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The Divine Apostle, having concluded the doctrine of spiritual gifts, considered it useful to expound the doctrine of the resurrection. For some deceivers deceived the Corinthians, saying that there would be no resurrection of bodies. The Apostle, as filled with spiritual wisdom, not only expounds this teaching, but first allows us to see the purpose of the Master’s incarnation and shows that the Cross, and the suffering, and the Resurrection of the Savior were for the sake of the general resurrection. And we understand this more clearly from the very words of the Apostle. 1 Corinthians 15:1. I remind you, brethren, of the Gospel which I preached to you, which you accepted and in which you were established. 1 Corinthians 15:2. By which you are saved, if you keep what was taught, as I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. “I tell you, brethren, the gospel that was preached to you is what you eat, in which you stand, and you are saved by the word of the gospel that was preached to you.” The apostle again added praise to the teaching, first delighting the ears of the Corinthians. That’s why he said: “You stand in it”; and, confirming the legend about standing, he added: “by this you are saved.” He says the following: “I intend to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received diligently and are waiting for the salvation it brings; “I remind you, wanting to show the purpose of it” For he expressed this by saying: “With what word I preach the good news to you.” Then he adds: “Even if you support it, unless you believe in vain.” For if you do not believe in the resurrection of bodies, then the preaching of the Gospel is unnecessary. 1 Corinthians 15:3. For I taught you from the beginning what I also received, that is, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. “I gave it to you from the very beginning, and I accepted it.” I did not myself invent preaching and did not follow human reasoning, but I received the teaching about this from the Lord Christ. What did you receive? “For Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures.” The prophets also predicted this, and Isaiah cries out: “The same plague was for our iniquity, and he was tormented for our sins, the punishment of our peace was on Him” (Is. 53:5). 1 Corinthians 15:4. And that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. “And as soon as he was buried.” And this was predicted by the prophets, for it is said: “His burial will be in peace” (Is. 57:2). “And it rose on the third day, according to the Scripture.” The divine David also says: “For Thou hast not left my soul in hell, let Thy venerable one see corruption” (Ps. 15:10); and the Lord brings Jonah out on Wednesday (Matthew 12:40), because the type contains the number of three days. 1 Corinthians 15:5. And that Cephas appeared, then to the twelve. “And as Cephas appeared.” A person sufficient to testify, but there is only one person. Therefore the Apostle added: “Also one of ten.” And so that no one would suspect them, as if they were preaching a resurrection about their beloved Teacher, which did not exist, the Apostle necessarily added: 1 Corinthians 15:6. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, and some have died. “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren as one,” not separately, but to all together. The testimony of such a number of people is not suspicious. And so that no one would think that he himself was saying something that didn’t happen, he added: “Many of them remain to this day, but not even a few.” Anyone, says the Apostle, can find out about this from themselves. 1 Corinthians 15:7. Then he appeared to Jacob, and also to all the Apostles. “Then he appeared to Jacob.” And this was a significant person not only because of his relationship, since he was called the brother of the Lord, but also because of his own virtue, since he was called righteous. “Also an Apostle to all.” Paul again called apostles not just the twelve, for he had already mentioned them, but all those who accepted such ordination. And so as not to seem as if he was saying this by ear, he included himself among the witnesses, giving his words his usual modesty in his way of thinking. 1 Corinthians 15:8. And after all, he appeared to me, like some kind of monster. “After all, like a certain monster, appear to me.” Wanting to call himself the worst of all people, the Apostle leaves aside those who were completely formed in the mother’s womb and then born according to the law of nature, but likens himself to an aborted fetus, which is not included in the number of people. Then he explains the reasons for this. 1 Corinthians 15:9. For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. “For I am an apostle: those who are not worthy to be called an Apostle, have persecuted the church of God.” And, so as not to make his testimony invalid by narrating what had happened before, he added: 1 Corinthians 15:10. But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace in me was not in vain, but I labored more than all of them: not I, however, but the grace of God that was with me. “By the grace of God I am what I am.” The apostle tries to hide his wealth and is forced to discover it. He did not say clearly what he is, but says: “I am, even I am.” “And His grace which was in me was not in vain.” It was not in vain that God had mercy on me, for He foreknew what He was doing. “But we worked harder than all of them.” And forced to reveal what he had done, the Apostle was not filled with a high opinion of himself. For he hides miracles and points to one work, and says about it that this is a work of God’s grace. For this is what he added: “Not I, but the grace of God, which is with me.” Then he turns the word to what he suggested. 1 Corinthians 15:11. So, whether I or they, this is how we preach, and this is how you believe. “Whether they are squalid or not, so we preach, and so we believe.” Many other apostles preached the Gospel, in it the Resurrection of our God and Savior was preached; this you too have diligently accepted. Having laid this, as it were, as a certain foundation, the Apostle builds on this doctrine of the general resurrection, proving it with the most solid conclusions. 1 Corinthians 15:12. If it is preached about Christ that He rose from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? “Even if Christ is preached as if he has risen from the dead, how can they say among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” We preached, says the Apostle, that Christ is not only God, but also Man, for “in the form of God... he took on the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:6-7); and they said that He both died and rose again. But it is obvious that the Divinity is impassive, but the body is subject to suffering. Christ gave him over to the Cross and raised him from the grave. Therefore, how, the Apostle continues, do some question the resurrection of bodies when we have believed in the Resurrection of the Lord Christ? 1 Corinthians 15:13. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen.” If one is impossible, then there was no other, because the Lord Christ had a body. 1 Corinthians 15:14. And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and so is your faith. “If Christ does not rise, then is our preaching in vain, and so is your faith.” If Christ has not truly risen, then it is in vain that we preach with many dangers for ourselves, and it is in vain that you believe what is preached. 1 Corinthians 15:15. Moreover, we would also turn out to be false witnesses about God, because we would testify about God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if, that is, the dead do not rise. “We are also found to be false witnesses of God, because we obeyed God, because He raised Christ, whom He would not raise.” We are subject to punishment for slander, having dared to assert that God raised Christ, “He who shall not be raised again.” Then the Apostle again repeats the same words with the intention of confirming faith in the resurrection with many conclusions and says: 1 Corinthians 15:16. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ is not risen. 1 Corinthians 15:17. And if Christ has not risen, then your faith is vain: you are still in your sins. “If the dead do not rise, neither does Christ rise. If Christ does not rise, your faith is in vain; you still remain in your sins.” For the image of the Master of death is baptism; but the image is unnecessary if it does not lead to the remission of sins. Therefore, the burden of sins is still upon us. This is what the Apostle added to what was said above: “Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). 1 Corinthians 15:18. Therefore those who died in Christ also perished. “For even those who died in Christ perished.” In vain, apparently, the virtuous martyrs were killed for confessing Christ, and although they zealously took up their feats, they did not accept crowns, because if there is no resurrection, then there is no proclamation of victory. 1 Corinthians 15:19. And if in this life only we hope in Christ, then we are the most miserable of all people. “[And] if in this belly we trust in Christ, we are the most wretched of all men.” For we go through life among dangers of all kinds, tormented by hunger, constantly suffering insults, moving from prison to prison throughout the universe, having no shelter, wandering, struggling with incessant worries. But this is not really the case with us, because good hope supports us, and in the Resurrection of our Savior we have the guarantee of our resurrection. This is what the Apostle added. 1 Corinthians 15:20. But Christ rose from the dead, the firstborn of those who died. “Now Christ has risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who died.” He was the first to crush the power of death, and after the firstfruits, of course, all confusion will follow. And the Apostle confirms this word with an ancient example. 1 Corinthians 15:21. For just as death is through man, so is the resurrection of the dead through man. “For death was by man, and by man the resurrection of the dead.” Then the Apostle moves from nature to persons, thereby making this teaching more clear. 1 Corinthians 15:22. Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. “Just as in Adam everyone dies, so in Christ everyone will come to life.” Pay attention to the foundation of the family, and you will see that the descendants followed the progenitor; and everyone became mortal because he accepted mortality. Thus, all human nature will follow the Lord Christ and partake of the resurrection, because He too is “the firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:18), just as Adam is the firstborn. It was not without reason that the Apostle here called Christ Man, knowing that He was God, but in order, by showing connaturality, to confirm the doctrine of the resurrection. since he said that “all will come to life,” and after the resurrection there will be a division between those who lived chastely and indulged in intemperance in life, suffered from unbelief and shone with faith and, in a word, strived for deeds that were praiseworthy and deeds that were reproachful, then of necessity he added: 1 Corinthians 15:23. Each in his own order: Christ the firstborn, then those of Christ at His coming. “Each one in his own rank.” Likewise, the Lord teaches in the Holy Gospel that he will “set the lambs... on the right hand”, and the goats (“little goats”) “on the left” (Matthew 25:33). “Christ is the firstfruits,” that is, He was the first to rise. “Then” Christ’s “at His coming” - at the time of His end. The Apostle calls Christ not only those who believed in Christ after His incarnation, but also those who shone with piety and virtue under the law and before the law. 1 Corinthians 15:24. And then the end, when He will hand over the Kingdom to God and the Father, when He will abolish all authority and all authority and power. “The same death”, that is, the general resurrection of all. For when it is accomplished, then everything will come to an end - both the present order of things and the prophecies of the prophets. “When he delivers up the kingdom to God and the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power.” He will hand over the Kingdom to God and the Father, not by depriving Himself of the Kingdom, but by subduing the tormentor the devil and his accomplices and bringing everyone into the necessity of bowing their heads and recognizing the God of all. 1 Corinthians 15:25. For He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. “It is fitting for Him to reign until He puts all enemies under His feet.” The phrase “dondezhe” does not mean time here, but makes it clear that Christ will undoubtedly conquer everyone. This is similar to what David said: “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I will make Your enemies Your footstool” (Ps. 109:1). If the like-minded Arievs and Eunomievs say that this saying is used about one Son, then let them hear what God Himself says: “I am, and until you grow old, I am” (Isaiah 46:4). If this saying is understood about time, then it turns out that the God of all has an existence commensurate with human Old Age. But such idle talk is characteristic of those who are mentally damaged. And the God of all is eternal, and His Only Begotten Son is co-eternal with Him. And the Kingdom is also eternal; and this is precisely what the divine Daniel taught us, for he said: “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom” (Dan. 7:27), it will not be destroyed in eternal time. 1 Corinthians 15:26. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. "The last enemy will be destroyed by death". For, having sent the devil and his associates into utter darkness, Christ will put an end to death and resurrect all the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:27. Because He put everything under His feet. When it is said that all things are subject to Him, then it is clear that except for Him Who subjected all things to Him. “Put everything under His nose!” Here the Apostle said that the Father put all things in subjection to Him; and in the Epistle to the Philippians he says that He Himself did this, for having said: “who will transform the body of our humility, so that we may be conformed to the body of His glory,” he added: “by His action He is able to subdue all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:21), that is, He who was able to subdue all things to Himself will also adorn our corruptible body with incorruption. “Always say that everything is subjugated to Him, but it is true that everything is subjugated to Him.” 1 Corinthians 15:28. When he puts all things in subjection to Him, then the Son Himself will submit to Him who put all things in subjection to Him, so that God may be all in all. “When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will submit all things to Him who put all things under Him.” The like-minded Arievs and Eunomievs used to constantly have this place in their tongues, thinking by this to belittle the dignity of the Only Begotten. But they should have understood that the divine Apostle in this place did not write at all about the Divinity of the Only Begotten. For, urging people to believe in the resurrection of the flesh, he tried to prove its resurrection by the Master’s Resurrection. It is known that like is confirmed by like. Therefore, the Apostle called Christ “the firstfruits of those who died,” and called Him Man, and by comparing Him with those like Adam, he proved that through Christ there will be a general resurrection, so that, by pointing to the Resurrection of what is natural with us, he would convince those who disagree to believe that all people will become partakers of the same Resurrection. So, one must know that there are two natures in the Lord Christ and that Divine Scripture sometimes calls Him by human nature, and sometimes by Divine nature, for although it calls Him God, it does not deny humanity, and although it calls Him Man, it nevertheless confesses Divinity at the same time. It was impossible to speak about Him all that was sublime by nature, which He received from us. For if, even though derogatory things have been said about Him, others deny His perception of the flesh, then it is clear that there would have been a greater number of people suffering from this disease if nothing derogatory had been said. What does it mean: “and then he will submit?” This is appropriate for those who are currently arrogating to themselves the power of others. For if he submitted then, he is not yet subdued now. Therefore, detractors and those who try to subjugate someone who has not yet accepted the rules of obedience act illegally. For one must wait and study the method of conquest. But we discussed this at length in competitions with our opponents. Therefore it is necessary to briefly state the purpose of the Apostle. He wrote an Epistle to the Corinthians, who had recently freed themselves from Hellenic fables, and the Hellenic fables were filled with all sorts of lewdness and untruths. Having kept silent about other things and without desecrating my language, I will only say that they worship parricide gods and say that children rebelled against those who gave birth, expelled them from the kingdom and seized dominion for themselves. So, since the Apostle said the great thing about the Lord Christ, that He would “destroy all rule and all authority and power,” put an end to death itself and “subdue all things under His nose,” so that the Corinthians, carried away by this fable, would not assume that Christ and the begotten Father were doing the same thing that the demons to whom they bowed did, out of necessity, saying: “For all things have been subdued.” added: “It is clear that all things were submitted to Him”, and also added that “the Son Himself will submit to Him who submitted all things to Him.” For not only will he not subjugate the Father to himself, but he himself will also accept the obedience due to the Son. Therefore, just as the divine Apostle, foreseeing the harm that could come from Hellenic fables, using derogatory words, added this for the benefit of the Corinthians, so let those who disobey determine the type of this obedience. Of course, if they want to understand the truth, Christ has now obeyed by becoming man and working out our salvation. Therefore, how can one submit then? Will he then only “hand over the Kingdom to God and the Father”? If we understand this this way, it turns out that God and the Father no longer has a Kingdom. There is so much inconsistency in what the opponents claim. But Christ also appropriates to Himself what belongs to us, because we are called His body, and He is called our Head. “To him” sins (illnesses) “have been accepted by us, and have suffered illnesses” (Matthew 8:17). So in the words of the psalm Christ says: “O God, My God: take heed of Me, where have you forsaken Me? Far from My salvation is the word of My sins” (Ps. 21:2); whereas “thou shalt not commit sin, lest flattery be found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22); but He becomes the mouth of our race, having become the firstfruits of our nature. Thus He assimilates to Himself both our present disobedience and our then obedience; and since, after being delivered from corruption, we will submit, it is said that He will submit. The following words lead us to this understanding. For the divine Apostle, having said: “Then the Son Himself will submit to Him who submitted all things to Him,” added: “Let God be all in all.” Now, in essence, He is everywhere, because His nature is indescribable “and about Him,” according to the apostolic word, “we live and move and are” (Acts 17:28); but not with good pleasure in everyone, because “he has good pleasure in those who fear Him and in those who trust in His mercy” (Ps. 146:11). But even in them He is “not everything”; because “no one is clean from filth” (Job 14:4); and: “No one living will be justified before You” (Ps. 142:2); and: “if” sins (iniquity) “are seen, O Lord, O Lord, who will stand?” (Ps. 129:3). Therefore, although he favors for what they succeed in, he does not favor for what they sin in. In the future life, when corruption ceases and immortality is given, there will be no place for passions; and after the final expulsion of passions, not a single type of sin has an effect. So finally there will be “God is all in all,” when everyone will be delivered from the falls, and will turn to Him, and will not accept inclinations for the worse. And what the divine Apostle said here about God, he said in another place about Christ; He says this: “Where there is Jew and Greek, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian and Scythian... but Christ is all and in all” (Col. 3:11). But I would not have attributed what belongs to the Father to the Son, if by the grace of God I had not been taught His equality. Let us proceed to the interpretation in the following order. 1 Corinthians 15:29. Otherwise, what do those who are baptized do for the dead? If the dead do not rise at all, then why are they baptized for the dead? “For the sake of the dead, what will those who are baptized do? If the dead do not rise at all, why are they baptized for the dead’s sake?” The one who is baptized, says the Apostle, is buried with the Lord, so that, having partaken of death, he may become a partaker of the resurrection. If the body is dead and does not rise again, then why be baptized? 1 Corinthians 15:30. Why are we subjected to disasters every hour? “Why do we also accept troubles at every hour?” Having said this about everyone in general, the Apostle speaks about himself. 1 Corinthians 15:31. I die every day: I am testified of this by your praise, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. “I am dying all the days, such is your praise, because I am imam in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And he expressed an abundance of dangers and revealed his guardianship. Constantly, he says, I surrender myself to obvious death. He praised the faith of the Corinthians, and thereby convinced them to believe. 1 Corinthians 15:32. According to human reasoning, when I fought with the beasts in Ephesus, what good is it to me if the dead do not rise? Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die! “If man and beast were destroyed in Ephesus, what good would it do us if the dead did not rise?” According to human reasoning, says the Apostle, I became food for beasts, but was miraculously saved. What fruit is there for me from this danger if there is no resurrection of the dead? “Yes, we drink pits, we will die in the morning.” These are prophetic words (Isa. 22:13); and the Apostle brought them by the way, as if to say: fasting is unnecessary, abstinence is unnecessary, let us enjoy the pleasures of this life, because no reward is prepared for lovers of virtue. Then, shaming the Corinthians, he says: 1 Corinthians 15:33. Do not be deceived: bad communities corrupt good morals. “Do not be flattered: good customs are corrupted by evil conversations.” Here he called frivolous, easily deceived morals good. 1 Corinthians 15:34. Be sober as you should, and do not sin; for, to your shame, I say, some of you do not know God. “Be sober righteously, and do not sin: for none have ignorance of God, to your shame I say.” As he said to those who were lost and intoxicated with disbelief: “be sober.” He very wisely called non-belief in the resurrection ignorance of God. Whoever “confesses God to lead” (Titus 1:16) believes that He is righteous. Reward is fitting for the righteous. But we do not see righteous reward in real life. Therefore he who professes to believe in God must expect the resurrection. Then the Apostle presents the question proposed by unbelievers and says: 1 Corinthians 15:35. But someone will say: how will the dead be raised? and in what body will they come? “But someone says: How will the dead rise? In what body will they come?” The question is twofold: both about the image of the resurrection and about the future quality of the body. Then the Apostle explains both by what is most known to people, and calls the one who is unable to understand this foolish. 1 Corinthians 15:36. Reckless! what you sow will not come to life unless it dies. 1 Corinthians 15:37. And when you sow, you do not sow the future body, but the naked grain that happens, wheat or something else. “You are foolish, you see a hedgehog, it will not come to life unless it dies: and a hedgehog, it is not a future body, but a bare grain, if it happens, of wheat or something else from the others.” Look at the seeds, see that the furrows are like coffins, the seeds are buried in them like bodies, then they sprout and shoot. “Not the body of the future seesh,” that is, not an ear, but “a bare grain” or “wheat or something else from the rest.” The Apostle very successfully replaced some names with others; He did not say: it will not grow unless it dies, but he applied the names taken from us to the seeds, with them proving our resurrection. Likewise, the Lord said: “Even though a grain of wheat falls on the ground, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24). Thus, the Apostle, having shown the image of the resurrection, also shows the quality of bodies. 1 Corinthians 15:38. But God gives him a body as he wants, and each seed his own body. “God gives him a body as he pleases, and to every seed his own body.” For just as wheat will be born from wheat, and from lentils - lentils, and from each species the same species, so our bodies will be resurrected the same with greater glory, incorruptibility and immortality. The same, as can be seen, happens with seeds, for, being sown bare, they grow covered with rich shells. Therefore, the Apostle explains here both: both the image of the resurrection and the quality of bodies. Then he speaks about the division of the resurrected. 1 Corinthians 15:39. Not all flesh is the same flesh; but there is another flesh among men, another among beasts, another among fishes, and another among birds. “Not all flesh is flesh: but there is some flesh by man, and another by cattle, and another by fish, and another by birds.” The nature of the flesh, says the Apostle, is one, because it consists of four elements; but the difference is in appearance. Therefore, the resurrection and the transmutation of bodies into incorruption are also the same for everyone; but the difference in morals produces a difference in rewards. 1 Corinthians 15:40. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of those in heaven is one, and that of the earth is another. “And the heavenly body, and the earthly body: but one is the glory of the heavenly, and another is the glory of the earth.” Those worthy of heaven will be clothed with glory befitting those of heaven; and those who had an earthly way of thinking will take on clothing corresponding to their will. Thus, having made this division and showing the separation of those on earth, the Apostle shows the difference between those in heaven. For not all the righteous will become partakers of the same thing, but they will receive a reward commensurate with their achievements. The Lord also predicted this in the Holy Gospel, for He said: “Many mansions” are with My Father (John 14:2). So it is said here: 1 Corinthians 15:41. There is another glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, another of the stars; and star differs from star in glory. “There is another glory to the sun, and another glory to the moon, and another glory to the stars: a star differs from a star in glory.” So among the righteous, some will be “enlightened” like the “sun” (Matthew 13:43), and others will be like the moon, others will be like the brightness of the most brilliant stars, and others will be compared with the less bright ones. So, having shown this difference, the Apostle moves on to the doctrine of the general resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:42. So it is with the resurrection of the dead: it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. “Similarly is the resurrection of the dead,” that is, as the comparison with seeds shows. “It is sown into corruption and raised into incorruption.” In two or three days it undergoes fetid decay, but is freed from corruption and rises incorruptible. 1 Corinthians 15:43. It is sown in humiliation, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in strength. “It is not sown in honor, it is raised in glory.” For what is more dishonorable than a dead body? “It is sown in weakness, but is raised in strength.” For what is weaker than this pus or dust? However, it will take on an undying force. 1 Corinthians 15:44. The spiritual body is sown, the spiritual body is raised. There is a spiritual body, and there is a spiritual body. “The spiritual body is sown, the spiritual body is raised. There is a spiritual body, and there is a spiritual body." Everywhere the Apostle used the word sown, commanding us to undoubtedly believe that what is sown will grow. He calls it spiritual what is governed by the soul, and spiritual what is governed by the Spirit. And such grace will be received many times more by those who are worthy. That is why what is given now is called a pledge (2 Cor. 1:22), because there will be given many times greater grace. 1 Corinthians 15:45. So it is written: the first man Adam became a living soul; and the last Adam is a life-giving spirit. “This is what is written: the first man was Adam, the living soul, the last Adam, the life-giving spirit.” We read the first in Scripture (Gen. 2:7), and we actually learned the second. The Apostle called the second Adam not a living spirit, but a life-giving spirit, because he gives life to everyone, and eternal life. 1 Corinthians 15:46. But not the spiritual first, but the spiritual, then the spiritual. “But not first the spiritual, but the spiritual, and then the spiritual.” For spiritual healing is prepared for the weakness of the soul. 1 Corinthians 15:47. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second person is the Lord from heaven. “The first man from the earth has a ring; the second man is the Lord from heaven." The Apostle makes it clear that His Second Coming is because He will come to us from heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:48. As is the earthy, so are the earthy; and as is the heavenly, so are the heavenly. 1 Corinthians 15:49. And just as we bore the image of the earthly, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. “As is the earthly one, so are the rings; and like the one who is in heaven, so are those in heaven: and as we have put on the image of the earthly, let us also be clothed in the image of the heavenly.” Just as we became participants in the oath imposed on the earthy forefather, and partners in his death, so we will become partakers of the glory of the Heavenly Lord. For this: “Let us be healed,” said the Apostle in the form of a prediction, and not an exhortation. 1 Corinthians 15:50. But I tell you this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, and corruption does not inherit incorruption. “I say this, brethren, because flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.” The Apostle calls mortal nature “flesh” and “blood.” And it is impossible for her, being still mortal, to gain access to the Heavenly Kingdom. This is what the Apostle added: “Below, corruption inherits incorruption.” But it is clear that, having become incorruptible, she will enjoy the promised blessings. 1 Corinthians 15:51. I tell you a secret: we will not all die, but we will all change. “Behold, I tell you a mystery.” A “secret” is called something that is not announced to everyone, but is entrusted to some friends. Therefore, the Apostle consoles the Corinthians by telling them the hidden things. “We will not all fall asleep: we will all change.” For not only those who have died will rise incorruptible, but also those who are still alive will put on incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15:52. Suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise incorruptible, and we will be changed. "Soon" (έυ άτόμω) "in the twinkling of an eye." The apostle showed the instantaneity of the resurrection. He calls indivisible (άτόμου) the thinnest body visible in a sunbeam, which does not allow a section due to excessive smallness, “and the blink of an eye” he called the movement of the apple of the eye. And this showed God’s power, for not even the slightest part of time will pass in inaction between God’s command and the resurrection of the dead. "At the Last Trumpet". This will happen, says the Apostle, when the last trumpet sounds. “The trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise incorruptible, and we will be changed.” The Apostle did not say about himself: “we,” but about those people who will still be alive at that time. 1 Corinthians 15:53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. “It is fitting for this corruptible to put on incorruption, and for this dead thing to put on immortality.” The Apostle made it clear that it is not something else that will be resurrected, but that very thing that is decaying, for, as if with a certain finger, he pointed to it with the word: “to this,” saying: “to this corruptible, and to this dead thing.” 1 Corinthians 15:54. When this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality, then the word that is written will be fulfilled: Death is swallowed up in victory. 1 Corinthians 15:55. Death! where is your sting? hell! where is your victory? “When the corruptible has put on the incorruptible, and the mortal has put on immortality, then the word will be written: Death was sacrificed in victory. Where is the sting, death? Where the hell is victory? The Divine Apostle, since he contemplates the very fulfillment, sees both the victory of the Master and the resurrection of the dead, as if singing triumph over the enemies, he uttered this prophetic song (Is. 25:8; Hos. 13:14). 1 Corinthians 15:56. The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law. “The sting of death is sin.” For he put our race to death. “The power of sin is the law,” because “sin is not imputed to the law” (Rom. 5:13). 1 Corinthians 15:57. Thanks be to God, who has given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! “Thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Apostle necessarily concluded his teaching on the resurrection with a song. 1 Corinthians 15:58. So, my beloved brothers, be strong, immovable, always abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. “In the same way, my beloved brethren, remain firm and do not retreat.” He gives them this command, as if they were wavering. “Always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Diligently gather up the wealth of piety. “Knowing that your labor is in vain before the Lord”; because the “Judge” is truthful and weaves crowns for ascetics (2 Tim. 4:8), and “will give bribes to workers” (Matthew 20:8). So, after this admonition, the Apostle advises us to take care of serving the saints. You might be interested in: