1 Corinthians 15:15
In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised.
In that case
This phrase serves as a logical connector, indicating a conclusion drawn from a previous argument. In the context of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is addressing the Corinthian church's doubts about the resurrection of the dead. The Greek word used here, "ἄρα," implies a logical consequence. Paul is emphasizing the seriousness of the implications if the resurrection is denied. Historically, the resurrection was a cornerstone of early Christian preaching, and denying it would unravel the very fabric of the Gospel message.

we are also found
The phrase suggests a discovery or revelation of truth. The Greek word "εὑρίσκω" means to find or discover. Paul is asserting that if the resurrection is not true, then the apostles, including himself, are exposed as liars. This highlights the integrity and sincerity of the apostolic witness, as they were willing to stake their reputations and lives on the truth of the resurrection.

to be false witnesses
The term "false witnesses" is derived from the Greek "ψευδομάρτυρες," which means those who bear false testimony. In Jewish law, bearing false witness was a serious offense, often punishable by severe penalties. Paul is underscoring the gravity of the situation; if the resurrection did not occur, then the apostles are guilty of misrepresenting God Himself, which would be a grave sin.

about God
This phrase emphasizes the divine nature of the testimony. The apostles are not merely speaking about human events but are claiming to speak on behalf of God. The Greek "περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ" indicates the subject of their testimony is God’s action in history. This underscores the theological importance of the resurrection as a divine act, not just a historical event.

because we have testified
The word "testified" comes from the Greek "μαρτυρέω," meaning to bear witness or give evidence. This term is often used in legal contexts, suggesting that the apostles are providing a solemn and truthful account. Their testimony is not based on hearsay but on their direct experiences and encounters with the risen Christ.

that He raised Christ from the dead
This central claim of the Christian faith is rooted in the Greek "ὅτι ἤγειρεν τὸν Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν." The resurrection is presented as an act of God, affirming Jesus as the Christ, the anointed one. Historically, this claim was revolutionary, challenging both Jewish and Greco-Roman understandings of life, death, and divinity. The resurrection is the validation of Jesus' divine identity and mission.

but He did not raise Him
This phrase introduces a hypothetical contradiction. The Greek "εἰ δὲ ἄρα οὐκ ἤγειρεν" suggests a conditional statement, emphasizing the logical inconsistency of denying the resurrection. Paul is using a rhetorical device to highlight the absurdity of the claim that the dead are not raised, which would nullify the resurrection of Christ.

if in fact the dead are not raised
The phrase "if in fact" translates the Greek "εἰ ἄρα," which introduces a conditional clause. Paul is addressing a specific doubt within the Corinthian community regarding the general resurrection. By linking Christ’s resurrection to the general resurrection, Paul is affirming the interconnectedness of Christian hope and the reality of life after death. This reflects the eschatological hope that was central to early Christian belief, rooted in the promises of Scripture and the teachings of Jesus.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of 1 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth, emphasizing the importance of the resurrection of Christ.

2. Corinth
A major city in ancient Greece, known for its diverse population and cultural influences, where the early Christian church faced various doctrinal challenges.

3. Resurrection of Christ
The central event in Christian faith, affirming Jesus' victory over death and the promise of eternal life for believers.

4. False Witnesses
Refers to those who would be lying about God if the resurrection were not true, highlighting the seriousness of the claim.

5. God
The central figure in the testimony, whose power and truth are affirmed through the resurrection of Jesus.
Teaching Points
The Centrality of the Resurrection
The resurrection is foundational to Christian faith. Without it, the entire message of the gospel falls apart.

Integrity of Witness
As Christians, our testimony about God must be truthful and consistent with Scripture. The resurrection is a non-negotiable truth.

Hope in Eternal Life
The resurrection assures believers of their future resurrection and eternal life, providing hope and purpose in this life.

The Power of God
The resurrection demonstrates God's power over death, affirming His sovereignty and ability to fulfill His promises.

Faith and Proclamation
Belief in the resurrection should compel us to boldly proclaim the gospel, knowing it is the truth that transforms lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the resurrection of Christ impact your daily life and faith?

2. In what ways can you ensure that your testimony about God is truthful and aligns with Scripture?

3. How does the assurance of your own resurrection influence your perspective on current challenges or suffering?

4. What are some practical ways you can share the truth of the resurrection with others in your community?

5. How can the power of God, demonstrated in the resurrection, encourage you in areas where you feel powerless or defeated?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Acts 2:32
This verse supports the testimony of the apostles about the resurrection, showing consistency in the message of the early church.

Romans 10:9
Emphasizes the importance of believing in the resurrection for salvation, connecting faith to the truth of the resurrection.

1 Thessalonians 4:14
Reinforces the hope of resurrection for believers, linking it to the resurrection of Jesus.

John 11:25
Jesus declares Himself as the resurrection and the life, providing a direct connection to the power of His resurrection.

Matthew 28:6
The angel's announcement of Jesus' resurrection, affirming the truth of the event witnessed by the apostles.
The Exposition and Defence of the ResurrectionJ.R. Thomson 1 Corinthians 15:1-58
Christ's Resurrection the Ground of Belief in Our OwnL Cochrane, A.M.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Consequences of Denying the Resurrection of ChristW. Johnson Fox.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Did Christ Rise?E. Hurndall 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
If There be no ResurrectionC. H. Spurgeon.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
If There be no Resurrection Christ not RisenM. Dods, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
If There be no Resurrection, What Then?G. D. Boardman, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Logical Consequences of Rejecting ChristianityJ. M. Buckley, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Our Lost OnesJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Reverse the PropositionJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Supposing Jesus be not Raised from the Dead, What ThenReuen Thomas, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Terrible Conclusions Resulting from the Denial of Two GreD Thomas, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
The Certainty of the Resurrection of ChristCanon Diggle.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
What Comes of a Dead ChristA. Maclaren, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Denying the Resurrection from the Dead, and What the Denial InvolvesC. Lipscomb 1 Corinthians 15:12-34
People
Adam, Cephas, Corinthians, James, Paul, Peter
Places
Corinth, Ephesus
Topics
FALSE, Bearing, Christ, TRUE, Dead, Didn't, Discovered, Fact, Indeed, Misrepresenting, Moreover, Nay, None, Persons, Power, Raise, Raised, Reality, Rise, Testified, Testify, Truth, Witness, Witnessed, Witnesses, Yea, Yes
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Corinthians 15:12-17

     7756   preaching, content

1 Corinthians 15:12-28

     5110   Paul, teaching of

1 Corinthians 15:14-15

     2422   gospel, confirmation
     9312   resurrection, significance of Christ's

Library
The Image of the Earthly and the Heavenly
Eversley, Easter Day, 1871. 1 Cor. xv. 49. "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." This season of Easter is the most joyful of all the year. It is the most comfortable time, in the true old sense of that word; for it is the season which ought to comfort us most--that is, it gives us strength; strength to live like men, and strength to die like men, when our time comes. Strength to live like men. Strength to fight against the temptation which
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Third Sunday after Easter Second Sermon.
Text: First Corinthians 15, 20-28. 20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Fourth Sunday after Easter
Text: First Corinthians 15, 35-50. 35 But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come? 36 Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not quickened except it die: 37 and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind; 38 but God giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men,
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Fifth Sunday after Easter
Text: First Corinthians 15, 51-58. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Paul's Witness to Christ's Resurrection.
Text: 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10. 1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Small Duties and the Great Hope
'But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; 11. And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12. That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 13. But I would not have
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Christian and the Scientific Estimate of Sin
"Christ died for our sins."--I COR. XV. 3. Nothing is more characteristic of Christianity than its estimate of human sin. Historically, no doubt, this is due to the fact that the Lord and Master of Christians died "on account of sins." His death was due, as we have seen, both to the actual, definite sins of His contemporaries, and also to the irreconcilable opposition between His sinless life and the universal presence of sin in the world into which He came. But it is with the Christian estimate
J. H. Beibitz—Gloria Crucis

Outward and Inward Morality
OUTWARD AND INWARD MORALITY I Cor. xv. 10.--"The Grace of God." Grace is from God, and works in the depth of the soul whose powers it employs. It is a light which issues forth to do service under the guidance of the Spirit. The Divine Light permeates the soul, and lifts it above the turmoil of temporal things to rest in God. The soul cannot progress except with the light which God has given it as a nuptial gift; love works the likeness of God into the soul. The peace, freedom and blessedness of all
Johannes Eckhart—Meister Eckhart's Sermons

April the Sixth First-Hand Knowledge of Christ
"Last of all He was seen of me also." --1 CORINTHIANS xv. 1-11. And by that vision Saul of Tarsus was transformed. And so, by the ministry of a risen Lord we have received the gift of a transfigured Paul. The resurrection glory fell upon him, and he was glorified. In that superlative light he discovered his sin, his error, his need, but he also found the dynamic of the immortal hope. "Seen of me also!" Can I, too, calmly and confidently claim the experience? Or am I altogether depending upon another
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

April the Seventh if Christ were Dead!
1 CORINTHIANS xv. 12-26. "If Christ be not risen!" That is the most appalling "if" which can be flung into the human mind. If it obtains lodging and entertainment, all the fairest hopes of the soul wither away like tender buds which have been nipped by sharp frost! See how they fade! "Your faith is vain." It has no more strength and permanency than Jonah's gourd. Nay, it has really never been a living thing! It has been a pathetic delusion, beautiful, but empty as a bubble, and collapsing at
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Sudden Conversions.
"By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain."--1 Cor. xv. 10. We can hardly conceive that grace, such as that given to the great Apostle who speaks in the text, would have been given in vain; that is, we should not expect that it would have been given, had it been foreseen and designed by the Almighty Giver that it would have been in vain. By which I do not mean, of course, to deny that God's gifts are oftentimes abused and wasted by man, which
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Paul's Estimate of Himself
'By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.'--1 COR. xv. 10. The Apostle was, all his life, under the hateful necessity of vindicating his character and Apostleship. Thus here, though his main purpose in the context is simply to declare the Gospel which he preached, he is obliged to turn aside in order to assert, and to back up his assertion, that there was no sort of difference between him and the other recognised teachers of Christian truth. He
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Unity of Apostolic Teaching
Whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.'--1 COR. xv. 11. Party spirit and faction were the curses of Greek civic life, and they had crept into at least one of the Greek churches--that in the luxurious and powerful city of Corinth. We know that there was a very considerable body of antagonists to Paul, who ranked themselves under the banner of Apollos or of Cephas i.e. Peter. Therefore, Paul, keenly conscious that he was speaking to some unfriendly critics, hastens in the
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Certainty and Joy of the Resurrection
'But now is Christ risen from the dead ... the first fruits of them that slept.'--1 COR. xv. 20. The Apostle has been contemplating the long train of dismal consequences which he sees would arise if we only had a dead Christ. He thinks that he, the Apostle, would have nothing to preach, and we, nothing to believe. He thinks that all hope of deliverance from sin would fade away. He thinks that the one fact which gives assurance of immortality having vanished, the dead who had nurtured the assurance
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Remaining and Falling Asleep
'After that He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.'--1 COR. xv. 6. There were, then, some five-and-twenty years after the Resurrection, several hundred disciples who were known amongst the churches as having been eyewitnesses of the risen Saviour. The greater part survived; some, evidently a very few, had died. The proportion of the living to the dead, after five-and-twenty years, is generally the opposite.
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Death of Death
'But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. 21. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.... 50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, (for the trumpet shall sound;) and the dead shall
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Power of the Resurrection
'I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.'--1 COR. xv. 3, 4. Christmas day is probably not the true anniversary of the Nativity, but Easter is certainly that of the Resurrection. The season is appropriate. In the climate of Palestine the first fruits of the harvest were ready at the Passover for presentation in the Temple.
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

On the Atonement.
"How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures."-1 Cor. xv. 3. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."-2 Cor. v. 21. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."-Rom. v. 8. "The Lord is well pleased for his Righteousness' sake: he will magnify the law and make it honorable."-Isa. xlii. 21. "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood,
Charles G. Finney—Sermons on Gospel Themes

Victory Over Death.
Preached May 16, 1852. VICTORY OVER DEATH. "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."--1 Cor. xv. 56, 57. On Sunday last I endeavoured to bring before you the subject of that which Scripture calls the glorious liberty of the Sons of God. The two points on which we were trying to get clear notions were these: what is meant by being under the law, and what is meant by being free from the law? When
Frederick W. Robertson—Sermons Preached at Brighton

Thoughts on the Last Battle
When I select such a text as this, I feel that I cannot preach from it. The thought o'ermasters me; my words do stagger; there are no utterances that are great enough to convey the mighty meaning of this wondrous text. If I had the eloquence of all men united in one, if I could speak as never man spake (with the exception of that one godlike man of Nazareth), I could not compass so vast a subject as this. I will not therefore pretend to do so, but offer you such thoughts as my mind is capable of
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

"Alas for Us, if Thou Wert All, and Nought Beyond, O Earth"
We will try and handle our text this morning in this way. First, we are not of all men most miserable; but secondly, without the hope of another life we should be--that we are prepared to confess--because thirdly, our chief joy lies in the hope of a life to come; and thus, fourthly, the future influences the present; and so, in the last place, we may to-day judge what our future is to be. I. First then, WE ARE NOT OF ALL MEN MOST MISERABLE. Who ventures to say we are? He who will have the hardihood
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 10: 1864

A Leap Year Sermon *
"One born out of due time."--1 Corinthians 15:8. PAUL THUS DESCRIBES himself. It was necessary that Paul, as an apostle, should have seen the Lord. He was not converted at the time of Christ's ascension; yet he was made an apostle, for the Lord Jesus appeared to him in the way, as he was going to Damascus, to persecute the saints of God. When he looked upon himself as thus put in, as it were, at the end of the apostles, he spoke of himself in the most depreciating terms, calling himself "one born
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 46: 1900

Resurgam
I propose this morning, as God shall enable, to listen to that voice of spring, proclaiming the doctrine of the resurrection, a meditation all the more appropriate from the fact, that the Sabbath before last we considered the subject of Death, and I hope that then very solemn impressions were made upon our minds. May the like impressions now return, accompanied with more joyous ones, when we shall look beyond the grave, through the valley of the shadow of death, to that bright light in the distance--the
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

28TH DAY. A Joyful Resurrection.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "This corruptible must put on incorruption."--1 COR. xv. 53. A Joyful Resurrection. Marvel of marvels? The sleeping ashes of the sepulchre starting at the tones of the archangel's trumpet!--the dishonoured dust, rising a glorified body, like its risen Lord's? At death, the soul's bliss is perfect in kind; but this bliss is not complete in degree, until reunited to the tabernacle it has left behind to mingle with the sods of the valley. But tread lightly on that grave,
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

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