Paul speaks of the resurrection and the role of Jesus.
Throughout the New Testament those who wrote these narratives referred to Jesus as Jesus, Jesus Christ and sometimes they called Him just Christ. Jesus was without question the Christ, the Messiah, but to refer to Him as only Christ in some cases is misleading to the reader about the details of the subject matter. In the days that scripture was written, they thought nothing was wrong by calling Jesus only by the name of Christ and it wasn’t wrong. Although in attempting to understand what some of the scriptures are relating to us, it would be clearer to refer to Jesus by His given name and not His title of who He was. In order to understand fully the details and relationship between Jesus and God the Father, comments on these set of scriptures will use His given name of Jesus instead of His title of Christ.
1st Corinthians chapter fifteen is a powerful chapter as follows that clearly states the position between God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son and which of them is responsible for doing the things described in these scriptures.
They read as follows:
15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand; 2 By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that Jesus was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas (Peter), then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some have died. 7 After that, Jesus was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen by me also, as of one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and God’s grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; because I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore whether it was me or them, so we preach, and so you believed.
12 Now if Jesus is preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then has Jesus not risen: 14 and if Jesus has not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also in vain.
15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Jesus: whom God raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then has Jesus not been raised up: 17 and if Jesus has not been raised, your faith is in vain; and you are still in your sin. 18 Then they also which have died who believed they were in the body of Christ have perished. 19 If only in this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20 But now Jesus has been raised from the dead, and has become the first fruits of them that have died. 21 For since by one man came death, by one man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For because of Adam all die, even so in because of Jesus the Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order (will be resurrected): Jesus the first fruits; afterward they that are in the body of Christ at Jesus’ return (the first resurrection). (Jesus was the first to be raised from the dead and when He returns, those who were in the body of Christ when they died will be raised also.)
24 Then will come the end (and the second resurrection), when Jesus shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when Jesus shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For Jesus must reign, until he has put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For God has put all things under Jesus’ feet. But when God says all things are put under Jesus, it is understood that God (the Father) is excepted, which did put all things under him. (Everything except God the Father was put under Jesus’ authority)
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto Jesus, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto God that has put all things under Jesus that God may be all in all.
Ephesians chapter one also gives witness to the fact that God has put all things under the feet of Jesus the Christ.
20 Which God wrought in Jesus the Christ, when God raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And has put all things under Jesus feet, and gave Jesus to be the head over all things to the church
Again Hebrews chapter three adds credence to the relationship between God the Father and Jesus His Son, as follows:
3:1 wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 2 who was faithful to God the Father that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 4 For every house is built by some man; but he that built all things is God.
If you might ask me, what is the point of this narrative? It becomes just another example showing the relationship between God the Father and His Son Jesus the Christ, giving scriptural evidence that God and Jesus are not one and the same person.
Paul the Apostle to the gentiles, appointed to be so by Jesus Himself said to Timothy: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
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