Paul's vigor and vision was intimately tied to his life-altering Damascus road experience. All his letters to the fledgling churches, struggling to understand their new Christian identity, were composed within sight of Paul's own conversion story. So it is that while this week's epistle text speaks explicitly of resurrection, we must keep in mind the miracle of conversion sealed by baptism that Paul has already experienced.

Paul begins to discuss the mystery of the resurrection by adopting a diatribe style. Whether he is addressing an actual band of nay-sayers and disbelievers, or whether he uses this form to allow a more forceful starting position, is unclear. Whatever the actual situation, the diatribe style enables Paul to pose the most barefaced challenge to a resurrection belief and t…