Bible Commentaries
1 Corinthians 15

Verse 1

1Co 15:1 General remarks. This chapter offers a complete change of subject matter from that of the preceding three chapters, and takes up a question involving some of the philosophy of the Greeks. Corinth was one of the chief cities of Greece, and the church in that city was somewhat tinctured with the philosophy of that nation; that accounts for much of the teaching in chapter 2. The Greeks would not have very much interest in any proposition that did not measure up to their ideas of reasonable philosophy. This fact was displayed in Act 17:31-32, where Paul introduced the doctrine of the resurrection, which seemed to the people of Athens as a foolish notion. That same attitude toward the resurrection had crept into the church at Corinth, which called forth the matter contained in this chapter. The false teachers who were agitating that, professed to be believers in Christ, yet denied the resurrection of the body. Paul shows in this chapter that it is inconsistent to profess faith in Christ as the risen Lord, yet deny the truth of the rising of His disciples from the dead. He shows that if one has been raised, we must believe that the other will be also. 1Co 15:1. Moreover is from the little Greek word DE, and in the King James Version it has been rendered by and, but, even, for, further, howbeit, nevertheless, now, then, therefore and others. A part of Robinson's explana tion of the word is that "it marks a transition [change] to something else." Thayer's description of the word is virtually the same. Paul uses it because he is passing from the subject of spiritual gifts to that of the resurrection. I declare is from GNORIZO, which Thayer defines, "to make known," and at our verse he explains it to mean, "to recall to one's mind, as though what is made known had escaped him." Robinson's explanation is, "by way of putting again in mind." These definitions are appropriate, because the apostle had previously preached the Gospel to the Corinthians (Act 18:1-11). It was hence not a new subject, for they had received it and professed to stand upon it as the foundation of their faith. But some of them seemed to have forgotten it through the effect of the philosophy described in the "general remarks" above.

Verse 2

1Co 15:2. The mere believing of the Gospel will not save a person, but he must also keep in memory the truths concerning it. The phrase is from KATECHO, which Thayer defines, "to hold fast, keep secure, keep firm possession of." But all of these considerations would be in vain, according to the teaching of some persons at Corinth. (See verses 13, 14.) It is the purpose of the apostle to show them the logical conclusion that must follow if such a proposition is established, namely, that there is no resurrection of the dead (verse 12). By this they meant there would be no future resurrection of the body. They tried to teach some vague kind of theory that would make the word "resurrection" mean only a spiritual event, and that all of the facts concerning a raising of the body had already occurred--that it was "past already" (2Ti 2:18). In that passage Paul declares that such a doctrine was overthrowing the faith of some, which is equivalent to the phrase in our present verse, namely, believed in vain. Having advanced the serious conclusion necessarily following their false teaching, Paul repeats the facts of the Gospel to which he referred in verse 1.

Verse 3

1Co 15:3. Paul did not originate the story of the Gospel; in Gal 1:12 he says he was taught it by the revelation of Jesus Christ. The mere death of Christ was not sufficient, for other men had died and even been resurrected. But Jesus is the only man who ever died for our sins. Accord, ing to the scriptures means the Old Testament. One outstanding portion is Isaiah 53, particularly verses 4, 5, 8 and 10.

Verse 4

1Co 15:4. The burial of Christ was not directly connected with our salvation, for had He not revived, whether in a grave or outside, no one would have been saved. But Jesus had predicted that he would spend three days and there nights in the heart of the earth, and his burial made that prediction true. Third day according to the scriptures. Psa 16:10 is quoted by Peter in Act 2:27 Act 2:31, and Paul quotes it in Act 13:35. This is the only passage in the Old Testament that directly predicts the resurrection of Christ, and yet it says nothing of the "third day," although Paul so applies it. The conclusion is to be seen by considering Joh 11:39 which shows that by the fourth day a body would begin to "see corruption." Jesus must not remain dead that long for his body was not to undergo that change. And yet it must remain the three days in order to fulfill the prediction in comparison with the three days and three nights that Jonah was in the body of a whale.

Verse 5

1Co 15:5. A few verses are given to cite the evidences of the bodily resurrection of Christ. Cephas was another name for Peter (Joh 1:40-42). He was one of the twelve, but is mentioned separately because he saw Jesus at a time when he was not with the rest of the apostles.

Verse 6

1Co 15:6. There is no other direct mention of these five hundred brethren, but Mat 26:32 Mat 28:7 Mat 28:10 Mat 28:16 indicates that Jesus saw many of his disciples in Galilee after his resurrection. For additional comments on this subject, see those at Act 1:15 in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.

Verse 7

1Co 15:7. This James was not one of the twelve apostles, but was the one named in Act 15:13 and Gal 2:9, and is the author of the epistle of James. All the apostles means the eleven (Judas having killed himself), and Luk 24:33-36 gives the account of their seeing Him.

Verse 8

1Co 15:8. Last of all. From the time of Paul's journey to Damascus (Act 9:3-5 Act 26:16), no human being has seen Jesus that we know of. One born out of due time is from the Greek word EKTROMA, and Thayer defines It, "an abortion, abortive birth; an untimely birth." Paul uses the term to illustrate his feeling of unworthi ness to be called an apostle. Thayer's explanation of the word as the apostle uses it at this place is as follows: "Paul likens himself to an EKTROMA, and in verse 9 explains in what sense: that he is as inferior to the rest of the apostles as an immature birth comes short of a mature one, and is no more worthy of the name of an apostle than an abortion is of the name of a child."

Verse 9

1Co 15:9. This verse explains the feeling of inferiority that Paul expresses in the preceding verse. He specifices it to mean his record as a persecutor of the church of God. The extent of his persecution is indicated by the relief that his conversion brought to the churches throughout Palestine (Act 9:31).

Verse 10

1Co 15:10. The grace of God is his unmerited favor, and Paul attributed all of his good lot to that source. To show his appreciation for the favor, he labored more than any of the other apostles. But even then he considered the labor as the work of God, using the apostle as an instrument for the work.

Verse 11

1Co 15:11-12. Having given proper credit for the work done under God, the apostle settles down upon the argument that is indicated in the beginning of the chapter. He will proceed to show the inconsistency between the professed faith of the Corinthians in the bodily resurrection of Christ, and their denial of a like event for those who die in Him.

Verse 13

1Co 15:13. This short verse states the major premise for the great argument that Paul intends to present. But the mere assertion of a basis for argument is not sufficient for the support of it, because that would be assuming the very point under discussion. The statement must be either self-evident, or be supported by vital facts or truths. In 1Th 4:14 Paul makes virtually the same statement as the one in this verse. The death and rising again of Jesus is there coupled with the assurance of the bringing of the dead in Christ "with him" from their state of death. Since the body of Jesus (as to its material) was like that of all other men, it follows that it would be as impossible or unreasonable to believe in the resurrection of His body as to expect the same thing of the bodies of other men. Such a proposition is self-evident and needs no further evidence. Reasoning the other direction, therefore, if philosophy denies the bodily resurrection of men in general, then it must deny that of Christ, and hence the professed basis of the faith of the Corinthians, namely, the bodily resurrection of Christ, is disproved, and the major premise of Paul's great argument is established.

Verse 14

1Co 15:14. Having presented an unquestionable basis regarding the question in dispute, Paul will devote a number of verses showing some of the logical conclusions that must follow, thereby proving to the brethren that their whole program of religious activities and hope is fundamentally wrong. One conclusion is that the preaching of the apostles was in vain or of no avail. That necessarily would mean that their faith was vain, since it was based on the facts that had been preached to them. Reference is made to this "vain" belief in verse 2.

Verse 15

1Co 15:15. The Corinthian brethren would not intend to accuse the apostles of fraud, yet their theory about the resurrection implied that the preachers were guilty of it. They had preached that Christ was raised from the dead, but Paul has shown that it was false according to the teaching held at Corinth.

Verse 16

1Co 15:16-17. This paragraph is covered by comments over verses 2, 3, 13, 14.

Verse 18

1Co 15:18. The Corinthians had never been taught that eternal salvation was to be actually possessed before the end of the world. But if the dead were never to be raised, then their bodies would be destroyed along with that of the earth. That is why Paul says that those who had died in the Lord were perished, which means they had come to their end.

Verse 19

1Co 15:19. Another conclusion following this false theory advocated by some people at Corinth, is that all benefits to be had from being in Christ must be had in this life--nothing to be received after death. In that case Christians are the most miserable of all men, because they must be denied the pleasures of the world and also undergo many persecutions in behalf of their faith, with no prospect of any joys beyond the grave. While this was true especially of the apostles because of their direct contact with the enemy, it was and is still true of all faithful disciples of Christ. It is true that Christians should be the happiest people on earth, but that is because of their hope of endless bliss in the life to come.

Verse 20

1Co 15:20. Taking for granted he has proved his point, Paul reaffirms the third fact of the Gospel, namely, that Christ arose from the dead. The italicized words are significant in that they specify from what Jesus arose. He previously arose to the cross (Joh 12:32-33), and arose from earth to Heaven, but those facts were not in dispute; that from the dead was. The body is the only part of Christ or any other man that dies, hence if the body is not to be raised from the grave, then there will be no resurrection at. all. Paul has shown the awful conclusions made necessary by the theory that there is to be no resurrection of the dead. He will next show the glorious conclusions made possible by the truth of the resurrection. The first one is that Christ has become the firstfruits of them that slept; that is, he was the first person to rise from the dead to die no more. For detailed comments on this subject, see those on Rom 8:29, in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.

Verse 21

1Co 15:21. Adam was the first man, and after joining with his wife in eating of the forbidden fruit, they were both driven out of the garden and permanently prevented from reentering it. That cut them and all of their descendants off from the tree of life, so that all had to die whenever their bodies failed through disease or other causes. But none of Adam's descendants were to blame for that condition, hence God arranged it so that through another man's resurrection they could all be raised from the dead without any conditions on their part.

Verse 22

1Co 15:22. This verse specifices the two men of the preceding verse to be Adam and Christ. The lattter is called a man because he was given a body (Heb 10:5) that was like that of other men, in that It was fleshly and was subject to death. That made it possible for Him to die and be raised again, thereby opening the gates of death to all men to come therefrom.

Verse 23

1Co 15:23. The literal resurrection from the grave will come to all men whether they are good or bad, since they are not responsible for their bodily death. However, that experience is all that mankind in general will receive unconditionally from the resurrection of Christ. What will come to them after the resurrection depends on how they lived on earth (Dan 12:2; Joh 5:28-29). This is why Paul makes the assertion of the words every man in his own order; that is, every man means of those who are the Lord's own. Some of them were raised immediately after the resurrection of Chirst among whom he was the firstfruits, then at His coming the others who are dead in Him will also be raised. While all mankind will be raised whether good or bad (verses 21, 22), yet from now on through the chapter the apostle will be writing only of those who are His and who have been "asleep in Jesus" (1Th 4:14).

Verse 24

1Co 15:24. Then is an adverb of time, and refers to the words "at his coming" in the preceding verse. This verse gives the information as to what is to come to end at the coming of Christ, namely, the kingdom or rule of Christ. Paul directly says that the kingdom with Christ as its head will end when He comes, and he will deliver it up to his Father. From this inspired prediction come two other important truths, namely, that the kingdom of Christ will have been in existence before His second coming, and also that he will not be a king after that coming. Therefore, the doctrine that the kingdom is still a thing of the future, and that He will set up a thousand year reign when he comes is false.

Verse 25

1Co 15:25-26. When Jesus came from the dead to die no more, he annulled death or gave it the "death stroke" (2Ti 1:10). However, not until every human being has been brought back to life, will it be a fact that death is destroyed; Jesus must, be king until the great event is accomplished. This does not contradict the statement that He will give up his kingdom "at his coming," for all of the mentioned events, the coming of Jesus. the resurrection of the dead and the transfer of the kingdom to his Father, will take place "in a moment" (verse 52). After the dead have all been raised to die no more (as to bodily death), the triumph will be complete, and Jesus will then be qualified to relinquish the kingdom to God who shall continue to reign endlessly, thus putting the final fulfillment to the prediction that the kingdom of "the God of Heaven" shall "stand for ever" (Dan 2:44).

Verse 27

1Co 15:27. The pronouns stand for God and his Son. God has put all things under the feet of Christ except himself. Jesus declared this fact in Mat 28:18, and it was on that basis that He gave to his apostles the Great Commission.

Verse 28

1Co 15:28. Eliminating the pronouns, this verse means that after the Son has brought all things under subjection, then that Son will become subject unto God the Father. The grand motive for this consumation is that God may be all in all.

Verse 29

1Co 15:29. What shall they do. The pronoun is in the third person, while Paul is writing to the church in general as in the second person. This shows that not all persons in the Corinthian church were practicing this baptism, even as not all were denying the resurrection, as is indicated by the words "how say some among you" (verse 12). This item must not be overlooked in considering this verse, for any professed explanation of it that would apply to all Christians in general would necessarily be wrong. The word for is from HUPER and Thayer defines it at this place, "in the place of, instead of." I shall quote Moffatt's translation of this verse: "Otherwise, if there is no such thing as a resurrection, what is the meaning of people getting baptized on behalf of their dead? If dead men do not rise at all, why do people get baptized on their behalf?" Not all of the brethren in Corinth were practicing this inconsistency of being baptized on behalf of their dead, neither were all of them denying the resurrection (verse 12). But Paul considered it necessary to notice them in his epistle to the whole church, even as he deemed it worth while to notice the group that was practicing this "proxy" baptism. The apostle does not endorse the foolish practice, but brings it up to expose their inconsistency.

Verse 30

1Co 15:30. Stand in jeopardy means to be in danger of death from the enemies of Christ. All Christians and especially the apostles were constantly being persecuted (verse 19), some of them even unto death. How foolish, then, to cling to a profession that threatens one with death if there is to be no resurrection.

Verse 31

1Co 15:31. I die daily is figurative, meaning that Paul was daily exposed to the danger of death because of his service to Christ.

Verse 32

1Co 15:32. I have fought with beasts. These words are all from the one Greek word THERIOMACHEO, and Thaver defines it, "to fight with wild beasts." I believe this was a literal experience of Paul and shall state my reasons. We know it was an action that endangered the physical life of the participant, else Paul would not have connected it with the resurrection in his reasoning. It is certain that he has the same event in mind in 2Co 1:8-10, where he relates that he had "despaired even of life." He did not know whether the Lord was ready to release his faithful apostle from his labors through this event, hence he was willing to do his part in the combat with the beasts, trusting in God to help him overcome the beasts if He so willed. Or, if that was not the case, he would meet his fate with his trust in God "which raiseth the dead." Furthermore, had it been vicious men who attacked him, he would not have "resisted the evil" (Mat 5:39), but would have submitted to his fate as he did when he was subjected to other threatening brutalities. Let us eat and drink is said as representing all the fleshly pleasures of this life. If there is no life beyond the grave, there would be no reason for denying ourselves any of the fleshly pleasures of this world.

Verse 33

1Co 15:33. The original for evil communications is translated "bad company" by James Macknight, and Thayer's lexicon agrees with it. Thayer defines the original of manners, "custom, usage, morals, character." We have seen that not all of the brethren at Corinth were advocating this evil doctrine concerning the resurrection. This verse is a warning against others having company with such bad teachers, lest they also be drawn into the heresy. If a man does not believe that he will live again, it is logical that he would be tempted to engage in that which would give him fleshly pleasure, and hence his otherwise good practices would become corrupted.

Verse 34

1Co 15:34. This is a further warning against being led into the sin of these false teachers. Paul attributes their evil doctrine to ignorance of God, Just as Christ charged the Sadducees on the same subject, that of the resurrection (Mat 22:23-29). The apostle considers it a shame that some of the Corinthians were so ignorant of the wisdom and power of God.

Verse 35

1Co 15:35. When advocates of error cannot offer a just defense of their own position, nor show an honest objection to that of their opponent, it is often a trick of theirs to pose a quibbling question which they think will puzzle him. As if a man is required logically to account for all the apparent difficulties that his position may suggest. Nothing could be farther from the truth, nor from the universal practice of reasonable men in accepting a conclusion that has been shown to be fundamentally sound, notwithstanding any incidental items that cannot be explained. Such a subterfuge as herein described was resorted to by the promoters of the heresy that Paul was exposing, when they asked with what body do they [the dead] comet Even if Paul could not have answered such a question, that would not have proved that the dead could not come to life again.

Verse 36

1Co 15:36. Fool is from APHEON, and Thayer defines it, "senseless, foolish, stupid; without reflection or intelligence, acting rashly." It does not mean that the person does not have natural mental ability, for then he could not justly be censured. But he is one so devoted to his notion that he will not use his mind to consider other matters with which he is familiar, and which would meet his own quibble in the question at hand. Such a matter is the well known truth that a vegetable grain will never reproduce its kind unless it dies and mingles with the earth in which it was placed.

Verse 37

1Co 15:37. Bare is from GUMNOS, which literally means "naked." The Englishman's Greek New Testament uses the indefinite article "a" in connection with it, making the phrase read, "a bare grain." The verse means that a man puts a mere grain of any kind in the ground from which he expects a crop; not the grain just as he placed it in the soil. And when it dies and decomposes, it partakes of the materials around it and from them a new body Is formed with added parts. And while it is another body in one sense, in another it is the same, for the new growth is produced out of the old seed or body. Paul uses this circumstance to illustrate the death and resurrection of the body of a faithful servant of Christ. According to the theory of the ones in Corinth whose heresy Paul was exposing, and of all others today who say that our bodies will never come from the grave at the last day--accord-ing to them, the grain should just all remain in the ground, and in another spot of the earth the farmer would dig up some other grain and consider it as his new crop. No, the bodies of the saints will all come forth, but they will be in another form which will be like that of Christ at his coming (Php 3:21). It may chance of wheat, etc. Paul uses the wheat for his illustration, but the same reasoning would be true of any other grain.

Verse 38

1Co 15:38. The stock with its roots, leaves and fruit, is the new body that God is pleased to give to the original grain. Likewise, He will give to the body of the dead in Christ another form, that will be like the immortal body of his Son, possessed with the new harvest of eternal glory.

Verse 39

1Co 15:39. To show that it is in keeping with the works of God to have the body of a saint take on another form (although it Is the same body), Paul refers his readers to other conditions in the creation, such as the different kinds of flesh.

Verse 40

1Co 15:40. He uses this as still another illustration of God's wisdom and power. Celestial means of the air or sky, terrestrial means pertaining to the earth.

Verse 41

1Co 15:41. The sun and other bodies in the universe all have their own peculiar form and glory, showing that the Creator is not limited in the number and kinds of bodies that He may create.

Verse 42

1Co 15:42. God's ability to create and change and otherwise manage all of His works has been shown by the preceding verses. The apostle now comes directly to the subject under discussion, the possibility and character of the resurrection. The dead is the antecedent of the pronoun it, which certainly proves beyond all question that it is the body that is to be resurrected, since it is the only part of man that ever dies literally. Corruption means to be subject to decay, and incorruption means the opposite.

Verse 43

1Co 15:43. Dishonor is not used in any moral sense, for the same kind of body was possessed by Jesus that Paul is writing about here. It means the state that would be subject to decomposition, which the body of Jesus had which was the reason he must not have remained dead more than three days and nights. Raised in glory means more than an existence that is never to end (the wicked will have that; Mar 9:44 Mar 9:46 Mar 9:48). but a state in which the body will be given the same glorious form as that of Jesus in his present condition (Php 3:21; 1Jn 3:2). Weakness and power are used for the same purpose as the preceding terms because they are opposites.

Verse 44

1Co 15:44. Natural and spiritual bodies are applied to the same thing, namely, the human body. But the first applies to it when it is sawn (is placed in the grave), the second applies to it when it will be resurrected. The false teachers in Corinth, and all others today who deny the resurrection of the body, are disposed to ignore this verse. They say it is impossible for a material thing to be changed into an immaterial one, thus limiting the power of the Creator. Yet in the realm of nature as they must recognize it, there is an indisputable proof of changes virtually as great. For instance; the universe is divided into three distinct classes, namely, the mineral, the vegetable and the animal. The first is inorganic and the others are organic. Notwithstanding these independent and different existences, the inorganic mineral is absorbed into the vegetable, the vegetable is next absorbed and converted into the animal. If there is a Creator who can establish such laws of change within our own knowledge, why doubt His power to lift the animal to one more stage and convert it into a spiritual state? With God all things are possible that are right (Gen 18:14).

Verse 45

1Co 15:45. This statement is written In Gen 2:7, and Paul calls Adam the first man. This refutes a theory of some visionary followers of a visionary false teacher, that a prior creation of man occurred to that recorded in Genesis. The last Adam is Christ according to Rom 5:14, considered in connection with verse 22 here.

Verse 46

1Co 15:46. The first Adam did not give us a spiritual body, but instead it is one that was made subject to death and decay by being separated from the tree of life. After that came Christ who has the power to give a spiritual body to all His faithful followers.

Verse 47

1Co 15:47. This is virtually the same as the preceding verse.

Verse 48

1Co 15:48. This offers the same thought as that in verse 45.

Verse 49

1Co 15:49. All men whether good or bad receive their fleshly bodies from Adam. Likewise, all will be brought from the dead through the second Adam, whether good or bad as taught in verse 23. But in addition to this, those who die in Christ will come from the dead with a heavenly body. To avoid a misunderstanding, let it be said that every human being regardless of conduct will be raised from the dead, and will continue to exist consciously without end. But only the righteous have been promised a body like that of Jesus. This should not confuse any person, for God is able to preserve the bodies of men continuously in whatever form He sees fit. Hence we read that the bodies of the unsaved will be cast into the lake of unquenchable fire, where their worm dieth not (Mar 9:44 Mar 9:46 Mar 9:48). Those who say that the wicked will have immortal bodies are making an assertion without showing any proof. 1Co 15:50

Verse 50

Inherit is from KLERONO-MEO, and Thayer defines it at this passage, "to partake of eternal salvation in the Messiah's kingdom." That is why those to be admitted into the eternal home in the next life must be changed from a body of flesh and blood, to one that is spiritual and like that of the Saviour. But such a change of body is not necessary with the unsaved, for there is no restriction as to what kind of beings can enter into the lake of fire and brimstone, since God is able to preserve all creatures cast therein in whatever state He sees fit.

Verse 51

1Co 15:51. Mystery is from MU-STERION, and Thayer's second definition is, "a hidden purpose or counsel; secret will." It does not necessarily mean something that is complicated or technical in its nature, but only that it has not been hitherto made known. Sleep is a figurative term that is defined in the lexicon, "to die." The same truth is stated in 1Th 4:14-15. In each of these passages the connection shows Paul is sneaking only of faithful disciples of Christ. We thus have the precious information that as long as the earth exists there will be those who are true to the Lord, and hence that saving faith "shall not perish from the earth." But though Christians living at the coming of Christ will not die, they will have to be changed, as the preceding verse states that a fleshly body cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Here Is another point against the heresy that our bodies will not rise nor go to Heaven. These Christians will not die, hence their soul and body will never separate. Yet they are to be taken to be ever with the Lord as Paul asserts in the pas sage cited in 1 Thessalonians. And if God can and will convert the flesh and blood bodies of these living Christians into a spiritual form that will be fit to "ever be with the Lord," it is foolish to deny His power to effect the same change in the bodies of those who are "dead in Christ."

Verse 52

1Co 15:52. This verse is virtually the same as the preceding one, except that it adds the information that the resurrection of these saints and the changing of the living ones, will all take place at one instant.

Verse 53

1Co 15:53. The body is the only part of man that is corruptible and mortal, hence it is the body that is to be changed into an incorruptible and immortal form. This applies necessarily to both dead and living in Christ when he comes.

Verse 54

1Co 15:54. When the change just mentioned has occurred, a prediction in Isa 25:8 will be fulfilled, namely, death is swallowed up in victory.

Verse 55

1Co 15:55. Where is thy sting?, etc., is a shout of triumph by the saints, as they rejoice in their victory over death.

Verse 56

1Co 15:56. Sting of death means that because of sin death threatened the human race with the sting of God's eternal wrath. The strength or effect of sin in bringing about this sting, is through the law against sin, which makes mankind responsible for their conduct.

Verse 57

1Co 15:57. The victory does not mean only the rising from the dead, for all mankind will have that regardless of conduct. But Paul has been writing about the faithful in Christ only from verse 23. Hence this victory means that one over the eternal results of individual sin, which is to be accomplished by faithful service to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 58

1Co 15:58. The grand conclusion to the argument of the chapter is stated in this verse. Since death does not "end it all," but the faithful shall enjoy endless bliss in the world to come, even though death from whatever cause may intervene, they have great reason to press on in their service to Him. There is not much difference between stedfast and unmoveable. The first means to have a fixed purpose in life. the second means to be determined not to be moved from that purpose. Abounding is from PERISSEUO, which Thayer defines, "to be pre-eminent, to excel." Of course it means for each Christian to excel himself-never to be satisfied with present attainments in the Lord's work, but ever striving to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2Pe 3:18).