1 Corinthians 15:47
The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Having said that the natural was first, and the spiritual afterward, he again states another difference, speaking of the earthy and the heavenly. For the first difference was between the present life and that which is to come: but this between that before grace and that after grace. And he stated it with a view to the most excellent way of life, saying —(for to hinder men, as I said, from such confidence in the resurrection as would make them neglectful of their practice and of perfection, from this topic also again he renders them anxious and exhorts to virtue, saying,)— The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven: calling the whole by the name of man, and naming the one from the better, and the other from the worst part.
1 Corinthians 15:48
As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: so shall they perish and have an end. As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly: so shall they abide immortal and glorious.
What then? Did not This Man too die? He died indeed, but received no injury therefrom, yea rather by this He put an end to death. Do you see how on this part of his subject also, he makes use of death to establish the doctrine of the resurrection? For having, as I said before, the beginning and the head, so he speaks, doubt not of the whole body.
Moreover also he frames hereby his advice concerning the best way of living, proposing standards of a lofty and severe life and of that which is not such, and bringing forward the principles of both these, of the one Christ, but of the other Adam. Therefore neither did he simply say, of the earth, but earthy, i.e., gross, nailed down to things present: and again with respect to Christ the reverse, the Lord from heaven.
- But if any should say, therefore the Lord has not a body because He is said to be from heaven, although what is said before is enough to stop their mouths: yet nothing hinders our silencing them from this consideration also: viz. what is, the Lord from heaven? Does he speak of His nature, or His most perfect life? It is I suppose evident to every one that he speaks of His life. Wherefore also he adds,
1 Corinthians 15:49
As we have borne the image of the earthy, i.e., as we have done evil, let us also bear the image of the heavenly, i.e., let us practise all goodness.
But besides this, I would fain ask you, is it of nature that it is said, he that is of the earth, earthy, and, the Lord from heaven? Yea, says one. What then? Was Adam only earthy, or had he also another kind of substance congenial with heavenly and incorporeal beings, which the Scripture calls soul, and spirit? Every one sees that he had this also. Therefore neither was the Lord from above only although He is said to be from heaven, but He had also assumed our flesh. But Paul’s meaning is such as this: as we have borne the image of the earthy, i.e., evil deeds, let us also bear the image of the heavenly, the manner of life which is in the heavens. Whereas if he were speaking of nature, the thing needed not exhortation nor advice. So that hence also it is evident that the expression relates to our manner of life.
Wherefore also he introduces the saying in the manner of advice and calls it an image, here too again showing that he is speaking of conduct, not of nature. For therefore are we become earthy, because we have done evil: not because we were originally formed earthy, but because we sinned. For sin came first, and then death and then the sentence, Dust thou art, and unto dust shall you return. Then also entered in the swarm of the passions. For it is not simply the being born of earth that makes a man earthy, (since the Lord also was of this mass and lump,) but the doing earthly things, even as also he is made heavenly by performing things meet for heaven.
But enough: for why need I labor overmuch in the proof of this, when the apostle himself goes on to unfold the thought to us, thus saying,
1 Corinthians 15:50
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
Do you see how he explains himself again, relieving us of the trouble? Which he often does: for by flesh he here denotes men’s evil deeds, which he has done also elsewhere; as when he says, But you are not in the flesh: and again, So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. So that when he says, Now this I say, he means nothing else than this: therefore said I these things that you may learn that evil deeds conduct not to a kingdom. Thus from the resurrection he straightway introduced also the doctrine of the kingdom also; wherefore also he adds, neither does corruption inherit incorruption, i.e., neither shall wickedness inherit that glory and the enjoyment of the things incorruptible. For in many other places he calls wickedness by this name, saying, He that sows to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. Now if he were speaking of the body and not of evil doing, he would not have said corruption. For he nowhere calls the body corruption, since neither is it corruption, but a thing corruptible: wherefore proceeding to discourse also of it, he calls it not corruption, but corruptible, saying, for this corruptible must put on incorruption.
- Next, having completed his advice concerning our manner of life, according to his constant custom blending closely subject with subject, he passes again to the doctrine of the resurrection of the body: as follows: