The Blog

In verse twenty, Paul states that Christ has been raised from the dead, the “firstfruits” of those who have fallen asleep.

“Firstfruits” were the first part of the harvest that faithful Jews brought to the temple as an offering.

Christ is the forerunner for us, the proof of eventual resurrection to eternal life.

The next verse refers to the concept of “first Adam and second Adam”. Because of Adam and Eve’s misjudgment, they sinned against God and brought sin into the world. The second Adam, Christ, came to the world to give us life and a way to be liberated from the bondage of sin that all humans have inherited.

Through verse twenty-one, Paul explains why Adam’s sin brought sin to all people, and how death and sin spread to all humans because of this first sin, and the parallel between Adam’s death and Christ’s death.

1 Corinthians 15:20-21
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.