12 Now if the good news says that Christ came back from the dead, how do some of you say that there is no coming back from the dead?
13 But if there is no coming back from the dead, then Christ has not come back from the dead:
14 And if Christ did not come again from the dead, then our good news and your faith in it are of no effect.
15 Yes, and we are seen to be false witnesses of God; because we gave witness of God that by his power Christ came again from the dead: which is not true if there is no coming back from the dead.
16 For if it is not possible for the dead to come to life again, then Christ has not come to life again:
17 And if that is so, your faith is of no effect; you are still in your sins.
18 And, in addition, the dead in Christ have gone to destruction.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most unhappy.
20 But now Christ has truly come back from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are sleeping.
21 For as by man came death, so by man there is a coming back from the dead.
22 For as in Adam death comes to all, so in Christ will all come back to life.
23 But every man in his right order: Christ the first-fruits; then those who are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then comes the end, when he will give up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have put an end to all rule and to all authority and power.
25 For his rule will go on till he has put all those who are against him under his feet.
26 The last power to come to an end is death.
27 For, as it says, He has put all things under his feet. But when he says, All things are put under him, it is clear that it is not said about him who put all things under him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 15
In this chapter the apostle treats of that great article of Christianity-the resurrection of the dead.
1Cr 15:1-11
It is the apostle's business in this chapter to assert and establish the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, which some of the Corinthians flatly denied, v. 12. Whether they turned this doctrine into allegory, as did Hymeneus and Philetus, by saying it was already past (2 Tim. 2:17, 18), and several of the ancient heretics, by making it mean no more than a changing of their course of life; or whether they rejected it as absurd, upon principles of reason and science; it seems they denied it in the proper sense. And they disowned a future state of recompences, by denying the resurrection of the dead. Now that heathens and infidels should deny this truth does not seem so strange; but that Christians, who had their religion by revelation, should deny a truth so plainly discovered is surprising, especially when it is a truth of such importance. It was time for the apostle to confirm them in this truth, when the staggering of their faith in this point was likely to shake their Christianity; and they were yet in great danger of having their faith staggered. He begins with an epitome or summary of the gospel, what he had preached among them, namely, the death and resurrection of Christ. Upon this foundation the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is built. Note, Divine truths appear with greatest evidence when they are looked upon in their mutual connection. The foundation may be strengthened, that the superstructure may be secured. Now concerning the gospel observe,
After this digression, the apostle returns to his argument, and tells them (v. 11) that he not only preached the same gospel himself at all times, and in all places, but that all the apostles preached the same: Whether it were they or I, so we preached, and so you believed. Whether Peter, or Paul, or any other apostle, had converted them to Christianity, all maintained the same truth, told the same story, preached the same doctrine, and confirmed it by the same evidence. All agreed in this that Jesus Christ, and him crucified and slain, and then rising from the dead, was the very sum and substance of Christianity; and this all true Christians believe. All the apostles agreed in this testimony; all Christians agree in the belief of it. By this faith they live. In this faith they die.
1Cr 15:12-19
Having confirmed the truth of our Saviour's resurrection, the apostle goes on to refute those among the Corinthians who said there would be none: If Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? v. 12. It seems from this passage, and the course of the argument, there were some among the Corinthians who thought the resurrection an impossibility. This was a common sentiment among the heathens. But against this the apostle produces an incontestable fact, namely, the resurrection of Christ; and he goes on to argue against them from the absurdities that must follow from their principle. As,
1Cr 15:20-34
In this passage the apostle establishes the truth of the resurrection of the dead, the holy dead, the dead in Christ,
1Cr 15:35-50
The apostle comes now to answer a plausible and principal objection against the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, concerning which observe the proposal of the objection: Some man will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? v. 35. The objection is plainly two-fold. How are they raised up? that is, "By what means? How can they be raised? What power is equal to this effect?' It was an opinion that prevailed much among the heathens, and the Sadducees seem to have been in the same sentiment, that it was not within the compass of divine power, mortales aeternitate donare, aut revocare defunctos-to make mortal men immortal, or revive and restore the dead. Such sort of men those seem to have been who among the Corinthians denied the resurrection of the dead, and object here, "How are they raised? How should they be raised? Is it not utterly impossible?' The other part of the objection is about the quality of their bodies, who shall rise: "With what body will they come? Will it be with the same body, with like shape, and form, and stature, and members, and qualities, or various?' The former objection is that of those who opposed the doctrine, the latter the enquiry of curious doubters.
1Cr 15:51-57
To confirm what he had said of this change,
1Cr 15:58
In this verse we have the improvement of the whole argument, in an exhortation, enforced by a motive resulting plainly from it.