Baptism for the Dead

There are certain passages that hold a special place for the apologist. They're the ones that sit in the back of your mind when you ring a doorbell. The ultimate fear is that someone asks you about it "out there", where it "really matters." Why? Because they appear to defy explanation, especially when compared with the rest of scripture. With practice, a little motivation, and the certain help of the Holy Ghost, I've found satisfaction on many such passages. Here's a doozy:

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? (1 Cor. 15:29)

I've found various explanations. Obviously, Mormons like to use it for their actual practice, surrogate baptisms for dead people. I've met Roman Catholics who use it to defend prayers for the dead in purgatory. Those don't particularly thrill me. I've heard from some that it means "... baptized for the [testimony of] the dead." Or, perhaps, it's, "... baptized for the [replacement of] the dead [lest the churches die out]." Finally, I've heard it means, "... baptized for the [resurrection of] the dead."

None of those work for me -- they involve adding words to explain it, or justifying practices / doctrines that are otherwise refuted in the scriptures. But, in wrangling about this within our group for some time, I believe we've found a model for approaching this passage that really works well.

What is this chapter about? This verse shouldn't be interpreted in isolation. To conserve space and paint the logical flow, here's a rough outline of the chapter:

(1) The Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (vv. 1-4)
(2) There's lots of evidence of this (vv. 5-11)
(3) If there's no resurrection, then Christ is still dead (vv. 12-14)
(4) Paul's preaching is but lies if Christ is still dead (vv. 15-16)
(5) If this is the case, then "ye are yet in your sins," and now-dead Christians are still dead (vv. 17-19)
(6) But Jesus did rise, and we are made alive in the (future) resurrection (vv. 20-28)
(7) Baptism for the dead is vain (v. 29)
(8) Why would we suffer, then for Christ? (vv. 30-32)
(9) Dissertation on the resurrection itself (vv. 33-58)

The whole chapter is about resurrection, and how it is not vain to become a Christian because of the truth of it. It's clear that vv. 12-19 are all about what things would look like if there was no resurrection. I think the key verse for understanding the difficult text is v. 13:

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

We know baptism is the outward profession of an inward new birth. It is a testimony that, "I now follow Christ." In whose name are we baptized? Is it not in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? Paul writes in verse 29 that if there is no resurrection, then the Son is dead, and your baptism is meaningless on behalf of that dead Christ. In other words, perhaps I could paraphrase it this way:

All of these people that would be baptized in the name of a dead man, who did not conquer death, suffering in this life, will only go to the grave. If the dead do not rise, there is no hope in the Gospel, and Jesus as a dead man is a meaningless start for a religious movement. So, your reception of the Gospel, and baptism in the name of this dead man is also vain. The subsequent suffering is all you have, and all is vanity.

Of course, this is all completely different if the resurrection is true. It shows that death is truly conquered, Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection, and your profession of faith (baptism) has wonderful meaning -- you, like Him, will rise and be glorified. Isn't it wonderful?

This verse isn't talking about some ancient, now-defunct practice of baptizing people on the behalf of other dead people. It is a part of Paul's logical argument about the centrality of the resurrection in the Gospel. Indeed, no victory over death makes the Gospel absolutely meaningless. Gladly, though, we continue on, preaching that Gospel, because we have hope for the restitution of all things in Christ at the second coming!

Appendix: In anticipation of someone pointing out that the Greek word "for" means, "in behalf of," or "for the sake of," that doesn't really frustrate this interpretation. Baptism is an identification with Christ, and it is certainly because of him (and also for him in obedience) that we are baptized.