THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
After finishing his discourse on spiritual gifts, the Apostle passes to the most important subject, the doctrine of the resurrection, for the Corinthians were very weak in this also. In bodies, when fever reaches the most fundamental parts, the nerves, veins, and first elements, the disease becomes incurable unless great care is applied. So here a similar danger was present, because the evil had reached the very foundations of piety.
For this reason Paul applies great care. He no longer had to speak about ordinary matters, nor about one man falling into adultery, another into greed, or a third covering his head. He had to speak about the chief good itself, because the Corinthians were at variance concerning the resurrection itself.
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Since all our hope is contained in it, the devil strongly rose up against it. At times he denied the resurrection entirely. At other times he said that it had already taken place. In the epistle to Timothy, Paul called this impious teaching gangrene and named those who spread it: 'and their word will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have strayed from the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past, and overthrow the faith of some' (2 Tim. 2:17-18).
Sometimes they said this, and sometimes they said that the body would not rise, and that the resurrection is the purification of the soul. The evil demon suggested this teaching to them, wishing not only to deny the resurrection, but also to make everything accomplished for us seem a fable.
If they believed that there is no resurrection of bodies, he would little by little persuade them that Christ also did not rise. Proceeding further from this, he would conclude that Christ did not come and did not accomplish what He accomplished. Such is the malice of the devil.
Therefore Paul calls his actions wiles (Eph. 6:11). He does not openly reveal what he wishes to do, lest he be exposed. Instead he assumes a certain mask and produces something else, like a treacherous enemy who approaches a city and its walls, then secretly undermines them from below. In this way he avoids notice and succeeds in his undertaking.
But this wondrous and great man always uncovered such nets of his and pursued his evil wiles: 'lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices' (2 Cor. 2:11). So here too he uncovers all his craft, shows all his devices, reveals all his intentions, and pursues everything with great diligence.
For this reason he speaks about this subject after the others. It is the most important and is everything for us. And observe the Apostle's wisdom. He first establishes his own people, and then, as he continues, he strongly stops the mouths of those outside, the pagans.
He establishes his own people not by rational demonstrations, but by pointing to events, to what they themselves had already received and believed as real. This was very striking and sufficient to persuade them. If after this they did not believe, they would no longer be refusing Paul, but themselves.
This would serve for the condemnation of those who once received the truth and later fell away. Therefore he begins his discourse from here, showing that he needs no other witnesses to prove the truth of his words except the very people falling into error.
But so that what I say may be clearer, we must hear the Apostle's own words. What are these words? 'Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the Gospel which I preached to you.' Do you see with what meekness he begins? Do you see how, from the very beginning, he suggests that he is teaching nothing new or strange?
When someone speaks of something already known but later forgotten, his words merely remind his hearers of it. By calling them brethren, he also confirms his words in no small degree. We became brethren in no other way than through the divine economy of Christ's Incarnation.
By this name he both humbles and calms them, and also reminds them of countless blessings. The following expression also serves as confirmation. What expression is this? The Gospel. The substance of the Gospel is that God became man, was crucified, and rose again.
Gabriel proclaimed this Gospel to the Virgin. The prophets and all the apostles proclaimed it to the whole world. 'Which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.'
Do you see how he calls them themselves as witnesses of his words? He does not say, 'which you heard,' but, 'which you received.' He requires from them, as it were, a kind of pledge. He shows that they were persuaded to receive it not by word alone, but also by deeds, signs, and wonders. Therefore they must hold it firmly.
After reminding them of the past, the Apostle next points to the present. 'In which also you stand,' he says, warning them that they cannot deny it, even if they very much wish to do so. Therefore at the beginning he did not say, 'I teach you,' but, 'I preached the Gospel to you,' that is, something already known.
How then does he call those who are wavering people who stand? He assumes an appearance of ignorance for their benefit, as he also does with the Galatians, though in another way. There it was not fitting to assume ignorance, so he speaks differently: 'All who rely on the works of the law are under a curse' (Gal. 3:10).
He does not say, 'You understand nothing else,' because their error was known and manifest. Instead he guarantees the future. Though the future is unknown, he does this to dispose them more favorably toward himself. Here, however, he assumes an appearance of ignorance and says, 'in which also you stand.'
Then he reminds them of the benefit: 'by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you.' Therefore the instruction now offered is only an explanation and interpretation. You do not need me to teach you the dogma itself, he says, but to remind you of it and correct you. He says this because he does not wish to put them suddenly to shame.
What does 'as I preached to you' mean? It means, he says, the way in which I preached to you the reality of the resurrection. You do not seem to doubt that there was a resurrection. Perhaps you only wish to understand more clearly what was said. This I shall do. As for the dogma itself, I see clearly that you hold it.
Then, lest after his words, 'in which also you stand,' they become careless, he again inspires fear in them: 'if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.' By this he shows that the evil touches the chief subject. The matter is not something of little importance, but the whole faith.
Here he speaks of this briefly. Later, when he is kindled, he cries out openly and says: 'If Christ is not risen, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins.' But he did not speak in this way at the beginning, because it was more profitable to advance calmly and little by little.