This verse clarifies v. 21. It also provides an admirable summary of the subject, with which Paul deals more fully in his Epistle to the Romans (see on ch. 5:12-18). To the Corinthians he is content to point the contrast between the results of Adam’s life—“all die”—and the results of Christ’s life—“shall all be made alive.”
All die.
See on Rom. 5:12. The sentence pronounced on Adam affected the whole human family, involved all in the certainty of death, and began to operate as soon as Adam sinned.
Even so.
That is, in the same manner, similarly. It should be borne in mind, however, that the work of Adam and that of Christ are not completely parallel, since Adam was a sinner, and Christ the Sinless One.
In Christ.
That is, through faith in His atoning death and life-giving resurrection.
All be made alive.
All men are subject to death by virtue of Adam’s sin and their own sinfulness, but only those who are “in Christ” will share the eternal benefits of the Saviour’s resurrection. To this extent, the first “all” in this verse is universal, whereas the second “all” is necessarily limited. Some have interpreted the second “all” to embrace all mankind, the wicked and the righteous. That this interpretation is not tenable here may be seen from the phrase “in Christ,” and from comparison with vs. 51-53, where “all” clearly refers only to believers.