John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 15:54

"But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." — 1 Corinthians 15:54 (ASV)

Then shall be brought to pass the saying. This is not merely an amplification (ἐπεξεργασία), but also a confirmation of the preceding statement. For what was foretold by the Prophets must be fulfilled. Now, this prediction will not be fulfilled until our bodies, laying aside corruption, will put on incorruption. Hence, this last result is also necessary. To come to pass is used here in the sense of being fully accomplished, for what Paul quotes is now begun in us and is also daily receiving further accomplishment; but it will not have its complete fulfillment until the last day.

It does not, however, seem entirely clear from what passage he has taken this quotation, as many statements to this effect occur in the Prophets. It is probable that the first clause is taken either from Isaiah 25:8, where it is said that death will be forever destroyed by the Lord, or (as almost all are rather inclined to think) from Hosea 13:14. In Hosea, the Prophet, lamenting the obstinate wickedness of Israel, complains that Israel was like an untimely child struggling against the efforts of his mother in labor, so that he might not come forth from the womb. From this, the Prophet concludes that it was entirely due to Israel himself that he was not delivered from death.

I will ransom them, he says, from the power of the grave; I will rescue them from death. It does not matter whether you read these words in the future indicative or in the subjunctive, because in either way the meaning amounts to this: God was prepared to grant them salvation, if they had allowed this favor to be granted to them, and therefore, if they perished, it was their own fault.

He afterwards adds, I will be thy destruction, O death! thy ruin, O grave! In these words God intimates that He accomplishes the salvation of His people only when death and the grave are reduced to nothing. For no one will deny that in that passage there is a description of completed salvation. Therefore, since we do not see such a destruction of death, it follows that we do not yet enjoy that complete salvation which God promises to His people, and that, consequently, it is delayed until that day. Then, accordingly, will death be swallowed up, that is, it will be reduced to nothing, so that we may have clearly, in every particular and in every respect (as they say), a complete victory over it.

Regarding the second clause, in which he triumphs over death and the grave, it is not certain whether Paul speaks of himself, or whether he also meant to quote the words of the Prophet there. For where we render it, I will be thy destruction, O death! — thy ruin, O grave! the Greeks have translated it, Where, O death, is thy suit? Where, O grave, thy sting? Now, although this mistake by the Greeks is excusable due to the close resemblance of the words, yet if anyone examines the context attentively, he will see that they have strayed far from the Prophet’s intention.

The true meaning, then, is this: the Lord will put an end to death and destroy the grave. It is possible, however, that since the Greek translation was in common use, Paul alluded to it. There is nothing inconsistent in that, though he did not quote literally, for instead of victory he used the term action, or lawsuit. It is certainly my opinion that the Apostle did not deliberately intend to invoke the Prophet as a witness with the intention of misusing his authority, but simply adapted, in passing, a commonly used sentiment for his own purpose, since it was, apart from this, of a pious nature.

The main point is this: Paul, by a spirited exclamation, intended to stir up the minds of the Corinthians and lead them, so to speak, to a close view of the resurrection. Now, although we do not yet behold the victory with our eyes, and the day of triumph has not yet arrived (indeed, the dangers of war must be encountered every day), yet the assurance of faith, as we will soon observe, is not at all diminished by this.