This commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Rejecting the resurrection
The “believed in vain” here is explained below in verse 12 “how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” and in verse 14 “if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain”. There were some among this group of people at Corinth that did not believe Jesus rose from the dead or anyone rises from the dead. Paul explains how they are still in their sins in verses 13-17 if this were to be true.
Verse 3 and Romans 10:9 both show that the gospel must include the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. If you don’t believe the full gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus you do not believe the gospel and thus your faith is in vain like Paul was saying might be the case here with some at Corinth. Strong’s gives a definition of vain as “inconsiderably, without purpose, without just cause” or “without success or effort”. This would be a false gospel and false Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4).
The conditional if statement
New Testament authors can’t see hearts, nor can hearers always discern their own; so conditional “if” warnings act as wake-up calls: no continuance indicates no true salvation (1 John 2:19), prompting self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5).
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures is referring to the following Old Testament scriptures stating the Messiah would die:
Isaiah 53:8 “for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken”
Isaiah 53:5–6 “He was wounded for our transgressions… the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:10–11 “thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin...for he shall bear their iniquities”
Psalm 22:1 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Psalm 22:16–18: Piercing, casting lots, public execution imagery
Daniel 9:26 “Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself”
4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
The Old testament Scriptures state He was buried but He wouldn’t stay there. Peter (Acts 2:25–31) and Paul (Acts 13:34–37) both say this cannot refer to David, since David died and decayed:
Isaiah 53:9 “They made his grave with the wicked, but with the rich in his death”
Psalm 16:10 “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let your Holy One see corruption.”
When Paul says He rose again the third day was in the Scriptures he is referring to:
Psalm 16:10 “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let your Holy One see corruption.”
Hosea 6:2 resurrection language is tied to the third day. Originally corporate Israel language. Early Christian reading: Messiah as representative Israel. “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up.”
Jonah 1:17 “Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jesus quotes this in Matthew 12:40 as a type of Him.
Isaiah 52:13–15 “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.”
Isaiah 53:10–11 “He shall see His offspring...He shall prolong His days”
5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6After 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.
7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10But 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.
11Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15Yea, 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.
16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Without the resurrection of Jesus there is no gospel. Romans 10:9 “that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24Then 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.
25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27For 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.
28And 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.
29Else 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?
This verse has many interpretations and some even use it as proof to say we should baptize for the dead. But the context must always be kept in mind, and here it will help us understand this seemingly random verse. Simply, Paul is trying to get across the fact that the dead will be raised:
“say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead”
30And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
31I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32If 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.
Paul is hypothetically asking what is the point of all the hard work I did in Ephesus, fighting with men that acted like beasts if we die and that is the end. Instead, why not party and enjoy life because nothing comes after our death. Paul knows the dead will rise and so he lives his life this way.
33Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
34Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
35But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
37And 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:
38But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
39All 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.
40There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41There 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.
42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52In 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.
53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54So 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.
55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, 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.
15
1 Corinthians 15 — Forever Word commentary
King James VersionThis commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Rejecting the resurrection
The “believed in vain” here is explained below in verse 12 “how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” and in verse 14 “if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain”. There were some among this group of people at Corinth that did not believe Jesus rose from the dead or anyone rises from the dead. Paul explains how they are still in their sins in verses 13-17 if this were to be true.
Verse 3 and Romans 10:9 both show that the gospel must include the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. If you don’t believe the full gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus you do not believe the gospel and thus your faith is in vain like Paul was saying might be the case here with some at Corinth. Strong’s gives a definition of vain as “inconsiderably, without purpose, without just cause” or “without success or effort”. This would be a false gospel and false Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4).
The conditional if statement
New Testament authors can’t see hearts, nor can hearers always discern their own; so conditional “if” warnings act as wake-up calls: no continuance indicates no true salvation (1 John 2:19), prompting self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5).
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures is referring to the following Old Testament scriptures stating the Messiah would die:
Isaiah 53:8 “for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken”
Isaiah 53:5–6 “He was wounded for our transgressions… the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:10–11 “thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin...for he shall bear their iniquities”
Psalm 22:1 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Psalm 22:16–18: Piercing, casting lots, public execution imagery
Daniel 9:26 “Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself”
4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
The Old testament Scriptures state He was buried but He wouldn’t stay there. Peter (Acts 2:25–31) and Paul (Acts 13:34–37) both say this cannot refer to David, since David died and decayed:
Isaiah 53:9 “They made his grave with the wicked, but with the rich in his death”
Psalm 16:10 “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let your Holy One see corruption.”
When Paul says He rose again the third day was in the Scriptures he is referring to:
Psalm 16:10 “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let your Holy One see corruption.”
Hosea 6:2 resurrection language is tied to the third day. Originally corporate Israel language. Early Christian reading: Messiah as representative Israel. “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up.”
Jonah 1:17 “Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jesus quotes this in Matthew 12:40 as a type of Him.
Isaiah 52:13–15 “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.”
Isaiah 53:10–11 “He shall see His offspring...He shall prolong His days”
5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6After 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.
7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10But 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.
11Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15Yea, 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.
16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Without the resurrection of Jesus there is no gospel. Romans 10:9 “that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24Then 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.
25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27For 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.
28And 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.
29Else 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?
This verse has many interpretations and some even use it as proof to say we should baptize for the dead. But the context must always be kept in mind, and here it will help us understand this seemingly random verse. Simply, Paul is trying to get across the fact that the dead will be raised:
“say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead”
30And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
31I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32If 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.
Paul is hypothetically asking what is the point of all the hard work I did in Ephesus, fighting with men that acted like beasts if we die and that is the end. Instead, why not party and enjoy life because nothing comes after our death. Paul knows the dead will rise and so he lives his life this way.
33Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
34Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
35But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
37And 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:
38But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
39All 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.
40There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41There 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.
42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52In 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.
53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54So 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.
55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, 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.