1 Corinthians 15:21-22
What is written? (ESV)
For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
What does it say?
As death was brought forth in a man (Adam), so too was resurrection from the dead brought forth in a man (Christ). As all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.
What is its immediate context?
Paul is making a great defense for the resurrection of Jesus and what that means for the Christian’s faith. Without Jesus being raised, their faith would be “in vain” (vs 14), they’d still be in their sins (vs 17), the dead “in Christ” would have truly perished (vs 18) and everyone else “in Christ” should be “most pitied” (vs 19). He then shifts to highlight what will happen because He was resurrected and confirm the raising “at his coming those who belong to Christ” (vs 23).
How 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 is applied across Bible answers
Is the doctrine of original sin taught in the Bible?
Paul is simply drawing a comparison with the fact that Adam was the first to physically die and Jesus was the first to physically rise ("be made alive"). It does not apply to the teaching of original sin based on its immediate context.
In the entire chapter, Paul is teaching the physical resurrection of Jesus. He died in the flesh and was raised in the flesh.
