What does 1 Corinthians 15:21 mean?
Christ, raised from the dead by God after His crucifixion, was the "firstfruits" of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20). That is, He was the first, not the last, of all those who have died and will walk alive again in a physical body. But why is this true? Why does Christ's resurrection mean that those who are in Christ will also be resurrected?Paul begins in this verse to make a connection between Christ and the first man, Adam. He does something similar in Romans 5:12–21, to show how sin passed to all people through the sin of Adam. In this and the following verse, though, Paul uses the example of Adam to show something different. Adam introduced death into the world when he sinned. His death, as the result of his sin, became the pattern for all people. Christ's resurrection, in a similar way, set the pattern for all who are forgiven for their sin through faith in Him. This makes Him the prototype, or the pioneer, of salvation for those who believe (Hebrews 2:10–11).