The Necessity of the Resurrection

The listener is called an auditor because he does not perceive. Prophecy is given to the faithful, speaking of things to come, to those who do not believe by chance but who are faithful. The sign is given to the unbelieving so that he may believe what he sees, but prophecy is given so that he may confirm what is said and bless the Lord. The Greek is called an unbeliever, and the one being catechized is called a fool; and there are places where even the little-believing is called an unbeliever.

Each one, through which grace he has from God, let him build up the church by this. Having said this, he taught that one speaks by the Holy Spirit when he wishes to speak and is silent just as the prophets, not indeed those restrained by an unclean spirit; for they, even when they do not wish to speak, speak things they do not know. Through these things he shows that the Holy Spirit revealed mysteries to the souls, and that to be enlightened there, it was revealed to men, not like in the divinations where the diviner does not know what he utters. Therefore he gave back that first thing which he was saying, that when you were Gentiles toward the mute idols, as you were being led away.

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others discern who have the gift of discerning spirits. If to another it is revealed while sitting, let the first be silent, as it is in them sometimes to be silent and sometimes to speak. And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. Do not fear, he says, if you keep silent as if rejecting the Spirit; for he knows that the gifts are to be subject to one another. It is manifest that those having the gifts of the discerning of spirits should use them, so that the church may receive building up and not trouble from all speaking at once.

I say not something foreign, he says, but what I preached. And not only did I preach, but you did not receive, but what also you received. And you did not receive in vain or without foundation, but in which you are being saved. He says that he is about to say that he made known to you that the Lord Jesus died for us; by what word is this gospel, so that the resurrection may be believed; for Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection, having died for us. For if death were not to be abolished, the Savior would not have become man, unless in vain he returned.

You received it, instead of 'except that you believed in vain'; for I say that if you do not hold fast, it is evident that you believed in vain. The word of the gospel is the resurrection from the dead, the beginning of which is Christ. For if God did not intend for death to be taken away, He would not have become human. Therefore, if you do not hold fast to what you heard but have rejected it, it is clear that you believed in vain. The term 'instead of' stands for 'but'.

Regarding 1 Cor 15:3, 'In the first place' means 'before all things'; I delivered this to you. 'In the first place' means 'before all things'. I did not deliver a mere argument of my own, but what I received from the Scriptures. It was confirmed by eyewitnesses, that Christ, having died, rose and called him from heaven. Regarding 1 Cor 15:4, how was He buried, if He did not have flesh, according to the heretics? Regarding 1 Cor 15:6, 'instead of' means 'more than'.

Regarding 1 Cor 15:8, an abortion is that which is cast out in the womb before being formed and receiving the time due to it, which also cannot live. Just as in the womb infants are being formed, so in the Law souls were being pre-formed toward piety, and were born of water and Spirit. But Paul persecuted the church without being formed in the Law toward perfection—for he did persecute—therefore he called himself an abortion, and he brings this forth further: because I persecuted the church of God. Infants cast out before being formed in the womb are called abortions. Since in the Law souls were being pre-formed toward piety and were born of water and Spirit, but Paul, as one not having been formed in the Law, persecuted the church, therefore he rightly names himself an abortion.

Regarding 1 Cor 15:9–10a, 'least among the apostles', since he did not persecute them but, having believed, he persecuted. Being a persecutor, he happened to receive such grace according to the foreknowledge of God, so that he labored more than the others. Regarding 1 Cor 15:10b, 'not in vain did I receive much grace', but I used it for the sake of the preaching, laboring more than all of them. 'Instead of' means 'not in vain did I receive the grace'; for I have labored.

Regarding 1 Cor 15:12–13, it is not possible that Christ rose and the rest do not; but, to speak in agreement, if for nothing Christ died and rose, then through nothing is our resurrection. Regarding 1 Cor 15:14–18, he says, if Christ has not been raised, then in vain.