Some in the church at Corinth were denying the resurrection of the body. We are not given the basis of their denials. So, Paul writes to correct their false view. He begins by pointing out that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a fact. There were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection; they were not eyewitnesses of his soul, but his body; Paul named several who had seen Christ after his resurrection. The Corinthian saints, including those who denied the general resurrection of all men, believed in the resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15: 11-12). Thus, how could they deny the resurrection of the body if Christ was raised from the dead? Paul said, “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised.” Christ’s having been raised from the dead is one of the great proofs of the resurrection of all men. Paul gives this as evidence. Christ’s being the first fruits of them who sleep, is a guarantee that all men will be raised from the dead one day. (I Cor. 15:20; John 5:28-29).
Paul continues his discussion of the resurrection:
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (1 Cor. 15:22-26)
When will the resurrection take place? When Jesus comes again. This is not a reference to his first advent, but his second. When he will come again, we do not know. Jesus himself while on earth, did not know the day nor the hour (Mark 13:32). He will come as a thief in the night; there will be no signs as to when he comes the second time as there were in the destruction of Jerusalem. (2 Peter 3:10). Those poor, deluded souls who believe he has already come or that he will never come are in for a big surprise.
When Jesus comes the second time, he will descend from heaven with a shout (1 Thess. 4:16). The word “shout” translates a Greek word that denotes “an order, command, spec. a stimulating cry.” (Thayer.) “The word was used in a variety of ways, e.g., it is the cry made by the ship’s master to its rowers, or by a military officer to his soldiers, or by a hunter to his hounds, or by a charioteer to his horses. When used to military or naval personnel, it was a battle cry. In most places, it denotes a loud, authoritative cry, often one uttered in the thick of great excitement.” (Rienecker/Rogers, Linguistic Key To the Greek N.T., p. 599.) When Jesus comes, the second time the last trump will sound (1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:16). When Jesus comes the second time, the dead will be raised (John 5:28-29; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:11-15). When Christ comes the second time, he will judge the world (Matt. 25:31-46; 2 Tim. 4:1). When Jesus comes again, this earth will be burned up (2 Peter 3:10-13). When Christ comes the second time, Paul says, “Then cometh the end.” (1 Cor. 15:24.) Literally, “Then the end.” “Cometh” is in italics in the King James Version, which indicates it is not a part of the original text but was added by the translators to help with our understanding. There is a sequence of temporal events: Christ comes; the end comes.
“Then cometh the end.” The end of what? Judaism? It ended at the cross (Col. 2:14). But some were still practicing it, someone might say. Yes, and some even claim to be following it today. However, it was made null and void at the cross. The world did not end. We are still here. The end has not yet come. One of the errors of the AD 70 advocates is that they assume a word or phrase has the same meaning in every context. “The end” of Matthew 24:6 is not in the same context as “the end” of 1 Corinthians 15:24. A text taken out of context becomes a pretext. The end here means the end of the world, the end of time, the end of life here on earth.
Paul wrote, “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” (1 Cor. 15:24.) Thus, when the end comes, Christ shall deliver up the kingdom to God. Christ will not receive the kingdom, for he ascended into heaven to receive it (Luke 19:11-15; Acts 2:29-36). However, he will deliver it up to the Father. The Greek word for “shall have delivered up” means to surrender; i.e., to yield up, transmit.” He will not receive it but give it up.
Christ shall reign “till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26-27,) The resurrection of the body is what is under discussion in this chapter; the “death” under consideration is physical, not spiritual. People are still dying; Christ will reign until death is destroyed. He defeated death in his resurrection, but when he returns, he will destroy physical death.
Jesus is reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords now (1 Tim. 6:15). All things have been put under Jesus’ feet with one exception: the Father who is overall. “For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Cor. 15:27–28.)
There is a great day coming. Let each of us be prepared.