1 Corinthians 15:23

“But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, and afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.” The word τάγμα, order, denotes the place assigned in a series to each individual or group. The apostle has here before him two ranks of the risen: the first formed by Christ alone, moving foremost; it is He who opens up the way to the life of glory. Then He is followed by all His faithful people who form the second rank. It is the same idea as was expressed by the figure of the first-fruits and the harvest.

There is no solid reason for including, as Meyer would, in the expression οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, they that are Christ's, all who confess the name of Christ, Christendom in general. Paul explains clearly enough what he understands by being Christ's when he says, Romans 8:9: “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” In Colossians (1 Corinthians 3:4) he says likewise: “When Christ, our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory,” which shows that in his view Christ must be our life if His advent is to be the signal of our participation in His glorious appearing. The same also is clearly obvious from Philippians 3:11, where he goes the length of employing this expression of doubt in regard to himself: “If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.” He could not so express himself in speaking of the universal resurrection, for all will infallibly share in it; he is therefore thinking of the special resurrection, in which only true believers will participate; and he recalls the constant effort whereby alone he can reach that desirable goal. For, in order to reach it, it is necessary, according to 2 Corinthians 7:1, “to be cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,” and “to perfect holiness in the fear of God.” Such, according to St. Paul, is the character of those who are Christ's, and who shall form the second order in the company of the risen. It will not therefore be all those who bear the name of Christians. There will be a first division, which will be effected at the time of the Advent, between the true and the false members of the Church; this will be the prelude of the universal final judgment. Van Hengel has unfortunately thought of applying the word Parousia to the epoch of Christ's presence on the earth. The believers who had the privilege of living with Jesus Christ here below will also have, according to him, the privilege of rising first with Him. But how should this privilege have attached to an external and accidental circumstance? And is not the term Parousia in the New Testament a constant expression, all the meanings of which were known to the Churches? Finally, the article οἱ could not be wanting before the regimen ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ.

Edwards, at least if I understand him, refers the ἕκαστος, each, in this verse, to God, to Christ, and to believers: Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:23 a; believers, 1 Corinthians 15:23 b; God, 1 Corinthians 15:28.

The apostle now establishes the relation between this resurrection of believers at the Advent, and the whole cycle of events which shall precede the end of all things.