(20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (23) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
The Apostle having refuted all that the mistaken views of men would have formed to themselves, on the presumption that there was no resurrection, now comes to his favorite topic, to show the blessedness which ariseth, it, the unanswerable conviction that there is. And, he proceeds to make it appear, and more or less, from this place to the close of the chapter, he dwells with rapture in the contemplation, that, in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the Church not only behold him as risen, but in that glorious capacity, as the Head and forerunner of every individual of his people. For, saith Paul, he is become the first fruits of them that slept. As the first sheaf in the field, in the reaping season, soonest ripe, soonest gathered, and first brought in, is but the pledge and earnest of all that is to follow; so Christ the first in resurrection, for it behoved him in all things to have the preeminence, Colossians 1:18) is but as that pure corn of wheat which fell into the ground, which by dying, bringeth forth much fruit. See John 12:24 and Commentary.
I beg the Reader to admire with me the unanswerable and striking allusion, which Paul makes, by way of illustrating the doctrine of death and the resurrection, in the case of the two Adams. One involving the whole generation in death, by sin, the other including by regeneration all his in life. By man came death, by man came life. In Adam all die, in Christ shall all be made alive. And the reasoning is unanswerable. There is a vast propriety in it.; For if I, a poor sinner, am involved in sin, and all the consequences of sin, by reason of my being born from the seed and race of Adam; so by a parity of reason, it is but just, that I should be included in righteousness, even the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, in being born of his seed, and being descended from Him. And so I am, if I can prove my relationship to the one, as I do to the other. And here lies the great point of decision. Now I, and every sinner, most fully prove, that we are of the Adam-race of sin, being evidently born of his corrupt stock, sinning, as he sinned, and feeling the consequence of it, as he felt. The question is, can I prove that I am of the seed of Christ, in being new-born in Christ, and made the child of God by adoption and grace? This is the ground of the Apostle's reasoning, and most answerable it is in proof. For, as I never should have been involved, either in the sin or condemnation of Adam, had I not been proved to have been his by generation; so, by the like proof, unless I have testimony that I am Christ's by regeneration, I cannot lay claim to all the blessed consequences which result wholly from this source,. Let the Apostle's words be weighed in this standard, and the judgment must be without error. As in Adam all die, in Christ shall all be made alive.