I Corinthians 15:1-11: "The Resurrection"
I Corinthians 15 is devotedly entirely to the proclamation of the gospel, namely, the fact of the resurrection and how this should impact our lives. According to MacArthur, Paul addresses the Corinthian's on the resurrection, not so much for their disbelief in the resurrection, but "confusion about their own". Paul's focus is to show them that not only did Christ resurrect Himself, but that one day they would also be raised w/ Him in eternal life. In this section, Paul will go about proving the resurrection to establish its foundation through various testimonies.
Paul begins with the testimony of the church. He writes, "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved". Christianity is a life change. The single most important evidence that Christ is real, is the millions of changed lives throughout the history of the church. Paul is letting his Christian brethren know that they were living, breathing evidence that the gospel is true. Paul was faithful to preach them the true saving gospel. Once they received it Christ did His work in them and their life, where they currently stand is proof that the gospel is living and true. Paul continues, "If you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain". Paul was most likely explaining to them that those around them that may claim to know the gospel, but were not living it out, were not truly changed at all. He did not want the Corinthians to understand that everyone around them is an example of a believer. They were to understand that many in the church would claim Christ, but not truly live it out. Those lives who had truly been saved by the gospel would "hold fast the word which [Paul] preached" to them. MacArthur points out that this statement by Paul "does not teach that true believers are in danger of losing their salvation, but it is a warning against non-saving faith. So a clearer rendering would be, "...if you hold fast what I preached to you, unless your faith is worthless or unless you believed without effect". A Christian will always prove his faith through faithful devotion and obedience to God, it is only then that we can know that a heart has been changed. Merely claiming salvation and faith in Christ means nothing, it is a truly changed heart in which the Holy Spirit dwells that is the evidence that the gospel is living and true.
The next testimony that backs up the true saving gospel and evidence for the resurrection is Scripture. Paul writes, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures". Paul was always using the Old Testament, the Holy word's of God, to prove what he was saying was true. Paul never claimed to have any original thought on his own, everything that he taught was given to Him by God. He tells the Corinthians that he "delivered" to them, or taught, preached to them the most important thing, which was the gospel. He did not make it up himself, but rather gave to them what he "received" whether it be divine revelation or the Old Testament written word. Paul here gives us the very heart of the gospel, he explains, "Christ died for our sins . . . He was buried . . . He was raised on the third day". Paul is careful to point out twice that this happened just as the Old Testament had prophesied many times. The whole purpose of the Bible is to point towards that sacrificial act of Christ on the cross in which he took the sins of all onto Himself on the cross. However, it did not end there. As Paul will explain in detail later in this chapter, if Christ had stopped there, there would be no salvation. However, and most importantly Christ did what no other person has ever done. Raise themselves from the dead. This very act proved His deity and showed His ability to save us and conquer death.
Next Paul looks to give us the very testimony of many eyewitnesses. He writes, "And that [Christ] appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve". This was an actual bodily appearance on earth that Christ did for selected individuals. Christ wanted to reveal Himself to those who had followed Him before the crucifixion that they might have heart to continue in the faith, and hold fast to what they had now witnessed with their very own eyes. He first appeared to Peter. MacArthur points out, "We are not told why the Lord appeared to Peter first or separately, but it possibly was because of Peter's great remorse over having denied his Lord, and because his role as a leader among the apostles and in the primitive church until the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). In going to Peter first, Jesus emphasized His grace". Next, Jesus appeared to "the twelve". The apostles were the ones that Jesus chose to lay the foundation of the church and it was essential that they truly believe that He was the Messiah. MacArthur writes, "Those men whom the Lord used to establish His church on earth all saw Him in His resurrected body (Acts 1:22). They were capable, honest, and reliable witnesses to the most important event in history". Eyewitness testimony is the most important evidence in a trial. The more eyewitnesses that can corroborate an event, the more credible that it is true. It is because of this that Paul tells us, "After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time". It does not tell us specifically who these people were, but it was true that Christ had revealed Himself to at least 500 other people before he returned to heaven at one time. What a tremendous validation for this story. To make it even more trustworthy, Paul points out that "most of whom remain until now". This shows that many of the people that had witnessed this were still alive at the writing of this letter and all the facts could be proved. This is such clear testimony that the resurrection of our living Lord actually took place.
Last of the eyewitnesses, Paul writes, "then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles". We are not 100% confident, but it is most likely James, Jesus half-brother, that is referred to here. It was important that Jesus show his at-one-time skeptical brother, that he was in fact the Messiah, so much more than a relative. This most likely solidified James' faith. At some other various times and places, Christ eventually revealed Himself to "all the apostles". Again, more and more testimony that this event was 100% true.
Paul lastly turns to himself as the last eyewitness. He writes, "And last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also". MacArthur explains, "Paul was not among the original apostles, all of whom had been disciples of Jesus during His earthly ministry. He was not among the five hundred other believers who had seen the resurrected Christ. Rather, he had for many years been an unbeliever and a chief persecutor of the church. He was, however, last of all allowed to see the risen Christ. The Lord's appearance to Paul not only was post resurrection but post ascension, making Paul's testimony more unique still". It is no doubt that Paul preached and taught w/ his life. He sacrificed and gave up so much (II Cor. 11) for the proclamation of the gospel. His life was a 180 degree turn from his former life as a Pharisee that it could only be the true testimony of Christ that could change a life as such. Paul was one of the greatest proofs of all that the resurrection was genuine. He looked at himself as one "untimely born" or one who was not around to see the resurrected Lord on earth when he appeared immediately after the resurrection. However, His special run-in w/ Christ later on was all the evidence he needed to dedicate the rest of His life to serving Christ.
Paul continues to show the radical transforming truth of the gospel to explain, "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God". MacArthur writes, "Though Paul never doubted his apostleship or hesitated to use the authority that office brought, he also never ceased to be amazed that, of all persons, Christ would have called him to that high position". Paul always recognizes that it was nothing he did to deserve it, he was always quick to give all the credit to God for revealing Himself to Paul and changing his life, "But by the grace of God I am what I am". Paul would make sure that he lived a life of conviction. He wanted to make sure he would never waste the opportunity he had to proclaim the One who had saved his life. "His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God within me". Paul again, shows the wonderful testimony of the life-changing aspect of his faith. By the grace of God, he was another example of a changed life for Christ.
The point of all this concludes with Paul saying, "Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed". Whether it was Paul who preached, or another apostle, pastor, etc, the preaching of the word will continue because of the clear testimony of so many before us. MacArthur concludes, "Without exception, the preaching and teaching in the early church centered on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Wherever Christ was preached and by whomever He was preached, His resurrection was the pivotal message that was proclaimed. There was no dispute about the truth or the importance of the doctrine, which hardly would have been the case had it been a fabrication".
Paul begins with the testimony of the church. He writes, "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved". Christianity is a life change. The single most important evidence that Christ is real, is the millions of changed lives throughout the history of the church. Paul is letting his Christian brethren know that they were living, breathing evidence that the gospel is true. Paul was faithful to preach them the true saving gospel. Once they received it Christ did His work in them and their life, where they currently stand is proof that the gospel is living and true. Paul continues, "If you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain". Paul was most likely explaining to them that those around them that may claim to know the gospel, but were not living it out, were not truly changed at all. He did not want the Corinthians to understand that everyone around them is an example of a believer. They were to understand that many in the church would claim Christ, but not truly live it out. Those lives who had truly been saved by the gospel would "hold fast the word which [Paul] preached" to them. MacArthur points out that this statement by Paul "does not teach that true believers are in danger of losing their salvation, but it is a warning against non-saving faith. So a clearer rendering would be, "...if you hold fast what I preached to you, unless your faith is worthless or unless you believed without effect". A Christian will always prove his faith through faithful devotion and obedience to God, it is only then that we can know that a heart has been changed. Merely claiming salvation and faith in Christ means nothing, it is a truly changed heart in which the Holy Spirit dwells that is the evidence that the gospel is living and true.
The next testimony that backs up the true saving gospel and evidence for the resurrection is Scripture. Paul writes, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures". Paul was always using the Old Testament, the Holy word's of God, to prove what he was saying was true. Paul never claimed to have any original thought on his own, everything that he taught was given to Him by God. He tells the Corinthians that he "delivered" to them, or taught, preached to them the most important thing, which was the gospel. He did not make it up himself, but rather gave to them what he "received" whether it be divine revelation or the Old Testament written word. Paul here gives us the very heart of the gospel, he explains, "Christ died for our sins . . . He was buried . . . He was raised on the third day". Paul is careful to point out twice that this happened just as the Old Testament had prophesied many times. The whole purpose of the Bible is to point towards that sacrificial act of Christ on the cross in which he took the sins of all onto Himself on the cross. However, it did not end there. As Paul will explain in detail later in this chapter, if Christ had stopped there, there would be no salvation. However, and most importantly Christ did what no other person has ever done. Raise themselves from the dead. This very act proved His deity and showed His ability to save us and conquer death.
Next Paul looks to give us the very testimony of many eyewitnesses. He writes, "And that [Christ] appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve". This was an actual bodily appearance on earth that Christ did for selected individuals. Christ wanted to reveal Himself to those who had followed Him before the crucifixion that they might have heart to continue in the faith, and hold fast to what they had now witnessed with their very own eyes. He first appeared to Peter. MacArthur points out, "We are not told why the Lord appeared to Peter first or separately, but it possibly was because of Peter's great remorse over having denied his Lord, and because his role as a leader among the apostles and in the primitive church until the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). In going to Peter first, Jesus emphasized His grace". Next, Jesus appeared to "the twelve". The apostles were the ones that Jesus chose to lay the foundation of the church and it was essential that they truly believe that He was the Messiah. MacArthur writes, "Those men whom the Lord used to establish His church on earth all saw Him in His resurrected body (Acts 1:22). They were capable, honest, and reliable witnesses to the most important event in history". Eyewitness testimony is the most important evidence in a trial. The more eyewitnesses that can corroborate an event, the more credible that it is true. It is because of this that Paul tells us, "After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time". It does not tell us specifically who these people were, but it was true that Christ had revealed Himself to at least 500 other people before he returned to heaven at one time. What a tremendous validation for this story. To make it even more trustworthy, Paul points out that "most of whom remain until now". This shows that many of the people that had witnessed this were still alive at the writing of this letter and all the facts could be proved. This is such clear testimony that the resurrection of our living Lord actually took place.
Last of the eyewitnesses, Paul writes, "then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles". We are not 100% confident, but it is most likely James, Jesus half-brother, that is referred to here. It was important that Jesus show his at-one-time skeptical brother, that he was in fact the Messiah, so much more than a relative. This most likely solidified James' faith. At some other various times and places, Christ eventually revealed Himself to "all the apostles". Again, more and more testimony that this event was 100% true.
Paul lastly turns to himself as the last eyewitness. He writes, "And last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also". MacArthur explains, "Paul was not among the original apostles, all of whom had been disciples of Jesus during His earthly ministry. He was not among the five hundred other believers who had seen the resurrected Christ. Rather, he had for many years been an unbeliever and a chief persecutor of the church. He was, however, last of all allowed to see the risen Christ. The Lord's appearance to Paul not only was post resurrection but post ascension, making Paul's testimony more unique still". It is no doubt that Paul preached and taught w/ his life. He sacrificed and gave up so much (II Cor. 11) for the proclamation of the gospel. His life was a 180 degree turn from his former life as a Pharisee that it could only be the true testimony of Christ that could change a life as such. Paul was one of the greatest proofs of all that the resurrection was genuine. He looked at himself as one "untimely born" or one who was not around to see the resurrected Lord on earth when he appeared immediately after the resurrection. However, His special run-in w/ Christ later on was all the evidence he needed to dedicate the rest of His life to serving Christ.
Paul continues to show the radical transforming truth of the gospel to explain, "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God". MacArthur writes, "Though Paul never doubted his apostleship or hesitated to use the authority that office brought, he also never ceased to be amazed that, of all persons, Christ would have called him to that high position". Paul always recognizes that it was nothing he did to deserve it, he was always quick to give all the credit to God for revealing Himself to Paul and changing his life, "But by the grace of God I am what I am". Paul would make sure that he lived a life of conviction. He wanted to make sure he would never waste the opportunity he had to proclaim the One who had saved his life. "His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God within me". Paul again, shows the wonderful testimony of the life-changing aspect of his faith. By the grace of God, he was another example of a changed life for Christ.
The point of all this concludes with Paul saying, "Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed". Whether it was Paul who preached, or another apostle, pastor, etc, the preaching of the word will continue because of the clear testimony of so many before us. MacArthur concludes, "Without exception, the preaching and teaching in the early church centered on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Wherever Christ was preached and by whomever He was preached, His resurrection was the pivotal message that was proclaimed. There was no dispute about the truth or the importance of the doctrine, which hardly would have been the case had it been a fabrication".
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