1 Corinthians 15:44 Commentary and Bible Study

You could read for understanding’s sake here, ‘It is sown an animal body.’ Of course that is not strictly true. We are so much higher than the animals. In our bodies we have a soul; we have the power of reason; we have spiritual potential. The soul is dormant, but it can be brought to life by the Spirit of God. We have a conscience. We are not entirely comprised of just an animal body, but this wording gives the sense. It is sown as a body adapted to this world. I need food; I need air; I need water; I need sympathy sometimes. I need help always. I need all this, because I am adapted to earth, and I need all kinds of things to assist me. You have a soul, but when you are buried, your soul is gone. If you are a Christian, it has gone to the paradise of Christ. As for your body, well, it is a natural body. It had life, but it had animal life. Considered apart from your soul, your body could never sail into heaven. It was not equipped for eternity. It was a body adapted for this present world only. But it is raised a spiritual body, without any of those dependencies without any of those needs. It is a spiritual body. What does that mean? It is a body adapted to heaven, with all manner of capacities which we do not yet understand. It is a body, yes – physical and tangible; but with a spiritual aspect and dimension to it also, fitted and constituted for eternal glory. Even apart from the immortal soul, the body itself becomes immortal and endued by and infused with spiritual power. How different it will be, is indicated by Christ’s ability to appear and disappear at will in showing himself to his disciples. Are you a gourmet? Do you think heaven is eternal feasting? Well it is metaphorically, but literally, we may be disappointed to hear that we will not need breakfast, dinner and tea. We won’t need fuel or any of these things, because our bodies, though very physical, will also be spiritual, and adapted to the heavenly-earthly, eternal hereafter. They will not be poor dependent things, dependent on provision from earth anymore. But you say, there are all the fruits either side, of the river of God. Yes, but these are metaphors. You don't need anything to sustain you, because you have a physical-cum-spiritual body now. There is an animal body, says Paul, and there is a spiritual body. There has been a change, which makes it completely compatible with the spiritual world. It is physical, and yet it spiritual. There is a physical earth, but heaven will somehow be merged with it. It is spiritual as well. It is beautiful and wonderful, beyond all power of human description. And our resurrection body is suited and adapted for that.