by Timothy W. Burnett
�Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead? And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily� (verses 30-32). He is basically saying what good did it do for the dead believers to have been baptized while still alive. Moreover, why did he and other believers jeopardized their lives daily for the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a ludicrous thing it would be for him to be putting his life in danger for the gospel of Jesus Christ if there is no resurrection of the dead.
�If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die� (verses 32-33). The reference to �beasts� figuratively refers to people who labored against his service toward God. Like thorns in his side, they stuck close to him pretty much every where he went, trying to hurt him and disrupt his ministry. He then used a very logical concept, if the dead rise not, then let us party with food and drunkenness because some day we will surely die.
�Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners� (verse 34). Paul warned them and us to not be deceived by them who teach that there is no resurrection of the dead. This kind of evil communications corrupts our godly manner of life if we give it lots of attention. It is interesting to note that the word �communications� was translated from an earlier Greek word that referred to closely associating with others.
�Awake to righteousness, and sin not. For some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your own shame. But some will say, �How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?� (verses 34-35). Wake up and understand the righteousness from God that is in us and do not practice a lifestyle that is contrary to righteousness, by embracing and teaching false things like the dead will not be raised. In fact, there are Christians who do not have an accurate knowledge of God�s word. Some will say, How will the dead be raised up? Or what kind of body will they have?
This is not about simple curious questions by they who seek the truth. It is about people who mockingly ask these questions to deceive others into not believing the truth.
Guess what�Paul does not leave the questions unanswered, as we will see later in this chapter.
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