RESURRECTION

(The Fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets)

 

 

Is the resurrection taught in 1 Corinthians 15 based on the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets?

 

Paul defends himself against the Jews before Felix the governor, being accused concerning questions of their law (Acts 23:29). The Jews from Asia stirred up a crowd

crying out that Paul taught all men everywhere against the people, the law, and the temple, (Acts 21:28).

 

Paul’s reply in defense was that the charges could not be proven. “Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me” (Acts 24:13). Paul was charged with teaching things contrary to the law and forsaking Moses. But he said, the Jews could not prove it! Paul adds, “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust (vv. 14-15). Of what was Paul accused? He was charged with departing from the Law and the Prophets. What was Paul’s defense? The Jews could not prove it. What testimony did Paul give to corroborate his claim? He clearly stated that he believed all things which were written in the Law and in the Prophets.

 

Paul also said that he had hope in God, which the Jews also accepted. The Jews did not accept Christianity, but they did accept the hope of resurrection. Why? The answer is because the hope of resurrection was taught in the Law and the Prophets. Paul affirms that he believed and taught the same resurrection which the Jews accepted.

 

Standing before Agrippa, Paul gives the same testimony in his defense citing the exact same charges against himself. “And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” (Acts 26:6-8).

 

Once again Paul identifies the root source of his hope. It is the promise God made to the fathers of Israel (Abraham, Isaac & Jacob). It is the same promise the Jews who accused him were hoping to attain (v. 7). Thus, they accused Paul of being a heretic for believing in the very same resurrection they believed in and for having the same hope! Paul clarifies that hope with his question in verse 8, as the resurrection.

 

That Paul is speaking of the promises in the prophets is further established in verses 22- 23. Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come-that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (emp. mine, whb) The light Paul proclaimed is the gospel which includes the preaching of the resurrection of the dead. Speaking of the gospel Paul connects light and resurrection. “But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” Again he writes: “But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10).

 

Concluding his defense, Paul asks, “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe” (v. 27). Not once has Paul, contrary to the Jews’ accusation,

departed from preaching the prophets.

 

Finally, Paul made clear that he was bound for the “hope of Israel” (Acts 28:20). Unless there are “two or more” hopes, the hope of the gospel is the hope of Israel for salvation is of the Jews, (John 4:22). Paul was teaching Israel to accept their own salvation by accepting their own Messiah. But, as they rejected their Messiah, they were rejecting His message of salvation/resurrection.

 

Having established that Paul’s gospel was rooted, grounded and firmly established in the Law and the Prophets, he declares that same gospel to the Corinthians. Paul did not preach a different gospel in Jerusalem, Caesarea or to Corinth. Rather, he preached the same gospel everywhere he went. Otherwise he was accursed, (Galatians 1:8,9). Thus, when Paul declares his gospel to the Corinthians, he declares a gospel that was “according to the Scriptures” i.e. the Law and the Prophets, (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). After covering the details of the resurrection, Paul once again establishes its Old Covenant roots directly from the Prophets. “So when this corruptible has put on

incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54, emp mine).

 

This saying is written in the Prophets, Isaiah to be precise. “He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8). Verse 55 is a quote from the Prophet, Hosea. “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your

destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes” (Hosea 13:14).

 

“Death” is from Sheol [margin reference], the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek term Hades as found in chapter 15 of Corinthians. Paul says putting on immortality is the time

these passages written in the Old Covenant are fulfilled. Thus, from beginning to end, his resurrection hope is rooted in the Law and the Prophets. See also Daniel 12:2-3. Chapter 15 also discusses the delivering of the kingdom which is Daniel 7. In other words, more Law and Prophets!

 

In conclusion, we hold firmly to the position that the resurrection Paul preached is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. Unless Paul preached a different gospel in

Corinth than he did before Felix and Agrippa, his resurrection hope was the very same to which the Jews themselves hoped to attain--a resurrection straight out of the Law and the Prophets.

 

One must prove what the Jews could not prove. He must prove that Paul preached a different gospel. He must prove that Paul did not preach his gospel out of the Law and the Prophets. He must prove that the gospel hope is not the same hope of Israel. One cannot consistently believe the promises of the Old Testament scriptures are all

fulfilled and believe the hope of Israel (resurrection) is yet unfulfilled without rejecting the gospel of Christ. In so doing one teaches a different gospel than that which Paul

preached.

 

Jesus stated that all things written in the Old Covenant would be fulfilled at the time of Jerusalem’s fall in A.D. 70 (Luke 21:20-22). He clearly said all things would be fulfilled before that generation (then living in the first century) passed away (Luke 21:32).