But if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. 15 Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.
Greco-Roman paganism was the predominant religion in Corinth in Paul’s time and the culture generally did not include beliefs in bodily resurrection. Some Greek philosophers saw the body as inferior to the soul and a hindrance to the pursuit of higher truth, virtue, and wisdom. The concept of resurrection of the body and eternal life in a spiritual realm was in direct contrast to the philosophical view that the body was inherently inferior and unworthy of eternal existence. Based on their culture, some Corinthians had difficulty accepting the Christian Kerygma of bodily resurrection.
Paul addressed some members of the Corinthian Church who denied the resurrection, the central message of Christian theology and salvation. He stated that if Christ's resurrection is preached and accepted by them, denying the resurrection of the dead is inconsistent and illogical and there was no spiritual change in them. If there was no resurrection, then Christ was not raised from the dead, so the apostolic teaching has no meaning, and their faith is in vain. Paul argued that if Christ has not been raised the apostles bear false witness when they preach that God raised Christ from the dead which would be blasphemous.
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised and the Christian faith is of no value. Their faith in Christ was in vain and their sins were not forgiven since God would not have accepted Christ’s death as expiation for their sins and those who died as followers of Christ perished. If God did not raise Christ from the dead, faith in Christ pertained only to this life and God has no plan for humanity beyond this life. Both those who preach Christ being raised from the dead and those who believe in Christ would be the most pitiable of people.
Almighty God, grant us strength to stand firm in our belief in the truth of Christ's resurrection, knowing that our faith finds its foundation in the Risen Christ, and our hope extends beyond this fleeting life to the promise of eternal life. This we pray through the same 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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