Dwell in the Word 1 Corinthians 15:35-49
Contemplate these questions as we dwell in 1 Corinthians 15:35-49:
1. How does Paul use repetition and contrasts to emphasize the transformation that will occur in the resurrection of the dead, as described in 1 Corinthians 15?
2. What is the significance of Paul's distinction between the "man of dust" (Adam) and the "man of heaven" (Christ) in relation to the concept of bodily resurrection?
3. How does the Christian hope differ from the idea of being disembodied spirits? What is the central belief regarding the resurrection of the body, and how does it impact the way believers view the challenges and frailties of human life?
Transcript:
So, as I said, we continue with this idea of the resurrection of the dead, and I really like where Paul takes this conversation here in 1 Corinthians 15, because I think these are natural questions. What is the resurrection going to be like? If we're going to be raised, is it just going to be that we're raised to another body that will die?
What will happen? I have been asked these questions. I have thought through these questions. And here Paul helps us out. He helps us to understand. And so we see here that there, Paul is talking about there being different types of flesh. He says there's for humans, for animals, for fish, uh, for birds. And so Paul says in verse 42, so it is with the resurrection of the dead.
And then he uses a literary device of repetition here, right? He says, what is sown is perishable. What is raised is imperishable. It's sown in dishonor. In other words, it is filled with sin. But it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, but it is raised in power. It is sown in a natural body, is raised a spiritual body.
And so, the idea is is that he's talking about where we're starting with our physical bodies and then he is amplifying and using these opposites and this repetition to drive home that point. Again, you got to appreciate this literary device in the way that That Paul is writing this here under, in under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
He's saying, you know, your body is not going to be raised perishable. It was so imperishable and so now it is going to be imperishable. Why would God raise you if he is just going to destroy your resurrection body? It was so in dishonor. Uh, the reason we have issues is sin. Um, but it'll be raised in glory.
It is sown in weakness. We feel strong, but we know we need to sleep. We, uh, we become frail as we age, right? But it's going to be raised in power. It's sown a natural body. It's raised a spiritual body. And then he said, if there's a natural body, there's also a spiritual body. And we see this idea. with the resurrection of Christ, right?
Think back to the Gospels. There are times where Jesus is said to be doing things after the resurrection that only physical beings do, right? Jesus was not just raised spiritually. He was raised bodily. There was a bodily resurrection of the dead in Christ's resurrection. Uh, Some examples, he breathes, uh, spirits don't breathe.
He eats, a spirit doesn't need to have fish on the shore with the disciples. He doesn't need to eat. He's just a spirit. And so we see that Christ has been raised in his spiritual body, is different. It's physical, but it is different than what we have born from the time we were conceived, right? And so we see in verse 47, the first man was from the earth, a man of dust.
We remember the story, right? God formed us from the dust and breathed life into us. Well, the second man is from heaven. That's the big idea here, that this, this is different. We are of the earth, and when we are raised, we will be of heaven. We will be different. And we see in verse 49, just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Again, Paul continues these opposites and this repetition idea. We, just as we were, uh, looking like Adam, In our lives, the lives that you and I are experiencing today, we will one day bear the image of the second Adam. Okay, the Adam who came and was victorious over sin, death, and hell. We originally bore the image of the first Adam, but we are going to also look like the second Adam when Christ returns at the end of history and we are bodily resurrected from our graves.
That is the hope that we have. That is the Christian hope. Not that somehow we'll be floaty spirits off somewhere forever and ever and ever. No, the Christian hope, what we believe and confess, is the resurrection of the body. And so, may we consider this hope. May we be remembering this hope that just as we've experienced the frailty of human life, as we experience pain, maybe as we become weaker or we experience problems with our body.
May we remember that God is going to restore all things and that includes us. He is a God who is going to restore all things to right. And so may we have that hope today and every day in the truth of Christ's resurrection for us and the future resurrection that you and I have promised to us at the end of history when Christ returns to deliver his kingdom to his father.
