15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which i preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
[1] {born out of due time} Gr. to ektromati, "before the due time." Paul thinks of himself her as an Israelite whose time to be born again had not come, nationall (cf # Mt 23:3 so that his conversion by the appearing of the Lord in glor # ac 9:3- was an illustration, or instance before the time, of the futur national conversion of Israel. Se # Eze 20:34-38 ho 2:14-17 Zec 12:10-13:6 Ro 11:25-27
15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
15:11 Therefore whether [it were] I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain.
15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept.
15:21 For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead.
15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
[2] {Adam} Adam was a contrasting type of Chris # 1Co 15:45- 47 Ro 5:14-1 (1) "The first man Adam was made a living soul # Ge 2: i.e. he derived life from another, that is, God.
"The last Adam waslife-giving spirit." So far from deriving life, He was Himself th fountain of life, and He gave that life to other # Joh 1:4 5:21 10:10 12:24 1Jo 5:1 in origin the first man was of the earth, earthy; the second Ma is the Lord from heaven. (3) Each is the head of a creation, an these also are in contrast: in Adam all die; in christ all will b made alive; the Adamic creation is "flesh"; the new creation "spirit. # Joh 3:6
15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 15:24 Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
[3] {kingdom} Kingdom (N.T.), Summary: See "Kingdom (O.T.) # Ge 1:26-2 ¯ See Note "Zec 12:8 Kingdom truth is developed in the N.T. in the followin order: (1) The promise of the kingdom to David and his seed, an described in the prophet # 2Sa 7:8-17, Zec 12: enters the N.T. absolutely unchanged # Lu 1:31-3 The King was born in Bethlehe # Mt 2:1 Mic 5: of a virgin # Mt 1:18-25 Isa 7:1 (2) The kingdom announced as "at hand ¯ See Note "Mt 4:17 by John the Baptist, by the King, and by the Twelve, was rejected b the Jews, first morall # Mt 21:42,4 and the King, crowned with thorns, was crucified. in anticipatio of His official rejection and crucifixion, the King revealed th "mysteries" of the kingdom of heave ¯ See Note "Mat 13.1 to be fulfilled in the interval between His rejection and His retur in glor # Mt 13:1-5 (4) Afterward He announced His purpose to "build" His churc # Mt 16:1 another "mystery" revealed through Paul which is being fulfille contemporaneously with the mysteries of the kingdom. The "mysterie of the kingdom of heaven" and the "mystery" of the churc # Eph 3:9-1 occupy, historically, the same period, i.e, this present age. (5 The mysteries of the kingdom will be brought to an end by "th harvest # Mt 13:39-43,49,5 at the return of the King in glory, the church having previously bee caught up to meet Him in the ai # 1Th 4:14-1 (6) Upon His return the King will restore the Davidic monarchy in Hi own person, re-gather dispersed Israel, establish His power over al the earth, and reign one thousand year # Mt 24:27-30 Lu 1:31-33 Ac 15:14-17 Re 20:1-1
(7) The kingdom of heave ¯ See Note "Mt 3:2 thus established under David's divine Son, has for its object th restoration of the divine authority in the earth, whic may be regarded as a revolted province of the great kingdom of Go ¯ See Note "Mt 6:33 When this is done (vs. 24,25) the Son will deliver up the kingdo (of heaven) # Mt 3: to "God, even thefather," that "God" (i.e. the triune God, Father Son, and Holy Spirit) "may be all in all" (v.28). The eternal thron is that "of God, and of the Lamb # Re 22: The kingdom-age constitutes the seventh Dispensatio ¯ See Note "Eph 1:10"
15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
15:26 The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death. 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under [him, it is] manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
15:30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ jesus our Lord, I die daily.
15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak [this] to your shame.
15:35 But some [man] will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
15:36 [Thou] fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
15:37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other [grain]:
15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
15:39 All flesh [is] not the same flesh: but [there is] one
[kind of] flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, [and] another of birds.
15:40 [There are] also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial [is] one, and the [glory] of the terrestrial [is] another.
15:41 [There is] one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for [one] star differeth from [another] star in glory.
15:42 So also [is] the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit.
15:46 Howbeit that [was] not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
15:47 The first man [is] of the earth, earthy: the second man [is] the Lord from heaven.
15:48 As [is] the earthy, such [are] they also that are earthy: and as [is] the heavenly, such [are] they also that are heavenly.
15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
[1] {raised} Resurrection, Summary: (1) The resurrection of the dead was believe by the patriarch # Ge 22:5 Heb 11:19 job 19:25-2 and revealed through the prophet # Isa 26:19 Da 12:2,13 Ho 13:1 and miracles of the dead restored to life are recorded in the O.T # 2Ki 4:32-35 13:2
(2) Jesus Christrestored life to the dea # Mt 9:25 Lu 7:12-15 Joh 11:43,4 and predicted His own resurrectio # Joh 10:18 Lu 24:1-
(3) Aresurrection of bodies followed the resurrection of Chris # mt 27:52,5 and the apostles raised the dea # Ac 9:36-41 20:9,1
(4) Two resurrections are yet future, which areinclusive of "all tha are in the graves # Joh 5:2 These are distinguished as "of life # 1Co 15:22,23 1Th 4:14-17 Re 20: and "of judgment # Joh 5:28,29 Re 20:11-1 They are separated by a period of one thousand year # Re 20: The "first resurrection," that "unto life," will occur at the secon coming of Chris # 1Co 15:2 the saints of the O.T. and church ages meeting Him in the ai # 1Th 4:16,1 while the martyrs of the tribulation, who also have part in th resurrection # Re 20: are raised at the end of the great tribulation.
(5) Themortal bod will be related to the resurrection body as grain sown is related t the harves # 1Co 15:37,3 that body will be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, an spiritua # 1Co 15:42- 44,4
(6) The bodies of living believers will, at the same time, b instantaneously change # 1Co 15:50-53 Php 3:20,2 This "change" of the living, and resurrection of the dead in Christ is called the "redemption of the body # Ro 8:23 Eph 1:13,1
(7) After the thousand years the "resurrection unto judgment # Joh 5:2 occurs. The resurrection-body of the wicked dead is not described They are judged according to their works, and cast into the lake o fire # Re 20:7-15
15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality.
15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
15:55 O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory?
15:56 The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law.
15:57 But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
