Robertson Word Pictures - 1 Corinthians 15:5 - 15:5

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Robertson Word Pictures - 1 Corinthians 15:5 - 15:5


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

And that he appeared to Cephas (kai hoti ōphthē Kēphāi). First aorist passive indicative of the defective verb horaō, to see. Paul means not a mere “vision,” but actual appearance. John uses ephanerōthē (Joh 21:14) from phaneroō, to make manifest, of Christ’s appearance to the seven by the Sea of Galilee. Peter was listed first (prōtos) among the Apostles (Mat 10:2). Jesus had sent a special message to him (Mar 16:7) after his resurrection. This special appearance to Peter is made the determining factor in the joyful faith of the disciples (Luk 24:34), though mentioned incidentally here. Paul had told all these four facts to the Corinthians in his preaching. He gives further proof of the fact of Christ’s resurrection. There are ten appearances given besides the one to Paul. Nine are in the Gospels (Mary Magdalene in John and Mark, the other women in Matthew, the two going to Emmaus in Luke, Simon Peter in Luke and I Corinthians, the ten apostles and others in Luke and John and Mark, the eleven and others in John, the seven by the sea in John, to over five hundred in Galilee in Matthew and Paul and Mark, to the apostles in Jerusalem in Luke and Mark and Acts and I Corinthians) and one in I Corinthians above (to James). It will be seen that Paul mentions only five of the ten, one, that to James, not given elsewhere. What he gives is conclusive evidence of the fact, particularly when Revelation-enforced by his own experience (the sixth appearance mentioned by Paul). The way to prove this great fact is to start with Paul’s own witness given in this undoubted Epistle. The natural way to understand Paul’s adverbs of time here is chronological: then (eita), then (epeita), then (epeita), then (eita), last of all (eschaton pantōn).

To the twelve (tois dōdeka). The technical name. Only ten were present, for Judas was dead and Thomas was absent (Joh 20:24).