Because the thing denied was that the dead could rise. The denial was placed on grounds which embraced the case of Christ. The argument is, If the dead cannot rise, then Christ did not rise ; for Christ was dead.
16. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised :
This is a reassertion of the inseparable connection between these two events. If there be no resurrection, Christ is not risen. If the thing be impossible, it has never happened. The sense in which Christ rose, determines the sense in which the dead are said to rise. As it is the resurrection of Christ's body that is affirmed, so it is the resurrection of the bodies of the dead, and not merely the continued existence of their souls which is affirmed. The repetition in this verse of what had been said in v. 13, seems to be with the design of prepar- ing the way for v. IV.
17. And if Christ be not raised, your faith (is) vain ; ye are yet in your sins.
This is the third consequence of the denial of Christ's resur- rection. In V. 14 it was said, your faith is kcvt;, empty ; here it is said to be /u-arata, fruitless. In what sense the following clause explains ; ye are yet in your sins, i. e. under the con- . demnation of sin. Comp. John 8, 21, "Ye shall die in your«<^ sins." As Christ's resurrection is necessary to our justifica- tion, Rom. 4, 25, if he did not rise, we are not justified. To teach, therefore, that there is no resurrection, is to teach that there is no atonement and no pardon. Errorists seldom see the consequences of the false doctrines which they embrace. Many allow themselves to entertain doubts as to this very doctrine of the resurrection of the body, who would be shocked at the thought of rejecting the doctrine of atone- ment. Yet Paul teaches that the denial of the one involves the denial of the other.
18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
This is the fourth disastrous consequence of the denial of the doctrine in question. All the dead in Christ are lost. To
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