1 Corinthians 15:12-20 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 15:19

If in this life only we have hope in Christ ,.... The object of a believer's hope is not any creature, man, or angel; nor any creature enjoyment, as gold and silver; nor any creature righteousness, moral, legal, and civil; nor any external privilege, or profession of religion; but Christ alone as a surety, Saviour, and Redeemer; his person, blood, righteousness, sacrifice, and fulness: and what they hope for in him are, all grace, and the supplies of it; the forgiveness of their sins, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 15:20

But now is Christ risen from the dead ,.... As was before proved by ocular testimonies, and before preached and asserted; and now reassumed and concluded, from the glaring contradictions, and dreadful absurdities that follow the denial of it: and became the firstfruits of them that slept ; who were already fallen asleep; respecting chiefly the saints that died before the resurrection of Christ; and if Christ was the firstfruit of them, there is no difficulty of conceiving how he is the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:12

Now if Christ be preached, etc. - Seeing it is true that we have thus preached Christ, and ye have credited this preaching, how say some among you, who have professed to receive this doctrine from us; that there is no resurrection of the dead, though we have shown that his resurrection is the proof and pledge of ours? That there was some false teacher, or teachers, among them, who was endeavoring to incorporate Mosaic rites and ceremonies with the Christian doctrines, and even to blend... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:13

If there be no resurrection of the dead - As Christ was partaker of the same flesh and blood with us, and he promised to raise mankind from the dead through his resurrection, if the dead rise not then Christ has had no resurrection. There seem to have been some at Corinth who, though they denied the resurrection of the dead, admitted that Christ had risen again: the apostle's argument goes therefore to state that, if Christ was raised from the dead, mankind may be raised; if mankind cannot... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:14

Then is our preaching vain - Our whole doctrine is useless, nugatory and false. And your faith is also vain - Your belief of a false doctrine must necessarily be to you unprofitable. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:16

False witnesses - As having testified the fact of Christ's resurrection, as a matter which ourselves had witnessed, when we knew that we bore testimony to a falsehood. But could five hundred persons agree in this imposition? And if they did, is it possible that some one would not discover the cheat, when he could have no interest in keeping the secret, and might greatly promote his secular interest by making the discovery? Such a case never occurred, and never can occur. The testimony,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:17

Ye are yet in your sins - If Christ has not risen from the dead, there is no proof that he has not been justly put to death. If he were a malefactor, God would not work a miracle to raise him from the dead. If he has not been raised from the dead, there is a presumption that he has been put to death justly; and, if so, consequently he has made no atonement; and ye are yet in your sins - under the power, guilt, and condemnation of them. All this reasoning of the apostle goes to prove that at... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:18

They also which are fallen asleep - All those who, either by martyrdom or natural death, have departed in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, are perished; their hope was without foundation, and their faith had not reason and truth for its object. Their bodies are dissolved in the earth, finally decomposed and destroyed, notwithstanding the promise of Christ to such, that he would raise them up at the last day. See John 5:25 , John 5:28 , John 5:29 ; John 11:25 , John 11:26 , etc. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:19

If in this life only we have hope - It would be better to translate and point this verse as follows: - And, if in this life we have hoped in Christ only, we are more to be pitied than all men. If, in this life, we have no other hope and confidence but in Christ, (and if he be still dead, and not yet risen), we are more to be pitied than any other men; we are sadly deceived; we have denied ourselves, and been denied by others; have mortified ourselves, and been persecuted by our fellow... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:20

But now is Christ risen - On the contrary, Christ is raised from the dead, and is become the first fruits of them that slept. His resurrection has been demonstrated, and our resurrection necessarily follows; as sure as the first fruits are the proof that there is a harvest, so surely the resurrection of Christ is a proof of ours. The Judaizing teacher at Corinth would feel the force of this observation much sooner than we can, who are not much acquainted with Jewish customs. "Although," says... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 15:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 15:20

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:20

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