Christ's resurrection is the first sign of a great harvest of new life.
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”1 Corinthians 15:20 (KJV)
What does “Firstfruits” mean in 1 Corinthians 15:20?
Firstfruits were the first portion of a crop, brought to God as a sign that the full harvest was coming. Paul uses the picture to say that Jesus' resurrection is the beginning of something much larger.
Going deeper
Paul is answering people who doubted that the dead would rise. His argument is simple. Christ is risen from the dead, and He is the firstfruits of them that slept. In a farmer's field, the first ripe grain tells you that the rest will follow. In the same way, Jesus' resurrection is not a lonely event. It is the beginning of a harvest. Those who belong to Him will share in the life He now has.
That gives grief a horizon. When we lose someone we love who trusted in Christ, we are not saying a final goodbye. We are saying, until then. And it gives our own aging and weakness a hope beyond them. The best is still ahead. If you are carrying sorrow, let this verse be a comfort today. Christ has gone first, and the harvest is coming. Thank Him for it, and let hope make you patient and brave.
Reflect
How does the hope of the coming harvest speak to a sorrow you are carrying?
Pray
Father, thank You that Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection. Comfort those who grieve, and fill me with hope for what is to come. In Jesus' name, amen.
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