The Resurrection Body - part 2

Life, Death and Life After Death
The Resurrection Body - part 2
I Corinthians 15:35-49

What Is Eternal Life?

• Jesus brought clarity about the definition of eternal life and provided the means to obtain it.
  
• John 17:3
  “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

How Do We Know What We Know?

• We need to ask concrete questions
  
• We are to combine faith, reason, and imagination
  
• Begin with real data: Divine revelation
  
• Use earthly analogies (they are only just that!)
  
• Remember the humility of learned ignorance

I Corinthians 15:35-58

• Our Resurrection Bodies
  
• Vs 35 – The question is stated
  
  • Vs 38 – By Divine power!
    
• It is answered:
  
  • Vss 36-38 – In similarity
    
  • Vss 39-41 – By application
    
  • Vss 42-49 – Then, by explanation
• Our Resurrection Bodies
  
• Three considerations:
  
  • The Seed Sown
    
  • Degrees of Glory
    
  • Seven Contrasts

Resurrection Similarities – Vss 36-38

• As a seed
  
• Genesis 3:19 – Dust to dust –
  
  • Burial is a testimony to the hope of resurrection
    
  • In contrast to its wide usage among the Greeks and Romans
    
  • Embalming is mentioned only in the burial accounts of Jacob and Joseph (Genesis 50:2-3, 26)

Degrees of Glory – Vs 41

• There will be a varying degrees of glory
  
• Matthew 13:43 “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
  
• Daniel 12:3 “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.”
• Ancient rabbinical commentaries concerning multiple degrees of glory, which the righteous shall possess in the kingdom of heaven.
  
• They make out seven degrees:—
  
  • The first is possessed by tsaddikim – “the just, who observe the covenant of the holy, blessed God, and subjugate all evil affections”
• The second is possessed by those who are yesharim, the upright; whose delight it is to walk in the ways of God and please him.
  
• The third is for temimim, the perfect: those who, with integrity, walk in the ways of God, and do not curiously pry into his dispensations.
  
• The fourth is for kedoshim, the holy ones; those who are the excellent of the earth, in whom is all God’s delight.
• The fifth is for baaley teshubah, the chief of the penitents; who have broken through the brazen doors, and returned to the Lord.
  
• The sixth is for tinukoth shel beith raban, the scholars and tender ones; who have not transgressed.
  
• The seventh is for chasidim, the godly: and this is the innermost of all the departments.

Seven Contrasts:

• Vs 42 – Sown perishable
  
  • raised imperishable
• Vs 43 – Sown in dishonor
  
  • it is raised in glory
• Vs 43 – Sown in weakness
  
  • it is raised in power
• Vs 44 – Sown a natural body
  
  • it is raised a spiritual body
• Vs 45 – Sown a “first Adam
  
  • raised a “last Adam”
• Vs 45 – Sown a living soul
  
  • raised a life-giving spirit
• Vs 47 – Sown bearing the image of the earth, earthy
  
  • raised bearing the image of the heavenly Man

But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:16