After a summer break, our Bible studies re-started tonight at 1 Corinthians 15, the ‘resurrection chapter’, the longest chapter in any of the New Testament epistles and the one where Paul discusses the centrality of the resurrection of Christ and its impact and relevance to every Christian in some detail. The first part of the chapter (1 Cor 15:1-34) deals with the reality and certainty of the resurrection, whilst the second half (1 Cor 15:35-58) looks at how the resurrection is possible and discusses the nature of resurrection bodies.
Paul has already looked at the significance of the death of Jesus, spending considerable time in this letter looking at the centrality of ‘Christ crucified’ to the gospel message (see 1 Cor 1:18-25, 1 Cor 2:2, 1 Cor 11:17-34). The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the central tenets of Christian faith. In this chapter, Paul makes it explicit that without the resurrection of Christ, our faith is in vain (1 Cor 15:14-19); many have spoken of a ‘metaphorical’ or ‘symbolic’ resurrection, but Paul makes it clear here that the resurrection of Christ is a physical reality, not just a spiritual metaphor, and one which has profound implications for our own eternal lives.
In 1 Cor 15:1-11, Paul essentially lays the foundation for what he goes on to elaborate in more detail. The gospel message is our hope of salvation; on this we take our stand. (1 Cor 15:1-2) It’s no passing fancy, no imaginative story, but a message based solidly on historical fact and if we don’t hold on to this, we run the risk of believing in vain, having nothing of substance on which we can stand in times of testing, trial and temptation. What makes Christianity distinct and true is that the Messiah of Christianity is no longer in the grave. The firm foundation of the Christian faith is an empty tomb. Peter Larson said, “The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin’s womb and an empty tomb. Jesus entered our world through a door marked ‘No Entrance’ and left through a door marked ‘No Exit.’”
The facts Paul lays down are based on the Scriptures; as the hymn says:
‘How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!’
These facts are initially laid out for us in very clinical style, as being ‘of first importance’, namely that Christ died for us according to the Scriptures, that He was buried (and thus was really dead!), that He rose from the dead and appeared to many people, including women, disciples, crowds of people and even to Paul. We see from these verses (1 Cor 15:3-8) that the death and resurrection of Christ can’t be separated; they form part of the complete work of God in Christ by which and through which we are saved – rescued, delivered, restored to a right relationship with a holy, loving and just God.