The whole chapter is dedicated to the truth about the resurrection of the dead. It can be divided into four parts:
The problem with the truth about the resurrection of dead
The Platonic philosophy considered the soul to be imprisoned in the body. How would, then, the Corinthians understand Paul’s message about the bodily resurrection? liberation of the soul from the body OR reintegration of the body and soul in eternal life?
For the Greek, the resurrection of the body would mean to be for eternity imprisoned in the body. Consider the failure of evangelizing the Buddhist countries by Christian missionaries. The believe in eternal life would mean to be subjected for eternity to the pains and sufferings of the cycle of life. Think also about common mistake of translating resurrection of the body into immortality of the soul.
Even in the Scriptures this truth took some time to ‘develop’. See for example Psalm 6:6. Even today, some Jewish commentators claims that biblical Israel knew of no afterlife with reward and punishment. Everyone, irrespective of behavior or social statue, descended into “Sheol” - the dark underworld.
The truth in the resurrection of the dead comes late in biblical tradition. We see it in Daniel 12:3 and in the books of Maccabees (see 2 Mac 7:29; 12:43–45). The truth about the resurrection of the dead is about God’s justice: basically it says: ‘today we [martyrs] die for the laws of God, in the future God will raise us up - gives us back the very lives that we have offered for His sake’. Or one could also phrase it in a following conversation:
Persecutors: I give you two options:
1. Give up your faith and live;
2. Hold on to your faith and die.
Persecuted: I choose the second one, because I believe God will return to me the life I have given for His sake.
15:1–2
Here, we find the word “Gospel” as a noun and a verb. Paul “gospelized the Gospel” to the Corinthians. The one who ‘invented’ this word is prophet Isaiah (see Is 40:9 - gospel as a verb).
The attitude towards the Gospel preached by Paul is summarized by three verbs: (1) receive; (2) stand - persist in it; (3) hold fast to it. The last verb - katehete - hold fast - is at the root of ‘catechesis’.
Finally, the Gospel saves if we hold fast to its content as it was delivered. This indicate that if we change something in its content, such Gospel will not save us (see Gal 1:6–7).
In 1:18 - the Cross was the content of the Gospel and the ‘word of the Cross’ (1 Cor 1:18) saves. Now, the resurrection is added. Thus, these two events cannot be separated.
15:3–11
Paul preaches what he himself received - notice the same verb that in 15:1. What Paul received - [from the Lord?] (Gal 1:12) or [from other disciples and Barnabas?] (Acts 9:26–30), he wants the Corinthians to receive from him. Moreover, Paul is not the only one who preaches such Gospel (15:11)
What did Paul receive?
Luke 24:50–53 cf. Gospel according to the Hebrews (in Jerome, On Illustrious Men, 2)–Also the gospel called according to the Hebrews, recently translated by me into Greek and Latin, which Origen often uses, says, after the resurrection of the Savior: “Now the Lord, when he had given the linen cloth to the servant of the priest, went to James and appeared to him (for James had sworn that he would not eat bread from that hour in which he had drunk the Lord’s cup until he should see him risen from among them that sleep).” And a little further on the Lord says, “Bring a table and bread.” And immediately it is added, “He took bread and blessed and broke and gave it to James the Just and said to him, ”My brother, eat your bread, for the Son of man is risen from among them that sleep.’"
4.5. All the apostles - this suggests that there were two distinct groups (1) the Twelve - the closest circle of Jesus’ disciples and (2) the apostles - (disciples? Luke 10:1; Rom 16:7);
4.6. Paul - describing himself in negative terms but claiming to work harder than the other apostles. The credit goes to “God’s grace” (Rom 1:5; 15:15; Gal 1:15; 2:9).
15:12–19.29–32 - The Corinthians (some) - “No general resurrection”. What would that mean?
15:12 points to the interesting problem. The Gospel states: Christ died and Christ had risen. Yet, there are some among the Corinthians who claim that there is not resurrection from the dead. It would mean that for them Christ’s resurrection applied only to Christ, not to others. On the other extreme are those in 2 Tim 2:18 - claiming that the resurrection from the dead has already taken place.
15:13 - Paul’s thesis: If there is no general resurrection, then there is also no Christ’s resurrection.
15:14 - The above thesis - if true - would lead to a shocking conclusion: Christ has not risen. And if this would be the case then the whole foundation of Christian faith fails.
Paul twice uses the word “empty”: (1) proclamation of the Gospel would empty and (2) their faith would be empty. Notice that it is the same word that Paul uses to describe Christ’s attitude in Phil 2:7. Christ emptied Himself of the form of God in order to save the world and the Corinthians try to empty the Gospel of its saving power.
Paul completes this argument in 15:17. Here, their faith is described as “useless” and there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus, Christ’s resurrection is the sure evidence of God’s forgiveness. Death was the consequence of sin (Gen 2:17; Rom 5:12). Christ’s resurrection proves that death and sin were defeated (see 1 Cor 15:55–56).
Then, if he is not risen - because there is no general resurrection - then the consequences are tragic (15:18). In this case, there is no difference between those who believed in Christ and received baptism and those who do not believe. All equally perish.
15:19 is a beautiful punch line. Why did Corinthians - particularly those who claim that there is no resurrection - accept the Gospel? Why did they believe Paul’s preaching and receive baptism? Did they believe that Christ will bless them with something useful for this life? Pagans worshiped their gods in order to get benefits in this life: prosperity, health, children, and so on. Did the Corinthians consider Christ as stronger then other gods and thus capable to provide them with more things in this life than the pagan gods of their friends? Then, they are truly worth to be pitted more than other people.
15:15 - Paul draws further conclusion from the above stated thesis - if it was true: he and the others would be “false witnesses” of God.
Note: always keep in mind Paul’s thesis: no general resurrection - no Christ’s resurrection. In Paul’s view Christ is not an exception. If there is no general resurrection then nobody, not even Christ can rise. The Corinthians probably would claim that Christ - as the Son of God - was an exception to their thesis. Paul strongly disagree. Either all are going to be raised from the dead or nobody is going to be raised from the dead, including Christ (15:16).
Two examples are provided to challenge the opinion that there is no resurrection:
15:32 - Finally, Pauls draws conclusion using quote from Is 22:13. The passage is a criticism of the attitude of the Judeans in Jerusalem facing the Assyrian invasion (705–701). God is calling them to repentance and they rejoice. Apparently they do not believe in God’s protection and so, if they are going to die anyway they decided to enjoy themselves before death. In God’s eyes, such attitude and action that sprang from it was unpardonable sin (Is 22:14; see also Sirach 14:16; Wisdom 1:26; 2:5–9). So, Paul is viewing the claim of the Corinthians that there is no resurrection.
15:33–34 - the famous proverb of that time “bad associations corrupt good customs” sums it all. Bad theology leads to bad morality.
Those who claim that there is no resurrection are simply ignorant of God. The verb “become sober” - eknefo - brings to mind a drunkard. That what Corinthians represent stating that there is no resurrection. They should get sober, namely hold on to right theology and moral conduct - righteousness.
15:20–28 Paul: “There is general resurrection and Christ is its beginning”
15:20. “But now” is in opposition to the hypothetical “and if not” (15:14.17).
Christ as the “firstfruit of the [ones] fallen asleep” (see Col 1:18. It means that is just a matter of time that other fruits will follow (see Deut 26:2, for the firstfruits). There will follow a great harvest of ‘resurrection’.
15:21–22 - Adam - death, Christ - life (see Rom 6:12.18). Note, all die because of Adam, all shall be made alive because of Christ (see Daniel 12:3; John 5:29). Here, Paul stresses the idea of Christ as the New Adam (‘Adam’ in Hebrew is not a name by it means ‘man - human person created out of the “dust of the earth - adamah’ - Gen 2:7 “adam - man created out of adamah - the dust of the earth”).
The question about resurrection is presented interestingly in Revelation 20:5–6. In this view, there are two types of deaths: (1) natural one and (2) everlasting one (20:14). There are also two types of resurrection: (1) for those who belonged to Christ through faith, baptism, and holy living - they will be raised first (Rev 20:4–5), and then (2) for all other dead people of time for the judgement - at that moment those dead people will be judged based on their deeds (Rev 20:11–15; see John 5:29).
15:23–28 (see 1 Thess 4:16–17). The stages of history of salvation: