1 Corinthians 15:6

Contextual Overview

¹Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ¹ Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ¹Now boys, y'all don't go forgettin' what I've told y'all about the good news. I know y'all have tied hard and fast to this message and it changed your lives. ¹ Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, ¹Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed as good news to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, ¹ Now I am going to make clear to you, my brothers, what the good news was which I gave to you, and which you took, and on which your faith is based, ¹ But I make known to you, brethren, the glad tidings which I announced to you, which also ye received, in which also ye stand, ¹ Now brothers, I want to clarify for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand on it. ¹ Now I declare to you, brothers, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, ¹ Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also ye received, and wherein ye stand:

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he was: Matthew 28:10, Matthew 28:16, Matthew 28:17, Mark 16:7

are: 1 Corinthians 15:18, Acts 7:60, Acts 13:36, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 2 Peter 3:4

Reciprocal: Matthew 26:32 - I will Matthew 28:7 - he goeth Acts 1:15 - an 1 Corinthians 15:51 - We shall not

Cross-References

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, "Since You have given no seed to me, behold, one born in my house is my heir."

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, "Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir."

Genesis 15:3
And Abram saide: See, to me thou hast geuen no seede: lo [borne] in my house is myne heire.

Genesis 15:3
Abram said, "You have given me no son, so a slave born in my house will get everything I have."

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, "Behold, thou hast given me no offspring; and a slave born in my house will be my heir."

Genesis 15:3
And Abram addide, Sotheli thou hast not youe seed to me, and, lo! my borun seruaunt schal be myn eir.

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said; Behold, to mee thou hast given no seed: and loe, one borne in my house is mine heire.

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once,.... Not at, or near Jerusalem, for the number of the disciples that were together there, made but about an hundred and twenty, Acts 1:15 but in Galilee, where Christ, in the days of his flesh, had most chiefly conversed, most frequently preached and wrought his miracles, and where the number of his disciples and followers were very large: here he promised his disciples to go before them, and show himself to them after his resurrection, as he accordingly did, Matthew 26:32. And this being signified by the apostles to the brethren there, it is no wonder that there was such a number of them gathered on that occasion:

of whom the greater part remain unto this present; and so might be personally applied unto for the truth of this, was it necessary; it being but about five or six and twenty years ago at the writing of this epistle:

and some were fallen asleep; were dead, as it might be reasonably thought there were among so many, and in such a length of time; though doubtless these had surviving friends, relations, and acquaintance, to whom they had communicated this important case, and who were ready to attest what they had heard them in the most solemn manner declare.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Above five hundred brethren at once - More than 500 Christians or followers of Jesus at one time. This was probably in Galilee, where the Lord Jesus had spent the greater part of his public ministry, and where he had made most disciples. The place, however, is not designated, and, of course, cannot be known. It is remarkable that this fact is omitted by all the evangelists; but why they should have omitted so remarkable a proof of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, is unknown. There is a slight circumstance hinted at in Matthew 28:10, which may throw some light on this passage. After his resurrection, Jesus said to the women who were at the sepulchre, “Go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.” And in 1 Corinthians 15:16 it is said, “The eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.” Jesus had spent most of his public life in Galilee. He had made most of his disciples there.

It was proper, therefore, that those disciples, who would, of course, hear of his death, should have some public confirmation of the fact that he had risen. It is very probable, also, that the eleven who went down into Galilee after he rose would apprize the brethren there of what had been said to them, that Jesus would meet them on a certain mountain; and it is morally certain that they who had followed him in so great numbers in Galilee would be drawn together by the report that the Lord Jesus, who had been put to death, was about to be seen there again alive. Such is human nature, and such was the attachment of these disciples to the Lord Jesus, that it is morally certain a large concourse would assemble on the slightest rumor that such an occurrence was to happen. Nothing more would be necessary anywhere to draw a concourse of people than a rumor that one who was dead would appear again; and in this instance, where they ardently loved him, and when, perhaps, many believed that he would rise, they would naturally assemble in great numbers to see him once more. One thing is proved by this, that the Lord Jesus had many more disciples than is generally supposed. If there were five hundred who could be assembled at once in a single part of the land where he had preached, there is every reason to suppose that there were many more in other parts of Judea.

The greater part remain unto this present - Are now alive, and can be appealed to, in proof that they saw him. What more conclusive argument for the truth of his resurrection could there be than that 500 persons had seen him, who had been intimately acquainted with him in his life, and who had become his followers? If the testimony of 500 could not avail to prove his resurrection, no number of witnesses could. And if 500 people could thus be deceived, any number could; and it would be impossible to substantiate any simple matter of fact by the testimony of eye-witnesses.

But some are fallen asleep - Have died. This is the usual expression employed in the Scripture to describe the death of saints. It denotes:

1. The calmness and peace with which, they die, like sinking into a gentle sleep;
2. The hope of a resurrection, as we sink to sleep with the expectation of again awaking; see the John 11:11 note; 1 Corinthians 11:30 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 15:6. Above five hundred brethren at once — This was probably in Galilee, where our Lord had many disciples. See Matthew 28:16. What a remarkable testimony is this to the truth of our Lord's resurrection! Five hundred persons saw him at one time; the greater part of whom were alive when the apostle wrote, and he might have been confronted by many if he had dared to assert a falsity.