Star in Splendour - 1 Corinthians 15:35-54
Introduction:
The human personality is described as a worm (Job 25:6), as an atom in the natural universe (Psalm 8:4) and a grasshopper (Isaiah 40:22), smoke, grass (Psalm 90:5-6, 103:15), flower (Psalm 103:15-16) and passing clouds, etc.,
Regarding the resurrection, some denied resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12) and many didn’t understand the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:35).
Daniel foresees the resurrection in Daniel 12:2, Jesus taught on resurrection in John 5:28, 29 and Paul in his oration (Acts 24:15).
What will be the form, the shape, the size, of the new body?
Will all the matter going to be recollected, and to constitute a colossal frame? will be the same?
Will aged will be raised as aged, young as young, infancy will be in the same state, and remain such forever?
will bodies be gross, material, and needing support and nourishment, or, that there will be a new organization?
will resurrect bodies eat or drink, or beget children, as the natural bodies do?
How then can they rise again after the body moulded into dust?
If it is a different body, how can the personal identity be preserved?
Paul puts three answers to all these questions. It will be an imperishable body; it will be a glorious body and it will be a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:42 (vv. 50 - 54) An Imperishable Body
Paul says that the resurrected body would be an imperishable body. He knew that right now what we have possessed is a body made of dust, clay and chemicals of the earth. It has blood and flesh. It has bones and sinews.
God intended to create an imperishable body. He did it in Genesis 1:26-27. “Let us make the man” and “God created man in his own image or in the image of God”.
But in fact, “God formed man” (Genesis 2:7, Psalm. 103:14) from the dust of the ground and breathed in his nostrils. Now man is dust. “For dust you are and to dust, you will return” (Genesis 3:19). The dust returns to the dust (Ecclesiasticus 12:7).
The imperishable body became a perishable body by the disobedience of Adam. Now by the obedience of Christ the perishable body going to wear the imperishable character.
1 Corinthians 15:43 The Glorious Body
Hebrews 2:6-8 expresses that God made the man a little lower than angels. But crowned him with glory and honour and put everything under his feet.
1 Corinthians 11:7 man is the image and glory of God. We are renewed day by day inwardly (2 Corinthians 4:16).
The resurrected body will be like an angelic body (Luke 20:36). Angels are beyond sex, gender and beings. The angels eat the bread of heaven, Manna (Psalm 78:25).
Moses and Elijah appeared in glorious splendour at the mount of transfiguration, their identities are established (Luke 9:30-31, Mathew 17:3). Abraham and Lazarus’s identities were established (Luke 16:23).
1 Corinthians 15:44-49 The Spiritual Body
Angels were spiritual beings with a spiritual body (Hebrews 1:7). The man was created with the spirit of God (Job 32:8).
Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He was in the human form. He died and buried. The third day he rose again with the same body, resurrected body (Luke 24:3, 23).
After the resurrection, Jesus walked talked and went in to stay with them. He prayed, took bread, broke it and gave it to them. They were not able to recognize him while on the road but now able to do at the table (Luke 24:15-16, 29-31. a, 16 & 31.b).
The burial cloth was folded up and kept one side (John 20:7). Jesus came and stood among the disciples in the door locked room (John 20:19, 26). He challenged Thomas to test him. Thomas saw the resurrected Jesus (John 20:27-28).
Jesus appeared to the twelve and others. He told them to look at his hands, feet. He asked them to touch and see. He declared that the ghost does not have flesh and bones. Jesus had flesh and bones; he ate the broiled fish (Luke 24:37-42). The word of God says that the flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).
