1 Corinthians 15:48Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"As is the earthy, such also are the earthy"; they likewise perish and die. And, "as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly"; they likewise remain immortal and radiant (1 Cor 15:48).

But did not the latter also die? He died, yet He not only suffered no harm from it, but by this very means destroyed death.

Do you see how here the Apostle confirms the teaching on the resurrection by death itself? When there is, as I said before, a firstfruit and a head, do not doubt concerning the whole body.

Moreover, here he offers an excellent exhortation to virtuous life. He sets forth models both of the lofty and philosophical life and of its opposite, and points to the firstfruits of each: the first in Christ, the second in Adam.

Therefore he did not simply say, from the earth, but "earthy," that is, fleshly and attached to the present.

"As is the man of dust, so also are those of dust." That is, they too will perish and die. Or those who were attached to the earth will die the death of sin. "And as is the heavenly Man, so also are the heavenly." That is, they too will be immortal and glorious. For although the second Adam also died, He died in order to destroy death. Or: those who lived a Godlike life will be glorified as those who think on heavenly things.

The Lord, who was heavenly, became earthly so that the earthly might become heavenly. From immortal He became mortal, taking the form of a servant without changing the nature of the Lord.

He did this so that those who were mortal might become immortal through participation in the Lord's mercy, not through servile abasement.

If the Christian faith does not satisfy you, then say so, for you will not find another Christian faith. There is one man for death, and there is One for life. The first is only man; the second is God and man.

Through the first, the world became an enemy of God. Through the second, the chosen of the world were reconciled to God. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Cor 15:22).

Therefore, if we have borne the image of the earthly, let us also bear the image of Him who is from heaven. Whoever tries to undermine these foundations of Christianity will perish, while they will stand.

As is the earthly man, that is, the one immersed in the works of the earth, so also are the earthly. And as the heavenly One was, so also are the heavenly by their works.

As we became participants in the curse laid upon our forefather made of dust and sharers in his death, so we shall become partakers of the glory of the heavenly Master. For the Apostle said, "Let us be clothed," as a prediction, not as an exhortation.

Thus man is set within the limits of two natures, rational and irrational. When he inclines toward the body and loves bodily things more, he imitates the life of irrational animals and will be numbered with them.

He will be called "earthy" (χοικός), according to the Apostle Paul, and will hear: "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen 3:19). He is compared to senseless beasts and becomes like them (Ps 48:13).

But if he despises all bodily pleasures and submits to reason, he will inherit the divine and blessed life prepared for man. He will be as the "heavenly," according to the saying: "As is the earthy, such also are the earthy; and as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly."

The chief property of rational nature consists in fleeing and turning away from evil, and in pursuing and choosing the good. Literally, the principal property is τõ κεφάλαιον, Latin caput.

From the time Adam became a slave of sin, all men until the end of the age are slaves, except those who are set free by Christ. As it is written: the first man is from the earth, earthy, and further, as is the earthy, such are the earthy.

The second Man is the Lord from heaven, and then: as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly (1 Cor 15:47-48).

What is this earthy man? He is the fornicator, the liar, the evil man, the crafty man, the hypocrite, the loveless man, the resentful man, the covetous man, the robber, the unrighteous man, the vainglorious man, the proud man, the self-conceited man.

Being the same as all men, he thinks of himself that he is somehow above them.

"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." The Stundists dare to apply these words to the Flesh and Blood of Christ, in order to show that they are of little importance and without effect.

But from the preceding and following words it is clear that the Apostle means here the body "sown in corruption" (v. 42), "in dishonor and weakness" (v. 43), the "natural body" (v. 44).

He means the body formed according to the image of the earthy Adam, not according to the image of the Lord from heaven (vv. 47-49). This is the flesh that does not inherit the Kingdom of God. This is why our present body must be changed (v. 51).

"As is the man of dust, so also are those of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are the heavenly." With what verb should the Apostle's statement be completed: "are," "become," or "ought to be"? Children are according to their father, and a generation according to its progenitor. They are, they become, and they ought to be. St. Paul writes the natural history of humanity. We all come into the world according to the first progenitor, but then we are reborn and become as the second Progenitor is. Such we are, and such we ought to be, according to Bishop Theophan.

The root of the difference among natural bodies depends on their generative seed. The same law extends to human beings. They came from Adam, who was endowed with a living soul (see Gen 2:7), and therefore their present body is natural.

Their future life they will receive from Christ, the last forefather of life, in whom the Spirit of God always rested (see Isa 11:2-3; 61:1; cf. Lk 1:35). Therefore, as those born from Him, they will have a spiritual body (cf. Rom 8:11).

This is revealed still more clearly by the fact that Adam was created from the earth, while Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, came down from heaven. Hence it is clear that, as by the first forefather we were earthly, so by the second we are heavenly.

In what sense is this so? Saint Chrysostom says, "According to the earthy, the earthy also are such, that is, all likewise perish and die. According to the heavenly, the heavenly also are such, that is, all likewise remain immortal and radiant."

With what verb should the Apostle's propositions be completed: are, become, or ought to be? Children are according to their father, and a generation according to its forefather. They are so, become so, and ought to be so.

Saint Paul is writing the natural history of mankind. We all come into the world according to the first forefather. Then we are reborn and become such as the second Forefather is.

Such we are, and such we ought to be: spiritual, heavenly, appointed for incorrupt eternal life, whose firstfruits we receive.