SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON PLAN - Jn. 20:3-9; 1 Cor. 15:20-28
THIS WEEK: Today we will study a part of the Easter story that reports the most important event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ's resurrection is central to everything that we, as Christians, believe. The incarnation and the crucifixion were necessary, but the resurrection is the authentication of Jesus' ministry. Seeing the risen Christ transformed Jesus' small band of disciples and gave them courage to come out from behind locked doors to face danger in Christ's name. There is no other explanation for their newfound and determined boldness except that they had seen the risen Christ.
Read John 20:3-9 - Believing in The Resurrection
3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
vv. 3-4: "So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first." - It's interesting to see here the interaction between Peter and John ("the other disciple"). After hearing the startling news from Mary Magdalene, Peter and John head for Jesus' tomb in a dead run. Peter was clearly the leader of the disciples, but some commentators suggest that these verses may indicate some competition between the two men. While they are running, John, who was younger and probably a little more energetic, passes Peter and reaches the tomb first.
vv. 5-7: "And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself." - The opening of the tomb would have been about three feet tall, making it necessary for John to bend down to see in. Peter caught up and went inside the tomb. Many scholars think that Jesus dematerialized and 'passed through' the grave clothes; others disagree, pointing to the folded head cloth-if-Jesus had dematerialized, the head cloth would be near the other clothes unfolded-you decide. Either way, the grave clothes serve three purposes in this story: (1) They provide definitive visual evidence of Jesus' resurrection. The body was gone, yet the grave clothes tell us that Jesus' body had unquestionably been there. (2) They also show that Jesus' body was not stolen. Grave robbers would never have left valuable linen cloth behind, but even more likely, they never would have delayed their escape and risk discovery by taking the time to remove the clothes. (3) And they also make a theological point: when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Lazarus emerged with the same body still wrapped in his burial clothes, and bystanders had to free him, but when Jesus' emerged from the tomb, he did so with an unbound resurrection body-free.
vv. 8-9: "Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead." - The text doesn't reveal exactly what John believed at that point, possibly in the resurrection of Christ. It is significant that Peter and John first came to know of the resurrection based upon what they had seen at the tomb; only later did they see it in Scripture, "that He must rise from the dead" (e.g., Ps. 16:10: "For You will not leave My soul in Sheol, neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." This verse was later cited by Peter at the Pentecost [Acts 2:27]). This shows beyond any doubt that they did not make up a story of resurrection to fit a predetermined event of OT prophecy.
TRUTH 1: While the incarnation-the living form-and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ were necessary, the resurrection is the authentication of Jesus' ministry. Seeing the risen Christ transformed Jesus' small band of disciples and gave them courage to come out from behind locked doors to face danger in Christ's name. There is no other explanation for their newfound and determined boldness except that they had seen the risen Christ.
TRUTH 2: Peter and John first came to know of the resurrection based upon what they had seen at the tomb as eye witnesses. Only later did they see it in Scripture, "that He must rise from the dead" (e.g., Ps. 16:10: "For You will not leave My soul in Sheol, neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." This verse was later cited by Peter at the Pentecost [Acts 2:27]). This shows beyond any doubt that they did not make up a story of resurrection to fit a predetermined event of OT prophecy.
COMMENT: We now move forward to Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Here, in Chapter 15, he deals with the resurrection, of both Christ (vv. 1-11, skipped) and our own (vv. 12ff). He wrote this in response to Corinthian church members who doubted the resurrection of believers. Their doubts arose from two sources: (1) Some of them were Jewish converts, and like Sadducees and Pharisees, were still divided on the issue of bodily resurrection; and (2) many Greeks were still influenced by the idea of Platonic Dualism-that our physical bodies are imperfect copies of our spiritual bodies that will be left behind at death. Christianity, however, like Judaism, recognizes the wholeness of the person-body and soul. Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to understand that belief in the resurrection of the dead-both Christ's resurrection and the general resurrection of believers in the last days-is foundational to the Christian faith. Warning: the study of these next verses will require us to wrap our heads around some serious Christian theology.
Read 1 Cor. 15:20-22 - The First Fruits of Those Who Are Asleep
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
v. 20: "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" - OT Scripture required the people of Israel to offer their "first fruits" of their crops to God (Ex. 23:19; Lev. 23:9-10), and this offering foreshadowed the abundance of food the people could expect to enjoy have in months to come. When Paul says that the resurrected Christ is the "first fruits of those who are asleep," he is telling these Corinthian Christians that Christ's resurrection is just the beginning and foreshadows the great abundance of resurrections-the resurrection of ALL those who have placed their faith in Christ-that's yet to come.
vv. 21-22: "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." - Here, we see Paul introduce the idea of the Adam-Christ types-i.e., Adam, as a type, represents the entire human race-fallen sinners-who all follow him in death; likewise, Christ, as a type, represents all who belong to Him, and who by faith will be "made alive" in the future resurrection of the dead.
v. 23: But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ" - The Greek word for "order" (tagma), anticipates a pre-planned sequence of events. Thus, Christ, was the first to be raised from the dead after His First Coming; and for us, the resurrection of those who belong to Him, will take place at His Second Coming.
TRUTH 3: In v. 20, when Paul says that the resurrected Christ is the "first fruits of those who are asleep," he is saying Christ's resurrection is just the beginning and foreshadows the resurrection of ALL those who have placed their faith in Christ-that's yet to come. Thus, Christ, was the first to be raised from the dead after His First Coming; and for us, the resurrection of those who belong to Him, will take place at His Second Coming.
Read 1 Cor. 15:24-28 - The Last Enemy Abolished Will Be Death
24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.27 For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under Him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
Note: This is where it starts getting more complicated.
v. 24: " Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power" - Paul is referring to the Second Coming of Christ and all the events that will accompany it. In this sequence, Christ will first bring an end to all earthly power and authority, and in doing this, will restore the Godly reign that existed prior to the introduction of sin into the world. And once the world is restored and is again what God created it to be, Christ will hand over this kingdom to the Father.
vv. 25-26: "For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death." - Here we see Paul use symbolism that pictures the custom earthly kings who sat on elevated thrones in order to put their feet above the heads of their subjects. Connecting these two verses tells us that Christ must reign until he utterly defeats all of God's enemies-at which point, symbolically, He can put his foot on the necks of His enemies. The destruction of "death" the last enemy, as stated in v. 26, pictures the bodily resurrection of the dead.
vv. 27-28: "For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that He is excepted who put all things in subjection under Him. 28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things in subjection under Him, that God may be all in all" - These two verses are difficult. The first sentence of v. 27, "God has put all things under subjection under His feet," alludes to Ps. 8:6, which, in its original context, means that at the time of creation God gave dominion of the world to man, subjecting it to human nature and thus, sin. Next, God sent His only Son, as Messiah, to restore what man had wrecked, and Paul adapts the wording to say that God has put all things in subjection to Christ, who has human nature but is an exception because He was sinless, and when Christ has put all things under His subjection, He will hand over the kingdom to His Father. When the last verse says "the Son Himself will be subjected to the Father, it doesn't imply that the Son is an inferior member of the Trinity but marks the completion of His managerial role as the Messiah. His Sonship with the Father will continue eternally as an equal member of the Trinity. Finally, the phrase, "that God may be all in all," expresses that the Godhead-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-will then be sovereign over all the universe without regard to any special position or kingdom.
TRUTH 4: In the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, Paul clearly explains that Christ will first bring an end to all earthly power and authority, and by doing this, He will restore the Godly reign that existed prior to the introduction of sin into the world. And once the world is restored and is again what God created it to be, Christ will hand over this kingdom to the Father, which signifies the completion of Jesus' managerial role as the Messiah, while His Sonship with the Father will continue eternally as an equal member of the Trinity. Finally, the phrase in v. 28, "that God may be all in all," expresses that the Godhead-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-will then be sovereign over all the universe without regard to any special position or kingdom.
