What follows is an excerpt from a 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Bible Study lesson. Visit that page for more context, the bibliography, and even a crossword puzzle (✞-word).
- Passed To Me, Passed To You
- The Earliest Christian Creed
- That Christ Died
- That Christ Died For Our Sins
- That Christ Died According To The Scriptures
Passed To Me, Passed To You
Continuing in 1 Corinthians 15:3, Paul tells the Corinthian church:
For I passed on to you as of first importance that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins – according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3, AT)
So, what has been passed on to Paul, Paul passes on to them.
Now, Paul himself received direct revelation from the Lord (Gal 1:11-17).[1]
As we see in Galatians 1:11-12, he says:
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. (Gal 1:11-12, NIV)
So, in a sense, when it came to the gospel, nothing was passed on to Paul from nobody, but Jesus.
But let’s continue. In Galatians 1:13-17, he says:
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. (Gal 1:13-17, NIV)
Continuing in Galatians 1:18-20, he says:
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas [Peter] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. (Gal 1:18-20, NIV)
Now, Cephas is another name for Peter, who is also called Simon. And this James is the Lord’s half-brother. He was not one of the Twelve and, during Christ’s earthly ministry, he actually was a skeptic. But after the Resurrection, James became one of the leaders of the church in Jerusalem.
Cephas and James are also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:5, and 7 respectively. We hope to talk more about that next week.
In any case, Paul’s point is that he received the gospel of Christ from Christ – not from any mere man. He did not need theological confirmation from anyone but Christ.
However, when he says that what had been passed on to him he is now passing on to the Corinthians, he is likely speaking of certain historical facts he received from the others.[2]
For, later in this passage, Paul will mention several historical events concerning Christ’s Resurrection appearances.
Moreover, as scholars point out, in the Greek text, Paul is using a formula that indicates that he is passing on an oral tradition – a creed. Such oral traditions and creeds were usually memorized.[3]
And this creed is likely in a form that makes it easy to memorize and teach. It has four basic parts: (1) Christ died, (2) Christ was buried, (3) Christ was raised, (4) Christ appeared.
Christ died, Christ was buried, Christ was raised, Christ appeared. Easy to memorize, easy to teach. And this creed was taught very early in the early church.[4]
The Earliest Christian Creed
Now Jesus was crucified around AD 30 or 33. 1 Corinthians was written around AD 55 or 56.[5] So, at most, this creed developed a mere twenty years after Christ’s death.[6] Therefore, this was not some legend that grew over a long period of time.
Paul may have received this creed when he visited Jerusalem and met with Peter and James (Gal 1:18-19)[7] three years after his conversion. Or he may have received it even earlier, when he visited Jerusalem right after his conversion (Ac 9:20-30).
This would date the creed no later than three years after the Crucifixion[8] – perhaps as early as AD 35.[9]
Thus, this passage likely contains the earliest Christian creed we have to date.[10]
Now this creed may have been recited during the Lord’s Supper and during baptisms.[11] And by citing this confessional creed, he demonstrates that what he preached to them is the common confession of faith, with which all the apostles agree.[12]
And he says this creed is of first importance; it is top priority, it is foundational.[13]
That Christ Died
Now Paul continues with the creed by saying, “that Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor 15:3b).[14]
That Christ died. The Christ died.
Now, as you may recall, Χριστός (Christos) is the Greek word for Messiah. And the Messiah was supposed to restore Israel and reign forever.
But Christians were talking about a dead Christ – a crucified Messiah. To Jews, this would be utter nonsense (cf. Jn 12:34; 1 Cor 1:23).[noteJohnson, 284[/note]
It would sound not only moronic but oxymoronic. Like a square circle or a married bachelor. A dead Christ sounds like a contradiction in terms.
Consider the confusion of the crowd in John 12:32, where Jesus says:
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (Jn 12:32, NIV)
Now I know the popular hymn says that if we “Lift Him Up”, we can reach the masses. The song says that we can lift Jesus up by living as a Christian ought, and by preaching the gospel full and free.
And it sounds good: if we just lift Jesus up in preaching and praise, Jesus will draw people to himself. And there likely some truth to that line of thought.
But this is simply not the kind of lifting up Jesus is talking about. My brother, my sister: context is always important. And, it’s important to get our theology from Christian Scriptures – and not just from Christian songs.
For in the very next verse, it says:
He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. (Jn 12:33, NIV)
So when Jesus is talking about being lifted up, he’s talking about being lifted up on a cross. And I assure you we don’t need to lift Him up and try to crucify Jesus all over again.
Jesus is talking about his death, and this is how the crowd understands it.
In John 12:34, it says:
The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” (Jn 12:34, NIV)1
So, the crowds are confused because Jesus is talking about a dead Messiah, a crucified Christ. To them, that seems like an oxymoron.
Moreover, that the prophesied Son of Man would be lifted up and crucified also seems like a contradiction.
As we’ve discussed many times, Daniel 7:13-14 says:
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Dn 7:13-14, NIV)
So, if the prophesied Son of Man was to have an everlasting dominion that would never be destroyed, how then could the Son of Man be lifted up and crucified?
Jesus actually alludes to this passage in Mark 14, when He’s being interrogated by the high priest.
Beginning at verse 60, it says:
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mk 14:60-62, NIV)
So Jesus claims that He is, in fact the prophesied Son of Man. And He also affirms that He is the Messiah, the Christ.
And as paradoxical as it may seem, the Christ died. The Son of Man was slayed.
Yet this was no surprise to Christ, for earlier in Mark, He had already predicted His death at least three times.
For example, after Peter confesses the Jesus is the Messiah (Mk 8:29), it says in Mark 8:31,
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. (Mk 8:31, NIV; cf. Mk 9:9, 12; 10:45; also see Mk 9:31, 10:33-34)
He also makes similar predictions in Mark 9:31 and 10:33-34. So though it may have been surprising to others that the Son of Man would die, that the Christ would be crucified – it was of no surprise to the Savior.
That Christ Died For Our Sins
For the Savior knew that He had to die for our sins.
Throughout the New Testament, we read that Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins.[15] He gave Himself for our sins (Gal 1:4), dying in our place and enduring the penalty that we deserve (Rom 3:24-26 cf. Mk 10:45, etc.).[16] This is fundamental to the faith.[17]
As I often say, and as Paul says in Romans 4:25:
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Rom 4:25, NIV; cf. Rom 3:24-26 cf. Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45)
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:21
The One who (experientially) knew no sin, for us, was made sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21, AT; cf. Rom 5:6-8; Gal 3:13; 2 Cor 5:21. Cf. 1 Cor 11:23-25)
Or as the NIV puts it:
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21, NIV)
As we’ve said, this is The Great Exchange. The perfect Lamb of God was sacrificed for our imperfections, paying our sin debt – so that all who are faithful to Jesus and what Jesus has done for us shall be justified in the Father’s sight.
As Paul writes in Romans 3:23-25a:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith… (Rom 3:23-25a, NIV; cf. Rom 8:32; 1 Cor. 8:11; 2 Cor. 5:14–15; Eph. 5:2; Titus 2:14)
God is loving. And God is just. Since He is just, He must punish sin. Since He is loving, He also provides a way to be saved from the punishment for our sin.
God the Father sent God the Son to be the way of salvation from the wrath and destruction that we rightly deserve.
As truly human, Jesus has the ability to atone for human sin. And as truly divine, Jesus has the ability to atone for all human sin. And thanks be to God, those who are faithful to Him on earth, will live faithfully with Him in heaven.
That Christ Died According to the Scriptures
And Paul says that Christ’s atoning death[18] was in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3b).
This was not random. This was an event that was prophesied long beforehand.[19]
You see, long ago, during the first Passover, the Israelites are saved from the last plague by killing and eating a spotless lamb, and putting some of its blood on the sides and tops of their doors (Ex 12:1-7).
When the LORD’s angel of death went through Egypt, the angel would pass over any house with the blood of the Lamb (cf. Ex 12:13)
Now earlier in 1 Corinthians 5:7b, Paul says:
For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed (1 Cor 5:7b, NIV)2
You see, for the faithful, the blood of Jesus is what allows the wrath of God the Father – His righteous judgment for moral injustice – to pass over.
That said, eventually animals became part of the sacrificial system, in which animals were sacrificed to atone for the sins of individuals and of the nation of Israel – especially on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16)3 – which in Hebrew is Yom Kippur.
You see, as we have seen (Col 1:21-23), sin alienates people from God. And there had to be a sacrifice to atone for our sin. The word atonement is really “at-one-ment”.
It’s when two parties that were previously separate are reconciled to be at one again.[20]
So, I say all that to say, Jesus’ death as our Passover Lamb – as our atoning sacrifice – is consistent with themes concerning sacrifice and atonement in the Old Testament Scriptures.
Now Paul does not state what Scriptures he is referring to explicitly, but most scholars believe that he is likely thinking of Isaiah 53.[21]
As you may recall, in that prophetic passage of Isaiah (who lived in the 8th century BC), the foretold Suffering Servant[22] of the LORD is described as a sacrificial lamb.
In Isaiah 53:7, it says:
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth. (Is 53:7, NIV)
And earlier in Isaiah 53:5, it says:
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed. (Is 53:5, NIV)4
Later, in the New Testament letter of 1 Peter, in chapter 2 verse 24, about Jesus, it says:
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Pet 2:24, NIV)5
Though people often take Isaiah 53:5 out of context, the prophecy is about a spiritual healing, not merely a physicalhealing. It’s a about spiritual reconciliation between God and mankind through the sacrificial, atoning blood of the prophesied Suffering Servant.
And in Isaiah 53:12, that prophetic chapter concludes by saying:
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors. (Is 53:12, NIV)
And later, in Luke 22:37, Jesus says that He himself fulfills this passage. It says:
It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.” (Lk 22:37, NIV)
Also see Ps 22:1, 18; Zec 11:13, 12:10, 13:7; Mt 27:9-10, 35, 46; Mk 14:27, 15:34; Lk 22:37; Jn 15:25, 19:24; Ac 8:32-33.6
That said, Paul could just be referring to the Old Testament Scriptures in general, instead of just one particular text.[23] And, many other texts could be cited.
But all in all, Paul believes that those who read the Old Testament correctly will see that Christ’s atoning death for sins was foretold.[24]
Christ died for our sins – in accordance with the Scriptures.
[1] Schreiner, 302. “His exposition of the significance of those facts he claimed to have received ‘by revelation’” Prior, 259 cf. Taylor, 372. Including his “radical inclusion of the Gentiles” Baker, 213.
[2] Baker, 210; Ciampa and Rosner, 745; Blomberg, 295; Garland, 683.
[3] Keener, 1 Co 15:3; or used “for catechetical purposes.” Thiselton, 1187.
[4] Morris, 198. Cf. 1 Cor 11:23ff re: The Lord’s Supper; Prior, 259. At least v. 3-4; Fee, 798, 801-2; Taylor, 371; Baker, 210, 213; Soards, 316, 317; Ciampa and Rosner, 743; Witherington, 299. Garland, 684.
[5] Baker, 215; Blomberg, 301.
[6] Prior, 259.
[7] Prior, 259; Blomberg, 295.
[8] Baker, 213.
[9] Witherington, 301.
[10] Blomberg, 296.
[11] In addition to during times of worship and preaching. Baker, 213 cf. Thiselton, 1188.
[12] Taylor, 372.
[13] Schreiner, 303; Johnson, 284, Blomberg, 295; Thiselton, 1186.
[14] Christ or Christos is the Greek word for Messiah. Now to many Jews, this sounds like foolishness. The Messiah was someone who was supposed to restore Israel and reign forever. Christians were talking about a crucified Messiah. To Jews, this is utter nonsense (cf. Jn 12:34; 1 Cor 1:23). Johnson, 284.
[15] Schreiner, 303; cf. Prior, 260;
[16] Schreiner, 303. Cf. Rom 4:25; Rom 5:6-8; Gal 3:13; 2 Cor 5:21. Cf. 1 Cor 11:23-25; Fee, 802; Taylor, 372.; Johnson, 284.
[17] Christ’s atoning death is a central tenet of the faith (Rom 8:32; 1 Cor. 8:11; 2 Cor. 5:14–15; Eph. 5:2; Titus 2:14…” Garland, 684.
[18] Fee, 804; Baker, 213; Cf Lev 5:11, 7:37 LXX; Thiselton, 1191.
[19] Morris, 198; “see the use of Psalms 110 and 8 in 1 Corinthians 15:24–28.” Ciampa and Rosner, 747; Johnson, 284; cf. Ac 2:23; Garland, 685.
[20] Reconciliation; sin has alienated humanity from God and provoked God’s anger. God has responded by providing the means of restoring this broken relationship, bringing both sides to a place where they are at one again (“at-one-ment”). Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).
[21] Morris, 198; Schreiner, 303; Prior, 260; Taylor, 373; Baker, 214. Cf. Zech 12:10; Soards, 318; [21] Keener, 1 Co 15:3; Witherington, 299; Lee Martin McDonald, “1 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Acts–Philemon, ed. Craig A. Evans and Craig A. Bubeck, First Edition (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 2004), 351. Johnson, 284; Blomberg, 296; Garland, 685; cf. Dt. 18:15, 18; Thiselton, 1190.
[22] Fee, 803.
[23] Fee, 804; Taylor, 373. He usually uses Scripture (singular) when referring to a specific text; Ciampa and Rosner, 746; Witherington, 299.
[24] Schreiner, 303. Cf. Lk 18:31-33; Ciampa and Rosner, 746.