Resurrection, or He has Risen: a reflection
Being curious I googled the meaning of ‘resurrected’ and was rewarded with two definitions: firstly, restore (a dead person) to life and secondly revive or revitalize (something that is inactive, disused or forgotten). I don’t know about yourselves but when I had both young children and become a new Christian discussion of Jesus being resurrected was beyond practical or fruitful consideration. So, thank you for the opportunity of addressing that omission and let’s together unpack what Paul has said.
To put our reading into context: Corinth, on the narrow neck of land between the Corinthian and Sarconic Gulfs was guarantee of commercial prosperity. Merchants and sailors preferred sending goods across the isthmus rather than risking the long treacherous voyage around. Small ships were dragged across the isthmus whereas large ships had their cargo unloaded and carried to a waiting ship on the other side. It was a natural stopping-place on the route from Rome to the East, and the place where a number of trade routes met.
The rebuilt city was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia and hosted the celebrated nearby Isthmian Games, which attracted the finest athletes. Its inhabitants included a Jewish population large enough to have a synagogue (Acts 18:4). Above the isthmus towered the hill of the Acropolis, and on it stood the great temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
Corinth was a very cosmopolitan, intellectually alert, materially prosperous important city. But it was also morally corrupt. Inhabitants indulged their desires of whatever sort. The true Corinthian recognised no superior and no law but their own desires.
The Corinth church was planted by Paul consisted mainly of pagans who had been attached to the Jewish synagogue. Paul visited Corinth on two more occasions. He also wrote four times. 1 Corinthians is the second letter.
Paul received both a letter from the Corinthian Church and disquieting news of difficulties being experienced. Paul’s purpose then, in writing, is firstly to set right disorders that the Corinthians took lightly, but which he regarded as grave sins. Secondly, he wrote to answer some questions put to him. Thirdly, he wrote to give some doctrinal teaching, particularly on the resurrection.
As we turn to our passage of verses 12-19 it is important to remember that the Corinthians were not denying the Resurrection of Jesus Christ but the resurrection of the body. Having set forth the salient points in the gospel message in verses 1-11, Paul attacks the central position of his opponents who denied that the dead will rise. They probably held the Greek idea of the immortality of the soul which involved dissolution of the body. Paul’s answer is, ‘If you take that position it means that Jesus Christ has not risen again; and if that is so, the whole Christian faith is wrecked.’ With the use of six ‘ifs’ Paul explores the consequences of the belief of some Corinthian Christians who held that the body is not resurrected.
12 Paul has shown that the resurrection of Christ is central to the gospel. In the summary in the foregoing verses, it is the resurrection that is stressed. Now he inquires how, in the light of that, is it possible to deny the resurrection of dead men.’
13. Paul begins to show the consequences implied by the erroneous doctrine. If dead men in general are not raised, then it follows that Christ has not been raised.
14. The argument is carried on remorselessly. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless. The logical consequence being if there is no resurrection of Christ behind it, then the preaching message common to all the apostles (verse 11), and not just himself, has no content, no substance. It is the resurrection which shows that God is in it, and if the resurrection did not take place, then the whole thing is a sham. The faith of the Corinthians depended on the gospel which had elicited it. If that gospel was a sham, then so was the faith it produced.
15. There is a further consequence. If there is no resurrection, all the apostles are shown to be liars. The apostles had testified that God raised up Christ. Christianity is basically a gospel or good news of what God has done and not a system of just good advice. The preachers’ function is to bear witness of God’s saving acts. The apostles had done just that. They had testified that God raised Christ. However, if the dead do not rise, it is impossible that God should have done this.
16 Paul repeats his statement of verse 13, with the change from ‘no resurrection’ to not raised. These people must be made to see the logical consequences of the position that they have taken up.
17 As he had repeated the sense of verse 13, so he now repeats that of verse 14. Faith in Christ is an idle thing if its result is you are still in your sins. Paul has already pointed out that ‘Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures’ (verse 3). But if men are still in their sins this death has availed nothing. ‘Christ dead without resurrection would be a condemned, not a justified, Christ. How could he justify others?’ In that case faith is futile or fruitless. However, the words can have a second meaning. If Christ was not raised, they would be still be living in their sins like any pagans. But they have a new power over sin stemming from faith in a living Christ. Therefore, Christ must have been raised.
18. A further consequence concerns the fate of the departed. For pagans especially Greek people, death was that adversary that defeated all people. For Christians it was no more than sleep. Christ had drawn the sting from it (verse 55). Paul could speak of death as ‘gain’ (Phil 1:21), and of his desire ‘to depart, and to be with Christ’ (Phil 1:23). Thus, when believers died, they were not mourned as those irretrievably lost. They were with Christ. But only, Paul insists, if there is a resurrection. If Christ did not rise, neither will they. They are lost.
19. Paul has brought this false view to its logical conclusion. If the Christian faith is a cure-all for this life only, then given the cost of being a Christian in the pluralistic Corinthian world, Christians were the most pathetic people on earth. They should abandon their profession if there is no resurrection of the body.
From the consequences of denying the resurrection of the body Paul turns joyfully to the certainty of the resurrection of Christ, and to its consequences.
20. The fact of the resurrection is stated with simplicity and assurance. There is no doubt in Paul’s mind at all. Not only did Christ rise on a certain day: He continues permanently as the risen Lord. First-fruits comprised the first sheaf of the harvest, which was brought to the temple as an offering (Lev. 23:10f.). In a sense it consecrated the whole harvest. Moreover, first-fruits implies later fruits. Both thoughts are to the point here. Christ was not the first to rise from the dead. Indeed, He had raised some Himself. But they were to die again. His resurrection was to a life which knows no death, and in that sense, He was the first, the forerunner of all those that were to be in Him. Christ is a pledge and proof of the resurrection of his people’. Those who had fallen asleep denotes the continuing state of the faithful departed.
Paul insisted that if the Resurrection of Jesus was not a fact the whole Christian message was based on a lie, and that many thousands had died trusting a delusion. ‘Take away the Resurrection,’ he said, ‘and you destroy both the foundation and the fabric of Christian faith.’ In his letter Paul dealt with this important doctrinal issue which continues to recur in later ages. During theological studies we were introduced to a myriad of alternative hypotheses debated by others including respected theologians (e.g. Lloyd Geering) which challenged the authenticity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So now as we pray and listen to the Holy Spirit, it is our turn to wrestle with our understanding of this important issue which makes a difference to our view of life here and hereafter.
The beautiful morning prayer appearing on the screen is from Father Dave and sourced in Come, Lord Jesus: Redemptorist Mission and Novena Book. There are hard copies at the rear of the church if you would like a personal copy for use by yourself in the future. In conclusion I would like each of us to join together in saying this prayer.
God of my life, I welcome this new day. It is your gift to me, a new creation, a promise of resurrection.
I thank you for the grace of being alive this morning. I thank you for the sleep that has refreshed me. I thank you for this chance to make a new beginning.
This day is full of opportunity; let me waste none of it. This day is full of mystery and the unknown; help me to face it without fear or anxiety. This day is blessed with beauty and adventure: make me fully alive to it all. During this day keep me thoughtful, prayerful and kind. May I be courteous and helpful to others, and not turned in on myself. Keep me from any word that would hurt, or belittle, or destroy; and may the thoughts of my mind be pleasing in your sight.
When night comes again, may I look back on this day with no grievance or bitterness in my heart; and may nobody be unhappy because of anything I have done or anything I have failed to do.
Lord, bless this day for me and for everyone. Make it a day in which we grow to have the mind of Christ, your Son. Lord Jesus Christ, friend and brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen.
Liz Barrow
Lay Preacher