What Does 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 Mean?
1 Corinthians 15:20-28 declares that Christ's resurrection is the turning point of history, the first victory in a chain of events that ends with all enemies defeated. Because Jesus rose, those who belong to him will also rise - each in their proper order, starting with Christ as the 'firstfruits.' This passage grounds our hope in a future resurrection and shows that death itself will one day be destroyed.
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
Key Facts
Book
Author
Paul the Apostle
Genre
Epistle
Date
Approximately 55 AD
Key People
Key Themes
Key Takeaways
- Christ's resurrection guarantees future resurrection for all who belong to Him.
- Death, the last enemy, will be destroyed by Christ's final victory.
- God will be all in all when Christ delivers the kingdom fully.
Why Resurrection Matters: The Corinthian Challenge
The hope of resurrection was a critical issue for the Corinthians, and Paul emphasizes its importance.
Some in Corinth were saying there's no resurrection of the dead, which caused Paul to respond sharply: if there's no resurrection, then Christ wasn't raised, and if Christ wasn't raised, then Christian faith is useless and believers are still trapped in sin (1 Corinthians 15:12-13, 17). He walks through the logical domino effect - no resurrection means the gospel is false, preachers are liars, and those who've died in Christ have perished forever (vv. 14 - 18). This wasn't theoretical. It struck at the heart of their hope and daily courage to follow Jesus.
Understanding this debate helps us see why Paul then declares Christ's resurrection as the firstfruits - it's the first harvest of a coming resurrection for all who belong to Him.
Adam, Christ, and the Final Victory: Unpacking Paul's Theological Vision
Building on the necessity of resurrection, Paul now clearly contrasts Adam and Christ - one brought death to all, the other brings life to all who belong to him.
Paul uses the Greek word *'anastasis'* (resurrection) as a reversal of Adam’s curse, showing that as physical death spread to everyone because of one man’s sin, spiritual and bodily life comes to all in Christ - this is known as 'federal headship,' where one representative acts for all under him. The phrase 'in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive' (v. 22) doesn’t mean universal salvation, but that those united to Christ by faith receive the same kind of life-giving power that Adam’s lineage brought death. Paul is countering Greek skepticism about bodily resurrection by grounding hope not in philosophy but in two historical figures: the first man who failed, and the last Adam who succeeded. This typology - comparing Adam and Christ as two 'heads' of humanity - shows that God’s solution matches the problem in both scale and kind.
The resurrection happens in stages: Christ is the 'firstfruits' - a farming term meaning the first portion of the harvest that guarantees the rest is coming - then 'at his coming' those who belong to Christ will be raised (v. 23). Then comes 'the end,' when Christ hands the fully redeemed kingdom to the Father after defeating every spiritual power and authority (v. 24). Verse 25 quotes Psalm 110:1 - 'He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet' - to show that Christ’s current reign is active and ongoing, not passive, and that final victory is certain even if not yet fully seen. The last enemy destroyed will be death itself, fulfilling God’s ultimate promise of restoration.
When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
Finally, Paul quotes Psalm 8:6 - 'God has put all things in subjection under his feet' - but carefully notes that 'it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him' (v. 27), meaning the Father is not under Christ’s rule. When Christ completes His work, He will voluntarily submit to the Father - not as lesser in worth, but in role - so that 'God may be all in all' (v. 28), meaning God’s presence, authority, and goodness will fill everything without opposition. This points to perfect unity within the Trinity and the ultimate purpose of all history: the glory of God in total harmony.
Hope in the Face of Death: What the Firstfruits Mean for Us Today
Now that Paul has laid out the order of resurrection - Christ as the firstfruits, then those who belong to Him at His coming - we can see how this truth brings real comfort and confidence today.
The image of 'firstfruits' would have resonated with farmers who knew the first portion of the harvest guaranteed the rest was on the way. In the same way, Christ’s resurrection is God’s promise that our own new life is certain. This is about more than the future - knowing death has already been defeated helps us face grief, fear, and suffering with hope, not despair.
Because Christ has been raised, our hope isn't wishful thinking - it's the first sign that death will one day be completely undone.
This hope transforms how we live now: because Jesus rose, our daily struggles, sacrifices, and faithfulness are not in vain - as Paul will go on to say in verse 58, 'your labor is not in vain in the Lord.'
From Firstfruits to Forever: How Resurrection Completes God's Story
The truth that Christ is the firstfruits and that God will one day be 'all in all' is the climax of a story that begins in Genesis and unfolds through Psalms and Revelation.
In Genesis 3, death entered the world through human rebellion, breaking God’s good design and introducing decay and separation from Him. But God promised a future reversal - what Psalm 8 then echoes by declaring humanity crowned with glory and authority, even though we don’t see it fully realized yet.
Psalm 8:6 says 'You have put all things in subjection under his feet,' a verse Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 15:27 to show that Christ now reigns, even though evil still lingers. This tension - already victorious but not yet fully seen - is resolved in Revelation 20:14, where 'Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire,' showing that death itself is defeated and destroyed. Then Revelation 21:3-4 reveals the final state: 'God himself will be with them... He will wipe away every tear, and death shall be no more.'
This grand sweep of Scripture shows that God’s plan was to renew all things - bodies, creation, and relationships - and not merely to rescue souls, so that His presence fills everything. When Paul says 'God will be all in all' (1 Cor 15:28), he’s describing a world fully healed, where sin, grief, and division are gone forever. This truth should shape how we live now: with patience in suffering, courage in mission, and deep care for others, because we’re part of a story that ends in total restoration.
The resurrection of Christ isn't just the start of something new - it's the guarantee that God will finish what He began, from Eden’s loss to eternity’s glory.
In the church, this means we treat one another with radical grace and unity, knowing we’re being prepared for eternal life together. And in our communities, we show glimpses of that coming world by fighting injustice, caring for the grieving, and living with hope that death doesn’t get the final word - because Christ rose, and one day, all things will be made whole.
Application
How This Changes Everything: Real Life Impact
I remember sitting in a hospital room holding my mom’s hand as she took her last breath. In that moment, grief hit like a wave - but so did hope. Because of 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, I didn’t have to pretend death was 'part of life' or that she’d float off as a ghost. No, I could grieve honestly, yet still believe she’s with Christ, and that one day, her body will rise. That truth changed how I live now. When I’m tempted to live for comfort or approval, I remember: this world isn’t the end. Because Christ conquered death, I can take risks for His kingdom - forgive deeply, give generously, speak boldly - even when it costs me. My daily struggles aren’t meaningless. They’re part of a story where resurrection wins.
Personal Reflection
- Where am I living as if this life is all there is - chasing comfort, avoiding sacrifice, or fearing loss more than I trust God's promise of new life?
- How does knowing Christ is the 'firstfruits' change the way I face grief, aging, or fear of death?
- In what practical way can I live today with the confidence that death has already been defeated?
A Challenge For You
This week, do one tangible thing that shows you believe resurrection is real - visit someone who’s grieving, share your hope with a friend who’s afraid of death, or give generously without worrying about security. Let your actions say, 'Death is not the end.'
A Prayer of Response
God, thank you that death is not the final word. Because Christ rose, I don’t have to live in fear or cling to this world. Help me trust that as He was raised, I too will be raised to new life. Give me courage to live boldly for You, knowing my labor is not in vain. And when I face loss, remind me that resurrection is real - because Jesus is alive.
Related Scriptures & Concepts
Immediate Context
1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Sets up the necessity of resurrection by showing the collapse of faith if Christ was not raised.
1 Corinthians 15:29-34
Continues the argument by addressing baptism for the dead and the call to live faithfully in light of resurrection.
Connections Across Scripture
Psalm 110:1
Prophesies Christ's reign until all enemies are subdued, directly quoted in 1 Corinthians 15:25.
Psalm 8:6
Declares humanity's dominion, applied to Christ's authority over all creation in 1 Corinthians 15:27.
Genesis 3:19
Introduces death through Adam's sin, forming the backdrop for Christ's redemptive reversal.