1 Cor. 15:6. Of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
I, he says, have living witnesses. By the expression "have fallen asleep" he prepares the beginning of the resurrection. For he who sleeps also rises.
1 Cor. 15:7. Then He appeared to James.
The Brother of the Lord, appointed by Him as the first bishop in Jerusalem.
1 Cor. 15:7. Then to all the Apostles.
For there were other apostles as well, such as the seventy disciples.
1 Cor. 15:8. And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one born out of due time.
This is a word of humility. And he employed this humility prudently, so that when he says something lofty about himself — "I labored more than all of them" (1 Cor. 15:10) — they would not refuse to believe him as a boaster. An "untimely birth" in the proper sense refers to a premature child that a woman miscarries. Since he calls himself unworthy of the apostolic calling and a rejected man (1 Cor. 15:9), he called himself an "untimely birth," as one not yet mature with respect to apostolic dignity. Some, however, understood "untimely birth" as a late birth, since Paul is the last of the apostles. But it does not diminish Paul that he was the last to see the Lord. For neither is James inferior to the other five hundred because he saw the Lord later than they did.
1 Cor. 15:9. For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
He pronounces judgment on himself: I, he says, am the least not only of the twelve, but of all the rest as well. Look, here he recalls those sins from which he was delivered through baptism, in order to show what grace he received from God. Why then, while presenting himself as a witness of Christ's Resurrection, since He appeared to him as well, does he enumerate his own shortcomings? In order to earn greater trust. For he who in all fairness has laid out his own unworthiness will not speak in vain on behalf of another.
1 Cor. 15:10. But by the grace of God I am what I am.
Shortcomings he ascribes to himself, while perfections he attributes to the grace of God.
1 Cor. 15:10. And His grace in me was not in vain, but I labored more than all of them.
And he said this with humility, for he did not say: I did something worthy of grace, but: the grace of God, which is in me, proved not to be in vain. How? Because I labored more than all the apostles. And he did not say: I was exposed to dangers, but limited his boast to the modest name of labor. He says this about himself in order to appear worthy of trust. For a teacher must be worthy of trust.
1 Cor. 15:10. Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
And the very fact that I labored is not my own achievement, but the work of the grace of God.
1 Cor. 15:11. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Whether I labored more or they did, yet in preaching, he says, we are all in agreement. And he did not say: if you do not believe me, then believe them, for he would have demeaned himself and would have appeared a witness of truth not worthy of belief; but he says that he himself is a sufficient witness on his own, and they themselves are sufficient on their own. With the word "we preach" he also confirms the truth of his words. For we speak not in secret, but openly, and not at some time, but even now. "And so you believed." He did not say: you now believe, because they were already wavering. But along with the others, he calls their faith too a witness of the truth. You, he says, would not have believed in vain false and deceitful words if you had not been convinced of the truth of what was preached.
1 Cor. 15:12. Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
He reasons beautifully. First he proved that Christ rose and that he and the apostles preach this. And then by His resurrection he confirms the general resurrection, since after the head the other parts of the body follow. He does not extend the accusation to all, lest he make them more shameless, but says: "some say."
1 Cor. 15:13. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen either.
Lest they say that although Christ rose, yet there will be no general resurrection, he confirms the latter, and says: if there is no resurrection, then Christ has not risen either. For the one confirms the other. For why did He rise, if not to be our firstfruits?
1 Cor. 15:14. And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also in vain.
For if He, having died, could not rise again, then neither has sin been destroyed, nor death abolished; and finally, we have preached in vain, and you have believed in vain.
1 Cor. 15:15. And moreover we would be found false witnesses of God, because we would have testified of God that He raised up Christ, Whom He did not raise up, if, that is, the dead are not raised.