The Prophecy of the Resurrection; the Song of Victory Over Death (1 Corinthians 15:51–58)

1 Cor. 15:51. Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.

“Behold, I tell you a mystery.” The Apostle is about to speak of something awesome and inexpressible, of what not all know, and shows great honor to his listeners in conversing with them about inexpressible matters (holy Chrysostom). A mystery is called that which is not revealed to all but entrusted to friends alone. Therefore the Apostle comforts the Corinthians.

What does this mean: “we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed”? The meaning of his words is as follows: not all of us will die, but all will be changed, even those who do not die, for they are mortal. So when you die, do not fear as if you would not rise; there are certainly those who will escape death, but that will not be sufficient for the resurrection—it is necessary that the bodies even of those who do not die be changed and become incorruptible (holy Chrysostom). For not only those who have died will rise incorruptible, but also those still living will be clothed in incorruption (Theodoret).

1 Cor. 15:52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

In a moment, εν ατομω, in such a brief moment of time as cannot be divided. Not even an instant of time will pass between God’s command for resurrection and the resurrection itself (Theodoret). They will follow simultaneously. As soon as the trumpet’s voice announcing God’s command sounds, in that very instant the dead will rise incorruptible, and we shall be changed—that is, put on the incorruptible body in which the dead too will rise. The Apostle here refers the word we not to himself but to those who will be living then. After much said about the resurrection, he now reveals something very wonderful within it. For it is not only amazing that bodies first decay and then rise, nor that those raised after decay will be better than present bodies, nor that the living will pass to a better state, nor that each will receive his own body and not another’s, but that so many and such great deeds, surpassing all mind and all understanding, will be accomplished soon—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye—so swiftly, as fast as the eyelid closes (holy Chrysostom).

1 Cor. 15:53. For this corruptible body must put on incorruption, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

“Must”—an inescapable law. As if pointing at his own body, he says: this mortal, this corruptible, must become incorruptible and immortal. The corruptible is the body, and the mortal is the body. The body remains body because it is that which is clothed; what disappears is mortality and corruptibility when it clothes itself in immortality and incorruption. Therefore do not doubt how the body will live eternally when you hear that it will be incorruptible (holy Chrysostom).

At the same time the thought is also confirmed here that these very bodies will be raised, not others. The Apostle made it clear that not something else will rise, but that very thing which decays, for as if with a finger he pointed to it by the word “this,” saying: “this corruptible and this mortal” (Theodoret).

3. Song of victory over death with brief exhortation (1 Cor. 15:54–58)

1 Cor. 15:54. But when this corruptible body has put on incorruption, and this mortal body has put on immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory.

When corruption in this way is driven out from all domains of being and immortal life reigns everywhere, then all will be filled with the joy of life. Freed from the bonds of corruption, which held them till now in fear of death, as if breathing freely, they will say: Glory to God! Death is consumed utterly. These words are taken from Isaiah 25:8, where he promises the Jews full victory over enemies and such peaceful life that their enemies will not destroy them according to their whim. This the Apostle applies to the bright state after the resurrection. The sense of his words “then shall the word written come true” is: then one can say with the words of Scripture: death is swallowed up in victory. “In victory—”so will death be conquered and struck down that it will never rise again; that is, utterly, death will be no more. Holy Chrysostom says: in victory, that is, finally, so that no trace of it remains, no hope of return, when corruption will be swallowed up by incorruption.

1 Cor. 15:55. Where, O death, is your sting? Where, O Hades, is your victory?

Death is represented under the image of a venomous serpent, which with its sting slew all, but when its sting was taken from it, it became harmless and a mockery to children. Hades, according to the customary conception of that time, as the receptacle of all who depart from this life, is represented as claiming all into its power through death. Now an end has come to its victims. The Apostle personifies them and, with the words of the prophet Hosea (1 Cor. 13:14), addresses to them such a word of contempt. “He, as it were, contemplates already the very fulfillment itself, beholds both the victory of the Master and the resurrection of the dead, and, singing the triumph over enemies, utters this prophetic song” (Theodoret). “Do you see the greatness of soul? As if triumphing in victory, he is inspired and, contemplating the future as though already accomplished, is carried away, treading death beneath his feet and over the head of the vanquished proclaiming the cry of victory, loudly exclaiming: ‘Where, O death, is your sting? Where, O Hades, is your victory?’ It has passed, perished and utterly vanished. The Lord not only disarmed and defeated death, but destroyed it and turned it into nothing” (Saint Chrysostom).

1 Cor. 15:56. Now the sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the Law.

Through sin death entered in. We were appointed in paradise to immortal life. We sinned and are condemned to death. Sin has stung us to death; it is the mortal, deadly sting. This truth is painfully experienced by those who sin: both soul and body are disordered and struck by sin—the soul in all its faculties, the body at its root of life; life becomes sluggish from it. “The power of sin is the Law.” Why so? From the action of conscience. God has implanted conscience in our soul as a guiding force, and then as His condemning, judging and punishing power. To it pertains what is said of the word of God: “it penetrates even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow.” This happens when, armed with the word of God that proclaims the Law, conscience finds a man to be a transgressor of the Law. At such a time it acts as a corroding and dissolving element. Thus sin proves so powerful as to bring death. The Law illuminates conscience; enlightened by it, conscience looks more keenly upon the deeds of a man and gives him no rest as soon as he becomes a transgressor of the Law; and through this it disturbs the life of both soul and body, and, disordering it, leads to death. That this should be so God has appointed. Conscience fulfills the Law of God’s righteousness.

With what purpose did the Apostle add these words? Is he not continuing the question: “Where, O death, is your sting? Where, O Hades, is your victory?” Where is the sting of death, that is, sin? And where is the power of sin—the Law? For then there will be neither sin nor Law, because eternal righteousness and perfect holiness will reign. Nothing prevents us from looking at it this way. But it may be more direct to put it thus: transported in thought to the contemplation of the glorious state after the resurrection, when everywhere the joy of life will abound exceedingly, he was carried away by that state and exclaimed: “Where, O death, is your sting?” But at once he remembered that this state still lies ahead, though it is assuredly certain; we, however, must yet fulfill the condition on the path to it, so that, entering into the realm of immortality, we might begin to taste blessedness and not torment. At this thought the sting of death brought to mind sin, and from this arose the impulse to remind all: while triumphing over death, sing: Where, O death, is your sting? but do not forget that the sting of death is sin. For us the triumph over death is as yet the victory over sin within ourselves. Be inspired then to such victory, so that afterward we may enter with joy, not with horror, into the state of triumph over death. The sting of death is sin: and the destructive power of sin comes from the fact that it is the transgression of the Law, for which God’s righteousness punishes through conscience and either takes away or diminishes life. Be therefore keepers of the Law and faithful fulfillers of all its commandments! This is the direct path to triumph over death.

With such an understanding of the connection of the aforesaid words, the following thanksgiving and the further exhortation (in verse 58) stand in direct agreement.

1 Cor. 15:57. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The triumph of victory over death is still in the future, but it is so certain that God has, as it were, already placed it in our hands. Victory in action. In the person of Christ the Saviour it has already been accomplished; by faith we also appropriate it to ourselves, not merely in hope but also in deed through participation in the life of Jesus Christ in baptism and the Eucharist. Our extraction from the jaws of death is proceeding, solid foundations are being laid for blessed immortality. And all this through our Lord Jesus Christ! Thanksgiving to God, who was pleased to arrange all this in this way. Saint Chrysostom says in this connection: “Christ Himself has erected the trophy, and He has deemed even us worthy of the crowns, not by obligation, but by mere compassion.”

The Apostle gives thanks to God for granting the victory, but does not specify over what. One may understand it as over death; one may also understand it as over sin, the sting of death. Thanksgiving to God, who has given us in the Lord Jesus Christ the power that conquers sin, which leads us to joyful triumph in victory over death. Before, in the words: “the sting of death is sin,” he said: See now, nevertheless, cut off the sting of death. At this point the thought might arise: how do we overcome it? This might have led to contemplation of the economy of salvation, which is wholly directed toward overcoming and rooting out sin in ourselves. And from this comes: thanksgiving to God! Do not be afraid! We have everything in our hands. God in the Lord Jesus Christ gives us complete victory over sin as well.

1 Cor. 15:58. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

“Therefore,” ὥστε, “so that,” places these lessons in direct dependence upon what immediately precedes. There—triumph over death, and at the same time—an incidental admonition to overcome sin first, for which strength has been given in the Lord. With this last admonition it is directly connected what the Apostle now says.

“Be steadfast, immovable.” Since the Apostle does not specify an object, it would not be just to limit steadfastness and immoveability solely to faith in the resurrection. It is rather to be understood that, as thanksgiving before was offered to God for granting victory over sin as well, and the whole economy of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ is directed to this, steadfastness and immoveability here are meant in every respect: in faith and in life according to faith, in the reception of the mysteries, and in participation in all the sanctifying orders of the Church—a steadfastness and immoveability that is not the kind where one became zealous and then abandoned it, started again but then abandoned it again—intermittent—but constant, unchanging, and even.

“Always abounding in the work of the Lord.” What is this work of the Lord? The work of salvation. And in what does it consist? “Put off, in regard to your former manner of life, the old man who is being corrupted by his deceitful desires… and be clothed with the new man, who has been created in accordance with God in righteousness and piety of the truth” (Eph. 4:22, 24). This is what Saint Chrysostom means by the work of the Lord. He says that abounding is abounding “in pure life.” The same thought is found in Theodoret: “Laboring diligently, gather the riches of piety.” The doing of the work of the Lord will be the doing of every good. One must do good not haphazardly, not as it happens, but must abound in doing it, “so that the good be abundantly perfect and exceed the prescribed bounds” (Saint Chrysostom).

“Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” “This exhortation is just, for nothing so shakes (steadfastness and immoveability) as the thought that one labors in vain and to no purpose” (Saint Chrysostom). So then, he says, do not be shaken! Stand firm in faith, in good deeds, and in patience on this way. The fruit of your labors is certain. “The righteous Judge and to the striving weaves the crowns (1 Cor. 2 Tim. 4:8), to the workers has already prepared the reward (Matt. 20:8)” (Theodoret). Where does “knowing” come from? From what he said about the resurrection and the future life. “In the Lord” gives the thought that, consequently, all one’s labor should be directed so that it be “in the Lord,” dedicated to Him and accomplished as though everything done were done before the eyes of the Lord. Such labor is always free from every admixture of impure motives and is always pleasing to the Lord. He will not allow the labor for Him and before Him to be vain, either here or still more there.

“Let us not, beloved, give ourselves to sleep: it is impossible, absolutely impossible for the careless to attain the kingdom of heaven, just as for those given over to luxury and intemperance. Rather, by tormenting and wasting our body and enduring countless labors, we can obtain the heavenly goods. Do you not see what distance lies between heaven and earth, what battle awaits us, how inclined man is to evil, how sin surrounds us and what snares it sets? Do you not know that what has been promised to you is beyond human measure? Do you not know before what judgment we shall stand? Do you not remember that we shall have to give account for every word and thought? Know that if we are careless, no one will protect us—neither the righteous man nor the prophet nor the apostle; but if we are zealous, having sufficient protection in our own deeds, we shall boldly attain the blessings prepared for those who love God” (Saint Chrysostom).