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Godet's Commentary on Selected Books

1 Corinthians 15:14

The testimony of the apostles had for its essential subject the resurrection of Christ. If this is not a fact, their testimony is an imposture.

The word κενόν, vain, denotes a testimony the matter of which is an unreal event. And if the testimony is such, it is the same with faith in the testimony; it is also vain (κενή), in that the object which it believed itself to be taking hold of is purely fictitious.

In the reading of B L (καί after ἄρα) the two καί should be regarded as correlative: “ both...and...”

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See also 1 Corinthians 15:14 in other biblical comments:

  • A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament by Bruce M. Metzger

    1 CORINTHIANS 15:14 u`mw/n {B} Although several important witnesses (including B Dgr* 33 81 330 1739) read h`mw/n, this may be either itacism for u`mw/n or mechanical assimilation to the previous h`m...

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Corinthians 15:14. _THEN_ IS _OUR PREACHING VAIN_] Our whole doctrine is useless, nugatory and false. _AND YOUR FAITH_ IS _ALSO VAIN._] Your belief of a false doctrine must necessarily be to...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND IF CHRIST IS NOT RISEN, THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN - Another consequence which must follow if it be held that there was no resurrection, and consequently that Christ was not risen. it would be vai...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    III. RESURRECTION AND THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH AND CONCLUSION: Chapter S 15-16 1. Resurrection and the Hope of the Church. CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The Gospel and the Resurrection of Christ. (1 Corinthians 1...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    How, in face of this preaching, can any Christian say there is no resurrection? If a resurrection of the dead is out of the question this involves a denial that Christ has been raised. This fact, howe...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    JESUS' RESURRECTION AND OURS (1 Corinthians 15:1-58) 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 is both one of the greatest and one of the most difficult Chapter s in the New Testament. Not only is it in itself difficult...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    If it is continually proclaimed that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some among you say that the resurrection of the dead does not exist? If the resurrection from among the dead does not...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BE NOT RISEN. has not been raised. PREACHING. App-121. FAITH. App-150. _ IS_ ALSO. also _is_....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _vain_ i.e. _useless, in vain_, as we say. Literally, EMPTY. Vulg. _inanis_. "You have a vaine faith if you believe in a dead man. He might be true _man_, though He remained in death. But it concerns...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:1-58. THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION This chapter is one of the deepest and most mysterious in the Bible. It is the one exception to the statement in ch. 3 that St Paul was unable t...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΕἸ ΔΈ. AND IF. Here and in 1 Corinthians 15:16 it is the simple continuation of the argument. ΚΕΝΉ, i.e. _useless, in vain_, as we say. Literally, _empty._ Vulg. _inanis_. ‘You have a vaine faith if y...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _CONSEQUENCES OF DENYING THE RESURRECTION 1 CORINTHIANS 15:12-19:_ Paul asked, "If we preach that Christ was raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life?" If th...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΓΉΓΕΡΤΑΙ _perf. ind. pass. от_ ΈΓΕΊΡΩ (G1453) поднимать (_см._ 1 Corinthians 15:12). Ind. в _conj._ 1 типа, предполагающем ради силы аргумента реальность условия, ΚΕΝΌΝ (G2756) пустой, бессодержател...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS SECTION 2 Its Holiness (1 Corinthians 15:12-34) 12 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if th...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. YOUR FAITH IS ALSO VAIN (1 Corinthians 15:11). The Greek for "vain" here is empty, unreal [ kenon (G2756)]; in...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    12 The resurrection is the very fundamental of fundamentals. The death of Christ is essential to the evangel, yet it is not enough. A dead Christ cannot save. The resurrection is not only essential, b...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DENIAL OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD LOGICALLY INVOLVES THE DENIAL OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION, WHICH WOULD OVERTHROW THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN FAITH. The belief in the resurrection of the dead is bound up w...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    _(F) THE FACT AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD_ Some Corinthians disbelieved in the resurrection of the dead—not, apparently, in Christ's Resurrection, though St. Paul felt this would...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    VAIN] i.e. there is nothing in it....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    SERVANTS OF CHRIST 1 CORINTHIANS _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 15 *RESURRECTION 15:1-58 The reason that Paul was writing about the *resurrection is in verse 12. Some Christians were saying that there i...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IF CHRIST BE NOT RISEN. — Better, _but if Christ be not raised;_ and so all through this passage. THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN, AND YOUR FAITH IS ALSO VAIN. — The Apostles had preached a risen Christ, t...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 21 THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST I. ITS PLACE IN THE CHRISTIAN CREED PAUL having now settled the minor questions of order in public worship, marriage, intercourse with the heathen, and the othe...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 23 CONSEQUENCES OF DENYING RESURRECTION IN endeavoring to restore among the Corinthians the belief in the resurrection of the body, Paul shows the fundamental place occupied in the Christian...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    § 51. IF CHRIST IS NOT RISEN? Paul has intrenched his own position; he advances to demolish that of his opponents. His negative demonstration, taking the form of a destructive hypothetical syllogism,...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The implicit affirmative conclusion just intimated P. will develop afterwards. He has first to push the opposing axiom to further consequences. (1) if the fact is untrue, _the testimony is untrue_ “Bu...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    CHRIST'S RESURRECTION ASSURES OURS 1 Corinthians 15:12 The argument here goes to show, first, that our resurrection is intimately connected with Christ's. There must be such a thing, because he, as t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The last fact of the "spiritualities" is the resurrection, and the apostle first gives the proof of the resurrection of Christ. His final proof was his own experience. It is evident that there were so...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    An Empty Hope Without A Resurrected Lord Since the Corinthian brethren had accepted the fact of Christ's resurrection, as supported by the verses we studied in the last lesson, the apostle wondered wh...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (5) And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain. (5) The proof of that absurdity, by other absurdities: if Christ is not risen again, the preaching of the...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    He brings many reasons to convince them of the resurrection. 1. If there be no resurrection for others, Christ is not risen again: but his resurrection (as he tells them ver. 4) was foretold in the Sc...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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)...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    As usual, the introductory words (1 Corinthians 1:1-3) of the epistle give us no little intimation of that which is to follow. The apostle speaks of himself as such "called [to be] an apostle of Jesus...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE DILEMMA_ ‘And if Christ be not risen, then is out preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.’ 1 Corinthians 15:14 The Apostle justly argued that if Christ be not risen it is another Christia...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    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...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    But other evils had found means to introduce themselves into the midst of the shining gifts which were exercised in the bosom of the flock at Corinth. The resurrection of the dead was denied. Satan is...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND IF CHRIST BE NOT RISEN,.... If this is a truth, and must be taken as granted, as it must be, if there is no resurrection at all: THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN; false, empty, delusory, unprofitable,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And if Christ be not risen, then _is_ our preaching vain, and your faith _is_ also vain. Ver. 14. _Then is our preaching vain_] Never was there any imposture put upon the world as Christianity, if Ch...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Then is our preaching_ In consequence of a commission supposed to be given after his resurrection; _vain_ Without any real foundation, and destitute of truth; _and your faith_ In our preaching; _is v...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    VAIN; useless, because not true....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND IF CHRIST BE NOT RISEN, THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN, AND YOUR FAITH IS ALSO VAIN....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The resurrection of Christ basic for the Christian's faith:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    This chapter itself forms a third division of the book, and deals with another most serious matter in Corinth. Some among them denied the resurrection of the dead. But the resurrection of Christ is th...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    AND IF CHRIST HATH NOT BEEN RAISED, THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN, YOUR FAITH ALSO IS VAIN. 'then is our preaching vain' -'without any basis, without truth' (Willis p. 540) 'Empty' (Robertson p. 189); '...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    12-19 Having shown that Christ was risen, the apostle answers those who said there would be no resurrection. There had been no justification, or salvation, if Christ had not risen. And must not faith...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Now, (saith the apostle), if Christ be not raised, in what a case are you! And we also, who have preached his resurrection to you! Our preaching is vain and false, and your faith is so also, for the o...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain. [The resurrection of Christ was the very heart of the gospel, the essence of gospel preaching. The Corinthians...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Corinthians 15:14 And G1161 if G1487 Christ G5547 is G1453 not G3756 risen G1453 (G5769) then G686 o

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    'And if Christ has not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain.' The whole of the Apostolic teaching was based on the fact that Jesus Christ had died, been buried and had rise...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1 Corinthians 15:14. AND ... THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN, YOUR FAITH ALSO IS VAIN all Christianity, as a historical fact, is subverted....

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    VAIN (κενον). _Inanis_, Vulgate. Old word, empty. Both Paul's preaching and their faith are empty if Christ has not been raised. If the sceptics refuse to believe the fact of Christ's resurrection,...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:14 This is the Apostle's way of saying, as strongly as he can, that there is no doubt whatever about the fact of our Lord's resurrection from the dead. He tells his readers that Chri...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:12 The fact of the resurrection of Christ and the belief in a general resurrection are intimately and inseparably connected. So the Apostle Paul here, as elsewhere, teaches. The resur...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:12 The Certainty of the Resurrection Demonstrated. There are two propositions furnished by the Apostle in our text each is comprehensive of many truths, and may be divided into more....

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:14 What Comes of a Dead Christ? I. The first point the Apostle makes is this: that with the resurrection of Jesus Christ the whole gospel stands or falls. II. Secondly, with the re...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:1. _Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory wh...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:1. _Moreover, Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory wh...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:1. _Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory wh...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 Corinthians 15:1. _Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory wh...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of believers resulting from it. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Paul, Cephas, James, Adam. CONCLUSION: The resurrection of Christ, together with His...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Corinthians 15:1. _I declare unto you the gospel by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you._ We have here an epitome of the whole gospel, comprising essentially the d...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    AND IF CHRIST. "If Christ was not raised from death, then all of us (1 Corinthians 15:11) are telling a lie. And if we are telling a lie, then there is no Good News....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 CORINTHIANS 15:1 The Futility of Faith If the Dead Are Not Raised. Many people in the ancient Greco-Roman world believed that death ended life completely or led to a permanent but shadowy existence...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 15 SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER He proves the resurrection of the dead against the false teachers who denied it: I. From the fact of Christ's resurrection. Thus (ver. 12) he gives the bearing of...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ 1 Corinthians 15:12.—Cf. the strain of 1 Thessalonians 4:14, or Romans 8:11. Also see that it is “_Christ_” [and not first of all facts about Him] who is the burden and substance o

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1 _The doctrine of the resurrection. _This chapter, and the thirteenth, on Christian love, stand out, even among the writings of St. Paul, as pre-eminently beautiful and i...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn to I Corinthians, chapter 15. The Corinthian church was a real mess. A lot of carnality that led to divisions, a lot of party spirit, a real misunderstanding of the spiritual gifts, a lot o...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 15:17; 1 Corinthians 15:2; Acts 17:31; Galatians 2:2;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Vain [κ ε ν ο ν]. Empty, a mere chimaera...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL 1 Corinthians 15:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS The Apostle Paul said: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and where...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Then is our preaching — From a commission supposed to be given after the resurrection. Vain — Without any real foundation....

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New Testament