1 Corinthians 15:39-44 meaning

In 1 Corinthians 15:39-44, Paul moves from speaking of seeds as a natural illustration of resurrection to a survey of the varieties of glory in nature, showing that just as God assigns to each thing an essence that reflects its fundamental nature, so it will be with the resurrected body; it will have a different, better essence than the natural body.

In the previous section Paul countered his rhetorical objector's mocking assertion that nature itself counters the notion of resurrection with a doubly mocking refutation that life on earth depends on the principle of resurrection for life itself; the burying of a seed into the earth brings forth life. Paul continues his tour through nature, to further illustrate the point about the superiority of the resurrected over that which was planted.

He already noted the way a vibrant, fruitful plant arises from the planting of a bare grain. Now he expands the principle across the spectrum of God's creation. He begins by noting that each kind God created has its own glory, its own essence, to set up his next point which will be that the resurrection body will have a superior glory to the natural. He starts by noting the differing glories among creatures as well as heavenly bodies:

All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory (vv 39-41).

Within the animate world, flesh comes in kinds: men, beasts, birds, fish (v 39), the same categories Genesis 1:20-27 uses for the fifth and sixth days of creation. Each kind of flesh is engineered for its element; a fish's body suits water, a bird's suits air, and neither could live in the other's realm. Each has its own glory.

The Greek word "doxa" is translated here glory. We can observe from its use in this passage that "doxa" or glory means "the observed essence of something or someone." Stars differ from the moon because they differ in essence. This difference can be observed. And even though all stars belong to the same category, each star differs from every other star. Every star has its own size, color, brightness, and location in the sky, for example.

We can observe the use of "doxa" (glory) to refer to a person's essence in Philippians 3. There Paul speaks of people whose "whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory ['doxa'] is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things" (Philippians 3:19). We can see that the essence of this person is fleshly. They are ruled by their appetite and "set their mind on earthly things." Thus, their "glory"--their essence of character--is one of shame. Their observable behavior is corrupt and shameful.

The flesh of men has fundamental differences in essence from the flesh of beasts. They are closer in nature to one another than a man is to a star, but still differ. The flesh of beasts differs in essence from the flesh of birds. Beasts are earth-bound, while birds fly, a quite fundamental difference in essence that is readily observable.

The fish breathe in water, while men, beasts, and birds all breathe in air. All consume oxygen; that, they have in common. But they differ in essence. The heavenly bodies and earthly bodies (v 40) form a completely different category of creation from men, beasts, birds, and fish. But even within their category, the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another (v 40). The earthly has fundamental differences in essence from that of the moon, even though both are orbiting land masses.

The stars differ completely in nature from that of the moons and planets. But then even among their kind, there is a differing essence from one item to the next. There is another glory of the stars as compared to the moon and earth, but also each star has its own essence; for star differs from star in glory (v 41). 

The language of differing stellar glory also brushes against a promise of a future resurrection glory for believers. Daniel 12:2-3 is arguably the Old Testament's clearest resurrection text. It speaks of "those who sleep in the dust of the ground" awaking: "Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever."

The word "insight" in Daniel 12:3 can also be rendered "wisdom." Jesus likewise promised that when His kingdom comes "the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matthew 13:43).

Scripture associates the resurrection state with radiance, and Daniel's stars suggest that faithfulness in this life bears on brightness in the next, a theme consistent with Paul's teaching that each believer's work will be tested and rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:12-14). This correlates with Revelation 21:23, which infers that in the new earth the unveiled glory of an earth-dwelling God will be bright enough to supplant the need for the sun. It would seem that all believers who dwell in the new earth will need to have the capacity to live in the presence of star-like power in order to survive and thrive.

Paul next combines the analogy of a sown seed resurrecting to new life with the observation that God made each created thing with a differing glory: So also is the resurrection of the dead It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body (v 42).

The phrase, So also, in the phrase, So also is the resurrection of the dead (v 42), ties back to the exposition on glory in the prior verses. The next phrase in verse 42 speaks of how the "seed" of a dead body from this life, a perishable body, is raised an imperishable body in the resurrection. The new body we will receive will be one that does not age and decay; it will last for eternity.

Paul applies the analogy of seeds planted in the ground to the burial of the dead body of a believer in this life on earth. He asserts that each sown body of each believer who dies will be raised with a new kind of essence, a new kind of glory. His explanation that each created thing differs in glory will next be applied to the differing essence of a perishable body from this age and an imperishable body we expect to inhabit in the age to come (1 Corinthians 15:35-41).

He applies the seed analogy to contrast the essence of the body from this life of each believer "planted as a seed" in the burial of physical death to the essence of the body they will receive after resurrection to a new body and a new life. In each case, it refers to a dead physical body from this life:

• it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;
• it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
• it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
• If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body (vv 43-44).

The first pair contrasts it is sown a perishable body with it is raised an imperishable body (v 42): the present body is in a state of progressive decay, aging, weakening, and returning to dust under the sentence of Genesis 3:19, while the raised body is constitutionally beyond decay, incapable of corruption, suited to an inheritance that is "imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away" (1 Peter 1:4).

In the next pair, it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory (v 43). However tenderly conducted, a burial of a dead body is a concession to defeat. It is a result of human failure and the Fall. By contrast, in resurrection the same body rises in glory. The essence of the new body will be restored to God's original design.

The next contrast: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power (v 43). The corpse is the ultimate exhibit of human weakness, able to do nothing at all. The spirit has departed (James 2:26) and can no longer animate the body. It is capable of doing nothing. By contrast, the resurrection body is charged with the power of the age to come, tireless and fully capable of all God gives it to do.

Revelation 21:24 tells us that "The nations will walk by [Jesus, the Lamb's] light and the kings of the earth will bring their glory" into the new Jerusalem in the new earth. This tells us that the power of these new, resurrected bodies given to believers will be productively applied to new endeavors that will bring "glory" to their nations in the new earth.

The fourth contrast names the change beneath the other three: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body (v 44). The Greek adjectives applied to body are "psychikos" (natural), and "pneumatikos" (spiritual).

The noun form of the adjective “psychikos” (natural) is “psyche.” Psyche” occurs over a hundred times in the New Testament. It is translated “soul” about half the time, and “life” in most other instances, but can also be translated as “mind,” as in Matthew 22:37, where Jesus speaks of the greatest commandment. The “psyche” is our unique self, body, mind, and spirit united together.

The noun form of the adjective “pneumatikos” (spiritual) is “pneuma.” “Pneuma” occurs over 350 times in the New Testament and is almost always translated “spirit” or “Spirit” depending on the context of whose spirit is being referred to (God, human, demon, etc.).

1 Corinthians 2:14-15 contrasts the "psychikos"/natural man with the "pneumatikos" of God, saying "a natural ['psychikos'] man does not accept the things of the Spirit ['Pneuma'] of God." This indicates that our current bodies default to things in this life and of this world while our new, resurrected bodies will naturally orient to the things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 goes on to say that the "natural" ['psychikos'] man "cannot understand" spiritual things "because they are spiritually ['pneumatikos'] appraised."

The Greek root "anakrino" translated "appraised" in 1 Corinthians 2:14 is often translated "examined" as in a court of law. The idea is one of putting all the pieces together to gain understanding. Our fleshly nature not only defaults to seeing things apart from God's wisdom, it also is incapable of seeing God's wisdom apart from the Spirit's guidance.

We see in Galatians 5:17 that the flesh and Spirit are in a state of constant combat within the life of a believer. The Spirit and flesh are "in opposition to one another" and the influence of the flesh causes us to "not do the things" that we really want to, because the true essence of a believer is that we are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Putting the pieces together, it would seem that a major hope that any believer can look forward to in being raised with a spiritual body is to leave behind the battle with the flesh and the earthly orientation that is the essence of our natural body.

Thus, a great hope of the Christian life is that when we die, our natural body is sown into the earth, and figuratively is like a seed that will rise to a spiritual body that no longer strives with fleshly desires. The "lust" of James 1:14 that tempts us and leads us into sin will be no more. We will have rest from the battle of resisting the constant pull of that temptation. This deliverance from the presence of the flesh and sin might be a major part of what Paul refers to in Romans 13:11 as the "salvation" that is in our future, the salvation that we are getting nearer to each day from the time when we first believed.

We see in 1 Corinthians 10:3-4 that Israel "all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink." The manna was physical bread, the "spiritual" food identifies its source in the Spirit's provision. In Israel's case, the Spirit was not dwelling within, the Spirit was leading them as a cloud by day and fire by night as well as through Moses who regularly convened with God (Exodus 33:7-11). God's stated purpose for leading Israel through the wilderness was to show them how to live on spiritual sustenance (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4).

When we have a new, spiritual body our time of learning by faith will be finished. The struggle will be past. This will be a great relief and is a blessed hope (1 Corinthians 15:19). However, this fact also points out the reality that it is only in this life that believers have the opportunity to know by faith. We know Jesus said the greatest blessing comes through knowing by faith (John 20:29).

To know God is to gain the greatest experience of life (John 17:3). Therefore, in addition to giving us great hope, this reality of the resurrection should also remind all believers of the precious and amazing opportunity we have in this life only, to know God by faith, and to gain the blessing promised to those who live as faithful witnesses, living apart from fear of rejection and loss (Revelation 1:3, 21:3).

A spiritual body is a real body raised to a new order of life, and Philippians 3:21 promises that Christ "will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory." Paul closes with a statement: If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body (v 44). The planted seed of a deceased natural body is raised to the fruit and productivity of a spiritual body.

The risen Christ, as the first fruits of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:53) defines the category spiritual body. Jesus insisted on His physicality: "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (Luke 24:39), and He ate broiled fish before their eyes (Luke 24:42-43). He was also freed from some former limitations, appearing among the disciples behind shut doors (John 20:19, 26). As Paul already asserted in this section, the spiritual body also differs from the natural body in the sense that it is imperishable and brimming with power.

We can see from Revelation 22:2 that the "leaves of the tree [of life] were for the healing of the nations." Just as the tree of life was a source of immortality in Eden, so it is in the new earth (Genesis 3:22). As we will see in the next section, the first man, Adam "became a living soul" while Jesus, the last Adam, became a "life-giving spirit." Adam became a living "psyche" while Jesus became a life-giving "pneuma." This again shows that the resurrection is real and physical, but of a new order that prepares us to live a new reality in a new glory.

The fact that in the new earth we will live in the unveiled presence of God, whose glory eliminates the need for sunlight, is another indicator that our new bodies have a completely new level of capabilities (Revelation 21:23). We will exchange a flesh-encumbered, earth-focused body that cannot survive being in God's unveiled presence for a new, spiritual body that thrives in God's unveiled presence (Exodus 33:20).