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365 Graça & Adoração Da Criação ao Apocalipse
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1 Corinthians — Chapter 15

The Resurrection — Foundation of the Gospel

"But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."

— 1Cor 15:20

1 Corinthians 15 is the longest chapter on resurrection in the NT. Paul defends the bodily resurrection of Christ and believers against those who denied the resurrection.

✝️ The Gospel and the Appearances (15:1-11)

1Cor 15:3-8
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve."
The earliest Gospel formula in the NT (~35 A.D., within 5 years of the crucifixion). Four elements: (1) Christ died for our sins; (2) was buried; (3) was raised on the third day; (4) appeared. The appearances are the historical evidence: Cephas, the Twelve, 500 brothers, James, all the apostles, Paul.

⭐ If Christ Has Not Been Raised (15:12-34)

1Cor 15:17-19
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."
Paul’s relentless logic: if there is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, the Gospel is false, faith is futile, the dead have perished, and Christians are the most miserable. The resurrection is not an optional detail — it is the foundation of everything.

🌟 The Resurrected Body (15:35-58)

1Cor 15:42-44
"So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body."
Four contrasts: perishable/imperishable, dishonor/glory, weakness/power, natural/spiritual. The resurrected body is real and material (like the resurrected Christ’s), but transformed and glorified. Soma pneumatikon is not an immaterial body — it is a body animated by the Spirit.
1Cor 15:54-58
"When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?'... But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
The cry of triumph over death. The 'sting' (kentron) of death is sin; the power of sin is the law. Christ, by satisfying the law and defeating sin, removed the sting of death. The practical conclusion: 'be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord' — the resurrection motivates present action.