1 Corinthians 15:30-32 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
Paul moves on to another reason why the Corinthians should believe in the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. This reason is that Christians such as Paul and his companions willingly face death because they know that this life is not all there is. Death is not the last word for believers. Knowing that we will rise again gives courage. To willingly suffer even to the point of death is one of the most profound signs of faith. Few people willingly go to death for their faith. The faith of martyrs is the strongest testimony of Christianity. Many Christians have faced death, even in modern times. They do this because they believe in the gospel of resurrection.
Paul uses strong language in these verses. In v. 30, he faces danger “every hour.” His letters give many examples or allusions to his suffering. He will later write to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 11-12 about his many sufferings. History tells us that he was eventually martyred under the Roman Emperor Nero. In v. 31, Paul faces death “every day.” His boast is in the growth of the Corinthians, but this has come through great suffering to him. In v. 32, he also faced wild beasts in Ephesus. This incident is not recorded in Acts and only mentioned here. It was a popular sport in Roman arenas to watch people fight wild beats. It is difficult to know if this is literally Paul in an arena facing wild animals or if it is more figurative. If it is indeed literal, then this is a significant statement of confidence of God’s sustaining grace and protection in Paul’s life.
Finally, Paul quotes a common thought in his day and even in our day: if this life is all we have, then let’s party up. Enjoy it. Eat, drink, and be merry. A lot of people live like that today. When we take heaven out of the picture, then earthly life loses its value and purpose.
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