Darin-isms (1 Corinthians 15)
Greetings folks... remember that we jumped ahead to chapter 15 to time it with our Resurrection Sunday service. We will return to chapter 4 this coming Sunday. Click 'comments' and join the study with your thoughts.
Picking up where the Sermon notes for 4/16 leave off…
1 Corinthians 15:20-34
As everyone at Christ’s Church knows, I am convinced that the little conjunction ‘but’ can be considered a great tool in Bible Study, for almost everywhere that it appears it identifies an important truth by making a sharp contrast or comparison in the text. Check the one that starts this passage, for instance.
v. 20 ‘But Christ’ – in the verses preceding this passage Paul has been making the argument that if there is no resurrection than Jesus was not resurrected either; and if Jesus was not resurrected than our faith is in vain. ‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead’.
The metaphor ‘firstfruits’ refers to the Old Testament principles wherein the people were to bring the first sheaves of their harvest to the Lord. Such an offering demonstrates an individual’s acknowledgement that the whole harvest belongs to the Lord. Paul ties our hope for a resurrection directly to Christ in this verse.
v. 21-22 By virtue of our humanity we are connected to the first man, Adam in this present existence, in sin and in death. By virtue of faith we are connected to Christ in spiritual existence, in resurrection and life.
v. 23 Paul sets things into order chronologically: the first resurrected was Christ, then, when Jesus returns, those who have ‘fallen asleep’ (see verse 6), or those that ‘belong to Him’, will be with Him.
v. 24-28 Continuing his timeline, Paul demonstrates that this resurrection was not some event isolated in time, but rather that it is an integral part of God’s plan over all of history. Redemption will not be complete until He has ‘put all enemies under His feet’ and until ‘the last enemy, death, is destroyed’.
v. 29 This is one of the more controversial verses in all of Paul’s writings. Is Paul advocating that people should be baptized for the dead? The Mormon Church, for instance, teaches baptism on behalf of the dead. Does this verse legitimize that practice?
Here are some things to consider. First, nowhere else in Scripture is this practice mentioned. Even here it is not mentioned in a way of commending the practice to the church, but rather as a part of an argument to make the point – the resurrection of Christ is central to the Christian faith. Secondly, nowhere in history is there evidence that the church performed baptisms for the dead. This statement really stands as an oddity. Most scholars have concluded, that perhaps there was someone teaching this erroneous doctrine in Corinth but that the error was widely known, and therefore the teaching didn’t survive. If that be the case, then Paul’s mention here is a fitting example in his overall argument – the point again: the resurrection is crucial to our faith.
Note that Paul concludes this thought by returning to his argument, as if to say, ‘if there is not a resurrection, what hope would any of us have for a reunion with departed loves ones?’
v. 30 Paul turns to his own life as another example. He lives life as if there is an afterlife. If he wasn’t absolutely sure of that fact he would have to choose to live much more cautious and reserved a life – because then it ends.
v. 31 He lives every day in the expectation of an eternity with Christ.
v. 32 The ‘beasts’ he refers to are likely those who so strongly opposed him in Ephesus (see 2 Corinthians 1:8 where Paul describes this experience using the words ‘we even despaired of life’). The point here is that in facing such hardships, it was Paul’s confidence in the resurrection; his own expectation of eternity with Christ, that carried him through.
The end of this verse Paul contrasts again: if there is no resurrection hope, and this life is all we have in Christ (see verse 19), then we may as well ‘eat, drink’ and be merry.
v. 33 Paul quotes a very well known work of Menander (342-292BC) in saying ‘Bad company corrupts good character’. Again, in making the case for the resurrection Paul is relaying that listening to false teachers will corrupt.
An interesting aside for me: Paul quotes a well known ‘secular’ comedy in making his point. He connects, via pop culture, if you will, in making his point. Much debate goes on to this day about cultural relevance and when and to what degree it is acceptable for a preacher or teacher to utilize popular references in illustration. For instance, if a preacher today were to take a very well know movie line from a popular film in our day, or utilize a verse from a well known poet who is not a believer (as you see Paul do in Acts 17:28 before the Areopagus), many of more fundamental heritage would feel a line of appropriateness had been breeched.
v. 34 Paul urges the believers in Corinth to return; return from the false teachings and false teachers; return from the arrogance of supposed wisdom (recall chapters 1-3 where Paul set God’s wisdom at direct odds with the world’s wisdom), which is actually ‘ignorance of God’. This body of believers ought to be growing.
Picking up where the Sermon notes for 4/16 leave off…
1 Corinthians 15:20-34
As everyone at Christ’s Church knows, I am convinced that the little conjunction ‘but’ can be considered a great tool in Bible Study, for almost everywhere that it appears it identifies an important truth by making a sharp contrast or comparison in the text. Check the one that starts this passage, for instance.
v. 20 ‘But Christ’ – in the verses preceding this passage Paul has been making the argument that if there is no resurrection than Jesus was not resurrected either; and if Jesus was not resurrected than our faith is in vain. ‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead’.
The metaphor ‘firstfruits’ refers to the Old Testament principles wherein the people were to bring the first sheaves of their harvest to the Lord. Such an offering demonstrates an individual’s acknowledgement that the whole harvest belongs to the Lord. Paul ties our hope for a resurrection directly to Christ in this verse.
v. 21-22 By virtue of our humanity we are connected to the first man, Adam in this present existence, in sin and in death. By virtue of faith we are connected to Christ in spiritual existence, in resurrection and life.
v. 23 Paul sets things into order chronologically: the first resurrected was Christ, then, when Jesus returns, those who have ‘fallen asleep’ (see verse 6), or those that ‘belong to Him’, will be with Him.
v. 24-28 Continuing his timeline, Paul demonstrates that this resurrection was not some event isolated in time, but rather that it is an integral part of God’s plan over all of history. Redemption will not be complete until He has ‘put all enemies under His feet’ and until ‘the last enemy, death, is destroyed’.
v. 29 This is one of the more controversial verses in all of Paul’s writings. Is Paul advocating that people should be baptized for the dead? The Mormon Church, for instance, teaches baptism on behalf of the dead. Does this verse legitimize that practice?
Here are some things to consider. First, nowhere else in Scripture is this practice mentioned. Even here it is not mentioned in a way of commending the practice to the church, but rather as a part of an argument to make the point – the resurrection of Christ is central to the Christian faith. Secondly, nowhere in history is there evidence that the church performed baptisms for the dead. This statement really stands as an oddity. Most scholars have concluded, that perhaps there was someone teaching this erroneous doctrine in Corinth but that the error was widely known, and therefore the teaching didn’t survive. If that be the case, then Paul’s mention here is a fitting example in his overall argument – the point again: the resurrection is crucial to our faith.
Note that Paul concludes this thought by returning to his argument, as if to say, ‘if there is not a resurrection, what hope would any of us have for a reunion with departed loves ones?’
v. 30 Paul turns to his own life as another example. He lives life as if there is an afterlife. If he wasn’t absolutely sure of that fact he would have to choose to live much more cautious and reserved a life – because then it ends.
v. 31 He lives every day in the expectation of an eternity with Christ.
v. 32 The ‘beasts’ he refers to are likely those who so strongly opposed him in Ephesus (see 2 Corinthians 1:8 where Paul describes this experience using the words ‘we even despaired of life’). The point here is that in facing such hardships, it was Paul’s confidence in the resurrection; his own expectation of eternity with Christ, that carried him through.
The end of this verse Paul contrasts again: if there is no resurrection hope, and this life is all we have in Christ (see verse 19), then we may as well ‘eat, drink’ and be merry.
v. 33 Paul quotes a very well known work of Menander (342-292BC) in saying ‘Bad company corrupts good character’. Again, in making the case for the resurrection Paul is relaying that listening to false teachers will corrupt.
An interesting aside for me: Paul quotes a well known ‘secular’ comedy in making his point. He connects, via pop culture, if you will, in making his point. Much debate goes on to this day about cultural relevance and when and to what degree it is acceptable for a preacher or teacher to utilize popular references in illustration. For instance, if a preacher today were to take a very well know movie line from a popular film in our day, or utilize a verse from a well known poet who is not a believer (as you see Paul do in Acts 17:28 before the Areopagus), many of more fundamental heritage would feel a line of appropriateness had been breeched.
v. 34 Paul urges the believers in Corinth to return; return from the false teachings and false teachers; return from the arrogance of supposed wisdom (recall chapters 1-3 where Paul set God’s wisdom at direct odds with the world’s wisdom), which is actually ‘ignorance of God’. This body of believers ought to be growing.
1 Comments:
Saturday Morning, and I am just reading through this week's blogging.
I really appreciated and enjoyed reading through these verses and reading your comments along side. This subject ( If Jesus was not resurrected then our faith is in vain) was the subject of a conversation that I had with a friend this week. As I read through it I ended up sending her your blog on the subject as well. Her take on his resurrection is one of "might as well believe, what does it hurt if we find out that he did not when we die". Thank you for the verses and commentary to share with her. You have me hooked on this "interactive sermon" .
By Melodee, at 4/22/2006 9:58 AM
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