Three Important Elements in Paul’s “Battle Cry of the Risen Savior”

Christ as “Firstfruits”

There are three important elements found in Paul’s “battle cry of the Risen Savior.” First, Paul speaks of Christ’s resurrection as the “firstfruits,” which is an agricultural term, referring here to a much larger harvest yet to come.[1] When viewed against the background of the Old Testament, when the first sheaf of the harvest was brought to the temple so as to consecrate the entire harvest of grain which had not yet ripened or been harvested,[2] so too, Christ’s resurrection consecrates the entire harvest of those who also will be raised from the dead–that is, all of the elect, who are already seen as “raised with Christ” (cf. Ephesians 2:4-7; Philippians 3:20-21).[3]

The very fact that the resurrection constitutes the “firstfruits” of a future harvest, guarantees that there will be a much larger harvest yet to come. Lest we forget, this includes all those who have “fallen sleep,” that is, those who have died in Christ. As Wright points out, Paul “is arguing for the certainty of the future bodily resurrection of all the Messiah’s people.”[4] Gaffin adds, our Lord’s “resurrection is the representative beginning of the resurrection of believers.”[5] This should give us great optimism as far as the missionary enterprise is concerned, because the multitude before the throne who are raised with Christ is so vast they cannot be counted (cf. Revelation 7:9). The harvest will be huge–beyond all human imagination.

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