By which also you are saved, if you hold fast after what manner I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.

“"I make known unto you, brethren," saith he, "the gospel which I preached unto you." Seest thou with what modesty he commences? Seest thou how from the beginning he points out that he is bringing in no new nor strange thing? For he who "maketh known" that which was already known but afterwards had fallen into oblivion, "maketh known" by recalling it into memory. And when he called them "brethren," even from hence he laid the foundation of no mean part of the proof of his assertions. For by no other cause became we "brethren," but by the dispensation of Christ according to the flesh. And this is just the reason why he thus called them, at the same time soothing and courting them, and likewise reminding them of their innumerable blessings. And what comes next again is demonstrative of the same. What then is this? "The gospel." For the sum of the gospels hath its original hence, from God having become man and having been crucified and having risen again. This gospel also Gabriel preached to the Virgin, this also the prophets to the world, this also the apostles all of them. "Which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand. By which also ye are saved, in what word I preached unto you; if ye hold it fast, except ye believed in vain." Seest thou how he calls themselves to be witnesses of the things spoken? And he saith not, "which ye heard," but, "which ye received," demanding it of them as a kind of deposit, and showing that not in word only, but also by deeds and signs and wonders they received it, and that they should hold it safe. Next, because he was speaking of the things long past, he referred also to the present time, saying, "wherein also ye stand," taking the vantage ground of them that disavowal might be out of their power, though they wished it never so much. And this is why at the beginning he said not, "I teach you," but, "I make known unto you" what hath already been made manifest. And how saith he that they who were so tossed with waves "stand?" He feigns ignorance to profit them; which also he doth in the case of the Galatians, but not in like manner. For inasmuch as he could not in that case affect ignorance, he frames his address in another way, saying, "I have confidence toward you in the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded." He said not, "that ye were none otherwise minded," because their fault was acknowledged and evident, but he answers for the future; and yet this too was uncertain; but it was to draw them to him more effectually. Here however he doth feign ignorance, saying, "wherein also ye stand." Then comes the advantage; "by which also ye are saved, in what words I preached it unto you." "So then, this present exposition is for doctrine clearness and interpretation. For the doctrine itself ye need not," saith he, "to learn, but to be reminded of it and corrected." And these things he saith, leaving them no room to plunge into recklessness once for all. But what is, "in what word I preached it unto you?" "After what manner did I say," saith he, "that the resurrection takes place? For that there is a resurrection I would not say that ye doubt: but ye seek perhaps to obtain a clearer knowledge of that saying. This then will I provide for you: for indeed I am well assured that ye hold the doctrine." Next, because he was directly affirming, "wherein also ye stand;" that he might not thereby make them more remiss, he alarms them again, saying, "If ye hold it fast, except ye believed in vain;" intimating that the stroke is on the chief head, and the contest for no common things but in behalf of the whole of the faith.”

“After the Apostle has instructed the Corinthians concerning the sacraments themselves and concerning the reality contained and signified in the sacraments, namely grace and its effects, here he consequently instructs them concerning a reality not contained but signified in the sacraments, namely the glory of the resurrection, which is not contained in the sacrament, since one who receives the sacraments does not have it immediately, but the glory of the resurrection is signified in them, inasmuch as grace is conferred in them, through which one arrives at beatitude. Concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth a treatise on the resurrection; second, through this he proves the common resurrection of all men, at the place if Christ is preached, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he commends the evangelical teaching; second he announces what must be known concerning the resurrection of Christ, at the place for I delivered to you, etc. He commends the excellence of the evangelical teaching with respect to four things. First, with respect to the authority of those preaching it, because they were the apostles themselves. And this is what he says: O brethren, continuing on from what precedes, I make known to you the Gospel, which is the same as good Announcement, which begins from Christ; hence whatever pertains to Christ, or is about Christ himself, is called Gospel. Which I preach to you, as if to say: that which I preached to you concerning Christ, I make known to you, that is, I bring it back to your memory, as though the things I write were not new. Phil. III, 1: to write the same things to you, etc. I preached, namely to you, and the other apostles, to others. And in this the authority of this teaching appears, because it is from Christ, from Paul, and from the other apostles. Hebr. II, 3: which having received its beginning to be declared. Second, with respect to the common faith of all peoples, and therefore he says which also you have received, all of you. But Augustine says this pertains to the excellence of this faith, making such an argument: for believing those things that are of faith, either miracles were done, or not. If miracles were done, I have my proposal, that it is most worthy and most certain. If they were not done, this is the greatest of all miracles, that through a few men an infinite multitude of men were converted to the faith; through poor men, preaching poverty, the rich were converted; through unlearned men, preaching things that exceed reason, the wise and philosophers were converted. Ps. XVIII, 5: their sound has gone out into all the earth, etc. But if it be objected that the law of Muhammad also was received by many, it must be said that it is not similar, because he subjugated them by oppression and by force of arms; but these apostles, by dying, themselves led others to the faith, and by working signs and wonders. For he proposed certain things that pertain to delights and lasciviousness, but Christ and the apostles proposed contempt of earthly things. I Thess. II, 13: when you received from us the word of God, etc. Third, with respect to power, because it confirms and elevates to heavenly things. Therefore he says in which you stand, namely raised up to heavenly things. For he is said to stand who is upright, and only the law of Christ brings this about. Rom. V, 1: justified by faith, etc. For the old law did not make one stand, but bent one down toward earthly things. Deut. XXXIII, 28: the eye of Jacob upon a land of grain and wine. Fourth, with respect to usefulness, because only the new law leads to the end of salvation; but the old does not. Hebr. VII, 19: the law brought no one to perfection. And therefore he says by which also you are saved. Here already, from the certainty of hope through its inception, which is through faith, you are saved, and in the future, in the truth of the reality and of the hope. Iac. c. I, 21: with meekness receive the implanted word, etc. Io. XX, 31: but these things are written, that you may believe, and that believing, etc. And here he adds two conditions. The first, when he says if you hold fast, etc. The Gloss explains it thus: if you hold — by the reasoning by which I preached to you — that Gospel, that is the resurrection of the dead, by that reasoning by which I confirmed it to you, that is through the resurrection of Christ. Or otherwise: you are saved, but only if you hold fast, that is, if you keep it by that reasoning by which I preached to you the Gospel of Christ. He sets down the second condition when he says unless you have believed in vain. As if to say: you are saved through faith, if you have not believed in vain, that is, if good works are added to faith, because faith without works is dead, Iac. II, 26. For that is said to be in vain which is directed to an end that it does not attain. But the end of faith is the vision of God. Hence, if you are not saved, you have believed in vain — not simply, but insofar as it did not arrive at its end. Or otherwise: if you hold fast, as if to say, may you hold fast, unless in vain, etc. For I delivered. Here he sets forth his proposal, etc. Concerning this he does three things. First he shows the origin of the teaching about the resurrection of Christ; second he shows the things that are contained in this teaching, at the place for Christ died; third the harmony or agreement of those preaching with this teaching, at the place for whether I, etc. He says therefore first: this you ought to hold, that is to have in memory, what I delivered to you first of all, and still deliver. And he says first of all, that is, among the first things to be believed. For things to be believed pertain either to the Trinity, or to the faith of the incarnation. And first man ought to believe those things which pertain to the faith of the incarnation, and afterward those which pertain to the Trinity. Hence, what I delivered to you first of all — namely concerning the incarnation — I did not deliver from myself, or from my own authority, but what I received from Christ or from the Holy Spirit. Gal. I, 1: Paul an apostle, etc.; above XI, 23: I received from the Lord, etc. Is. XXI, 10: what I have heard from the Lord of hosts, etc. But the things which he received and delivered are four, namely: the death, the burial, the resurrection, the appearance of Christ. He says therefore first: I delivered to you, first, the death of Christ. And therefore he says for Christ died. In which he removes a twofold suspicion which could arise concerning the death of Christ. The first is that he died for his own actual sins, or for original sin. And this he excludes when he says for our sins, not his own. Is. LIII, 8: for the wickedness of my people I struck him. I Petr. III, 18: Christ died once for our sins, etc. The other suspicion is that the death of Christ was accidental, or the violence of the Jews. And this he excludes when he says according to the Scriptures, namely of the old and new testament; and therefore he says pointedly and specially according to the Scriptures. Is. LIII, 7: he was led like a sheep to the slaughter. Ier. XI, 19: I was like a gentle lamb, that is carried to be a victim, etc. Matth. XX, 18: behold, we go up to Jerusalem, etc. For I delivered to you, second, the burial of Christ, and therefore he says and that he was buried. But is the burial specially an article of faith, since he makes special mention of it here? It must be said that according to those who number the articles according to the things to be believed, it is not a special article of faith, but is included with the article of the passion and death of Christ. The reason for this is that faith concerns those things which are above reason. Hence the article of faith begins there where reason fails. Now this is the first: that the Lord was conceived, and therefore the conception is an article of faith; second, that God was born of a virgin, and so this is another; third, that the impassible God should suffer and die, and this is another, and with this the burial also is understood. Hence it is not a special article. But the Apostle makes mention here of the burial for three reasons. First, so as to show the truth of the death of Christ; for an evident sign of someone's death is that he is buried. Second, to show the truth of the resurrection, because if he had not been buried, and guards had not been beside the sepulcher in those days, they could say that the disciples had stolen him. Third, because the Apostle wants to lead them to faith in the resurrection, and this seems the more difficult, that one who is buried should rise again. And of this it is said, Is. c. XI, 10: and his sepulcher shall be glorious. Is. LIII, 9: he shall give the wicked, etc. I delivered to you also the resurrection, for he rose on the third day. Os. VI, 3: he will revive us after, etc. And he also says on the third day, not because there were three whole days, but two nights and one day, by synecdoche. And the cause of this was, as Augustine says, that God through his single day — that is, through the evil of punishment, which is signified by one day — destroyed our double, that is, punishment and guilt, which is signified by two nights. I delivered to you also, fourth, the appearances of Christ, for he was seen by Cephas. And he sets down first the appearances made to others, second the appearances made to himself alone, at the place last of all. But it must be known, concerning the first, that the appearances of Christ were not made to all in common, but to certain special persons. Act. X, 40: he gave him to be made manifest, etc. And the reason for this was, that order might be preserved in the Church, so that through certain special persons faith in the resurrection might come to others. It must be noted, moreover, that not all the appearances of Christ are set down here, nor those which were made to the women. But certain ones are set down here which are not read in the Gospels. And the reason for these was that the Apostle wants to refute unbelievers by reasoning, and therefore he was unwilling to set down testimonies except authentic ones; and therefore he kept silent about the appearances made to the women, and set down certain ones which are not found, so as to show that he appeared also to many others. But he makes special mention of Peter and James, because they were as it were pillars, as is said Gal. c. II, 9. He says therefore: I delivered to you, that he was seen by Cephas, that is by Peter, Lc. ult.: the Lord has risen indeed, etc. And it is believed that among men he first appeared to Peter, because he was in the greatest sorrow. Hence also the Angel said, Mc. ult.: go, tell his disciples and Peter, etc. Afterward, that is on another occasion, he was seen by the eleven apostles. Once indeed he was seen by ten only, when Thomas was absent, and after eight days by eleven, when Thomas was with them. Augustine says that it ought to say twelve, but it has been corrupted by the fault of scribes, and he says that it does not matter that he had already died and Matthias had not yet been chosen, because it is customary that when the greater part of a college does something, it is said that the whole college does this. Hence, because the Lord had chosen twelve, therefore it can be said that he was seen by the twelve, that is, by the whole college of the apostles; but it is no fault, whether it be said twelve, or eleven. Then, again, he was seen by more than five hundred brethren. But of this we read nothing in sacred Scripture, except what is said here. It can, however, be said that this appearance was the one about which Dionysius speaks in the third book On the Divine Names, when all the disciples came together to see the body which bore the prince of life. But against this it seems to be, because this was before the ascension, namely when Christ appeared to James. But the gathering of the disciples to see the blessed Virgin, of which Dionysius seems to speak, was much later. And therefore it seems better to say that he appeared to five hundred brethren together before his ascension; and it does not matter that it is said the disciples were a hundred and twenty, because although those who were in Jerusalem were a hundred and twenty, nevertheless in Galilee there were many disciples, and perhaps all were gathered together when he appeared. And, that the testimony of this might be more certain, he says that of them many still remain, that is, are alive, but some of them have fallen asleep, that is, have died in the hope of the resurrection. And he calls the death of the saints a sleep because they die in corruptible flesh, so that they may rise incorruptible. Rom. VI, 9: Christ rising, etc. Then, that is afterward, he was seen by James, namely the son of Alphaeus. And the reason for this can be assigned, because, as is read, James vowed that he would not take food unless he first saw Christ. But according to this the order of the appearance would not be preserved, because if he had appeared to James after all the appearances that have been enumerated, he would have been without food too long: and this is difficult. And therefore it must be said that Christ appeared to James singularly for this reason, that James had a special devotion toward Christ. And of this appearance too nothing is found in the Gospel. Then, that is after this, he was seen by all the apostles at the ascension, as is read Matth. ult. and Act. I, 3 ff. But last of all, etc. Here the Apostle recalls the appearance made to himself alone. And concerning this he does two things. First he shows the order of the appearance; second he assigns the reason for it, at the place for I am, etc. He says therefore thus: I have said that Christ was manifested to all; last of all, that is finally and after the ascension, he was seen also by me as by one born out of due time, and therefore last of all. But he says as by one born out of due time, for three reasons. A fetus is called untimely-born either because it is born outside the due time, or because it is brought forth with violence, or because it is not brought to its due size; and because the Apostle saw these three things in himself, therefore he says as by one born out of due time. For first, he himself was reborn to Christ outside the time of the other apostles. For the other apostles were reborn to Christ before the coming of the Holy Spirit, but Paul afterward. Second, because the other apostles were converted to Christ willingly, but Paul was compelled. Act. IX, 4: he threw him down to the ground, etc. And this avails much against heretics, who say that no one should be compelled to faith, because Paul was compelled. And as Augustine says, Paul profited more in the faith when he was converted by compulsion than many who came willingly. Third, because he reckons himself lesser than the others, and not to have attained to the virtue of the other apostles. And therefore, as if assigning the reason, he says for I am the least, etc. Concerning this he does two things. First he shows his own smallness; second he explains the reason for this, at the place for I persecuted, etc. But he manifests his smallness, first, in comparison to the apostles, when he says for I am the least. Is. LX, v. 22: the least shall become a thousand, and the smallest a most strong nation. Eccli. III, 20: the greater you are, etc. And although he is least in comparison to the apostles, it could nevertheless be said that he is great in comparison to others, because he is an apostle; and therefore, second, he shows his smallness in comparison to others, when he says who am not worthy, not only to be, but to be called an apostle, though I am called so, II Cor. III, 5: not that we are sufficient, etc. But you might say: O Apostle, on account of humility no one should say what is false; since therefore you are great, why do you call yourself the least? And therefore, when he says for I persecuted, etc., he shows how he is the least, and how he is not the least. He calls himself least, considering his past deeds. And he says I am not worthy, etc. Why? Because I persecuted the Church of God, which the other apostles did not do. Gal. I, 13: beyond measure I persecuted, etc. I Tim. I, 13: who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor, etc. And although of myself I am the least, nevertheless from God I am not the least; and therefore he says by the grace of God I am what I am. And concerning this he does two things. First he commends his own condition with respect to his state; second with respect to the carrying out of his state, at the place and his grace, etc. He says therefore first: of myself I am nothing, but what I am, I am by the grace of God, that is from God, not from myself. Eph. III, 7: of which I was made a minister, etc. And he says what I am, because man without grace is nothing. Above c. XIII, 2: if I should have all prophecy, etc. But how he used and carried out his own state he shows, saying and his grace, etc. Where first he shows how he used this grace, namely toward good, and therefore he says it was not void in me, that is, idle, because he used it for that for which it was given to him. Gal. c. II, 2: I did not run in vain, etc. Second he shows how he surpassed the others, and therefore he adds but I have labored more abundantly than all of them, that is, than the apostles individually — in preaching, because no one preached and announced Christ through so many places, whence he says Rom. XV, 19: so that from Jerusalem even unto Illyricum, etc., and even unto Spain; in laboring, because although he himself, like the other apostles, could demand the expenses necessary for himself, nevertheless he specially wished to seek his own expenses by the labor of his hands, as he himself says II Thess. III, 8: night and day with our hands, etc.; in enduring tribulations — for none of the apostles endured so many persecutions and tribulations, as he himself enumerates II Cor. XI, 23: in labors most abundant, and in prisons, etc. Third he shows the effectiveness of this use, because this was not from himself alone but from the instinct and help of the Holy Spirit. And therefore he says yet not I — I alone do not work, but the grace of God with me, which moves the will to this. Is. XXVI, 12: all our works, etc. Phil. II, 13: who works in us to will, etc. For God not only infuses grace, by which our works become pleasing and meritorious, but also moves us to use well the grace infused, and this is called cooperating grace. Whether I therefore, etc. Here he shows the concord of those preaching; and this can be read in two ways. First, so that it is a confirmation of what has been said, as if someone should say: you preach thus, but nevertheless we do not believe you alone, because you are the least among the apostles. Therefore the Apostle, answering, says: rather you ought to believe me, because I do not preach other things; whether I, or the other apostles, thus we preach, namely that Christ rose and was seen, etc. And you also have believed as I and they have preached, namely that Christ rose, and was seen, etc. II Cor. c. IV, 13: having the same spirit, etc. Second, it can be read so that the effectiveness of the preaching is for all the apostles from one, that is from the grace of God, as if to say: whether I preach, or they, that is the apostles — as we preach, we have done this, helped and strengthened through the grace of God; and you yourselves also have believed, namely inspired by the Holy Spirit and the grace of God, without which we can do nothing. Io. XV, 5: without me you can do nothing.”

“By which also ye are saved,.... It was the means of their salvation, and had been made the power of God unto salvation to them. Salvation is inseparably connected with true faith in Christ as a Saviour, and with a hearty belief of his resurrection from the dead, which is the earnest and pledge of the resurrection of the saints; and because of the certainty of it in the promise of God, through the obedience and death of Christ, and in the faith and hope of believers, which are sure and certain things, they are said to be saved already. To which the apostle puts in the following provisos and exceptions; the one is, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you; or rather, "if ye hold fast, or retain"; that is, by faith, the doctrine preached to you, and received by you, particularly the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead; for the salvation that is connected with it does not depend upon the strength of the memory, but upon the truth and steadfastness of faith: it is the man that perseveres in the faith and doctrine of Christ that shall be saved; and everyone that has truly believed in Christ, and cordially embraced his Gospel, shall hold on, and out to the end; though the faith of nominal believers may be overthrown by such men, as Hymenaeus and Philetus, who asserted, that the resurrection was past already; but so shall not the faith of real believers, because the foundation on which they are built stands sure, and the Lord has perfect knowledge of them, and will keep and save them. The other exception is, unless ye have believed in vain: not that true faith can be in vain; for that is the faith of God's elect, the gift of his grace, the operation of his Spirit; Christ is the author and finisher of it, and will never suffer it to fail; it will certainly issue in everlasting salvation: but then as the word may be heard in vain, as it is by such who are compared to the wayside, and to the thorny and rocky ground; and as the Gospel of the grace of God may be received in vain; so a mere historical faith may be in vain; this a man may have, and not the grace of God, and so be nothing; with this he may believe for a while, and then drop it: and since each of these might possibly be the case of some in this church, the apostle puts in these exceptions, in order to awaken the attention of them all to this important doctrine he was reminding them of.”

“ye are saved--rather, "ye are being saved." if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you--Able critics, BENGEL and others, prefer connecting the words thus, "I declare unto you the Gospel (Co1 15:1) in what words I preached it unto you." Paul reminds them, or rather makes known to them, as if anew, not only the fact of the Gospel, but also with what words, and by what arguments, he preached it to them. Translate in that case, "if ye hold it fast." I prefer arranging as English Version, "By which ye are saved, if ye hold fast (in memory and personal appropriation) with what speech I preached it unto you." unless--which is impossible, your faith is vain, in resting on Christ's resurrection as an objective reality.”