LESSON 24
(15:5-19)

THE RESURRECTION

5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.  7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.  8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.  9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain..  On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me.  11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
12 Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.  15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.  16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised.  17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.  18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.

The historical fact of the resurrection, an event in time and space, attested to by many witnesses, who were characterized both by integrity and competence, who were able to tell what they had personally witnessed–such is the topic in the first part of our lesson.  The second part handles a question that some had posed: what if there be no resurrection (despite all the evidence to the contrary)?  The apostle lays out some of the implications if such be true.
15:5 – All of those to whom Jesus appeared are not listed, but those who are were probably those known to the Corinthians, or at least could be contacted.
Cephas – Peter’s name given to him by his parents was Simon.  Jesus gave him the name of Cephas, Jn. 1:42, which in Greek was Peter.  It is interesting that Paul used the name Cephas n Gal. 2:11 (as well as back in 9:5) while Peter used the Greek name in I Pet. 1 but Simon Peter in II Pet. 1:1.
The appearance to Peter, recorded in Mark 16:7 has been often the subject of comment.  That he was an important member of the twelve as well as a close companion of Jesus (Isn’t it interesting to meditate upon the companions a person has?) is evident from the gospels.  Some suggest the denials of Peter after his strong affirmations of loyalty (Mk. 14:27-31; Jn. 13:36-38) were the reason for the special appearance.  Luke 22:31-34 brings out the important task that Jesus had for him to do as well as the fact that Satan had demanded (a strong request!) to have him amplifies Peter’s place in Jesus’ own mind.  The Acts history centers around Peter for twelve chapters, then picks up Paul’s labors for the remainder of the book.  We thus conclude that Peter was a central personality in the Lord’s kingdom.  While wee may not “buy” the Roman Catholic dogma about Peter being pope #1, let us not diminish his love for Jesus that was reflected in his life.
the twelve – If Paul’s account be chronological, harmonizing it with the gospel accounts would put the appearance to Peter after those to the women and before the evening manifestation to the twelve (actually ten apostles, plus other disciples) in Jerusalem, Luke 24.  The appearance to the two men in Luke 24 fits in the afternoon hours, but whether before or after that to Peter is not known.
V. 6 – five hundred – Some suggest the event in Mt. 28 is meant here.  Matthew’s account seems to pinpoint only the eleven in Galilee, but earlier verses (vv. 7, 10) may indicate others were to go to Galilee.  We may not know when or where this took place.  The relevant point is that some twenty-five years after the event in question, most of those witnesses were yet alive and could have testified about Jesus’ resurrection.
V. 7 – James – There are at least two men who are prominent in the church by this name: the apostle and Jesus’ brother.  Since the apostle was included in the preceding statement, Jesus’ brother is the likely person meant.  No text tells about this occasion, but it seems to have happened within the first week after the resurrection, assuming Paul is chronological.  he was one of the leaders in the Jerusalem assembly as is shown in Acts, and was put to death in A.D. 64.  It is probable that the epistle in the N.T. was written by him.  Note also the point made in Ch. 9:5.
Last of all – Not only last of all the appearances mentioned in the gospels and Acts, but years after Jesus’ ascension.
untimely born – This phrase is from a Greek term which means miscarriage, or any birth not normal in the times sense.  It is ektr_ma, and the root term was normally used by medical writers of the day.  From Paul’s perspective, his selection to the apostleship was not like that of the rest, and so was “abnormal” in that restricted since of the term.  he was chosen in a different manner, commissioned in a special way, and thus was “delivered” quite unlike the other apostles.  In this sense, the expression has the meaning Paul desired to convey.  He was not less an apostle (as many texts bear out, such as Rom. 1:1ff.; II Cor. 12:12; Titus 1:1, etc.) than the others, just selected and sent out unlike the others.
V. 9 – This is his personal appraisal of himself, but not shared by God who chose Paul for the merits he had, such as zeal, knowledge, courage, loyalty, will, etc.
V. 10 – God in His grace had been responsible for the selection of Paul, and also the accomplishments of Paul.  He was always quick to give glory to God for whatever he was able to do int he kingdom.  See again Rom. 15:16ff.; Col. 1:29; etc.
V. 11 – The matter of who preached was far less important than the fact that preaching was done and some of the hearers believed.  Naturally, Paul was initially responsible for the brethren in Corinth.
Let us then summarize the above section, including 15:1-4.  Paul had preached the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  He received his message by revelation, though he was a personal witness to Jesus being alive.  Because the question about adequate evidence for the resurrection was always being raised, Paul listed some of those who could personally verify Jesus’ resurrection.  Having established a firm basis for Jesus’ being alive, and thus undergirding his own preaching, he then turned his attention to the issue some had raised that no resurrection was possible, unless it only be the resurrection of Jesus.
preach – In the comments on v. 1 in lesson 23, it was mentioned that the Greek term commonly translated as “gospel” (in its noun form) is the verb form often translated as in v. 1 “I preached.”  there are other Greek words that are also translated which have the idea of preaching.  In this verse it is k_russ_.  the noun form is k_rugma.  Both are used to describe the task we know as preaching.  If you would like to check some texts for this term, see Mt. 10:27; 12:41; Mk. 1:4, 45; Lk. 9:2; 11:32; 24:47; Acts 15:21; Rom. 2:21; 16:25; I Cor. 1:21; 9:27; II Cor. 4:5; Gal. 2:2; I Tim. 2:7; II Tim. 1:11; 4:2; II Pet. 2:5.  It is an interesting thing that John’s gospel was written to bring men to faith and keep them saved (Jn. 20:30-31) but none of these terms in any form appear in that book.
V. 12 – some – These people are not identified, but form the context, they seemingly were asserting that , with the exception of Jesus, there is no resurrection of the dead.  While this may seem a bit strange for people who were believers to hold such a view, the Sadducees basically accepted the Old Testament as God’s Word, but did not hold to a resurrection of the dead though other Jewish people (the Pharisees, Mary and Martha, etc.) did believe in a resurrection.
V. 13 – The apostle would not accept a limited resurrection; it is an “either/or” matter for him.  If the resurrection of Jesus be granted, then no basis existed for denying the resurrection of other.  If the dead remain dead, then one can not affirm that Jesus was brought from the dead.  Such is Paul’s position.  To pick up a statement of Jesus in response to a similar question on the same issue, He told the Sadducees that they were in error to affirm there was no resurrection, that they knew neither the Scriptures nor the ability of God, Mk. 11:18-27; Lk. 20:27-40.
V. 14 – A major effect of such a denial of the resurrection: the message (the k_rugma) was foolish for it was without any basis in fact.  A second and related effect: their faith was also foolish since the message they had accepted was foolish.  See vv. 17, 18.
vain – The idea is the theme in Ecclesiastes: foolish, empty, of no worth, useless.  The term is kenos.  Look at 1:17 and 9:15 (“deprive”); then see Lk. 1:53; Acts 4:25; Rom. 4:14; II Cor. 6:1; 9:3; Gal. 2:2; Eph. 5:6; Phil. 2:3, 7, 16; Col. 2:8; I Thess. 2:1; 3:5; James 2:20.
V. 15 – A third major effect: falsely asserting that God raised Jesus when it was not true.
V. 16 – The empty tomb was empty for some reason other than a resurrected Christ if what some were saying was true.  All the testimony of those in vv. 5-11 was but a “pack of lies” if people die never to live again.
V. 17 – The central thesis of Christianity is that Jesus was put to death for sin and resurrected for justification, Rom. 4:25.  If in fact there was not such a ting as a resurrection, then justification was impossible, and the promise of “no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus” was so much empty chatter in the marketplace of life.
futile – The concept is much the same as in v. 14, though the Greek terms are not the same.  This one is mataios, meaning empty, worthless or foolish, of no account.  Check Rom. 1:21; 8:20; I Cor. 3:20; Eph. 4:17; Tit. 3:9; Jam. 1:26; I Pet. 1:18; II Pet. 2:18.
V. 18 – having listed three major bad effects and enlarging upon v. 14 in v. 17, Paul also brings to attention the point that is in this verse: all former Christians who died believing that they were saved died without any such fact being true.  They died never to live again because their hope of life, Jesus, was dead.  In such a condition, he obviously could do nothing for them.
V. 19 – A final point: Christianity has a message of life and hope built upon a risen savior.  If in fact Jesus be dead rather than alive, then all Christians were so many objects to be pitied.  There was not hope because there was no life.  Indeed, they needed the condolences of others because they had trusted without any basis for trust.  They might as well do as Paul suggests in v. 32.
You may have noticed that Paul did not raise any of the issues that have been or are so often suggested today, such as 1) women went to the wrong tomb, 2) Jesus swooned and later revived, 3) Jesus planned it all and had assistance in his “death and resurrection” or 4) the disciples had hallucinations, etc.  All such are inherently stupid if the New Testament accounts are true.  Hence, either Jesus did rise as the accounts say, or Christianity is a false religion and ought to be branded as such.  If the testimony for a risen savior is insufficient to establish the truth of the case, then historical events of all kinds are but “pipedreams” of the past.  The world is but a dream and a bad one at that.
As we can read in v. 20, Paul reverts back to is primary thesis expressed in the gospel, and develops it with a note of triumph.  we have had a good example of God’s man setting forth the evidence for his case, and then answering a major objection to it.  Let us be thankful that God has more than adequately supplied evidence for Christianity.  If people choose to disbelieve, it is not for lack of evidence but rather for unwillingness to change.

	LESSON 24 QUESTIONS

1. 	Make a harmony of the resurrection appearances of Jesus, using our lesson text plus those in the four gospels.

2. 	Describe the character of the witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.

3. 	Was there a sufficient number of witnesses or was most of the testimony of “hearsay” nature?

4. 	Did the witnesses have the opportunity to check Jesus closely after the resurrection?  (You might want to read I John 1:1-4 here.)

5. 	Were the witnesses capable of telling what they had seen?

6. 	List the effects if Jesus be yet dead.

7. 	What did Jesus have to say to those who denied the resurrection of the dead?

8. 	It might be good to review the charts at the end of lesson 25, especially the “Faith and Facts” chart.