in weakness--liable to infirmities ([2Co 13:4]).
in power--answering to a "spiritual body" ([1Co 15:44]; compare [Lu 1:17], "Spirit and power"). Not liable to the weaknesses of our present frail bodies ([Is 33:24]; [Re 21:4]).
44. a natural body--literally, "an animal body," a body moulded in its organism of "flesh and blood" ([1Co 15:50]) to suit the animal soul which predominates in it. The Holy Spirit in the spirit of believers, indeed, is an earnest of a superior state ([Ro 8:11]), but meanwhile in the body the animal soul preponderates; hereafter the Spirit shall predominate, and the animal soul be duly subordinate.
spiritual body--a body wholly moulded by the Spirit, and its organism not conformed to the lower and animal ([Lu 20:35], ), but to the higher and spiritual, life (compare [1Co 2:14]; [1Th 5:23]).
There is, &c.--The oldest manuscripts read, "IF there is a natural (or animal-souled) body, there is also a spiritual body." It is no more wonderful a thing, that there should be a body fitted to the capacities and want of man's highest part, his spirit (which we see to be the case), than that there should be one fitted to the capacities and wants of his subordinate part, the animal soul [Alford].
45. so--in accordance with the distinction just mentioned between the natural or animal-souled body and the spiritual body.
it is written--([Ge 2:7]); "Man became (was made to become) a living soul," that is, endowed with an animal soul, the living principle of his body.
the last Adam--the LAST Head of humanity, who is to be fully manifested in the last day, which is His day ([Joh 6:39]). He is so called in [Job 19:25]; see on [Job 19:25] (compare [Ro 5:14]). In contrast to "the last," Paul calls "man" ([Ge 2:7]) "the FIRST Adam."
quickening--not only living, but making alive ([Joh 5:21]; , 39, 40, 54, 57, 62, 63; [Ro 8:11]). As the natural or animal-souled body ([1Co 15:44]) is the fruit of our union with the first Adam, an animal-souled man, so the spiritual body is the fruit of our union with the second Adam, who is the quickening Spirit ([2Co 3:17]). As He became representative of the whole of humanity in His union of the two natures, He exhausted in His own person the sentence of death passed on all men, and giveth spiritual and everlasting life to whom He will.
46. afterward--Adam had a soul not necessarily mortal, as it afterwards became by sin, but "a living soul," and destined to live for ever, if he had eaten of the tree of life ([Ge 3:22]); still his body was but an animal-souled body, not a spiritual body, such as believers shall have; much less was he a "life-giving spirit," as Christ. His soul had the germ of the Spirit, rather than the fulness of it, such as man shall have when restored "body, soul, and spirit," by the second Adam ([1Th 5:23]). As the first and lower Adam came before the second and heavenly Adam, so the animal-souled body comes first, and must die before it be changed into the spiritual body (that is, that in which the Spirit predominates over the animal soul).
47. of the earth--inasmuch as being sprung from the earth, he is "earthy" ([Ge 2:7]; 3:19, "dust thou art"); that is, not merely earthly or born upon the earth, but terrene, or of earth; literally, "of heaped earth" or clay. "Adam" means red earth.
the Lord--omitted in the oldest manuscripts and versions.
from heaven--([Joh 3:13], ). Humanity in Christ is generic. In Him man is impersonated in his true ideal as God originally designed him. Christ is the representative man, the federal head of redeemed man.
48. As is the earthy--namely, Adam.
they ... that are earthy--All Adam's posterity in their natural state ([Joh 3:6], ).
the heavenly--Christ.
they ... that are heavenly--His people in their regenerate state ([Php 3:20], ). As the former precedes the latter state, so the natural bodies precede the spiritual bodies.
49. as--Greek, "even as" (see [Ge 5:3]).
we shall also bear--or wear as a garment [Bengel]. The oldest manuscripts and versions read, "We must also bear," or "let us also bear." It implies the divine appointment (compare "must," [1Co 15:53]) and faith assenting to it. An exhortation, and yet implying a promise (so [Ro 8:29]). The conformity to the image of the heavenly Representative man is to be begun here in our souls, in part, and shall be perfected at the resurrection in both bodies and souls.
50. (See on [1Co 15:37]; [1Co 15:39]). "Flesh and blood" of the same animal and corruptible nature as our present ([1Co 15:44]) animal-souled bodies, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore the believer acquiesces gladly in the unrepealed sentence of the holy law, which appoints the death of the present body as the necessary preliminary to the resurrection body of glory. Hence he "dies daily" to the flesh and to the world, as the necessary condition to his regeneration here and hereafter ([Joh 3:6]; [Ga 2:20]). As the being born of the flesh constitutes a child of Adam, so the being born of the Spirit constitutes a child of God.
cannot--Not merely is the change of body possible, but it is necessary. The spirit extracted from the dregs of wine does not so much differ from them, as the glorified man does from the mortal man [Bengel] of mere animal flesh and blood ([Ga 1:16]). The resurrection body will be still a body though spiritual, and substantially retaining the personal identity; as is proved by [Lu 24:39]; [Joh 20:27], compared with [Php 3:21].
the kingdom of God--which is not at all merely animal, but altogether spiritual. Corruption doth not inherit, though it is the way to, incorruption ([1Co 15:36], 52, 53).
51. Behold--Calling attention to the "mystery" heretofore hidden in God's purposes, but now revealed.
you--emphatical in the Greek; I show (Greek, "tell," namely, by the word of the Lord, [1Th 4:15]) YOU, who think you have so much knowledge, "a mystery" (compare [Ro 11:25]) which your reason could never have discovered. Many of the old manuscripts and Fathers read, "We shall all sleep, but we shall not all be changed"; but this is plainly a corrupt reading, inconsistent with [1Th 4:15], , and with the apostle's argument here, which is that a change is necessary ([1Co 15:53]). English Version is supported by some of the oldest manuscripts and Fathers. The Greek is literally "We all shall not sleep, but," &c. The putting off of the corruptible body for an incorruptible by an instantaneous change will, in the case of "the quick," stand as equivalent to death, appointed to all men ([He 9:27]); of this Enoch and Elijah are types and forerunners. The "we" implies that Christians in that age and every successive age since and hereafter were designed to stand waiting, as if Christ might come again in their time, and as if they might be found among "the quick."
52. the last trump--at the sounding of the trumpet on the last day [Vatablus] ([Mt 24:31]; [1Th 4:16]). Or the Spirit by Paul hints that the other trumpets mentioned subsequently in the Apocalypse shall precede, and that this shall be the last of all (compare [Is 27:13]; [Zec 9:14]). As the law was given with the sound of a trumpet, so the final judgment according to it ([He 12:19]; compare [Ex 19:16]). As the Lord ascended "with the sound of a trumpet" ([Psa 47:5]), so He shall descend ([Re 11:15]). The trumpet was sounded to convoke the people on solemn feasts, especially on the first day of the seventh month (the type of the completion of time; seven being the number for perfection; on the tenth of the same month was the atonement, and on the fifteenth the feast of tabernacles, commemorative of completed salvation out of the spiritual Egypt, compare [Zec 14:18], ); compare [Psa 50:1-7]. Compare His calling forth of Lazarus from the grave "with a loud voice," [Joh 11:43], with [Joh 5:25], .
and--immediately, in consequence.
53. this--pointing to his own body and that of those whom he addresses.
put on--as a garment ([2Co 5:2], ).
immortality--Here only, besides [1Ti 6:16], the word "immortality" is found. Nowhere is the immortality of the soul, distinct from the body, taught; a notion which many erroneously have derived from heathen philosophers. Scripture does not contemplate the anomalous state brought about by death, as the consummation to be earnestly looked for ([2Co 5:4]), but the resurrection.
54. then--not before. Death has as yet a sting even to the believer, in that his body is to be under its power till the resurrection. But then the sting and power of death shall cease for ever.
Death is swallowed up in victory--In Hebrew of [Is 25:8], from which it is quoted, "He (Jehovah) will swallow up death in victory"; that is, for ever: as "in victory" often means in Hebrew idiom ([Jr 3:5]; [La 5:20]). Christ will swallow it up so altogether victoriously that it shall never more regain its power (compare [Ho 6:2]; ; [2Co 5:4]; [He 2:14], ; [Re 20:14]; ).
55. Quoted from [Ho 13:14], substantially; but freely used by the warrant of the Spirit by which Paul wrote. The Hebrew may be translated, "O death, where are thy plagues? Where, O Hades, is thy destruction?" The Septuagint, "Where is thy victory (literally, in a lawsuit), O death? Where is thy sting, O Hades? ... Sting" answers to the Hebrew "plagues," namely, a poisoned sting causing plagues. Appropriate, as to the old serpent ([Ge 3:14], ; [Nu 21:6]). "Victory" answers to the Hebrew "destruction." Compare [Is 25:7], "destroy ... veil ... over all nations," namely, victoriously destroy it; and to "in victory" ([1Co 15:54]), which he triumphantly repeats. The "where" implies their past victorious destroying power and sting, now gone for ever; obtained through Satan's triumph over man in Eden, which enlisted God's law on the side of Satan and death against man ([Ro 5:12], 17, 21). The souls in Hades being freed by the resurrection, death's sting and victory are gone. For "O grave," the oldest manuscripts and versions read, "O death," the second time.
56. If there were no sin, there would be no death. Man's transgression of the law gives death its lawful power.
strength of sin is the law--Without the law sin is not perceived or imputed ([Ro 3:20]; ; ). The law makes sin the more grievous by making God's will the clearer ([Ro 7:8-10]). Christ's people are no longer "under the law" ([Ro 6:14]).
57. to God--The victory was in no way due to ourselves ([Psa 98:1]).
giveth--a present certainty.
the victory--which death and Hades ("the grave") had aimed at, but which, notwithstanding the opposition of them, as well as of the law and sin, we have gained. The repetition of the word ([1Co 15:54], ) is appropriate to the triumph gained.
58. beloved--Sound doctrine kindles Christian love.
steadfast--not turning aside from the faith of the resurrection of yourselves.
unmovable--not turned aside by others ([1Co 15:12]; [Col 1:23]).
the work of the Lord--the promotion of Christ's kingdom ([Php 2:30]).
not in vain--as the deniers of the resurrection would make it ([1Co 15:14], ).
in the Lord--applying to the whole sentence and its several clauses: Ye, as being in the Lord by faith, know that your labor in the Lord (that is, labor according to His will) is not to be without its reward in the Lord (through His merits and according to His gracious appointment).
Chapter 16
[1Co 16:1-24]. Directions as to the Collection for the Judean Christians: Paul's Future Plans: He Commends to Them Timothy, Apollos, &C. Salutations and Conclusions.