"But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the
first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man
came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made
alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits,
afterward those who are Christ's at His coming."
(1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
Earlier in 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul was concerned to
prove that Jesus did rise from the dead. At this point in
chapter 15, he now believes he can state it as a simple fact: "Now Christ has risen from the dead." He continued to apply the fact to the life of the believer in Jesus, that now Jesus "has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep."
First Fruits translates the ancient Greek word aparche. In the Septuagint, this word was used for the offering of first fruits, and in secular usage, the word was used for an entrance fee.
Jesus was the first fruit of our resurrection in both senses. In the Old Testament, the offering of the first fruits brought one sheaf of grain to represent and anticipate the entire harvest (Leviticus 23:9-14).
The resurrection of Jesus represents our resurrection,
because "if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection" (Romans 6:5).
The resurrection of Jesus also anticipates our resurrection, because we will be raised with a body like His.
The resurrection of Jesus is also the first fruit of our resurrection in the sense that He is our "entrance fee" to resurrection. Jesus paid our admission to the resurrection!
Paul continued, "By man came death, by Man also came the
resurrection of the dead." The idea is that Adam (by man) is one "head" of the human race, and all mankind was brought under death by Adam. The second Adam, Jesus Christ (by Man) is the other head of the human race, and Jesus brings resurrection to all that is "under" His headship.
Paul confidently said, "In Christ, all shall be made alive." Does
this mean everyone is resurrected? Yes and no. All will be
resurrected in the sense that they will receive a resurrection body, and live forever. Jesus spoke of both "the resurrection of life and the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:29).
So, all are resurrected, but not all will receive the resurrection of life. Some will receive the resurrection of condemnation, and live forever in a resurrected body separated from God and good.
It all happens, "Each one in his order." It would be strange,
and inappropriate, for us to receive resurrection before Jesus. So, He receives resurrection first as the first fruits, and then we receive it "afterward . . . at His coming."
Jesus is the first fruit of our resurrection; yet not the first one raised from the dead. We read of the widow's son in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) Lazarus (John 11:38-44) and Eutychus (Acts 20:7-12), among others. Each of these was
resuscitated from death, but none of them were Resurrected. Each of them was raised in the same body they died in and were raised from the dead to eventually die again.
Resurrection isn't just living again; it is living again in a new body, based on our old body, perfectly suited for life in eternity. Jesus was not the first one brought back from the dead, but He was the first one resurrected.
When we trust in Jesus, His resurrection becomes the promise of our own.
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