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[19] If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
[20] But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. [21] For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; [22] for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. [23] But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. [24] Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler 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.
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This is the optional “New Testament” reading selection to be read aloud on Easter Day (primary service), should the mandatory Acts reading (Acts 10:34-43) take the place of the “First Lesson.” If that is the case, then the Acts reading will include how Peter told Cornelius, “They [the Jews of Jerusalem & Romans] put him [Jesus] to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses.” That will be followed by a singing of part of Psalm 118, where David wrote, “Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them; I will offer thanks to Yahweh. "This is the gate of Yahweh; he who is righteous may enter.” The Gospel reading to accompany all others will tell of the arrival at the tomb, early on Sunday, as told by either John (possible all Easter Days, all three Years) or Luke (only possible on Year C Easter Day). John wrote, “Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!"’ Luke wrote, “Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.”
Verses nineteen and twenty were just recently read aloud – on the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth Sundays after the Epiphany, in Year C (some years never having so many Sundays after the Epiphany), all have the Epistle readings come from Paul’s fifteenth chapter of his epistle to the true Christians of Corinth. In that chapter Paul deeply addressed the issue of resurrection; but in doing so, Paul only twice mentioned the name Jesus. He wrote the name Adam three times, while writing “Christ” fifteen times (in fifty-eight verses). It is most important to realize Paul did not witness Jesus risen from a tomb in Jerusalem. His epiphany occurred on the road to Damascus; at which time Saul began to have the soul of Jesus resurrected within his soul, so he understood the truth of this resurrection others experienced (as told in the four Gospels). All knew (thus could write truthfully about) what “resurrection of the dead” truly meant.
Here, it is vital to realize the Greek word “christo” means “anointed one,” where the lack of capitalization means this is a human form of “anointment,” such as oil or water poured or smeared on a forehead or head. A lower-case “anointing” would likewise be a baptism by water, where one’s head is submerged in physical water. Such an “anointing” is significant in symbolic ways; and, that symbolism helps point a soul in a body of flesh towards Yahweh and Jesus. Still, to then capitalize this word (as Paul did), the meaning takes on a divine elevation in meaning, where the “Christ” is one’s soul being divinely “Anointed.” Such an “Anointed” state of being can only come from Yahweh (not a priest who serves Him). Instead of physical water, the “Anointing” is done by Yahweh’s Spirit (which makes one become “Holy” afterwards).
That which is also vital to understand is Paul not using the word “Christo” as a replacement word for “Jesus,” as if ‘Jesus Christ’ were one entity, incapable of being more. That is two divinely elevated words, each with its own divinely elevated meaning. Paul did not write “Christ” as a reference to Jesus, as he knew that specific word stated an “Anointment” by Yahweh; and, Yahweh can “Anoint” however many souls He sees fit to make a “Christ.” Paul was a “Christ,” who only met Jesus spiritually, after his death, resurrection and ascension had all taken place. Paul knew both the blessing of being “Anointed” by Yahweh and Paul knew the soul of Jesus personally, having been reborn in that name. While both “Christ” and “Jesus” do go hand-in-hand, one (the “Anointing”) most certainly comes before the other (the resurrection of “Jesus” within one’s soul), in the same way that marriage comes before parenthood.
Verse nineteen is shown separate from verses twenty through twenty-six for a reason. It is the last verse of eight verses (twelve through nineteen), where Paul wrote the “if” word six times. The “if” word is used to show the conditional, where something is only true “if” something else leads to that truth. It says one is dependent on the other. The pseudo-heading for those verses is “The Resurrection of the Dead” (both BibleHub Interlinear and NRSV). Verses twenty through thirty-four are called “The Order of Resurrection” (BibleHub Interlinear only). Thus, this selected reading – on Easter Day – states: “if” the meaning of “Christ” is seen by anyone as only being possible to be Jesus died, then got up and walked around again (ala Lazarus), so that view of resurrection is all one expects, then those of that mindset are to be “pitied.”
The exception stated in verse twenty (from a big “But” turning around the “if”) is seeing that which has “died” as not being Jesus, “But now” seeing the “first fruit” as that dead (picked from the limb green), so the “Christ” can raise them from that “death.” This means Jesus died in the flesh, so his soul could then be available to transform disciples into Apostles or Saints. For that transformation to take place, the disciples had to become sacrifices unto Yahweh, just as Jesus of Nazareth was. This makes Jesus be the seed that died (as a seed), so it could grow into a tree or vine that produces fruit. The “first fruits” are those who have been filled with the soul of the Jesus tree-vine (the ‘sap’ of Yahweh’s “Christ”), who are each filled within by the same seeds of Jesus reproduced.
In verse twenty-one, twice is repeated the word “anthrōpou.” That is the Genitive case form of “anthrópos,” which translates as “of man,” or generalized as “of humanity” (as “mankind, human race”). The NRSV does not show this possessive state, which is wrong. When Paul wrote, “seeing that indeed on account of of mankind death” (the first half of this verse), the thing that is “of mankind” that both eliminates “death” and results in “death” is the presence of a soul. A soul is eternal life that enters dead matter, simulating life to that death; but when that soul leaves a body of flesh, that body of flesh returns to being in a “death” state of existence. Without a soul a body of flesh is only a corpse … one that then turns to dust. Thus, in the second half of verse twenty-one, where Paul wrote: “kai on account of of mankind raising up of dead” (with “resurrection” substituted as “raising up”), that is important (use of "kai") as a statement that souls remaining in their bodies of dead flesh are what is "raised from the dead."
This says the a body of flesh is dead, only given the appearance of life by the presence of a soul. This then means that a soul alone will eternally be recycled into dead matter (reincarnation), unless it has been “raised up” to a higher state of being. A soul reaches that higher state of being through the “resurrection” of the soul of Jesus within that soul born into dead matter. The only way “resurrection” can occur is when a normal soul becomes “doubly fruitful” (the meaning of the name “Ephraim”), with the “resurrection” within it by the Son of Yahweh. That is when one ceases being a son “of mankind” and becomes a Son of Yahweh – a “Yahweh elohim” … a.k.a. “Israel.” The name “Jesus” is taken on, as a soul “Yahweh Has Saved.”
In verse twenty-two, where Paul wrote a capitalized “Adam” (“Ἀδὰμ”), that reference says the hand of Yahweh formed that body of flesh (from clay and dust), putting a most holy soul within that creation (Genesis 2 calls this a “Yahweh elohim,” where “elohim” is the term used 32 times in Genesis 1, translated each time as “God,” when the term implies an “angel” that Yahweh placed into flesh). Even with such a most holy soul within Adam … he died in the flesh. Sure, Adam lived nine hundred thirty years; but he still died. That is the point of Paul. The “resurrection” is not about living nine hundred thirty years on earth. It is about being “Anointed” by Yahweh with the Spirit (divine marriage of a soul back to Yahweh); and, that leads to the resurrection of Jesus (divine pregnancy) within a divinely married soul, leading to eternal life (Salvation).
This sequence of Spiritual events is then stated in verse twenty-three. The children’s song aptly applies here: “First comes love, then comes marriage; and, then comes Jesus in the baby carriage.” This is how BibleHub Interlinear placed the heading that says: “The Order of Resurrection.” The “first fruits” are those souls that marry Yahweh and receive His Spirit to surround their souls (in their flesh). This is the “Anointment” that makes one be deemed a “Christ” by Yahweh. That first step is the Baptism of the Spirit of Yahweh, which washes away all past sins and spiritual debts. That does not happen simply because one prays to God and asks to be saved. One must show one’s love of Yahweh (LEARN TO USE THAT NAME!), by putting more than an hour a week-month-year-or-lifetime into one’s desire to know the foundation of one’s religion – SCRIPTURE. Love means showing Yahweh you want Him to Save you; and Yahweh Saves mean you must give rebirth to His Son (the meaning of the name one takes on divinely). That order is the same in all Apostles-Saints. Your flesh (be it male or be it female) will be the new flesh in which Jesus continues his ministry for Yahweh. Jesus then returns in your flesh.
In verse twenty-four is Paul defining the “end times.” It is not at the end of the world. It is “this end” of one’s self-will, self-worth, and selfish state of being (a sinner, which is a soul controlled by one’s flesh). It is an individual’s end time (the capitalization of “Each,” in verse twenty-three). Jesus comes at the “end” of one’s resistance to salvation. Jesus comes after one loves Yahweh, one marries Yahweh, and one is reborn as Yahweh’s Son.
Verse twenty-four then states the conditions of this return of Jesus. The “kingdom of God” is entered through divine marriage, where one’s soul receives the Spirit of Baptism. The womb into which the soul of Jesus (the soul of Adam – Yahweh elohim) will be placed must be virginal, just like in young, innocent Mary. No filthy harlot’s soul will ever conceive holiness. It must be washed clean of all past trespasses and transgressions. Once cleaned by the Spirit, Yahweh (one’s Husband) then penetrates one’s soul and divinely places the soul of His Son. This makes Yahweh become not only one’s Holy Husband, but also one’s Father, because into one’s soul will be resurrected His Son. That resurrection means one’s soul had “annulled” all past relationships with demons, even relinquishing one’s soul having control over its own body of flesh. “All power and authority” over one’s soul-flesh becomes that of the soul of Jesus, which makes his soul the “Lord” over oneself. The presence of Jesus (with Yahweh’s Spirit cleansing one as His “Christ”) means one’s soul-flesh has become totally possessed by the divine.
Verse twenty-five then say all past addictions (all demons claiming rights to one’s soul) will be under divine “Subjection.” All demons will leave. The once weak soul will give way (submission) to Yahweh and Jesus (Father and Son). The once controlling body of flesh will place all past demonic relationships under its feet, stomping them into submission. All bad habits will be kicked.
Verse twenty-five then simply says: Everything of the world that once led a soul to “death” have themselves been “put to death.” Sin no longer has any power over the righteous. The only reason Satan sends demons to enslave a soul and flesh is to lead that soul away from Yahweh, taking it down a road of mortal “death.” Because “death” is the assured “end” of a breath of life placed into dead matter, what was of the world will return to the world; but what was of Yahweh will then return to Yahweh, Saved through one’s soul seeking Yahweh and His Son for Salvation.
This reading selection from Paul is selected for the purpose of it being read (if chosen) on Easter Day. That day is the foremost day when talk of “resurrection” is done. Paul’s words were led by the Spirit and by the hand of Jesus risen within his body of flesh (Paul’s Lord), to tell that “resurrection” is not of Jesus in the flesh. The “resurrection” only has meaning when the soul of Jesus has “resurrected” within one’s soul. There is an order that must be met for this to happen. When one thinks about it, the body of Jesus was never witnessed on Easter Day. The body of Jesus was taken away by angels, leaving the “appearance” (from Acts 10:40) of himself – which was within the followers in the upper room. They felt his wounds – saw his wounds – in themselves (not in the physical body of Jesus). The events of that Easter Day were Spiritual. They were of the soul of Jesus being prepared for their wombs, after they “received the Spirit” of divine marriage to Yahweh, being wombs cleans for his resurrection with in their souls (Pentecost Sunday).
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