1Cor 15:12-34 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Cor 15:12-34: 15:12-34 Paul now makes the case for a future resurrection . Summary for 1Cor 15:12-20: 15:12-20 Christ’s resurrection confirms the reality of the future resurrection. 15:12 Some believers in Corinth apparently had a difficult time accepting the Jewish notion of a bodily resurrection of the dead , preferring instead the Greek notion of the immortality of the soul (cp. Acts 17:18 , 32 ).

Summary for 1Cor 15:12-34: 15:12-34 ^a Paul now makes the case for a future resurrection.
Summary for 1Cor 15:12-20: 15:12-20 ^b Christ’s resurrection confirms the reality of the future resurrection. 15:12 ^c Some believers in Corinth apparently had a difficult time accepting the Jewish notion of a bodily resurrection of the dead, preferring instead the Greek notion of the immortality of the soul (cp. Acts 17:18 ^d, 32 ^e).
Summary for 1Cor 15:14-18: 15:14-18 ^f If Christ has not risen from the dead, then Christian faith is useless. But in reality, Jesus’ resurrection is proof that the sacrifice of Christ fully atoned for human sins (see 15:3 ^g). If Christ has not been raised, then human beings remain unforgiven, under the judgment of God—still guilty of their sins (see Rom 3:19 ^h; Eph 2:1-3 ⁱ).
15:19 ^j Without eternal life, faithful believers are more to be pitied than anyone in the world because they suffer persecution and deprivation. But they find their joy in anticipating what lies beyond this life, as did both Jesus (see Heb 12:2 ^k) and Paul (see 2 Cor 4:16-18 ^l; Phil 1:21-23 ^m; 3:7-11 ⁿ).
15:20 ^o In the Old Testament, the first crop was dedicated to God (see Exod 23:19 ^p). Christ’s resurrection is the first of a great harvest of God’s people who will be resurrected (see Col 1:18 ^q).
Summary for 1Cor 15:21-23: 15:21-23 ^r Adam’s sin contrasts with Christ’s resurrection (cp. 15:45-49 ^s).
Summary for 1Cor 15:24-28: 15:24-28 ^t Christ is the Lord of all things, even death itself. Nevertheless, he remains subordinate to God his Father. 15:24 ^u The phrase every ruler and authority and power refers to spiritual powers who oppose Christ (cp. Rom 8:38 ^v; Eph 1:21 ^w; Col 2:10 ^x, 15 ^y; 1 Pet 3:22 ^z).
15:25 ^aa This paraphrase of Ps 110:1 ^ab is applied to Jesus (cp. Heb 1:13 ^ac).

• beneath his feet: In the ancient Near East, victorious kings were depicted with their feet on the necks of their defeated enemies.
15:27 ^ad “God has put all things under his authority”: See Ps 8:6 ^ae; cp. Matt 22:44 ^af.
15:29 ^ag Some first-century Christians apparently practiced baptism-by-proxy for dead unbelievers whom they wished to be saved. Paul neither endorses nor condemns the practice; he simply uses it as evidence for belief in resurrection. There is no other reference to such a practice in early Christian literature.
Summary for 1Cor 15:30-32: 15:30-32 ^ah The apostles’ willingness to risk their lives was based on their conviction that there is life beyond death. If there is no resurrection, such suffering is pointless.
15:32 ^ai fighting wild beasts—those people of Ephesus: Paul refers figuratively to his struggles with opponents in Ephesus (see 16:8 ^aj; Acts 19:23-41 ^ak; 2 Cor 1:8 ^al; 4:8-12 ^am; 11:23-28 ^an). Watching condemned prisoners fighting wild beasts and getting mauled to death was a common form of entertainment in the Roman world.
15:33 ^ao “bad company corrupts good character”: This quotation from the Greek poet Menander (300s BC) is a warning not to listen to those who are teaching wrong things.
15:34 ^ap some of you don’t know God at all: Paul sharply rebukes those who prided themselves on their knowledge but remained skeptical of resurrection.