Introduction
A. The Problem of Paganism
- Greek gods used humanity for their entertainment.
- Greek philosophy reasoned that if there is life after death it is a shadowy existence.
- Greek philosophy tried to make this life as pleasant and meaningful as possible, since this is all there is.
- Even Sadducees denied the possibility of resurrection.
B. The Problem of Dead Christians
- Corinthian believers began to die and were not resurrected.
- Corinthian believers reasoned that there is no resurrection for believers.
C. Paul reminds the Corinthians of the Gospel they trusted.
The Resurrection of Jesus, vv. 1-11
A. Recollect the Gospel Preached, vv. 1-2
B. The Content of the Gospel Preached, vv. 3-4–>the Scriptures
- Christ died for our sins
- Christ was buried
- Christ rose the third day–>He will not rise in some general resurrection in the distant future.
C. The Concrete Evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection, vv. 5-8
- Peter saw the Resurrected Body of Jesus
- 500 believers saw the Resurrected Body of Jesus at once
- James and the other apostles saw Him
- Finally, Paul saw Him
D. The Change in Paul’s Life, vv. 9-11
- The Persecutor Saved by the Grace of God
- The Persecutor Serving in the Grace of God
The Resurrection of Believers, vv. 12-34
A. The Corinthians denied the believers’ resurrection, vv. 12
- Influenced by Greek philosophy and now the New Age Movement.
- Influenced by Sadducean theology.
- Influenced by popular thought of life after death as disembodied spirits.
B. The Conclusion of the denial of believers’ resurrection, vv. 13-19:
- If Believers will not be resurrected, then Christ has not been resurrected; faith is vain, and sin persists.
- If this life is all there is, then we are the most miserable of all beings.
C. The Certainty of the Resurrection, vv. 20-28
- Christ is the firstfruits of the dead.
- The First Adam brought dead into the world.
- The Second Adam (Christ) conquered death and is the first of a great harvest yet to come.
- When Christ returns, the dead in Christ will be raised, v. 23.
- To deny the resurrection of the dead is to deny the future Kingdom of Christ.
- If believers are “dead and gone,” then God’s promise for the future is null and void.
D. The Illustration, vv. 29-32
- If the dead are not resurrected, why baptize for the dead?
The difficulty probably has to do with the precise intent of the preposition huper, here translated “for.” This word can be translated in various ways, depending on context. The context here is dealing with the future resurrection, and immersion in water beautifully symbolizes death and resurrection, both that of Christ and of the believer being baptized (see on Rom_6:3-5). There would certainly be no point in submitting to the inconvenience of immersion if the events it symbolized were non-existent. It merely would increase one’s jeopardy of persecution and earlier death (1Co_15:30), all to no avail if there were no resurrection. A possible translation, therefore, could be “baptism with respect [only] to the dead.” That is, such baptism might depict one’s future death, but not his future resurrection, if there were no such thing. It would only be a baptism for the dead, not one showing both death and resurrection.
2. If the dead are not resurrected, why is Paul risking his life?
E. The Admonition, vv. 33-34
The Resurrection Body, vv. 35-49
A. The Illustration of Seed Sown, vv. 35-38
B. The Illustration of Living Things, v. 39
C. The Illustration of Heavenly and Earthly Bodies, vv. 40-41
D. The Doctrine of the Resurrection Body, vv. 42-49
The Resurrection Necessary, vv. 50-53
A. Flesh and Blood and Corruption cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, v. 50.
B. The Mystery, vv. 51-53
- When Christ returns, the dead in Christ will be resurrected.
- Believers who are alive when Christ returns will be translated.
The Resurrection Defeats Death and Sin, vv. 54-57
Conclusion, v. 58
Paul closes with a note of victory. There can be no sting in death when a person is a Christian, for Christ has taken out that sting. There can be no victory in the grave, for Christ will one day empty the graves and bring forth His own in resurrection power. How hopeless the Greeks were when they thought about death! Inscriptions on tombs in ancient Greece and Rome indicate that death was their greatest enemy, that they saw no hope beyond the grave. In Christ we have life and hope!