Useful Bible Studies > 1 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 15

Christ really did become alive again

1 Corinthians 15:4

Paul does not want anyone to think that he is using word-pictures or clever words here. The events that he describes are real, actual events. So he reminds his readers not only about Christ’s death, but also about the fact that men buried his body.

By any natural means, it was impossible for Christ to live again. But God does what people consider impossible (Luke 1:37)

Paul mentions a period of three days. The first day was Friday, when Christ died on the cross. The second day was Saturday, when his body rested in the grace. The third day was Sunday, when early in the morning, Christ rose. That is, he became alive again. He is still alive today; he can never die again.

Paul does not merely mean that Christ’s spirit was alive. The same body that the men had buried became alive again. In fact, his body was not just alive again; it had a new quality of life (15:35-44). His body had received the same quality of life that already existed in his spirit.

The Bible already promised that Christ would become alive again after his death (for example, Isaiah 53:11). Such passages are sometimes not as easy to recognise as the passages about Christ’s death. However, there are many passages about both events as Luke 24:13-27 shows. Peter explains one such passage, Psalm 16:8-11, in Acts 2:25-32. Because of Peter’s explanation, we can understand many other similar passages, too. What God promised really did happen. Although it would seem impossible to us, Christ really did become alive again.

Next part: Evidence that Jesus is alive (1 Corinthians 15:5)

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