In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the apostle Paul devotes the whole chapter to one subject: the resurrection. He deals with it in two ways. First, he confirms the resurrection of Christ. Then, as a result of His resurrection, Paul speaks on the resurrection of believers in Christ—the Confirmation of Christ’s resurrection and the Consequences of it for us. The Resurrection of Christ is the very cornerstone of Christianity. From this truth grows everything else! It has been said, “Just as the heart pumps life, giving blood to every part of the body, so the truth of the resurrection gives life to every area of gospel truth.”
It is the Resurrection of Christ that:
- Declares Him to be the Son of God. Paul says in Romans 1:3-4, “concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”
- Confirms all the truth to all the words which He spoke. The angel could say, “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:6).
- Assures the believer of God’s acceptance of His atonement upon the Cross that clothes us with a perfect righteousness as Romans 4:25 tells us, “who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”
- Gives divine power for daily living Christian living and service. Paul desired “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10).
- Through which Christ is made the Head of the Church, enthroned at the right Hand of the Father. “working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:19-22).
- Guarantees the resurrection of everyone who puts their faith in the finished work of Christ. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
- It is the pivot point of our regeneration, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
Background to 1 Corinthians 15
Paul wrote this chapter because people were beginning to waiver on the doctrine of the resurrection of believers. Some denied it, as in 15:12, “How do some say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” While others did not understand it, as in 15:35, “Someone will say, how is the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Paul makes it clear that to deny the resurrection of the dead is to deny the resurrection of Christ, and to deny the resurrection of Christ is to deny the very power of Salvation.
Overview of the Chapter
Paul provides six definite proofs of the resurrection designed to silence the argument against this teaching.
- The Scriptural argument (v1-4)
- The Historical argument (v5-11)
- The Logical argument (v12-19)
- The Theological argument (v20-28)
- The Ethical argument (v29-34)
- The Ecological argument (v35-57)
This excellent chapter opens with a clear statement of what the saving Gospel is all about. From there, the verses rise together like the words of a great anthem. Over and over, Paul sounds out the great refrain: Jesus Christ is risen indeed! The saints are reminded that because Jesus lives, they shall live also. They are reminded that even if death were to take these mortal bodies, we would live on in a new body in a new place called Heaven. What a truth to encourage us today!
Years ago, Bill and Gloria Gaither penned the refrain to the song “Because He Lives.” The first verse and chorus read:
God sent His son; they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal, and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon;
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth living just because He lives.
This song embraces the very truth of the resurrection and gives such hope and assurance!
The Powerful Declaration (15:20)
“But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Notice the “But now”. This is a keyword that connects and contrasts v12-19. In those verses, Paul gave seven “ifs” (v12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19). In verse 20, he emphatically declares, “But now Christ is risen from the dead!” No more ifs. This is an essential part of the gospel, as he taught back in the first eleven verses, where he gave the scriptural and historical sides of the gospel.
Here Paul goes on to declare that having risen from among the dead, the Lord Jesus has become the firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep. This idea of firstfruit takes us back to Leviticus 23:9-14, where the farmer who sowed the seed would grab a handful of seed once it had ripened and offer those firstfruits to the Lord. This indicated that all was from God by His power and for His glory! It anticipated the rest of the crop, which would follow in a full harvest! Christ as our firstfruit guarantees our resurrection. Since Christ has been raised, so will we be!
A Parallel Comparison (15:21-22)
“For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even in Christ all shall be made alive.” Paul goes on to describe the doctrine implications of the resurrection of Christ, and he does this by using two explanatory states, one in verse 21 and the other in verse 22. Notice the word “For” in both verses; this indicates a dual explanation of verse 20. Paul reminds us that there are two men in the history of man. God sees two men, two heads, Adam and Christ. The whole world is either in Adam or in Christ. All those still in Adam experience death, but in Christ, all are made alive. This is seen very clearly in Romans 5:12-19.
A Proper Order (15:23-24)
“But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” In these verses, Paul lays out a timeline or an order of events in the resurrection. First, Christ the firstfruit, then those who are Christ at His coming. This is mentioned in Romans 8:23-24, “we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?” It is detailed for us in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this, we say to you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” This prospect awaits all those who are in Christ, all those who are His at His coming!
“Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” This takes us to the end of the world order, the final victory of Christ over all evil. This looks beyond the tribulation period and the millennial kingdom to the time when all authority (those who exercise rule) and all power (how they rule) will be judged. Christ has been raised to bring all authority and power to their end!
A Promised Reign (15:25-28)
In Matthew 28:18, the Lord Jesus said, “All authority has been given unto Me…” In Hebrews 2:9, we read, “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now, we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”
Because of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, God has made this same Jesus Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). It would be good to look at Peter’s address in Acts 2 to see that this same One who was crucified, God has raised, exalted and glorified (v24, 29-36). The point is that the Lord Jesus reigns presently and will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Today, He reigns in the hearts of those who have trust in Him. According to Romans 5:20-21, grace reigns through righteousness, and those in Christ, grace reigns over us (Romans 6:14). But as we read in Hebrews 2, we do not yet see all things under Him. But our verses in 1 Corinthians 15 look to that day! He was raised to reign! A dead Savior cannot reign! But He has been raised and will reign. Both Peter in Acts 2 and Paul here refer to when all His enemies will be made His footstool. This comes from Psalm 110, and looks forward to the coming day!
At the Cross, the Lord Jesus defeated Him, who has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14-15), but in a coming day, the last enemy, Death, will be destroyed because He lives! What the first Adam gave up, the Lord Jesus, the previous Adam, regained! What the first man lost was captured through the second man! This is the force of verse 27, which can be compared to Psalm 8 and the verse we read in Hebrews 2. No resurrection, no ascension; no ascension, no exaltation; no exaltation no enthronement!
Verse 28 looks to the eternal state where the Kingdom will no longer be the Kingdom of the Son of Man, but the Kingdom of God existing in Eternal form! The Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all things will be made subject, will then Himself also be subject to Him who put all things under Him that God may be all in all! All this because of the resurrection of Christ!
This is the ultimate fulfillment of Romans 11:36, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
One day, when Heaven was filled with His praises,
One day, when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my example is He!
Chorus:
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever:
One day, He’s coming– O glorious day!
One day, they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day, they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!
One day, they left Him alone in the garden,
One day, He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!
One day, the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day, the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord, evermore!
One day, the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day, the skies with His glory will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved One bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!
“One Day” by John Wilbur Chapman (1910)