APRIL 18, 2021
CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AND OURS (PART I)
1. We come now to what is sometimes called the great resurrection chapter of the Bible. That there were certain teachers at Corinth who denied the resurrection is clear from the course of Paul’s argument, and from his explicit statement in Vs. 12.
2. We can only speculate who these persons were. Perhaps they were converted Sadducees. We know that they denied the doctrine of the resurrection. (Acts 24:6-9; 26:6-8) However, some may also have been of Grecian culture. The Athenians we know mocked when they heard Paul preach about the resurrection. (Acts 17:32) From the character of the objections answered in the latter part of the chapter it is also very possible that they stemmed from such philosophy as assumed that matter is the seat of all evil, and therefore will not occupy the eternal state. Since at Ephesus there were those who taught that the resurrection was past already (II Tim. 2:17, 18), it is likely that these might also have believed in a spiritual resurrection only.
3. Regardless of who these false teachers were, since they were denying that doctrine which is at the very center of the Christian faith, their heresies had to be refuted.
4. It is the resurrection of Christ that secures the resurrection of His people. Paul therefore first proves the fact of Christ’s resurrection. (Verses 1-11), and then deduces the certainty of the resurrection of His people. (Verses 12-34)
I. THE APOSTLE FIRST ESTABLISHES THE CERTAINTY OF OUR SAVIOR’S RESURRECTION. (VRS. 1-11) This was necessary because this great truth is essential to the Christian religion. Should their faith be staggered in this point, it could mean the overthrow of their faith altogether. That heathens and infidels should deny this truth is not strange, but that Christians, who had their religion by revelation, should deny a truth so plainly revealed and validated is incredible.
A. HE BEGINS BY GIVING A SUMMARY OF THE GOSPEL WHICH HE HAD PREACHED AMONG THEM, OF WHICH THE RESURRECTION IS AN ESSENTIAL PART. (VERSES 1-4)
1. “Moreover brethren.” He now moves on to another subject unrelated to that of the previous discussion. As if they had never heard it before, Paul says, “I declare (make known) unto you the Gospel.” But obviously, they had heard it before. “Which I preached unto you which ye also received, and wherein you stand.” (Verse 1)
a) That which was being denied was a vital part of the Gospel which they had received.
b) This was fundamental. “Wherein ye stand.” Christ’s death and resurrection is the very foundation of our faith. Remove one of its vital elements, and the foundation is destroyed. (Psalm 11:3)
2. Only in this Gospel which Paul preached was there hope of salvation. (Verse 2)
a) Salvation is in the Name of Christ alone. (Acts 4:12)
b) Yet, there can be no salvation in His Name, except for the fact of His death and resurrection. His redeeming death and His victory over death are absolutely essential.
c) Belief in these Gospel realities must be retained. “Keep in memory”; or “Hold fast,” as the word is rendered in Heb. 10:23. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith.” We believe in vain unless we persevere in faith.
3. The Gospel of revelation consists in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Verses 3, 4)
a) The Gospel on which Paul laid so much stress was that doctrine which he had received by revelation and delivered to them. (Ch. 11:23; Gal. 1:12)
b) It was the principal thing. The phrase “first of all” has no reference to time or order, but to the principal thing.
c) Christ’s death and resurrection constitute the very epitome of evangelical truth. (Rom. 4:25)
B. THE GREAT GOSPEL TRUTHS OF CHRIST’S DEATH AND RESURRECTION WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES. (VERSES 3, 4)
1. The fact that Messiah was to die as a propitiation for sin, and that he was to rise again the third day, had been abundantly revealed in the Old Testament. (Luke 24:25–27, 44–46; Acts 13:32, 33; 26:22–23)
2. It is a great confirmation of the faith of the Gospel to see how it corresponds with ancient types and prophecies. (Psa. 16:10; Isa. 53:4–6; Dan. 9:26, 27; Hos. 6:2; Matt. 12:4; Heb. 11:19)
C. THE TRUTH OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION WAS ESTABLISHED BY MANY EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS. (VERSES 5-8)
1. The Apostle first appeals to the credible witnesses of others, beginning with Cephas (Peter) and then of all of the twelve Apostles together. (Verse 5) See Luke 24:25–27; 24:44–46. He does not refer to every single manifestation, but he selects a few, which he details in the order of their occurrence. Next mentioned are the 500 brethren at once. (Verse 6) This was probably the meeting in Galilee mentioned in Matthew 28:7. He then appeared to James (we are not sure which James), and then again to the twelve. (Verse 7) This may be John 20:26, or Acts 1:4.
2. He then names himself as a witness of Christ’s resurrection. (Verse 8; Acts 9:3–5)
a) This was necessary to his apostleship. (Luke 24:48; Acts 1:21, 22)
b) Paul was the last to see Him.
(1) “Last of all” may mean the last of the Apostles, as “one born out of season.”
(2) “Last of all” may mean the very last, which he was.
3. How undeniably evident was Christ’s resurrection, so many having at different times seen Him alive.
4. These witnesses meet all necessary requirements to render their witness valid and irresistible.
a) The fact born witness to was of a nature that it could be known with certainty.
b) Adequate opportunity was afforded the witnesses to ascertain its nature, and be satisfied of its verity.
c) The witnesses were of a sound mind, and persons of integrity.
d) Then, add to this the fact that these continued their witness at the expense of great personal sacrifice.
D. PAUL TOOK THIS OCCASION TO MAKE A HUMBLE DIGRESSION. (VERSES 8B, 10) He was highly favored of God, and always endeavored to maintain and express a grateful and humble spirit. He does so here.
1. First, as an apostle, he says that he was “one born out of due time.” (Verse 8b) “Out of due time,” literally, an abortive, a child dead born, and out of time. He resembled such in the suddenness of his new birth, for he was not matured for apostleship. Unlike those who were “full-term,” he had not been a follower of Christ; nor had he been personally taught and nurtured by the Lord, so as to be formed for so honorable function.
2. He owned himself inferior to the other Apostles. (Verse 9)
a) He thought of himself as the least, because he was the last to be called.
b) He thought himself unworthy. “Not meet (worthy) to be called an Apostle.”
c) He thought of himself least and unworthy, because of his past life of opposition to Christ and persecution of Christians. (Comp. I Tim. 1:12 – 14)
d) Indeed, Paul was not unaware that in gifts, graces, service, etc., he was not inferior to the greatest of the Apostles. (II Cor. 11:5)
e) Yet, what made his amazing abilities and accomplishments even more amazing was the deep and genuine humility that he felt because of his past wickedness.
3. He ascribed all that he was as a Christian and as an Apostle to the grace of God. (Verse 10a)
4. He testified that all of his abundant labors were owing to God’s grace. (Verse 10b)
a) God used his former zeal against Christianity as a great motivating factor. Paul realized his great indebtedness to the grace and mercy of God, and it stirred him up to abundant labors for Christ.
b) Though he saw himself as unworthy to be counted among so honorable company, his labors were more abundant than all the rest. In this way, God’s grace was more abundantly manifested in him than in any other Apostle.
E. THE GOSPEL, AS HE HAD DEFINED IT (VERSES 1-4) WAS THE CONSISTENT MESSAGE OF ALL OF THE APOSTLES, AND WAS RECEIVED BY THEM AS TRUE. (VERSE 11)
1. It mattered not under which Apostle’s ministry they had been converted. All had preached the same doctrine.
2. All agreed that Jesus Christ and Him crucified and buried and risen again from the dead, was the very sum and substance of the Christian Gospel.
3. Therefore, the Apostle has set out to defend the great and central truth of the Christian faith, that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. He allows no room for doubt upon this vital subject, because if Christ’s resurrection could be disproved, our faith would be in vain, and we would have no hope that the dead shall be raised.
II. THE APOSTLE GOES ON TO REFUTE THOSE WHO SAID THERE WAS NO RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. (VERSES 12-19)
A. CLEARLY THERE WERE AMONG THEM THOSE WHO DENIED THE RESURRECTION. (VSE. 12)
1. That any professing Christian should question the resurrection is absurd.
2. Yet Christian teachers were then, and still are saying, “There is no resurrection.” (Isa. 8:20)
B. TO DENY THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD IS TO DENY THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. (VERSES 13, 16)
1. The admission of the resurrection of Christ is inconsistent with the denial of the resurrection of the dead. What has happened may happen, but if it cannot happen, then obviously it has not happened.
2. Paul’s argument does not imply that the objectors admitted to the resurrection of Christ. His design is to show that their denial proved too much. It proved what no Christian could ever admit to, that Christ is not risen.
C. TO DENY THE RESURRECITON OF CHRIST IS TO SUBVERT THE GOSPEL, AND MAKE FALSE WITNESSES OF THE APOSTLES. (VERSES 14, 15)
1. This denial subverted the Gospel, because the validity of all of Christ’s claims rested on His resurrection.
(Rom. 1:3; Acts 1:22)
2. Thus, the preaching of the Apostles was vain and empty, void of reality, groundless, because the resurrection was the absolute proof that their Gospel was true.
D. IF THE DEAD CANNOT RISE, THEN IS NOT CHRIST RAISED, AND OUR FAITH IS EMPTY AND VOID. (VERSES 16, 17)
1. There is an inseparable connection between the two events. (Verse 16) If the thing is impossible, then it cannot have happened. The sense in which Christ rose determines the sense in which the dead are said to rise.
2. The essential repetition of Verse 13 in Verse 16 was designed to prepare the way for Verse 17. If Christ is not risen, we have no Justifier; no Intercessor; no Forerunner and High Priest within the veil. (Rom. 4:25; 8:34;
Heb. 6:19, 20)
E. IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION, THE DEAD IN CHRIST ARE PERISHED, AND ALL CHRISTIAN HOPES ARE DESTROYED. (VERSES 18, 19)
1. The great hope and comfort spoken of in I Thess. 4:13–18 is a lie if the dead rise not. (Verse 18)
2. Christians are the biggest dupes of all men if Christ is not risen, and the dead in Christ rise not. (Verse 19)
a) Not only the future, but the present is lost, if Christ be not risen.
b) Our misery is such a case would not be over the loss of what we have given up, but because of the disappointment of our expectations. (Prov. 10:28; 23:18)
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