But thanks be to God, who keeps giving us the victory through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah! 1 Corinthians 15:57, TLV
Wow! Paul’s first book to the Corinthians is saturated with references to the Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy), the Prophets, and the Writings. Why? One reason is, well, he was a Jewish scholar. But mainly because most of his audience — his readers — were from a non-Biblical background, and as new believers their behavior was problematic. Divisiveness, sexual misbehavior, marriage problems, folks suing one another, disruptions during services, and the list goes on.
Um. Do these misbehaviors sound a at all familiar?
Still, Paul addresses powerful messages such as this chapter. Paul explains the prophetic revelations of the resurrection.
… We shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed—
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last shofar.
For the shofar will sound,
and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we will be changed. (vss.51-52, TLV)
Not as ghosts or some aberrant being, but as we were truly meant to be. This is pretty heady stuff.
Here is an example of the challenges for those emissaries who went to the nations — the pagans, the Gentiles. These precious souls knew little to nothing of the very foundation of faith — the Torah, Prophets, and Writings.
” … Therefore, I judge not to trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God—but to write to them to abstain from the contamination of idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has had in every city those who proclaim him, since he is read in all the synagogues every Shabbat.” Acts 15:19-21, TLV
It was decided by “The Jerusalem Council” to not burden the new Gentile converts in Yeshua with the whole of Scripture (Genesis to Malachi), but to give them the basic Biblical truths. Then, gradually, as they attended Sabbath services they would learn more and more of the foundation of their new faith.
So, this chapter indicates that Paul is giving the new converts more and more of the foundation. He closes this chapter with a well-known benediction. A benediction we can all hold dear, that our victory lies with our risen Savior. Our Messiah has conquered death. And that’s worth dealing with the corruptible. Amen!
Shabbat shalom!
