1Corinthians 15:20-34 comments: every man in his order

15:20 ¶  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24  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. 25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27  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. 28  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. 29  Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? 30  And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32  If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. 33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34  Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Paul affirms that Christ rose from the dead and is the firstfruits, the first of the harvest of those that have died to be reborn, never to die again. Sleep is a euphemism for death. See here how Jesus used it.

John 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Others in the Bible who were raised from the dead would die again. But, Jesus represents our resurrection to eternal life. In another place Paul refers to Him as the firstborn from the dead.

Colossians 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Verse 21 shows the logic of God coming as a man to earth. By a man was death and by a man was death defeated. We know who had power over death, who the killer is.

Hebrews 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

But, we have the victory in Christ. We die in Adam but live in Christ. There is an order to the resurrection. First, there was Christ, to be resurrected from the dead never to die again. Then, those that are His when He returns to rule the earth physically from Jerusalem. Then, comes eternity, history’s end.

Something is going on in verse 28. There is something about eternity and God’s nature that escapes us and we are clearly not told the whole story for a reason. Christ’s role as the mediator between God and man and as head over the church will no longer be necessary, or so Matthew Henry seems to say, and although the Bible talks about Him reigning forever and ever and of His kingdom having no end that specific role of mediator will be surrendered.

Verse 29 is peculiar. Who are the they? Is Paul justifying the ritual of being baptized for the dead as I have heard the Mormons do? It must have been some custom of some early groups of Christians, perhaps, to be baptized for the martyred dead who believed but had no opportunity to experience baptism. But, he does not say we but they so we should keep that in mind.

Paul goes on to ask why do Christians, himself included, in a reference to persecution where Christians were thrown to be torn apart by animals for the amusement of the pagan Romans and Greeks, endanger their lives constantly if there is no resurrection?

Verse 33 has a well-known quote by the pagan playwright Menander, evil communications corrupt good manners, or for our purposes in context, bad teaching can hurt the church. Anyone who denies the resurrection is poisoning the soup, so to speak. It is the foundation of our Christian belief. Paul uses commonly known pagan quotes because the people would have understood them like when we say a phrase that is common in our culture today like a movie quote that most people have heard. You might jokingly say, “go ahead, make my day,” quoting Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry, for instance. He did this quoting Aratus in Acts 17 and Epimenides in Titus.

He ends this passage by shaming those who deny the resurrection.