In this chapter we will take a closer look at what the inspired apostle Paul wrote in chapter fifteen of his first epistle to the church at Corinth. In the preceding chapters we have focused on three adjectives that are used to describe the resurrected and glorified bodies of the saints, which are glorious, spiritual, and heavenly. We have seen how these adjectives show that the saints will be beautiful, perfect, powerful, supermen endowed with abilities of angels, divine beings in body and spirit, fully partaking of "the divine nature" (II Peter 1: 4), immortal, and incapable of suffering. With these introductory remarks, let us begin by noticing these words of the apostle:
"35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body."
We have already addressed the two questions above, i.e. 1) how are the dead resurrected? and 2) with what (kind) of body do they come? However, the second question will continue to be the focus in this chapter as it was with the apostle in the chapter in which Paul writes the above words. We will first unpack what may be ascertained by the words "foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies." The first thing that strikes me is the fact that he later says in the chapter - "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet." (vss. 51-52 nkjv)
When the apostle says "we shall not all sleep" he means "we the righteous shall not all die." But, if we must die in order to be resurrected and glorified as Paul said, then those who do not die will not be resurrected. That is true, but it does not mean that those who do not die will not be "changed" (transformed) for the apostle says "but we shall all be changed." Some few will not die, for they will be alive when Christ comes. Of this Paul also wrote about in his first epistle to the Thessalonians, saying:
"13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." (I Thess. 4: 13-17 nkjv)
There will be some of the elect who will be "alive and remain" until the day of the resurrection. These will experience the same transformation of their bodies that the dead bodies of saints will experience through resurrection. Further, this transformation will happen instantaneously as Paul said, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." In that moment the bodies of all saints, whether living or dead, will be transformed and become glorious, spiritual, and heavenly. It will be in one sense the same body but in another sense it will be different. So Paul said:
"And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body."
These comments are designed to answer the question "how are the dead raised and with what body do they come?" Paul calls attention to the transformation that happens to a seed that is buried in the earth. What comes forth from that seed does not look at all like the seed. We could say the same thing about a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. However, the analogy of a seed becoming its final form (fruit, or tree, etc.) is best for it in some ways dies when it experiences "germination." Notice these words of our Lord:
"Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. " (John 12: 24 niv)
This analogy to a kernel of wheat falling to the ground and dying was in order to affirm the resurrection of Christ. Christ refers to germination as dying. That is a mystery. Further, the seed of any kind of plant or vegetation does not resemble what the seed ultimately becomes. An oak tree does not resemble an acorn although it will produce many other acorns.
It seems that some in the church at Corinth did not have too much difficulty believing that a living body may be transformed, however they do seem to have found it difficult to believe a dead body that had decomposed and become dust and ashes could be resurrected and transformed. Yet, again, a belief in the power of God and in his promise is sufficient to overcome this difficulty and unbelief.
So, how will saints recognize each other after the resurrection (or even in the intermediate state) if they have drastically altered appearances? How could you recognize an acorn that has now become a grown tree? This is not an easy question although it is clear that saints will recognize each other. So, two things need to be proven from the scriptures. First, that it is true that saints who knew each other on earth will recognize them in glory. Second, how will they know them if they do not look like they did on earth?
So, what texts do bible teachers bring forth to prove that saved loved ones will be recognized in glory? One passage that I cited in earlier chapters where people who died in the old testament were said to be gathered to their people, which is a comforting thought, but only if one is able to recognize his loved ones. Further, the text cited above from Thessalonians has Paul saying to believers who have lost their saved loved ones that they should be comforted in knowing that Christ will bring their loved ones with him when he returns. That implies that they will know each other.
Recall that Peter, James, and John recognized Moses and Elijah on the holy mount of transfiguration, and this in spite of the fact that those two patriarchs lived centuries before them. They may have had portraits of them (certainly not photographs), but we do not know that. So, the question as to how those three apostles recognized Moses and Elijah is the same question as to how saints who die recognize their deceased saved loved ones, either in the intermediate state or in the resurrection.
Recall Luke 16:19-31 where the rich man recognizes both Abraham and Lazarus in the afterlife. Paul makes it clear that the believers he loved on earth will be his joy in heaven. “For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19). When Paul says this, he clearly anticipates that relations known on earth will continue in heaven. He says he will be joyous to see those he led to Christ in Paradise.
Consider also that we are able to recognize people by the sound of their voices without seeing their faces or bodies. When someone calls us on the telephone, we do not see the faces of our friends or loved ones who are calling, but we recognize their voices. Jesus also spoke of how his sheep recognize him by hearing him speak, for they know his voice. (John 10)
It seems to me that recognition will occur by connecting the glorified saint to something besides bodily appearance. Recall that Jesus was not recognized by the disciples at the first. One of the instances where Jesus was not recognized was Mary Magdalene’s coming to the tomb early in the morning (John 20:15). Instead of recognizing Jesus, she first mistook Him for the gardener. A second instance in which Jesus was not immediately recognized was when the disciples did not recognize Him when they were out fishing (John 21:4). A third instance is when the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) did not recognize Jesus until He broke bread. The latter instance is revealing. It seems that 1) they could not recognize him until he wanted to be recognized, and 2) they recognized him because an occurrence (eating bread with him) made them realize that it was Jesus. So too may it be that way with recognition of saints in heaven.
Though Christ when risen from the dead did not look exactly like he did prior to his death, yet we can surmise that he did not look completely different. After all, we can assume that he did not become dramatically taller or shorter. Perhaps we can assume too that he had the same color eyes and hair (although in the books of Daniel and Revelation he is pictured with white hair). Further, we can assume that his appearance changed greatly when he was glorified for it is doubtful that he shined in his person and raiment when he appeared to the disciples after his resurrection. He no doubt could have, but he chose not to do so. We have already seen how Christ appeared in the Apocalypse when he appeared to the apostle John.
Each saint who experiences bodily transformation is given his own unique body. This is clear from the words of the apostle who said "God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body." So, no saint will look exactly alike, although each will have a glorious, beautiful, heavenly, and spiritual body. Each will have his "own body," a body which will serve as his eternal identity. I am the same person I was when I was born, but I do not look now at sixty eight that I did then. I will be the same person I was on earth, in my body of humiliation, but I will not look the same. All my spots, blemishes, and other defects will be gone. There will be no ugly people among those who have glorious bodies.
Commented Dr. Gill on verse 38:
"Everyone shall have his own, that is, his proper body - a body which shall belong to him, and be suited to him. The wicked shall not rise with the body of the just, or with a body adapted to heaven; nor shall the saint rise with a body adapted to perdition. There shall be a fitness or appropriateness in the new body to the character of him who is raised."
In the next two chapters we will finish our examination of what Paul says about the resurrection of the body in first Corinthians chapter fifteen. Following that we will have a chapter on the resurrection of the bodies of the unjust. Then we will have a chapter or two on the powers of the saints in the ages to come. We will also see how the new covenant will be fully realized by all so that the earth will be filled with only those who know the Lord. We will then have some thoughts on laughter among the people of God and of the ongoing race in the ages to come. We will also have a chapter or two on the question of having "free will" in the ages to come and whether it will be possible for any to choose sin and lose salvation, falling from heaven. In discussing this we will see how God will alter the nature and psychology of his saints and of the people of the ongoing race. What about "original sin"? Will people still be born in sin? We will also look into the question as to what degree of memory will people have of their former lives on earth.
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