With What Kind of Body are the Dead Raised?

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-34, Paul argues for the reality of our resurrection on the basis of Christ’s resurrection.  Beginning in verse 35, Paul continues his argument by answering another possible objection to the resurrection of the dead: If you bury a body and it decomposes, then “how will we be raised?  With what kind of body?”

The Greeks did not reject the afterlife; they believed in the immortality of the soul.  However, they saw the human body as perishable, dishonorable and weak and so rejected resurrection!  These Greek ideas were influencing the Corinthians, so Paul continues to correct their misunderstanding about the body and resurrection.  In 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, Paul now argues that evidences for the resurrection are all around them in creation if they just look!  They are simply fools for not noticing (15:36)!

God has purposed to give us a new resurrection body (15:36-38). Death is NOT the final word; new life awaits us just as new life comes from a seed that is put in the ground (15:36-38).  To be sure, the seed that is planted is NOT the plant that grows from it (15:37); however, the plant that grows from it is of the same kind as the seed that is planted.  This process (farming AND resurrection) is designed and purposed by God (15:38).

In other words, our present body goes into the ground (like the seed) and decomposes; BUT death is not the last word, for God has purposed to give new life in a different, resurrection body.

Our resurrection body will be different, more glorious than our earthly body (15:39-43). God has purposed different bodies with differing glories – earthly/heavenly.  The God who created different kinds of flesh will give us a different resurrection body (15:39-40).  And just as different bodies (earthly/heavenly) have different glories, so also our resurrection body will be of a different glory than our earthly body-it will be more glorious (15:40-42):

Our earthly body will be buried as perishable,
but our heavenly body will be raised imperishable (15:42).

Our earthly body will be buried in dishonor,
but our resurrection body will be raised in glory (15:43).

Our earthly body will be buried in weakness,
but our resurrection body will be raised in power (15:43).

The hope of the resurrection (when we will receive a more glorious body) helps us to understand that our present sufferings in this body (sickness, dismemberment, disfigurement, disability, . . .) are preparing us for the glory that is to come.  Our present sufferings are slight, momentary afflictions when you compare them to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us which is  beyond all comparison (2 Cor. 4:16-18)!

On the other hand, the promises of the prosperity gospel (health and wealth) and of heaven on earth do not prepare us for glory!  They only work to keep our minds and hearts rooted in this world and discourage us from longing for Christ’s return when we will receive our new body.

Since God has purposely designed that our sufferings prepare us for the glory to come, let us then NOT waste our suffering!  Let us hope in Christ and the resurrection, for this hope allows us to count it all joy when we suffer various trials and to rejoice in God’s grace as He is working out in us what He has predestined to do – use ALL THINGS to conform us to the image of His Son, Christ (Romans 8:28-30)!