1 Corinthians

15:12-19

7. The resurrection, 15:1-58

ii] Christ's resurrection - the source of our hope

In this passage Paul argues against those who believe in a spiritual resurrection of the dead rather than a bodily one. Paul's argument is simple: if we deny the bodily resurrection of believers, then we deny the resurrection of Jesus, which was bodily, and by implication, we deny the totality of our faith.

The structure of this passage is fairly straightforward. Paul begins with a question asking how any believer could doubt the bodily resurrection of the dead in the last day, v12. He then goes on to expose the stupidity of this position: if there is no resurrection then Christ has not been raised, v13, and the apostolic preaching is worthless, as is the faith of the Corinthian believers, v14, with the implication that the apostles bear false witness in God's name, v15. Paul restates his central argument in v16, noting a further implication, "you are still in your sins", v17, and identifies the inevitable consequence of a denial of the bodily resurrection of believers, namely "the destruction of all Christian hope, v18-19", Robertson and Plummer (R&P).

It is clear that some members of the Corinthian church doubted the bodily resurrection of the dead in Christ, although they obviously believed in a spiritual afterlife, possibly along platonic lines - the soul leaving the body after death (which by the way, is a very popular view even today). In the middle section of the chapter, v12-34, Paul argues the logic of his position, i.e., to deny our own bodily resurrection is to deny the resurrection of Christ. His argument is in three parts:

i] Logic tells us that if we do not rise, then Christ was not raised, and therefore everything we believe in is stupid, v12-19.

ii] Yet, the substantial truth of our faith is that Christ did rise from the dead, and because he lives we will live also, v20-28.

iii] If there is no resurrection of the dead, then why are we bothering to live the Christian life? We might as well eat, drink and be merry, "for tomorrow we die", v29-34.

Of course, Paul is not arguing that the resurrection from the dead involves the resuscitation of a dead corpse. It is quite possible that the Corinthians have come to see resurrection in these terms. Paul will deal with this problem in his beautiful illustration of the sprouting wheat.

We need to note that this passage confronts the commonly held platonic idea of the spirit leaving the body after death and going to heaven. It is probably true to say that most Christians hold this view and that those who have lost loved-ones can be upset by any challenge to it.

The Bible is quite clear that the resurrection of deceased believers occurs at the return of Christ, so we really are teaching heresy if we promote the resurrection in platonic terms. We may best explain the Biblical teaching on the resurrection of the dead to someone who has lost a loved-one by pointing to the fact that time is part of the creation and that God is not subject to it, and that therefore, those who are "asleep" in Christ are similarly not subject to it. Jesus cut through this ambiguity in time when he said to the thief on the cross, "this evening you will be with me in paradise", even though in time terms the thief still awaits his resurrection. In the thief's experience, it is that evening, it is the day of resurrection. So, there is a sense where all of us, alive and "sleeping", look to this evening. In fact, we are probably on safer ground if we see ourselves even now, raised up with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly realms, Eph.2:6. So much for time!

de "but" - but, and. Here possibly adversative, as NIV, or more likely contrastive, although it may serve to draw a conclusion, "it then", Barclay.

ei + ind. "if"- introducing a conditional sentence, 1st class, in the form of a question, where the condition is assumed to be true; "if, as is the case, ..... then how .....?"

o{ti "that" - that. Here introducing a dependent statement of stating expressing what Paul's apostolic team preaches.

ek nekrwn eghgertai "has been raised from the dead" - from among the dead he has been raised. The force of the perfect passive "has been raised" gives the sense "raised and continues to life." We can see from this verse that "some" anti-Pauline teachers in the Corinthian church have spoken against a physical/bodily resurrection of the dead. Of course, Paul doesn't believe in a limited physical resurrection, as if what we are now will be what we are then. Indeed, there will be a wondrous metamorphosis of the body into a resurrection body, cf. v42-50. Yet, Paul does argue for a real physical rising. His argument is that Jesus rose from among the dead, and his rising was bodily.

en uJmin "of you" - in you. This preposition + dat. here expresses association. "Among you."

nekrwn adj "of the dead" - of dead. The adjective functions as a substantive, "dead people", while the genitive is adjectival, limiting "resurrection" - there is a resurrection, but not of dead people. In 12a Paul says he preaches a resurrection anastaisiV ek nekrwn/ "resurrection out of / from among the dead", as compared to the Corinthian position which is that "dead people don't have future existence in bodily form."

de "but" - but, and. Probably not adversative but introducing a logical step in the argument; "surely, if it be true that there is no resurrection of the dead", Cassirer.

ei + ind. "if" - Introducing a 1st class hypothetical conditional clause, "if, for the sake of argument, ..... then, ...." "The logic of his (Paul's) statement is that the alleged impossibility of a final resurrection must deny a particular example - that of Jesus", Naylor.

de "and" - but, and. Here connective; "and it follows further that, ...", Cassirer.

ei "if" - Hypothetical conditional clause 1st class, as v13.

ara kai ..... kai "-" - then also ..... also. Paul gives us a three part apodosis forming two logical conclusions in v14 and one in v15. If Christ did not rise bodily on the third day then the totality of Paul's preaching ministry is worthless and the Corinthians have believed a worthless message. "Then in that case ...", Zerwick.

de kai "more than that" - "And (as a further consequence) we are found ...", R&P.

"[we are] then [found to be false witnesses]" - The third part of the apodosis of the conditional sentence which commenced at the beginning of v14.

tou qeou gen. "about God" - of God. Usually treated as an objective genitive, as NIV, so Fitzmyer; "false witnesses about what God did or did not do", "concerning God", Thiselton. Yet, it is more likely subjective, "false witnesses claiming to be from God", Rodgers, although not "false witness in the service of God" because as R&P point out, Paul did testify to the truth, namely that God "raised Christ from the dead", so Conzelmann. Probably best taken as adjectival, possessive, "we are bearing false witness in God's name, as those sent from God", Fee.

oJti "for" - Introducing a causal clause.

kata + gen. "about [God]" - against. Possibly "concerning / about God", a common classical sense, although a rare use in the NT. "Witnessing against", seems best, so Fee.

oJti "that" - Introducing a dependent statement of stating, expressing the content of his false witness.

eiper ara "if in fact" - if it is true that, if indeed, if after all that, if as they say. Introducing a condition, here hypothetical.

ton Criston "Christ" - the Christ. The article possibly gives the sense "the Christ of whom we have all along been speaking", R&P.

ei gar + ind. " for if" - if indeed. As above, 1st class hypothetical conditional sentence, "if, for the sake of argument, ...... then ...."

ei de + ind. "and if" - and if. As above, 1st class hypothetical conditional sentence, "if, for the sake of argument, ...... then ...." Again we have a three part apodosis: then i] "your faith is futile"; ii] "you are still in your sins" and in v18, iii] the dead in Christ are lost. mataia adj. "futile" - empty, vain, futile, pointless. "Then your trust is based on an empty promise of the cruelest kind", Junkins.

eti este en taiV aJmartiaiV uJmwn "you are still in your sins" - Paul draws out an interesting implication when he links the resurrection of Christ with the forgiveness of sin, for as the gospel clearly states, "Christ died for our sins". At first sight, the washing away of sin, forgiveness and thus, right standing in the sight of God, is achieved by the death of Jesus, not by his resurrection to life. Yet not so, the forgiveness of sins is certainly achieved by Christ's sacrificial death, yet its life giving power is made effective through the resurrection of Christ. Justification is achieved for the believer through the death and resurrection of Christ, Rom.4:25, 5:10. His rising to life releases a life-giving power which both justifies and sanctifies the believer. His life saves us. To deny his resurrection is to undermine salvation itself. "You are still living in your sins", CEV.

ara kai "then" - and therefore.

oiJ koimhqenteV en Cristw/ "fallen asleep in Christ" - the ones having fallen asleep in Christ. The participle functions as a substantive and the preposition en expresses association = "in union with Christ." This is a very beautiful description of the dead. The Seventh Day Adventists teach "Soul Sleep" which is not quite in line with the scriptures, but none the less does capture the status of those who have died as believers. Rather than "sleep" in the grave, we "sleep" in the arms of Jesus. He knows us, cares for us, loves us and in the last day he will gather us up into his kingdom. To imagine ourselves sleeping in his arms is a Biblically correct and comforting way to describe the state of a deceased loved-one.

apwlonto (apollumi) aor. "are lost" - are destroyed. "Are utterly dead and gone", Phillips.

ei + ind. "if" - Introducing a hypothetical conditional sentence, 1st class, as above.

monon "only" - The NIV has "only" modifying "this life", so Conzelmann, although it may modify "we have hope", "we only have hope", R&P, or even possibly it modifies the whole phrase/protasis, so Barrett, "if in this life we are those who have hoped in Christ only", Naylor. "If in this life we have nothing but a mere hope in Christ", Moffatt.

hlpikoteV esmen "we have hope" - we have hoping. The perfect participle with a present verb to-be possibly forms a periphrastic perfect construction, as NIV, "we have hope", so Fitzmyer, Thiselton, although the verb to-be usually proceeds the participle. It is possible that the verb to-be is copulative, joining the subject "we" with its predicate "the ones who hope", the participle functioning as a substantive (although there is no article), so "we are hopers", Barrett, also R&P. This sense would work well if "only" modifies the verb rather than "this life" = "we are only hopers", nothing more than hopers.

eleeinoteroi (oV) adj. comp. "pitied more" - more pitiful than. The comparative is used for the superlative. "Then in fact we are of all men the most pitiable", Cassirer.

anqrwpwn (oV) gen. "[all] men" - Genitive of comparison, as NIV.

1 Corinthians Introduction

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