Explore The New TestamentSample

SAY WHAT? (What is the passage saying?)

• Paul begins this chapter with a reminder of the basics of Christianity. He gives them four key points:
  1. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
  2. He was buried
  3. He was raised on the third day.
  4. He appeared to Peter, to the twelve disciples, to more than five hundred people at the same time, to James, to all the apostles, and, last of all, to Paul.
• Unfortunately, some Corinthians were claiming that there is no resurrection of the dead. Paul explains what a critical error that is. If there is no resurrection of the dead then Jesus could not have risen. And, without Jesus' resurrection our faith is useless! He showed them the error of their thinking and how Jesus' resurrection gives us hope for life after death.
• After reiterating his message, Paul explains how disastrous it would be if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead. We would still be in our sins and without hope.
• After explaining the importance of the resurrection, Paul briefly discusses baptizing for the dead. We're not exactly sure what he's referring to. This is the only place in the Bible this is mentioned. It may have been a weird practice only the Corinthians ever did.
• Paul finishes by giving his readers a peek into what life will be like after this life. Using an example from botany, he talks about the kind of body that God’s children will receive: a seed is planted and dies before growing into something completely new, which is so large in comparison that it must be described on a different scale. Similarly, the bodies we’ll have in heaven will be new and incomparable to our present bodies. 

SO WHAT? (What are the underlying principles?)

• The resurrection of Jesus is key to the Christian faith. And because Jesus rose from the dead, his followers can be confident that their sins are forgiven and that they will have life with God after death.

NOW WHAT? (How will you personally apply this passage?)

• Have you ever studied the evidence for the resurrection so you can have a confident faith? If not, there are a ton of books you can read like The Case for Easter, Reason for God, and More Than A Carpenter.