Many Christians do not realize there is a distinction between Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.  The two occurred in such proximity as a part of “the same event” that they are often considered the same thing---God acting in human history to save us.  It is assumed if a person talks about the crucifixion, he or she is also talking about the resurrection, and vice versa.  Jesus was crucified and raised!  It can be said in one breath as basically the same event.  It is rare to consider one without assuming the other.

Crucifixion fulfills the image of divine sacrifice for human benefit.  Before crucifixion, people sacrificed to declare praise to and dependence on God.  In crucifixion, God sacrifices to benefit people.  Instead of mankind acting to honor God, God acts through sacrifice to benefit mankind.  Rather than sacrifice being from people given to God, sacrifice is made by God to benefit people.

Crucifixion is death.  It is not death by natural means, but death by execution.  It was a horrible death meant to disgrace the person dying.  Crucifixion was NOT considered a glorious way to die!  It was often meant to be death with a message—“this, too, will be your fate if you defy the Roman government.”  The two things that were different about Jesus’ crucifixion: (a) his death by crucifixion was voluntary (see Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; John 10:17, 18), and (b) he died quickly for an execution by crucifixion.

Jesus’ death primarily focused on human forgiveness (as a permanent, forever-solved problem [see Romans 3:21-26 and 1 John 1:5-10]).  It was not that sin not longer existed, but that sin was an escapable reality because of what God did through Christ.

Jesus’ resurrection is not focused in human forgiveness, but in hope.  It declares that the death of the physical human body is not the end of life.  Existence transcends death.  After physical death, life continues.  For the individual with faith in Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the Christian to existence with God is as certain as was Jesus’ resurrection.

The hope: death is not the end of existence!  Life with God is a certainty for the person who has the courage to place faith in Jesus Christ!  The greatest human fear, the fear of physical death, is destroyed by actively believing in what God did in Jesus Christ!

Consider today’s text, 1 Corinthians 15.  Christians in Corinth had numerous problems.  In a letter we do not have, they asked Paul a number of questions.  Paul’s answers reveal that one of the problems they had centered in their failure to understand Christian resurrection and Jesus’ resurrection.

Remember the word “gospel” basically means “good news.”  What possibly could be “good news” about the execution and resurrection of the Savior?  First, the “good news” was the core of the message they received which led them to be Christians.  (a) Christ died for our sins just as scripture said he would [note the Old Testament is scripture].  (b) He was buried.  (c)  He was resurrected three days later.  This is “good news” only if the sinless Jesus died for human sin, was buried, and came to life again.  Numerous evidences confirmed Jesus Christ was physically alive after he was executed.

Second, the problem: some denied that anyone’s resurrection was possible.  Paul attacked the problem in a number of ways.

(a) To believe resurrection is impossible means that Jesus was not raised. That means your faith is meaningless, and our message is false.  The end meaning: all of us continue under sin’s control and have a pitiful conviction.

(b) To believe resurrection is impossible is to thwart God’s objective.  The objective: to make God the all in all He was prior to rebellion in His creation. 

(c) Do you not understand that this conviction makes your practice of baptizing for the dead meaningless? 

(d) Do you not understand rejection of the resurrection makes the danger associated with faith in Jesus Christ a foolish danger?

(e) You know the reality that forms change or different honors are given to differing forms.  Why do you not understand resurrected bodies have a form all their own?

(f) The bottom line: resurrection defeats death through victory in the Lord Jesus Christ.  That understanding makes service to Christ constantly worthwhile!

The unique God used the incredible to produce the permanent solution to sin and give a hope which death cannot touch or destroy.

For Thought and Discussion

1. What distinction do many Christians not realize?

2. What is the image of Jesus’ crucifixion?

3. Crucifixion was what?  What was the message?

4. On what did Jesus’ death primarily focus?

5. On what did Jesus’ resurrection primarily focus?

6. What is the human hope provided by Jesus’ resurrection?

7. The word “gospel” basically means what?

8. What was the core of the message that led the Corinthians to become Christians?

9. Give six ways in which Paul attacked the problem of rejecting resurrection.

10. The unique God did what?

Link to Teacher's Guide Lesson 13

Copyright © 2009
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

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