If the dead are not raised, why babtised

“If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?” — 1 Corinthians 15:29

This strange and powerful verse has puzzled readers for generations. What was Paul talking about? Some imagine a secret ritual or proxy baptism—but the Jewish context reveals something far more grounded, and far more profound. 💭

In Parashat Chukat, the Torah describes the red heifer (parah adumah), whose ashes were used to purify those who became ritually impure by touching the dead. 🐄 A person who came into contact with a corpse had to be sprinkled with water mixed with red heifer ashes, and then immerse in a mikvah—a natural pool of living water. 💧

To this day, Judaism honors the dead through a sacred act called taharah—the ceremonial washing and preparation of the body for burial. Those who perform taharah immerse themselves before and after the task, because touching a corpse brings ritual impurity. That immersion is a kind of baptism for the dead. 🕊️

So Paul’s question isn’t mystical—it’s practical. Why go through all that effort? Why honor the dead this way, if there’s no resurrection?

He’s making a case: our actions speak louder than our theology. These traditions, passed down for generations, show that we do believe in resurrection. We wash the body not as a final goodbye, but as preparation for awakening. 🌅

But here’s something many don’t realize: not all Jewish groups believe in the resurrection. The ancient Sadducees didn’t, and their spiritual descendants—the Karaites—still don’t. Today, many liberal Jewish movements view resurrection as metaphor, not reality. ❌💀

Only Orthodox Judaism and Christianity still hold to a literal, physical resurrection of the dead. 🙌 And that belief shapes how we live, how we grieve, and how we hope.

Every mikvah, every act of taharah, every burial infused with dignity and reverence—it all whispers the same truth: the dead will rise. 🔥

As Paul writes: “The dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:52) 🌿

And as John reminds us: “It has not yet appeared what we will be, but we know that when He appears, we will be like Him.” (1 John 3:2) ✝️

If you believe in the commandments of God and the faith of Yeshua… if you’re holding on to both the Torah and the testimony, as Revelation 14:12 teaches… then you’re not alone.