The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:22 Explained

1 Corinthians 15:22

KJV: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

YLT: for even as in Adam all die, so also in the Christ all shall be made alive,

Darby: For as in the Adam all die, thus also in the Christ all shall be made alive.

ASV: For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be made alive. 

What does 1 Corinthians 15:22 Mean?

Study Notes

Adam
Adam was a contrasting type of Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 ; Romans 5:14-19 .
(1) "The first man Adam was made a living soul" Genesis 2:7 , i.e. he derived life from another, that is, God. "The last Adam was a life-giving spirit." So far from deriving life, He was Himself the fountain of life, and He gave that life to others; John 1:4 ; John 5:21 ; John 10:10 ; John 12:24 ; 1 John 5:12 .
(2) In origin the first man was of the earth, earthy; the Second Man is the Lord from heaven.
(3) Each is the head of a creation, and these also are in contrast: in Adam all die; in Christ all will be made alive; the Adamic creation is "flesh"; the new creation, "spirit." John 3:6 .

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 15:12-28 - Christ's Resurrection Assures Ours
The argument here goes to show, first, that our resurrection is intimately connected with Christ's. There must be such a thing, because he, as the representative of humanity, arose from the dead, in a human body which, though more ethereal in its texture, was easily recognizable by those who had known Him previously. Mary was recalled by the well-known intonations of her Master's voice. Thomas was compelled to believe, in spite of his protestations to the contrary. In fact, all of our Lord's friends were convinced against themselves. They credited the tidings of the risen Lord as idle tales. Therefore, says the Apostle, it is far easier to admit that man will rise than to face the difficulties of a still buried Christ, a vain faith, a vain gospel, and a false testimony from so many accredited witnesses.
What a burst of music breaks forth in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28! The first fruit sheaf is the forerunner and specimen of all the harvest. In Christ the whole Church was presented to God, and we may judge of the whole by Him. Note the divine order in 1 Corinthians 15:23 : first, Christ; then, His own; lastly, the end, when death itself shall be destroyed, all enemies conquered, and the kingdom of an emancipated universe finally handed back by the Mediator to the Father. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 15

1  By Christ's resurrection,
12  he proves the necessity of our resurrection,
16  against all such as deny the resurrection of the body
21  The fruit,
35  and the manner thereof;
51  and of the resurrection of those who shall be found alive at the last day

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 15:22

Shall be made alive [ζωοποιητησονται]
First future passive indicative of ζωοποιεω — zōopoieō late verb (Aristotle) to give life, to restore to life as here. In 1 Corinthians 15:36 ζωοποιειται — zōopoieitai is used in the sense of natural life as in John 5:21; John 6:63 of spiritual life. It is not easy to catch Paul‘s thought here. He means resurrection (restoration) by the verb here, but not necessarily eternal life or salvation. So also παντες — pantes may not coincide in both clauses. All who die die in Adam, all who will be made alive will be made alive (restored to life) in Christ. The same problem occurs in Romans 5:18 about “all,” and in Romans 5:19 about “the many.” [source]
All - all []
What the all means in the one case it means in the other. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 15:22

John 6:39 That of all that which [ινα παν ο]
Literally, “That all which” (see John 6:37 for παν ο — pan ho), but there is a sharp anacoluthon with παν — pān left as nominativus pendens. I should lose nothing Construed with ινα — hina “that I shall not lose anything of it.” Απολεσω — Apolesō from απολλυμι — apollumi can be either future active indicative or first aorist active subjunctive as is true also of αναστησω — anastēsō (from ανιστημι — anistēmi), “I shall raise up.” At the last day Locative case without εν — en Only in John, but four times here (John 6:39, John 6:40, John 6:44, John 6:54) “with the majesty of a solemn refrain.” In John 7:37 it is the last day of the feast of tabernacles, but in John 11:24; John 12:48 of the day of judgment as here. Christ is the Agent of the general resurrection in John 5:28 as in 1 Corinthians 15:22 while here only the resurrection of the righteous is mentioned. [source]
Romans 8:11 Shall quicken [ζωοποιησει]
Future active indicative of ζωοποιεω — zōopoieō late verb from ζωοποιος — zōopoios making alive. See note on 1 Corinthians 15:22. [source]
Ephesians 1:4 In Him []
As the head and representative of our spiritual humanity. Compare 1 Corinthians 15:22. Divine election is in Christ the Redeemer. The crown of divine sovereignty is redemption. God rules the world to save it. [source]
1 Peter 3:18 For sins [περι αμαρτιων]
“Concerning sins” (not his, but ours, 1 Peter 1:18). Περι — Peri (around, concerning) with αμαρτιας — hamartias in the regular phrase for the sin offering (Leviticus 5:7; Leviticus 6:30), though υπερ αμαρτιας — huper hamartias does occur (Ezekiel 43:25). So in the N.T. we find both περι αμαρτιων — peri hamartiōn (Hebrews 5:3) and υπερ αμαρτιων — huper hamartiōn (Hebrews 5:1).Once (απαχ — hapax). Once for all (Hebrews 9:28), not once upon a time (ποτε — pote).The righteous for the unrighteous Literally, “just for unjust” (no articles). See 1 Peter 2:19 for the sinlessness of Christ as the one perfect offering for sin. This is what gives Christ‘s blood value. He has no sin himself. Some men today fail to perceive this point.That he might bring us to God (ινα ημας προσαγαγηι τωι τεωι — hina hēmās prosagagēi tōi theōi). Purpose clause with ινα — hina with second aorist active subjunctive of προσαγω — prosagō and the dative case τωι τεωι — tōi theōi The MSS. vary between ημας — hēmās (us) and υμας — humās (you). The verb προσαγω — prosagō means to lead or bring to (Matthew 18:24), to approach God (cf. προσαγωγην — prosagōgēn in Ephesians 2:18), to present us to God on the basis of his atoning death for us, which has opened the way (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 10:19.)Being put to death in the flesh First aorist passive participle of τανατοω — thanatoō old verb (from τανατος — thanatos death), to put to death. Σαρκι — Sarki is locative case of σαρχ — sarx quickened in the spirit First aorist passive participle of ζωοποιεω — zōopoieō rare (Aristotle) verb (from ζωοποιος — zōopoios making alive), to make alive. The participles are not antecedent to απετανεν — apethanen but simultaneous with it. There is no such construction as the participle of subsequent action. The spirit of Christ did not die when his flesh did, but “was endued with new and greater powers of life” (Thayer). See 1 Corinthians 15:22 for the use of the verb for the resurrection of the body. But the use of the word πνευματι — pneumati (locative case) in contrast with σαρκι — sarki starts Peter‘s mind off in a long comparison by way of illustration that runs from 1 Peter 3:19-22. The following verses have caused more controversy than anything in the Epistle. [source]
1 Peter 3:18 The righteous for the unrighteous [δικαιος υπερ αδικων]
Literally, “just for unjust” (no articles). See 1 Peter 2:19 for the sinlessness of Christ as the one perfect offering for sin. This is what gives Christ‘s blood value. He has no sin himself. Some men today fail to perceive this point.That he might bring us to God (ινα ημας προσαγαγηι τωι τεωι — hina hēmās prosagagēi tōi theōi). Purpose clause with ινα — hina with second aorist active subjunctive of προσαγω — prosagō and the dative case τωι τεωι — tōi theōi The MSS. vary between ημας — hēmās (us) and υμας — humās (you). The verb προσαγω — prosagō means to lead or bring to (Matthew 18:24), to approach God (cf. προσαγωγην — prosagōgēn in Ephesians 2:18), to present us to God on the basis of his atoning death for us, which has opened the way (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 10:19.)Being put to death in the flesh First aorist passive participle of τανατοω — thanatoō old verb (from τανατος — thanatos death), to put to death. Σαρκι — Sarki is locative case of σαρχ — sarx quickened in the spirit First aorist passive participle of ζωοποιεω — zōopoieō rare (Aristotle) verb (from ζωοποιος — zōopoios making alive), to make alive. The participles are not antecedent to απετανεν — apethanen but simultaneous with it. There is no such construction as the participle of subsequent action. The spirit of Christ did not die when his flesh did, but “was endued with new and greater powers of life” (Thayer). See 1 Corinthians 15:22 for the use of the verb for the resurrection of the body. But the use of the word πνευματι — pneumati (locative case) in contrast with σαρκι — sarki starts Peter‘s mind off in a long comparison by way of illustration that runs from 1 Peter 3:19-22. The following verses have caused more controversy than anything in the Epistle. [source]
1 Peter 3:18 Being put to death in the flesh [τανατωτεις μεν σαρκι]
First aorist passive participle of τανατοω — thanatoō old verb (from τανατος — thanatos death), to put to death. Σαρκι — Sarki is locative case of σαρχ — sarx quickened in the spirit First aorist passive participle of ζωοποιεω — zōopoieō rare (Aristotle) verb (from ζωοποιος — zōopoios making alive), to make alive. The participles are not antecedent to απετανεν — apethanen but simultaneous with it. There is no such construction as the participle of subsequent action. The spirit of Christ did not die when his flesh did, but “was endued with new and greater powers of life” (Thayer). See 1 Corinthians 15:22 for the use of the verb for the resurrection of the body. But the use of the word πνευματι — pneumati (locative case) in contrast with σαρκι — sarki starts Peter‘s mind off in a long comparison by way of illustration that runs from 1 Peter 3:19-22. The following verses have caused more controversy than anything in the Epistle. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 15:22 mean?

For as indeed in - Adam all die so also Christ will be made alive
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ πάντες ἀποθνήσκουσιν οὕτως καὶ Χριστῷ ζωοποιηθήσονται

ὥσπερ  For  as 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὥσπερ  
Sense: just as, even as.
γὰρ  indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: γάρ  
Sense: for.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἀδὰμ  Adam 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἀδάμ  
Sense: Adam, the first man, the parent of the whole human race.
ἀποθνήσκουσιν  die 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀποθνῄσκω  
Sense: to die.
οὕτως  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
Χριστῷ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
ζωοποιηθήσονται  will  be  made  alive 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ζῳοποιέω  
Sense: to produce alive, begat or bear living young.