How does this verse connect with 1 Corinthians 15 on resurrection? Acts 24:15 in Focus “I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will surely be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” The Single Thread: Certainty of Bodily Resurrection • Paul’s statement before Felix mirrors his teaching to the Corinthians: resurrection is not a metaphor; it is a future, bodily event guaranteed by God. • Both passages ground that certainty in God’s promise and in the historical resurrection of Jesus. Acts 24:15—Paul on Trial, Hope on Display • Location: Caesarea courtroom. Paul speaks under oath, stressing shared Jewish expectation drawn from Scripture (cf. Daniel 12:2). • Content: “resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” Every person will be raised. • Implication: resurrection is universal and impartial, anchoring Paul’s conscience and conduct (v. 16). 1 Corinthians 15—Paul in the Church, Doctrine Unpacked • Christ’s resurrection as firstfruits (vv. 20-23). • Sequence of events: – Christ raised → – “Those who belong to Him” raised at His coming → – Final defeat of death (vv. 24-26). • Bodily nature: “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” (v. 44). • Absolute necessity: “If the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised” (v. 16). Key Connections • Same foundation: hope “in God” (Acts 24:15) = “according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). • Universal scope in both: – Acts: righteous and wicked. – 1 Cor: “all will be made alive” (v. 22), though with differing destinies. • Motivation for holy living: – Acts: Paul strives for a clear conscience (v. 16). – 1 Cor: “Be steadfast… your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (v. 58). • Apologetic force: – Acts: defense before political authority. – 1 Cor: defense against doctrinal error inside the church. Supporting Passages • Daniel 12:2—Old-Testament root for resurrection of “many… some to everlasting life, others to shame.” • John 5:28-29—Jesus affirms twofold resurrection, echoing Paul’s wording. • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18—details timing for the righteous. • Revelation 20:12-13—final judgment scene where “the dead were judged” after being raised. Why It Matters • Unity of Scripture: courtroom testimony and church epistle harmonize. • Full gospel: Christ’s victory over death guarantees ours. • Ethical urgency: future resurrection shapes present faithfulness, witness, and hope. |
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