CHRIST THE FIRST FRUITS AND THEY THAT ARE CHRIST’S AT HIS COMING
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24 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.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Q. Is it correct to say Paul is not talking about the resurrection of the body of Christ in I Cor. 15:23, and if he isn’t who is Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming?
My understanding is that Paul does not make mention of the resurrection of the church the body of Christ when he sets forth the issue of the order of the resurrections in I Corinthians 15:23ff. Once again in this portion of I Corinthians he is showing from the prophesied doctrine of the Christ both the necessity and naturalness of the resurrection of the dead. Hence as he proves the reality of the resurrection of the dead, he is setting forth those things that could be checked out in the Scriptures regarding Christ destroying death and the order of the resurrections by which the destruction takes place.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
However both the issue of the formation of the church the body of Christ and the issue of its own particular resurrection/rapture are part of the mystery revelation given to Paul, and as such are not searchable in the doctrine of the Christ. Hence he doesn’t refer to it in these particular verses, but does so of course later on in verses 50–57.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
In view of this, when the prophetic order of the resurrections necessary for destroying death is delineated in verses 23ff, “Christ the firstfruits” is referring to Christ Himself, in accordance with the fact that verse 20 previously declared Him to be “the firstfruits of them that slept.” And “afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” are those that are Christ’s at His coming at the end of His day when He comes to set up His kingdom on this earth. (Ones like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Daniel, etc.) “Then cometh the end,” the final resurrection in the prophetic order of the resurrections, “when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God,” and this is the one John describes in Revelation 20:11–14.
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries