Note on 1
Cor 15:12-34
12 But if it is preached that Christ has
been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no
resurrection of the dead?
This question brings up the issue for the discussion of the rest of this
section (v12-34). Here 'some of you' are not unbelievers but believers
(v14 'your faith'; v15 'we' inclusive of listeners and Paul).
Some doubted their own resurrection when they die, though they accepted that
Jesus was raised from the dead. This meant that believing in Jesus’
resurrection did not directly translate into their own resurrection. How could
the resurrection of Jesus, a Jew, with whom they shared little commonalty,
assure or guarantee their resurrection?
In other words, these people could not see any direct relevance of
Jesus’ resurrection to their own resurrection. So Paul makes the connection of
these two. Jesus’ resurrection and the resurrection of the believers is
inseparable.
He proceeds to
answer this question in three steps;
First, Jesus’ resurrection is
tightly tied to the resurrection of the dead and they are inseparable
from each other. Jesus’ resurrection was meant to open the way for the
resurrection of the believers as well. That relationship was intended and
created by God.
13 If there is no resurrection of the dead,
then not even Christ has been raised.
14 And if Christ has not been raised, our
preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 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.
16 For if the dead are not raised, then
Christ has not been raised either.
As we see in this paragraph, the first statement and the last statement
make a tight bond between Jesus’ resurrection and the resurrection of
believers. So when one denies one, he has to deny the other as well. In between
these two statements is what took place to make this faith happen
- they are 'preaching' and 'faith'. The key to this statement is that
"we have testified about God." It is God that
raised Jesus to life, and it is God who would bring those who believe resurrection from death. In other words,
believing in the resurrection of the dead does not hang on the how or why of
the resurrection, but on understanding God, who made Jesus rise from the dead.
So, God’s intention, His will, and His message and purpose are the keys to
understanding and believing the resurrection of the dead. In this regard, from
the beginning and throughout the argument, the resurrection of Jesus was
described all in passive form. This implicates strongly that God was
behind this work of ‘resurrection’ (v12, 14, 16, 17, 20). There is not
a single sentence that alludes that the resurrection of Jesus was of his own
power or will. Further, the resurrection of Jesus could not be thought of
without God and His power.
How can that power be conveyed to people? It is by a message-faith
method. The message is in v 15b - “for we have testified about God
that he raised Christ from the dead.” So belief must be in or of God
regarding all matters of resurrection!
17
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your
sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only
for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
If these believers, who could not accept their own resurrection from the
dead, believed in Jesus, what did they actually believe? Or why did they believe
Jesus? It is possible or more likely that they loved Jesus’ words and teachings
as well as his power. So, Jesus was a great model of ‘good’ living
as many people think today. The concern or hope for resurrection was the least
thing on their minds. If this is so, then, no matter how much they loved and
cherished Jesus and his teachings, they are as lost as all those who reject
Jesus and live an ungodly life. There is not much difference between the two.
In the second part (v20-28), Paul illustrates God’s plan
and will, centered on the resurrection of Jesus. God’s will and his plan in
raising Jesus to life is to bring the salvation of the world. So the
resurrection of Jesus must be understood along with God’s will and plan for the
world. Then, one can fully grasp why the resurrection of Jesus meant certainty
for the resurrection of believers.
20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who
have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of
the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all
will be made alive.
The firstfruits is in reference to the 'waving of the first sheaf on the
day after Easter Sabbath' (Lev 32:10) and involves the 'idea of a consecration
and pledge of the coming harvest' (CHS). The resurrection of Jesus is seen as
the first harvest of new life out of all of the dead and, at the same time, His
resurrection serves as a token of promise for the harvest of new lives in forth
coming ages. V21-22 support further the idea of the firstfruits. As one man’s
death brought death to all of his offspring, so one man Jesus’ life will bring
life to all of his followers. As the sin of one man, Adam, was effective in
bringing down all men to sin, so one man Jesus’ faith in God is able to bring
life to those who believe in Him. So this is the answer to the question of how
the resurrection of Jesus is translated into the resurrection of the believers
(question raised in v12). Behind both of these is God’s power and authority -
God brought death to all children of Adam and so will God also bring life to
all believers in Jesus. In this way, simply one man Jesus' resurrection was
powerful enough to bring life to all who believe in Him - for God made it
effective to all. Again, God’s will is behind all of this.
23
But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who
belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God
the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he
must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy
to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” s 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. 28 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.
If v20-22 is looking right at the event of the resurrection of Jesus and
its effect on the dead. V23-28 is looking forward from the time of the
resurrection of Jesus to the time of Jesus’ coming in glory. So this paragraph
is about how God’s will, purpose, and plan will pan out in
history through the power and grace embedded in the resurrection of Jesus.
The first consideration (v23) is the concept of bearing fruit. Jesus
said, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and
dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds”
(John 12:24). The power to bear and produce many seeds is in Jesus’ suffering,
death, and resurrection.
Next (v24-26), this power, the power of resurrection in the new life, is
so powerful it can overcome all the authorities and various powers of this
world and further, will destroy all of them. In this way, the power that God
imparted to his believers not only lets them overcome the power of death but
also lets them overcome the powers of this world. The ultimate goal is clear -
the power that God impregnated in Jesus’ suffering, death, and then to his
resurrection, becomes the ultimate ruling authority over all the powers of the
world (Matt 28: Phil 2:8-9). The final enemy to destroy is death. It is not
clear what it means that death is an enemy to be destroyed. Since the fall of
man, the whole world is under the power of death. Salvation of man must
accompany the salvation of the whole world, which God cursed and in which death
is the norm for all lives. In this regard, it is possible that the present
world must give in to the new world; the old has passed away and a new world
has come (Rev 21:1-4).
Finally (v27-28), history
will consummate to the glory of the Lord, God Almighty as Jesus, the Son of
God, the holder of authority of the whole world, subjects himself to the Lord.
This is the direction of history.
In this scope, resurrection must be seen and understood.
If we see and preach the resurrection only with the perspective of the
possibility or ability for us to overcome the mortal body, then we are missing
more than half of what God meant to convey through the resurrection hope. Even
we can say that if we do not preach the resurrection of Jesus within God’s
grander plan of salvation, including his will, purpose and power, we are
compromising or even discrediting the power that God is eager to impart to his
believers.
29
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? 30
And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every
day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I
fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I
gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let
us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”
Resurrection hope opens a new world vision as we noted in the previous
paragraph. This gives us true and tangible meaning and purpose of life. When
one’s mind is devoid of such meaning and purpose, he or she will be utterly
subject to find the meaning and purpose within what they see and understand.
There is no durability of our lives, and the other lives of this world, no
matter how great they might be. The world we live in is constantly changing and
does not and cannot give lasting meaning and value for our lives. This is
because the world we are living in is confined by the power of death and no one
can see and understand anything beyond. Various values and meanings within this
world look great for a time being but eventually we come to know and become
keenly aware that they are illusive. Death is a powerful statement of God for
all human races - that unless we find a way that overcomes death, there is no
meaning and value that will last. This is a sober realization that we are under
the power of sin and death. When now is the only place to find meaning
and purpose, truly we are to be pitied.
33
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” c 34 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.
This is the conclusion of the theme of this section. Why could some
believers not translate the resurrection of Jesus into their own resurrection?
It is rooted in the failure to know that God is behind the resurrection of
Jesus. It is in the failure to recognize God’s utmost power and grace that he
planned and willed to impart to the believers in Christ. So without knowing
God’s will and His power, the resurrection hope will remain elusive. God
demonstrated His power and will in the resurrection of Jesus. It is the power
in the seed of the resurrection of Jesus which will be exerted to the whole
world until Jesus comes in his glory.
Resurrection is anchored in God’s will, His power, and His plan for the
world - to save and renew all for His glory.
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