1 Corinthians · chapter 15 of 16
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1 Corinthians 15 defends the resurrection of Christ and of believers. Paul recalls the gospel he received: Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised on the third day, and appeared to many. If the dead are not raised, faith is futile; but Christ is the firstfruits, believers will receive an imperishable body and death will be defeated.
Some Corinthians were saying there is no resurrection of the dead. Paul devotes the longest chapter of the letter to this topic, because the whole gospel depends on it. It is the New Testament's central teaching on bodily resurrection and the Christian hope in the face of death.
Paul reminds them of the gospel he preached to them, in which they stand: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve, then to more than five hundred brothers at one time, then to James, to all the apostles and, last of all, to Paul himself. Paul considers himself the least of the apostles because he persecuted the church, but by God's grace he is what he is, and all preach the same message.
He asks how some can say there is no resurrection. If there is none, Christ has not been raised, preaching and faith are futile, and those who died in Christ have perished. But Christ has been raised, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive, each in his own order: Christ first, then those who belong to him at his coming. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to the Father; the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Paul answers how the dead are raised with the image of a seed: what is sown is perishable and raised imperishable, sown in dishonor and raised in glory, sown a natural body and raised a spiritual body. The first Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will bear the image of the man of heaven.
Finally, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Paul reveals a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, at the last trumpet. Then death will be swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for your labor is not in vain.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Paul summarizes the gospel he received: Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised on the third day, all in accordance with the Scriptures. It is one of the oldest summaries of the Christian faith.
Christ has been raised, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. As death came through Adam, resurrection comes through Christ, and those in him will be made alive.
Paul reveals a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a moment, at the last trumpet. The dead will be raised imperishable and the living will be changed.
Because of the certainty of the resurrection, Paul urges them to be steadfast and immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing their labor is not in vain. Hope produces perseverance.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: That Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. — 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Answer: To Cephas, the Twelve, more than five hundred brothers, James, all the apostles and last of all Paul. — 1 Corinthians 15:5-8
Answer: Preaching and faith would be futile, and they would still be in their sins. — 1 Corinthians 15:14-17
Answer: The firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. — 1 Corinthians 15:20
Answer: Death is the last enemy to be destroyed. — 1 Corinthians 15:26
Answer: A seed that is sown and then comes up in a different body. — 1 Corinthians 15:36-38
1 Corinthians 15 gives a foundation to our hope. At a funeral, on a hospital visit or in a Sunday school class, this chapter lets us talk about death honestly and with hope, because Christ is risen and those in him will also be raised.
It also changes how we live today. If labor in the Lord is not in vain, it is worth serving steadily, even if we do not see immediate fruit. The chapter invites us to anchor faith not in feelings but in a historical fact, and to share that hope with those who suffer.
1 Corinthians 15 culminates the letter with victory over death and the call to stand firm. Chapter 16 is practical: the collection for the saints in Jerusalem, Paul's travel plans and the final greetings.
It is one of the hardest verses in the letter, and interpreters do not agree on its sense. Paul mentions it in passing as an argument to his opponents without approving or explaining it, and the context shows his point is that the practice would be pointless if there were no resurrection. No Christian teaching should be built on this verse alone.
Paul teaches that it will be a real body, but transformed: imperishable, glorious, powerful and spiritual. There is continuity with the present body, as between a seed and a plant, and also a great difference, which Paul does not describe in detail.
In Israel the firstfruits were the first part of the harvest, which promised the rest. Paul applies that image: Christ's resurrection is the beginning and the guarantee of the resurrection of all who are in him.