I continue The Resurrection of the Son of God in Chapter 6, pp. 277-311. This chapter is the first of two chapters on resurrection in the Corinthian letters of Paul. This chapter walks through both Corinthian books at a high level, noting where and how resurrection fits with context of each book. The following chapter will dive into the two resurrection passages (1 Cor. 15; 2 Cor. 4:7-5:10). In other words, we will fly over the Corinthian ‘lake’ in this chapter and in the next go swimming in a couple of places.
In 1 Corinthians, the resurrection is the focus of chapter 15, nearly the end of the book. Naturally, we might think it is the least important subject on Paul’s mind—after all, the church is quite a mess in many other areas! However, Wright suggests that resurrection is Paul’s ‘capstone’ argument—why he wants the church to live differently (p. 296). We are not simply people destined for a new life, but we are to be a new people shaped by this new life. Paul does this play on words in 1 Corinthians, which has been confused due to translation, on ‘spiritual’ versus ‘natural’ (2:10-16; Wright translates ‘natural’ as ‘soulish’). In this context, ‘spiritual’ does not mean a disembodied life, but rather an embodied life animated—empowered—by the Spirit. Paul uses this early in the book (1 Cor. 2) and picks up the imagery in chapter 15 (42-49) when he is focused on resurrection. One of the crucial points is to learn to live empowered by the Spirit now because we will be living (fully) empowered by the Spirit then! In other words, this life is practice for that life!
When training for a race, you might strap some extra weights to your waist so you can build up stamina; but in the race, you will run unencumbered. In a way, today we are running a race with weights with the certain hope that in our new bodies we will run without them! We are in training. This is why Paul is horrified by the Corinthian attitudes and behaviors. Paul’s point is that we are not simply a people who have our hope in the future resurrection, but that we are to be a people who are shaped by it.
Remember that for Paul, the exodus is always in the background. We have been delivered from slavery in Egypt and are on our way to the Promised Land. We are not to be like the people in the wilderness, wanting to go back to Egypt. Nor are we to be people who ‘walk’ like the Egyptians (contra the song). We are to live as Promised Land People. Our ‘Torah’ is written in the heart by the Spirit. In other words, God is repeating His great model of exodus in us! We are not to repeat the unbelief of the wilderness generation.
2 Corinthians is a different book. Rather than the resurrection being that which shapes us, as in 1 Corinthians, Paul uses it as that which encourages us (p. 300). Suffering is worth enduring now if there is a great future. Paul begins with this theme of suffering and comfort based on the hope of resurrection in chapters 1-2 (pp. 300-2). He then moves to a defense of his apostleship in 3-6 (pp. 302-6). The hope of resurrection provides a different kind of apostleship, a ‘glory’ unveiled yet unseen (3:7-17). Here we are again with the exodus story in the background. Chapters 7-9 are a mix of content (p. 307) and chapters 10-13 are back to the apostolic defense. Resurrection is the pattern and hope of the apostolic life. It is in weakness (death) that Paul is made strong (resurrected) (12:7-10).
Wright’s purpose in this chapters is to set the context of resurrection in both Corinthians books. In the next, he will analyze both resurrection-focused passages with this context in mind.