1 Corinthians 15

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1 Corinthians 15 Commentary

by Brad Boyles

1 Corinthians 15 is a critical chapter that supports the evidence of Jesus Christ as well as His death and resurrection. Paul records an ancient oral tradition, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

A lot of people do not realize that the book of 1 Corinthians is widely accepted by skeptics as a legitimate book attributed to the apostle Paul. Those who do not accept it as divine still believe it is historical and it was written by Paul. No serious or credible scholar rejects this truth. Factually-speaking, everything comes together in this chapter. Think of it as three roads coming together at the same destination. (1) Paul’s personal encounter with a risen Jesus… (2) The Gospel predicted by Scripture… (3) The eyewitness testimony of Peter, James, and the apostles… (v. 7)

Paul writes that he “delivered what he received,” meaning, he took what he believed to be the Gospel events and compared them with what the disciples had witnessed firsthand.

Galatians 1:18-20 GNB It was three years later that I went to Jerusalem to obtain information from Peter, and I stayed with him for two weeks. 19 I did not see any other apostle except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 What I write is true. God knows that I am not lying!

Galatians 2:2 GNB I went because God revealed to me that I should go. In a private meeting with the leaders I explained the gospel message that I preach to the Gentiles. I did not want my work in the past or in the present to be a failure.

The reason all this is so critical is because Paul sums up the facts of his investigation. They are overwhelming.

• The risen Christ appeared to over 500 witnesses at one time.
• The risen Christ appeared to Peter and the other apostles.
• The risen Christ appeared to James (his half-brother and formerly a skeptic like Paul) who converted and became a church leader.
• Later, the risen Christ appeared to Paul on Damascus Road.

If we calculate the dates of all these events, we can conclude that Paul (an eyewitness of the risen Christ) compared his testimony with Peter and James (eyewitnesses to Jesus’ earthly ministry and of the risen Christ) approximately 5 years after Jesus died on the cross! Paul writes in verse 6 that some of the 500 witnesses are still alive. Anyone who was reading this account at the time could go investigate for themselves and talk to these people (5 years later) to see if they really did see a risen Jesus. The evidence is staggering.

This is why the resurrection of Jesus has such a strong foundation. There is no other reasonable explanation that can account for all the eyewitness testimony and credible documentation. Only God the Father could orchestrate such a solid collection of evidence that still speaks to lost souls today!