Paul distinctly to express, what it is for a man to be in
his sins.
19. El, if) The statement of those topics which are discussed at ver. 20, etc., precedes this verse and ver. 18 : and in this verse, there is a statement of those topics, which are treated of at ver. 29-34. — h, in) ev, as far as concerns , i.e. if our hope in Christ revolves so as to be fixed wholly within the bounds of this present life, only, povov. — £«5j, life) Scripture does not readily call this life, life ; oftener, it calls it atm a, the age : here it is spoken of after the manner of men, as Luke xvi. 25. — jj XniHore; sff'jt'sv, ice have hoped) we have believed with joyful anticipation of the future. — sXseivorepot, more miserable) the comparative degree is here in its strict sense : for if it had the force of the superla- tive, the article would have been put before it : We are more miserable than all men : the rest, viz. all other men , are not buoyed up with false hope, and freely enjoy the present life;" we, if the dead rise not, are foolishly buoyed up with false hope, and through denying ourselves and renouncing the world, we lose the certain enjoyment of the present life, and are doubly miserable. Even now Christians are happy , but not in the things, by which the happiness of other men is maintained ; and, if we take away the hope of another life, our present spiritual joy is diminished. Believers have immediate joy in God and therefore they are happy ; but if there be no resurrection that joy is greatly weakened. This is the second weighty considera- tion ; the first is, that the happiness of Christians is not placed in worldly things. By both of these weighty considerations, happiness from the hope of the resurrection is confirmed.
20. Nov/, now) Paul declares, that his preaching is not in vain, that their faith is not worthless, that their sins are taken away, that the dead in Christ are not annihilated, that the hope of Christians does not terminate with this life. — ana pyf, the first fruit) viz. ou<ra or wv being. The mention of the first fruits admirably agrees with the time of the passover, at which, as we have observed above, this epistle was written ; nay more, with the very day of Christ’s resurrection, which was likewise the day after the Sabbath, Lev. xxiii. 10, 11.
21. Ka /') also, sveidii yap, for since, has here its apodosis.
22. n avrsg a-7ro6vf}<fx,ov<fivy all die) he says, die, not in the prete-