Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 10) the following word order: “If in this life in Christ we are hoping only.” This order shows that Paul is stressing not “this life” but the fact that the Christian faith is based on more than mere hope. He thus vividly portrays the futility of a devitalized Christianity. Disbelief in the resurrection robs men of certainty concerning life after death, and leaves them with an ineffective faith for the present existence.

Gr. eleeinos, “wretched,” “pitiable,” “miserable.” This clause reads, literally, “we are more wretched than all men.” It should be noted that Paul is not here suggesting that piety and conformity to the revealed will of God in this life are not accompanied by happiness. The believer has cause to be happier than other men, but if the resurrection is a delusion, then Christians are more deserving of pity than any other people. No others have had such high hopes of enjoying eternity, so no others could experience so deep disappointment if those hopes are destroyed by disproving the resurrection. The apostle employs such reasoning to demonstrate to the Corinthians the faith-destroying and illogical nature of a denial of the Christian doctrine of the resurrection. Moreover, Christians were subjected to greater trials and persecutions than most other people, so if, after suffering on account of their faith, they were disappointed in their hope of the resurrection, their condition would truly be pitiful.

A strong demonstration of the genuineness of Christianity may be drawn from this verse. It is conceivable that some men may be willing to endure privation and toil if they are certain of adequate recompense for their sacrifice; but it is incredible that the apostles should labor and suffer while knowing that the glorious hope they proclaimed was a delusion, that Christ had not risen Such a proposition is so ridiculous as to be quite incredible.