Resurrection Proclaimed
RESURRECTION PROCLAIMED
1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-28
“But” introduces Paul’s confident declaration of the truth of Christ’s resurrection.
A stirring affirmation rings out in 5:20 in contradiction of the hypothetical “if’s” (six in the preceding paragraph). Christ has been raised (a perfect tense, denoting a past event with continuing consequences), and logically this one fact overthrows all the doubts and denials previously entertained. Christian faith is solidly based and has definite content; Christian forgiveness is no will-o’-the-wisp of auto-suggestion, but a real experience, confirmed by God’s vindication of his Son, and Christian hope for the future takes on an anchorlike assurance (Hebrews 6:19-20), for his victory includes the ultimate home-gathering of those who are his (John 14:19), just as the first sheaf reaped from the harvest field and brought as an offering (Leviticus 23:10f.) was a token of the full ingathering and the completed harvest celebration.
Paul’s continuing discussion elaborates the third of the affirmations included in 15:20. He is concerned to demonstrate that the resurrection of Jesus is bound up with the resurrection of all those who belong to him. If this understanding of the apostle’s is remembered, it will help us interpret rightly the problematic “all” in 15:22,28. No universalism is intended in this passage for the simple reason that Paul’s thought here is concerned to show the relation between Christ and those who formerly were “in Adam” (and so liable to Adam’s just deserts of death and separation from God) but who now are found “in Christ” and, as such, receive the benefits of his redeeming work, which includes their union with him in his death and victory. The notion is that of the corporate Christ (as at 12:12), ie Christ and “those who belong to Christ” (15:23) viewed as a single entity.
So far, Paul’s thought has looked backwards to what happened to Christ when he was raised (15:20). Present and future are now taken up into his scheme, for his Easter triumph was the beginning of a present reign (15:25) to be consummated at his final acclamation when all his enemies are put under his feet in reality as they are now subject to him by right. The test case is death; once conquered by his victory (2 Timothy 1:10), death still is at work in the world but will finally be itself destroyed (Revelation 20:14). But Christ’s universal rule sets up no rivalry to God’s sovereignty (15:28). His reign as mediator now will be fulfilled in the perfected kingdom when God’s will, to which the Son is himself obedient (Hebrews 10:7; John 5:30; 6:38; 8:29), will be universally acknowledged—and that will include the acclamation “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:11) and the summing up of all in Christ (Ephesians 1:10).