Homilies on First Corinthians

^2. “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?”

Do you see how excellently he reasons, and proves the resurrection from the fact of Christ's being raised, having first established the former in many ways? “For both the prophets spoke of it,” says he, “and the Lord Himself showed it by His appearing, and we preach, and you believed;” weaving thus his fourfold testimony; the witness of the prophets, the witness of the issue of events, the witness of the apostles, the witness of the disciples; or rather a fivefold. For this very cause too itself implies the resurrection; viz. his dying for others' sins. If therefore this has been proved, it is evident that the other also follows, viz. that the other dead likewise are raised. And this is why, as concerning an admitted fact, he challenges and questions them, saying, “Now if Christ has been raised, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?”

Hereby also again abating the boldness of the gainsayers: in that he said not, “how say, ye,” but, “how say some among you.” And neither does he bring a charge against all nor declare openly the very persons whom he accuses, in order not to make them more reckless: neither on the other hand does he conceal it wholly, that he may correct them. For this purpose accordingly, separating them from the multitude, he strips himself for the contest with them, by this both weakening and confounding them, and holding the rest in their conflicts with these firmer to the truth, nor suffering them to desert to those that were busy to destroy them: he being in fact prepared to adopt a vehement mode of speech.

Further, lest they should say, “this indeed is clear and evident unto all that Christ is raised, and none doubts it; this does not however necessarily imply the other also, to wit, the resurrection of mankind:”— for the one was both before proclaimed and came to pass, and was testified of by his appearing; the fact, namely, of Christ's resurrection: but the other is yet in hope, i.e., our own part:— see what he does; from the other side again he makes it out: which is a proof of great power. Thus, “why do some say,” says he, “that there is no resurrection of the dead?” Of course then the former also in its turn is subverted by this, the fact, namely, that Christ is raised. Wherefore also he adds, saying,