1 Corinthians 15:13

opposes (δὲ) the thesis of the τινὲς by a syllogism in the modus tollens “sublato genere, tollitur et species” (Gr [2299]): if bodily resurrection is per se impossible, then there is no risen Christ (so Bg [2300], Mr [2301], Al [2302], Bt [2303], Ed [2304], El [2305], etc.); the abstract universal negative of the deniers 1 Corinthians 15:16 will restate in the concrete. Hn [2306] and Gd [2307] (somewhat similarly Cm [2308], Cv [2309]) hold, on the other hand, that P. is making out the essential connexion between Christ's rising and that of the Christian dead in which case he should have written ἡ ἀνάστασις τῶν νεκρῶν; he speaks of “the dead in Christ ” first in 1 Corinthians 15:18. Hn [2310] and Gd [2311] justly observe that the τινὲς might have allowed Christ's resurrection as an exception; but the point of Paul's argument is that this is logically impossible, that the absolute philosophical denial of bodily resurrection precludes the raising up of Jesus Christ; on the other hand, if He is risen, the axiom Ἀνάστασις οὐκ ἔστιν is disproved, the spell of death is broken, and Christ's rising carries with it that of those who are “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:18; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; cf. John 11:25; Hebrews 2:15).

[2299] Greek, or Grotius' Annotationes in N.T.

[2300] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[2301] Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

[2302] Alford's Greek Testament.

[2303] J. A. Beet's St. Paul's Epp. to the Corinthians (1882).

[2304] T. C. Edwards' Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians. 2

[2305] C. J. Ellicott's St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.

[2306] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

[2307] F. Godet's Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).

[2308] John Chrysostom's Homiliœ († 407).

[2309] Calvin's In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii.

[2310] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

[2311] F. Godet's Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).