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1 Corinthians 15:19
Verse
Context
Sermons
Francis Chan
Derek PrinceDerek Prince
St. Augustine
David Servant
A.W. PinkSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
If in this life only we have hope - It would be better to translate and point this verse as follows: - And, if in this life we have hoped in Christ only, we are more to be pitied than all men. If, in this life, we have no other hope and confidence but in Christ, (and if he be still dead, and not yet risen), we are more to be pitied than any other men; we are sadly deceived; we have denied ourselves, and been denied by others; have mortified ourselves, and been persecuted by our fellow creatures on account of our belief and hope in One who is not existing, and therefore can neither succor us here, nor reward us hereafter. Bishop Pearce.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
If our hopes in Christ were limited to this life only, we should be, of all men, most to be pitied; namely, because, while others live unmolested, we are exposed to every trial and persecution, and, after all, are doomed to bitter disappointment in our most cherished hope; for all our hope of salvation, even of the soul (not merely of the body), hangs on the resurrection of Christ, without which His death would be of no avail to us (Eph 1:19-20; Pe1 1:3). The heathen are "without hope" (Eph 2:12; Th1 4:13). We should be even worse, for we should be also without present enjoyment (Co1 4:9).
John Gill Bible Commentary
But now is Christ risen from the dead,.... As was before proved by ocular testimonies, and before preached and asserted; and now reassumed and concluded, from the glaring contradictions, and dreadful absurdities that follow the denial of it: and became the firstfruits of them that slept; who were already fallen asleep; respecting chiefly the saints that died before the resurrection of Christ; and if Christ was the firstfruit of them, there is no difficulty of conceiving how he is the firstfruits of those that die since. The allusion is to the firstfruits of the earth, which were offered to the Lord: and especially to the sheaf of the firstfruits, which was waved by the priest before him, Deu 26:2 and to which Christ, in his resurrection from the dead, is here compared. The firstfruits were what first sprung out of the earth, were soonest ripe, and were first reaped and gathered in, and then offered unto the Lord; so Christ first rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven, and presented himself to God; as the representative of his people; for though there were others that were raised before him, as the widow of Sarepta's son by Elijah, the Shunammite's son by Elisha, and the man that touched the prophet's bones when put into his grave, and Jairus's daughter, the widow of Naam's son, and Lazarus by Christ; yet as these did not rise by their own power, so only to a mortal life: but Christ, as he raised himself by his own power, so he rose again to an immortal life, and was the first that ever did so; he was the first to whom God showed, and who first trod this path of life. The firstfruits were the best, what was then ripest, and so most valuable; Christ is the first, and rose the first in dignity, as well as in time; he rose as the head of the body, as the firstborn, the beginning, that in all things he might have, and appear to have, as he ought to have, the pre-eminence. The firstfruits sanctified the rest of the harvest, represented the whole, gave right to the ingathering of it, and ensured it; Christ by lying in the grave, and rising out of it, sanctified it for his people, and in his resurrection represented them; they rose with him, and in him; and their resurrection is secured by his; because he lives, they shall live also. The firstfruits were only such, and all this to the fruits of the earth, that were of the same kind with them, not to tares and chaff, to briers and thorns; so Christ, in rising from the dead, is only the firstfruits of the saints; of such as are the fruits of his death and of his grace, who have the fruits of his Spirit in them, and are filled with the fruits of righteousness by him; just as he is the firstborn from the dead, with respect to the many brethren, whom he stands in the relation of a firstborn: once more, as the allusion is particularly to the sheaf of the firstfruits, it is to be observed, that that was waved before the Lord, the morrow after the sabbath, Lev 23:11 which, as the Jews (f) interpret, was the morrow after the first good day, or festival of the passover; the passover was on the fourteenth day of the month; the festival, or Chagiga, on the fifteenth, and which, in the year that Christ suffered, was a sabbath day also; and the morrow after that, the sheaf of the firstfruits was waved; now Christ suffered on the passover, rested in the grave on the seventh day sabbath, and on the morrow after that, rose from the dead, the very day that the first fruits were offered to the Lord: so that the allusion and phrase are very appropriately used by the apostle. (f) Targum & Jarchi in Lev. xxiii. 11.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
15:19 Without eternal life, faithful believers are more to be pitied than anyone in the world because they suffer persecution and deprivation. But they find their joy in anticipating what lies beyond this life, as did both Jesus (see Heb 12:2) and Paul (see 2 Cor 4:16-18; Phil 1:21-23; 3:7-11).
1 Corinthians 15:19
The Resurrection of the Dead
18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Are You All In? - Haggai Part 2
By Francis Chan10K25:14HAG 1:2HAG 2:19MAT 13:441CO 15:19REV 3:1
This sermon emphasizes the importance of wholehearted commitment to God, using examples of individuals who turned their lives around to follow Him completely. It challenges listeners to evaluate if they are truly 'all in' for God, willing to sacrifice everything for His kingdom. The speaker reflects on the need for action and application of God's word in our lives, rather than just hearing and being complacent. The message highlights the urgency of prioritizing God's work and blessings over personal comfort and convenience.
Alas for Us, if Though Wert All, and Nought Beyond, O Earth
By C.H. Spurgeon5.6K48:38NUM 23:10PSA 106:44ISA 43:25MAT 25:411CO 15:19REV 19:8REV 20:15In this sermon, the preacher reflects on the deep and indescribable joy experienced by the heavenly family. He contemplates the significance of the star of Jacob and how all other stars derive their brilliance from him. The preacher then shares a powerful encounter with a martyr of God who, despite being driven from his home and comforts, finds solace in the midst of suffering. The sermon takes a dramatic turn as the preacher vividly describes the scene of judgment day, where all individuals are held accountable for their actions. The hope of the world to come is emphasized as the ultimate source of comfort and motivation for Christians, preventing them from living miserable lives.
What Is God Waiting For? - Part 1
By Derek Prince1.6K28:29GEN 2:7LUK 19:101CO 15:192CO 6:16TIT 2:14
This sermon by Derek Prince delves into the question of why God has tolerated evil and suffering for so long, emphasizing God's desire for a special people zealous for good works. It explores the concept of believers being God's temple and the importance of realizing the incredible value God has placed on humanity. The message highlights the need for Christians to have an eternal perspective, focusing on eternity rather than temporal desires, to avoid living in carnality and missing God's ultimate purpose for His redeemed people.
What Is God Waiting For? - Part 2
By Derek Prince1.1K28:211CO 15:192CO 6:16TIT 2:141PE 1:221JN 3:2REV 1:12REV 5:5
This sermon by Derek Prince emphasizes the importance of purity with an eternal perspective, urging Christians to focus on eternity rather than just temporal matters. He highlights the need for believers to purify themselves as a response to God's purification, emphasizing the eternal hope of being like Jesus. Additionally, he stresses the significance of obeying the truth, leading to fervent love for fellow believers as evidence of a purified heart. Lastly, Derek Prince underscores the centrality of Jesus in the lives of believers, pointing to Revelation's imagery of Jesus as the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the sacrificial Lamb.
Exposition on Psalm 128
By St. Augustine0GEN 1:22PSA 127:1PSA 128:1MAT 9:15MAT 12:48ROM 12:121CO 15:19St. Augustine preaches about the life and martyrdom of Felix, highlighting his happiness in despising the world for the sake of the Lord, and his ultimate reward of everlasting life. He emphasizes the unity of believers in Christ, where many are one, and the importance of fearing the Lord and walking in His ways. Augustine delves into the symbolism of Psalms 127, portraying the Church as the wife of Christ and believers as His children, urging them to be like olive-branches around the Lord's table. He encourages believers to focus on spiritual blessings and the eternal perspective, rather than earthly desires and temporal joys.
Day 97, 1 Corinthians 15
By David Servant0JHN 5:281CO 15:21CO 15:191CO 15:291CO 15:341CO 15:521CO 15:58REV 20:4David Servant emphasizes the importance of holding fast to Paul's gospel, which includes the foundational truths that humanity is sinful, God is wrathful, and Christ died for our sins. The resurrection of Christ is a crucial aspect of the gospel, highlighting the significance of the doctrine of resurrection in Christian belief. Denying Christ's resurrection would invalidate the core of Christianity and the sacrifices made by His followers. Belief in Christ's resurrection should lead to a life of obedience and holiness, as emphasized by Paul's exhortation to live righteously and abound in the work of the Lord.
The Hope of the Redeemer's Return
By A.W. Pink0The Return of ChristThe Nature of Christian HopeJHN 14:1ROM 8:241CO 15:191TH 4:162TH 2:16TIT 2:13HEB 6:191PE 1:31JN 3:2REV 22:20A.W. Pink emphasizes the significance of the believer's hope in the return of Jesus Christ, distinguishing it from common misconceptions about hope being tied to salvation, death, or worldly conversion. He argues that true hope lies in the personal return of the Redeemer, which is a source of comfort and assurance for believers. Pink highlights that this hope is not only a future expectation but also a present reality that shapes the believer's life and faith. He encourages Christians to focus on this blessed hope, which promises ultimate redemption and fulfillment in Christ. The sermon serves as a reminder that the hope of Christ's return is the anchor for the soul amidst life's trials.
Behold the Happiness of Those Espoused to Christ
By Thomas Shepard0ISA 25:8LUK 12:37ROM 8:241CO 15:191TH 4:171JN 3:2Thomas Shepard preaches about the happiness of those who are espoused to the Lord Jesus, as their hopes are set on the second coming of Christ and the promises of the next life. Saints eagerly await the transformation of their bodies, the removal of sins, sorrows, shame, and the ultimate recompense for their labor of love. They anticipate being forever with the Lord, experiencing His glory and endless compassion, while the world faces judgment and despair. Shepard urges listeners to embrace Christ wholeheartedly, as the hope in Him brings certainty, glory, and unspeakable joy, contrasting the fate of those without hope.
Saved by Hope (Groaning in the Spirit Is Answered by the "Salvation Ready to Be Revealed")
By Hans R. Waldvogel0Groaning In The SpiritHope in ChristROM 8:221CO 15:192CO 5:21TI 1:1Hans R. Waldvogel emphasizes that we are 'saved by hope,' highlighting the groaning of creation and believers as they await redemption. He explains that this hope is not merely for this life but is rooted in the promise of Jesus Christ, who is our ultimate hope. Waldvogel encourages believers to recognize their identity as not of this world and to engage in prayer that reflects the Holy Spirit's groaning within them. He stresses the importance of waiting on the Lord and being prepared for Christ's return, urging the congregation to keep their hope alive and to understand the significance of their spiritual journey. Ultimately, he calls for a deeper connection with God through prayer and the Holy Spirit.
"Alas for Us, if Thou Wert All, and Nought Beyond, O Earth"
By C.H. Spurgeon0Hope in ResurrectionJoy in ChristJHN 14:1ROM 8:171CO 15:19C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the profound hope Christians have in the resurrection and eternal life, arguing that without this hope, believers would be the most miserable of all people. He asserts that while many may find temporary happiness in earthly pleasures, true joy for Christians is rooted in the assurance of a future with Christ. Spurgeon encourages believers to recognize their identity as children of God, which brings them joy and peace, even amidst trials. He warns that if the hope of resurrection were removed, the Christian's joy would vanish, leaving them in despair. Ultimately, he calls for a deep trust in Christ, urging all to embrace the promise of eternal life and the joy it brings.
The Future Life - Personal Recognition in Heaven
By W.B. Dunkum0JOB 19:25PSA 16:11PRO 10:7ISA 25:8JHN 14:21CO 15:191CO 15:512CO 5:211PE 3:18REV 7:9W.B. Dunkum preaches about the composition of individuality symbolizing two worlds, with the body representing the present world and the soul representing the spiritual world. He discusses heavenly recognition based on reason and revelation, highlighting reasons for heavenly recognition such as the immortality of the soul, the faculty of memory, and the eternal nature of love. Dunkum emphasizes the belief in future recognition based on the Word of God, referencing biblical verses and examples of recognition in the afterlife. He also delves into the meaning and ministry of sorrow, showcasing how sorrow can lead to visions of glory and heaven.
What Then?
By Russell DeLong0ECC 1:2MAT 16:26MAT 25:461CO 15:19HEB 9:27Russell DeLong delivers a thought-provoking sermon questioning the purpose and direction of our lives, emphasizing the futility of worldly pursuits that ultimately lead to death. He highlights the importance of considering the eternal consequences of our actions and choices, pointing out that without immortality, life becomes a pessimistic existence. DeLong challenges listeners to reflect on the significance of their present lives in light of the future beyond the grave, stressing the need to seek meaning from non-temporal sources like God, eternal life, and the Judgment.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
If in this life only we have hope - It would be better to translate and point this verse as follows: - And, if in this life we have hoped in Christ only, we are more to be pitied than all men. If, in this life, we have no other hope and confidence but in Christ, (and if he be still dead, and not yet risen), we are more to be pitied than any other men; we are sadly deceived; we have denied ourselves, and been denied by others; have mortified ourselves, and been persecuted by our fellow creatures on account of our belief and hope in One who is not existing, and therefore can neither succor us here, nor reward us hereafter. Bishop Pearce.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
If our hopes in Christ were limited to this life only, we should be, of all men, most to be pitied; namely, because, while others live unmolested, we are exposed to every trial and persecution, and, after all, are doomed to bitter disappointment in our most cherished hope; for all our hope of salvation, even of the soul (not merely of the body), hangs on the resurrection of Christ, without which His death would be of no avail to us (Eph 1:19-20; Pe1 1:3). The heathen are "without hope" (Eph 2:12; Th1 4:13). We should be even worse, for we should be also without present enjoyment (Co1 4:9).
John Gill Bible Commentary
But now is Christ risen from the dead,.... As was before proved by ocular testimonies, and before preached and asserted; and now reassumed and concluded, from the glaring contradictions, and dreadful absurdities that follow the denial of it: and became the firstfruits of them that slept; who were already fallen asleep; respecting chiefly the saints that died before the resurrection of Christ; and if Christ was the firstfruit of them, there is no difficulty of conceiving how he is the firstfruits of those that die since. The allusion is to the firstfruits of the earth, which were offered to the Lord: and especially to the sheaf of the firstfruits, which was waved by the priest before him, Deu 26:2 and to which Christ, in his resurrection from the dead, is here compared. The firstfruits were what first sprung out of the earth, were soonest ripe, and were first reaped and gathered in, and then offered unto the Lord; so Christ first rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven, and presented himself to God; as the representative of his people; for though there were others that were raised before him, as the widow of Sarepta's son by Elijah, the Shunammite's son by Elisha, and the man that touched the prophet's bones when put into his grave, and Jairus's daughter, the widow of Naam's son, and Lazarus by Christ; yet as these did not rise by their own power, so only to a mortal life: but Christ, as he raised himself by his own power, so he rose again to an immortal life, and was the first that ever did so; he was the first to whom God showed, and who first trod this path of life. The firstfruits were the best, what was then ripest, and so most valuable; Christ is the first, and rose the first in dignity, as well as in time; he rose as the head of the body, as the firstborn, the beginning, that in all things he might have, and appear to have, as he ought to have, the pre-eminence. The firstfruits sanctified the rest of the harvest, represented the whole, gave right to the ingathering of it, and ensured it; Christ by lying in the grave, and rising out of it, sanctified it for his people, and in his resurrection represented them; they rose with him, and in him; and their resurrection is secured by his; because he lives, they shall live also. The firstfruits were only such, and all this to the fruits of the earth, that were of the same kind with them, not to tares and chaff, to briers and thorns; so Christ, in rising from the dead, is only the firstfruits of the saints; of such as are the fruits of his death and of his grace, who have the fruits of his Spirit in them, and are filled with the fruits of righteousness by him; just as he is the firstborn from the dead, with respect to the many brethren, whom he stands in the relation of a firstborn: once more, as the allusion is particularly to the sheaf of the firstfruits, it is to be observed, that that was waved before the Lord, the morrow after the sabbath, Lev 23:11 which, as the Jews (f) interpret, was the morrow after the first good day, or festival of the passover; the passover was on the fourteenth day of the month; the festival, or Chagiga, on the fifteenth, and which, in the year that Christ suffered, was a sabbath day also; and the morrow after that, the sheaf of the firstfruits was waved; now Christ suffered on the passover, rested in the grave on the seventh day sabbath, and on the morrow after that, rose from the dead, the very day that the first fruits were offered to the Lord: so that the allusion and phrase are very appropriately used by the apostle. (f) Targum & Jarchi in Lev. xxiii. 11.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
15:19 Without eternal life, faithful believers are more to be pitied than anyone in the world because they suffer persecution and deprivation. But they find their joy in anticipating what lies beyond this life, as did both Jesus (see Heb 12:2) and Paul (see 2 Cor 4:16-18; Phil 1:21-23; 3:7-11).