I MAKE KNOWN (γνωριζω). See on 1 Corinthians 12:3 for this common verb. As if in reproach.THE GOSPEL WHICH I PREACHED UNTO YOU (το ευαγγελιον ο ευηγγελισαμην υμιν). Cognate accusative, "the gospel which I gospelized unto you." Note augment η after ευ- like compound verb with preposition. Note r... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WHAT WORDS I PREACHED IT UNTO YOU (τιν λογο ευηγγελισαμην υμιν). Almost certainly τις (τιν λογο, locative or instrumental, in or with) here is used like the relative ος as is common in papyri (Moulton, _Prolegomena_, p. 93f.; Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 737f.). Even so it is not clear whether the... [ Continue Reading ]
FIRST OF ALL (εν πρωτοις). Among first things. _In primis_. Not to time, but to importance.WHICH I ALSO RECEIVED (ο κα παρελαβον). Direct revelation claimed as about the institution of the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23) and same verbs used (παρεδωκα, παρελαβον). Four items given by Paul in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT HE WAS BURIED (κα οτ εταφη). Note οτ repeated before each of the four verbs as a separate item. Second aorist passive indicative of θαπτω, old verb, to bury. This item is an important detail as the Gospels show.AND THAT HE HATH BEEN RAISED (κα οτ εγηγερτα). Perfect passive indicative,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT HE APPEARED TO CEPHAS (κα οτ ωφθη Κηφα). First aorist passive indicative of the defective verb οραω, to see. Paul means not a mere "vision," but actual appearance. John uses εφανερωθη (John 21:14) from φανεροω, to make manifest, of Christ's appearance to the seven by the Sea of Galilee. P... [ Continue Reading ]
TO ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED BRETHREN AT ONCE (επανω πεντακοσιοις αδελφοις εφαπαξ). Επανω here is just an adverb with no effect on the case. As a preposition with the ablative see Matthew 5:14. This incident is the one described in Matthew 28:16 the prearranged meeting on the mountain in Galilee. The st... [ Continue Reading ]
TO JAMES (Ιακωβω). The brother of the Lord. This fact explains the presence of the brothers of Jesus in the upper room (Acts 1:14).TO ALL THE APOSTLES (τοις αποστολοις πασιν). The Ascension of Christ from Olivet.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS UNTO ONE BORN OUT OF DUE TIME (ωσπερε τω εκτρωματ). Literally, as to the miscarriage (or untimely birth). Word first occurs in Aristotle for abortion or miscarriage and occurs in LXX (Numbers 12:12; Job 3:16) and papyri (for miscarriage by accident). The verb τιτρωσκω means to wound and εκ is... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LEAST (ο ελαχιστος). True superlative, not elative. Explanation of the strong word εκτρωμα just used. See Ephesians 3:8 where he calls himself "less than the least of all saints" and 1 Timothy 1:15 the "chief" (πρωτος) of sinners. Yet under attack from the Judaizers Paul stood up for his rank... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT I AM (ο ειμ). Not,WHO (ος), butWHAT (ο), neuter singular. His actual character and attainments. All "by the grace of God" (χαριτ θεου).I LABOURED MORE ABUNDANTLY THAN THEY ALL (περισσοτερον αυτων παντων εκοπιασα). This is sober fact as shown by the Acts and Paul's Epistles. He had trem... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WE PREACH, AND SO YE BELIEVED (ουτως κηρυσσομεν, κα ουτως επιστευσατε). This is what matters both for preacher and hearers. This is Paul's gospel. Their conduct in response to his message was on record.... [ Continue Reading ]
IS PREACHED (κηρυσσετα). Personal use of the verb, Christ is preached.HOW SAY SOME AMONG YOU? (πως λεγουσιν εν υμιν τινεσ?). The question springs naturally from the proof of the fact of the resurrection of Christ (verses 1 Corinthians 15:1-11) and the continual preaching which Paul here assumes... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER HATH CHRIST BEEN RAISED (ουδε Χριστος εγηγερτα). He turns the argument round with tremendous force. But it is fair.... [ Continue Reading ]
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, they have nothing to stand on.... [ Continue Reading ]
FALSE WITNESSES OF GOD (ψευδομαρτυρες του θεου). Late word, but ψευδομαρτυρεω, to bear false witness, old and common. The genitive (του θεου) can be either subjective (in God's service) or objective (concerning God). Either makes good sense.BECAUSE WE WITNESSED OF GOD (οτ εμαρτυρησαμεν κατα του... [ Continue Reading ]
Repeats the position already taken in verse 1 Corinthians 15:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
VAIN (ματαια). Old word from adverb ματην (Matthew 15:9), devoid of truth, a lie. Stronger word than κενον in verse 1 Corinthians 15:14.YE ARE YET IN YOUR SINS (ετ εστε εν ταις αμαρτιαις υμων). Because the death of Christ has no atoning value if he did not rise from the dead. In that case he wa... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ALSO (αρα κα). Inevitable inference.HAVE PERISHED (απωλοντο). Did perish. Second aorist middle indicative of απολλυμ, to destroy, middle, to perish (delivered up to eternal misery). Cf. 1 Corinthians 8:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE HOPED (ηλπικοτες εσμεν). Periphrastic perfect active indicative. Hope limited to this life even if "in Christ."ONLY (μονον) qualifies the whole clause.MOST PITIABLE (ελεεινοτερο). Comparative form, not superlative, of old adjective ελεεινος, to be pitied, pitiable. If our hope is limi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW (νυν δε). Emphatic form of νυν with - added (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:18). It is the logical triumph of Paul after the _reductio ad impossibile_ (Findlay) of the preceding argument.THE FIRST-FRUITS (απαρχη). Old word from απαρχομα, to offer firstlings or first-fruits. In LXX for first-fruits... [ Continue Reading ]
BY MAN ALSO (δα δι' ανθρωπου). That is Jesus, the God-man, the Second Adam (Romans 5:12). The hope of the resurrection of the dead rests in Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL BE MADE ALIVE (ζωοποιηθησοντα). First future passive indicative of ζωοποιεω, late verb (Aristotle) to give life, to restore to life as here. In verse 1 Corinthians 15:36 ζωοποιειτα is used in the sense of natural life as in John 5:21; John 6:63 of spiritual life. It is not easy to catch Paul... [ Continue Reading ]
ORDER (ταγματ). Old military term from τασσω, to arrange, here only in N.T. Each in his own division, troop, rank.AT HIS COMING (εν τη παρουσια). The word παρουσια was the technical word "for the arrival or visit of the king or emperor" and can be traced from the Ptolemaic period into the second... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN COMETH THE END (ειτα το τελος). No verb γινετα in the Greek. Supply "at his coming," the end or consummation of the age or world (Matthew 13:39; Matthew 13:49; 1 Peter 4:7),WHEN HE SHALL DELIVER UP (οταν παραδιδω). Present active subjunctive (not optative) of παραδιδωμ with οταν, whenever,... [ Continue Reading ]
TILL HE HATH PUT (αχρ ου θη). Second aorist active subjunctive of τιθημ, "till he put" (no sense in saying "hath put," merely effective aorist tense for climax. Αχρ (ου), μεχρ (ου), εως (ου) all are used for the same idea of indefinite future time.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAST ENEMY THAT SHALL BE ABOLISHED IS DEATH (εσχατος εχθρος καταργειτα ο θανατος). A rather free translation. Literally, "death (note article, and so subject) is done away (prophetic or futuristic use of present tense of same verb as in verse 1 Corinthians 15:24), the last enemy" (predicate a... [ Continue Reading ]
HE PUT (υπεταξεν). First aorist active of υποτασσω, to subject. Supply God (θεος) as subject (Psalms 8:7). See Hebrews 2:5-9 for similar use. Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:8.BUT WHEN HE SAITH (οταν δε ειπη). Here Christ must be supplied as the subject if the reference is to his future and final triumph.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED (οταν δε υποταγη τα παντα). Second aorist passive subjunctive of υποτασσω, not perfect. Merely, "when the all things are subjected unto him." The aorist subjunctive has given translators a deal of needless trouble in this passage. It is prophecy, of course.... [ Continue Reading ]
ELSE (επε). Otherwise, if not true. On this use of επε with ellipsis see on 1 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 7:14.WHICH ARE BAPTIZED FOR THE DEAD (ο βαπτιζομενο υπερ των νεκρων). This passage remains a puzzle. Stanley gives thirteen interpretations, no one of which may be correct. Over thirty h... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY DO WE ALSO STAND IN JEOPARDY EVERY HOUR? (τ κα ημεις κινδυνευομεν πασαν ωραν?). We also as well as those who receive baptism which symbolizes death. Old verb from κινδυνος (peril, danger), in N.T. only here and Luke 8:23. Paul's Epistles and Acts (especially chapter 1 Corinthians 15:19) throw... [ Continue Reading ]
I PROTEST BY THAT GLORYING IN YOU (νη την υμετεραν καυχησιν). No word for "I protest." Paul takes solemn oath by the use of νη (common in Attic) with the accusative. Only here in N.T., but in LXX (Genesis 42:15). For other solemn oaths by Paul see 2 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THE MANNER OF MEN (κατα ανθρωπον). Like men, for applause, money, etc. (1 Corinthians 4:9; Philippians 3:7).IF I FOUGHT WITH WILD BEASTS AT EPHESUS (ε εθηριομαχησα εν Εφεσω). Late verb from θηριομαχος, a fighter with wild beasts. Found in inscriptions and in Ignatius. Those who argue for a... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT DECEIVED (μη πλανασθε). Do not be led astray (πλαναω) by such a false philosophy of life.EVIL COMPANY (ομιλια κακα). Evil companionships. Old word, ομιλια, from ομιλος (a crowd, gang, bunch). Only here in N.T. Good manners (ηθη). Old word (kin to εθος) custom, usage, morals. Good morals... [ Continue Reading ]
AWAKE UP RIGHTEOUSLY (εκνηψατε δικαιως). Wake up as if from drunkenness. Εκνηφω, only here in N.T. sin not (μη αμαρτανετε). Stop sinning.NO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (αγνωσιαν θεου). Old word for ignorance, in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 2:15. Ignorance of God, agnosticism. Some today (agnostics) even ta... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT SOME ONE WILL SAY (αλλα ερε τις). Paul knows what the sceptics were saying. He is a master at putting the standpoint of the imaginary adversary.HOW (πως). This is still the great objection to the resurrection of our bodies. Granted that Jesus rose from the dead, for the sake of argument, th... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU FOOLISH ONE (αφρων). Old word (α privative, φρην), lack of sense. It is a severe term and justified by the implication "that the objector plumes himself on his acuteness" (Robertson and Plummer). Proleptic position of συ (thou) sharpens the point. Sceptics (agnostics) pose as unusually intel... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT THE BODY WHICH SHALL BE (ου το σωμα το γενησομενον). Articular future participle of γινομα, literally, "not the body that will become." The newBODY (σωμα) is not yet in existence, but only the seed (κοκκος, grain, old word, as in Matthew 13:31).IT MAY CHANCE (ε τυχο). Fourth class conditi... [ Continue Reading ]
A BODY OF ITS OWN (ιδιον σωμα). Even under the microscope the life cells or germ plasm may seem almost identical, but the plant is quite distinct. On σπερμα, seed, old word from σπειρω, to sow, see on Matthew 13:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME FLESH (η αυτη σαρξ). Paul takes up animal life to show the great variety there is as in the plant kingdom. Even if evolution should prove to be true, Paul's argument remains valid. Variety exists along with kinship. Progress is shown in the different kingdoms, progress that even argues f... [ Continue Reading ]
CELESTIAL (επουρανια). Old word, from επ, upon, ουρανος, heaven, existing in heaven. Paul now rises higher in the range of his argument, above the merelyTERRESTRIAL (επιγεια, upon earth, επι, γε) bodies. He has shown differences in the bodies here on earth in plants and in the animal kingdom an... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR ONE STAR DIFFERETH FROM ANOTHER STAR IN GLORY (αστηρ γαρ αστερος διαφερε εν δοξη). A beautiful illustration of Paul's point. Αστερος is the ablative case after διαφερε (old verb διαφερω, Latin _differo_, our _differ_, bear apart). On αστηρ see Matthew 2:7 and αστρον Luke 21:25. Stars differ i... [ Continue Reading ]
SO IS THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD (ουτως κα η αναστασις των νεκρων). Paul now applies his illustrations to his argument to prove the kind of body we shall have after the resurrection. He does it by a series of marvellous contrasts that gather all his points. The earthly and the risen beings diff... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WEAKNESS (εν ασθενεια). Lack of strength as shown in the victory of death.IN POWER (εν δυναμε). Death can never conquer this new body, "conformed to the body of His glory" (Philippians 3:21).... [ Continue Reading ]
A NATURAL BODY (σωμα ψυχικον). See on 1 Corinthians 2:14 for this word, a difficult one to translate since ψυχη has so many meanings. Natural is probably as good a rendering as can be made, but it is not adequate, for the body here is not all ψυχη either as soul or life. The same difficulty exists... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAME A LIVING SOUL (εγενετο εις ψυχην ζωσαν). Hebraistic use of εις in predicate from LXX. God breathed a soul (ψυχη) into "the first man."THE LAST ADAM BECAME A LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT (ο εσχατος Αδαμ εις πνευμα ζωοποιουν). Supply εγενετο (became). Christ is the crown of humanity and has power to... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT THAT IS NOT FIRST WHICH IS SPIRITUAL, BUT THAT WHICH IS NATURAL (αλλ' ου πρωτον το πνευματικον, αλλα το ψυχικον). Literally, "But not first the spiritual, but the natural." This is the law of growth always.... [ Continue Reading ]
EARTHLY (χοικος). Late rare word, from χους, dust.THE SECOND MAN FROM HEAVEN (ο δευτερος ανθρωπος εξ ουρανου). Christ had a human (ψυχικον) body, of course, but Paul makes the contrast between the first man in his natural body and the Second Man in his risen body. Paul saw Jesus after his resur... [ Continue Reading ]
AS IS THE EARTHLY (οιος ο χοικος). Masculine gender because of ανθρωπος and correlative pronouns (οιοσ, τοιουτο) of character or quality. All men of dust (χοικο) correspond to "the man of dust" (ο χοικος), the first Adam.AS IS THE HEAVENLY (οιος ο επουρανιος). Christ in his ascended state (1 Th... [ Continue Reading ]
WE SHALL ALSO BEAR (φορεσομεν κα). Old MSS. (so Westcott and Hort) read φορεσωμεν κα. Volitive aorist active subjunctive, Let us also bear. Ellicott strongly opposes the subjunctive. It may be merely the failure of scribes to distinguish between long o and short o. Paul hardly means to say that o... [ Continue Reading ]
CANNOT INHERIT (κληρονομησα ου δυναντα). Hence there must be a change by death from the natural body to the spiritual body. In the case of Christ this change was wrought in less than three days and even then the body of Jesus was in a transition state before the Ascension. He ate and could be han... [ Continue Reading ]
A MYSTERY (μυστηριον). He does not claim that he has explained everything. He has drawn a broad parallel which opens the door of hope and confidence.WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP (παντες ου κοιμηθησομεθα). Future passive indicative of κοιμαομα, to sleep. Not all of us shall die, Paul means. Some peopl... [ Continue Reading ]
IN A MOMENT (εν ατομω). Old word, from α privative and τεμνω, to cut, indivisible: Scientific word for _atom_ which was considered indivisible, but that was before the day of electrons and protons. Only here in N.T.IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE (εν ριπη οφθαλμου). Old word ριπη from ριπτω, to thro... [ Continue Reading ]
MUST PUT ON (δε ενδυσασθα). Aorist (ingressive) middle infinitive, put on as a garment.IMMORTALITY (αθανασιαν). Old word from αθανατος, undying, and that from α privative and θνησκω, to die. In N.T. only here and 1 Timothy 6:16 where God is described as having immortality.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL HAVE PUT ON (ενδυσητα). First aorist middle subjunctive with οταν whenever, merely indefinite future, no _futurum exactum_, merely meaning, "whenever shall put on," not "shall have put on."IS SWALLOWED UP (κατεποθη). First aorist passive indicative of καταπινω, old verb to drink down, swa... [ Continue Reading ]
VICTORY (νικος). Late form of νικη.O DEATH (θανατε). Second instance. Here Paul changes Hades of the LXX for Hebrew Sheol (Hosea 13:14) to death. Paul never uses Hades.THY STING (σου το κεντρον). Old word from κεντρεω, to prick, as in Acts 26:14. In Revelation 9:10 of the sting of locusts, sc... [ Continue Reading ]
THE POWER OF SIN (η δυναμις της αμαρτιας). See Romans 4:15; Romans 5:20; Romans 6:14; Romans 6:7; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:1-5 for Paul's ideas here briefly expressed. In man's unrenewed state he cannot obey God's holy law.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THANKS BE TO GOD (τω δε θεω χαρις). Exultant triumph through Christ over sin and death as in Romans 7:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
BE YE STEADFAST, UNMOVABLE (εδραιο γινεσθε, αμετακινητο). "Keep on becoming steadfast, unshaken." Let the sceptics howl and rage. Paul has given rational grounds for faith and hope in Christ the Risen Lord and Saviour. Note practical turn to this great doctrinal argument.WORK (εργον),LABOUR ... [ Continue Reading ]