1 Corinthians 15:20-28
Christ, the Firstfruits of Those Who Have Fallen Asleep
Truth Taught- Jesus’ resurrection is the Firstfruits of all the resurrections to follow
As we continue through this section of 1 Corinthians, the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of the dead, Paul will now give us even more in which to believe and have confidence that we too, one day will rise again just like Jesus did. We too will have resurrection bodies just like Jesus. We too will rise never to die again.
He will also teach us that with the resurrection of Jesus, God has set in motion events leading us to the ultimate end where the final enemy Death, is destroyed when all those who have fallen asleep in Christ are raised again.
It’s important too that we catch something that may be subtle in the language of how it’s written but very significant theologically, Christ has been raised. With this short phrase, we learn that Jesus did not raise Himself but that God raised Him from the dead. When God raised Jesus from the dead, it set in motion a chain of events that will lead also to our own resurrection one day, God will also raise us.
These are some of the important points made here in this section.
Please stand…
1 Corinthians 15:20–28 (ESV)
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come 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 at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
1. Christ, the Firstfruits (15:20-23)
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come 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 at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Paul begins our current section by stating the fact that opposed to their thinking and opposed to his hypothetical argument, Christ has been raised. Now just like the complete breakdown of Christianity that was portrayed in his former hypothetical world he showed us, remember the world with no resurrection and all the complete failure and emptiness of everything including Paul’s preaching, our faith, the dead in Christ, the Apostolic authority, his calling, their being false prophets and on we go, now he’s going to show us all the glorious events and victories God has in store for all who trust in Christ and the Gospel message.
If Christ is not raised was Paul statement to introduce the absurdity of their stance and now, we see his statement of fact, But in fact, Christ has been raised.
The resurrection of Christ has set in motion a sequence of events that will lead to our own resurrection. All who are in Christ will be raised from the dead by the power of God. Those who have fallen asleep have not perished (all our loved ones who have died in Christ, are destined for the resurrection).
Jesus is the Firstfruits. This term is directly taken from the Levitical Thanksgiving Offering or the Offering or Feast of Firstfruits.
Firstfruits was a Jewish feast held in the early spring at the beginning of the grain harvest. It was observed on Nissan 16, which was the third day after Passover and the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Firstfruits was a time of thanksgiving for God’s provision.
Leviticus 23:9-14 institutes the firstfruits offering. The people were to bring a sheaf of grain to the priest, who would wave it before the Lord. A burnt offering, a meal offering, and a drink offering were also required at that time.
Leviticus 23:9–14 (ESV)
9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, 11 and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the Lord with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin. 14 And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
The reason the term Firstfruits is used for Jesus and the resurrection is that like the firstfruits of the harvest brought to the priest was symbolic for the full harvest that would come later, so too, Jesus’ resurrection is the Firstfruit of all the resurrections that would come later.
We know that Jesus was not the first resurrection chronologically. There were others that preceded His, one was Lazarus for example. However, Jesus is the Firstfruit because all other resurrections such as Lazarus were raised but they would eventually die again. With Jesus and with ours, His and our resurrections are of the same type, we receive glorified bodies that will never die again.
Paul goes on to teach us that in Adam all die. All people are in Adam from their birth. Because it was through Adam the human race fell into sin and the result of sin is death so all who are in Adam die.
Adam brought death to humanity due to his sin. We are all sinners as a result of Adam. All are in Adam. This is the doctrine of original sin. He as our representative head of the human race brought death to all people.
Christ is the Second Adam. He brought forth resurrection of the dead. His resurrection undoes the death that Adam’s sin and our own sin brings.
By believing the Gospel we are taken from being in Adam to being in Christ. Adam was our representative head but now, by faith we now have a different representative Head, Jesus Christ. All who have trusted in Christ for salvation have Him as their representative and all believers will experience a resurrection like His.
Christ is the head or the beginning of the New Humanity. He is God’s pledge that all who are in Christ will also be raised.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Notice another thing before we leave this short section, there is an order.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Jesus is the Firstfruits. He is the prototype and the guarantee of all the resurrections that will follow. At Christ’s return, all who are in Christ will be raised to glorification.
2. Christ’s Resurrection Was the Beginning of His Victory Over All Enemies (15:24-28)
24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
At Christ’s return Paul tells us also comes the end. Here he refers to the end of the current world order and evil and sinful authorities that are in rebellion against the authority of the Father.
Also, at His return Jesus will destroy every rule, every authority and power.
Our Lord will then defeat all enemies and the last one to be defeated is death itself. When all of God’s people rise from their graves then death has just been defeated and destroyed.
The Greek here goes something like this…
He will hand over the Kingdom to the Father and included in that event are all the others mentioned…
-All opposing forces, powers, dominions, rulers and authorities that oppose God are destroyed.
-The last enemy to be destroyed in death.
-Jesus will reign with everything in subordination to Him, that is except God the Father of course.
At Christ’s return all things are subject to His authority and reign. So, Paul is teaching us that the consummation of redemption not only includes the resurrection of believers but also the restoration of all creation.
Romans 8:19–22 (ESV)
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
There is nothing that lies outside of God’s redemptive purposes in Jesus. Sin will be removed and all creation made new. All of creation will be united in Christ.
Ephesians 1:9–10 (ESV)
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Conclusion…
As we conclude and think about what these verses mean and how they should impact us we should come to the realization that Jesus’ resurrection is not just something the Church should celebrate once a year. It’s not something that we should even seek to prove apologetically to the lost world, necessarily.
The resurrection of Christ has determined our future existence for all eternity. We should not view it as an addition that comes after we have lived out our lives. As Paul has so amazingly laid out for us, that our Lord’s resurrection has set in motion events that determine our present and our future.
Christ’s resurrection is the pattern and prototype of the resurrection that we all who trust Christ will one day experience. This truth should impact our lives now and reshape our worship.
His resurrection some 2,000 years ago set in motion events that continue and include us and our salvation. We will be the Kingdom Jesus gives to the Father, we will be the latter fruits. We will be raised by the same Power that raised Jesus and because He rose never to die again, we too will be raised and glorified.
Resources Used:
1 Corinthians by Gordon Fee
1 Corinthians by Vaughan and Lee
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