20-26; He must reign UNTIL...

Translation Sense Explanation Application Error Correction

20

Paul moves from his hypothetical reality wherein the dead are not raised, to a postive declaration of the truth.

Νυνὶ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων.

Translation

But now Christ has been raised (perfect passive) from the dead — first fruits of those who have fallen asleep

In contrast to the false claims of those who would deny the resurrection of the dead in the future, and the sad consequences of such a state for His ministers, Christ has indeed been raised from the dead. And this fact is a prophetic one, in that His resurrection is the first harvest of a greater event, namely the general resurrection (John 5:28-29), though the hope of the believer is particularly in view here.

21

ἐπειδὴ γὰρ διʼ ἀνθρώπου θάνατος, καὶ διʼ ἀνθρώπου ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν.

Translation

For since through a man death, also through a man resurrection of the dead.

Sense

For by the means of the works and life of Adam, death entered into the creation and passed unto those under his headship, so in the same way the resurrection of the dead came in through the works and life of Jesus Christ, and all who are under His headship.

Explanation

While the general resurrection is the doctrine confirmed by all orthodox believers, here Paul is speaking specifically of the blessed resurrection of life and joy which awaits the believers — unique to those under the covenantal headship of Christ. Paul draws a logical parallel, since through one man death came, it follows that the defeat of death comes the same way.

22

ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ πάντες ἀποθνῄσκουσιν, οὕτως καὶ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ πάντες ζῳοποιηθήσονται.

Translation

For just as/in the same way that in Adam (those under the sphere of authority, representation, headship of Adam) all received his death, thus also in the Christ all will have been made alive.

Explanation

The apostle repeats the statement, but this time in the form of logical grounding. For just as in the same way, leading to further elaboration of his previously stated point.

In the Christ, all will have been made alive — as in, when the harvest comes, these under Christ, the new man, the second Adam, will passively receive the enduring resurrection of peach and joy.

23

Paul then explains the order from Christ’s resurrection and the surrounding events, and necessary prerequisites.

Ἕκαστος δὲ ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ τάγματι· ἀπαρχὴ Χριστός, ἔπειτα οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ,

Translation

But each in his own class/group; firstfruits Christ, then those of the Christ in His coming/presence,

Explanation

Paul explains that the resurrection which Christ has brought to His people happens in two stages, at different times for different classes. The first being Christ, His public resurrection being the means by which the Head has brought life to the body, and the second class being those who belong to Him, namely, those under His covenantal headship, namely, believers.

The second resurrection comes at His παρουσίᾳ, namely, His arrival. This refers to His bodily arrival at the end of history, preceding the general resurrection and final judgment. This is the same “hour” of which Jesus speaks in John 5:28; it is the “last day” spoken of in John 6:40, where the believer is said to be raised. It is the returning of Christ to sit on His through and to judge all the nations, inagurating the eternal state: Matt 25:31ff.

Error

While the resurrection of the believer is all that is spoken of here, the resurrection of the class of believers for life is not separated by a thousand year millennial kingdom from the resurrection of the reprobate. Neither is this resurrection discussed in this verse a secret rapture, where believers are taken off the earth away, and then a seven year tribulation period, prior to a thousand-year earthly reign.

Correction

Once Christ returns, it is the end, as Paul will state here plainly. The Scriptures contain a litany of verses which couple the resurrection of the two classes together, beyond those already cited. Dan 12:1, the kingdom parables of Matt 13, Acts 24:15, 2 Thes 1, Matt 16:27, Rom 2:16, 1 Cor 4:5, all of which build a cumulative case for this timeline.

But we need look beyond this present chapter, which will be dealt with in its proper order. The resurrection of the believers described here is also coincident with the “defeat of death”, after which comes “the end”. Things which cannot be reconciled with the common premillennial timeline.

24

εἶτα τὸ τέλος, ὅταν παραδιδῷ τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί, ὅταν καταργήσῃ πᾶσαν ἀρχὴν καὶ πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν καὶ δύναμιν.

Translation

Then the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished every ruler and all authority and power.

Sense

After the resurrection of the believers, then, at time is the τέλος, the end, or completion. This completion being when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after Christ has abolished all wicked and opposed rebellious earthly rules and spirits, systems, and powers, namely everything that lifts itself up in rebellion against the Lord, and rages vainly against the Christ.

Explanation

The Apostle reveals the progression of history and its conclusion in these verses and those following; namely, that After the bodily return of Christ, and the resurrection of the believers, then all things are complete, and the kingdom, which Has been given to the Son (Matt 28:18ff), will then be handed over back to the Father, and the believers will submit to Christ, as the Son does to the Father, and thus the cosmos will be fully reconciled in every outward and inward form to the blessed Creator and Father of all, the spring and root of the Godhead.

This will not be done until the Son has successfully conquered and subjected every enemy in history. For it is only after the subjection of all of these, that He comes to destroy death.

Error

Those who pestiferously deny Christ’s historical conquest, and maintain that the kingdom of God will have no victory in history until after the bodily return of Christ, twist the Scriptures here, and fit within the

τέλος

Such an error is one which, suffices to say, lacks all evidence from the text, and revelatory only of an immovable presupposition on behalf of its authors.

Correction

Paul here defines the

τέλος

25-26

δεῖ γὰρ αὐτὸν βασιλεύειν ἄχρι οὗ θῇ πάντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. ἔσχατος ἐχθρὸς καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατος·

Translation

For it is necessary that He must reign until which He puts all the enemies under the feed of Him. [The] last enemy to be destroyed — The death;

Explanation

Paul states that, according to the necessary decree of God, that Christ must continue His present reign until(marker of continuous extent of time up to a point¹) the subjection of all His enemies, viz, the rules, and authorities and powers. He will continue His present reign until they are subdued, and then the last enemy to be destroyed, i.e. the resurrection at His second coming, will occur.

Firstly, the reign of Christ must be taken as present and occurring now. For Christ declares plainly that all things are put under His authority: Matt 28:18, and has given Him all judgment, John 5:22. In express words He is called the ruler of the kings of the earth, and that He has made the Church to be a kingdom of priests, Rev 1:6.

Error

Now, some who still desire to maintain a future millennial kingdom, have been so bold as to deny the present reign of Christ in this passage, that it must be speaking of a future reign which has not yet come; or if they acknowledge His reign, they deny that Christ on the throne of David, and reigning as the prophesied Christ — that He is reigning as God, but not as the God man. This blasphemous opinion is maintained against the Scripture, and comes from a carnal understanding of the Kingdom of God, that it cannot be fulfilled by the Godman reigning from the right hand of the Father over the cosmos, but instead, requires a rebuilt temple in the land of Caanan, where Christ will oversee the reinstituted Mosaical system.

Correction

1. The passage quoted here in 1 Cor 15 is Psalm 110, which is the most quoted Old Covenant passage in all the New Covenant. Every time it is quoted in reference to the reign mentioned, the assumption is that this reign has begun. Heb 10:12-13 states that Christ sat down and waits at that place for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet. In Heb 1:13 - 2:9, the author of Hebrews² states that though we don’t yet see the subjection of all the enemies, we see Christ crowned and seated, according to the Psalm. We await for the subjection through the progression of history and the great commission.

2. Furthermore, in Acts 2, in Peter’s sermon, Jesus is expressly taught to be on the throne of David. This is a place where much quibbling and twisting of Scripture has been resorted to, in order to impute to Peter subtle and ingenious reasons, instead of the very evident plain speech which he makes use of. The premise being that the Lord promised to raise up a seed to sit on the throne of David, and the conclusion being that therefore, Jesus has been made both Lord and Christ. Unless the Apostle is guilty of sophisms, and deception, or is simply mistaken, the conclusion is the fulfillment of the premise.

3. Isa 9:6-7 is a prophecy about the birth of the Messiah, which states that the child born will sit upon the throne of David

   מֵעַתָּה֙ וְעַד־עוֹלָ֔ם

   i.e. from that point and forever more.

4. When Christ came into the world, the angel announced plainly that it was for the purpose of ruling eternally on the throne of David: Luke 1:32-33.

5. Christ allowed for Himself to be declared the present occupant of the throne of David: Matt 21:9

Evidence could continue to be supplied, but suffice it for this passage conclusively to see that Paul’s declaration of Christ’s reign is not future, nor expectant, but present. If Christ were to await to begin His reign in any sense until after His return, then death would not be the last enemy defeated. No, but Christ reigns, and subdues His enemies, and then after the subjection of them all, He returns, defeating death, and that is the time when His peculiar reign does come to an end, only in that He hands over His kingdom back to the Father, that God will be all in all.

For, as Paul will declare later in the chapter, when the believer receives the resurrection (vs. 54) that is the time when death has been defeated. To maintain, that after death has been defeated, there is still a thousand years of earthly sin and rebellion, only then to be a resurrection and defeat of death, is to contradict the Apostle and turn his presentation of the truth here into nonsense.

Application

While we are battered about on all sides but the high and lofty thoughts of man, who boast in sexual immorality, take pride in their sin, and wipe their mouth as if they have done nothing wrong; when we see the tides of injustice and iniquities in high places, the Christian finds refuge in this thought: that HE MUST REIGN UNTIL He puts His enemies under His feet. He will continue to rule in the midst of His enemies, and that every enemy of Christ will be subdued in history, before He returns to set His church free from the tyranny of indwelling sin, and death.