But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life through the abundance of God’s grace:, 23 but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; 24 then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death, 27 for “he subjected everything under his feet.” But when it says that everything has been subjected, it is clear that it excludes the one who subjected everything to him. 28 When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will [also] be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what will people accomplish by having themselves baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they having themselves baptized for them? 30 Moreover, why are we endangering ourselves all the time? 31 Every day I face death; I swear it by the pride in you [brothers] that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If at Ephesus I fought with beasts, so to speak, what benefit was it to me? If the dead are not raised: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be led astray: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Become sober as you ought and stop sinning. For some have no knowledge of God; I say this to your shame.
Paul affirms the resurrection, the central tenet of the Christian faith. Christ was the first to be raised by God from the dead the first of the future resurrection of believers. In the OT, firstfruits refers to the first of the harvest that was consecrated to God in thanksgiving for an abundant future harvest (Ex. 23:19). Since it was through the sin of a human being, Adam, that death came to all, God willed the resurrection of the dead through the righteous act of a human being, Jesus the Christ. Through Adam, sin and death entered the world. Through Jesus, all mankind received the hope of eternal life, an immeasurable gift (Rom. 5:12-18). Through faith in Christ, believers are assured of sharing in His resurrection and receiving eternal life.
There is an order to the resurrection. First Christ’s resurrection and then the resurrection of believers at Christ’s second coming. Christ’s redemptive work will continue until all his enemies are subdued (Ps. 110:1). His redemptive work will come to an end when, through his resurrection, he is victorious over death. All the rulers, authorities, and powers of this world will be vanquished, and Christ will be victorious over sin and death (Col. 2:15). All things will be subjected to Christ except God the Father. When all things are subjected to Christ, his reign as Messiah will end and the reign of the Kingdom of God will formally begin.
It appears that some of the Corinthian converts were being baptized on behalf of individuals who had died. Paul does not give details but uses it to point out the importance of the resurrection. The reasoning is that if there is no resurrection then such a practice would be meaningless. He also points to the risks and sacrifices that he and the other apostles are taking to preach the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Putting themselves in danger daily to preach the Gospel results from their unwavering belief in Christ and his resurrection. Paul pointed out that facing dangers such as the ones he faced in Ephesus would be futile if there was no hope in the resurrection. If there is no belief in an afterlife or resurrection, why not have the attitude, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
Members of the Corinthian Church should avoid associating with those who deny the resurrection because such association has the potential to weaken or erode their faith and moral convictions. Paul tells them to become spiritually vigilant, i.e. avoid temptation and sin, have a clear mind, and exhibit self-discipline. They should align their actions with God’s will. They are not living up to the standard their faith demands indicating that they have little knowledge of what God expects of them which could contribute to their shortcomings.
Almighty God, thank you for the assurance of Christ's resurrection, the firstfruits of our hope in eternal life. Grant us the strength to turn away from sin, to be vigilant in our faith, and to bear witness to your truth by allowing your grace to transform our lives. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen! Alleluia!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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