A theological commentary on 1 Corinthians, Barth's Resurrection of the Dead (1924) is written in a complex genre, embracing the discourses of preaching, doctrine, ethics and historical criticism. Based on lectures delivered in 1923, it reveals the dialectical emphases of his early theology, though one may detect some development of his doctrine of the church and its apostolic authority. Barth's claim that the hermeneutical key to 1 Corinthians lies in its penultimate chapter on the resurrection was contested by Bultmann in an important article review. Already in the 1920s significant differences between two of the leading dialectical theologians can be detected. Bultmann's stress on the character of faith is apparent in the claim that 1 Cor 13 is the centre of the text, whereas Barth's stronger objectivism can be discerned in his appeal to Paul's foundational attesting of the resurrection. While Barth is arguably on stronger exegetical ground at this point, his reticence on the general resurrection of the dead remains puzzling. Despite its centrality for Paul and the later credal traditions of the church, this article of faith is handled with a restraint requiring some explanatory comment.