1 Corinthians Chapter 15

A. The Truth of Jesus’ Resurrection

1. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2) Preface to the proclamation of Paul’s gospel.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2, NKJV)

Paul begins this great resurrection chapter with a reminder of the gospel message that he had already proclaimed to the Corinthians. This was not a new doctrine, nor an afterthought, but the very heart of the faith. He reminds them that the gospel had already been received, that they had taken their stand upon it, and that by it they were being saved. Yet Paul adds a solemn qualification: their continuance in salvation depends upon holding fast to this truth, lest their professed faith prove empty or vain.

The word gospel literally means “good news.” In the ancient world, it could describe any announcement of victory, deliverance, or royal decree. Yet Paul uses the term to describe the greatest message ever given—that sinful man can be reconciled to God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the best news ever declared, because it delivers mankind from the wrath of God and provides eternal life through faith in Christ.

The Corinthians had received this gospel. Salvation always begins with the reception of God’s Word, an act of believing and welcoming it as divine truth. As Paul told the Thessalonians, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13, NKJV) The gospel must be embraced, not merely heard.

They had also chosen to stand in the gospel. Even though the Corinthian church was plagued with divisions, immorality, spiritual immaturity, and misuse of spiritual gifts, they had not abandoned the core truth of the gospel. This is in marked contrast to the Galatians, of whom Paul wrote, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.” (Galatians 1:6, NKJV) The Corinthians had many problems, but at least they had not forsaken the foundation of the faith.

Paul further reminds them that it is “by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you.” Salvation is not only an event in the past but also a present and ongoing reality. We are saved by grace through faith at conversion, but we also continue to experience God’s saving work as we persevere in that faith. Paul’s words highlight the necessity of perseverance. Every believer must take seriously the responsibility not only to begin well but also to endure in holding fast to the gospel until the end.

The phrase hold fast indicates that there are forces seeking to pull the believer away from the true gospel. Whether false teachers, worldly temptations, or spiritual opposition, believers must cling tightly to the message of Christ crucified and risen. This requires vigilance, for as Hebrews 2:1 declares, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” (Hebrews 2:1, NKJV)

Paul then warns them with sobering words: “unless you believed in vain.” It is possible to make an empty profession of faith, to claim belief without truly possessing it. Such belief does not endure, nor does it produce fruit. Jesus Himself spoke of those who receive the word with joy but have no root, and in time of temptation fall away (Luke 8:13). If the Corinthians were to abandon the gospel, all their prior belief would prove worthless. Their faith would show itself to have been superficial, never having taken deep root in genuine regeneration.

This introduction prepares the way for Paul’s defense of the resurrection in the verses that follow. For if the resurrection is denied, the very gospel itself collapses, and faith truly would be in vain.

2. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) The Content of the Gospel Paul Preached

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, NKJV)

Paul now moves from the benefits of the gospel to its content, presenting what is of “first importance.” He declares the very foundation of the Christian faith: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These are not abstract ideas or mystical experiences, but historical facts, verified by Scripture and witnessed by many.

Paul makes it clear that he did not invent this message. He says, “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received.” This echoes his testimony in Galatians 1:11-12: “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11-12, NKJV) Paul did not construct a religious philosophy nor reshape Judaism with new ideas. Rather, he was entrusted with a message directly from the risen Lord. Thus, when Paul calls it “my gospel” in other passages, it is not because he authored it, but because he personally embraced it, lived by it, and proclaimed it with conviction.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “Notice that the preacher does not make the gospel. If he makes it, it is not worth your having. Originality in preaching, if it be originality in the statement of doctrine, is falsehood. We are not makers and inventors; we are repeaters, we tell the message we have received.” The gospel is not human opinion or speculation but divine revelation. This distinction is vital. Christianity does not rest upon clever insights, inspirational sayings, or moral improvement—it stands or falls upon actual events in time and space.

Paul continues: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” At the center of the gospel is not merely that Jesus died, but that He died for our sins. This is substitutionary atonement. The sinless Son of God bore the wrath of God in the place of guilty sinners. Isaiah prophesied this truth centuries before: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6, NKJV)

How did Christ die? He was executed by the Roman method of crucifixion, one of the most cruel and torturous forms of death ever devised. The Romans did not invent crucifixion, but they perfected it to prolong agony and maximize suffering. The victim was scourged, tearing open flesh, and then affixed to rough wooden beams by nails through the wrists and feet. Every breath became a battle for survival, as the body alternated between searing nerve pain, muscle cramps, and suffocation. Crucifixion produced death through a combination of blood loss, dehydration, respiratory failure, and heart collapse. Indeed, our English word “excruciating” comes from the Latin phrase “out of the cross.” Such horror illustrates the enormity of sin in God’s sight, for it required such a sacrifice for redemption.

Yet, we must never recount the crucifixion merely to stir pity for Jesus. He does not need our sympathy. Rather, the focus must remain on the theological meaning: Christ’s sufferings were redemptive. As Paul previously declared, “But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24, NKJV) The cross is not simply a tragedy of history but the very power of God for salvation.

Paul then emphasizes: “and that He was buried.” The burial underscores the reality of Christ’s death. He did not merely faint or enter a swoon; His death was certain, confirmed by Roman executioners, and sealed by His interment in a tomb. This burial fulfilled prophecy as well: “And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9, NKJV) Jesus, crucified among criminals, was laid in the borrowed tomb of a wealthy man, Joseph of Arimathea, just as Isaiah foretold.

Finally, Paul climaxes the gospel with: “and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The resurrection is the crowning proof of the gospel. If Christ had died but not risen, His death would have been no different from that of any other martyr. But the resurrection declared His victory over sin, death, and hell. It was not a spiritual idea but a physical, bodily resurrection. Jesus Himself had foretold it: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40, NKJV) Likewise, Psalm 16:10 prophesied, “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” (Psalm 16:10, NKJV) The third-day resurrection was no accident, but the fulfillment of the divine plan revealed in Scripture.

Thus, Paul establishes the gospel as three inseparable realities: Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again. Each part is necessary: His death paid the penalty, His burial confirmed it, and His resurrection vindicated it. This is the message Paul received, proclaimed, and passed on as of first importance—the same message that remains the foundation of the faith today.

d. Christ Died for Our Sins

When Paul declares, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3, NKJV), he is not simply recounting the fact of Jesus’ death, but explaining its purpose and theological significance. Many noble men and women have died heroic deaths in the cause of justice or truth, but their deaths could not atone for sin. What makes Christ’s death utterly unique is that it was a substitutionary sacrifice—a death that accomplished something in the spiritual realm.

At some point before His final cry, before the veil of the temple was torn in two, and before He declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30, NKJV), a great spiritual transaction took place. God the Father laid upon God the Son the full weight of guilt and the righteous wrath that our sins deserved. As Isaiah prophesied, “And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6, NKJV) Jesus bore that wrath in Himself, fully and perfectly, so that the justice of God was satisfied in our place. This is the very essence of atonement: our sin imputed to Christ, His righteousness imputed to us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The physical suffering of the cross was unimaginable, but the deepest agony of Jesus was spiritual. On the cross He bore, not only the cruelty of men, but the holy judgment of God. This was the cup He dreaded in Gethsemane when He prayed, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42, NKJV). The Old Testament often describes this cup as the cup of divine wrath: “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is fully mixed, and He pours it out; surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down.” (Psalm 75:8, NKJV); “Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury; you have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, and drained it out.” (Isaiah 51:17, NKJV); “For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: ‘Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.’” (Jeremiah 25:15, NKJV). Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, became as it were the enemy of God, bearing in Himself the righteous judgment that was ours to drink, so that we would never have to taste it.

Isaiah describes this scene with haunting accuracy: “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:3-5, NKJV). Here is the mystery of the cross: Jesus bore not only the malice of men but the judgment of God, and He did so willingly.

Adam Clarke reflected on this with sobering words: “Reader! one drop of this cup would bear down thy soul to endless ruin; and these agonies would annihilate the universe. He suffered alone: for the people there was none with Him; because His sufferings were to make an atonement for the sins of the world: and in the work of redemption He had no helper.” Christ endured this alone, without assistance, for none could join Him in paying the debt of mankind’s sin.

Once that work was fully accomplished, there was no need for Him to prolong His agony. He had drunk the cup to the last drop. Thus He declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30, NKJV) and commended His spirit into the hands of the Father. His mission on the cross was complete.

e. For Our Sins

Paul does not say that Christ died as a political revolutionary, a victim of Roman injustice, or a martyr for a noble cause. He died for our sins. Sin was the real reason for Calvary. He was not crucified because of envy or as an enemy of Caesar, though those were the human instruments. Ultimately, it was the will of God that He die as the substitute for sinners. As Peter declared on the Day of Pentecost, “Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death.” (Acts 2:23, NKJV).

f. He Was Buried

Paul also emphasizes, “and that He was buried.” (1 Corinthians 15:4, NKJV). We may not often reflect on the burial of Jesus as part of the gospel, but it is essential for several reasons.

First, it is undeniable proof of His true death. No one buries a living man. The Romans, experts in execution, ensured His death before removing Him from the cross. John testifies, “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’ And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’” (John 19:31-37, NKJV). The burial confirmed beyond doubt that Jesus had truly died.

Second, the burial of Jesus fulfilled prophecy. Isaiah wrote, “And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9, NKJV). Though executed with criminals, He was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy disciple, exactly as the Scriptures foretold: “Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.” (Matthew 27:57-60, NKJV). Even in His burial, God’s sovereign plan and prophetic Word were fulfilled perfectly.

g. He Rose Again

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not an optional addition to the gospel; it is essential. Paul declares, “and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4, NKJV). If Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, why is His resurrection so crucial? Because it proves that His death accomplished what He claimed, and it secures the victory of life over death.

Although Jesus bore the full wrath of God on the cross, as though He were guilty of every sin ever committed, He Himself did not become a sinner. Paul explains, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV). In taking our sin, Christ did not cease to be holy; His act was one of perfect love and obedience. The resurrection confirms this. Had Jesus truly become a sinner, He would have remained under the power of death. But because He remained the sinless Son of God even while bearing sin, the grave could not hold Him.

Peter makes this point in his Pentecost sermon: “For You will not leave My soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” (Acts 2:27, NKJV), and again, “He, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.” (Acts 2:31-32, NKJV). Jesus remained the Holy One, even in death. Therefore, the resurrection was inevitable; it was impossible for God’s Holy One to remain bound by death.

This means that the resurrection is not a mere afterthought. If the cross was the payment for sin, the resurrection is the divine receipt, declaring that the payment was accepted. Without the resurrection, there would be no assurance that the sacrifice was sufficient. This is why the resurrection was at the center of apostolic preaching: “whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” (Acts 2:24, NKJV); “and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” (Acts 3:15, NKJV); “let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.” (Acts 4:10, NKJV); “But God raised Him from the dead. He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus.” (Acts 13:30-33, NKJV).

The cross was a moment of victory over sin, but the resurrection was victory over death. On the cross, sin was defeated; in the empty tomb, life triumphed. The resurrection shows that death, the ultimate result of sin, has been conquered forever.

h. He Rose Again the Third Day

Paul stresses that Jesus rose on the third day. This detail was no accident. Jesus Himself had prophesied it: “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” (Matthew 16:21, NKJV); “and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” (Matthew 17:23, NKJV); “and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.” (Matthew 20:19, NKJV). His resurrection on the third day proved His words true and confirmed His divine authority.

Some have struggled with how “three days and three nights” could fit between Friday and Sunday morning, as Jesus said: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40, NKJV). Yet in Jewish reckoning, any part of a day could count as a whole. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah, writing around A.D. 100, noted: “A day and a night make a whole day, and a portion of a whole day is reckoned as a whole day.” Thus, Jesus being in the tomb part of Friday, all of Saturday, and part of Sunday fulfilled the idiom of “three days and three nights” without requiring a literal seventy-two hours. As one scholar put it, “According to Jewish reckoning, ‘three days’ would include parts of Friday afternoon, all of Saturday, and Sunday morning.”

i. According to the Scriptures

Paul repeats this phrase twice in verses 3 and 4, underscoring that Christ’s death and resurrection were not improvisations, but fulfillments of God’s eternal plan revealed in His Word.

The plan for His death is seen in prophecies such as Psalm 22, which vividly describes crucifixion centuries before it was invented, and Isaiah 53, which explains His suffering as substitutionary. The plan for His resurrection is hinted at in Hosea 6:2, “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.” (NKJV); in Jonah’s three days in the belly of the fish (Jonah 1:17), which Jesus Himself cited as a prophetic picture; and in Psalm 16:10, “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” (NKJV).

There are also typological foreshadowings, such as Abraham reckoning Isaac dead for three days during their journey to Mount Moriah, only to receive him back alive (Genesis 22). These shadows pointed toward the greater reality of Christ’s resurrection.

Admittedly, the Old Testament view of the afterlife was often shadowy. Some passages describe Sheol as a place of silence and darkness, devoid of praise: “For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?” (Psalm 6:5, NKJV); “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?” (Psalm 30:9, NKJV); “For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth.” (Isaiah 38:18, NKJV). Yet other passages reveal a hope of life beyond death: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.” (Job 19:25-26, NKJV); “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:9-11, NKJV).

Ultimately, it was Jesus who brought full clarity. Paul affirms this when he writes, “but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10, NKJV). The resurrection was always in God’s plan, hinted at in the Old Testament, but fully revealed and accomplished in Christ.

3. (1 Corinthians 15:5-8) Concrete Evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection

“And that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” (1 Corinthians 15:5-8, NKJV)

After establishing the content of the gospel—Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection—Paul now provides evidence for the resurrection by appealing to eyewitness testimony. He does not ask the Corinthians to accept the resurrection blindly but presents verifiable proof, pointing to individuals and groups who saw the risen Christ.

a. Seen by Cephas (Peter)

Paul begins with Cephas, or Peter, saying, “And that He was seen by Cephas.” No one saw the actual moment of Jesus’ resurrection inside the tomb; it was a work of God beyond human observation. If someone had been inside, perhaps they might have seen the transformation of Jesus’ body, His mortal flesh changing into His glorified, incorruptible resurrection body. We cannot describe the process with certainty, though Paul later compares the resurrection body to a seed transformed into a new plant (1 Corinthians 15:37-38). Yet Scripture does record that after His resurrection, Jesus could appear in locked rooms (John 20:19) and vanish from sight (Luke 24:31), demonstrating a glorified body unrestricted by the limitations of mortality, though still physical and tangible. Jesus was no ghost or phantom, for He said, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” (Luke 24:39, NKJV)

Though the resurrection itself was unseen, the resurrected Christ was seen by many. Paul calls these witnesses as testimony, beginning with Peter. Luke notes: “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” (Luke 24:34, NKJV). We do not know the details of this private meeting, but considering Peter’s bitter denial of Christ (Luke 22:61-62), it was surely a moment of restoration and grace. The Lord sought Peter personally, proving that His resurrection not only conquered death but also healed broken disciples.

b. Seen by the Twelve

Paul next mentions, “then by the twelve.” This phrase refers to the gathered disciples, though technically Thomas was absent at the first appearance (John 20:24), and Judas was already dead. Yet the group was still collectively known as “the twelve,” much like a team retains its name even when short a member. As Clarke notes, “Perhaps the term twelve is used here merely to point out the society of the apostles, who, though at this time they were only eleven, were still called the twelve, because this was their original number.”

The Gospels describe this meeting vividly. Mark records, “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.” (Mark 16:14, NKJV). Luke adds, “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?’ So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.” (Luke 24:36-43, NKJV).

John’s Gospel also records this scene, where Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22, NKJV). This confirmed both His bodily resurrection and His continuing mission through them.

d. Over Five Hundred Brethren at Once

Paul continues, “After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:6, NKJV). This remarkable testimony points to a mass appearance of the risen Lord. The Gospels do not detail this specific event, but Matthew gives a hint: “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.’” (Matthew 28:10, NKJV). Later he adds, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.” (Matthew 28:16-17, NKJV). It is probable that this Galilean gathering was the occasion when Jesus appeared to more than five hundred brethren simultaneously.

Paul stresses that “the greater part remain to the present.” This means that at the time of writing (about A.D. 55), most of these eyewitnesses were still alive. Paul is virtually challenging skeptics: go ask them yourself. This was not a matter of a few gullible followers inventing stories, but hundreds of men and women who saw Him alive at the same time. Such a multitude eliminates the possibility of hallucination, for hallucinations are individual experiences, not shared by five hundred people at once.

The fact that Jesus had over five hundred followers before His ascension also confirms the wider impact of His ministry. Acts 1:15 notes only 120 gathered in Jerusalem, but this Galilean meeting shows that the number of His disciples was much larger. These five hundred stood as historical proof that Jesus had risen.

It is true that Christians often testify, “I know He lives because He lives in my heart.” While such personal assurance is precious, Paul here points us to the objective, historical evidence of the resurrection. If we can trust anything in ancient history, we can trust this. As Spurgeon observed, “I suppose, brethren, that we may have persons arise, who will doubt whether there was ever such a man as Julius Caesar, or Napoleon Bonaparte; and when they do,—when all reliable history is flung to the winds,—then, but not till then, may they begin to question whether Jesus Christ rose from the dead, for this historical fact is attested by more witnesses than almost any other fact that stands on record in history, whether sacred or profane.”

Skeptics have proposed alternative theories, such as the swoon theory (that Jesus only fainted and revived in the tomb), the stolen body theory, or the hallucination theory. Yet all of these collapse under the weight of the evidence. Roman executioners ensured death; the tomb was sealed and guarded; hallucinations cannot account for mass appearances; and the disciples’ transformed courage cannot be explained apart from encountering the risen Christ. These objections demand more blind faith than believing the biblical record itself.

e. Seen by James

Paul adds, “After that He was seen by James.” (1 Corinthians 15:7, NKJV). This James is not James the son of Zebedee, but James the Lord’s brother, later known as James the Just, who became the leader of the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:13-21). The Gospels tell us that Jesus’ brothers were skeptical during His ministry. “His brothers therefore said to Him, ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.’ For even His brothers did not believe in Him.” (John 7:3-5, NKJV). Yet by the time of Pentecost, His brothers were among the believers: “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” (Acts 1:14, NKJV). What brought about this change? Most likely this personal, post-resurrection encounter with James. A meeting with the risen Christ transformed James from a skeptic to a devoted leader and martyr of the faith.

f. Seen by All the Apostles

Paul continues: “then by all the apostles.” (1 Corinthians 15:7, NKJV). This refers to multiple appearances recorded in the Gospels and Acts, including the second meeting with the disciples when Thomas was present (John 20:26-31), the appearance at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25), the mountain in Galilee where Jesus gave the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20), and the final appearance in Jerusalem before His ascension (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-9). These repeated appearances were not only proofs of His resurrection but also moments of instruction, fellowship, and commissioning. Jesus ate with them, taught them, assured them, and commanded them to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

g. Last of All He Was Seen by Paul

Finally, Paul testifies, “Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” (1 Corinthians 15:8, NKJV). Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ was unique. Unlike the other apostles who had seen Jesus during the forty days after the resurrection, Paul saw Him later, on the road to Damascus. Luke records: “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” (Acts 9:3-5, NKJV).

Paul describes himself as “one born out of due time.” The Greek word he uses, ektroma, literally means a miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature birth. This word carried associations of weakness, abnormality, and even shame. Paul may have chosen it deliberately because many in Corinth considered him a “lesser” apostle, not among the original twelve. They viewed him as irregular, late, and unworthy. Yet Paul embraces this description, boasting in his weakness, because it magnifies the grace of God. Though the Corinthians may have despised his stature, God had appeared to him and made him an apostle by His sovereign will.

h. The Cumulative Testimony

The combined testimony of Peter, the twelve, the five hundred, James, all the apostles, and Paul himself creates an overwhelming case. These were not fleeting visions but encounters that transformed lives. The apostles, once fearful, became bold preachers willing to die for their testimony. The skeptical brother James became a leader of the church. Paul, once a persecutor, became the greatest missionary of the gospel. Such radical transformations cannot be explained by fraud, mistake, or mass delusion. They can only be explained by the reality of the risen Christ.

One question often asked is why Paul does not mention the women who were the first to see the risen Lord (Matthew 28:1-10; John 20:11-18). Likely this omission is because in first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman culture, a woman’s testimony was not considered legally valid. While the Gospels faithfully record the women’s role, Paul focuses here on witnesses whose testimony would carry weight in the legal and cultural framework of his audience. This does not diminish the truth of the women’s witness, but rather shows Paul’s strategy in presenting the most compelling evidence possible to the Corinthians.

4. (1 Corinthians 15:9-11) Paul’s Testimony of Grace

“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” (1 Corinthians 15:9-11, NKJV)

Paul, after rehearsing the appearances of the risen Christ, turns to his own encounter with the risen Lord and reflects upon the grace of God that both humbled and transformed him. He does not elevate himself above others but acknowledges his unworthiness while at the same time magnifying the power of grace that made him an apostle.

a. For I Am the Least of the Apostles

Paul writes, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” Though he vigorously defended his apostolic authority when it was questioned (Galatians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 12:11-12), he never sought to exalt himself over the others. Paul had no interest in competing for some “Most Valuable Apostle” award. Instead, he sincerely considered himself the least of them all.

For some, such words might sound like false humility or a pious pose. But for Paul, this was no exaggeration. He remembered with grief how he persecuted the church of God. Luke records, “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” (Acts 8:3, NKJV). Again, “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.” (Acts 9:1-2, NKJV). Paul himself confessed, “For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.” (Galatians 1:13, NKJV). He also testified, “concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” (Philippians 3:6, NKJV), and “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15, NKJV).

Adam Clarke comments, “This was literally true in reference to his being chosen last, and chosen not in the number of the twelve, but as an extra apostle. How much pains do some men take to make the apostle contradict himself, by attempting to show that he was the very greatest of the apostles, though he calls himself the least!” Paul’s humility was rooted in the reality of his past sin and his unworthiness to hold the office he now possessed.

There are sins of all kinds, but sins against the church of God—His people—are especially grievous. Jesus warned, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6, NKJV). Spurgeon cautions, “[God] remembers jests and scoffs leveled at his little ones, and he bids those who indulge in them to take heed. You had better offend a king than one of the Lord’s little ones.”

b. But by the Grace of God I Am What I Am

Paul continues, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” Here Paul shifts the focus from his sin to God’s grace. He does not dwell in despair but glorifies the grace that forgave him, cleansed him, and transformed him. The man once filled with hatred became filled with love. The persecutor became a preacher. The destroyer of the church became its builder. Such a radical transformation was not the product of willpower or self-determination but the sovereign grace of God at work.

The grace that saves is also the grace that changes. No one can truly receive God’s grace and remain the same. The transformation may not be immediate or complete, for sanctification is a lifelong process, but real change is inevitable. Spurgeon presses the point: “You see that the mark of a child of God is that by the grace of God he is what he is; what do you know about the grace of God? ‘Well, I attend a place of worship regularly.’ But what do you know about the grace of God? ‘I have always been an upright, honest, truthful, respectable man.’ I am glad to hear it; but what do you know about the grace of God?”

Paul knew that grace was not only the reason he became what he was, but also the reason he remained what he was. Spurgeon adds, “‘By the grace of God’ we not only are what we are, but we also remain what we are. We should long ago have ruined ourselves, and damned ourselves, if Christ had not kept us by his almighty grace.”

c. His Grace Toward Me Was Not in Vain

Paul goes on, “and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Grace did not make Paul passive or idle. It compelled him to labor, to give his utmost for Christ. If Paul had received grace but done nothing with it, then in a sense it would have been “in vain” regarding its fruitfulness in ministry.

Grace is freely given, not earned. But the way we receive and respond to grace determines how effective it will be in our lives. Paul warns the Corinthians later: “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” (2 Corinthians 6:1, NKJV). Grace is not a license for laziness but a motivation for diligent service.

Paul recognized the balance: God gives grace, we labor, and His work is accomplished. He wrote earlier, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9, NKJV). God does not need us, but He delights to use us. This divine partnership does not negate human responsibility but heightens it.

Many Christians wrestle with the tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. Is God supposed to do the work, or am I? The biblical answer is both. God works in us, and we work out what He works in (Philippians 2:12-13). As Paul testified, he labored more abundantly than all the apostles, but immediately clarified, “yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” His tireless missionary journeys, his sufferings, his writings, and his planting of churches were all by grace, yet grace working through his effort.

d. Therefore, Whether It Was I or They

Paul concludes, “Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” The unity of the apostolic message is what mattered most. Whether Paul preached it, or Peter, or James, or John, the gospel was the same. And it was by that common proclamation that the Corinthians came to faith. The authority of the gospel does not rest on the personality of the preacher but on the truth of the message itself.

d. I Labored More Abundantly Than They All

Paul writes, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all.” (1 Corinthians 15:10, NKJV). Here Paul makes a bold comparison to the other apostles. He does not hesitate to say that he worked harder than any of them. This is not to suggest that the other apostles were idle—indeed, each gave their life to the work of Christ—but Paul’s missionary labors were extraordinary. He traveled extensively, planted churches across the Roman Empire, endured constant persecution, wrote much of the New Testament, and bore the burden of caring for many churches (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). His statement is therefore not arrogant boasting but an honest acknowledgment of his God-given diligence.

The point is not that Paul elevated himself above the other apostles, but that he exemplified how grace motivated ceaseless labor. His life is a reminder that grace is never an excuse for laziness. Instead, the more grace we receive, the more compelled we are to labor for the Lord.

e. Yet Not I, But the Grace of God Which Was with Me

Paul balances his assertion with humility: “yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10, NKJV). He was not shy about admitting that he worked harder than anyone, but he was also quick to confess that even his hard work was entirely the result of God’s grace at work in him.

If you were to ask Paul, “Paul, do you work hard as an apostle?” he would not answer with false modesty, pretending that he did nothing. Instead, he would say truthfully, “Yes, I labor with all my strength, and I work harder than all the others.” Yet at the same time, Paul would never boast as if this were his own achievement. He would insist that it was God’s grace energizing him, directing him, and sustaining him in every effort. His labor was real, but it was grace-enabled labor.

This captures the tension of the Christian life: we strive with all our might, but our strength is not our own. As Paul wrote elsewhere, “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13, NKJV). Grace is both the foundation and the fuel of Christian service.

f. Therefore, Whether It Was I or They

Paul concludes, “Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” (1 Corinthians 15:11, NKJV). The heart of the matter is not which apostle labored more, but that the message was the same. Whether Paul preached, or Peter, or James, or John, the gospel was one and the same: the crucified and risen Christ.

The verb we preach is in the present continuous tense. This indicates not a one-time proclamation but a consistent, ongoing message. The apostles habitually and continually proclaimed the same gospel. This unity of message underscores its truth. The Corinthians did not believe a fragmented or contradictory gospel but a single, consistent testimony of the resurrection, preached by all the apostles.

Thus Paul emphasizes that the authority of the gospel does not depend on the preacher. Whether it was Paul who first brought the message to Corinth, or whether another apostle had proclaimed it, the content was the same. What mattered was that Christ was preached and the Corinthians believed.

B. The Relevance of the Resurrection of Jesus

1. (1 Corinthians 15:12-13) The Resurrection of Jesus Proves There Is a Resurrection

“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-13, NKJV)

Paul now moves from affirming the historical fact of Christ’s resurrection to demonstrating its theological significance. The problem in Corinth was not disbelief in Jesus’ resurrection—Paul makes clear in verse 11, “so we preach and so you believed” (1 Corinthians 15:11, NKJV)—but disbelief in the resurrection of believers. Some in Corinth denied that Christians would one day rise bodily from the grave.

a. The Influence Behind Their Error

Paul begins, “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” The Corinthians did not deny Christ’s resurrection, but they denied the general resurrection of the saints. Their error stemmed from outside influences.

On one hand, Greek philosophy taught that the body was a prison for the soul, and that death liberated the soul into the purity of the spiritual realm. To such thinking, the idea of bodily resurrection was distasteful, even foolish. This explains the mockery Paul encountered in Athens when he preached the resurrection: “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’” (Acts 17:32, NKJV).

On the other hand, certain Jewish sects—most notably the Sadducees—denied any resurrection at all. The Gospels remind us, “For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.” (Acts 23:8, NKJV). Influenced by such currents of thought, some Corinthians tried to hold together faith in Christ’s resurrection while denying the future resurrection of His people.

b. The True Meaning of Resurrection

Paul insists that they think carefully. Resurrection is not simply the immortality of the soul, nor merely life after death in some disembodied state. Resurrection refers specifically to the transformation of the body. The same body that is buried is raised, but glorified and incorruptible. Later in this chapter Paul explains, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, NKJV). Thus, the hope of the Christian is not escape from the body but the redemption of the body (Romans 8:23).

c. The Consequence of Denying Resurrection

Paul exposes the inconsistency: “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.” If resurrection is impossible, then Jesus did not rise. And if Jesus did not rise, then everything in the gospel collapses. To deny the principle of resurrection is to deny the resurrection of Christ Himself, which was already established as historical fact. Therefore, their position was not only illogical but spiritually disastrous.

2. (1 Corinthians 15:14-19) What If There Is No Resurrection?

“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” (1 Corinthians 15:14-19, NKJV)

Paul presses his argument by showing the dreadful consequences of denying the resurrection. If there is no resurrection, then Christ Himself has not risen, and if Christ has not risen, the entire Christian faith collapses. Every hope, every promise, and every comfort of the gospel depends upon the reality of the resurrection.

a. If Christ Is Not Risen, Our Preaching Is Empty

Paul declares, “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.” Without the resurrection, the gospel is hollow. The apostles proclaimed a living Savior who conquered death. If Jesus is still dead, their proclamation is meaningless. They would be preaching about a defeated man, not the victorious Son of God. The resurrection was not an optional appendix to their message but its very heart. Peter proclaimed at Pentecost, “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.” (Acts 2:32, NKJV). Remove the resurrection, and the apostolic preaching collapses into vanity.

b. If Christ Is Not Risen, We Are False Witnesses

Paul continues, “Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.” If there is no resurrection, then the apostles are liars who have misrepresented God. To testify falsely about God is among the gravest of sins, breaking the very heart of the ninth commandment and standing as blasphemy. The apostles staked everything on their witness to Christ’s resurrection. If it were false, then the entire Christian movement was founded on lies.

c. If Christ Is Not Risen, Faith Is Futile and Sin Remains

Paul presses further: “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!” Without the resurrection, there is no salvation. Paul’s logic is airtight:

1. If there is no principle of resurrection, then Jesus did not rise.

2. If Jesus did not rise, then death held power over Him.

3. If death defeated Him, then He is not God.

4. If He is not God, His sacrifice was insufficient.

5. If His sacrifice was insufficient, sin remains unpaid for.

6. If sin is unpaid for, then believers remain guilty before God.

Thus, without the resurrection, sin wins, death triumphs, and salvation is impossible. The resurrection proves that Jesus’ death fully satisfied God’s justice and secured forgiveness for His people. As Paul writes in Romans 4:25, “who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” (NKJV). His resurrection is the divine guarantee that the atonement was accepted.

d. If Christ Is Not Risen, the Dead in Christ Have Perished

Paul adds, “Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” The phrase “fallen asleep” is a Christian euphemism for death, emphasizing its temporary nature because of the hope of resurrection (John 11:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13). But if there is no resurrection, then those who have died trusting in Christ are gone forever. Their faith was in vain, and they perished without hope. This would mean that the martyrs who gave their lives for Christ died in delusion, and every believing saint who passed into eternity is lost.

e. If Christ Is Not Risen, Christians Are the Most Pitiable

Finally, Paul concludes, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” The Christian life is not the easiest path. While faith in Christ brings joy, peace, and spiritual riches, it also brings trials, rejection, persecution, and self-denial. Paul’s own life was one of constant hardship: imprisonment, beatings, hunger, danger, and ultimately martyrdom (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). If there were no resurrection, all his sacrifice was foolishness.

It is true that Christianity offers blessings in this life—freedom from guilt, moral transformation, fellowship with God’s people. Yet it also brings difficulties. Spurgeon observed that when Paul wrote these words, he reflected on the immense sufferings he endured. Without the hope of eternal glory, his life would have been miserable, and he would be the most pitiable of men. John Trapp remarked that Paul could say this “because none out of hell ever suffered more than the saints have done.”

Notice, Paul applies this principle specifically to Christians: “we are of all men the most pitiable.” For unbelievers, this life is the only chance at pleasure they will ever know, and whatever happiness they can grasp is all they will ever have. But for the Christian, if this life were all, then the sacrifice, the discipline, and the suffering would be pointless. Without resurrection hope, Christianity would be the cruelest deception, offering false promises and demanding costly sacrifices with no eternal reward.

f. The Essential Nature of the Resurrection

Paul’s argument makes it clear: the resurrection is not an optional or secondary doctrine but the cornerstone of the Christian faith. To deny the resurrection is to dismantle Christianity itself. Without the resurrection of Jesus in a real, bodily sense, there is no gospel, no salvation, no church, and no hope.

As Paul has shown, every element of Christian preaching and faith collapses if Christ has not been raised. Therefore, belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is not negotiable. If you do not believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead in a resurrection body, just as Scripture declares, you cannot rightly call yourself a Christian. The resurrection is one of the essential doctrines of the faith, a non-negotiable pillar of the gospel.

Martin Luther observed, “Everything depends on our retaining a firm hold on this doctrine in particular; for if this one totters and no longer counts, all the others will lose their value and validity.” Indeed, if the resurrection falls, all other doctrines unravel. Spurgeon likewise declared, “If Jesus rose, then this gospel is what it professes to be; if He rose not from the dead, then it is all deceit and delusion.” The entire edifice of Christianity stands or falls on the reality of the resurrection.

g. What Rests on the Resurrection

Paul’s words, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19, NKJV), make sense when we realize just how much depends on the resurrection. The resurrection is not an isolated miracle, but the foundation of every blessing of salvation.

1. The divinity of Jesus rests on the resurrection. Paul writes, “and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:4, NKJV). The resurrection was God’s public declaration that Jesus is His eternal Son.

2. The sovereignty of Jesus rests on the resurrection. Paul affirms, “For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:9, NKJV). His resurrection enthroned Him as the living Lord over all creation.

3. Our justification rests on the resurrection. Paul declares, “who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:25, NKJV). The resurrection is God’s receipt that the payment of Christ’s death was accepted, securing our right standing before Him.

4. Our regeneration rests on the resurrection. Peter testifies, “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, NKJV). Our new birth and living hope flow directly from His risen life.

5. Our ultimate resurrection rests on the resurrection. Paul explains, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11, NKJV). The same Spirit who raised Jesus will raise us as well, guaranteeing our future glorification.

Spurgeon beautifully summarized: “The fact is, that the silver thread of resurrection runs through all the blessings, from regeneration onward to our eternal glory, and binds them together.” The resurrection is woven into the fabric of every gospel promise. Without it, Christianity unravels into nothingness.

3. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23) The Resurrection of Jesus Was the Firstfruit of Our Resurrection

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, NKJV)

Having shown the dreadful consequences of denying the resurrection, Paul now returns to the triumphant reality: Christ is indeed risen. With this declaration, the argument shifts from hypothetical despair to confident hope. The resurrection of Jesus is not only a past event but the guarantee and pattern of the future resurrection of His people.

a. Now Christ Is Risen from the Dead

Paul states plainly, “But now Christ is risen from the dead.” This is no longer under debate, for Paul has already proved the fact through eyewitness testimony and logical necessity. The resurrection is not a theory or a symbol; it is a historical reality and the cornerstone of Christian faith. Because Christ has risen, every doubt collapses, and the way forward for believers is grounded in hope.

b. And Has Become the Firstfruits of Those Who Have Fallen Asleep

Paul uses the imagery of firstfruits: “and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” The term firstfruits (Greek: aparche) carries both sacrificial and agricultural meaning. In the Old Testament, the offering of firstfruits was the first portion of the harvest presented to God, consecrating the entire harvest and guaranteeing its completion (Leviticus 23:9-14). By calling Christ the firstfruits, Paul shows that His resurrection is both representative and anticipatory:

• Representative: Just as the first sheaf represents the whole harvest, Christ’s resurrection represents ours. Paul writes, “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” (Romans 6:5, NKJV). His resurrection ensures ours.

• Anticipatory: Just as the firstfruits anticipate the full harvest, Christ’s resurrection anticipates the resurrection of believers. Trapp notes, “As in the firstfruits offered to God, the Jews were assured of God’s blessing on the whole harvest; so by the resurrection of Christ, our resurrection is insured.”

Significantly, Jesus rose on the very day of the Feast of Firstfruits—the day after the Sabbath following Passover (Leviticus 23:9-14). Thus, the calendar of Israel’s feasts pointed prophetically to Christ’s victory.

Furthermore, the word aparche was also used in Greek culture for an entrance fee. In this sense, Christ’s resurrection is not only the beginning of the harvest but also the admission price for ours. By His rising, He purchased our resurrection.

c. By Man Came Death, by Man Also Came the Resurrection

Paul continues, “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.” Here is the parallel between Adam and Christ, a theme Paul develops extensively in Romans 5:12-21. Adam, as the federal head of humanity, plunged the race into sin and death. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12, NKJV). By contrast, Christ, the second Adam, brings life and resurrection to all who belong to Him.

Spurgeon exclaims, “Men admire the man who is first to discover a new country… Oh, then, sing it in songs, sound it with voice of trumpet to the ends of the earth—Christ is the first who returned from the jaws of death to tell of immortality and light.”

d. In Christ, All Shall Be Made Alive

Paul declares, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” The universality of death comes through Adam; every human being shares in his fallen nature and mortality. Yet in Christ, all are made alive. Does this mean universal salvation? No. Jesus Himself distinguished between two resurrections: “and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” (John 5:29, NKJV).

Thus, while all will be raised, not all will be raised to eternal life. Believers will share in the resurrection of life, while unbelievers will face the resurrection of condemnation, living forever in resurrected bodies in hell. Matthew Poole comments, “But that the all here mentioned is no more than all believers, appeareth not only from the term in Christ in this verse, but from the whole following discourse; which is only concerning the resurrection of believers to life, not that of the wicked to eternal condemnation.”

e. Each One in His Own Order

Paul adds, “But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” Resurrection follows a divine sequence. Christ rose first, inaugurating resurrection life. Believers will follow at His Second Coming (parousia).

The word parousia means “presence,” but when used of Christ, it refers to His glorious return (Matthew 24:27). The order is therefore clear: first Christ, then His people. It would be unthinkable for us to be raised before Him.

Some might ask, if Christ was the firstfruits, what about earlier resurrections like Elijah raising the widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17-24) or Jesus raising Lazarus (John 11:38-44)? These were not resurrections in the biblical sense but resuscitations. They were brought back to mortal life in their old bodies, only to die again. Resurrection is more than returning to life; it is transformation into a new, glorified body, suited for eternity. Jesus was the first to rise never to die again.

4. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) The Resurrection of Jesus Leads to the Resolution of All Things

“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. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-28, NKJV)

Paul now lifts his readers’ eyes from the resurrection itself to the grand consummation of history. The resurrection of Jesus initiates a chain of events that culminates in the complete subjugation of all powers and the final glorification of God as all in all.

a. Then Comes the End, When He Delivers the Kingdom to God the Father

Paul writes, “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father.” The end here refers not to annihilation but to fulfillment—the climax of God’s eternal plan. Paul speaks of this same purpose in Ephesians 1:10: “that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” (NKJV). History is not aimless. It is moving toward the resolution of all things in Christ, who, having accomplished redemption and subdued every enemy, will present the kingdom to His Father. This act gives ultimate glory to the Father, the One who authored the plan of redemption before the foundation of the world.

b. When He Puts an End to All Rule and All Authority and Power

Paul continues, “when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” At present, God permits various powers—human rulers, angelic beings, Satan, and even death itself—to exercise limited authority. Yet this arrangement is temporary. Christ will one day abolish every rival claim to sovereignty. He alone will take His place as “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords.” (1 Timothy 6:15, NKJV).

As Gordon Fee notes, “In raising Christ from the dead God has set in motion a chain of events that must culminate in the final destruction of death and thus of God’s being once again, as in eternity past, ‘all in all.’” The resurrection sets in motion the inexorable march toward total restoration.

c. He Must Reign Till He Has Put All Enemies Under His Feet

Paul explains, “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.” This reign refers to Christ’s millennial kingdom as described in Revelation 20:1-6. During this thousand-year reign, Jesus will rule with absolute authority. Afterward, there will be one final rebellion, when Satan is loosed for a season and leads the nations astray (Revelation 20:7-10). Yet this rebellion will be crushed, and Christ will once and for all put every enemy beneath His feet.

The phrase under His feet is a figure of speech drawn from the Old Testament, symbolizing complete conquest (cf. Psalm 110:1: “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’” NKJV). The image is that of a victorious king placing his foot upon the neck of a defeated foe, signifying absolute victory.

d. The Last Enemy That Will Be Destroyed Is Death

Paul triumphantly declares, “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” Death is not a friend to be embraced but an enemy to be conquered. While some philosophies glorify death as a release, Scripture insists that death is a hostile intruder, the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). When Jesus confronted Lazarus’s tomb, “He groaned in the spirit and was troubled… Jesus wept.” (John 11:33, 35, NKJV). His grief was directed not only at the sorrow of His friends but at death itself, the great enemy of mankind.

Death is already defeated through Christ’s resurrection, yet it will be finally destroyed at the end of the age. During the millennium, death will still occur (Isaiah 65:20), but after the final judgment, death will be cast into the lake of fire: “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14, NKJV).

Spurgeon remarked that the resurrection appearances at Christ’s death were previews of this final triumph: “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” (Matthew 27:52-53, NKJV). These were but “preliminary skirmishes and mere foreshadowings of the grand victory by which death was overthrown.”

Some may ask, “If death is defeated, why do Christians still die?” Spurgeon wisely answered, “Death since Jesus died is not a penal infliction upon the children of God: as such He has abolished it, and it can never be enforced. Why die the saints then? Why, because their bodies must be changed ere they can enter heaven… Saints die not now, but they are dissolved and depart.” Death remains, but its sting is removed (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Furthermore, Spurgeon added perspective: “Death is not the worst of enemies; death is an enemy, but he is much to be preferred to our other adversaries. It were better to die a thousand times than to sin.” Thus, death may still come, but it comes as the servant of transformation, not the tyrant of judgment.

Finally, Spurgeon counseled believers to trust God’s timing: “Notice, that death is the last enemy to each individual Christian and the last to be destroyed… Brother, do not dispute the appointed order, but let the last be last. You do not want dying grace till dying moments. A boat will only be needful when you reach a river. Ask for living grace, and glorify Christ thereby, and then you shall have dying grace when dying time comes.”

e. That God May Be All in All

Paul concludes with the ultimate purpose: “For ‘He has put all things under His feet.’ But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:27-28, NKJV).

Here Paul quotes Psalm 8:6, affirming that all creation will be brought under Christ’s authority. Yet the Son Himself remains eternally subject to the Father. This is not a denial of Christ’s deity but a statement of functional order within the Trinity. The Son eternally shares the divine essence with the Father but, in the economy of redemption, willingly submits to Him. When the final victory is achieved, Christ will hand the kingdom back to the Father so that God may be all in all.

This phrase, all in all, speaks of God’s ultimate glory filling the universe without rival, every enemy destroyed, every knee bowed, and every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

e. But When He Says “All Things Are Put Under Him,” It Is Evident That He Who Put All Things Under Him Is Excepted

Paul clarifies, “But when He says ‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him.” (1 Corinthians 15:27-28a, NKJV). This verse reminds us that Christ’s victory and universal reign do not overturn the eternal relationship within the Godhead. The Son will not someday be superior to the Father; instead, the Father remains the eternal fountainhead of authority within the Trinity.

Those who deny the deity of Christ often point to this verse as proof that the Son is lesser in nature than the Father. They argue that subjection implies inferiority. But Paul is not speaking of the divine essence of Christ. The Son is eternally coequal with the Father in substance, power, and glory (John 1:1; Colossians 1:15-19; Hebrews 1:3). His subjection is not ontological but relational, reflecting the functional order within the Trinity.

Charles Hodge explained, “The son of a king may be the equal of his father in every attribute of his nature, though officially inferior. So the eternal Son of God may be coequal with the Father, though officially subordinate.” Similarly, Matthew Poole commented, “The Son’s subjection to his Father, which is mentioned in this place, doth no where prove his inequality of essence or power with his Father; it only signifieth what was spoken before, that Christ should deliver up his mediatory kingdom to his Father.”

In other words, this passage refers specifically to Christ’s mediatorial role as the God-Man who secured redemption. When His mission of subduing all enemies is completed, He will present the kingdom to the Father (verse 24). At that point, His mediatorial work will give way to the eternal order of the Trinity, where the Son, while coequal, eternally relates to the Father as Son. Simply put, God the Father will always be God the Father, and God the Son will always be God the Son. Their eternal relationship of Father and Son will never be reversed or diminished.

f. That God May Be All in All

Paul concludes, “that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:28b, NKJV). The goal of redemptive history is not only the triumph of Christ but the eternal glorification of God in His fullness. The Father’s plan, the Son’s work, and the Spirit’s power culminate in this one ultimate reality: God perfectly filling and ruling over all things.

This reflects a beautiful truth about the Trinity. Each Person of the Godhead delights in glorifying the other. The Son glorifies the Father: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” (John 17:4, NKJV). The Father glorifies the Son: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:5, NKJV). The Spirit glorifies the Son: “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:14, NKJV).

This divine pattern of mutual glorification provides a model for believers. Paul exhorts us in Philippians 2:3-4, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (NKJV). Just as the Persons of the Trinity honor and glorify one another, so God calls His people to live for the good of others rather than self-glory.

When all enemies are subdued, when death itself is destroyed, and when Christ has delivered the kingdom to the Father, then God will be all in all. This does not mean the loss of distinction between Father, Son, and Spirit, but the perfect harmony of divine sovereignty, love, and glory filling all creation for eternity.

5. (1 Corinthians 15:29-32) More Reasons to Believe in the Principle of Resurrection

“Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” (1 Corinthians 15:29-32, NKJV)

Paul continues his defense of the resurrection by presenting practical reasons for its necessity. If there were no resurrection, certain practices, sacrifices, and sufferings of life would be meaningless.

a. Baptized for the Dead

Paul begins with a difficult statement: “Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?” This verse has puzzled interpreters for centuries, and more than thirty different explanations have been suggested. The plain sense of the language is that some people were practicing baptism on behalf of those who had died.

Importantly, Paul does not say we baptize for the dead, but they. He distances himself and the church from this practice. The best explanation is that Paul is referring to a pagan custom of vicarious baptism for the dead, which was known in the ancient world. Paul does not commend the practice or even address its validity. Rather, he uses it as an argument: even pagans, in their misguided rituals, show they believe in resurrection. If there is no resurrection, why would such practices exist at all?

As Mare explains, “Paul simply mentions the superstitious custom without approving it and uses it to fortify his argument that there is a resurrection from the dead.” The Mormon practice of baptism for the dead is based on a misinterpretation of this verse. Scripture nowhere teaches that the dead can be helped by proxy baptisms. Salvation comes by personal faith in Christ alone (Hebrews 9:27).

Paul’s rhetorical point is clear: if pagans express some belief in resurrection, how much more should Christians—who have the certain word of God and the historical fact of Christ’s resurrection—believe in it?

b. Why Do We Stand in Jeopardy Every Hour?

Paul continues: “And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour?” His life was marked by constant danger for the sake of the gospel. If there is no resurrection, why risk his life at all? Why endure persecution, prison, beatings, plots, and hardship for a dead Christ?

Most people seek comfort and safety, but Paul’s lifestyle showed that he lived in light of eternity. His willingness to suffer, even to the point of death, was proof of the resurrection. As he later wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21, NKJV).

This challenges believers in every generation. Many Christians live so comfortably that their lives do not reflect the hope of resurrection. Paul’s life was so radically committed that one could only conclude that he truly believed in eternal reward.

c. I Die Daily

Paul affirms, “I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” His boast was not in himself but in Christ and in the Corinthian believers who were the fruit of his ministry. Yet he reminds them that his daily life was lived in constant peril.

Vincent comments, “I am in constant peril of my life.” Paul’s statement is not about mystical union with Christ’s death, nor about putting sin to death (as in Romans 6:11). Instead, in this context Paul is speaking of the literal, physical danger he faced every day. For example, Acts 23:12-13 records when more than forty men bound themselves under an oath to neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. This was his daily reality, which made “I die daily” no mere figure of speech.

Spurgeon, in his sermon Dying Daily, offered practical steps for believers to live with this perspective:

1. Every day carefully consider the certainty of death.

2. By faith put your soul through the whole process of death.

3. Hold this world with a loose hand.

4. Every day seriously test your hope and experience.

5. Come daily to the cross as a guilty sinner in need of grace.

6. Live so that you would not be ashamed to die at any moment.

7. Keep your affairs in order so that you are always ready to die.

Though Paul meant physical danger, believers today can still apply the principle spiritually by living each day as if it might be their last, fully devoted to Christ.

d. Fought with Beasts at Ephesus

Paul adds, “If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me?” Whether Paul is speaking literally or figuratively is debated. Roman citizens were generally spared from fighting animals in the arena, so this may be a metaphor for the fierce opposition he faced from human adversaries in Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41). Either way, Paul’s point remains: why endure such dangers if there is no resurrection?

e. If the Dead Do Not Rise

Paul concludes this section with the grim logic of unbelief: “If the dead do not rise, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” Here Paul quotes Isaiah 22:13, where the people of Jerusalem, facing judgment, abandoned themselves to pleasure: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” (NKJV). Without resurrection, life is meaningless, and the only philosophy left is hedonism. If there is no eternal future, the pursuit of pleasure in this life becomes the only rational choice.

But the resurrection changes everything. Because the dead will rise, our lives matter, our sacrifices matter, and our sufferings are not in vain.

d. I Have Fought with Beasts at Ephesus

Paul writes, “If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me?” (1 Corinthians 15:32a, NKJV). The book of Acts does not record Paul ever being thrown to wild animals in the arena. This omission has led to two main interpretations.

First, it is possible that such an event did occur but was simply not recorded by Luke. The Acts narrative is selective, and Luke often compresses years of ministry into brief accounts. Second, and perhaps more likely, Paul uses “beasts” metaphorically to describe his violent human opponents at Ephesus. Acts 19:21-41 records the riot stirred up by Demetrius the silversmith, which threatened Paul’s life and forced him to withdraw. To Paul, the raging mob may have seemed as wild and ferocious as beasts.

Regardless of whether literal or figurative, Paul’s meaning is clear: he endured extreme danger and hostility at Ephesus. And why did he endure it? For the sake of the resurrection. His entire ministry was built on the certainty of Christ’s resurrection and the promised resurrection of believers. As he later testified before the Sanhedrin, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!” (Acts 23:6, NKJV). Likewise, before Felix he declared, “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” (Acts 24:15, NKJV). Again, before Felix he insisted, “Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.” (Acts 24:21, NKJV). Paul’s life of suffering and imprisonment was inseparably tied to his unwavering testimony about the resurrection.

e. If the Dead Do Not Rise, “Let Us Eat and Drink, for Tomorrow We Die”

Paul then concludes with a quotation: “If the dead do not rise, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” (1 Corinthians 15:32b, NKJV). This is his third proof for the resurrection in this section, and it is compelling. If there is no resurrection, then there is no future judgment. Life is reduced to existence “under the sun,” as the preacher in Ecclesiastes describes—a fleeting pursuit of pleasure, wealth, and enjoyment, all ending in death. Without resurrection, the only logical philosophy is hedonism: indulge in pleasure now, because death ends everything.

This mindset was not unique to Greek thought; even the Egyptians expressed it. At the conclusion of their lavish banquets, they often carried around a small wooden coffin with a carved image of a man inside, reminding the revelers: “Drink and be merry, for you will soon be like this.” Paul’s point is that if the Corinthians deny the resurrection, they are embracing the same hopeless, earthly philosophy of pagans.

But Paul’s life refuted such thinking. His sacrifices, his willingness to suffer danger, persecution, and daily risk, made no sense if death was the end. If there is no resurrection, then Paul was indeed a fool for choosing hardship over pleasure. Yet because the resurrection is real, Paul’s suffering was not in vain. It had eternal value, rooted in the hope of glory to come.

6. (1 Corinthians 15:33-34) Knowing the Truth About Our Resurrection Should Affect the Way We Live

“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’ Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” (1 Corinthians 15:33-34, NKJV)

Paul closes this section by reminding the Corinthians that the doctrine of the resurrection is not merely an intellectual matter—it has practical, moral consequences. False teaching always works its way into life, and wrong belief inevitably leads to wrong behavior.

a. Do Not Be Deceived: “Evil Company Corrupts Good Habits”

Paul warns them plainly: “Do not be deceived.” Their denial of the resurrection did not arise in a vacuum. The Corinthians had been influenced by their associations. Some of them were mingling with Jews such as the Sadducees, who denied any resurrection (Matthew 22:23; Acts 23:8). Others were enamored with Greek philosophers, who mocked the very idea of bodily resurrection (Acts 17:31-32).

By absorbing these worldly perspectives, they allowed error to shape their theology. What began as intellectual compromise became spiritual danger. It was bad enough that these associations corrupted their understanding of resurrection, but the danger reached further: “evil company corrupts good habits.” Their associations were eroding both their doctrine and their morality.

Paul’s warning echoes Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (NKJV). By keeping evil company, the Corinthians were conforming to worldly thought. Only by letting Scripture renew their minds could they resist corruption.

Indeed, much of the moral disorder addressed earlier in this letter—envy, division, pride, immorality, greed, irreverence, and selfishness—sprang from their failure to guard their associations. The same bad influences that led them to distort resurrection truth also poisoned their moral life.

b. Paul’s Quotation from Menander

The phrase “Evil company corrupts good habits” is not from the Old Testament, nor from the words of Jesus. It comes from a Greek comedy play, Thais, written by Menander, a secular playwright. Paul (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) did not hesitate to quote a pagan when the statement aligned with truth.

This teaches us that truth is God’s truth, no matter where it is found. Even pagan literature can, at times, capture fragments of divine wisdom, because God’s moral order is woven into creation (Romans 2:14-15). Yet Paul does not elevate Menander’s words as Scripture. Instead, he uses them as an illustrative proverb, validated by the Spirit’s inclusion here.

c. Awake to Righteousness, and Do Not Sin

Paul then exhorts them: “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin.” The verb “awake” implies coming out of a drunken stupor or lethargy. Their doctrinal compromise and moral failures had lulled them into spiritual drowsiness. They needed to wake up and align their lives with the truth of God’s Word.

This exhortation points back to their willful neglect of the truth. Paul adds, “for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” Their ignorance of resurrection truth revealed something deeper: their ignorance of God Himself. To resist the renewing work of the Spirit, to persist in worldly thinking, and to neglect the plain teaching of Scripture is itself sinful. To remain willfully ignorant of God’s truth is to dishonor Him.

Thus, Paul shames them, not to crush them, but to rouse them. They should be embarrassed that pagan ideas shaped them more than divine revelation. Their associations led to unbelief, and their unbelief led to sin. Therefore, Paul calls them back to righteousness, rooted in the hope of resurrection.

C. The Nature of the Resurrected Body

1. (1 Corinthians 15:35) What Is the Nature of the Resurrected Body?

“But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?’” (1 Corinthians 15:35, NKJV)

Paul anticipates the objections of skeptics who deny the resurrection. They raise two questions: How are the dead raised? and With what body do they come?

The first question—how are the dead raised up?—is almost rhetorical. The answer is plain: God raises the dead. As Paul testified before Agrippa, “Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” (Acts 26:8, NKJV). The God who spoke the universe into existence, who gives life to the dead and calls things that do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17), has no difficulty raising bodies from the grave.

The second question—with what body do they come?—is more serious and reveals either curiosity or mockery. To human reason, it may seem impossible that a body once decayed, burned, or scattered could ever be restored. Yet Paul will answer this question directly, showing that the resurrection body is related to but distinct from the present body, transformed according to God’s creative power.

2. (1 Corinthians 15:36-38) The Analogy of the Seed

“Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.” (1 Corinthians 15:36-38, NKJV)

Paul answers with an agricultural analogy. The body is like a seed placed in the ground, which must die in order to bring forth new life. Burial is not the end, but the sowing of a seed destined to be raised in glory.

a. “Foolish One”

Paul begins bluntly: “Foolish one.” The Greek expression is strong, literally meaning You fool! He confronts the arrogance of those who mock the doctrine of resurrection. Richard Trapp remarks, “A hard knot must have a hard wedge, a dead heart a rousing reproof.” When unbelief scoffs at God’s power, strong correction is necessary.

b. The Seed and the Resurrection Body

Paul explains: “What you sow is not made alive unless it dies.” Just as a seed must be buried and “die” before it produces new life, so too our mortal bodies must go into the ground in order to be transformed into resurrection bodies. When the farmer sows his seed, he does not despair. He knows that what goes into the ground is not the final form.

Spurgeon captures the image: “Truly it is never a pleasant sound, that rattle of the clay upon the coffin-lid, ‘Earth to earth, dust to dust, ashes to ashes,’ nor to the farmer, for its own sake, would it be a very pleasant thing to put his grain into the dull cold earth; yet I trow no farmer ever weeps when he sows his seed.” Likewise, though funerals are sorrowful, burial for the believer is but the planting of a seed, awaiting the harvest of resurrection.

Spurgeon continues: “Dear friends, if such be death—if it be but a sowing, let us have done with all faithless, hopeless, graceless sorrow… ‘Our family circle has been broken,’ say you. Yes, but only broken that it may be re-formed. You have lost a dear friend: yes, but only lost that friend that you may find him again, and find more than you lost. They are not lost; they are sown.”

c. The Form of the Resurrection Body

Paul clarifies: “And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain… But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.” When a wheat seed is planted, the stalk that grows is not simply an enlarged seed but something new and different, though connected to the seed. In the same way, our resurrection bodies will not be exact replicas of our current ones, but glorious, transformed bodies suited for eternity.

This addresses a common objection. Skeptics argue: what of a body that has decayed, burned, or even had its atoms absorbed into other organisms? How could such a body be reconstituted? Paul insists that God does not need to recover every particle of the old body. Just as the DNA blueprint for the body exists in every cell, so God is fully capable of fashioning a glorious resurrection body from even the smallest remnant. His creative power is unlimited, and He will give to each one the body He pleases.

3. (1 Corinthians 15:39-41) The Analogy of Living and Heavenly Bodies

“All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.” (1 Corinthians 15:39-41, NKJV)

Having compared the resurrection to the sowing of a seed, Paul now illustrates the diversity of God’s creation to show that different bodies are suited to different environments and purposes. If God has already designed such variety in creation, it should not be difficult to believe that He will provide believers with glorified bodies suited for eternity.

a. All Flesh Is Not the Same Flesh

Paul notes: “All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.” Humanity, animals, fish, and birds all have distinct bodies adapted to their environments. This variety in creation demonstrates God’s creative wisdom. It also shows that our resurrection bodies will be suited to an entirely new order of existence.

Commentator Richard Trapp makes the point that this explains why animals will not rise in the resurrection: “Man’s flesh only is informed by a reasonable and immortal soul, not so the flesh of other creatures: and hence the difference.” Humanity is uniquely made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), and only humanity is destined for resurrection.

b. Celestial and Terrestrial Bodies

Paul expands: “There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.” Celestial bodies likely refer to heavenly realities such as the sun, moon, and stars, while terrestrial refers to earthly bodies, such as humans, animals, and the physical world. Each type of body has its own glory and purpose, demonstrating that God has already created bodies for vastly different realms.

This analogy prepares us to understand that our present bodies, suited for earthly life, will give way to resurrection bodies perfectly suited for eternal, heavenly life. Just as fish are designed for the sea and birds for the air, so believers will receive resurrection bodies designed for glory, incorruption, and immortality.

c. One Glory of the Sun, Another of the Moon, and Another of the Stars

Paul continues: “There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.” Even within the celestial order, there is variety. The sun radiates its own unique brilliance, the moon reflects light in a softer glory, and the stars differ one from another in size, brightness, and position. The cosmos itself testifies to diversity within unity.

Some interpreters see in this passage a hint that there may be different degrees of glory among the redeemed in eternity. As Trapp comments, “Whether there are degrees of glory, as it seems probable, so we shall certainly know, when we come to heaven.” Scripture elsewhere suggests that while all believers will share in eternal life, rewards may vary based on faithfulness (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Yet all glory, whether greater or lesser, will be perfectly suited to God’s design for each believer and will result in unending praise to Him.

4. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44) Comparison of the Two Kinds of Bodies

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, NKJV)

Paul now moves from analogies to direct contrasts between our present mortal body and the resurrection body. To answer the skeptic’s question, “With what body do they come?” he presents four striking contrasts. Each one magnifies the radical transformation awaiting the believer.

a. Four Contrasts Between the Present and Resurrection Body

Paul uses the language of sowing and raising, continuing the agricultural metaphor of verses 36-38. Our current body is “sown” into the ground at death, and from that sowing comes a far greater reality at the resurrection:

1. Corruption vs. Incorruption – “The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.” The present body is subject to decay, disease, and death. From the moment of birth, corruption is at work, as mortality inexorably leads to the grave. But the resurrection body will never decay, weaken, or perish. It will be incorruptible, perfectly suited for eternal life.

2. Dishonor vs. Glory – “It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory.” Death humiliates the body, stripping it of vitality and leaving only decay. There is nothing more unlovely than a corpse. Yet in the resurrection, the believer’s body will be raised in beauty, radiance, and glory. As Matthew Poole observed, “There is nothing more uncomely, unlovely, and loathsome than a dead body; but it will not be so when it shall be raised again.”

3. Weakness vs. Power – “It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.” Our present bodies are frail, easily broken, subject to fatigue, sickness, and limitations. Even the strongest human frame is a fragile shell compared to the power of the resurrection body. That body will be energized with divine power, never weary, never sick, never bound by frailty.

4. Natural vs. Spiritual – “It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” The natural body is governed by the soul (Greek: psuchikos), animated by breath and sustained by earthly life. The spiritual body is not immaterial or ghostly but is instead governed and empowered by the Spirit of God (pneumatikos). It will be perfectly adapted to eternal, heavenly existence, just as the natural body is suited for earthly life.

b. Raised in Incorruption, Glory, and Power

Paul’s description of the resurrection body is breathtaking. The believer will not merely receive an improved version of the old body, but one transformed into glory.

• Richard Trapp reminds us that “three glimpses of the body’s glory were seen—in Moses’ shining face, in Christ’s transfiguration, and in Stephen’s radiant countenance.” These glimpses foreshadow the dazzling glory of the resurrection body.

• Charles Spurgeon writes, “The righteous are put into their graves all weary and worn; but as such they will not rise. They go there with the furrowed brow, the hollowed cheek, the wrinkled skin; they shall wake up in beauty and glory.”

The glory to come is unimaginable compared to the frailty and dishonor of the present body.

c. A Natural Body vs. a Spiritual Body

Paul concludes, “There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” The natural body is animated by the soul, designed for earthly existence, subject to hunger, thirst, and fatigue. The resurrection body will be animated by the Spirit, designed for eternal communion with God, free from corruption and mortality.

Importantly, the “spiritual body” does not mean a non-physical or immaterial body. Jesus’ own resurrected body proves this point. He ate with His disciples (Luke 24:41-43), invited Thomas to touch His wounds (John 20:27), and yet passed through closed doors (John 20:19). His body was real, physical, glorified, and Spirit-empowered. So it will be for all who are in Christ.

5. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49) The Two Adams and Their Bodies

“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” (1 Corinthians 15:45-49, NKJV)

Paul now contrasts Adam and Christ, showing that our future resurrection body depends on which “head” we belong to. Adam, the first man, gave us our natural bodies, made of dust. Christ, the last Adam, gives us spiritual bodies, conformed to His own resurrection glory.

a. The First Adam and the Last Adam

Paul begins: “The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” This quotation recalls Genesis 2:7: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (NKJV). Adam was created a living soul, animated by God’s breath, but his life was natural and temporary. From him we inherit our natural, mortal bodies.

Christ, however, is called “the last Adam.” He is not merely another man but the fulfillment of humanity’s purpose. Through His death and resurrection, He became “a life-giving spirit,” imparting eternal life to all who believe. Where Adam transmitted death, Christ gives resurrection life (Romans 5:12-19).

b. The Order of Natural and Spiritual

Paul continues: “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.” God’s design places the natural before the spiritual. We are born with Adam’s nature before we are born again into Christ’s life. Our present bodies come first, then our resurrection bodies. This reflects God’s orderly plan: dust before glory, weakness before power, mortality before immortality.

c. The Man of Dust and the Lord from Heaven

Paul explains: “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.” Adam was earthly, formed from the ground, fragile and mortal. Christ, by contrast, is “the Lord from heaven,” fully divine and yet incarnate, who took on flesh to redeem us. The contrast is stark: one is dust, the other is heavenly glory.

Paul adds: “As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.” All humanity shares in Adam’s image—we are mortal, frail, and subject to sin. But those who belong to Christ will share in His heavenly likeness, receiving glorified bodies suited for eternity.

d. Bearing the Image of the Heavenly Man

Paul concludes: “And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” The image of Adam is plain in us: we grow old, we decay, we die. But for believers, the promise is just as sure: we shall bear the image of Christ’s resurrection body.

Paul emphasizes this in Philippians 3:21: “Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (NKJV). The power that subjected death and the grave will also conform us to Christ’s own glorified body.

e. Christ’s Resurrection Body as Our Pattern

Since we will bear the image of the heavenly Man, the best way to understand the resurrection body is to study Christ’s own resurrected body. His resurrection body was real and material. He could say, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” (Luke 24:39, NKJV). He ate with His disciples to prove He was not a phantom: “So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.” (Luke 24:42-43, NKJV).

Yet His body was also glorified, no longer bound by the laws of nature. He vanished from sight at Emmaus (Luke 24:31), and He appeared among His disciples in a locked room (John 20:19). This demonstrates that the resurrection body is both physical and spiritual—real flesh and bone, yet Spirit-empowered and fit for eternity.

6. (1 Corinthians 15:50-53) The Need for the Resurrection

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-53, NKJV)

a. Flesh and Blood Cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God

Paul declares that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” By this, he does not mean that material existence is excluded from heaven. After all, Jesus rose bodily and described His resurrection form as “flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39). The expression “flesh and blood” here refers to our present, fallen, mortal condition. Bodies subject to decay and death are unfit for the incorruptible inheritance of heaven.

Paul adds, “nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” Here “corruption” refers to physical decay and mortality, not moral corruption. Our present bodies, which are subject to disease, weakness, and eventual death, cannot inherit eternal incorruption. A transformation is necessary.

b. Behold, I Tell You a Mystery

Paul then reveals something that reason could never discover: “Behold, I tell you a mystery.” In Scripture, a mystery is not something permanently hidden, but a truth once concealed now revealed by God (cf. Colossians 1:26). The mystery here is that not all believers will die. Paul writes, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” Sleep is a common biblical metaphor for the death of believers (cf. John 11:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:13). Paul reveals that a generation of believers will escape death entirely, being transformed at Christ’s return.

This does not mean Paul was wrong in expecting Christ’s imminent return in his own lifetime. As Hodge noted, Paul uses “we” in the general sense of believers across the ages. It was proper for Paul to live in expectancy, not knowing the day of Christ’s appearing. Scripture teaches us to always be ready, for the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly (Matthew 24:42-44).

c. In a Moment, in the Twinkling of an Eye, at the Last Trumpet

Paul describes the speed of this transformation: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” The word translated “moment” (atomos) means an indivisible instant, a split-second. The “twinkling of an eye” is even briefer than a blink— it is the instant light flashes on the eye. The transformation will be instantaneous, not gradual.

The sounding of the last trumpet will signal this event. Some equate it with the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15, but this is unlikely. More fittingly, it refers to the trumpet of God mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: “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.” (NKJV)

The imagery may also reflect Roman military practice. As Ironside explained, Roman soldiers would strike camp at the first trumpet, fall into line at the second, and march away at the third and final trumpet. Thus, the “last trumpet” is the believer’s signal to march home to glory.

d. The Dead Will Be Raised and We Shall Be Changed

Paul assures: “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Those who have died in Christ will rise first, receiving glorified bodies free from decay. Then those still alive will be instantly transformed, clothed with immortality.

This answers the question of what happens to the dead in Christ before the resurrection. Paul elsewhere affirms: “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8, NKJV). Believers who die are immediately in the presence of Christ in a conscious, spiritual existence. At the resurrection, they will receive their glorified bodies. From the perspective of eternity, outside the bounds of time, it may even be said they already enjoy the fullness of resurrection life.

e. This Corruptible Must Put On Incorruption

Paul concludes: “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” This is not optional; it is a divine necessity. The resurrection body is essential for inheriting God’s eternal kingdom. Just as a seed must die to bring forth new life, so our mortal, corruptible bodies must be transformed for the glory of eternity.

The word must emphasizes the certainty and necessity of resurrection. God has decreed that His people will not remain in weakness and mortality forever. Instead, they will be clothed in the imperishable, bearing the likeness of Christ, the heavenly Man.

7. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57) Resurrection Is the Final Defeat of Death

“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’
‘O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?’
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57, NKJV)

a. Death Is Swallowed Up in Victory

Paul declares the glorious outcome of resurrection: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” The resurrection does not merely reverse death—it annihilates it. A resurrected body is not a resuscitated corpse; it is a new order of existence that will never die again. In this way, resurrection is God’s ultimate triumph over humanity’s oldest enemy.

Sigmund Freud once remarked: “And finally there is the painful riddle of death, for which no remedy at all has yet been found, nor probably ever will be.” Yet Paul, inspired by the Spirit, answers with triumph: the remedy has already been found in Christ, and the day is coming when death will be completely swallowed up.

b. O Death, Where Is Your Sting? O Hades, Where Is Your Victory?

Paul, knowing death has been defeated through Christ, can taunt death and mock it. The believer no longer needs to cower before the grave, for death has lost its sting and Hades its victory.

Trapp describes this moment as “the sharpest and the shrillest note, the boldest and the bravest challenge, that ever man rang in the ears of death… Death is here out-braved, called craven to his face, and bidden to do his worst.”

Spurgeon adds, “I will not fear thee, death, why should I? Thou lookest like a dragon, but thy sting is gone. Thy teeth are broken, oh old lion, wherefore should I fear thee? I know thou art no more able to destroy me, but thou art sent as a messenger to conduct me to the golden gate wherein I shall enter and see my Saviour’s unveiled face for ever.” He noted how expiring saints often testify that their deathbeds were the sweetest rest they had ever known.

Yet for those who are outside of Christ, death still carries its sting. As Spurgeon observed, “The sting of death lay in this, that we had sinned and were summoned to appear before the God whom we had offended. This is the sting of death to you, unconverted ones, not that you are dying, but that after death is the judgment, and that you must stand before the Judge of the quick and dead.”

c. The Sting of Death Is Sin, and the Strength of Sin Is the Law

Paul explains why death holds such terror: “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.” Death’s power lies in sin, for sin brought death into the world (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23). Sin gives death its sting because it brings guilt and judgment. The law intensifies this, because it exposes sin, names it, and condemns it, but offers no power to remove it.

Only in Christ, who bore the curse of the law and satisfied its demands, is sin defeated and death disarmed. As Paul develops elsewhere in Romans 6:1-14, believers are united with Christ in His death and resurrection, so sin no longer reigns, and death no longer has dominion.

d. Thanks Be to God, Who Gives Us the Victory Through Our Lord Jesus Christ

The victory over sin, law, and death does not come by human striving, but entirely through Jesus Christ. Paul exclaims: “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The verb “gives” is present tense—it is not merely a future hope but a present reality for all who are in Christ. Death’s defeat is already accomplished at the cross and resurrection, though it will be fully manifested in the believer’s resurrection body.

Importantly, this victory is exclusive. There is resurrection unto eternal life, but there is also resurrection unto damnation (John 5:29). For unbelievers, death remains an enemy that ushers them into judgment. But for believers, death is a defeated enemy that becomes a doorway into eternal glory.

8. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Final Application: How Our Destiny of Resurrection Shapes Our Life Now

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NKJV)

Paul concludes this monumental chapter on the resurrection with a practical exhortation. Theology must lead to doxology and obedience. The truth of resurrection is not mere speculation about the future—it demands a transformed life in the present.

a. Therefore… Be Steadfast, Immovable, Always Abounding

The word “therefore” connects everything Paul has just taught about the resurrection to the believer’s daily life. Because Christ is risen, because death is defeated, and because we shall share in His victory, Paul commands believers to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

• To be steadfast means to be firmly settled, not easily swayed by doubts, pressures, or temptations. It points to inward stability.

• To be immovable means to remain unshaken by opposition, persecution, or false teaching. It conveys outward firmness in conviction.

• To be always abounding in the work of the Lord means to overflow in active service. This is not the bare minimum of obedience, but a life characterized by zeal, devotion, and sacrificial labor for Christ’s glory.

Because resurrection life is sure, the Christian can live with holy courage and unwavering dedication. Present difficulties do not cancel future glory.

b. Knowing That Your Labor Is Not in Vain

Paul assures them: “knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” The word “labor” here (kopos) refers to exhausting work, toil to the point of weariness. The Christian life often demands such effort—serving others, bearing burdens, resisting temptation, suffering for righteousness’ sake. To the eyes of the world, much of this appears wasted, unnoticed, or unappreciated. But Paul reminds believers that in the Lord, none of it is ever wasted.

Adam Clarke writes: “You must not only work, but you must labour—put forth all your strength; and you must work and labour in the Lord—under His direction, and by His influence; for without Him you can do nothing.” The believer’s work is fruitful because it is empowered by Christ and directed toward eternity.

c. God’s Assurance of Reward

This assurance of fruitful labor is anchored in God’s justice and remembrance. Hebrews 6:10 confirms: “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (NKJV) Even when no one else acknowledges our efforts, God sees, remembers, and will reward at the resurrection.

Spurgeon notes that resurrection truth keeps us from wavering: “We don’t need to waver, we don’t need to change direction, we don’t need to fall, and we don’t need to quit.” The certainty of future glory makes present perseverance worthwhile.

d. Living in Light of Resurrection

Thus, the doctrine of resurrection is not abstract theology—it is fuel for endurance and faithfulness. Because Christ’s resurrection secures our own, every sacrifice made, every trial endured, and every act of service performed in His name carries eternal weight. In light of resurrection, the Christian’s life is never in vain.