How does 1 Corinthians 15:35 connect with Jesus' resurrection in the Gospels? The Question at Corinth—1 Corinthians 15:35 - “But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’” - Paul addresses doubt about a literal, physical resurrection. - The Gospels already supply the prototype: Jesus’ own risen body. Jesus’ Empty Tomb Confirms Bodily Resurrection - Matthew 28:6—“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” - Mark 16:6—“You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.” - An empty tomb means the same body that was laid there is now transformed and alive. Physical Evidence: Touch, Sight, and Shared Meals - Luke 24:39-43—“Touch Me and see; a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have… They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He ate it before them.” - John 20:27—Thomas invited to place his fingers in the nail marks. - These encounters answer the Corinthian question: the resurrection body is tangible and recognizable. Continuity and Transformation Held Together - Continuity • Same scars (John 20:20) • Same voice and mannerisms (John 20:16) - Transformation • Appears in locked rooms (John 20:19) • No longer subject to decay or death (Romans 6:9) - Paul later explains this blend: “What you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed” (1 Corinthians 15:37-38). Seed Illustration Fulfilled in Christ - 1 Corinthians 15:36—“What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” - Jesus’ burial = the seed planted; His risen, glorified body = the harvest. - Verse 20 calls Him “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,” guaranteeing the same pattern for believers. Gospel Appearances Mirror Paul’s Resurrection Vocabulary - Luke 24:31—“Their eyes were opened and they recognized Him.” • Parallels 1 Corinthians 15:52—“in the twinkling of an eye.” - Matthew 28:9—“They clasped His feet and worshiped Him,” matching Paul’s emphasis on a real, touchable body. - John 21:12-13—Breakfast by the sea foreshadows the embodied fellowship promised in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57. What Kind of Body Will We Have? Follow the Firstfruits - Incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:42) just as Jesus is now immortal (Revelation 1:18). - Glorious (1 Corinthians 15:43) reflecting the radiance glimpsed at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2). - Powerful (1 Corinthians 15:43) free from weakness, like Christ who now upholds all things (Hebrews 1:3). Summary Connection 1 Corinthians 15:35’s question receives its clearest answer in the Gospel narratives: Jesus rose with the same yet gloriously transformed body, proving that future resurrection is bodily, tangible, and triumphant—exactly what Paul proclaims to the Corinthians. |
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