1 Corinthians 15:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“And that He appeared to Cephas.”

He first sets forth the most trustworthy witness of all. Although the Gospel says that the Lord first appeared to Mary (Mk 16:9), among men He appeared first to Peter, as the best of the disciples.

For the one who first confessed Him as Christ ought to be the first to see the Resurrection. He appears to him before the others also because of his denial, to show him that he was not rejected.

“Then to the twelve,” τοις δώδεκα.

Matthias was numbered in place of Judas after the Lord’s Ascension. How then does Paul say, “then to the twelve”?

We answer: He probably appeared to Matthias after the Ascension, as He also appeared to Paul, who was called after the Ascension. Therefore Paul did not specify the time, but spoke indefinitely.

“And that He appeared to Cephas.” This person is sufficient for testimony, but he is only one. Therefore the Apostle added, “then to the eleven.” And lest anyone suspect even them of preaching a Resurrection that had not occurred because they loved their Teacher, the Apostle necessarily added: Verse 6. “After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.”

He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. If you do not believe one witness, you have twelve witnesses. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once. If they do not believe the twelve, let them accept the testimony of the five hundred. Then He appeared to James, His brother, the first bishop of this flock. Therefore, if this bishop saw the risen Jesus Christ in His first form, you, his disciple, must not be unbelieving. But you will say that James was His brother and testified out of affection. Then He also appeared to me, Paul, His enemy. What testimony proclaimed by an enemy is doubtful? Formerly a persecutor, I now preach the Resurrection.

John reports something similar. He nowhere says that Jesus appeared to the eleven, but, speaking of Thomas, he says, “Thomas, one of the twelve” (Jn 20:24). We would rather say that by foreknowledge he numbered Matthias with the other apostles, not Judas after his betrayal and hanging.

Why does Paul first present Cephas, that is, Peter, as a witness of Christ’s Resurrection?

Because he was the first of the apostles (Mt 10:2), and Jesus Christ appeared to him first of all the other disciples after His Resurrection from the dead.

This is evident from the words spoken among themselves by the eleven apostles gathered in Jerusalem, and by those then with them, when Cleopas and another disciple returned from Emmaus and came to them.

The Evangelist Luke says, “And they found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them, saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon’” (Lk 24:33-34).

“And He appeared to Cephas.” The Evangelist Luke speaks of the appearance to Peter (Lk 24:34).

This appearance, and the following appearances mentioned by Paul, are cited to prove the truth of the Resurrection.

It is noteworthy that the Apostle does not mention the appearances of Jesus Christ to the myrrh-bearing women. This may have been so as not to give the Corinthian women occasion for self-exaltation.

“Then to the eleven.” So also the Vulgate reads, undecim, and many Fathers.

But in the printed Greek text, in agreement with many manuscripts, and also in our Russian translation, one reads “to the twelve.”

"And ... He appeared to Cephas." St. Paul could have heard this from Peter himself (Bishop Theophan). To comfort this Apostle completely, and to show that he had not been rejected for his denial, Christ granted him His appearance before the others (Chrysostom).

"Then He appeared to the Twelve." In the Slavonic text the number is "eleven," although at the time of the appearance there were strictly only ten disciples. Judas was already dead, and Thomas was absent. Yet Scripture customarily names the whole assembly of the Apostles according to their original number. Thus Thomas also is called by John the Evangelist one of the Twelve (Jn 20:24; Bishop Theophan). St. Luke likewise, in his account of the same appearance of the risen Lord, speaks of the eleven disciples.

Concerning the Lord’s death, the Apostle notes that it was for our sins and took place according to the Scriptures, that is, according to the eternal counsel of God, revealed in Old Testament prophecies and types.

“He was wounded for our sins and bruised for our iniquities,” the Prophet Isaiah foretold (Isa 53:5).

Christ’s burial also took place according to the Scriptures (cf. Mt 12:40; Isa 53:8), and likewise His Resurrection (Ps 15:10).

But since those who doubted the resurrection were probably chiefly among the Greeks (cf. Acts 17:32; 2 Tim 2:17), the Apostle does not dwell long on Old Testament proofs.

He turns instead to nearer testimonies concerning Christ’s Resurrection. He points to five appearances of the risen Christ, and a sixth appearance to himself.

The appearance of the Lord to Saint Peter is mentioned in the Gospel (Lk 24:34), and there is no doubt that it took place. Saint Paul could have heard of it from Peter himself.

Saint Chrysostom says, “In the Gospel it is said that Christ appeared first of all to Mary. But among men, He appeared first of all to Peter, who especially desired to see Him.

The one who was first counted worthy to see the Lord needed great faith, so as not to be troubled by the unusual vision. Therefore Christ appeared first of all to Peter.

He who first confessed Him as Christ was rightly the first deemed worthy to see His Resurrection. Christ appeared before all to Peter alone not only for this reason, but also because Peter had denied Him.