The two
questions in verse 35 tell us that some of the Corinthians must have doubted
the idea of the resurrection. So they asked, “How are the dead raised?” “And
with what kind of body do they come?” The
objective of these questions was to challenge the idea of the resurrection. So
in verse 36 Paul began his dealing with the issue by exclaiming, “You fool!” He
was in effect saying, “How foolish can you get!” In raising questions about the
resurrected body (one that is entirely different from one’s present body) is a
failure to see what’s already presented in nature.
So Paul raised
three illustrations to support what he was saying. The first illustration is taken
from the world of agriculture. What Paul was essentially saying is this: The
character of the fruit one harvests is entirely different from the seed that
one sows. The second illustration is taken from the world of the animals. By
looking at the different animals, we can see that they all don’t possess only
one kind of body. Different animals have different bodies. They all don’t look
alike. His point is this: our bodies in the timeless zone of eternity will
certainly be different from our bodies we see in this time zone of earth. The
final illustration is taken from the heavenly bodies. The entire planetary
system, the sun and the stars, all the heavenly bodies are different from each
other. Paul was showing that God did not stereo-type everything. He didn’t make
every heavenly body the same. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that
God has the power to make our resurrected bodies different from the nature of
the bodies we now have on earth.
From the
illustrations, Paul quickly launched into showing the different natures between
the resurrected body and the earthly body. Firstly, he said, the earthly body
is perishable. It can undergo decay. The future resurrected body, on the other
hand, will be imperishable. It will never be subjected to decay. Secondly, the earthly
body is sown in dishonor. When the body is buried at death, it has no right and
capacity to take any riches of the world with it. However, the resurrected body
will be raised in glory. It will be raised in honor by Christ so that we can reign
with Him. Thirdly the earthly body is sown in weakness. It is vulnerable,
needing sustenance and also subjected to wear and tear of life. It can get tired,
thirsty, hungry and sick. The resurrected body, however, will be raised in
power. It will take on a new fabric. It will no longer require sustenance and
will not be subjected to the wears and tears of earthly living. It will have
the eternal durable strength. Fourthly, earthly body is sown a natural body
restricted by physical law of this world. Whereas the resurrected body is a
spiritual body not confined and trapped by nature and the laws that govern it. Finally
verses 45-49, comparing between Adam and Christ, Paul shows us that the present
body is of the dust of the earth and it’s earthly in nature but the resurrected
body is from heaven, no longer trapped by the dimension of the earthly body. We
shall bear the likeness of Christ’s heavenly body.
Let’s pause
and think for a moment. How different should our service for God
be as we are assured of our Saviour’s Resurrection and also the promise of our own
resurrection? What sort of service should we offer to Him now? How
has this hope of the resurrection impacted our daily living?
To God be the glory,
To God be the glory,To God be the glory
For the things He has done.
With His blood He has saved me,
With His power He has raised me,
To God be the glory
For the things He has done.
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