John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 15:1

"Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand," — 1 Corinthians 15:1 (ASV)

Now I make known to you. He now addresses another subject—the resurrection—belief in which among the Corinthians had been shaken by some wicked persons. It is uncertain, however, whether they doubted only about the ultimate resurrection of the body, or also about the immortality of the soul.

It is widely known that there were a variety of errors regarding this point. Some philosophers contended that souls are immortal. Regarding the resurrection of the body, it never occurred to any of them. The Sadducees, however, had grosser views, for they thought of nothing but the present life; furthermore, they thought that the soul of man was a breath of wind without substance.

It is not, therefore, entirely certain (as I have already said) whether the Corinthians had at this time reached such a level of madness as to reject all expectation of a future life, or whether they merely denied the resurrection of the body. For the arguments Paul uses seem to imply that they were entirely bewitched with the mad dream of the Sadducees.

For example, when he says:
Of what advantage is it to be baptized for the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:29).
Were it not better to eat and to drink? (1 Corinthians 15:32).
Why are we in peril every hour? (1 Corinthians 15:30).

And the like. To these, one might very readily reply, in accordance with the views of the philosophers, “Because after death the soul survives the body.”

Hence, some apply the whole of Paul’s reasoning contained in this chapter to the immortality of the soul. For my part, while I leave undetermined what the error of the Corinthians was, I cannot bring myself to view Paul’s words as referring to anything other than the resurrection of the body.

Therefore, let it be regarded as a settled point that he deals exclusively with this in this chapter. And what if the impiety of Hymenaeus and Philetus had extended this far, who said that the resurrection was already past (2 Timothy 2:18), and that there would be nothing more of it?

Similar to these, there are today some madmen, or rather devils, who call themselves Libertines.

To me, however, the following conjecture appears more probable: they were carried away by some delusion that took away from them the hope of a future resurrection, just as those today, by imagining an allegorical resurrection, take away from us the true resurrection that is promised to us.

However this may be, it is truly a dreadful case, and nearly a prodigy, that those who had been instructed by so distinguished a master should have been capable of falling so quickly into such gross errors.

But what is surprising in this, when in the Israelite Church the Sadducees had the audacity to declare openly that man is no different from an animal regarding the essence of his soul, and has no enjoyment beyond what is common to him with the animals?

Let us observe, however, that blindness of this kind is a just judgment from God, so that those who are not satisfied with God's truth are tossed here and there by Satan's delusions.

It is asked, however, why he deferred until the end of the Epistle what should properly have preceded everything else.

Some reply that this was done to impress it more deeply upon the memory.

I am rather of the opinion that Paul did not wish to introduce a subject of such importance until he had asserted his authority, which had been considerably lessened among the Corinthians, and until, by repressing their pride, he had prepared them to listen to him with docility.

I make known to you. To make known here does not mean to teach what was previously unknown to them, but to remind them of what they had heard previously.

He says, in effect, “Call to your memory, along with me, that gospel which you had learned, before you were led astray from the right course.”

He calls the doctrine of the resurrection the gospel so that they may not imagine that anyone is free to form whatever opinion they choose on this point, as on other questions that do not jeopardize salvation.

When he adds, which I preached to you, he amplifies what he had said: “If you acknowledge me as an apostle, I have assuredly taught you so.” There is another amplification in the words—which also you have received—for if they now allow themselves to be persuaded of the contrary, they will be guilty of fickleness. A third amplification is to this effect: that they had until now continued in that belief with a firm and steady resolution, which is somewhat more than that they had once believed.

But the most important thing of all is that he declares that their salvation is involved in this, for it follows from this that if the resurrection is taken away, they have no religion left, no assurance of faith, and in short, no faith remaining. Others understand the word stand in another sense, as meaning that they are upheld; but the interpretation that I have given is more correct.