[P-Marlowe]

He certainly didn't say "Why are WE baptized for the dead," did he?

[Cleburne]

Yes, that is St. John Chrysostoms's idea: it is perhaps quite likely, for Paul refered to non-Christian ideas elsewhere in his life, without lending credence to the whole belief system- he merely drew on them for some sort of support. It seems quite likely that both Paul and the Corinthians knew precisely what was being refered to here, and got the idea.