Pastor’s Notes 1 Corinthians 15:57

1 Corinthians 15:57

Our memory verse for this month is proceeded by Paul’s dissertation on the death and resurrection of the saints, speaking of the body he said in part: “It is sown in dishonour; 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. There is a natural body there is a spiritual body.” (v43-44).

When a born-again Christian dies, their body is placed, like a seed. Yet their body is raised in a glorified form like unto Jesus, a glorified body. In death, all physical strength has been drained a dead body is therefore planted in weakness. Nevertheless, for the saint, their body will be resurrected by the power of God. When one of God’s people dies, their body is placed in the grave as a natural body but is raised as a spiritual body. We do not have clear objective examples at hand to study, they are all in heaven. But spiritual bodies do exist. Even as our physical body is the most obvious part of our being now, then it will be the spiritual portion.

Paul makes clear the point. “There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” The word translated as natural (psychikos) literally means ‘having breath.’ It was an idiom referring to the physical body. Paul essentially said, there is a physical body, and likewise there is a spiritual body. We do not fully comprehend this but Paul makes clear it is true. Knowing this makes the prospect of a resurrection certain. Moreover, the analogy Paul presents clearly suggests the spiritual body springs forth from the physical body, even as a new life springs forth from a seed. So it is that Paul confidently writes: “O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? (v55).