1 Corinthians 15:40Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He expresses the same thing still more clearly here, continuing: "Not all flesh is the same flesh" (1 Cor 15:39). Why, he says, do I point to seeds? We can see the same thing in the bodies now under discussion. Therefore he continues: "But there is one flesh of men, another flesh of cattle, another of fish, and another of birds. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly another. The glory of the sun is one, the glory of the moon another, and the glory of the stars another. For star differs from star in glory" (1 Cor 15:39-41). Why are these words here? Why has the Apostle turned from the resurrection of bodies to speech about the stars and the sun? He has not turned aside, nor departed from the subject.

Here, as I said above, he indicates the distinction between the righteous and sinners. He calls the former heavenly bodies, and sinners earthly bodies. He says that the glory of the righteous is one thing, and that of sinners another. Yet in their case it is no longer glory, for that should not be understood, but life.

A man who does not believe that such flesh can change its nature must be led to faith gradually. If you ask him whether earth can be changed into water, this will not seem incredible to him, because there is no great distance between earth and water. Again, if you ask him whether water can be changed into air, he will not say that this is absurd, because water and air are close to each other. Behold, Porphyry says: "You praise the body to me without grounds. Whatever the body may be, if the soul seeks to be happy, it must be avoided." Thus speak the philosophers, but they are mistaken and speak nonsense. I read your books, where you affirm that the world is a living being, that is, heaven, earth, the seas, all the immense bodies that exist, and all the countless elements of all times.

The heavenly have one body, that is, those who perform heavenly works. The earthly have another body, those who do evil on the earth.

Those worthy of heaven will be clothed with glory fitting for the heavenly. Those who had an earthly manner of thought will receive a garment corresponding to their will. Having made this division and shown the separation of the earthly, the Apostle also shows the difference among the heavenly. For not all the righteous will become partakers of one and the same thing, but they will receive a reward proportionate to their progress. The Lord also foretold this in the Holy Gospel, saying: "In My Father's house are many mansions" (Jn 14:2). So it is said here: "There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory."

The image of the resurrection and the diversity of glory in the bodies that are to rise (1 Cor 15:35-46). To those who object against the possibility of the resurrection of bodies, the holy Apostle Paul points to the wondrous process of growth and renewal in seeds cast into the earth. He explains the diversity of the glory of bodies after the resurrection by other comparisons as well. Here earthly bodies of different creatures differ among themselves in relative dignity: men, cattle, fish, and birds. Heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars, surpass earthly bodies. The heavenly bodies themselves differ endlessly from one another in radiance and brilliance. In precisely the same way, at the resurrection of the dead, the risen bodies will be far more excellent than they were on earth. Yet even with certain shared excellent qualities, they will still differ endlessly from one another in the degree of their glorification.

On earth there are different kinds of bodies: of fish, birds, animals, and man. In the visible heaven there are also different bodies: the sun, the moon, and the stars, likewise different in their composition and appearance. So too the bodies of those who rise will differ according to their present dignity. Now our body is corruptible, weak, and natural, that is, filled with sinful passions. Then it will be incorruptible, strong, and spiritual, that is, passionless. "Look at the heavenly bodies," says St. John Chrysostom, "so bright, unchanging, and never growing old. Believe that God can make corruptible bodies incorruptible, and far better than the visible ones." Then, turning attention to the difference between the various earthly and heavenly bodies indicated by the Apostle, St.

By heavenly bodies the Apostle means the sun, moon, and stars, as is self-evident from the flow of the discourse, and by no means the bodies of angels, as some suppose. By earthly bodies he means those he has listed and all others like them. He says: there are heavenly bodies, just as there are earthly bodies. But heavenly bodies are entirely different from earthly ones. They are light-bearing, unchanging, firm, and constant. A simple glance is enough to see how much more glorious heavenly bodies are than earthly ones. This point seems to be the Apostle's chief concern. He says this in order to suggest that, as heavenly bodies differ from earthly ones, so future bodies differ from present bodies.