Chapter 15 of this letter began with Paul's testimony on the resurrected Jesus and then moved on to a discussion of death and resurrection in general. Here we have an extraordinary teaching on the upcoming resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15: 29-32
Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?
I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?
I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
One can make too much of this strange phrase about "baptism for the dead". This may have been a strange practice in pagan Corinth (not necessarily endorsed here but part of the Corinthian culture.) But I wonder if this is simply poor phrasing; that one might rephrase this as "baptism in preparation for death."
The Old Testament quote in verse 32 is from Isaiah 22:13.
1 Corinthians 15: 33-34
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame.
The Old Testament quote in verse 32 is from Isaiah 22:13.
1 Corinthians 15: 33-34
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame.
Back to first priorities -- "Get back on course and tell you pagan friends about the Messiah!" says Paul. This theme occurs throughout this letter.
1 Corinthians 15: 35-44, The eternal body
But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?"
How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.
All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?"
How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.
All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
Our current body is apparently "just a seed" to a future one! Our resurrected body is no more like our current one than a seed is like the later plant! (Having recently turned 60, I can be grateful for that! I hope -- quoting a friend -- to explore the universe after the Resurrection, maybe a little bit like the character Q from StarTrek...)
So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
Paul repeats a concept occurring in Romans 5:12-21, that Jesus brings life and a new creation, replacing the death and spiritual separation created by the first Adam.
The Old Testament quote in verse 45 is from Genesis 2:7.
The Old Testament quote in verse 45 is from Genesis 2:7.
1 Corinthians 15: 50-58, The final trumpet
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." [49]
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." [49]
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" [50]
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
The Old Testament quote in verse 54 is from Isaiah 25:8; the quote in verse 55 is from Hosea 13:14.
I look forward to the defeat of death!
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
The Old Testament quote in verse 54 is from Isaiah 25:8; the quote in verse 55 is from Hosea 13:14.
I look forward to the defeat of death!
Me too. I long for the death of death as I see Alzheimer's slowly take my dad.
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