1 Corinthians 15:51-52

This bodily change, indispensable in view of the incompatibility just affirmed, is the object of a momentous revelation communicated to P., to which he calls our earnest attention: “Lo, I tell you a mystery!” On μυστήριον, see note to 1 Corinthians 2:1. P. began by demonstrating the historical fact of Christ's resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-11); he then reasoned upon it, in its bearings on religion and nature (1 Corinthians 15:12-49); now he adds a new specific revelation to crown his teaching. In doing so, P. challenges his opponents in the right of his inspiration and authority, hitherto in the background in this chap. 1 Corinthians 15:15 only vindicated his honesty.

In 1 Corinthians 15:51 b ἀλλαγησόμεθα (required by 50 and repeated in 52) bears the stress; to it the first πάντες (reiterated with emphasis) looks forward; οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα is parenthetical: “We shall all not sleep, but we shall all be changed”. ἀλλάσσω is interpreted by ἐνδύομαι of 1 Corinthians 15:53 and μετασχηματίζω of Philippians 3:21. As much as to say: “Our perishable flesh and blood, whether through death or not, must undergo a change”. That such a change is impending for the dead in Christ is evident from the foregoing argument (see esp. 22 f., 36, 42 f.); P. adds to this the declaration that the change will be universal, that it will extend to those living when the Last Trumpet sounds (1 Corinthians 15:52), amongst whom he then hoped that many of the present generation would be found: cf. 1 Corinthians 1:7; also 1 Thessalonians 4:15 ff., where the like is affirmed ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου. This hope dictates the interjected οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, which disturbs the grammar of the sentence and necessitates the contrastive δὲ attached to the repeated πάντες (see txtl. note; Wr [2564], p. 695; also El [2565] ad loc [2566]). There is no need to suppose a trajection of οὐ (as if for οὐ πάντες, or οὐ μὲν πάντες κοιμηθησ.), nor any diff [2567] between the sense of ἀλλαγησ. in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 : the certainty of change in all who shall “inherit incorruption” is declared (1 Corinthians 15:51), and the assurance is given that while this change takes place in “the dead” who are “raised incorruptible,” at the same time “we” (the assumed living) shall undergo a corresponding change (52; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:2 ff.). Thus in “all” believers, whether sleeping or waking when Christ's trumpet sounds, the necessary development will be effected (1 Corinthians 15:53 f.). The critical moment is defined by three vivid phrases: ἐν ἀτόμῳ (cl [2568] Gr [2569], ἐν ἀκαρεῖ), ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ (in ictu oculi, Vg [2570]; in a twinkling), ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ σάλπιγγι the first two describing the instantaneousness, and the last (with allusion perhaps to the saying of Matthew 24:31 : cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16) the solemn finality of the transformation. The former idea is emphasized, possibly, to preclude the fear of a slow painful process. The σάλπιγξ was the wartrumpet, used for signals and commands (cf. ἐν κελεύσματι, 1 Thessalonians 4:16); and σαλπίσει (sc. ὁ σαλπιγκτής) is indef. in subject, according to military idiom (cf. Xen., Anab., I., ii., 17). 1 Thess. iv. identifies the “trumpet” with the “archangel's voice”: any such description is of course figurative.

[2564] Winer-Moulton's Grammar of N.T. Greek (8th ed., 1877).

[2565] C. J. Ellicott's St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.

[2566] ad locum, on this passage.

[2567] difference, different, differently.

[2568] classical.

[2569] Greek, or Grotius' Annotationes in N.T.

[2570] Latin Vulgate Translation.