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The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:3 (ESV), “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received…”
How many of us, having read 1 Corinthians, have thought, “What does the Apostle Paul say is ‘of first importance,’ not second place, not top three, or something that sooner or later we should study, but of first importance?”
Also, note that Paul heard this from someone else, since the lesson possibly dates to a few months after Paul’s conversion, other believers in the first century thought it of first importance as well. Okay, what is it?
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:3b-7).
Amen. Christ died for our sins through His death and resurrection; this is the central teaching of Christianity, and nothing is more important. Paul’s later teachings on grace, mercy, justification, sanctification, the power of the Spirit, love, faith, and hope (and everything that He teaches) make no sense without the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
This is reason #5 for the Reliability of the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 15:3-7
Not only does casual reading of 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 miss the “first importance,” but most don’t realize that these verses are a creedal statement, and are probably the earliest statement of faith in Christianity. Let’s consider two things…
- There are several creedal statements in the New Testament in Romans 1:3-4, Romans 10:9, Philippians 2:6-11, and 1 Corinthians 8:6. But 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 is the earliest.
- The first-century culture was primarily oral: if someone could read, there were no books (they were too expensive), so essential doctrines were passed down by memorization to be recited later, often in early Christian assemblies.
Scholars believe that Paul’s conversion occurred around 32 A.D., and that his first trip to Jerusalem in 35 A.D. included hearing the creed from Peter. As Paul writes, “I delivered to you … what I also received.” So, this statement must be a very early creed, as one scholar writes…
In short, if Paul received the material around A.D. 35, or three years after his conversion, the material delivered to him must have existed before then. We can be “entirely confident” the creedal information in 1 Corinthians 15 was “formulated as tradition within months of Jesus’ death.”
Amazing — a statement about the death and resurrection of Jesus, becoming a creed within months of the actual death and burial of Jesus. And for unbelievers hearing this creed in the first century and also the present, read the following carefully…
He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive (1 Corinthians 15:5-6).
A creed written soon after the resurrection, mentioning an appearance of Jesus to over 500 people, with many still alive when Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians. Wow. If we don’t believe in the reliability of the Bible now, the only evidence that will convince us of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is seeing Him in the clouds.
But then it will be too late for those who haven’t already believed.
