord Jesus Christ we triumph!
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord
Therefore - Because we have been made victorious in Christ.
my beloved brethren - Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are loved as he encourages them to stand firm.
Philippians 4:1
Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
be steadfast, immovable - Stand firm in your victory and do not go back to the things that have been defeated. Grow in the grace and knowledge of the victory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who has delivered us from the Law, and from sin, and from death.
2 Peter 3:17,18
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
always abounding in the work of the Lord - The steadfastness of our hope enables us to continue the work of faith and labor of love.
1 Thessalonians 1:2,3
We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
Faith in the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf enables us to quit working to earn salvation and to work for the benefit of others.
Galatians 5:16 (NIV)
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord - This goes back to verse ten
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
The grace of God freed Paul from the entanglement of the Law so that he could labor to bring salvation to the world.
Hebrews 12:1,2
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The sin in Hebrews chapter twelve is falling away from the finished work of Jesus and going back to the entanglement of the Law.
posted by Bill @ 10:12 AM
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