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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
September 11
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Today's Pathway:
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In the preceding verses Paul has shown that the rejection of a future bodily resurrection for believers requires a rejection of the resurrection of Jesus, and to reject the resurrection of Christ condemns men to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. We concluded yesterday with the opening phrase of verse 20,
"but now is Christ risen from the dead".
Back in verses 3-8 Paul gave several proofs of the resurrection of Jesus, including both the authority of the Bible and the eyewitness accounts of those who saw Him alive after His crucifixion. Luke wrote on Acts 1:3-4,
"To whom (the disciples) also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and, being assembled together with them."
The Greek word translated "infallible proofs" is defined this way: "a sign or evidence that removes doubt", or "that which causes something to be known in a convincing and decisive manner.". Luke says that there can be no question that the Lord rose bodily on the third day. Also, it is good to note the verb tense that is used when Paul writes "now is Christ risen". He doesn't put the resurrection of Jesus in the Past tense. He uses the Perfect tense, which refers to an action completed at a specific point of time in the past which has results that continue into the present, and may continue permanently. Christ rose, He continues to be risen, and His resurrection produces results both today and into eternity!
One of these is mentioned in the second half of verse 20. Jesus has become the "firstfruits" of the dead. Several days ago we looked at the Old Testament principle of the Feast of Firstfruits. The "firstfruits" were the first installment of a great harvest, and the Feast of Firstfruits indicated that all the rest of the future harvest belonged to God as well. Ray Pritchard wrote,
"The term 'first fruits' means the first in a long series. If there are 'firstfruits,' there must be 'second fruits' and 'third fruits' and so on. His resurrection is the 'down payment' that guarantees that all who follow Him by faith will one day be raised as well."
Charles Hodge summarized it this way:
"His resurrection is the pledge of the resurrection of His people. He rose as the first-fruits of them that slept, and not of them only, but as the first-fruits of all who are ever to sleep in Jesus. The apostle does not mean merely that the resurrection of Christ was to precede that of his people; but as the first sheaf of the harvest, presented to God as a thank-offering, was the pledge and assurance of the ingathering of the whole harvest, so the resurrection of Christ is a pledge and proof of the resurrection of His people."
Some have questioned how Jesus could be the first fruit from the dead if there were others who had been raised from the dead before Him. The answer is that all those who were raised from the dead prior to Christ were raised in their mortal bodies, and ultimately died again. Jesus was the first to be raised with a glorified body, and the first to never die again.
We celebrate the resurrection of Christ annually on what we refer to as Easter Sunday. Actually, believers celebrate the fact that Jesus arose on the first day of the week every week when we assemble in His church on the first day of the week. However, the annual celebration of Easter might be better termed "First Fruits". Christ arose on the Feast of Firstfruits, and in so doing He became the Firstfruits, and by that promised us that we would someday be raised to live with Him forever.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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