11. whether it were I or they—(the apostles) who "labored more abundantly" ( :-) in preaching, such was the substance of our preaching, namely, the truths stated in 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Corinthians 15:4. read more
12. if—Seeing that it is an admitted fact that Christ is announced by us eye-witnesses as having risen from the dead, how is it that some of you deny that which is a necessary consequence of Christ's resurrection, namely, the general resurrection? some—Gentile reasoners (Acts 17:32; Acts 26:8) who would not believe it because they did not see "how" it could be (1 Corinthians 15:35; 1 Corinthians 15:36). read more
l. The resurrection of Jesus Christ 15:1-11Paul began by reaffirming their commonly held belief: Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. In this section the apostle stressed the objective reality of both Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. read more
Paul’s apostolic calling was a gracious gift from God. The giving of God’s grace proves vain when it does not elicit the appropriate response of loving service. Paul responded to God’s unusually great grace to him by offering back unusually great service to God. However, he did not view his service as self-generated but the product of God’s continual supply of grace to him. God saved Paul by grace, and Paul served God by God’s grace. read more
Paul and the other apostles all believed and preached the same gospel. Paul did not proclaim a different message from what Peter, James, and the others did (cf. Galatians 2:1-10). This commonly agreed on message is what the Corinthians had believed when those who had ministered in Corinth had preached to them. By denying the resurrection the Corinthians were following neither Apollos, nor Cephas, nor Christ. They were pursuing a theology of their own.The point of this section of verses was to... read more
Belief in the resurrection of the body seems to have been difficult for Greeks to accept in other places as well as in Corinth (cf. Acts 17:32; 2 Timothy 2:17-18). Evidently some of the Corinthian Christians were having second thoughts about this doctrine."These deniers apparently believe that those who are truly ’spiritual’ (in the Corinthians’ sense) are already ’reigning with Christ’ in glory (see 1 Corinthians 4:8)." [Note: Furnish, p. 74.] "On the whole the Greek did believe in the... read more
The negative alternative 15:12-19Paul first appealed to the Corinthians’ logic. In this form of logic, called modus tollens, Paul’s argument was that since Christ was raised there is a resurrection of believers. That Paul had believers in view, rather than all people, seems clear in that he was discussing the hope of believers. Other passages teach the resurrection of other groups of people, even all others (e.g., Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:4-5; Revelation 20:12; et al.). Here it becomes clear... read more
2. The certainty of resurrection 15:12-34In the preceding paragraph Paul firmly established that the gospel the Corinthians had believed contained the fact that God had raised Jesus Christ bodily, along with other equally crucial facts. Next he proceeded to show the consequences of rejecting belief in the resurrection of the body."Paul uses reductio ad absurdum: if there is no resurrection (i.e., of believers in the future), then Jesus did not rise (1 Corinthians 15:12-13), a point on which he... read more
15:12 raised (a-9) 'Are not raised,' vers. 15,16, applies to the abstract fact whenever it may be; the doctrinal fact as to dead people; 'he (Christ) is raised,' vers. 12,13,16,20, is an accomplished but continuing fact. The English tenses do not always secure this distinction. I have not put 'do not rise,' because then the thought of being raised by God is lost. read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Corinthians 15:10
10. by . . . grace . . . and his grace—The repetition implies the prominence which God's grace had in his mind, as the sole cause of his marvellous conversion and subsequent labors. Though "not meet to be called an apostle," grace has given him, in Christ, the meetness needed for the office. Translate as the Greek, "His grace which was (showed) towards me." what I am—occupying the honorable office of an apostle. Contrast with this the self-sufficient prayer of another Pharisee ( :-). but I... read more