Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15.19–15.58

“If in this life only we are hoping in Christ, we are more to be pitied than all men.” It is plain that we hope in Christ both in this present life and in the future; for Christ does not desert his servants here either, but gives them grace, and in the future they will be in eternal glory. But if there were no hope of the future life, we would be, as he said, more to be pitied than all men. For to what end fasts, vigils, deaths, a clean life, righteousness, mercy, death, if there is to be no reward for these in the future? But unbelievers at least enjoy this life.

“But now Christ has risen from the dead, the firstfruits of those who sleep; for since by man came death, by man also the resurrection of the dead.” In saying this he touches the false prophets, who denied that Christ was born, and therefore that flesh rose; for one who was not born does not die either. He proves that Christ rose from the dead in this way, that he was a man, so that there is no doubt that a man was raised from the dead by God; so that, since death was found by man's sin, the righteousness of Christ merited the resurrection of the dead.

“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” He says this because, as Adam by sinning found death and held all who come from his origin so that they are dissolved, so also Christ, not sinning, and thereby conquering death (for one who does not sin conquers death, since death is from sin), acquired life, that is, resurrection, for all who are of his body. Although, then, he granted a general resurrection, so that, as in Adam all, whether just or unjust, die, so in Christ all, believers as well as unbelievers, rise again, though the unbelievers to punishment; still they are seen to be made alive, because they will receive their bodies, no longer to die, but to suffer punishment in them without end, because they refused to believe.

“But each in his own order.” Now he wants to set out the order of the resurrection, lest they think it a fable because it has not yet happened in the rest; he sets out for them the orders and times, when it has been done, and when it is to be, that the dead rise. “Christ the firstfruits.” As in the Acts of the Apostles he testifies that it was written in Moses (Acts 26:23): “That the Christ must suffer, that he first would rise from the dead”, and so on. He rose first, then, to become a pattern for those who believe in him. “Then those who are Christ's, who have believed in his coming.” This is to be understood in two ways; for at his second coming the saints will rise, according to the faith of the Apocalypse of John (Rev 20:12), as also at his first coming, when he rose, many bodies of the saints rose (Matt 27:52), as a public testimony that death had been conquered and despoiled. Under one expression, then, he includes the Lord's two comings.

“Then the end, when he will have handed over the kingdom to God the Father, when he will have abolished every principality and every power and every virtue and every domination. For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet; for he has subjected all things under his feet. The last enemy, death, will be destroyed.” He says this because, the kingdom having been handed over, the end of the world will come, the resurrection having been completed. Some, frightened by the harshness of the expression, while they wish to think piously, as it were, turn away from the proper meaning. For they shudder on hearing the sound of the words, “when he will have handed over the kingdom to God the Father”, thinking that by this handing over, if it is understood according to the sound of the words, he remains empty; as if, if he hands it over, he no longer has it himself; as though the Father, handing over all things to the Son, had emptied himself. For the Lord himself says: “All things have been handed over to me by my Father” (Matt 11:27); and later: “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). See, while the Son reigns, the Father also reigns. How, then, should the Son, handing over the kingdom, be believed to empty himself, when the angel says to Mary: “And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32–33)? And Daniel says of the same kingdom, among other things: “The God of heaven will raise up another kingdom which will never be destroyed; and this kingdom will be eternal” (Dan 2:44). Let no one doubt, then, that the Son will always reign with the Father. But this handing over of the kingdom is this: when all things have been subjected to the Son and have worshipped him as God, death having been destroyed, then the Son will show them that he is not the one from whom all things are, but through whom all things are; and this will be to hand over the kingdom to God the Father: to show that he is the one from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named (Eph 3:15); and then will be the end. The destruction of death, however, is the resurrection of the dead.

“But when it says, All things are subjected to him, it is clear that he is excepted who subjected all things to him. And when all things have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who subjected all things, so that God may be all in all.” The sense is the same, which he now opens, so as to make plain what it is for the Son to hand over the kingdom to God the Father; but he adds this to the sense, that the Father, handing over the kingdom to the Son, did not subject himself to him, as the Son subjected himself to the Father; for it is unfitting that the Father be subjected to the Son. The Father, then, subjected all things to the Son, so that he might be honoured likewise as the Father is honoured. When, therefore, all things have confessed Christ as God, laid beneath his feet, then Christ the Lord himself will also be subjected to God the Father, “so that God may be all in all.” He says this because, when the pride of all principalities and powers and dominions has been crushed, and they have worshipped Christ as God, then Christ too, because of the unique authority of the Father, will show himself to be God indeed, but God from God; so that the lofty and ineffable authority of the one principle may remain. This is for the Son to subject himself to the Father, this is for God to be all in all; for when every creature learns that its head is Christ, and that the head of Christ is God the Father, God the Father is all in all (Phil 2:10–11); that is, so that every creature may think one thing, so that with one voice every tongue of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth may confess that there is one God, from whom are all things. If he had said, “so that God may be in all”, it would be understood that he is indeed in all, but by affection or common sense, yet that those very things are not from him. But when he said “all in all”, he signified that they are both from him and he is in them: from him, because they were created by him; in them, because in the confession of all there is one God. Yet the Son is not subjected to the Father as creation is to the Son.

“Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for them?” He wishes to show the resurrection of the dead to be so sure and stable that he gives the example of those who were so secure about the future resurrection that they were even baptized for the dead, if death had perhaps overtaken someone; fearing that one who had not been baptized would rise badly or not at all, a living person was dipped in the name of the dead. Hence he added: “Why then are they baptized for them?” By this example he does not approve their deed, but shows their fixed faith in the resurrection.

“Why do we too stand in danger every hour? I die daily for your glory, which I have in the Lord.” By saying “Why do we too stand in danger?” he distinguished persons, showing that those who were baptized for the dead were not catholics. Indeed he said above, “Why are they baptized for them?”, not 'Why are we baptized for them?' For Jephthah too, although in a matter which, being accepted, could not be done, was found faithful, offering his daughter according to his vow, which he had foolishly vowed (Judg 11:39); the deed, then, is not approved, but the perseverance of faith is held up as an example. He recalls the dangers and labours of the preachers, saying: “Why do we too stand in danger?” And it is understood: except because we hope for the future resurrection, as he mentions above. For, secure that true life will follow after this death, they do not fear dangers brought by unbelievers, out of zeal for those whom they grieve to have lost because they believed. He shows, then, the anxiety he had for their salvation, because of the glory promised by the Lord, as it is said in the law: “Lift up your voice like a trumpet; if they hear you, you will gain their souls” (Ezek 33). The Apostle, always anxious, hastened toward this, that his glory with God might grow from the salvation gained of many.

“If, according to man, I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me, if the dead do not rise?” That is, if, according to human understanding (which, seeing that it does not fall within the nature of things for flesh once dissolved to be re-formed to life, does not at all believe in a future resurrection of the dead), I did not fear to be offered to beasts and to die, I gained nothing. But it is not so; for, certain of the promised life, he not only did not fear, but even willingly allowed himself to be offered to the beasts, as he says among other things in the Acts of the Apostles: “For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 21:13). “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die.” This was said by the prophet Isaiah because of those who, as if there would be nothing after death, cared only for the belly like cattle (Isa 22:13), just like those who were corrupting the Corinthians.

“Do not be deceived: evil conversations corrupt good morals.” He indicates that a good resolve can be overturned by the chatter of evil men; for the constant presence of perverse talk vitiates the mind, and therefore one must beware of them. For whoever wishes to guard the faith he has received ought to avoid noisy objectors, especially at the very beginnings, so as to fulfil what he judged useful.

“Be watchful, be righteous, and do not sin.” He warns them to be watchful, lest, caught by the deception of perverse opinion and led away from the faith, they be corrupted by not believing in the resurrection of the dead. He commanded them to be righteous, so that they might cultivate not only earthly but also heavenly righteousness; for earthly righteousness does not earn merit, just as it does not make guilty. For what great thing is it not to take what belongs to others, since this is a matter of fear? But it is great to give of one's own to one who does not have; this is true righteousness. And he added “that they do not sin”, by which he wanted it understood that he had commanded not temporal but divine righteousness to be kept; for one who keeps heavenly righteousness is without doubt perfect in this present one. “For some have ignorance of God; I speak to your shame.” Those who went about among them, ignorant of God's purpose, said it was foolish to believe that the dead will rise. Therefore he strikes them with shame as imprudent; for they believed those who, having ignorance of God, taught against God's decrees.

“But someone will say: How do the dead rise? With what kind of body do they come?” He said those have ignorance of God whose depraved opinion he quoted, saying: “How do the dead rise? With what kind of body do they come?” To whom he fittingly replied, saying:

“Fool, what you sow is not made alive unless it first dies.” With the natural man he deals not by the authority of the law, by whose examples he would not err if he accepted them, but by the natural reasoning on which he prides himself, so that he does not believe that dissolved and dead bodies rise. For he shows that dead things are restored to life again, and multiplied, so that human error may be confounded.

“And what do you sow? You do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of some other kind; but God gives it a body as he wills, and to each of the seeds its own body.” If, then, a bare grain is sown, and by God's nod, through the ministry of the elements, it rises clothed in a certain way, bringing with it much increase for human use, why should it not be credible that by God's power the dead can rise, only with substance improved, not multiplied in number? What, then, does the unbeliever ask, with what body the dead rise, when examples go before to support this faith in a resurrection of improved, not lost, substance? For he will receive his own body, in which Adam was created, according to the examples given above.

“Not all flesh is the same flesh; but one is that of men, another of cattle, another the flesh of birds, another of fish.” Since all flesh is from the same mass, whence and how is there such diversity in them, that one material should make different kinds? Let the sophists of the world and the scrutinizers of the stars say now, if they can comprehend what is outside themselves, when they do not know what is within themselves. Indeed all the worldly philosophers, who refused to humble their minds to God's law so as to receive his faith, always asserting different and contrary things, confounded one another with the emptiest disputes; for in none of them was the sign of attested truth recognized, which, set before words, would commend the teaching, as God decreed for our discipline, which is proved not by words but by power, which words cannot resist. As, then, from one material the flesh of living things is different, so too men of one flesh will be different in dignity in the resurrection; so that each will appear such as his merit was; since even here we see a diversity of bodies.

“And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and that of the earthly another.” Heavenly bodies are those of the risen; earthly bodies, those before they die or rise again; so that, since Christ is heavenly, bodies are called heavenly from him; but from Adam, because he is earthly, earthly bodies.

“One is the brightness of the sun, another the brightness of the moon, and another the brightness of the stars; for star differs from star in brightness.” He uses a comparison from one nature to give an account of an undivided substance; for as the sun and moon and stars, though of one nature, are of different brightness, so too men, though of one kind, will be unlike in glory according to merit; so that the dignity of those who have the hundredfold number, who, to be perfect, strove for the first rank, will be equal to the brightness of the sun; of whom it was said: “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matt 13:43). To the brightness of the moon are to be compared those who by good works purchased the sixtyfold number, so as to have the merit of the second rank. To the brighter stars are to be compared the merits of those who by righteous labours sought the thirtyfold number, the dignity of the third rank. But to the following stars, which are midway between the bright and the dimmer, are to be fitted sinful men, who chose to attain the honour of none of the three ranks. The resurrection of the faithless, however, is like the dark stars, the last of all; for, having followed error, they are to be compared to stars that lead into error, as the apostle Jude says in his letter (Jude 13). For unbelief cannot have a bright resurrection; for as a coal covered with its ash is darkened, so these too, surrounded by the darkness of error through their faithlessness, will lack light.

“So will be the resurrection of the dead.” He gives examples so that there may be no doubt that there will be a resurrection of the dead, so that, the reasoning accepted, no one may hesitate. “It is sown in corruption; it will rise in incorruption.” To sow is to bury, so that it decays; but to rise in incorruption is that, once raised, it cannot decay, but has the brightness of immortality.

“It is sown in dishonour; it will rise in glory.” It is sown in dishonour because, when it is laid in a gloomy place, it becomes fetid and swarms with worms; but it will rise in glory because, raised, it will both be light and suffer no injury of squalor. “It is sown in weakness; it will rise in power.” It is sown in weakness because it is immobile and ungovernable; but it will rise in power, because it will then be wholly one and vigorous.

“It is sown an animal body; it will rise a spiritual body. If there is an animal body, there is also a spiritual one.” It is an animal body while it is sustained by food so as to live; but spiritual when it will need none of these things, changed into life. All the things said above are enclosed in this sense; for nothing else is contained in what precedes except that the animal body dies, and will rise spiritual, which will no longer eat, nor drink, nor be weak, nor be fetid, nor foul by nature.

“The first man Adam was made into a living soul.” This was said in Genesis (Gen 2:7), because, having received the spirit of God's breath, man was made into a living soul; for the function of the spirit is to animate the body, yet in such a way that it does not have continuous life unless it uses the help of food and drink. “But the last Adam into a life-giving spirit”: that is, so that he who before had been made into a soul was made into spirit through the resurrection, so that he cannot die, because he will be wholly living.

“But the spiritual is not first”; because the animal is from Adam, but the spiritual through Christ and the resurrection of the dead.

“The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man from heaven, heavenly. As the earthly one is, such are the earthly; and as the heavenly one is, such are the heavenly.” The first man, Adam, is from the earth, temporal, whom death succeeds; the second man is Christ from heaven, who, having risen, knows no death. “As that earthly one is, such are the earthly”: that is, because the earthly is mortal, the earthly too are mortal; for Adam by sinning found death, so that all from him are mortal. “And as the heavenly one is, such are the heavenly”: that is, because Christ did not sin, conquering death, he is heavenly; so let those who believe in him be; although unbelievers too will be spiritual, but like spiritual wickednesses, so as to be dark. For he is now speaking of the saints, who will rise to glory; for as those who do not believe have already been judged, so those who believe are already called heavenly (John 3:18).

“Therefore, as we have borne the image of the earthly one, let us also bear the image of this heavenly one”: that is, as we had the form of mortality through Adam's sin, made slaves of sin, so let us have the form of life through the Saviour's righteousness, made slaves of righteousness, not of the world, but of God, while we do the things that are worthy of immortality.

“Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God.” He wants 'flesh' to be understood as faithlessness, 'blood' as a shameful and luxurious life, because this desire is born from the heat of the blood; so as to show that not only does the unbeliever not have a worthy resurrection, but also the one who obeys the desires and vices of the flesh. He warns and instructs, then, by what means we may deserve to obtain the kingdom of heaven. “Nor will corruption possess incorruption.” He says this because corruption and licentiousness of life must suffer punishment. For he set 'corruption' for suffering; for it is agreed that all men will rise immortal.

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall all indeed rise”; that is, believers as well as unbelievers. “But we shall not all be changed.” Now he indicates each one's merit in the resurrection, what it will be in individuals.

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”, that is, quickly, without any delay. “At the last trumpet.” It is 'last' because the last war is waged against the demons, and the principalities and powers, and the devil himself. For this will happen after the thousand years during which the Saviour will reign here, the Antichrist having been destroyed, when Satan will be let out of his prison to lead astray the nations Gog and Magog, who are demons, so that they may fight against the camp of the saints; for temporal men will not be able to fight against eternal ones. For the apostle John too says: “I saw Michael and his angels in heaven fighting against the dragon and his angels, who is the devil and Satan” (Rev 20:7; 12:7). And so he says here “the last trumpet”, because the battle with him was not fought once only; for in the Antichrist too, and the false prophets who did signs and wonders before him, he was also the victor, and in this place the last battle will be fought against him, so that he may now be sent into Gehenna. And the Saviour says among other things: “Now the ruler of this world will be cast down” (John 12:31). Then, therefore, and often he has been conquered, as the prophet Isaiah says: “How Lucifer, who rose in the morning, has fallen from heaven!” (Isa 14:12). “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise incorrupt, and we shall be changed.” For while sinners and the impious rise, the saints will be changed into brightness; so that the flesh becomes spiritual with glory, as if lead became gold. For the saints will rise at the Lord's coming, as he said above:

“Christ the firstfruits; then those who are Christ's at his coming”, as is contained in the Apocalypse; for sinners are not Christ's, who hear from the Lord: “I do not know you” (Matt 7:23). For in the first Psalm too it is written: “Therefore the ungodly will not rise in the judgment, nor sinners in the council of the righteous” (Ps 1:5). For there is nothing to be inquired of the ungodly; but they will rise for this, to perish, seeing that what they refused to believe is true; and to perish is to be estranged from God, as he says to the Romans: “For whoever have sinned without the law will perish without the law; and whoever have sinned in the law will be judged by the law” (Rom 2:12); and therefore sinners will be judged; for they are unworthy to rise with the saints, as it says: “nor sinners in the council of the righteous.”

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality.” Above he said, “and the dead will rise incorrupt”, that is, they will be immortal, yet not impassible; for these whom he speaks of will suffer punishments according to the kinds of their offences, so that they come out from there when the debt is paid; but the impious are tormented with eternal punishment; for he says: “Whoever does not believe has already been judged” (John 3:18). Hence the prophet Isaiah too says: “Their fire will not be quenched, and their worm will not die” (Isa 66:24). At the Lord's coming, however, the saints will also rise, and those who are found alive will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, suffering death as a kind of sleep; for in the very catching up they will have both death and resurrection, as the same Apostle writes to the Thessalonians (1 Thess 4:16–17). For at the time of the Antichrist the rest of the gentiles will be either apostates, or guilty, or in hiding, or placed under punishment, whom the Lord Jesus, with their leader the Antichrist, will slay at his coming with the breath of his mouth (2 Thess 2:8), that is, by his command they will be burned with fire by the angels of his power. “But when this mortal has put on immortality, then the word that is written will come to pass: Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” For after the resurrection of the impious and sinners, death will be swallowed up in victory. For these are the words of one who mocks, saying: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” For the victory over conquered death is the resurrection of the dead; but death is the devil, who is mocked; and he is called contentious because, through pride, though unequal in strength, he resisted. When, therefore, overcome, he is destroyed and stripped of his spoils, he is reproached for having fought against himself.

“But the sting of death is sin.” By 'sting' he signifies authority, because death received authority through sin; as if, had there been no sin, the devil would have grown numb, and there would be no death. “And the power of sin is the law.” The law is the power of sin because sin would not be imputed if there were no law.

“But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He says that the Saviour's triumph has benefited us; for what the Saviour did, he certainly did not do for himself, but for us. Therefore the victory is ours; for this is why he became man while remaining God: so that, conquering the devil by not committing sin, he might win victory for us, who were held in death because of sin; so that the devil, conquered when Christ, who had committed no sin, was killed, might lose all whom he held because of sin. For while he insults a man, he became guilty, and so the handwriting was blotted out, that is, the sentence by which the human race was held in death was cancelled, so that it was rescued, and souls were led into heaven; so that they were taken from him not by power but by justice, by God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in work, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Having set out all the things necessary for ordering church teaching, and having shown what is to be avoided and what followed, he exhorts them now to be fixed in good, and always ready and abundant in the works that bear fruit with the Lord; because, through these things that have been set out, they will in future receive the reward of good work from the Lord, so that they may not be overturned by perverse conversations.