1 Corinthians 15:48

48 Such as the earthly man is, such be [and] the earthly men; and such as the heavenly man is, such be also the heavenly men.

1 Corinthians 15:48 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 15:48

As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy
As was Adam's body, so are the bodies of those that descend from him; they are houses of clay, earthly houses of this tabernacle, which rise out of the earth, are maintained by the things of it, and return to it again:

and as is the heavenly, such are,
or will be

they also that are heavenly;
as is the glorious and spiritual body of Christ, the Lord from heaven, as that now is in heaven, and will be when he descends from thence; so will be the bodies of them that are heavenly, that are heaven born souls now, are partakers of the heavenly calling, and whose conversation is in heaven; and who, in the resurrection morn, will have heavenly, spiritual, and glorious bodies, like unto Christ's: so Philo F8 the Jew on those words, "and man became a living soul", has this note;

``there are two kinds of men, for the one is "the heavenly man", and the other is "earthy"; the heavenly man is he, who is made after the image of God, incorruptible, and wholly devoid of earthy substance; the earthy is made of seminal matter, which is called the ground.''


FOOTNOTES:

F8 Leg. Allegor. l. 1. p. 46.

1 Corinthians 15:48 In-Context

46 But the first is not that that is spiritual [But not first was that body that is spiritual], but that that is beast-like, afterward that that is spiritual.
47 The first man of earth is earthly; the second man of heaven is heavenly [the second man of heaven is heaven-like].
48 Such as the earthly man is, such be [and] the earthly men; and such as the heavenly man is, such be also the heavenly men.
49 Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly man, bear we also the image of the heavenly man [bear we and the image of the heavenly].
50 Brethren, I say this thing, that flesh and blood be not able to wield the kingdom of God, neither corruption shall wield uncorruption. [Brethren, I say this thing, that flesh and blood may not wield the kingdom of God, neither corruption shall wield incorruption.]
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.