Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [1 Corinthians: Chapter 15].
true. Note both \per\ intensive particle {indeed} and \ara\
inferential particle {therefore}.
15:16 Repeats the position already taken in verse 13.
15:17 {Vain} (\mataia\). Old word from adverb \mat•n\ (Mt
15:9), devoid of truth, a lie. Stronger word than \kenon\ in
verse 14. {Ye are yet in your sins} (\eti este en tais
hamartiais hum•n\). Because the death of Christ has no atoning
value if he did not rise from the dead. In that case he was only
a man like other men and did not die for our sins (verse 3).
15:18 {Then also} (\ara kai\). Inevitable inference. {Have
perished} (\ap•lonto\). Did perish. Second aorist middle
indicative of \apollumi\, to destroy, middle, to perish
(delivered up to eternal misery). Cf. 8:11.
15:19 {We have hoped} (\•lpikotes esmen\). Periphrastic perfect
active indicative. Hope limited to this life even if "in Christ."
{Only} (\monon\) qualifies the whole clause. {Most pitiable}
(\eleeinoteroi\). Comparative form, not superlative, of old
adjective \eleeinos\, to be pitied, pitiable. If our hope is
limited to this life, we have denied ourselves what people call
pleasures and have no happiness beyond. The Epicureans have the
argument on us. Paul makes morality turn on the hope of
immortality. Is he not right? Witness the breaking of moral ties
today when people take a merely animal view of life.
15:20 {But now} (\nuni de\). Emphatic form of \nun\ with \-i\
added (cf. 12:18). It is the logical triumph of Paul after the
_reductio ad impossibile_ (Findlay) of the preceding argument.
{The first-fruits} (\aparch•\). Old word from \aparchomai\, to
offer firstlings or first-fruits. In LXX for first-fruits. In
papyri for legacy-duty, entrance-fee, and also first-fruits as
here. See also verse 23; 16:15; Ro 8:23, etc. Christ is
"first-born from the dead" (Col 1:18). Others raised from the
dead died again, but not so Jesus. {That sleep} (\t•n
kekoim•men•n\). Perfect middle participle as in Mt 27:52 which
see. Beautiful picture of death from which word (\koimaomai\)
comes our \cemetery\.
15:21 {By man also} (\dai di' anthr•pou\). That is Jesus, the
God-man, the Second Adam (Ro 5:12). The hope of the
resurrection of the dead rests in Christ.
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