The passage
      v1-2. The argument begins with Paul reminding his readers of the gospel preached to them, which they believed and which was the basis of their salvation. This was the message Paul delivered to them. Their hearing and belief of the message achieved their salvation. If, in fact, they had not understood the content of the message, then their belief in a gospel wrongly understood, produces in them a vain hope.
      v3-5. Paul now restates the gospel message, as passed down from the apostles, and supports the fact of the resurrection with a list of appearances. The focus of the message is on the person of Christ, his death and particularly his resurrection.
      v6-7. Paul lists a number of extra groups who witnessed the risen Lord. He makes special note of the "more than five hundred", "most of whom are still living". He is suggesting that the Corinthians go and check them out. He concludes with Christ's appearing to all the apostles, most likely on the occasion of their commissioning.
      v8. Christ's final appearing is to Paul himself. This appearance is extraordinary in that it occurs after Christ's ascension. Obviously Paul is referring to the Damascus Road event. For Paul, it was an act of outstanding grace that he should be honoured to see the risen Christ when such revelations had ceased. This is possibly what he means by "abnormally (untimely) born."
      v9-10a. Paul enlarges on his "abnormally born" apostleship. First and foremost, he had persecuted the church. Gracious mercy indeed, that God should choose him as apostle to the Gentiles. Yet, God's mercy toward Paul has not been without effect. This grace extended toward him has prompted a mighty work for the gospel. The Corinthians are a product of this work.
      v10b. Paul immediately corrects a possible misunderstanding. He had indeed worked hard for the gospel, but ultimately, this is not his doing, but rather an inward working of God's Spirit. He had met the risen Lord, and the living Lord had given life to him. It was this life which enlivened him to good works. This is wholly a work of the grace of God.
      v11. Paul returns to the main thrust of his argument; the apostolic gospel proclaimed and believed, carries with it a powerful implication for all believers. Because Christ lives, we live eternally.

The gospel of life
      In the gospels we are given a simple outline of God's good news to humanity: "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel." In our passage for study we have a similar precise statement of the gospel message, although here it is in a different form. It is in the form of handed-down tradition, ie. this is what they used to tell people who wanted to know the substance of the Christian faith. It is a first century gospel tract, a creedal tract of the apostolic church.

      The passage tells us:
        How the message was presented: It was "preached";
        The response to the gospel: It was "received" and "believed";
        The results: They were "saved".
      The gospel is presented in its familiar two-part format:
        Introduction: The time is fulfilled - Christ died for our sins.
        Primary statement: The kingdom of God is at hand - Christ was raised on the third day.

      The primary statement in the gospel message comes without theological interpretation, unlike the introduction which explains Jesus' death in terms of the doctrine of the atonement. To expand our understanding of the implications of the resurrection we must look elsewhere.
      One of the best shorthand gospel presentations, which explains the functioning of the resurrection, may be found in Romans 4:25. "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification". The primary statement declares that justification is the consequence of the resurrection. This truth stands at the heart of the gospel. The kingdom is at hand, Jesus has risen from the dead, such that those who believe may freely receive new life.
      Although Paul expands the gospel into a theological treatise in the book of Romans, it is primarily a message for the unbeliever, that they might be saved. Our task is to understand the message and see it "preached" to our "neighbors". This simply means, we must communicate the message with church banners, church magazines, tracts, the local press, electronic media, etc.
      Of first importance, we must make sure that the message we are presenting is the gospel. As Paul reminds the Corinthians, their salvation depends on them holding firmly to the message which came from the apostles. The right content is essential. The center of the message has to do with the resurrection of Christ, and the implications which flow from that. Because Christ lives, we can live also, we can live approved before God for eternity, "just if I'd" never sinned.

The gospel tradition
      The gospel tradition is presented in the second half of v3 through v5. There are two primary statements of fact which are each supported by a secondary supporting fact. The primary statement of fact is given weight by the phrase "according to the scriptures." This phrase affirms that the primary statement is a fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures.
      i] "Christ died for our sins." The Messiah suffered and died to atone for the sins of the lost, Isaiah 53. This concept of a suffering Messiah who dies on behalf (instead of) the people of God, is certainly not dominant in the Old Testament. The teaching is not even dominant in the gospels. Jesus' institution of the Lord's Supper makes the link, while the only other clear statement of the doctrine of the atonement is found in Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45. Paul, who is the interpreter (exegete) of Jesus, explicitly teaches the doctrine of the atonement as part of the gospel tradition. Jesus dies as the lamb of God who bears our guilt. His death is substitutionary - he dies as a substitute. Jesus dies that we might be forgiven and so find acceptance before God. He dies for our sins.
      Jesus' death on the cross doesn't just deal with our past sins. It is essential to understand that Jesus' death deals with sinfulness as such. Not only is our rebellion forgiven, but our ongoing rebellion is forgiven. Jesus makes it possible to stand before God eternally acceptable in his sight because sin, past, present and future, is forgiven.
      ii] "That he was buried." This secondary statement of fact supports the primary truth that Christ died.
      iii] "That he was raised on the third day." The meaning of the clause is found in the sense of the verb "raised" - Jesus, having been raised, is still alive. The center of the gospel is found in a risen and living Messiah, whose life can be ours, both in our day to day living for him, and in eternity. The basis of this transfer of Christ's life-giving power, is found in his original substitutionary act. He dies for us, that we might live for him.
      It is very difficult to find any Old Testament texts to support the resurrection, so in what sense is it "according to the Scriptures"? Most likely the phrase should be taken in a general sense. Old Testament theology points to a living, as well as a life-giving Messiah, Psalm 16:8-11, 110:1.
      iv] "And that he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve." This secondary statement of fact supports the primary truth that Jesus was raised. This most likely concludes the gospel tradition as received by Paul. Interestingly, the tradition passes over the women and makes Peter the first witness, cf. Luke 24:34. Is this Jewish chauvinism - women are not trustworthy witnesses? Also, the "twelve" were at the most 11, Luke 24:36. Obviously, the term came to identify the apostles as a group.

Greek notes

v1
      de "now" - but, and, now. Here, consecutive, "now".
      gnwrizw "I want to remind you" - I make known. Serving to underline what is about to be said; "I draw your attention", Barrett.
      paralabete (paralambanw) aor. "you received" - Probably not of receiving a tradition here, but rather responding to the gospel, accepting it: "which you accepted", Phillips.
      en wJ/ kai esthkate (iJsthmi) perf. "on which you have taken your stand" - in which also you have stood. The phrase has a meaning more like "in which you stand as believers", Fee.
      di + gen. "by [this gospel]" - through [which]. An instrumental sense is probably intended, even though followed by a genitive; "by means of the gospel."
      swzesqe (swzw) pres. pas. "you are saved" - Probably the divine passive, God being the agent, while the present tense indicates ongoing action; "your salvation is being worked out", Phillips.
      ei + ind. "if [you hold]" - Conditional sentence 1st Class, where the stated condition is assumed to be true, as NIV. Possibly a direct question; "do you still hold fast to the gospel I preached to you?", NEB.
      tini logw/ "the word" - with what word. If the clause is conditional, the interrogative pronoun tina is best taken here as a relative pronoun. "Provided you adhere to my statement of it", Moffatt.
      ei mh "otherwise" - except, unless.
      eikh/ adv. "in vain" - "Unless you believed without due consideration."

v3
      gar "for" - Explanatory.
      paredwka (paradidwmi) aor. "[for what I received] I passed on" - I handed on, delivered over, passed on. Paul here makes an interesting statement about tradition. He is not the author of the gospel, rather, he has "received" it and "passed" it on. The formation of this tradition comes from the apostles who heard Christ, learnt from him, and taught the truth to all who would hear. Paul has elsewhere made the point that he received the gospel firsthand from Jesus, although it is likely he means his particular interpretation of the tradition, namely, the doctrine of justification.
      en prwtoiV (oV) "as of first importance" - in the prominent, first things. This prepositional phrase means simply that among all the things Paul taught the Corinthians, the gospel stood out as the most important piece of information he could give them. The reason is obvious. "By this gospel you are saved." It could also mean the first thing Paul taught them in time, or possibly that they were the first to hear it (Phillips), but importance seems best. "As a first essential I handed on to you", Barclay.
      oJti "that" - Introducing a direct object clause detailing the content of what Paul passed on. Repeated in v4 and 5.
      uJper "[Christ died] for [our sins]" - for, on behalf of. Naturally, the meaning of "for" is open to some debate, eg. "to expiate / propitiate our sins"? cf. Isaiah 53, Gal.4:1.
      kata taV grafaV "according to the Scriptures" - "In accordance with the Scriptures", NRSV.

v4
      etafh (qaptw) aor. pas. "he was buried" - Reinforcing the fact that Jesus was dead.
      eghgertai (egeirw) perf. pas. "he was raised" - he has been raised. The perfect tense expressing the idea that Jesus was raised to life and still lives, while the passive is probably an example of the divine passive where God is the agent, although this feature in Greek is somewhat overplayed.

v5
      wfqh (oJraw) aor. pas. "he appeared" - he was seen [by Cephas]. That is, Jesus rose from the dead and this reality was witnessed.
      eita "the" - next. Denoting sequence.

v6
      epeita adv. "after that" - then, thereafter.
      epanw adv. "more than" - over, above. Obviously information that Paul had gleaned from the Jerusalem believers and which, even when writing some twenty years after the event, could still be verified.
      efapax adv. "at the same time" - once for all, once, at one time. An interesting appearance finding no support in the gospels. Some have suggested Paul is alluding to Pentecost, but this seems unlikely. Others have suggested Paul means "over time", implying the number of those who witnessed Christ prior to his ascension, but that is not the sense of the adverb which serves to underline singularity.
      ekoimhqhsan (koimaw) aor. pas. "fallen asleep" - fall asleep. A euphemism for the death of a believer. The image carries the sense that death for a believer is not permanent since we will rise to life (awake) in the day of resurrection. "Soul sleep" is probably not intended, rather that the death of a believer is not permanent.

v7
      wfqh "he appeared" - he was seen. The verb is repeated, possibly indicating a new tradition, although more likely due to the length of the aside in v6.
      Iakwbw/ dat. "to James" - Obviously, James, the Lord's brother, who became a leading figure in the Jerusalem church, but who was not a believer prior to Jesus' crucifixion.
      pasin adj. dat. "to all" - Emphatic.

v8
      escaton adv. "last" - lastly. Best taken as an adverb, "lastly", the last of this list of believers who saw the risen Lord. Bruce suggests the last of the apostles; possibly temporal, even status, "the least of all the apostles." "Finally, he appeared to me", CEV.
      kamoi "to me also" - to me also. This adverb appears at the end of the Greek sentence, serving to underline the fact that Paul was also privileged to see the risen Lord.
      ektrwmati (ektrwma) dat. "abnormally born" - Usually understood as an abnormal birth, but also possibly untimely birth, in the sense that Paul's ministry commenced without due gestation ie. he had not been with Christ from the beginning of his public ministry. Possibly in the sense that Christ's appearances had ceased since his ascension and therefore his appearance to Paul was "untimely". It was very gracious of God to appoint Paul as an apostle without this due gestation. Did the word actually originate with Paul's critics? Was there the suggestion that Paul was an unformed, even a freakish apostle?

v9
      gar "for" - Giving the reason why Paul can be described as one "untimely born."
      oJ elacistoV (mikroV) + gen. adj. sup. "the least" - the smallest of. Of rank, and this because he persecuted the church. "The very least", Thiselton.
      oJV "-" who. Here the relative pronoun gives a causal sense; "I am the least of the apostles that I am not meet to be called an apostle", RV.
      iJkanoV adj. "deserve" - qualified, sufficient, able, worthy, capable, competent. Possibly "competent", in the sense of not possessing the credentials or the background training of an apostle who had been with Jesus, or in the ethical sense, "worthy / fit" to serve as an apostle because of his persecution of the church.
      thn ekklhsian tou qeou "the church of God" - A universal descriptive of the church, rather than saying the church in Jerusalem. "Because I caused the Christians to suffer", TH.

v10
      cariti (iV itoV) dat. "by the grace" - Instrumental dative.
      qeou (oV) gen. "of God" - Either the grace that comes from God (genitive of origin) or the God-like grace (genitive of description).
      oJ rel. pro. neu. "[I am] what [I am]" - The "what" is Paul's apostleship.
      hJ eiV eme "to me" - to me. Extended to me; "toward me", NRSV.
      ou kenh (oV) "not without effect" - not without content, substance, not empty, vain / not without success, results, effects, not fruitless. The second set of meanings is favoured by BAGD.
      alla "no" - on the contrary. Adversative force
      perissoteron adv. comp. "[I work] harder" - even more, so much more. Paul is not arguing for total passivity here when it comes to the operation of God's grace. He had to push himself to "work harder", he had to apply effort for the gospel. Yet, this effort is better seen as a cooperating with the inworking Spirit of Christ. He didn't do it to get "brownie points" from God, to win his approval, make himself better, pay off God, or pay him back, or even to guarantee his standing in the sight of God, he did it because he was impelled by the life-giving power of his risen Lord. "I toiled harder than all the rest of them put together", Barclay.