Paul calls the risen Christ 'firstfruits' of those who sleep. The agricultural metaphor strongly resonates with biblical firstfruits, but Paul does not cite Leviticus 23 or state that Jesus rose on the wave-sheaf date.

Both passages use firstfruits imagery: Leviticus for first-ripe grain offered to YHWH, Paul for Christ as firstfruits of the resurrection. The metaphor is canonically resonant, but Paul does not identify Leviticus 2 as his specific source.

Paul later interprets Christ’s resurrection as the firstfruits of those who sleep and the decisive answer to death; this inspired apostolic interpretation develops the resurrection reality narrated in Luke 24.

Deuteronomy’s firstfruits offering provides meaningful harvest imagery for Paul’s description of the risen Christ as the firstfruits of those who sleep, but direct literary dependence is unproven.