The Truth of Christ’s Resurrection Is Certain (1 Corinthians 15:1–11)

“Having concluded his discourse on spiritual gifts, the Apostle turns to the most important subject—the teaching about the resurrection—for the Corinthians were very weak in this regard as well. As in the body, when disease touches the most fundamental parts, the evil becomes incurable unless great care is taken, so too a similar danger was present here, because the evil had extended to the very foundations of piety. Therefore Paul applies great diligence. The Corinthians disagreed regarding the teaching about the resurrection itself. Since in it lies all our hope, the devil strongly rose up against it, and sometimes denied the resurrection completely, and sometimes said it had already occurred. In his letter to Timothy, Paul called this impious teaching a gangrene, and indicated its spreaders, Hymenaeus and Philetus, who said that the resurrection had already taken place (2 Tim. 2:17–18). Sometimes they said this, and sometimes that if someone speaks of the resurrection, he means not the resurrection of the body but the purification of the soul (which is its resurrection). Such teaching the demon whispered to them, wishing not only to deny the resurrection but also to present as fable all that was accomplished for us. For if they had believed there is no resurrection of bodies, he would have gradually convinced them that Christ did not rise, and from there would have drawn the conclusion that Christ did not come and did not accomplish what he accomplished. Such is the malice of the devil! Therefore Paul calls his activities ‘wiles’ (Eph. 6:11); for the devil does not openly reveal what he wishes to do, so as not to be exposed, but assuming a certain mask, produces something else—just as a cunning enemy, approaching a city and its walls, secretly digs underneath, so as not to be noticed and to succeed in his enterprise. But Saint Paul always exposed such nets and pursued his evil wiles: ‘we are not ignorant of his’ he said, ‘schemes’ (2 Cor. 2:11). So here too he exposes all the devil’s cunning and shows all his tricks. He speaks of this subject after others because it is the most important and constitutes everything for us” (Saint Chrysostom).

How did such opinions contrary to the truth about the resurrection come to the Corinthians? When Saint Paul spoke on this subject in Athens, some, hearing him, mocked him (Acts 17:32). So incredible did it seem to the learning of that time. Similar learned men could have been in Corinth, even among the believers. They were—those who said there is no resurrection of the dead. This was not a universal error but of some. But they could not be left without correction, for from them the evil could pass to others and perhaps infect all. It appears that among them some did not believe in the resurrection at all or doubted it (1 Cor. 15:12), while others only puzzled about how the dead will rise and with what body they will come (1 Cor. 15:35). Correcting both groups, the Apostle: 1) first proves the truth of the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:1–34); 2) then explains how it will be (1 Cor. 15:35–53); and 3) finally sings a song of victory over death, with a brief exhortation (1 Cor. 15:54–58).

1) Proofs of the truth of the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:1–34)

In persuading them to this truth the Apostle: a) lays a firm foundation for all the subsequent argument—in the certainty of Christ’s resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1–11). Then b) on this foundation he builds proofs of the general resurrection of all (1 Cor. 15:12–32). And as a conclusion he adds c) a brief exhortation (1 Cor. 15:33–34).

a) The truth of Christ’s resurrection is certain (1 Cor. 15:1–11)

Among the believers in the truth of Christ’s resurrection, none of the Corinthians doubted. Saint Paul does not endeavor to prove it, but only reminds them of it, recalling how he himself had instructed them in the faith. The first instruction always began thus: Christ died and rose, and ascended to heaven, from where he will come to judge the living and the dead. So it was in Corinth, and so they believed. The Apostle reminds them of this, so that, as Saint Chrysostom observes, when he subsequently draws from this the truth of the resurrection of the dead, they could not fail to believe, for this would mean not to believe themselves and to condemn themselves.

1 Cor. 15:1–2. Moreover, brethren, I make known to you the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

“I make known to you”—γνωριζω—I give to know; but since they already knew it, the Apostle wishes to say: I awaken your knowledge, I restore it to your consciousness, I remind you. So all our commentators. Theodoret: “I intend to remind you.” Theophylact and Oecumenius: “I remind you.” Saint Chrysostom: “He conveys that he is not teaching anything new but reminding them of what was already known to them.”—One can say: remember, brethren, “the Gospel which I preached to you”. The Apostle’s purpose is to remind them how the Gospel came to them, where it began, on what it was based, as is clear from the words “that word which I preached to you”; but he speaks in general about this with the thought that it will also remind them around what the Gospel chiefly revolved. “The essence of the Gospel consists in the fact that God became man, was crucified and rose” (Saint Chrysostom). This was always the first word of the Gospel; and this is what Saint Paul wishes to remind them of.

“Which also you received.” I preached, and you received. If I only preached and you did not receive, perhaps you would find it difficult to remember; but since you received it, you find it difficult to forget, because what I remind you of is the foundation of the faith, the reason that you received it. “In which you stand.” Not only received, but stand in the Gospel. Εστηκατε—you have stood, established, confirmed, or have been established. One can receive some thing and lay it away in a treasury, but the Gospel is not so: if received, it already becomes the spirit of life; such is it with you, it is active in you, you live and breathe by it. There is no difficulty in remembering what is always before your eyes.—“By which also you are saved.” You were perishing before, but now you are being saved, you see and recognize that you have come out of the abyss of destruction and are on the path of salvation, in the assurance that, having remained on this path to the end, you will attain eternal salvation as well. Consequently, the Gospel is such a matter as should be precious as life is precious, and eternal life—how could you not remember?

“By what word I preached it to you.” So remember what word I preached to you. Below, from the third verse, he himself tells what word he preached, that is, that he spoke of the Lord’s death and then of His resurrection. One could not fail to speak of the death, for our salvation stands upon it; but to speak of the death and not speak of the resurrection means to cut off the faith at its very root. The preaching of the Gospel has always consisted of this: the Lord died for our sins, then rose, ascended to heaven, and taking the reins of rule, leads all to Himself, so that with Himself they might be blessed in his eternal kingdom. So, saying: remember what word I preached to you—of this word Saint Paul reminds them. The chief thing here is the resurrection. It illuminates the cross with divine light and brings it into the reign of Christ the Almighty. Upon it the Gospel stands. “What word I preached”: directly the word restored in consciousness the resurrection. Saint Chrysostom even defines the meaning of this word thus: “In what manner I preached to you the reality of the resurrection.”

“If you hold fast.”—If you hold in memory. This is the customary turn of phrase: remember, if you have not forgotten. But he was confident that they had not forgotten, but did hold, which all the previous words prove. He wishes to express by this that if they had forgotten, it would be quite out of place. Some transpose these words with the previous ones so: “if you hold fast, what word I preached to you”—and they connect all this speech with “by which also you are saved,” in the thought: you are saved if you hold what I preached to you. There is no need for such a transposition; the Apostle’s discourse flows smoothly as it stands. It was not his purpose to set forth conditions of salvation, but only to remind them on what the Gospel stood, what word formed their faith. “What word I preached”—depends on “I make known,” I remind you, or remember.

“Unless you believed in vain.” Only if you have not vainly believed, have not lightly received the faith, but have established yourselves beforehand on a firm foundation of faith. And the foundation of faith is the resurrection of Christ. He says: if only you have rationally believed, you must constantly hold in mind the truth of Christ’s resurrection. “‘If you hold fast.’ You do hold, of course,—‘unless you believed in vain,’ that is, if only you do not vainly call yourselves Christians. For the whole substance of Christianity rests on the doctrine of Christ’s resurrection” (Theodoret). “By this he shows that the evil touches the chief subject, that the matter is not about something of little importance, but about the whole faith” (Saint Chrysostom).

1 Cor. 15:3. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

He was calling them to remember, but now he himself repeats how it was, that is, what word he preached; it was the Gospel about the death and resurrection of the Lord. From the first words to you the discourse began with this. This is the meaning of the word “first of all”—εν πρωτοις. But in this word there could have been hidden a particular suggestion for them: “he points to the time and intimates that it is exceedingly shameful to alter the faith after believing for so long a time, and not only this, but also that the dogma being explained is necessary because it was taught among the first things and at the very beginning” (Saint Chrysostom).

“For I delivered…which I also received.” I introduced nothing from my own mind; truth came down from heaven and is distributed over the earth; we are transmitters. “He conveys that nothing should be introduced into the Gospel from oneself, and shows that not one of the dogmas is human” (Saint Chrysostom). “I did not myself invent the preaching, nor did I follow human reasoning, but from the Master Christ I received the teaching about this. What then did you receive? ‘That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.’ This the prophets foretold, and Isaiah cries out: ‘He was wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities’ (Isa. 53:5)” (Theodoret).

The Gentiles always reproached Christians: you believe in a Crucified One. The Apostles knew that the persuasion to believe in the Crucified One destroys itself—yet they always began their word with this, not concealing themselves and speaking the truth as it is. There was on earth a man—Jesus; and He was crucified: believe in Him and you shall be saved. That it was so in Corinth, Saint Paul had already mentioned, saying: “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). And meanwhile the faith continued to grow and spread throughout the whole world. By what was it attached to hearts? By the conviction that Jesus Christ “died for our sins.” No one could hide from himself that he is a sinner, and that to a sinner there is no salvation. The news of the death undertaken for our sins opened the door to salvation. Into it all rushed. It was only necessary to have the assurance that that death is not merely called death for our sins but truly is such. And that it is such, the resurrection of the One who died testified. Behold the golden chain of saving truths and convictions! Behold why the word about death was bold, and faith in Him was confident!

“According to the Scriptures.” “The cross was known to all because Christ was crucified before the eyes of all, but the reason was not known to all; that He died all knew, but that He endured death for the sins of the universe many did not know; therefore the Apostle brings forth testimony from the Scriptures” (Saint Chrysostom). He points to Scripture, determining by it the significance of Christ’s death. “Let us not enumerate all the places of Scripture separately, some of which in direct words and others through the types contained in them prove that Christ died in the flesh and that He died for our sins. ‘For the wickedness’ it is said in Scripture, ‘of my people he was led to death’; and: ‘the Lord delivered him up for our sins’; and again: ‘He was wounded for our transgressions’ (Isa. 53:5–6, 8)” (Saint Chrysostom). The word “according to the Scriptures” shows that this was foretold long ago; and it was foretold long ago because God inspired it to be foretold; and God inspired it to be foretold because it was thus determined in the eternal counsel. Thus behold where that one word brought it. Deeds occur in time, but their determination is fixed in eternity. Such consideration was all the more necessary in regard to the word about the saving death of the Lord Jesus Christ, who died as a man.

1 Cor. 15:4. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

“And that He was buried.” “Wishing to show that the death was true and not apparent, as some heretics believed, the Apostle added this word: ‘and that He was buried.’ Burial is a confirmation of the reality of death (Oecumenius). And that He rose again the third day.‘And this, he says, I delivered to you; and as he then brings many testimonies about His resurrection, he thereby shows that his preaching consisted chiefly in this, and now he mentions it with the particular thought that they especially restore this subject to their consciousness.—’According to the Scriptures‘refers both to’buried‘and to’rose again the third day,” and is said not to prove the truth of the burial and resurrection, but to show their significance, that all this happened not simply but according to the eternal decree and requires not only faith but also reverence and deep contemplation of the all-encompassing significance of these events.

Saint Chrysostom says: “Where is it said in Scripture that Christ shall be buried and on the third day shall rise? In the type of Jonah, to which Christ Himself points when He says: ‘For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’ (Matt. 12:40); in the type of the bush in the wilderness: as it burned and was not consumed, so the body of Christ was dead but not held by death forever; in the type of the serpent with Daniel: as it, having received food given it by the prophet, burst asunder, so hell, having received the body of Christ, burst asunder, because it broke through its belly and rose again. But if you wish to hear in words as well what you see in types, then listen to Isaiah, who says: ‘His life shall be taken from the earth’ (Isa. 53:8) (that is, He shall be buried); and again: ‘The Lord is pleased to crush him by disease’ and ‘to make his light shine’ (that is, to raise Him) (1 Cor. 15:10–11); also David, who even before Isaiah said: ‘You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You suffer Your Holy One to see corruption’ (Ps. 15:10). Therefore also Paul sends you to the Scriptures, that you might know that this was accomplished not simply and not without reason. For could it have been so if so many prophets had not written beforehand and foretold it?”

1 Cor. 15:5. And that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

The appearance of the Lord to Saint Peter is mentioned in the Gospel (Lk. 24:34), and there is no doubt it occurred. Saint Paul could have heard of it from Peter himself. Saint Chrysostom says: “In the Gospel it is said that Christ appeared to Mary before all others; but among men, before all Peter, who especially desired to see Him. The one who was first deemed worthy to see the Lord needed great faith so as not to be troubled by the unusual vision. Therefore Christ appeared to Peter before all others. He who first confessed Him as Christ was rightly the first deemed worthy to see His resurrection as well. And not only for this reason did Christ appear to Peter before all others, but also because Peter had denied Him; to completely comfort him and to show that he was not rejected, Christ deemed him worthy of His appearance before others.”

“Cephas is sufficient as a witness, but he is one. Therefore the Apostle adds: ‘then to the twelve’” (Theodoret). In Saint Chrysostom and all our other commentators it is not eleven but twelve—δωδεκα. It is customary for Scripture to name the whole assembly of Apostles by their original number, although Judas had fallen from their number; which is why Thomas is called by the Evangelist John as one “of the twelve” (1 Cor. 20:24). To the assembly of the Apostles the Lord appeared in the evening on the very day of Resurrection and on the eighth day after that, and perhaps at other times as well, though not recorded. When did He appear to the Apostle Peter? If we assume that Saint Paul in the enumeration of appearances maintains the order of time, then it must be on the very day of Resurrection.

1 Cor. 15:6. After that He appeared to over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present time, but some have fallen asleep.

After mentioning the appearance of the Lord to the twelve—“so that no one might suspect that they preached the resurrection of a beloved teacher that did not happen, the Apostle also mentioned the appearance to over five hundred brethren, not separately but all together at once. The testimony of such a number of people is unquestionable. And, so that no one might think that he himself is speaking of something that did not happen, he added that many of them are alive to this day. Whoever wishes can ascertain this from them themselves” (Theodoret). “Although I, he says, am narrating past events, I have witnesses still living. ‘Some have fallen asleep’; he did not say died, but ‘fallen asleep,’ and with this very expression affirmed the truth of the resurrection” (Saint Chrysostom).

1 Cor. 15:7. Then He appeared to James, then to all the Apostles.

“James—I believe, His brother; it is said that He Himself ordained him and appointed him the first bishop of Jerusalem” (Saint Chrysostom). “He was a significant person not only by kinship, as he was called the brother of the Lord, but also by his own virtue, as he was called the Just” (Theodoret).

“Then to all the Apostles.” “For there were other Apostles besides the twelve” (Saint Chrysostom). “By Apostles Saint Paul did not mean again those same twelve, for he had already mentioned them, but all who received such ordination” (Theodoret). “There were also other Apostles from the disciples of the Lord in imitation of the twelve, such as Barnabas and Thaddaeus” (Oecumenius). Were they not chosen by the Lord Himself from among those who believed after the resurrection?!

Looking over all these appearances, Saint Chrysostom observes: “Christ did not appear to all at once after the resurrection, but first appeared separately, so that He might first sow seeds of faith in a few and through them prepare all for faith. For he who first saw Him and was completely assured told others about it; then what was said spread and produced in those who heard it expectation of a great wonder and paved the way for faith in the appearance. Therefore Christ did not appear suddenly to all together and to only a few at the beginning. Those who saw after seeing others and when they had already heard from them, in their testimony had considerable help disposing them toward faith and preparing their souls. He appeared first to only the supreme leader alone. After Peter He appeared to others separately and together—to few and to many, so that they might become witnesses and teachers to each other in this matter. Thus the matter proceeded. And the most reliable witnesses and preachers of the resurrection are, without doubt, the Apostles.”

1 Cor. 15:8. And last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

Having heard all that has been said thus far, one might think: you speak all this by hearsay. Hearsay is not a reliable witness. So that no one should say this, or so that someone should not trouble himself with such thoughts, Saint Paul presents himself as an eyewitness and witness of the Lord’s resurrection, lending his words the humility customary to him in his way of thinking (Theodoret). “Untimely born”—not a wretch, but an abortion. “He compares himself to an aborted embryo, which is not even included among people” (Theodoret). “What does he wish to say here with such humble words, and for what reason? If he wishes to show himself reliable and include himself among the witnesses of the resurrection, it would have been fitting to do the opposite; it would have been fitting to exalt and magnify himself, as he does in many places when circumstances require. But here he humbles himself because he intends to do the same thing, only not all at once but with his characteristic prudence. For, having first abased himself and spoken many reproaches against himself, he then magnifies his works. Why? So that when he says of himself a great and lofty word: ‘I labored more abundantly,’ his words might be certain and received as if spoken in the course of the discourse. He who speaks something great of others speaks boldly and confidently, while he who is compelled to praise himself, especially when he presents himself as a witness, is ashamed and blushes. Therefore this blessed man first humbles and then magnifies himself. He does this both to soften the unpleasantness of self-praise and to make thereby his following words reliable; for, having spoken truthfully about what is worthy of condemnation and having hidden nothing, for example that he persecuted the Church and destroyed the faith, he thereby makes his deeds certain and praiseworthy. And see his great humility. Having said: ‘last of all He appeared to me,’ he was not satisfied with this—for ‘many shall be last that are first and first that are last,’ says the Lord (Matt. 19:30)—but adds ‘as to one untimely born’; and does not stop there but adds his own condemnation and brings forth the reason” (Saint Chrysostom).

1 Cor. 15:9. For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.

The enumeration of eyewitness witnesses of the resurrection is finished. They are so many that not to believe in the Lord’s resurrection would be the same as calling day night. It would have been fitting to say only what he said two verses later: so we preach, and so you believed. But, touching upon himself and his calling, the Apostle could not restrain himself from dwelling on this both by his feeling of humility and gratitude and by the purpose for which he brought forward the testimonies of the resurrection. “I persecuted the Church,” he says, and therefore I do not deserve to be called an Apostle. A forceful expression of humility; yet at the same time, if he previously persecuted the Church and now has become a preacher of the faith whose foundation is the resurrection of Christ, then for anyone it follows as a necessary conclusion: truly, this persecutor must have had a striking assurance of the resurrection when he changed from persecutor to preacher of the faith. This conclusion gave Saint Paul’s testimony about Christ’s resurrection the highest value before all others; it elevated all the rest and crowned them. Saint Chrysostom says to this: “‘I am,’ he says, ‘the least of the Apostles.’ He did not say ‘of only the twelve,’ but of all the rest as well (in Eph. 3:8 it says ‘of all the saints’). He says all this both from humility and with the intention of disposing his listeners to speedier acceptance of his following words. For if instead of this he had said: you must believe me that Christ rose because I saw Him, and I am more reliable than all other witnesses because I labored more than all—then with such words he might have offended his listeners. But now, by first depicting the circumstances serving to his abasement and condemnation, he both softens his speech and paves the way to faith in his testimony.”

1 Cor. 15:10. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Again the same—both a display of humility and an elevation of his testimony to a certainty that shuts every mouth of contradiction. “By the grace of God I am what I am,” and he is an Apostle to the Gentiles, who has illuminated all of Asia Minor, Macedonia, Greece, and some islands by that time. After this he could say that the grace of God, which chose him, has not been in vain in him, that it has not chosen him for nothing, that through him it successfully accomplishes what it determined to accomplish. Therefore although he indicates that he labored more than all the Apostles, he sees in this not the fruit of his own zeal but the work of grace as well. For his own spirit would not have had the strength to kindle such intense zeal, nor his will the energy to continue such incredible labors. This sincere confession: “yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Now bring together: “by the grace of God I am what I am, the grace toward me was not in vain, by the grace of God I labored more abundantly,” and you must be convinced that this is a person bearing grace and borne by grace. If so, then what is his testimony about the resurrection in his mouth if not the same as testimony from above, from God Himself? Thus the display of humility became an irresistible assurance in the certainty of the testimony about the resurrection of Christ the Lord.

1 Cor. 15:11. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.

He draws together all that has been said. Remember, he says, what word I preached the Gospel to you. I told you that Christ the Lord died for our sins, then was buried and rose on the third day, to which there are innumerable witnesses—not only the Apostles but also a multitude of believers who are alive to this day, and finally I myself as well. And behold the word by which we proclaim to all, by which you also were instructed, and which you have believed. This meant: if you are believers, then without doubt you stand on the firm rock of faith in the resurrection of Christ the Lord. The Apostle has said quite enough to renew in the consciousness of the Corinthians the truth of the Lord’s resurrection and to revive the conviction of it. Oecumenius writes: “‘Whether it was I or they, so we preach.’ We are agreed, he says, in our preaching—all agree and we preach thus not somewhere in a corner but openly, to all everywhere. So also you believed together with all. This very faith of theirs he now calls forth as a witness to the truth (of the resurrection). For in saying you believed, he conveys that they were not drawn away by deceptive and false words, but were convinced by true proofs of the truth of the preaching, and therefore believed.”