1 Corinthians 15:3-11 – Tradition concerning the resurrection

BIBLE TEXT

1 Corinthians 15:3-11

SUMMARY

Paul calls to mind what he has already taught the Corinthians in person concerning the resurrection of Christ. His teaching parallels that found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John at most points, and diverges in a few points from the gospel traditions. Finally, Paul names himself as one to whom the risen Jesus also appeared. 

ANALYSIS

At two places in 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks of having handed on to the Corinthians reports that he received from others. Paul has learned something, a traditional teaching, and he identifies it as predating him as he passes it along in his letter. In 1 Corinthians 11:23, Paul reminds his readers that he passed on to them the tradition that Jesus shared bread and wine with his followers on the evening before his death. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-11, Paul reminds his readers that he taught them the story of how Jesus appeared to his followers after his resurrection. 

When Paul preached and wrote letters, the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament did not yet exist. Therefore, when Paul says that things happened, “in accordance with the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), he is speaking of the Jewish scriptures. Later, the gospel writers would share much of the same tradition Paul shares around the resurrection appearances of Christ. See, for example, the story in Luke 24:13-35, in which the risen Jesus interprets to his companions the things written about himself “in all the scriptures” (Luke 24:27). Like 1 Corinthians, the gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John record appearances to Cephas (also known as Peter) and to the twelve. 

Paul’s recitation of resurrection stories also diverges at points from that which we have in the gospels. For instance, Paul does not include information about Christ’s appearance to women at the empty tomb. This omission is odd since the four canonical gospels all feature women in the stories of the resurrection. Why leave out the women? Perhaps Paul knows the tradition of women being the first witness to the resurrection, but omits it here lest the Corinthians argue in response that the resurrection is “an idle tale” told by unreliable witnesses (see Luke 24:11, where just this conclusion is made about the women’s report). Maybe Paul himself did not trust a report from women, or he just did not know this element of tradition. Paul’s tradition also adds an appearance, not mentioned in the gospels, to “more than 500 brothers and sisters at one time” (1 Corinthians 15:6). 

Paul’s reference to himself as “one untimely born” borrows an image from pregnancy, alluding to miscarriage or premature birth. By all rights, Paul is saying, he should not be alive in Christ: he was neither present as an apostle during the earthly ministry of Jesus, nor is he even now fit “to be called an apostle” (1 Corinthians 15:9) because he sought to wipe out the gathering of those naming Jesus as Christ and Lord. Here and also in Galatians 1 and 2, Paul reflects on his having received the grace of seeing the risen Jesus and being called into ministry, in spite of his past.