Chapter 15
V1-2 Every Christian receives the good news of Yeshua the Messiah, in which they live by. Salvation is only promised to those who katecho/hold down fast that which they have been taught, lest the faith be made redundant. This is a recurring principle throughout the scriptures that faith without the good deeds laid out in the gospel of Yeshua is futile. The gospel of Yeshua, the Word of Elohim, the light of the world, the way the truth and the life are all attributes of Torah. Yeshua is the personification and fulfilment of Torah. Hence good deeds that validate faith are the keeping of Torah cf Jm 2:14,17,18,24,26; Matt 7:21-23;26-27; Tit 3:8.
V3-4 cf Gal 1:11-12. After having read the whole of chapter 15, the theme touched upon is readily observed to be that of resurrection of the dead, details of which are outlined succinctly. It is evident that there was debate regarding not only the existence of resurrection, but also the manner in which it was to occur. Paul initially proves that the resurrection of the dead is indeed an event which shall occur, and he commences by reminding them of Yeshua the first fruits of the resurrected dead. Paul emphasizes that Yeshua fulfilled scripture by dying for our sins and also resurrecting on the third day cf Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:9-10; Hosea 6:2.
V5 cf Lk 24:34,36; Jn 20:19. Peter was the first of the apostles to see Yeshua in the resurrected body, followed by the remaining 10 of the original 12 disciples.
V6 Next more than 500 people saw Yeshua all simultaneously, not randomly, in his resurrected state, some of whom were still alive at the writing of the epistle, some of whom having died. The fact that there were over half a thousand witnesses, would have been irrefutable proof of the true reality of life after death.
V7 Afterwards, James the step brother of Yeshua saw him too, followed by all the apostles, possibly a reference to for example the 70 amongst others, who were not of the original 12. This could also be a reference to the second time Yeshua appeared to the apostles including Thomas Jn 20:26.
V8 Ektroma translated ‘born out of due time’ is Greek for an abortion or an untimely birth. Paul constantly drew upon Tanakh/Old Testament scripture in his narratives of which Job 3:16; Eccl 6:3 is referenced. Paul was seen last after His ascension on the road to Damascus Acts 9:3-5, 1 Cor 9:1. An abortion was considered not worthy of being regarded as being amongst mankind, and Paul equally felt he did not deserve such grace bestowed upon him to be even considered an apostle. Secondly, he never communed with Yeshua during His ministry on earth as did the other apostles, yet as one born prematurely, was given a great measure of revelation, surpassing some of the original twelve.
V9 Paul lays out the reason why he considered himself as unworthy of the gospel of eternal life, as an aborted foetus is denied life itself too. As one who brought much misery and grief through persecuting the early Christian ecclesia, he felt undeserving, to be even reckoned among the apostles, at the very most considering himself least of the apostles. Paul was rightly so-called, his name meaning ‘small, little, the least’ in Latin.
V10 Such a fiend found grace in Elohim’s eyes. It is such ineffable love for mankind that Elohim has that we shall never understand, whereby the most decrepit soul still living on earth, still has hope of salvation, if he will but submit, confess his sins and accept Yeshua, his creator as the Messiah who died for him and shed His blood for him, to be freed from the grip of Satan. Many a testimony to this day of Muslim terrorists, Satanists, communist torturers and such like, exist of amazing grace bestowed upon these once hell-bound reprobates, who found the truth in Messiah, repented, and were redeemed of His blood, and began to serve as mighty spiritual warriors, bringing many souls for Messiah into the kingdom.
Usually redeemed men who have been down the road of dark deeds, tend to be more powerful in Elohim’s service, as they have a greater hatred for evil, having known how intense the judgement would have been, had they not been bestowed such grace and truth, waking them up from the severe delusion of Satan’s lies. This would explain why Paul appreciated this grace of Elohim in him, with much profundity of service to the great commission, which outweighed that of his fellow apostles.
V11 Whether he or the apostles preached, what mattered most was that the Corinthians believed. Paul did not want his previous statement to be misconstrued as a declaration of greater worth than the other apostles, lest the Corinthians were to continue erroneously respecting one apostle over another which had brought much division amongst them cf 1:11-13. Paul maintained complete humility in his last two statements, expressing his complete devotion to Elohim’s cause, and also not undermining the work of the other apostles.
V12-14 If all the apostles were preaching the same gospel of Messiah’s resurrection, coupled with the abundance of witnesses of Yeshua’s appearances post resurrection and pre-ascension, then how was it that some in the ecclesia were denying such a truth? Surely the gospel would hence be in vain and all the toil and hardships of its preaching by the apostles futile, ultimately rendering the ecclesia’s faith a complete farce.
V15-16 Not only so, but the apostles would hence need to be labelled false witnesses, breaking the ninth of the ten commandments, if indeed the resurrection weren’t true. Paul was through many angles of argument revealing how preposterous it was to not believe in the resurrection. The very fact that irrefutable evidence of Yeshua’s resurrection existed, proved in itself the resurrection of the dead awaiting us all, be it unto eternal life or eternal damnation.
v17 These members of the ecclesia denying the resurrection would by definition have a paradoxical faith and hence be wasting their time, contradicting themselves, since the faith required to be a Christian, is in the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah for forgiveness of sins. The blood shed on the cross and subsequent resurrection victory over death and Hades, and claiming of the keys by Yeshua, is what redeems us from our sins. Had Yeshua failed to rise from the dead, He would not have been able to take His blood into the heavenly Holy of Holies to offer unto Elohim the Father for the remission of our sins.
V18 By failing to rise from the dead, Yeshua would have been unable to return one day for the current dead awaiting the rapture, and transformation into incorruptible bodies as mentioned at the end of this chapter.
V19 The gospel states that faith in Yeshua leads to justification, which by good deeds i.e. obeying the commandments of Yeshua, of which none other than the Torah were given, leads to hope of salvation unto eternal life. If this hope were limited to life on this earth, then what great misery true saints would have, considering the trials and tribulations endured by them for their faith in Messiah on earth. What spurred on Paul’s zeal in his faith, was that assured hope of resurrection unto eternal life awaiting all other true saints of Elohim.
V20 Yeshua did indeed rise from the dead on the feast of first fruits, and waved that omer/sheaf before YHVH the Father in the heavenly courts, fulfilling Lev 23:10-14. He was that lamb without blemish, his resurrected body being that fine flour balal/mingled, anointed with oil which represents the Holy Spirit, His blood representing the wine offered as a drink offering for that sacred day. That sheaf he held in His hands, must surely be what caused Mary Magdalene to confuse Yeshua for the gardener, as He was yet to rise into the throne room of Elohim to fulfil this Holy convocation cf Jn 20:11-17.
Note how Yeshua forbade her from touching Him, as He was yet to ascend to heaven in His glorious resurrected state, and could not afford to lose His unblemished state by sin-tainted Mary touching him, prior to this most sacred event. Although Elijah raised the widow’s son from the dead, and despite Yeshua raising Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter and the widow’s son from Nain from the dead too, Yeshua was the first fruits of them that died in that He is the first raised from the dead to remain forever alive. The others mentioned would have died a second time, and await Yeshua’s second advent to be resurrected unto eternal life.
V22-23 Every descendant of Adam excluding the living at the rapture, is to die due to the penalty of sin Rom 6:23, but Yeshua having conquered death became the first fruits of the dead, and we, who are redeemed by His blood, are to be resurrected from the dead at His second coming. The order of resurrection is:
1. Yeshua the son of Elohim
2. The righteous dead at His second advent unto eternal life 1 Thes 4:16
3. The 2 witnesses of Rev 11:7-14
4. The unregenerate unto eternal damnation Rev 20:4-6;12-15.
v24 -26 These verses continue Paul’s panorama of eschatological events, which are further revealed in the book of Revelation. After the 1000-year reign of Yeshua on earth, He shall deliver the conquered kingdom to Elohim the Father, fulfilling the crushing of all enmity comprised of:
1. arche/leaders of the fallen angelic realm e.g. Prince of Persia, Grecia cf Dan 10:20. The same word arche in the Septuagint LXX is used for prince.
2. exousia/authority who in Dan 3:2,3 are translated sheriffs which in King James’ era were county or city officials. In the spiritual realm they are clearly spiritual potentates of a high order, probably next in rank to princes.
3. dunamis/power
V25 fulfils Ps 110:1-2. It is important to note that the first ‘He’ refers to Yeshua who must reign a thousand years on earth. The second ‘He’ refers to Elohim the Father who is the authority that places all things under the feet of His Son Yeshua. Although not obvious here, Paul clarifies this in v27.
V26 Death and Hades shall be the last to be thrown into the lake of fire after Satan Rev 20:14. Note in Heb 2:14 that before Yeshua’s triumph over death, Satan had the power over death. Yeshua took away the keys of death and Hades from Satan Rev 1:18.
V27 If all things are put under Yeshua, one may mistakenly think that YHVH the Father would also be under Yeshua. However, in order to avoid blasphemous statements, Paul clarifies that it is YHVH the Father, who is the authority that placed all things under His Son Yeshua the Messiah. Cf Ps 8:6; Heb 2:8 Additionally, Paul expresses that it is manifest that the Father is ektos/outside of, or aside from, translated ‘excepted’ those things put under Messiah.
V28 Although Yeshua the Son is equal to Elohim the Father, He wilfully put Himself under the Father in obedience, for the sake of mankind’s salvation. This is fully elucidated in the epistle to the Hebrews. In Col 3:8-11 we are taught that Messiah is presently all and in all of those who renew their minds and are a new man in Him. When Yeshua subdues all enmity, and surrenders the kingdom to the Father v24, because Yeshua will be subject to the Father who reigns over all, it is the Father who then shall be all and in all. The Father is greater than the Son cf Jn 14:28. After all enmity is thrown into the lake of fire, evil shall no longer exist, meaning there shall no longer be a need for a mediator, nor prophets, nor priests, nor kings to govern under Elohim. Elohim the Father shall then govern all creation, to which He shall directly communicate with.
V29 Paul picks up where he left off in v19. There apparently was a practice in the times of these Corinthians, whereby there was baptism for the dead. This is a totally unscriptural practice of which Paul did not subscribe to, hence his use of the word ‘they’ in reference to those who practised such, as opposed to ‘we’, which might have entangled him with such superstition. Regardless, Paul is using this superstitious behaviour of theirs to stress how even such a practice would prove futile if these people did not believe in the resurrection. Why baptize for the dead if they are to remain dead is the point made here.
V30 As for Himself and other saints referred to as ‘we’, i.e. those who do not practice the superstitious behaviour of baptism for the dead, Paul asks the Corinthians why He and other saints suffer in this world, if there is no resurrection of the righteous dead unto heavenly rewards and eternal life. It would be equally as foolish for them to endure perils from the enemy on earth, as those baptising for the dead, if both parties were not to be resurrected from the dead one day.
V31 So joyful and confident in the gospel’s victory over the souls preached to in Corinth, that Paul was prepared to die daily in complete hope of the resurrection. He uses hyperbole here to express his total belief in the resurrection of the dead, that a daily death for him would be a pleasure in that he was thrilled to have successfully won these souls for Messiah through preaching the gospel.
V32 kata translated ‘after the manner’ can be better translated as ‘according to’. Hence according to men, Paul had fought beasts in Ephesus. Whether these beasts referred to real animals or figuratively as Paul’s enemies, we have no record of in scripture. However, he clearly endures extremely troubling, deadly perils as described in 2 Cor 1:8-10. The point made here is what would be the point of looking death in the face, and undergoing unbearable trial and tribulation for Messiah’s gospel, if there was no hope for reward through resurrection of the righteous dead unto eternal life. If there is no resurrection then why not live a life of gluttony and hedonism cf Isa 22:13.
V33 Paul quotes Euripedes’ (480-406 BC) play Aiolos, Bad company ruins good morals. He also quotes Thais, a comedy by the Greek poet Menander (342-293BC). This Greek proverb was utilized here to caution the Corinthians from associating themselves with those who denied the resurrection, as this would corrupt their faith in Yeshua and His gospel truth. Paul was a learned scholar, familiar with classical literature cf Acts 17:28 where he quotes ‘Cretia’ by Epimenides (c600BC); Phaenomena by Aratus, a stoic thinker ascribing to Zeus (315-245BC). Also, Titus 1:12 Epimenides is quoted in his work Concerning oracles. He was a seer, philosopher and poet who scolded the Cretans for making a tomb to Zeus, who was believed to be immortal.
V34 Eknepho/return to soberness of mind is translated ‘awake’. False doctrine such as denial of the resurrection is considered a sin, as it leads one down a dark path of deception. To ultimately lack knowledge of Elohim, especially through ignorance, as is rampant amongst non-Bible reading nominal Christians of today, is not only shameful, but more dangerously so, is considered sinful. We must have a zeal for our faith that surpasses that of those who seem to fervently follow false religions such as Islam and Buddhism to a greater degree than the dormant Christian church of our day. By exhorting the ecclesia to awake, Paul was using a play on words relating to the topic of resurrection cf Rom 13:11.
V35-37 Paul commences the next section of giving much revelation concerning the resurrection. It was unknown what state one would be in the resurrection. An analogy of a seed sown is given to paint a picture of the transformation one goes through in resurrection of the body. Zoopoieo is the Greek word translated ‘quickened’ which is King James English for restored to life. A seed must die, before it germinates into a plant. In v36 Paul uses the word aphron/senseless, without intelligence, which differs from Yeshua’s use of moros/fool of which we must not call a brother in Matt 5:22. In verse 37 that which is sown is made gumnos/stripped of the body. Paul uses this word in allusion to the soul of a human being, which at death is stripped of the body. Just as the bare seed transforms into some new plant such as wheat, so also the soul is transformed into some other form of body, different to that at death.
V38-41 Elohim, through His good pleasure created a whole myriad of life forms. Paul draws upon this great diversity to illustrate the difference not only perceived between various classes of life forms such as celestial versus terrestrial, but also degrees of heterogeneity within bodies of the same class e.g. within the terrestrial and within the celestial beings. Not only so, but also some bodies are more glorious than others within their specific categories These illustrations are utilized to logically illuminate the difference in character of the less glorious Adamic body of man, to that of the glorious resurrected body in Messiah.
V42-50 Earthy man versus Resurrected man:
1. Sown in corruption (decay) vs Raised in incorruption (perpetuity).
2. Sown in dishonour vs Raised in glory.
3. Sown in weakness vs Raised in power.
4. Natural body (sensuous) vs Spiritual body.
5. Living soul (mortal) vs Quickening/increase of life spirit.
6. Earthy vs Heavenly
7. Flesh and blood vs Flesh and bones.
V44 the word psuchikos translated ‘natural’ is better rendered sensuous or soulish, that is to say a body governed by the soul of man i.e. of the first Adam.
V45 First Adam was made a zao psuche/living soul but the last Adam i.e. Yeshua, is a zoopoieo pneuma/life-giving spirit. Adam was given life but Yeshua is the giver of life.
V50 The incorruptible body shall have flesh and bone cf Lk 24:39; Eph 5:30. It is quite evident that the Adamic life is sustained in blood cf Lev 17:11. However in the resurrected body, blood shall no longer be a necessity. However, flesh and bone shall furnish the resurrected form, which shall be palpable, be capable of consuming food, but have the ability to pass through walls for example, being able to traverse into the spiritual dimension as demonstrated by Yeshua in His resurrected form cf Lk 24:36-43,51.
V51 Paul shares a secret previously unknown but now revealed, that not all shall die, as some shall be alive at the coming of Messiah. Paul clearly believed in the imminent return of Yeshua, and possibly hoped that it would be in his lifetime. Every generation since has pretty much believed that Yeshua would return in their lifetime, so as not to experience death, but be transformed. The revelation of Yeshua to John, thankfully gives us greater information relating to the last days. It is safe to say that Yeshua shall not be returning till after the temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt, and the world is fully back to the days of Noah. It is futile to believe any prophecies that fail to accept this reality, and set ridiculous dates incongruous to scripture.
V52-53 atomos translated ‘moment’ means something indivisible that cannot be cut into two. Rhipe translated ‘twinkling’ means a stroke or beat. The revelation here is that our bodies shall so rapidly be transformed in less than a nanosecond from the pthartos/perishable to the aphthartos/imperishable. This shall occur at the eschatos/last in a series of time salpigx/ trumpet. What is this last trumpet? Cf Exo 19:16. The Hebrew word shofar/ram’s horn is in the Septuagint LXX translated salpigx too. This is the first clue. The last trump shall be that of a ram’s horn, the shofar, which we know is blown at the feast of trumpets cf Lev 23:24 where in the Septuagint LXX salpiggon, denoting a ram’s horn, the shofar is used again. There are a number of scriptural references to this last trump which are:
1. Matt 24:31-This verse seems to suggest that there shall only be one trumpet sound, as opposed to several as some commentators conclude. The 7 trumpets of the book of Revelation commencing in Rev ch 8 are trumpets of Elohim’s wrath on the unrepentant world, which occur after the rapture. The rapture occurs between the 6th and 7th seal, those raptured being described in Rev 7:13-17. The angels gathering the elect in Matt 24:31 are the same of Rev 7:1. Compare the same narrative of Matt 24:29-31 with Rev 6:12-7:1.
2. 1 Thess 4:16-17. The last trump is further identified as that of Elohim
3. Isa 27:12-13-This last trump not only shall be for the rapture of believing, obedient saints, but also coincides with the gathering of the Israelites, whose number shall be 144000 as depicted in Rev 7:4. These 144000 shall be gathered it appears from Egypt and Assyria. These shall be the true ethnic Israelites, and unlikely to be those largely of Japhethitic, Ashkenazi, Khazarian origin, who claim to be Jews, but ethnically are not. These have defiled the land of Israel with much worldly, unholy, unclean, immoral living steeped in open blasphemy against Yeshua, and acceptance of all manner of anti-biblical doctrines, the vast majority being atheist.
V54-55 cf Hos 13:14 Death shall no longer have power over the raptured saints, as the incorruptible bodies will be incapable of sinning, due to the new, imperishable flesh no longer being subject to the lusts leading to sin, which culminates in death.
V56 Sin takes advantage of mortal, carnal man by using the Torah and its subsequent curses for breaking it, to strengthen itself and sting carnal man with death. This does not mean that Torah is at fault, but rather that carnal man devoid of the grace of Yeshua which sanctifies and justifies, is at a great disadvantage, and incapable of keeping Torah by his own works cf Rom 7:12.
V57-58 It is futile to try and obey Torah which is faultless, through our faulty corrupt bodies which war against that which is spiritual. It is only through indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Yeshua HaMashiach, that our spirit may be able to be guided to have dominion over our soul and body, and obey Torah in steadfastness cf Rom 7:22-8:13 which beautifully explains this concept.