I Corinthians 15:19-23 (NRSV)
Read I Corinthians 15:19-23 on biblegateway.com
Verse 19If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Verse 20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. Verse 21For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; Verse 22for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. Verse 23But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Devotion
The philosopher Aristotle told us to begin writing an essay with a prolepsis. A prolepsis is a paragraph or two in the introduction that summarizes what is to come. It provides an advance summary of what we are going to say.
When we take out a mortgage, we make a down payment and promise to pay the remaining principal over 20 or 30 years. We say we own the house; but technically, we will not fully own the house for another couple decades. Could we think of the down payment as a prolepsis?
When God raised Jesus from the dead on the first Easter, Jesus rose into everlasting life, the very everlasting life that God has promised for the new creation. Jesus is "the first fruits of those who have died," says St. Paul (1 Corinthians 15:20). What happened to Jesus will happen to us too. Does this make Jesus God's prolepsis?
Prayer
God of our salvation, we thank you for the first resurrection, the resurrection of Jesus. Fill us with joy as we look forward to our joining Jesus in the everlasting new creation. Amen.