1 Corinthians 15 Commentary
The resurrection answers the all-important question of death. Is there an afterlife? In the background is yet another important question: What is the point of life?
In much of the scripture – especially the Gospel of John, the word ‘death’ refers to spiritual death. It is a state we find ourselves in at birth as a consequence of the Adamic sin. Romans 3 verse 23. The consequence of sin is death. Romans 6 verse 23.
When the LORD Jesus tells a man to let the dead bury themselves, He is referring to men and women who are living but dead spiritually.
In this chapter, death means physical death. Physical death means nothing to the believer as it merely serves as a door into blessed eternity under the feet of the Lamb of God – Jesus. The assumption is that the believer understands and appreciates the resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ.
The saint finds comfort in the words of Jesus: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” John 11 verses 25 and 26. Both deaths are resolved. The resurrection solves the physical death. The ‘life’ solves the spiritual death. Jesus (the resurrection and the life) solves the question of death – both deaths.
Paul is worried because of some strange notions about death. The distorted view of death and resurrection means that the saints at Corinth no longer have the right picture of Jesus. Jesus is the resurrection. Jesus is the hope of the ‘afterlife’.
Without this hope (Jesus), Christianity is all vanity –a chase after the wind. Believers are doomed; they have believed a lie.
If all we have is hope in this life, what are we fighting for? What is the point of life? On this side is persecution and a life less than what we all hope for. We are constantly confronted by wickedness and wish for a better life under the rule of the Son. We are tormented by sights of ungodliness. Something or someone within informs us of a world that can be better without this environment.
Is life on the other side better? No. It looks better; the adverts tell us so. But is it true that life is better on that side? No. Wickedness is a constant chase after wind. You never catch it. You never catch success. You never catch fame. You never catch achievement. You never catch wealth. You never catch power. You cannot catch wind. Yet they must chase it. It is the punishment the LORD imposed on humanity!
Death brings the ‘chasing’ to an end. So what is next? The resurrection answers – an afterlife for all, good or bad. Life between birth and death is therefore a decision window. What is dead (spiritually) can live again. It happens by belief in Jesus – the life.
Let the saints come back to their senses! We can observe nature and learn from it. A seed dies before it comes back to life! That’s God’s design! The resurrection looks like that!
Simply put, “We will not all sleep, but we will be changed…” The resurrection at work!
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