What does 1 Corinthians 15:23 mean that each comes in his own order?
First Corinthians 15:23 means resurrection is not a single simultaneous event. Every human being will be resurrected, but each comes in his own order—or company—according to God’s organized plan. The verse separates the resurrections, showing God’s order and timing rather than one general resurrection at the same moment.
Les explains that Paul, in this great resurrection chapter, is making the point that not everyone is going to be resurrected at the same moment, as was seemingly implied back in John’s Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15:20, Christ is risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept. Then verse 23 separates the resurrections: every human being that has ever lived will come out in resurrection in his own order, or as Les pointed out, in his own company. Les uses the military organization of a company and battalion as an illustration, because it is an organizational setup that makes it easy to keep track of everybody. God is a God of order, and He has everything implicitly organized; God never does things in a mumble jumble way. The context also notes that even the lost will one day be resurrected and face the Judge, who is Christ Himself, at the Great White Throne.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
More Questions
What does 'every man in his own order' mean in 1 Corinthians 15?
Every man is resurrected in his own order or company, with Christ the first fruits first, then those who are Christ's at His coming afterward.
What is the order of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:23?
In 1 Corinthians 15:23 every human being will be resurrected, but each in his own order or company: Christ the firstfruits first, and afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.