“But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.”
My Notes
What Does 1 Corinthians 15:23 Mean?
Paul describes the order of resurrection: Christ first, then those who belong to Him at His coming. The word "order" (tagma) is a military term — it means rank, division, assigned position. The resurrection isn't a mob rushing through a door. It's an organized procession with assigned positions.
Christ is the "firstfruits" (aparchē) — the first portion of the harvest, offered to God as a guarantee of the full harvest to come. In the Old Testament, the firstfruits were the initial sheaf, presented in the temple as a pledge that the rest was coming. Jesus' resurrection is the initial sheaf. Every future resurrection is guaranteed by His.
"They that are Christ's at his coming" (parousia — His arrival, His presence) means the resurrection of believers is connected to Christ's return. The dead in Christ don't rise at random moments. They rise when He arrives. The resurrection is an event, not a process. And it's keyed to His presence.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does the 'firstfruits' image (Christ's resurrection guaranteeing yours) strengthen your confidence?
- 2.Does the military 'order' (rank, position, sequence) of the resurrection comfort you or feel impersonal?
- 3.What does it mean to be 'Christ's at his coming' — and are you confident you belong to Him?
- 4.How does knowing the resurrection is keyed to Christ's return (an event, not a process) affect your hope?
Devotional
Christ first. Then those who are His. At His coming. In that order.
The resurrection has a sequence. It's not chaos. It's not random. It's a procession — military in its precision. Christ is the first rank. He's already risen. The first sheaf of the harvest has been offered. And His resurrection guarantees every subsequent one.
The agricultural image is powerful: firstfruits. When the first sheaf of grain was cut and presented in the temple, it wasn't the whole harvest. It was the guarantee. The farmer wasn't celebrating one sheaf. He was celebrating what one sheaf promised: a full field of grain coming behind it.
Jesus' resurrection is the one sheaf. Every believer's resurrection is the full field. When you look at the empty tomb, you're not just seeing one man who conquered death. You're seeing the guarantee that you will too. His resurrection is your receipt.
"At his coming" — the resurrection of believers isn't happening now. It's waiting for an event: the parousia, Christ's arrival. When He comes, the dead in Christ rise. The timing is His. The event is His. The power is His. You just need to be "Christ's" — belonging to Him — and the rest is handled.
The order is clear. The guarantee is issued. The firstfruits have been offered. And the full harvest is as certain as the first sheaf was real.
He rose. You will too. In order. At His coming.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Then cometh the end,.... Or "after that the end", the end of all things; either at the close of the thousand years, when…
But every man - Everyone, including Christ as well as others. In his own order - In his proper order, rank, place, time.…
But every man in his own order - The apostle mentions three orders here:
1. Christ, who rose from the dead by his own…
In this passage the apostle establishes the truth of the resurrection of the dead, the holy dead, the dead in Christ,
I.…
But every man in his own order This explains why the last verb in 1Co 15:15 is in the future. Christ's resurrection must…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture