1._Now I make known to you. _He now enters on another subject — the resurrection — the belief of which among the Corinthians had been shaken by some wicked persons. It is uncertain, however, whether they doubted merely as to the ultimate resurrection of the body, or as to the immortality of the soul... [ Continue Reading ]
2._If you keep in memory _—_unless in vain _(9) These two expressions are very cutting. In the _first, _he reproves their carelessness or fickleness, because such a sudden fall was an evidence that they had never understood what had been delivered to them, or that their knowledge of it had been loos... [ Continue Reading ]
3._For I delivered to you first of all _He now confirms what he had previously stated, by explaining that the resurrection had been preached by him, and that too as a fundamental doctrine of the gospel. _First of all, _says he, as it is wont to be with a foundation in the erecting of a house. At the... [ Continue Reading ]
5._That he was seen by Cephas _He now brings forward _eye witnesses, ( _ αὐτόπτας _) _as they are called by Luke, (Luke 1:2,) who saw the accomplishment of what the Scriptures had foretold would take place. He does not, however, adduce them all, for he makes no mention of women. When, therefore, he... [ Continue Reading ]
8._Last of all to me, as to one born prematurely, _He now introduces himself along with the others, for Christ had manifested himself to him as alive, and invested with glory. (20) As it was no deceptive vision, it was calculated to be of use (21) for establishing a belief in the resurrection, as he... [ Continue Reading ]
9._For I am the least _It is not certain whether his enemies threw out this for the purpose of detracting from his credit, or whether it was entirely of his own accord, that he made the _acknowledgment. _For my part, while I have no doubt that, he was at all times voluntarily, and even cheerfully, d... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And his grace was not vain. _Those that set free-will in opposition to the grace of God, that whatever good we do may not be ascribed wholly to Him, wrest these words to suit their own interpretation — as if Paul boasted, that he had by his own industry taken care that God’s grace toward him had... [ Continue Reading ]
11._Whether I or they _Having compared himself with the other Apostles, he now associates himself with them, and them with him, in agreement as to their preaching. “I do not now speak of myself, but we have all taught so with one mouth, and still continue to teach so.” For the verb κηρύσσομεν _(we p... [ Continue Reading ]
12._But of Christ. _He now begins to prove the resurrection of all of us from that of Christ. For a mutual and reciprocal inference holds good on the one side and on the other, both affirmatively and negatively — from Christ to us in this way: _If Christ is risen, then we will rise _—_If Christ is n... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Then is our preaching vain _— not simply as having some mixture of falsehood, but as being altogether an empty fallacy. For what remains if Christ has been swallowed up by death — if he has become extinct — if he has been overwhelmed by the curse of sin — if, in fine, he has been overcome by Sat... [ Continue Reading ]
15._We are also found to be false witnesses. _The other disadvantages, it is true, which he has just now recounted, were more serious, as regards us — that _faith was made vain _— that the whole doctrine of the gospel was useless and worthless, and that we were bereft of all hope of salvation. Yet t... [ Continue Reading ]
17._Ye are yet in your sins _For although Christ by his death atoned for our sins, that they might no more be imputed to us in the judgment of God, and has crucified our old man, that its lusts might no longer reign in us, (Romans 6:6;) and, in fine, has by death destroyed the power of death, and... [ Continue Reading ]
18._Then they who are fallen asleep. _Having it in view to prove, that if the resurrection of Christ is taken away, faith is useless, and Christianity (41) is a mere deception, he had said that the _living _remain in their sins; but as there is a clearer illustration of this matter to be seen in the... [ Continue Reading ]
19._But if in this life _Here is another absurdity — that we do not merely by believing lose our time and pains, inasmuch as the fruit of it perishes at our death, but it were better for us not to believe; for the condition of unbelievers were preferable, and more to be desired. To _believe in this... [ Continue Reading ]
20._But now hath Christ risen. _Having shown what dreadful confusion as to everything would follow, if we were to deny that the dead rise again, he now again assumes as certain, what he had sufficiently established previously — that _Christ has risen; _and he adds that he is the_first-fruits, _(48)... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Since by man came death _The point to be proved is, that Christ is the _first-fruits, _and that it was not merely as an individual that he was raised up from the dead. He proves it from contraries, because death is not from nature, but from man’s sin. As, therefore, Adam did not die for himself... [ Continue Reading ]
23._Every one in his own order. _Here we have an anticipation of a question that might be proposed: _“If _Christ’s life,” some one might say, “draws ours along with it, why does not this appear? Instead of this, while Christ has risen from the grave, we lie rotting there.” Paul’s answer is, that God... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered. He _put a bridle upon the impatience of men, when he forewarned them, that the fit time for the new life (53) would not be before Christ’s coming. But as this world is like a stormy sea, in which we are continually tossed, and our condition is s... [ Continue Reading ]
25._For he must reign _He proves that the time is not yet come when Christ will _deliver up the kingdom to the Father, _with the view of showing at the same time that the _end _has not yet come, when all things will be put into a right and tranquil state, because Christ has not yet subdued all his e... [ Continue Reading ]
27._He hath put all things under his feet _Some think that this quotation is taken from Psalms 8:6 _, _and I have no objection to this, though there would be nothing out of place in reckoning this statement to be an inference that is drawn by Paul from the nature of Christ’s kingdom. Let us follow,... [ Continue Reading ]
28._That God may be all in all _Will it be so in the Devil and wicked men also? By no means — unless perhaps we choose to take the verb to be as meaning, _to be known, and openly beheld. _In that case the meaning will be: _“For _the present, as the Devil resists God, as wicked men confound and distu... [ Continue Reading ]
29._Else what shall they do _He resumes his enumeration of the absurdities, which follow from the error under which the Corinthians labored. He had set himself in the outset to do this, but he introduced instruction and consolation, by means of which he interrupted in some degree the thread of his d... [ Continue Reading ]
30._Why are we also? “If _our resurrection and ultimate felicity are in this world, why do we of our own accord abandon it, and voluntarily encounter death?” The argument might also be unfolded in this manner: “To no purpose would we _stand in peril every hour, _if we did not look for a better life,... [ Continue Reading ]
31._I die daily _Such a contempt of death he declares to be in himself, that he may not seem to talk bravely when beyond the reach of danger. _“I _am every _day,” _says he, “incessantly beset with death. What madness were it in me to undergo so much misery, if there were no reward in reserve for me... [ Continue Reading ]
32._If according to the manner of men _He brings forward a notable instance of death, from which it might be clearly seen that he would have been worse than a fool, if there were not a better life in reserve for us beyond death; for it was an ignominious kind of death to which he was exposed. “To wh... [ Continue Reading ]
33._Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners _As nothing is easier than to glide into profane speculation, under the pretext of inquiring, (91) he meets this danger, by warning them that _evil communications _have more effect than we might suppose, in polluting our minds and corrupt... [ Continue Reading ]
34._Awake righteously _As he saw that the Corinthians were in a manner intoxicated, (97) through excessive carelessness, he arouses them from their torpor. By adding, however, the adverb _righteously, _he intimates in what way he would have them _wake up _For they were sufficiently attentive and cle... [ Continue Reading ]
35._How will they be raised up? _There is nothing that is more at variance with human reason than this article of faith. For who but God alone could persuade us that bodies, which are now liable to corruption, will, after having rotted away, or after they have been consumed by fire, or torn in piece... [ Continue Reading ]
36._Thou fool, that which thou sowest _The Apostle might have replied, that the mode, which is to us incomprehensible, is nevertheless easy with God. Hence, we must not here form our judgment according to our own understanding, but must assign to the stupendous and secret power of God the honor of b... [ Continue Reading ]
37._Thou sowest not that body that will spring up. _This comparison consists of two _parts _— _first, _that it is not to be wondered that bodies rise from rottenness, inasmuch as the same thing takes place as to seed; and _secondly, _that it is not at variance with reason, that our bodies should be... [ Continue Reading ]
39._All flesh is not, etc_. Here we have another comparison leading to the same conclusion, though there are some that explain it otherwise. For when he says, that under the name of_flesh _is comprehended the body of a man as well as of a beast, and yet the _flesh _in those two cases is different, h... [ Continue Reading ]
41._There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon _Not only is there a difference between heavenly bodies and earthly, but even the heavenly bodies have not all the same glory; for the sun surpasses the moon, and the other stars differ from each other. This dissimilarity, accordingly,... [ Continue Reading ]
43._It is sown in corruption _That there may be no doubt remaining, Paul explains himself, by unfolding the difference between their present condition, and that which will be after the resurrection. What connection, then, would there be in his discourse, if he had intended in the first instance (107... [ Continue Reading ]
44._It is sown an animal body. _As he could not express _each _particular by enumerating one by one, he sums up all _comprehensively _in one word, by saying that the body is now _animal, _(108) but it will then be _spiritual. _Now that is called _animal _which is quickened by _( __anima _ _) _the so... [ Continue Reading ]
45._As it is written, The first Adam was made _Lest it should seem to be some new contrivance as to the _animal body, _(113) he quotes Scripture, which declares that Adam _became a living soul, _(Genesis 2:7) — meaning, that his body was quickened by the soul, so that he became a living man. It is a... [ Continue Reading ]
46._But this is not first, which is spiritual. _“It is necessary,” says he, “that before we are restored in Christ, we derive our origin from Adam, and resemble him. Let us, therefore, not wonder, if we begin with the _living soul, _for as _being born _precedes in order _being born again, _so _livin... [ Continue Reading ]
47._The first Adam was from the earth. _The _animal _life comes first, because the _earthy man _is first. (119) The spiritual life will come afterwards, as Christ, the _heavenly man, _came after Adam. Now the Manichees perverted this passage, with the view of proving that Christ brought a body from... [ Continue Reading ]
49._As we have borne _Some have thought, that there is here an exhortation to a pious and holy life, into which Paul was led by way of digression; and on that account they have changed the verb from the future tense into the hortative mood. Nay more, in some Greek manuscripts the reading is φορέσωμε... [ Continue Reading ]
50._Now this I say _This clause intimates, that what follows is explanatory of the foregoing statement. “What I have said as to _bearing the image of the heavenly Adam _means this — that we must be renewed in respect of our bodies, inasmuch as our bodies, being liable to corruption, cannot inherit G... [ Continue Reading ]
Hitherto he has included two things in his reasoning. In _the first _place, he shows that there will be a resurrection from the dead: _secondly, _he shows of what nature it will be. Now, however, he enters more thoroughly into a description of the manner of it. This he calls a _mystery, _because it... [ Continue Reading ]
52._In a moment _This is still of a general nature; that is, it includes all. For in all the change will be sudden and instantaneous, because Christ’s advent will be sudden. And to convey the idea of _a moment, _he afterwards makes use of the phrase _twinkling _(or _jerk) _of the eye, for in the Gre... [ Continue Reading ]
53._For this corruptible must _Mark, how we shall live in the kingdom of God both in body and in soul, while at the same time _flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God _— for they shall previously be delivered from corruption. Our nature then, as being now corruptible and mortal, is not adm... [ Continue Reading ]
54._Then shall be brought to pass the saying _This is not merely an amplification, _( _ ἐπεξεργασία _,) _(137) but a confirmation, too, of the preceding statement. For what was foretold by the Prophets must be fulfilled. Now this prediction will not be fulfilled, until our bodies, laying aside corru... [ Continue Reading ]
As to the second clause, in which he triumphs over death and the grave, it is not certain whether he speaks of himself, or whether he meant there also to quote the words of the Prophet. For where we render it, “I will be thy destruction, O death! — thy ruin, O grave_!” _the Greeks have translated it... [ Continue Reading ]
56._The sting of death is sin _In other words, “Death has no dart with which to wound us except _sin, _since _death _proceeds from the anger of God. Now it is only with our sins that God is angry. Take away sin, therefore, and death will no more be able to harm us.” This agrees with what he said in... [ Continue Reading ]
57._But thanks be to God _From this it appears, why it it was that he made mention both of sin and of the law, when treating of death. Death has no _sting _with which to wound except _sin, _and the law imparts to this _sting _a deadly power. But Christ has conquered sin, and by conquering it has pro... [ Continue Reading ]
58._Wherefore, my brethren _Having satisfied himself that he had sufficiently proved the doctrine of the resurrection, he now closes his discussion with an exhortation; and this has much more force, than if he had made use of a simple conclusion with an affirmation. _Since your labor, _says he, _is... [ Continue Reading ]