Readings and study from 1 Corinthians 15
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| Golgotha: Tradition holds that Jesus was crucified here. |
There are several doctrines about the Resurrection taught in 1 Corinthians 15 that are misunderstood or completely absent in many other Christian churches.
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| The Crucifixion by Carl H Bloch |
Read 1 Corinthians 15 and answer the following questions in writing:
1.
Who was “the firstfruits of them that slept” and
what does that phrase mean?
Paul
documents that Jesus Christ is the firstfrutits of the Resurrection. Christ was
the first mortal to rise to immortality, restoring his perfect soul to a
perfected body, and live again after death. “For
since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Corinthians
15:21-23).
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| He is Not Here, by Walter Rane |
In
the New Testament Student Manual, chapter 40 explains some relevant Jewish
traditions: “The law of Moses
dictated that when the yearly crop harvest began, each farmer was to dedicate
his first sheaf of grain as an offering to the Lord in acknowledgment that He
is the source of all blessings (see Leviticus
23:9-14; Deuteronomy
26:1-11). Paul drew upon the image of “the first of the firstfruits of thy
land” (Exodus 23:19)
as he described the resurrected Savior as “the firstfruits” of the dead (1 Corinthians
15:20, 23; see also 2 Nephi 2:8–9).
Just as farmers’ firstfruits were the earliest of many crops to be harvested,
Jesus Christ was the first of all beings to be resurrected, thereby opening the
way for all of the inhabitants of the world to similarly be raised from the
dead.
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| He is Risen, by Del Parson |
“Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
(1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles confirmed Paul’s glorious
teaching that everyone will be resurrected:
‘When the
Savior rose from the tomb, He did something no one had ever done. He did
something no one else could do. He broke the bonds of death, not only for
Himself but for all who have ever lived—the just and the unjust [see John 5:28–29].
‘When Christ rose from the grave, becoming the firstfruits of the Resurrection, He made that gift available to all. And with that sublime act, He softened the devastating, consuming sorrow that gnaws at the souls of those who have lost precious loved ones’ (“Sunday Will Come,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 29).”
‘When Christ rose from the grave, becoming the firstfruits of the Resurrection, He made that gift available to all. And with that sublime act, He softened the devastating, consuming sorrow that gnaws at the souls of those who have lost precious loved ones’ (“Sunday Will Come,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 29).”
2.
Who are listed in these verses as being
witnesses of the Lord’s Resurrection?
1 Corinthians 15:5-8
Paul lists Peter (Cephas) and the twelve, 500 brethren, James (the half-brother
of Jesus), all the apostles, and finally himself as witnesses of the
resurrected Christ.
3.
According to Matthew 27:52, who else have been
resurrected?
According to
Matthew the saints who had already died rose from their graves and appeared to
many.
Matthew 27:52-53:
“And the graves were opened; and many
bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his
resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
4.
According to what Paul taught in these verses,
who else will be resurrected?
Paul
teaches us that all—who like Adam are mortal and will die as Adam died—all,
every one, will be resurrected. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Corinthians
15:22-23; see also John 5:28–29;
2 Nephi
9:21–22; Alma
11:42–44; D&C
29:26–27).
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| Go Ye Therefore, And Teach All Nations, by Harry Anderson |
From the New Testament student manual we learn, “President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) taught that the universal nature of the Resurrection is a manifestation of God’s justice:
“No person who has lived and died on this earth will be denied the
resurrection. Reason teaches this, and it is a simple matter of justice. Adam
alone was responsible for death, and therefore the Lord does not lay this to
the charge of any other person. Justice demands that no person who was not
responsible for death shall be held responsible for it, and therefore, as Paul
declared, ‘As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive’” (Doctrines
of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:274).
5.
Some of the Corinthians did not believe in the
Resurrection. What did Paul use as evidence of the Resurrection that was common
practice then but today is literally nonexistent in the Christian world outside
the restored gospel?
The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches and practices proxy baptism for
those that have died without this ordinance that Christ modeled and taught as
essential for salvation and exaltation.
In 1 Corinthians 15:29 we read that the saints in Paul’s time also practiced proxy baptism for the dead: “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?”
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| Temple baptismal font at Oquirrh Mountain, Utah temple |
In 1 Corinthians 15:29 we read that the saints in Paul’s time also practiced proxy baptism for the dead: “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?”
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Drawing of
the earliest Christian baptismal font ever discovered, constructed about A.D.
240 in a house-church in Dura-Europos, Syria. Above the font was a painting of
a shepherd carrying a sheep on his shoulders to join a flock of sheep at pasture.
Beneath the font was a small depiction of Adam and Eve taking the fruit of the
tree of knowledge of good and evil. The art suggests that for these early
Christians, baptism represented being rescued by the Good Shepherd and brought
into the fold of the Church. The art also preserves the memory of Paul’s
teachings that Jesus Christ overcomes the effects of the Fall of Adam (see 1
Corinthians 15:21–22, 45–49; Romans 5:12–21).
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6. What did Paul teach about the differences in resurrected bodies?
Paul
teaches that not all bodies are the same either before or after the
resurrection. Each is raised to immortality and will have all the happiness
they are willing to receive.
Verses 35-54
of chapter 15 carefully delineate and explain differences of ‘flesh,’ “All flesh is not the same flesh: but there
is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and
another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but
the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory
of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the
resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in
incorruption:. . .
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual
body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. . . . flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit
incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye . . . the dead
shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
7.
How does knowing this help to explain God’s
justice and mercy?
Scriptures
and prophets teach that God wants us to be happy. He wants us to have the most
happiness possible. That is called joy. He wants to give each of us joy - real,
lasting happiness. We are his children! Paul illustrates using the example of a
seed that becomes a whole and fruitful plant.
The student
manual states, “Paul taught that the
resurrected body differs in glory and quality from the mortal body. To
illustrate this point, he spoke of planting “bare grain” and eventually
harvesting a whole plant or “body” (1 Corinthians
15:37–38). The planted seed typifies the mortal body, which, after death
and burial, will come forth in the Resurrection as a glorified, immortal body.
The Savior taught a similar analogy in John
12:23–24. Paul highlighted this distinction in another way when he referred
to the “natural body” that is buried at death and the “spiritual body” that is
raised up in the Resurrection.”
The New
Testament testifies about the reality of God's son, Jesus Christ, and about their
great love for us. They really do love every single person, and they are trying
to tell us in the scriptures how to find and have real happiness. Scriptures
are the instruction manuals for joy.
There is a
plan, whereby every person can obtain all the happiness they want, and we are
promised that we will live eternally in happiness. Sometimes I ponder how to be
happy, and occasionally I post such ponderings. In ‘Printers
and Procedures’ I describe some impressions I had.
I also link there to Jeffery R Holland’s life changing 32 minute dissertation, Living After the Manner of Happiness devotional.
I also link there to Jeffery R Holland’s life changing 32 minute dissertation, Living After the Manner of Happiness devotional.
The
testimonies in the New Testament about Jesus Christ showing us examples of how
to follow God's commandments—Christ living the 'instructions for joy'—are
enthralling. If you haven't read it lately it is a great book. I highly
recommend it.
8. What
additional insights do you gain about the celestial kingdom from Doctrine and
Covenants 131:1–4?
This section of the
Doctrine and Covenants explains that we must have accepted the “new and
everlasting covenant of marriage” to attain the celestial kingdom and live in
the way God lives. This covenant is available in the temples built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“In the celestial glory there
are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must
enter into . . . the new and everlasting covenant of marriage . . . And if he
does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end
of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.”
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| Salt Lake, Utah temple by Clarence Ames |
9.
What does 2 Nephi 9:6-9 tell
us would have happened to all of us had there been no resurrection?
2 Nephi in
the Book of Mormon explains God’s merciful and glorious plan whereby Jesus
Christ rescues and saves all of Heavenly Father’s children from the sins and
errors that cause them to “become devils,
angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain
with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself.”
In the October
2007 General Relief Society Meeting Thomas
S. Monson said we live in the time described in chapter 9, and, as prophets
do, instructed us regarding how to conduct ourselves in this time of upheaval
and chaos. He quoted 2 Timothy 1:7-8
from the New Testament—“For God hath not
given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”—
and gave 3 specific “goals” to comfort, strengthen, and guide us as we “study,”
and “pray earnestly,” and “serve willingly.” Prophets often reminded us to avoid fear.
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| Near Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada - hope can pierce even the most heavy or dismal clouds LL |
I love 2
Nephi. It is one of my favorite books of scripture. I love the clear explanations
about God’s love for humanity, and of his merciful plan as well as the abiding
love and vicarious sacrifice his son, Jesus Christ. Sometimes I feel like
shouting the words of Verse 10 as Jacob glories, “O how great the goodness of our God,” and verse 13 which reiterates
the praise, “O how great the plan of our
God!”
And
chapter 10 reminds us: “cheer up your
hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way
of everlasting death or the way of eternal life” (2 Nephi 10:23). And I remember these doctrines when things seem hard, and hold onto them.
Friday—In the Dark
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