For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. Paul tells them just what kind of apostle he is, a called apostle. So, even though our resurrection bodies come from our present bodies, we should not expect that they will be the same bodies or just improved bodies. : Paul thanks God for the gifts among the Corinthians, even though they were causing some trouble. How much of this came in because of they kept. However, we learn something just from the meaning of the ancient Greek word apostolos, which has the idea of a special ambassador. Paul was a special ambassador of Jesus Christ to the world and to the church. Paul made it clear that to be, ? Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Paul always remembered how he had sinned against Jesus church. What about the widows son in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Lazarus (John 11:38-44), among others? iv. Christ: This is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah, or Anointed One. This is the One prophesied by the Old Testament Scriptures, sent by the Father to save and deliver us. (Messiah) meant power, splendor, and triumph. Einstein thought that their estimate was a little generous, but he replied: Is it possible that God exists in the 95% that you dont know?, d. Through the foolishness of the message: The Corinthians wanted to believe that the gospel itself was a sublime form of wisdom, as the Greeks considered wisdom (sophia). Jesus burial is also important because it fulfilled the Scriptures which declared. Therefore, if Jesus is not risen, He is unable to save. Mans flesh only is informed by a reasonable and immortal soul, not so the flesh of other creatures: and hence the difference. (Trapp). Jesus also made a special appearance to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5). : This is not a quotation from the Old Testament, or even from the words of Jesus. Yet, these positives were no great credit to the Corinthian Christians themselves. One minister of Christ may be justly preferred to another. ii. That he does, : I am in constant peril of my life. Pauls life was lived so on the edge for Jesus Christ that he could say, , . His life was always on the line; there were always people out to kill him. It may simply be unrecorded, or Paul may mean beasts figuratively, in reference to his violent and wild human opponents (as he faced at Ephesus in Acts 19:21-41). You can also change some of your preferences. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain. For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. a. : A title designating not only master and boss, but also the, : The given name of the son of Mary, and adopted son of Joseph, which is the Greek pronunciation of, : This is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew word for. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. Despite all their problems with carnality, lack of understanding, strife, divisions, immorality, and weird spirituality, they still stood for the gospel. However, we learn something just from the meaning of the ancient Greek word " apostolos ," which has the idea of "a special ambassador." Paul was a "special ambassador" of Jesus Christ to the world and to the church. O Hades, where is your victory?. i. This is a question Paul doesnt really answer in the following verses, because the answer is obvious. How do some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? I am of Cephas: There was the Peter Party, who declared We are following in the footsteps of the man who is first among all the apostles. The work of God in the Corinthian Christians could be seen by what they said, by what they learned, by a supernatural element in their lives, and by their expectant anticipation of Jesus return. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. No doubt, many of the Corinthian Christians were beginning to think of themselves in high terms because of Gods work in them. If death has power over Jesus, He is not God. 1. iv. (29-32) More reasons to believe in the principle of resurrection. If the cross doesnt seem strange to you, then you either dont understand how the cross was seen in Jesus day, or you dont understand who Jesus is. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. They got this bad thinking by associating either with Jews who did not believe in the resurrection (such as the Sadducees) or by associating with pagan, Greek philosophical types, who did not believe in the resurrection (Acts 17:31-32). 1. How does the death of Jesus do anything, i. Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. I am not an apostle through the appointment of the other apostles. , Paul may mean that he did not have a three-year gestation period as the other apostles; he came on the scene suddenly. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. v. It is possible there was not an actual Paul Party or Apollos Party or Peter Party or Jesus Party at Corinth. : God takes pleasure in accomplishing our salvation in a way no one would have expected. ii. Lady Huntington, the rich and influential friend of Whitfield and Wesley, said she was going to heaven by an m: it isnt, But God has chosen the foolish things of the world, : Looking again at the Corinthians, Paul can say you arent wise according to the world, you arent mighty, you arent noble but you are among, i. Later, James became a leader in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-21; 21:18). Jesus made a special appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7). Called to be an apostle: At the outset of the letter indeed, the very first few words Paul fearlessly declares his apostolic credentials. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory, : Some take this to mean there will be different degrees of glory for believers in heaven. Answer: First Corinthians 13:8-10: "Love never fails. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Ancient writers considered Corinth rich, prosperous always great and wealthy (Mare). It is as if he says, You all may not recognize my apostolic credentials. 1 Corinthians 5 - Confronting Immorality in the Church A. By keeping evil company, the Corinthian Christians were being conformed to this world, and they needed to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. i. Philippians 3:21 repeats Pauls theme: , the best example we have of what a resurrection body will be like is to see what Jesus resurrection body was like. Because it was becoming a divisive issue, Paul was therefore grateful that he had not baptized very many in Corinth (lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name). As is evident from 1 and 2 Corinthians, Pauls standing and authority as an apostle were not appreciated among the Christians of Corinth. e. Confirm you to the end: The Corinthian Christians had their strong points, and they had their weak points. d. To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness: The Jews regarded Christ crucified as a stumbling block; perhaps this is better understood as an offense or a scandal. There are not a handful of self-deluded souls; there are literally hundreds who saw the resurrected Jesus with their own eyes. ii. a. 2 Corinthians 4:10, Galatians 6:17. and (concrete, of felt necessity: , 50, abstract, of general principle) relate, as in 1 Corinthians 15:42 ff., to the present, living . c. But that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment: The contrast to divisions is to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. This conflict had made them divide up into parties or cliques, each party having its own leader., i. The words message of the cross sound kind of noble and religious to our twentieth-century ears. Certainly, this meeting of the resurrected Jesus with His brother. If you must execute this man, do it honorably. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. We should work hard in everything now, working for the Lord, because, Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. i. How can Paul be confident of this when the Corinthian church has so many problems? Were the ones really right with God!, ii. (12-13) The resurrection of Jesus proves there is a resurrection. Enduring Word Bible Commentary 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 In fact, he makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 15:11 that they, i. Simply put, God the Father will always be God the. He gives thanks for their conversion to the faith of Christ; that grace was given them by Jesus Christ. On all counts, the resurrection body wins! , he uses the term as a figurative title. All the redeemed on the earth at that time will rise up to meet the Lord in the clouds, and will receive their resurrection bodies. The relationship of, the Son Himself will also be subject to Him, i. a. Therefore be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord: Because we know death is defeated and we have an eternal, resurrected destiny with Jesus Christ, we should stand firm and unshakable all the more for Him right now. ii. We dont find freedom by focusing on ourselves, because Jesus became for us redemption. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? (14-19) What if there is no resurrection? That is of little importance to me, because I am not an apostle because of a popular election. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 - Sermon Writer It doesnt matter if you get the praise or the encouragement; sometimes you will and sometimes you wont. righteousness and sanctification and redemption, . Evil company corrupts good habits: This is not a quotation from the Old Testament, or even from the words of Jesus. The Corinthians were called saints, not called to be saints. We dont grow in sanctification by focusing on ourselves, but on Jesus, because Jesus became for us sanctification. . So he was fired from or quit his job as ruler of the synagogue! a. I plead with you, brethren: Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ. The power of baptism is in the spiritual reality it represents, not in who performs it. If Jesus cannot offer a complete sacrifice for sins, our sins are not completely paid for before God. The resurrection body of Jesus was material and could eat (Luke 24:39-43), yet it was not bound by the laws of nature (Luke 24:31, 24:36-37). Whether there are degrees of glory, as it seems probable, so we shall certainly know, when we come to heaven. (Trapp). : Jesus perfectly shows us, in His teaching and life, Gods wisdom. A, iv. I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Is made a "making alive spirit," a spirit that makes alive. How does His death do anything for our sins? For the message of the cross: In 1 Corinthians 1:17, Paul declared the idea that the cross could be made of no effect if it were presented with the wisdom of words. Paul says, In light of what God says in Isaiah 29:14, ? But most prominent was the worship of the Corinthian Aphrodite, who had more than 1,000 hierodouloi (female prostitutes and priestesses) in her service. Barclay says yes, and simply points out that Paul was dead wrong here. ii. 1 Corinthians 15 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (concise) - Christianity All rights reserved worldwide. Originally it said strongly, we preach Christ crucified. Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . e. If the dead do not rise, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Pauls third proof for the resurrection in this section is also compelling. I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end. do not mean Paul actually considered the message and God foolish. b. iii. The work of God in the Corinthian Christians could be seen by, iii. It doesnt matter if you get the praise or the encouragement; sometimes you will and sometimes you wont. All the more, this is why they had to hold on!