1 Corinthians 15:35-49 - ”The Hope of the Resurrection” - Brent Stephens / November 19, 2023

In the previous section, Paul deals with some in the church who are saying that there is no resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12). Apparently, one of the sticking points for this group is the inability to understand what kind of resurrected bodies they will have. We see this belief in Paul’s anticipation of the follow-up question: “With what kind of body will they come” (v. 35)? Paul is upset at the line of questioning and calls the Corinthians “foolish” in verse 36, not because they lack intelligence, but because they lack faith in the omnipotence and sovereignty of God. Paul says in verse 34 that some within the church actually “have no knowledge of God,” and he directly addresses their lack of knowledge by defending the omnipotence and sovereignty of God. He says, “But God gives it a body as He has chosen” (v. 38).