1 Corinthians 15

What’s Happening? 

Some Corinthian Christians doubted they would experience a future resurrection. This doubt was shaped by their Greek culture. The Greeks believed in Thanatos, the god of Death, who guided people’s spirits into the gloomy underworld of Hades while their bodies decayed in the ground. For Greeks, the idea of resurrection brought up two problems. First, the spiritual powers of Thanatos and Hades needed to be defeated if the dead were going to be brought back to life. Second, the idea of returning to a decaying body was unappealing to Greeks. Therefore, the idea that Jesus would raise bodies from the dead wasn’t just unbelievable—it was undesirable. Furthermore, the church faced persecution for believing such an unappealing idea. 

But Paul insists that resurrection is not only possible, but essential. The Corinthian Christians believed that Jesus rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). It was part of their original confession, and yet they did not apply Jesus’ resurrection to themselves (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Paul points out that if there’s no resurrection, that means Jesus was not raised either. And if Jesus wasn’t raised, then Paul is a liar, the Corinthians’ faith is worthless, their trust is wasted, and they’re still under the powers of Hades and Thanatos (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). But since they already know Jesus has been raised, they can trust their own resurrection will come too.

Paul shows how the resurrection of Jesus connects to their resurrection. In the beginning, when Adam submitted to the spiritual being known as the serpent, he let Death into the world. Ever since then, all humanity under Adam has been ruled by Thanatos and imprisoned in Hades. But Paul argues that in Jesus’ resurrection, Thanatos and Hades lose their rule over humanity (1 Corinthians 15:24-25). Now, even though all humanity follows Adam into the Grave, all humanity will also follow Jesus out of it. Paul compares this truth to farming. The firstfruits of a crop sprout up before the rest of the harvest comes. In the same way, Jesus’ resurrection broke the ground as the firstfruits of life from the dead, which shows that the rest of humanity will be raised up as well (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). 

Paul continues by showing that the Corinthians’ very lives show they already believe in resurrection. The Corinthians’ practice of baptism rehearses the story of death and resurrection in their own communities (1 Corinthians 15:29). Likewise, Paul’s willingness to suffer death in this life proves he is trusting in a resurrection life to come. If they didn’t believe in resurrection, they wouldn’t make such sacrifices either (1 Corinthians 15:30-34). But their practices and persecution reveal they actually do believe in life from the dead.

Paul then answers their concerns about what kind of bodies they will have in the resurrection. They pictured resurrection as a resuscitation of the same weak bodies that would go into the ground. But Paul pulls another lesson from farming to show that resurrection transforms weak bodies into new glorious ones (1 Corinthians 15:35-36). Seeds don’t resemble the plants they become. A watermelon seed looks nothing like a watermelon. In the same way, our mortal and weak bodies will be planted, but they will be raised immortal and glorious. The difference in glory between the earthly bodies they will plant and the heavenly bodies that will rise will be as dramatic as the difference between an earthly animal and a heavenly star (1 Corinthians 15:37-41). Jesus proved this transformation is true. Jesus was sown in the ground like Adam, but raised in heavenly glory. This is the Corinthians’ future as well. They will not be resuscitated in the form of dying Adam, but transformed in the likeness of the resurrected Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:42-48). When Jesus returns, he will transform them to be like himself and live in immortality where Death and Hades are no more (15:49-52). 

Where is the Gospel?

Even though we still die, the resurrection of Jesus proves our future is not in the ground. The end of the Biblical story reveals what it will look like when Jesus returns to put Thanatos to death and lay Hades in the grave. The resurrected and glorified Jesus will come to our world of dust and death. When he does, he will clothe our mortal world in immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Revelation 21:4-5). This means all enemies, including Thanatos and Hades will perish (Revelation 20:13-14). 

This is why Paul taunts Death with Hosea 13:14: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Originally, this verse called Death to execute God’s judgment, but Paul flips it into a song of mockery (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). In the resurrection and return of Jesus, Death’s victory is nowhere to be found. His power has been taken away. Every enemy—including the last one, Death—will be put under Jesus’ feet (1 Corinthians 15:25-28).

Paul ends by calling the Corinthians to stand firm in their hope in the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:58). They can persevere through any hardship because resurrection means their hope is not in vain. The same is true for us. If Jesus rose from the dead, and if we will rise with him, then no sacrifice is wasted. No suffering is pointless. No act of loyalty to Jesus will ever be forgotten. Death does not get the final word—Jesus does.

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the God who rules over every enemy.  And may you see Jesus as the one who crushed Death, swallowed Hades, and calls you into his immortal life.