I Corinthians Chapter XV

Place in the Lectionary:

  • 15:1-11 Resurrection Sun. 12 Week after Pentecost
  • 15:12-19 Raising of the dead Monday, 10th Week after Pentecost
  • 15:20-28 Christ first Fruits of dead Saturday of the Souls
  • 15:29-38 With what body are the dead raised? Tuesday 10th after Pentecost
  • 15:39-45 Heavenly/earthly Sat. 18th Week after Pentecost
  • 15:47-57 We shall all be changed Sat. 19th Week after Pentecos

15:1 Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, 2 by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

Vrs. 3-4: A primitive “creedal statement” or catechism of the Church.

On Sacred Tradition:

Chrysostom points out that the gospel was not something that Paul “learned” but something he received and handed over. This lessens the “personal” aspect and emphasizes the Church as a body which is bound together by what the Holy Spirit has given them - the gospel.

Personal revelation/experience brings forth witness to confirm the Truth.

  • Peter
  • The Twelve
  • The 500
  • James
  • The 70

“Faith depends upon what happened in the past”. (Veselin Kesich, The First Day of the New Creation, (SVP) p.16)

8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me.11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

On Witnessing with Humility

Paul who is about to honor about himself (I worked harder than all) prefaces his remarks with this statement of humility and self-knowledge. This keeps one’s pride in check. Spiritual pride is a great enemy to the Gospel.

wfqh = “made himself known, it is not who was revealed to Paul but what was revealed. Christ was made known to Paul as an objective experience. (Veselin Kesich, The First Day of the New Creation, (SVP) p.117)

12 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.

Some of the charismatic Corinthians were denying the resurrection from the dead. They thought that they had already realized what Paul was teaching would be fulfilled in the future kingdom. . . “They interpreted resurrection as only a mystical experience.” (Veselin Kesich, The First Day of the New Creation, SVS, p.143)

Chrysostom saw the Corinthians denial of the resurrection as demonic and that it potential could lead to a denial of Christ, His incarnation, his resurrection and his saving work.

  • Christianity was founded upon the implications of the Resurrection:
  • The power of death to hold us has been destroyed
  • The power of sin to lead us into separation from God has also been destroyed
  • The death of Christ opens the door to Paradise that was closed through Adam
  • Christ’s resurrection is an assurance of our own
  • Life is no longer an end in itself but lead to God’s Kingdom.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Adam has to have been a “real person” in that the consequences of his “sin” are also real for mankind.

First fruits were given to God with the promise of later fruits (Ex. 23:16), so Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection of which all who belong to Christ shall share in the future. (Orthodox Study Bible)

24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 "For God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "All things are put in subjection under him," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one.

29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?

A much disputed passage that may refer to a heretical practice of a baptism taking place on behalf of a dead person.

30 Why am I in peril every hour? 31 I protest, brethren, by my pride in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

The beast of Ephesis refers to his persecutions there

33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." 34 Come to your right mind, and sin no more. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. 35 But some one will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" 36 You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is alike, but there is one kind for men, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are celestial bodies and there are terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.

Being misled was the consequence of being with others who are also being misled

  • How are the dead raised?
  • What kind of body will it be?

The practice of bioled wheat at memorial services : a seed for fulfilled life. (John 12)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:24-26)

Paul is making the connection between Christ’s Resurrection and our own. Christ’s resurrection is the assurance of our own.

The distinction between Body (v. 38) & Flesh (v. 39) by Paul. (Kesich)

Body - is used by Paul when referring to a person in relationship to God. (a physical and spiritual person)

Flesh - is used by Paul when one is in a state of alienation from God. (a physical person only)

The human person is the highest in all creation:

“In Rabbinic teaching Adam is represented as being superior to the angels . . .for Adam was created as a bodily, corporeal being, whereas angels are non-corporeal beings, without a body. . .Paul is implying here that the nature of the transformed, glorified man, the nature of the resurrected body, is superior to the nature of angels, because human beings will receive spiritual bodies&ldots;” (Veselin Kesich, The First Day of the New Creation, SVS, p.142-143)

45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Paul connects the manner of Christ’s resurrection as a sign of what ours will be like. (Veselin Kesich, The First Day of the New Creation, (SVS) p.129)

Christ’s resurrection was bodily - so will ours. (Matt 25)

The new body will be “spiritual”

The Fathers of the Church understood the resurrected body as possessing a “somatic identity” but there are also changes, a transformation of in the actual physical properties and bodily substance itself. (Veselin Kesich, The First Day of the New Creation, (SVS) p.147)

Examples of Christ’ changed nature:

“And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. (Luke 24:31)

  • His eating fish on the beach.
  • His suddenly appearing and disappearing.
  • His Ascension

The term body signifies the whole person, body and soul.

50 I tell you this, brethren: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

The Orthodox celebration of Pascha (Easter) brings together the two elements. The resurrection has begun and at the same time is yet to be fulfilled. The Kingdom has been inaugurated but we wait for its future coming in its fulness.