1 Corinthians 15:51-53: Behold, I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
I like to remind believers that every question asked of the Lord, and subsequently His followers, falls into one of four fundamental categories: origin, meaning, morality or destiny. From these four categories, all of the essentials of the faith may be addressed. So while people may be asking very diverse questions, the answers are actually found in one (or more) of these four basic categories. The question as to the essence of a resurrected body falls into the “destiny” category and demonstrates not only the creation’s curiosity, but according to Paul, the creation’s foolishness. Why? Is it wrong to ask? And for that matter, if the flesh has long since been lost from a corpse, how does God pull it all back together again? The questions themselves are the heart of the issue with Paul confronting the attitude of the inquirers while the Holy Spirit grants an insight or level of understanding. So, for the Scriptural answer, we examine:
- Historical Context: 1 Corinthians 1:1 identifies the author of the Book of 1 Corinthians as the Apostle Paul. The Book of 1 Corinthians was written in approximately 55 A.D. The Apostle Paul started the church in Corinth. A few years after leaving the church, the Apostle Paul heard some disturbing reports about the Corinthian church. The church was full of pride, the church was excusing sexual immorality, spiritual gifts were being used improperly, and there was rampant misunderstanding of key Christian doctrines – resurrected bodies being a significant issue. The Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in an attempt to restore the Corinthian church to its foundation – Jesus Christ – and our to clarify the believer’s destiny which is unequivocally bound in Him and His resurrection.
- Grammatical Usage: V. 51 we find the word “mystery” which in the Greek is “musterion” meaning “truth revealed” or, more specifically, “spiritual truth revealed” (as opposed to the modern English definition relating to knowledge withheld) but limited in acceptance to the “mustes” or “the initiated” meaning believers; V. 52: “incorruptible” in the Greek is “aphthartos” meaning “not liable to decay” specifically citing the raised dead; V. 53: “immortality” in the Greek is “athanasia” meaning “deathlessness as the chief component of the glorified body.”
- Literal Application: “Look!
I am going to reveal a truth to you. Not
all of us will die, but all of us will be changed. In a moment, in the flick of an eyelid, at
the last trumpet; because it will sound, and the dead will be raised incapable
of decay and we will be changed. Because
this biodegradable body must be endued with viability and this body victimized
by death must be rendered deathless.”
- Contextual Interpretation: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 is often referred to as “The Resurrection Body Discourse.” The Corinthians, like all Greeks, had the highest regard for the human body – they worshipped physical beauty. To such a culture, death and decomposition of the physical body was a tragedy. How could a body, once subject to chemical decomposition, rise again? To their shock, Paul admonishes their cultural thinking in V. 36 by unequivocally calling them “stupid” for attempting to apply human logic (motivated by such worldly and sensual consideration) to a clearly spiritual truth. In fact “fool” in the Greek is “aphron” and literally indicates “a reckless and inconsiderate action, specifically the lack of the commonsense perception that there is a real difference between the physical and the spiritual”. The original question in V. 35 was clearly motivated out of 1 part perverted belief in the perfection of the flesh, 1 part disbelief that flesh can not only be retrieved but revitalized after death and 1 part flawed reasoning as if the creation can not only understand the ways of the Creator but unless he can understand His ways he doubts the Creator. Hence Paul’s reaction. So, was it wrong for the Corinthians to ask such a question? No. It was the arrogant manner in which they inquired that proved wrong. In fact, the flesh is not perfect; being imperfect, it would not and will not be part of a resurrected body and whether you understand the way of God or not is of no significance – but, God takes pity upon you and lends insight as to the nature of the glorified body.
In fact, in v. 36 Paul stipulates, much to the Corinthian’s horror, that death is necessary to achieve a resurrected body. In fact, the resurrected body of the Christian is no longer depraved, but glorified – not tied to sinful flesh (in the literal and figurative sense) – but transformed as was Christ’s body. It is capable of all of the normal functions such as walking, running, jumping, playing, standing, sitting, singing, laughing, working, just to mention a few. However, it will not be capable of sinning. Sin was not the intended function of the original body and it will not be a function of our resurrected body. In fact, it was never intended by God that we would die – but the apple was eaten and the sin resulted in death (Genesis 2:17). The body was never meant to be physically ill, incapacitated or decay, but because of sin it can and will.
V. 38 goes further into the nature of the resurrected body in that it will reflect the will of the Creator which is a polite way of saying it is truly none of our business. Human corpses will be raised, having the same identity, form, function, appearance, memory, sensory perception, etc., but void of sinful flesh – a reference to v. 45 and the “quickening spirit” of the last Adam, Jesus Christ, who in His resurrected state is not flesh but fully capable in human likeness and characteristic. Hence, Paul continues to drive home the point that the evidence stands in confrontation of human capacity to reason or comprehend. It is nonetheless true.
- Scriptural Comparison: Isaiah 55:8 states, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher that the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” John 4:24 states, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” While God does not reveal a great detail regarding our future existence, we are certainly assured in Philippians 3:21 that we know it will be perfect, without sickness or disease, “…according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.” This is a supernatural act of the Creator – God Himself, and as such it is beyond our comprehension as to the “how” and, to a great degree, what the glorified body will really be like. Suffice it to say the glorified body will not be limited by the laws of nature, not be weak, will never become sick and will never die.
Conclusion: Paul has made it clear that flesh and blood, which is mortal and able to decay, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. That eternal kingdom is inhabitable only by those with resurrected, glorified bodies that are no longer mortal and are not able to decay. How? The insight we are provided comes from the word “moment” in v. 52. The change for the corruptible to the incorruptible body is, “…in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” “Moment” in the Greek is “atomos” (from which we get our word “atom”) meaning “indivisible”. At the time of the discovery of the atom, it was thought to be the smallest particle of matter and therefore indivisible. Even though subsequently the atom was split, the word retains its meaning of indivisible. The transformation from corruptible flesh to an incorruptible glorified body is in an indivisible instant of time