But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the  first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  (21) For since by man came death, by Man also the resurrection of the dead.  (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  (23) But each one in his own order:  Christ the first fruits; afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.  (24) Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdon to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and authority and power.  (25) For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.  (26) The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.  (28) Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.  

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. There were many problems at Corinth which Paul deals with in this letter but our verses today concern death and bodily resurrection. Apparently at the church in Corinth the resurrection of Christ was accepted but there was denial of the bodily resurrection of men.

Pauls method of preaching the gospel was to fIrst teach in the synagogue and after he was expelled from the synagogue he would find another venue.  He would proclaim the truths of the gospel and then depend on the Holy Spirit to transform men and women in faith. Many at the synagogue were Jewish Sadducees who didn’t believe in resurrection after death.  The Greeks believed in the immortality of the spirit but not the body.  The Jewish Pharisees did believe in the resurrection of the body but this was probably not the literal resurrection of the body – and some believed that the resurrection had already taken place. So Paul writes this letter and addresses this theological error of the faithful in Corinth

Scripture teaches literal bodily resurrection which is necessary for the last divine judgment. And Paul writes that those who do not believe there is bodily resurrection are denying the resurrection of Christ.  It follows that if this is true then all the apostles are deceived and all who are faithful are to be pitied as their faith is futile. Christ is the first fruits in His resurrection meaning the rest of the dead will follow. The resurrection of Christ is the pledge of our bodily resurrection.  Just as Adam, the first man, didn’t die for himself alone but we died in him, Christ restored to us what was lost in Adam.  Our life and death is hidden in Him and when He appears we will be resurrected.