Studia Theologica 2025, 27(1):1-25 | DOI: 10.5507/sth.2024.050266
When discussing the subject of the resurrection of the dead in 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul alludes to a practice of the Corinthian Christians that he had heard about. This is baptism for the dead. This isolated reference by Paul in 1 Cor. 15:29, which is expressed with insufficient clarity, has led to many interpretive proposals in the history of exegesis. The closest explanation seems to be a vicarious (vicariate) baptism, which members of the church community received for those who died unbaptized, so that these dead might receive the saving effect of baptism. We cannot entirely rule out, however, the possibility that some people were baptized out of affection or respect for deceased Christian relatives or friends who fervently desired their conversion and who prayed for them. These people consequently received baptism in the hope of a shared celebration at the resurrection. In the end, however, it has to be admitted that it is impossible to determine exactly what this baptism for the dead amounted to. The Apostle Paul, who does not describe it in detail and who provides no evaluation of it, mentions it only as an argument in favour of belief in the resurrection of the dead.
Vloženo: srpen 2024; Revidováno: prosinec 2024; Přijato: prosinec 2024; Zveřejněno: červenec 2025
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