1 Corinthians 15:44Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What are you saying? Is this body not spiritual? It is spiritual, but that one will be much more so. Now the great grace of the Holy Spirit often departs when someone falls into grave sins. And when the Spirit remains in the soul, the life of the flesh departs, for without the first the latter is worthless. But then it will not be so. On the contrary, the Spirit will dwell continually in the flesh of the righteous and will rule in it, though the soul will also be present. Thus the Apostle meant either something of this kind when he said "spiritual," or that it will be lighter, finer, and able even to be borne through the air. Or better, he meant both. If you do not believe what has been said, look at the heavenly bodies, so bright, unchanging, and never growing old. Believe that God can make corruptible bodies incorruptible, and far better than the visible ones.

"It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." A natural body is one governed by the powers of the soul, in which the soul has rule and dominion. A spiritual body is one that has the abundant activity of the Holy Spirit and is governed by Him in all things. For even now the Spirit acts in us, but not in this way and not always. He departs from those who sin. Even now the Spirit is present, but the soul governs the body. Then the Spirit will dwell continuously in the bodies of the righteous. Or he simply calls the incorruptible body spiritual, since it is very fine and light, able to be borne even through the air. Yet it is not aerial or ethereal, that is, not made from the substance of air and ether, as Origen says.

For just as those bodies that have a living soul, but not a life-giving spirit, are called natural bodies, and yet they are not souls but bodies, so those bodies are called spiritual. Yet we must be far from recognizing them as spirits. These bodies will have a nature proper to flesh, though, being made alive by the spirit, they will be subject to no sluggishness or bodily corruption. If they did not hate their own flesh (cf. Eph 5:29) when, at the demand of the spirit, they restrained it while it did not submit to reason because of its weakness, how much more do they love it now, when it appears spiritual? For just as a spirit serving the flesh is fittingly called fleshly, so flesh serving the spirit is rightly called spiritual.

A seed would not produce a shoot unless it first decomposed in the earth, becoming loose and porous. In this way, according to its quality, it can enter into union with the surrounding moisture and be changed into root and shoot. Nor does it stop there, but is changed into a stem, which is girded in the middle by joints as by certain bonds, so that it may stand upright and bear the ear burdened with fruit. As the body of the ear is born from the seed, because the power of God skillfully produces the ear from it, so it is not entirely the same as the seed, nor wholly different from it. Thus, according to the Apostle's word, the mystery of the resurrection is interpreted for you through what happens wondrously with seeds. By the surpassing abundance of His authority, the power of God not only restores to you this decomposed seed, but also gives something other, great and beautiful. Through it your nature is brought into greater splendor.

You too are sown like others. Why, then, do you marvel that you will also rise like others? Behold, you trust the seed because you see it, but you do not believe in the resurrection because you do not see it. Yet "blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" (Jn 20:29). Still, before the proper time comes, there is no faith even for the seed, for not every time is suitable for the growth of seeds. At one time wheat is sown, at another it sprouts. At one time a vine is grafted, at another the shoots begin to grow, to be covered with leaves, and to form fruit. At one time the olive is planted. At another, as though bearing the weight of a child and burdened with its offspring of berries, it bends beneath the abundance of fruit.

Everywhere the Apostle used the word "sown," commanding us to believe without doubt that what is sown will sprout. He calls natural what is governed by the soul, and spiritual what is ordered by the Spirit. The worthy will receive such grace many times more abundantly. Therefore what is given now is called an earnest (2 Cor 1:22), because there a much greater grace will be given.

Again the divine Apostle says: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Cor 15:53). And again: "It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body," that is, coarse and mortal, "it is raised a spiritual body" (1 Cor 15:42-44), unchanging, passionless, and subtle, such as the Lord's body was after the resurrection, passing through locked doors, not becoming weary, and needing neither food, sleep, nor drink.

That there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body must not be understood as though the spiritual body were one body and the natural another. Rather, one and the same body is both natural and spiritual. When we are in the world and perform the corruptible works of the flesh, we have natural bodies, because in the world we are enslaved to lawless deeds, as you yourself have partly said. But when we rise, there will no longer be slavery of the soul, but walking by the Spirit. This already has its pledge here, according to Scripture: "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (Gal 5:25). And again, "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Rom 8:13).

Natural is ψυχικόν; spiritual is πνευματικόν. He calls the body natural in its present condition because organic life predominates in it, that is, the processes of nourishment, growth, and reproduction. This is what is properly called soul in the language of the sacred writers. In the future life this very body will become spiritual, because it will be fully subject to the spirit, which is rational and free.

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.

"It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." Among the many meanings joined to the words "natural body" and "spiritual body," it seems most fitting here to understand a passionate body and a passionless body. Our commentators explain these words in this way. Theodoret writes: "The Apostle calls natural what is governed by the soul, and spiritual what is ordered by the Spirit." St. Chrysostom says: "What are you saying? Is this body not spiritual? It is spiritual, but that one will be much more so. Now the great grace of the Holy Spirit often departs when someone falls into grave sins. But then it will not be so. On the contrary, the Spirit will dwell continually in the flesh of the righteous and will rule in it, though the soul will also be present.