TEXT. bestowed upon me, was not in vain ; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. 12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. PARAPHRASE. C ascribe to any thing of myself, but to the favour of God, 11 which accompanied me. But whether I, or the other apostles, preached, this was that which we preached, and this was the faith ye were baptized into, viz. that Christ died, and rose 12 again the third day. If, therefore, this be so, if this be that, which has been preached to you, viz. that Christ has been raised from the dead; how comes it that some amongst you say, as they do, that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 And if there be no resurrection of the dead, then even Christ 14 himself is not risen: And if Christ be not risen, our preaching 15 is idle talk, and your believing it is to no purpose. And we, who pretend to be witnesses for God, and his truth, shall be found liars, bearing witness against God, and his truth, affirming, that he raised Christ, whom in truth he did not 16 raise, if it be so, that the dead are not raised. For if the 17 dead shall not be raised, neither is Christ raised. And if Christ be not risen, your faith is to no purpose; your sins are not forgiven, but you are still liable to the punishment due NOTE. 12 This may well be understood of the head of the contrary faction, and some of his scholars: 1st, Because St. Paul introduces this confutation, by asserting his mission, which these, his opposers, would bring in question. 2dly, Because he is so careful to let the Corinthians see, he maintains not the doctrine of the resurrection, in opposition to these their new leaders, it being the doctrine he had preached to them, at their first conversion, before any such false apostle appeared among them, and misled them about the resurrection. Their false apostle was a Jew, and in all appearance Judaized: may he not also be suspected of Sadducism? For it is plain, he, with all his might, opposed St. Paul, which must be from some main difference in opinion at the bottom. For there are no footsteps of any personal provocation. TEXT. 18 Then they also, which are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, afterwards they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith," All things are put under him," it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. PARAPHRASE. 18 to them. And they also, who died in the belief of the Gospel, 19 are perished and lost. If the advantages we expect from Christ are confined to this life, and we have no hope of any benefit from him, in another life hereafter, we Christians are 20 the most miserable of all men. But, in truth, Christ is actually risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of 21 those who were dead. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead, or restoration to 22 life. For as the death that all men suffer is owing to Adam, so the life, that all shall be restored to again, is procured them 23 by Christ. But they shall return to life again not all at once, but in their proper order: Christ, the first-fruits, is already risen; next after him shall rise those, who are his people, his 24 church, and this shall be at his second coming. After that shall be the day of judgment, which shall bring to a conclusion and finish the whole dispensation to the race and posterity of Adam, in this world: when Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, the Father; which he shall not do, till he hath destroyed all empire, power, and authority, that shall be 25 in the world besides. For he must reign, till he has totally subdued and brought all his enemies into subjection to his 26 kingdom. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For God hath subjected all things to Christ: but when it is said, "All things are subjected," it is plain that he is to be NOTE. 204 The first-fruits were a small part, which was first taken and offered to God, and sanctified the whole mass, which was to follow. TEXT. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they, then, baptized for the dead? 30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest, by your rejoicing, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If, after the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die. 33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. PARAPHRASE. 28 excepted, who did subject all things to him. But when all things shall be actually reduced under subjection to him, then, even the Son himself, i. e. Christ and his whole kingdom, he and all his subjects and members, shall be subjected to him, that gave him this kingdom, and universal dominion, that 29 God may immediately govern and influence all. Else, what 30 shall they do, who are baptized for the dead? And why do 31 we venture our lives continually? As to myself, I am exposed, vilified, treated so, that I die daily. And for this I call to witness your glorying against me, in which I really glory, as 32 coming on me for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake. And particularly, to what purpose did I suffer myself to be exposed to wild beasts at Ephesus, if the dead rise not? If there be no resurrection, it is wiser a great deal to preserve ourselves, as long as we can, in a free enjoyment of all the pleasures of this life; for when death comes, as it shortly will, there is an 33 end of us for ever. Take heed that you be not misled by such discourses: for evil communication is apt to corrupt 34 even good minds. Awake from such dreams, as it is fit you should, and give not yourselves up sinfully to the enjoyments NOTES. 29 "Else," here relates to ver. 20, where it is said, "Christ is risen:" St. Paul having, in that verse, mentioned Christ being the first-fruits from the dead, takes occasion from thence, now that he is upon the resurrection, to inform the Corinthians of several particularities, relating to the resurrection, which might enlighten them about it, and could not be known but by revelation. Having made this excursion, in the eight preceding verses, he here, in the 29th, reassumes the thread of his discourse, and goes on with his arguments for believing the resurrection. f What this baptising for the dead was, I confess I know not: but it seems, by the following verses, to be something wherein they exposed themselves to the danger of death. TEXT. 35 But some man will say, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" 36 Thou fool! that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain. 38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. PARAPHRASE. g of this life. For there are some atheistical people among 35 you: this I say to make you ashamed. But possibly it will be asked, "How comes it to pass, that dead men are raised, and with what kind of bodies do they come? Shall they have, at the resurrection, such bodies as they have now?" 36 Thou fool! does not daily experience teach thee, that the h seed, which thou sowest, corrupts and dies, before it springs 37 up and lives again? That, which thou sowest, is the bare grain, of wheat, or barley, or the like; but the body, which it has, when it rises up, is different from the seed that is sown. 38 For it is not the seed, that rises up again, but a quite different body, such as God has thought fit to give it, viz. a plant, of a particular shape and size, which God has appointed to each 39 sort of seed. And so, likewise, it is in animals; there are different kinds of flesh: for the flesh of men is of one kind; NOTES. 348 May not this, probably, be said to make them ashamed of their leader, whom they were so forward to glory in? For it is not unlikely, that their questioning, and denying the resurrection, came from their new apostle, who raised such opposition against St. Paul. 35 If we will allow St. Paul to know what he says, it is plain, from what he answers, that he understands these words to contain two questions: First, How comes it to pass, that dead men are raised to life again? Would it not be better they should live on? Why do they die to live again? Secondly, With what bodies shall they return to life? To both these he distinctly answers, viz. That those, who are raised to a heavenly state, shall have other bodies: and next, that it is fit that men should die, death being no improper way to the attaining other bodies. This, he shows, there is so plain and common an instance of, in the sowing of all seeds, that he thinks it a foolish thing to make a difficulty of it; and then proceeds to declare, that, as they shall have other, so they shall have better bodies, than they had before, viz. spiritual and incorruptible. i 39 The scope of the place makes it evident, that by "flesh," St. Paul here means bodies, viz. that God has given to the several sorts of animals bodies, in shape, texture, and organization, very different one from another, as he hath thought good; and so he can give to men, at the resurrection, bodies of very different constitutions and qualities from those they had before. TEXT. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: PARAPHRASE. the flesh of cattle is of another kind; that of fish is different from them both; and the flesh of birds is of a peculiar sort, 40 different from them all. To look yet farther into the difference of bodies, there be both heavenly and earthly bodies; but the beauty and excellency of the heavenly bodies is of one 41 kind, and that of earthly bodies of another. The sun, moon, and stars have each of them their particular beauty and 42 brightness, and one star differs from another in glory. And so shall the resurrection of the dead be: that, which is sown k NOTE. 42 "The resurrection of the dead," here spoken of, is not the resurrection of all mankind, in common, but only the resurrection of the just. This will be evident to any one who observes, that St. Paul, having, ver. 22, declared that all men shall be made alive again, tells the Corinthians, ver. 23, that it shall not be all at once, but at several distances of time. First of all, Christ rose; afterwards, next in order to him, the saints should all be raised; which resurrection of the just is that which he treats, and gives an account of, to the end of this discourse and chapter; and so never comes to the resurrection of the wicked, which was to be the third and last in order: so that from the 23d verse to the end of the chapter, all that he says of the resurrection is a description only of the resurrection of the just, though he calls it here by the general name of the resurrection of the dead. That this is so, there is so much evidence, that there is scarce a verse, from the 41st to the end, that does not evince it. First, What in this resurrection is raised, St. Paul assures us, ver. 43, is raised in glory; but the wicked are not raised in glory. Secondly, He says, "we" (speaking in the name of all that shall be then raised) shall bear the image of the heavenly Adam, ver. 49, which cannot belong to the wicked. "We" shall all be changed, that, by putting on incorruptibility and immortality, death may be swallowed up of victory, which God giveth us, through our Lord Jesus Christ, ver. 51, 52, 53, 54, 57, which cannot likewise belong to the damned. And therefore " we," and " us," must be understood to be spoken in the name of the dead, that are Christ's, who are to be raised by themselves, before the rest of mankind. Thirdly, He says, ver. 52, that when the dead are raised, they, who are alive, shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye. Now, that these dead are only the dead in Christ, which shall rise first, and shall be caught in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, is plain from 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. Fourthly, He teaches, ver. 54, that, by this corruptible's putting on incorruption, is brought to pass the saying, that "Death is swallowed up of victory." But I think nobody will say, that the wicked have victory over death: yet 1 |