Death Where is Your Sting? 1 Corinthians 15:55

Paul the apostle shared with the church members in Corinth how, “Death is swallowed up in victory”, and in chapter fifteen and verse fifty-five of First Corinthians, Paul questioned, “O death, where is your sting?”, where we read:

O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?

The verse begins, “O death, where is your sting?” Paul began with the words, “O death” or “O separation of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended” “where” which means “whither and in what locality or place” “is your” which refers to “death's” “sting” or “such as the sting of bees, scorpions or locust; an iron goad for urging on oxen, horses or other beasts of burden; a prick”? Paul asked where the “poisoned power” of “death” was now that Jesus had defeated it.

The verse continues, “O grave, where is your victory?” Paul added the words, “O grave” which is the Greek word “hades” and means “the nether world, realm of the dead and hell”, “where” or “whither and in what locality or place” “is your” which refers to “the grave's” “victory” which means “utter vanquish, conquest or triumph”. Now that Jesus was resurrected, Paul questioned the “triumph and conquest” of “hades” over people who die.

When we think through these words from Paul, we see how both “death” and the “grave” have lost their effectiveness because of Jesus. Jesus was resurrected and raised from the “grave”, and the effect has benefited all who believe and trust in Him. Like a bee with no “stinger”, and a “grave” without patrons, Jesus has won the battle over each. Though “death” is certain to come to everyone if Jesus does not return, and the “grave” will be waiting, because of Jesus, those who put their faith in Him shall obtain “victory” over both.

Next time Paul shares with the church members how, “the sting of sin is death”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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