I Corinthians 15: 29-58, The Final Trumpet

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."

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.

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.

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...)

1 Corinthians 15: 45-49, The second Adam
 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.

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]

 "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!

I Corinthians 15: 1-28, Resurrection & Death

Paul begins to wrap up his letter by describing his own experience and witness of the Jewish Messiah.

1 Corinthians 15: 1-2, The centrality of the gospel
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

The "gospel" message of Christ's death and resurrection is central to everything in this letter. (Added later: see this post by Scot McKnight on "the gospel" and I Corinthians 15.)

1 Corinthians 15: 3-8, Five hundred witnesses
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

This is an extraordinary passage.  Although some "have fallen asleep", most of the witnesses of Christ's resurrection are still alive and Paul himself personally saw the resurrected Messiah.  The implication here is that if one were doubtful, they would have witnesses to interview!

1 Corinthians 15: 9-11
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Paul originally helped kill followers of this Messiah! But he now has a very different mission.

1 Corinthians 15: 12-19, Everything hangs on the validity of the resurrection
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? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

Apparently some in Corinth did not believe in a resurrection of anyone.  That contradicts the central message of the gospel, that Jesus himself rose from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15: 20-28, The second Adam overturns the first
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

The Old Testament quote in verse 27 is from Psalm 8:6.  As Adam brought sin and death of humankind, Jesus reverses the process.

Note the emphasis throughout this chapter on a physical, bodily resurrection.  There is no place in Paul's theology for ghostly angelic souls hanging around in the clouds (playing harps!) and looking down on humanity.  The resurrection will be physical in some sense, as part of a new universe (see Revelation 21.)

In the second half of this long chapter, Paul continues his discussion of death including a brief mention of the final event in human history, the "last trumpet."

I Corinthians 14: 21-40, Speaking in Tongues

Paul continues his discussion of the phenomenon of "speaking in tongues".

1 Corinthians 14: 21-25, Sensitive to visitors and inquirers 
In the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord. Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"

The church is to be sensitive to visitors and "inquirers", described here as "someone who does not understand." In this setting "tongues" are chaotic and strange; in contrast, a prophetic voice should be convincing.  So Paul discourages "tongues" and instead suggests "prophesying."

Whether dealing with strange things like "tongues" or other strange aspects of church culture (of which there are many!), we have clear advice here that churches should be sensitive to the visitor and the seeker.

The quote from "the Law" in verse 21 is from Isaiah 28:11-12.

1 Corinthians 14: 26-33a, How to make "tongues" part of church order
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

The emphasis is on church order, on actions that lead to strengthening the church.

1 Corinthians 13: 33b-35, Greeting
As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.  If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

Here we have a very controversial statement -- "women are to remain silent..."!  Most interpretations of this passage assume that Paul is giving instructions to churches in that time and culture, within conflicts over Jewish customs and Gentile practices.  In other passages (such as I Corinthians 11:5) Paul mentions women speaking and praying out loud in churches and in a number of places (Romans 16) Paul speaks of women in leadership.  Some specific chaotic practice is being confronted here. (Even those who insist on the strongest form of complementarianism do not attempt to enforce this passage!)

1 Corinthians 13: 36-40

Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.  If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Paul insists on his own prophetic voice, and argues for order over chaos within the Corinthian church.

I Corinthians 14: 1-20, More on Spiritual Gifts

After introducing "the most excellent way", that of acting with love in all things, Paul returns to questions raised about spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 14: 1-4, Prophecy versus tongues
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. 

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

The NIV footnotes stress that everywhere the Greek word is translated "tongues" here, it could also be translated "languages."  

"Prophecy edifies" is a theme here; speaking out in a prophetic voice about the direction of the church is (should be) a constructive process.  Paul emphasizes "edification" throughout this chapter.

1 Corinthians 14: 5-12, Tongues should be helpful
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?

So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 

So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

The Spiritual gifts are to build up the church.  If someone babbles away in an untranslatable language, what good is that?  Much better is to have a clear and helpful message for the church.

1 Corinthians 14: 13-17, Seek edification
For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

This is an interesting passage, implying that good use of "tongues" should involve some type of "interpretation" or explanation?

1 Corinthians 14: 18-20, Instruction and maturity
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

"Be adults!" scolds Paul, almost in a sudden fit of exasperation.

More on tongues in the second half of this chapter, tomorrow....

I Corinthians 13, The Most Excellent Gift

Paul's concern about divisions in the church, along with his response to a question on spiritual gifts, converges into a brief description of a "more excellent way" mentioned at the end of chapter 12.

Here, in the climax of his letter, is the most excellent way to live in the guidance of the Spirit of God. As we read this, note the rise in Paul's voice, the passion he expresses for this one characteristic, love, genuine compassionate concern for others.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3, Love wins
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

(The NIV footnotes stress that everywhere the word "tongues" is given in translation, it could also be translated "languages.")  The languages of men would presumably be the thousands of various languages in use across the globe; the languages of angels is presumably something different altogether!  But none of  these touch the actions of love.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7, The actions of love
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

In verse 5, the phrase is "not easily angered."  It does not say, "Love does not get angry."  There are times (rarer than we might admit) when true love reveals anger.

1 Corinthians 13: 8-13, Love is eternal, transcending time
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love is transcendent.  It outlasts prophecies, languages, knowledge.  In that sense, it is a true eternal characteristic of God. If we are tempted into divisive bickering, like the Corinthians, we are to recognize that high above that path is the path of Love and we should seek that path, not the low, bickering path the Corinthians had chosen.

Following this high point, Paul will return to the controversial questions posed on the gift of "tongues".

I Corinthians 12, On Spiritual Gifts

Paul answers questions posed by the church in Corinth regarding spiritual gifts. Throughout his response, Paul continues to hammer away on the importance of unity within the community of believers.

I Corinthians 12: 1-6, One Spirit, one God

Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

The Holy Spirit has an agenda, that of promoting Jesus. This agenda provides a rough guide to deciding whether some statements come from the work of the Spirit or not.

I Corinthians 12: 7-11, The common work of the Spirit
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Paul lists a number of miraculous works of the spirit, along with some less dramatic ones (like faith), all part of a common work.

In verse 10, and throughout this passage, the word translated "tongues"  in the NIV could also simply be translated "languages."  (NIV footnotes.)

I Corinthians 12: 12-18, The body metaphor
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

Paul uses a simple metaphor to make it clear that one cannot separate out the various activities of the Spirit of God.

I Corinthians 12: 19-27, It is ludicrous to separate parts of the body!
If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. 

But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

As we all know, if a hand hurts or part of our back aches, we are in pain.  It is insufficient to say, "Well, the part that hurts is not that important."  Pain is pain!  With this metaphor Paul emphasizes a need for unity, for a holistic view to the growth of the church.

I Corinthians 12: 28-31a, The various offices
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

But eagerly desire the greater gifts. 

The study of spiritual gifts leads to a brief description of various church offices and ministries, with a priority on the missional aspect of the church.

I Corinthians 12: 31b, There is something even better
And now I will show you the most excellent way.

Paul's concern about divisions in the Corinthian church and his description of the agenda of the Holy Spirit leads to the climax of the letter, in the next chapter.  In that chapter he will describe "the most excellent way."

Divisions in the Church

On Sundays I deviate from our chapter studies to look at special topics stimulated by recent texts. Given that I Corinthians was written to confront divisions occurring in the church in Corinth, it is appropriate that we look at divisions within "the Church", that is, within Christianity.

The first division in the church occurred fairly early, as the young church welcomed Gentiles into their Messianic branch of Judaism.

In Acts 6:1-7, we see that the Jerusalem church is mistreating the new "Greek" believers. In Acts 10, Peter learns that God accepts the Gentiles and this epiphany culminates in a meeting in Jerusalem described in Acts 15.  This welcoming of the Gentiles is fleshed out in Paul's letter to the Galatians and the Romans, but it is a significant issue during the first three decades of the young church.  Claims that Paul is abandoning Judaism eventually lead to his arrest in Jerusalem and his transfer to Rome, described in the last quarter of the book of Acts.

This division, the acceptance of Gentiles and the rejection of Judaizers, eventually leads, over a century, to the Gentiles dominating this Jewish sect and so (sadly) Christianity and Judaism move apart.

In Corinth it was petty divisions about who to follow.  In other places, there would, of course, have been more cultural conflicts, just as there are today.  Those trained in Greek philosophy wished to impose Platonic views on the church, while those with more Judaic or eastern view world view often had a different perspective.  Some of the early disputes in the first few centuries dealt with the influence and eventual rejection of gnosticism.  There were persistent questions about the deity of Jesus and its meaning.  (If, as the Jews firmly believe, there is only one God, what does it mean for Jesus to be God?)

Some of these early controversies are even visible in the New Testament writings.  In the letter to the Hebrews, Jesus is described (in Hebrews 1:3) as the "exact representation" of God.  (As a mathematician who studies representation theory, I find this an impressive phrasing!)  The first letter of John (I John) is likely written to confront gnostic claims (see docetism) that Jesus was just spiritual, not physical.

Once Christianity became entwined within the politics and power of the Roman empire (ca 380 CE, with Constantine's conversion), religious beliefs and accompanying disputes were much trickier, as they often reflected political machinations instead of spiritual concerns.  I have little to say here regarding the politico-religious machinations of medieval Europe -- or of modern America....

Spiritual divisions, when the occurred, were often driven (originally) by one group's belief that the other group was not truly Christian.  It was one thing to suggest a division within the Church; it is quite another to suggest renewal (reform) away from those perceived to no longer be in the Church. This explains (partially) the Protestant Reformation and even earlier divisions.  It explains, partially, the various divisions within Protestant Christianity today.

However, today, there are a variety of divisive Protestant groups, proud of their separation from other believers.  These divisions, done with arrogance and human pride, are excessive and contrary to the unity of Christ.  I have been a member and leader in a variety of churches, Disciples of Christ, Baptist, Evangelical Free and Presbyterian.  I was confirmed in the Episcopalian Church and I have devout family members who are Catholic.  It has been my experience that the Holy Spirit is at work in believers and disciples in all of these churches and I will be happy to hug, support and pray with anyone who says, in sincerity, "I seek to follow Jesus."  In that manner, I think I can say (with Paul) "I have the mind of Christ."

Tomorrow we return to our study in First Corinthians.