What is baptism for the dead? (A Spiritual Gifts Approach to 1 Corinthians 15:29)

1 Corinthians 15 has within it the question by Paul, “What will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?”^[1]

This inquiry by Paul appears at first glance to bring to the imagination a class of people who were undergoing a rite of water baptism on behalf of or for others in some way.

However, there is an alternative approach that sees the baptism Paul refers to as having nothing to do with water. What he is likely speaking of is the witness of the Holy Spirit to the resurrected and ascended Christ by providing spiritual gifts especially at Pentecost for the preaching of the gospel.

for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” … 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”^[2]

I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”^[3]

I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’^[4]

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.^[5]

The rite of water baptism in the Bible is frequently associated with the Holy Spirit.^[6] In addition to this, baptism language is also applied directly to the outpouring of the Spirit, independent of the water rite. We will say this again, at Pentecost especially there was a baptism that Jesus foretold that had nothing to do with water.

From here on we are going to examine multiple passages that address Pentecost to see the pillar arguments used by the Apostles for the resurrection of Jesus. We will look at the writings of Peter that bear on this subject. Then we will dive deep into the larger context of 1 Corinthians 15 by reviewing what was being said in previous chapters as well as a close examination of the themes Paul uses leading up to 1 Corinthians 15:29.

The purpose of the gifts of the Spirit on Pentecost was for the advancement of the gospel to the end of the earth. And those gifts also served as a witness or testimony of Jesus’ resurrection.

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.^[7]

There are recurring themes in the Pentecost accounts. The language of Psalm 110 and Psalm 8:6 are cited in Acts 2, Hebrews 1-2 and 1 Peter 3. These show that Jesus was enthroned at the right hand of God, all were made subject to Him and His enemies made His footstool. This could only have happened on Pentecost if Jesus had been resurrected. The recurring testimony of this happening in Heaven, according to these accounts, was the outpouring of the Spirit in giving spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues. This was a form of baptism according to Jesus and John the Baptist.

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words… 24 [speaking of Jesus] whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it… 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’^[8]

On the day of Pentecost, Peter stated that those with him were all witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. The outpouring of the Spirit providing the gift of tongues was a second testimony of this truth. He quoted from Psalm 110 by speaking of Jesus being seated at the right hand of God and all enemies made His footstool.

… who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… 8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom… 13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?^[9]

In Hebrews chapter 1, the author speaks of what happened to Jesus in Heaven on Pentecost. He cites Psalm 110 by speaking of Christ having sat at the right hand of God and His enemies made His footstool.

God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?… 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”^[10]

Hebrews 2:4 tells us that the evidence or witness of the enthronement of Christ was the outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Of note, he makes no mention of eyewitness accounts of the resurrection in the book of Hebrews. There is also a quote from Psalm 8:6, “… You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [resurrection of the righteous]… 10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.^[11]

In the introduction of Peter’s first epistle he speaks of the resurrection of Jesus that he links with the resurrection of the redeemed. Then he moves into making it clear that the gospel was preached by the Holy Spirit sent from Heaven through those that were ministers of salvation. Therefore he is linking a resurrection discussion with preaching by the Holy Spirit.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.^[12]

In 1 Peter 3, the Apostle again speaks of the resurrection of Jesus. The Holy Spirit that worked with Jesus to bring about His resurrection is the same Spirit that preached to the antediluvians, who are long since dead. This would have been primarily through Enoch and Noah as well as the working of the Spirit upon the conscience. Those antediluvians heard the prophetic warnings in their living flesh, but now they are dead and awaiting a resurrection.

And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”^[13]

Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints…”^[14]

and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;^[15]

What does Peter mean when he speaks of the antediluvians as the “spirits in prison” in 1 Peter 3:19? We can be either prisoners of Satan or prisoners of God. The wicked are in captivity to sin and kept under guard.^[16] The people of God are the Lord’s prisoners by principle, in a good way.

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called… 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”^[17]

Paul himself uses imprisonment language speaking of himself as a prisoner of the Lord. There are multiple Bible passages that speak of God rescuing the redeemed from a state of imprisonment.^[18] Leaving the captivity of Satan and becoming a captive of Jesus is specifically linked with Jesus’ ascension after the resurrection and Pentecost when the gifts to men were poured out. The gifts given to men were the gifts of the Holy Spirit.^[19]

In 1 Peter 3:21-22, the writer then links the preaching by the Spirit to the antediluvians and the flood to his contemporary context speaking of “an antitype which now saves us—baptism.” He directly associates this baptism with Pentecost by speaking of the resurrection of Jesus, that Jesus is at the right hand of God and all “having been made subject to Him.” He draws on the language of Psalm 110 and Psalm 8:6 as we saw previously in Acts 2 and Hebrews 1-2. Also recall that Peter, in 1 Peter 1:3-12, links the resurrection of Jesus and the redeemed with preaching by the Holy Spirit. It is possible that Peter is comparing water baptism to the flood and Pentecost, with baptism of the Spirit, to preaching to the antediluvians.

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.^[20]

In 1 Peter 4:6, the disciple of Jesus states that “the gospel was preached also to those who are dead.” Who might the dead be that he speaks of? Those in sin are in a state of spiritual death. Though they appear alive in the flesh, they are the walking dead.^[21] Those who enter redemption enter into life.^[22] And those who die in Christ will rise in the first resurrection.^[23] Death is also a state of custody.^[24] For the righteous, even if they are dead in the flesh, God sees them as the living.^[25]

There are two scenarios that explain Peter’s language of preaching to the dead. The first scenario is that the preaching is to those dead in sin. The second scenario is that the preaching is to those who heard the gospel in the past, accepted Christ as their personal Savior, have subsequently died in the flesh and are awaiting the resurrection. The most likely of these two possibilities is the latter. This is because Peter, in the prior chapter, had just described preaching by or through the Holy Spirit to the antediluvians who have since died in the flesh.

We will now address the larger context of Paul’s writing leading up to 1 Corinthians 15. A major theme of 1 Corinthians 12 is the various gifts of the Spirit. In the midst of that chapter, he states that “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.”^[26] Chapter 13 speaks of the necessity of love as more important than gifts of the Spirit such as tongues or knowledge. Chapter 14 continues with a discussion of spiritual gifts with a focus on appropriate conduct when prophesying or speaking with the gift of tongues. He states, “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy,” and “desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.”^[27] For three chapters Paul has been discussing spiritual gifts in various ways.

In the first part of 1 Corinthians 15 the immediate context is about preaching the resurrection and of Paul confronting those who deny the resurrection of Jesus.^[28]

and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.^[29]

He points out that over five hundred people were eye witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. This happened leading up to Pentecost. He notes that some of those who were eye witnesses are asleep. Those that are asleep have since died in the flesh.^[30]

For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” …^[31]

Paul later uses Psalm 110 language that we have shown is linked with Pentecost by stating, “He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.” After speaking of all things being put under Jesus’, Paul links that concept to the end of time when Jesus will also subject Himself to the Father.

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand… 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?… 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.^[32]

There are multiple verses in 1 Corinthians 15 with a focus on preaching the resurrection of Christ. This is in continuity with the preaching theme of chapter 14 as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:1, “Moreover, brethren.”

The preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ is only possible in coordination with the Holy Spirit.^[33]

Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.^[34]

Paul uses the metaphorical language of sleep for those who have died two more times before verse 29. He also asserts that if there is no resurrection “we are of all men the most pitiable.”

Let us recap the themes in the immediate context leading to 1 Corinthians 15:29. Paul speaks of preaching the resurrection in continuity with preaching with spiritual gifts in the prior chapter. He highlights Pentecost by speaking of those that were eyewitnesses at that time and uses the language of Psalm 110. He also repeatedly refers to people that have already died in the flesh by using metaphorical sleep language.

At first glance it appears he has left out one of the most important pieces of evidence regarding the resurrection that happened at Pentecost. Both Peter in Acts 2 and the author of Hebrews 2 provide the pouring out of the gifts of the spirit as a tentpole evidence of the resurrection. Where in 1 Corinthians 15 is the testimony of the Holy Spirit described by Jesus and John the Baptist as the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?^[35]

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.^[36]

This brings us to the very important passage of 1 Corinthians 15:29. The larger theme leading up to this verse has been an extensive discussion of the gifts of the Spirit, especially to empower the gospel commission. In chapter 12 of the same epistle, Paul has used the language of “by one Spirit we were all baptized” while speaking of the body of Christ and the gifts of the Spirit. Paul’s wording in 1 Corinthians 15:29 correlates with the way Peter speaks as “the gospel was preached also to those who are dead.” Paul is likely speaking of individuals who have been baptized with spiritual gifts to advance their preaching. Their gospel commission could be for those dead in sin or those who have heard the gospel in the past and are now dead in the flesh.

Either of the two scenarios of dead in sin, or having died in the past are possible. Paul uses metaphorical language such as “sleeping” for those dead, he speaks of “dying” daily and of fighting with “beasts” at Ephesus. This would correlate with the metaphorical dead in sin approach. Alternatively, he also makes an argument for a literal bodily resurrection from death over the scope of the entire chapter. This would correlate with an interpretation that sees Paul speaking of people that have literally died in the past.

However, the interpretation of the dead Paul speaks of as being literally in the grave is most likely his intent. This is because of the close correlation and comparison with 1 Peter 4:6 and 1 Peter 3:18-20 where the Spirit preached to the antediluvians that had literally died after hearing the prophetic messages of their day in their living flesh.

and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men… 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.^[37]

Is it valid to use Peter’s writings this way? The last chapter of Peter’s second epistle refers to those in the sleep of death and he speaks of the time of the antediluvians as a lead in comparison with the larger topic of the end of days. Peter refers to Paul writing on the same subject of 2 Peter 3. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul speaks of the dead and the resurrection at the end of time. Both Paul and Peter specifically address Pentecost with similar old testament references and the witness of the gifts of the Spirit to the resurrection of Jesus in Acts 2 and Hebrews 1-2, if we believe Paul to be the author of Hebrews. Peter also speaks of Paul’s writings being hard to understand. Therefore, it may be that Peter placed information in his epistles specifically to address some of Paul’s most difficult writing.

And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? 31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”^[38]

In the subsequent verses after 1 Corinthians 15:29, Paul speaks of the difficult experiences of preaching, especially his own preaching. Paul endured imprisonment, beating, scourging, stoning and shipwreck. His work had been a fight. But it was worth it, because of the resurrection.

If there is no resurrection he thinks we should live it up in this world as he says, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” This correlates with what Paul said previously when he refers to those asleep in Christ having perished and following by saying, “We are of all men the most pitiable.”

Let us paraphrase what Paul is saying based on this study. If there is no resurrection, what will they do who are baptized with spiritual gifts especially at Pentecost to preach to those who are now dead, if the dead do not rise at all. Why then did the Spirit commission the preaching of the gospel to the dead? If there is no resurrection, we are of all men most pitiable and should do something other than preach the gospel and endure hardships. Let us instead eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!

The baptism for the dead that Paul is referring to is not likely an esoteric rite in water. Rather, it is more likely a special empowered commission by the Holy Spirit for the preaching of the gospel.

^[1] 1 Corinthians 15:29 NKJV.

^[2] Acts 1:5, 8 NKJV.

^[3] Mark 1:8 NKJV.

^[4] John 1:33 NKJV.

^[5] Matthew 3:11 NKJV.

^[6] Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32; Acts 2:38; Acts 9:17-18; Acts 10:37-38, 44-48; Acts 19:5-6.

^[7] John 15:26 NKJV.

^[8] Acts 2:14, 24, 30-35 NKJV.

^[9] Hebrews 1:3, 8, 13 NKJV.

^[10] Hebrews 2:4, 8 NKJV.

^[11] 1 Peter 1:3-5, 10-12 NKJV.

^[12] 1 Peter 3:18-22 NKJV.