THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD Some believe that this chapter is the most important part of this epistle; if not of all the writings of the apostle Paul. In it he presented to us an essay in response to the questions of many concerning the main evangelic truth; namely, the enjoyment of the resurrection from the dead through Christ, the Firstborn of those who have fallen asleep. It lifts us up, from looking at ourselves as weak creatures living in this world, where some other creatures may seem mightier and stronger, to see ourselves in Christ, as the most beautiful creatures of God in the whole universe, who challenge death to stay together with Him eternally in His glory. The sanctification of the church as a whole, and of its members in particular, on all aspects of life, connects with the Eschatological thought, by which we anticipate the resurrection from the dead, and the encounter with our Lord. Hence came the conclusion of the Creed of faith to confirm our sure anticipation of the resurrection from the dead. As the goal of our faith is to be raised and be present eternally with our God. Our belief in the resurrection from the dead challenges, not only the death and the tomb, but even nature itself, to gain what is supernatural. As some of the Corinthians have denied the resurrection of the body; and questioned the possibility of its realization, the apostle Paul presented to us the resurrection of the Lord Christ as a confirmation and a firstborn of our own resurrection from the dead, the firstfruit of the harvest among the dead; and the fellowship of the body with the soul in the eternal glory. In this chapter, as well, he answered four important questions: Is there a resurrection from the dead? (verses 1 to 34) With what body shall we be raised up? (verses 35 to 51) What will be the position of those who will be living when the Lord comes? (verses 51 to 54) What is our practical role through our hope in the resurrection? (verses 55 to 58) The teaching of the apostle came bearing certain strong positive points, of which are the following: (1) He introduced the teaching with a spirit exulting in Christ, risen from the dead, together with a great joy in the spirit of conquest over the last enemy, namely, death. (2) He showed that, although the resurrection is something beyond imagination, yet it is a reasonable teaching. Denying it, on the contrary, would not be acceptable by the sound human logic; as it would make man be like a mere beast that lives only for sometime, then eternally comes to an end. (3)The apostle confirmed that the resurrection is set upon an elaborate divine ordinance and system: Christ is the firstborn of those who fall asleep; to be followed by the righteous believers; The devil with his hosts would be punished eternally, to bring everything to an end. On another aspect, every believer will have his designated glory, according to his response to the exalted grace of God. In this epistle the apostle gave the following answers to two questions: What, if Christ has not been raised from the dead? 442 The Scripture would be vain (14) There would be no atonement to our sins (17 There would be no hope after the grave (18, 19) There would be no divine power in life (Galatians 2: 20; Philippians 3: 10; Colossians 3: 1) We would have no Living Savior (Acts 5: 30-31) Christ would not be declared the Son of God with power (Romans 1: 4) There would be no Head to the church (Matthew 16: 18; Ephesians 1: 22; 2: 20) What, if there is no resurrection from the dead? Christ would not have risen from the dead (13). We would be still in our sins (17). For without the resurrection, there would be no proof that God the Father has received the sacrifice of Christ for our sins. Our faith would be vain (14). For without the resurrection, there would be no place for faith nor hope. Our preaching would be vain (14). For without the resurrection, there would be no place for the gospel as a whole; We would be worshipping a dead Christ; There would be no good news. We would be found false witnesses (15) There would be no hope for those who have fallen asleep (18) We would be of all men the most pitiable (19) 1- The resurrection of Christ and the Creed of faith 1 - 11 2- The resurrection of Christ is the foundation of our resurrection 12 - 19 3- The resurrection of Christ is a guarantee of our resurrection 20 4- The resurrection of Christ is a divine treatment of our fall 21 - 23 5- The resurrection and challenging death 24 - 26 6- Our eternal situation 27 - 28 7-The resurrection of Christ and the new motives 29 - 34 8- The risen body 35 - 44 9- We will bear the image of the heavenly Man 45 - 50 10- The last trumpet 51 – 58 1- THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND THE CREED OF FAITH: Dealing with the issue of the resurrection from the dead, the apostle does not see in the resurrection just an important element of our creed of faith, but see it as the backbone of our faith; As the goal of the gospel is the enjoyment of the resurrection that was realized by the death of Christ for the sake of our sins; to proclaim that He is greater than our sins, and mightier than death; granting us the resurrection by His resurrection. This is the gospel of our salvation, resurrection, and our heavenly glory. 443 Some Corinthians have denied the resurrection from the dead, with the assumption that talking about it was only symbolic; like what ‘Hymenaeus’ and ‘Philletus’ did, saying “the resurrection is already past” (2 Timothy 2: 18); As some heretics proclaimed that it is just a change in the way of life; And as some of them denied it completely, on account that it is difficult for the reason or science to accept it,. The resurrection from the dead was for a long time, a stumbling block to philosophers, and still is to the contemporary thought movements, like the ‘Humanists’. God allowed for the presence of such deniers of the resurrection, so that the apostle Paul would present to us such a living portrait of the importance of belief in the resurrection from the dead on a living basis, and such a true testimony to support the successive generations. “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, and in which you stand” (1) Calling the Christian Corinthians “brethren”, Paul sets the foundation for the most important of his successive proofs; that we became brethren through the work of Christ in His life on earth, and His death. And after all that, What is the gospel but a message that God has become man, was crucified, and resurrected? That is what the angel Gabriel proclaimed to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1: 26-38), what the prophets preached the world; and what all the apostles truly proclaimed1. (St. John Chrysostom) What the apostle presents to them is not a new teaching, but he is reminding them of what he has previously preached them, and what they accepted; having been the one who founded the church there (Acts 18: 1). The apostle Paul confirms to them that what he presents to them is the same gospel he received and delivered to them before. His preaching is set upon the unchangeable God’s word, the eternal truth. That is the steadfast foundation in which they stand, which, if taken away, they would fall. Belief in the resurrection from the dead is the foundation of Christianity, which, if anyone doubts, his whole soul being, faith in God, and hope in heaven, would all fall. He presented to them the gospel as good news, that started with the first coming of Christ to present salvation, and will be consummated by His ultimate coming, and our resurrection, to enjoy the fruit of His salvation work eternally. The Corinthians were in no need to be given this teaching, as they have already received it; but they were in need of being reminded of it, and of correcting their understanding of it2. (St. John Chrysostom) The gospel which the apostle Paul preaches is: “Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day” (3, 4). “In which you stand” (1). The subject of our gospel or preaching is the enjoyment of the resurrection from the dead; If we abide in it, in it we stand and would never fall; And our standing in the gospel would become the deposit of the eternal life. By saying: “In which you stand”, the apostle shows his astonishment, how, after receiving this teaching, and on which their church, hope, and spiritual growth stand, they again, tend to deny. By doing that they are destroying all what he, and all the others have 1 In 2 Cor., Hom. 38: 2. 2 In 2 Cor., Hom. 38: 2. 444 built, what they have strived for, and what they have enjoyed of divine grace and blessings. “By which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you – unless you believed in vain” (2) He did not say “you were saved”, but “you are saved”; for salvation is a present and a continuous work, which we enjoy, as long as we remember and practically practice our upright faith. Here, the apostle Paul tells the Corinthians that in case they diverge from his teaching, and in particular, faith in the resurrection from the dead, on which his teaching is founded, they will lose all what they believed1. (Father Ambrosiaster) The resurrection of the body is the whole subject of the message of our gospel; without which, all the works of our prayers and fasting would become meaningless2. (Pelagius) “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture” (3) The apostle did not say: “what I taught you”, and “what I was taught”, but “what I delivered to you”, and, “what I received”. As the teachings of the resurrection, and of all Christianity, are not merely a collection of mental teachings, in which we are convinced, and which we believe, but they are ‘life’, that we are delivered, receive by our hearts, minds, and feelings, and interpreted in our words and behavior. Look at how he calls on them to testify to the issues he utters. He did not say: “which you heard”, but “which you received”, seeking from them to consider them as a kind of deposit they have received, have been delivered, not only through the word, but also by works, signs, and miracles, and are commited to keep them safe3. (St. John Chrysostom) St. John Chrysostom notices that the apostle did not say “which I have learned”, but “which I have received”, by which he confirms two things: the first is that he says nothing on his own; and the second is that what we are taught or what we know, is portrayed through work and not through mere words. The apostle confirms that the source of teaching is Christ Himself, and not any man4. What the apostle received, and what he delivered as a deposit to them, is that “Christ was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of out justification” (Romans 4: 25). He presented Himself a sacrifice for the sake of the forgiveness of our sins; And the Father, by the resurrection, declared its acceptance, and His pleasure with us. The death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection are therefore the essence of the evangelic Truth. According to the Scripture” Having clarified that the resurrection from the dead is the backbone of our faith, the apostle confirms its truth, by confirming that the death of the Lord Christ and His 1 CSEL 81: 164. 2 PL 30: 763. 3 On 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 2. 4 CF. in 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 2. 445 resurrection from the dead is a realization of the prophecies of the Old Testament (1-4), and the testimonies of the eye witnesses (5-11). This truth was previously prophesied by men of the Old Testament that presented symbols of it like Jonah in the belly of the great fish (Matthew 12: 40); and the offering of Isaac as a sacrifice (Hebrew 11: 19); Then our gospel came in harmony and consummation of the prophesies, the symbols, and the shadows of the evangelic Truth. By saying: “according to the Scripture”, he shows that the death of Christ as an atonement sacrifice, and His resurrection for our justification, is not something new, but something immensely coveted by men of the old Covenant, and prophesied (See Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Daniel 9: 26; Zechariah 12: 10; Psalm 16; Luke 24: 26, 46). Isaiah said: “He was led as a Lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53: 7); etc. And the Book of Revelation adds that He was slain (by His own will) before the foundation of the earth (13: 8); And the Book of Deuteronomy (28: 66) says: “Your life shall hang in doubt before you, with no assurance of your life”; all of which were written in the future tense, lest the wicked would say that they do not apply to the Lord Christ1. (Ambrosiaster) The evils of the sinners are not greater than the righteousness of Him who died for their sake. The sins committed were not greater than the justice that was realized when He delivered His life for our sake2. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) One died for all; that we live sanctified, to enjoy life through His blood; and be justified as a gift we enjoy by His grace3. (St. John Chrysostom) He did not say Christ died’, although that would be enough to proclaim His resurrection, but he added: “… for our sins” 4. “And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (4) The Lord Christ was buried in a grave, which, for Him, was not a place for corruption, but was a way to life (Acts 2: 26-28). The prophet Hosea refers to the resurrection of the Lord Christ on the third day (Hosea 6: 2). “He was buried”: This is to confirm that Christ truly died the human death. Then again, the apostle Paul sends us back to the holy Scriptures to learn that it was not without cause, nor haphazardly, that those things happened. As how could they be, when many prophets referred to them beforehand5?! (St. John Chrysostom) Paul reminds us that we should confess the ways of Christ’s death and resurrection in a literal way, and elaborately according to the testimony of the Scripture, so that our understanding of His death would conform with that of the apostles…. He did that to 1 CSEL 81: 164-65. 2 Catechesis 13. 3 Letter 41: 11. 4 In 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 2. 5 In 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 4. 446 spare us being swept by the winds of vain debates, lest, into us the wrong views would secretly crawl1. (St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitier) The testimony of eyewitnesses: After introducing the testimony of the prophets and events of the Old Covenant, he now introduces that of several actual eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Christ, or of Christ risen from the dead. He presents five apparitions prior to that of the Lord Christ to him personally: To the apostle Peter (Cephas) To the twelve apostles To five hundred brethren at once To the apostle James alone To all the apostles just before He ascends to heaven Finally to him last of all. After referring to proofs from the Holy Scriptures, he adds proofs from the actual events as testimony to the resurrection. After referring to the prophets, he mentioned the apostles and other believers2. (St. John Chrysostom) “And that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve” (5) He referred to the apostles as “the twelve”; while in certain other versions like the Syrian, the Slavon, and the Volgata, beside some writings by the fathers, they were referred to as “the eleven”. Anyway the expression “twelve” does not mean here the figure 12, but bears a reference to the apostles as a group together; having been so called even after the betrayal of Judas, whose place was later on taken by a twelfth apostle – Matthias – who was most probably with them during the events of the resurrection and ascension (Acts 1: 22-23), The apostle Paul did not refer to all the eyewitnesses of the resurrection; but only to those trusted by the Corinthians, most of whom were still living, to give them the chance of asking them what they did see. He started by the apostle Peter, then the rest of the apostles; but he did not refer to the Marys, even to St. Mary, the mother of God; as they would not have a chance of meeting any of them. The Holy Book tells us that He appeared first to Mary of Magdalene (Mark 16: 9). But when He appeared to men, He did to those by whom He demanded to be seen. It is to be noticed that Matthias was not yet added to them except after the ascension. Anyway, it so seems that the apparitions of Christ continued even after His ascension to heaven. Here Paul does not designate the timing, but the experience3. (St. John Chrysostom) “After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep” (6) In Matthew (28: 10), the Lord Christ risen from the dead demanded from His disciples to go to Galilee where they could see Him; an encounter to which none of the 1 Trinity 10: 67. 2 In 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 5. 3 In 2 Cor., Hom. 38: 5. 447 other evangelist referred. There, in the Galilee He spent most of the time of His ministry, and where He has chosen most of His disciples. That encounter most probably took place on Mount Tabor in Galilee, as it came in the church tradition, where most of His public apparitions were realized, according to His promise (Matthew 26: 32; 28: 7, 10, 16). That location was chosen far from Jerusalem, as it was not possible, nor safe, for such a number to get together in the capital after the events of the crucifixion. That was not recorded by the gospels; yet Paul most probably knew it from those who were present1. (Ambrosiaster) The expression “have fallen asleep” refers to the departure of the saints who, on one aspect, receive death as a temporary comfort which brings them forth to the eternal comfort. They die in deep peace and calm, as though entering into their own beds to sleep and have rest. On another aspect, this expression bears hope for the anticipated resurrection; as though it is an act of waking up from sleep (see John 11: 11; 1 Corinthians 11: 30). Paul does not say that “some have died”, but “have fallen asleep”, confirming by that the truth of resurrection2. (St. John Chrysostom) “After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles” (7) The apostle Paul did not tell the location nor the circumstances of that encounter; but it is clear that he is talking about the younger James, brother of the Lord (Galatians 1: 19) who was still alive, According to the false gospel of the Hebrews, it came that James vowed not to eat bread after drinking the cup of the Lord (on the great Thursday), until he sees the lord risen from the dead. By the time this epistle was written, the other James, the brother of John, has already fallen asleep (Acts 12: 1); The real reason for Paul to mention James in particular, was because he heard the testimony of the Lord’s resurrection from his own mouth; saying that he saw none ofthe other apostles except James, the brother of the Lord (Galatians 1: 19). “After that He was seen by James” (7), most probably the lord’s brother, whom, according to tradition, the lord Himself ordained a Bishop over Jerusalem3. (St. John Chrysostom) As to saying: “all the apostles”, he probably means here the seventy disciples (Luke 10), beside the twelve apostles. He probably refers to His encounter with them at the Sea of Galilee (John 21: 14); to whom, gathered together, He continued to appear during the forty days between His resurrection and His ascension. The apostles referred to here include the seventy disciples beside the twelve4. (St. John Chrysostom) “Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one untimely born” (8) 1 CSEL 81: 166. 2 In 2 Cor., Hom. 38: 5. 3 In 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 5. 4 In 2 Cor., Hom. 38: 5. 448 “He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve” (5). So if you do not believe the testimony of one, you have twelve beside him. “After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once” (6). So if they still do not believe the twelve, let them hear the testimony of five hundred persons. “After that He was seen by James” (7), His brother, and the first Bishop of Jerusalem. And if you still doubt the testimony of His own brother, he added, “He was seen by me also” (8). But who is “me”? I Paul His enemy, who was first His persecutor; but now I preach the good news of His resurrection1. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) If he says: ‘you have to believe me when I say that Christ is risen from the dead; I have seen Him; I who is more worthy than any other; having labored more than all of them’; they would have shut their ears. But now, having dealt with the subjects and the accusations against his person, and having taken away what could disturb them concerning it, he paved the way for them to believe his testimony2. (St. John Chrysostom) As was his custom, the apostle Paul finds a chance to show his humility, by considering himself like one untimely born, in the moments of his encounter with Christ risen from the dead. While still opposing, persecuting, and slandering, he was called to faith at a time he did not expect, and in a way he did not imagine. Counting himself as one untimely born, who should be cast away; the divine One risen from the dead granted him a new life and a new birth. He probably called himself as one untimely born, on account that this usually happens suddenly, in an unexpected way, and before the proper time of birth. That was how his transformation to the Christian faith happened suddenly, on his way to Damascus, not expectedly by him, nor by the church, nor by the Jews. He mentioned his encounter with Christ risen from the dead, that happened after His ascension to heaven, to confirm that what the apostles and the disciples have seen was not a shadow nor a vision, but was the true Person of the Lord Christ. And by that same body with which He resurrected, He appeared to the apostle Paul, and spoke to him; An appearance that was equally, not a vision nor a dream, but a true apparition of the Person of the Savior, who ascended to heaven. By “the one untimely born”, Paul also means that he was untimely born again; having been delivered his apostleship from Christ after His ascension to heaven3. (Ambrosiaster) Paul compares himself here has aborted fetus as another takes it as if he was not born fully4. Theodoret of cyrus “Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one untimely born” (8). This expression shows humility more than anything else; As it is not on account of that he was the least; Because even if He did appear to him the last of all, yet He appeared to 1 Lect. Catechesis 14: 22. 2 In 1Cor., Hom. 38: 6. 3 CSEL 81: 167. 4 Comm. On 1 Cor., 266. 449 him in a way more amazing than His apparition to those before him; Yes more amazing than all1! Although Paul was the last of all, yet not the least; as his splendor was more than many who preceded him; greater than all2. (St. John Chrysostom) “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (9) He counted himself the least of the apostles. In his depths, he felt that he is not worthy of this call, nor of this title; yet at the same time he does not disregard the gifts of God that he enjoyed at the hands of his Savior, nor his strife, labor, and sufferings for the sake of the ministry, by which he says: “I am not all inferior to the most eminent apostle” (2 Corinthians 11: 5). In other words, the apostle Paul, always remembering his past, to walk with the spirit of humility; he does not forget to offer, every day a perpetual sacrifice of thanksgiving for God’s goodness to him, beside a sacrifice of a contrite heart, not despised by God, bound to the perpetual sacrifice of thanksgiving that would open before him the gates of heaven to profit with no limits. He counted himself not worthy to be called an apostle because he has been a serious persecutor of the church of God , namely, the church of Christ, something that none of the other apostles did. And although his persecution of the church was out of ignorance, was forgiven by God, and was even chosen to be an apostle, yet he, himself, encountered a great difficulty to forgive himself what he has committed. He counted himself as not worthy to be called an apostle, not out of lack of qualifications, nor of possibilities to testify; but because of that great crime he committed, a feeling of guilt which never quit him. God allowed that for him, to create in him the spirit of humility, and the feeling of unworthiness. Referring to it gives more credibility to his personal testimony, as a previous opponent of the evangelic truth, and the persecutor of the Person of Christ in His church; something he would not be able to do without being absolutely sure of the resurrection of the Lord and His ascension to heaven. He called himself “one untimely born” (8), and “the last of all”, a great and exalted position on his part. And although he calls himself “the least of the apostles”; yet he was given the grace to preach among the Gentiles about the inexpressible riches of Christ3. (St. John Chrysostom) By calling himself “the least of the apostles”, Paul presents to us a lesson in humility4. (St. Augustine) He was the “least”, on account of being “the last” time-wise, and not because he was inferior to the others in any way. (Ambrosiaster) 1 In 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 5. 2 In 2 Cor., Hom. 38: 5. 3 In Ephes., Hom. 7. 4 Sermons on New Testament Lessons, 27: 3. 450 He, who endured prison, wounds, and strikes; … he who caught the world in the net of his epistles; … he who was called to apostleship by a heavenly voice; says with humility: “I am the least of the apostles”, and, “I am not worthy to be called an apostle” 1. Although he is sure that he was forgiven his previous persecution of the church, yet what he did was a disgrace he would never forget; from which he learned the greatness of Gods grace on him2. How could you, who are most jealous on the law of your fathers; you, who were raised at the feet of Gamalael; … how could you persecute it?! When the tax-collectors, and those who used to spend their life, earning their bread fishing at the shores of the lakes and rivers, have all received the gospel?!... That is why the apostle Paul condemned himself, saying: “I am not worthy to be called an apostle” (8). He confess his ignorance that produced in him that lack of faith3. (St. John Chrysostom) “But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (10) The apostle is not denying God’s gifts to him, for what he has reached is the product of the divine grace. We are nothing, but it is God’s grace that made us what we are, the children of God, filled of holy zeal, inflamed by the Spirit, working by the spirit of strength and not of failure. The apostle got the grace of apostleship, not through his own wisdom or planning, but as a free gift through the divine grace that accompanied him, and granted him the possibility of the apostolic work. Repeating the expression “the grace of God” three times in the same phrase, confirms the extent of his preoccupation with it; as there is no subject that preoccupied the mind of the apostle Paul in all his writings, like “the grace of God”, the only cause of his exalting and even miraculous transformation, that brought upon him the amazing salvation of God, renewed his nature, granted him the continuous growth, and that supported him to endure the labors and sufferings, for the sake of God, more than any other apostle. Now, whenever he refers to himself and to the other apostles, he always referred to the grace of God, the source of all what they have accomplished. Having been granted the grace of God, he utterly accepted the crucifixion of the ‘ego’, to say: “yet not I” (10); to let the grace with and in him work, to grant him a strong new will, and an exalted possibility to work. The grace of God did not rob him his living role in strife, as he has been more diligent than any other in preaching, enduring and responding to the persistent troubles, as is evident from the records of his life. Yet this fact did not lead him to pride nor selfesteem, for he still remembers his disgraceful past, not to destroy his soul, but that, by humility, he could work stronger, and turn every success he realizes in his life into a praise of thanksgiving to God. 1 On Repentance 5: 29. 2 In 2 Cor., Hom. 38: 6. 3 In Titus, Hom. 3. 451 Paul says all that to show that despite the greatness of his past sins, and his unworthiness, the grace of God was not given to him in vain (Ambrosiaster) “I labored more abundantly than they all” (10). “He who is clothed in purple and fine linen, and fares sumptuously every day of his life” (Luke 16: 19); He who avoid the labor necessary to reach virtue, will find the eternal life far away from him, when he suffers in the fire of the furnace1. (St. Basil) Fondly, and with the eyes of faith, all who are in the city of God, will look at such a great man – Paul, the wrestler for Christ, who was anointed and taught by Christ Himself; who, together with Him, he was nailed to the cross; and through him he was glorified. Such a man became a an amazing spectacle to angels and men; by a canonical strife he entered on the stage of this world, and persisted to the end, to gain the crown of his heavenly call2. (St. Augustine) Having been so humble, why would he boast his labor?! He was committed to do so, to justify his right to the trusted testimony as a teacher3. Paul, well known to you, who labored and triumphed abundantly in his battles against the devil; who physically roamed the earth, the ocean, and the air; and circled the world as though with wings; who was stoned, and scourged; who endured everything for the sake of the name of God; has been called for ministry by a heavenly voice from above for a grace that found him ready4. Paul, who was called after the ascension of the Lord to heaven; Like the other apostles, who did not wait for another call, but instantly forsook their nets and everything they had and followed Him; he, as well, moved at once with his whole energy; and directly after being baptized, entered into battles against the Jews everywhere. Surpassing in this respect the rest of the apostles, he has the right to claim that he “labored more abundantly than they all” (10) 5. (St. John Chrysostom) “The grace of God which was with me” (10). This is the complete glory in God; for man, not to glorify his own righteousness, but to count himself as lacking the true righteousness, and as being justified by the faith in Christ alone. Paul was glorified by despising his self-righteousness, seeking the righteousness of faith in God by Christ, whom he only sought to know, the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His passion; counting himself in the likeness of His death, to gain the resurrection from the dead … It is only God who grants us the activity of our labor6. (St. Basil) 1 Unto the End 19: 5. 2 City of God 14: 9. 3 In 2 Cor., Hom. 38: 7. 4 Concerning Almsgiving and Ten Virgins 3: 22. 5 In Galat., Hom. 1. 6 On Humility, 20. 452 Do you see how he harvested an abundance of God’s blessings; and how, on his part he contributed abundantly by his zeal, faith, courage, perseverance, exalted mind, unfailing will; for which he was worthy of a more exalted help from above1. (St. John Chrysostom) Look again to his great humility! How he refers the weaknesses and nothing of the goodness to himself, but refer them all to God, saying: ”Not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (10). What an amazing soul! … He utters the word “I preached”, only if it is absolutely necessary2! Listening to these things, let us expose our weaknesses, and never refer to our goodness! I wish no one falls into despair when in sin, nor have self-esteem when in virtue; but let the former rather fear, and let the later grow in virtue; For no slothful will hold fast in virtue, nor a diligent will stay weak in fleeing from evil3. (St. John Chrysostom) Paul did not strive to gain grace; but he gained grace to strive4. How then could man consummate the commandment of God, even with difficulty, without His help5? (St. Augustine) By the grace of God, the teacher of the Gentiles reached the rank of apostleship, saying: “His grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all” (10). When he says: “I labored”, he reveals the strife of his will; And when he says: “Yet not I, but the grace of God”, he refers to the value of the divine protection; And when he says: “which was with me”, he confirms the cooperation of the grace with him who is not slothful, but diligent6. (Father Sherimon) “Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed” (11) Here the apostle confirms that it was not just him alone who preached the gospel everywhere and all the time; but it was the same gospel preached by the other apostles; all of whom presented the same Truth, and the same case; preached the crucifixion, death, and resurrectionof the Lord Christ; All of them had the same faith, in which they lived, and in which they died. That is the apostolic faith preached by the apostles, and received by the believers; Whoever preaches another faith is not practicing the apostolic work. The main issue is to establish the evangelic Truth concerning the resurrection of Christ from the dead; While the identity of him who preaches it, is not important; For all preach the same Truth. Paul did not mean to make the Corinthians choose between him and the other apostles; He established his authority as a teacher, and at the same time he did the same for the other apostles; with no difference between them, as they all had the same authority. 1 Baptismal Instructions, 4: 10. 2 In 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 7. 3 In 1 Cor., Hom. 38: 8. 4 Proceeding of Pelagius, 14: 36. 5 Letter from Alypius and Augustine to Paulinius, 186. 6 Cassian: Conferences 13: 12. 453 He did not say: ‘In case you do not believe me, believe them’; Confirming to them that all the apostles have the same authority; and counting himself as worthy to be believed, he wrote to the Galatians, saying: “they added nothing to me” (Galatians 2: 6). He says well: “we preach” (11); referring to their great courage in uttering the word; not secretly, nor in an alley, but in a voice louder than a trumpet. He does not say “we preached”, but we still “preach”; But here does not say: “you believe”, but says: “so you believed” (11); As having been shaken in thought, he brings them back to the past, adding their own testimony1. (St. John Chrysostom) 2- THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR RESURRECTION: Having confirmed the resurrection of Christ, as a realization of what came in the Scripture, and through the testimony of eyewitnesses; now he confirms the resurrection through rejecting the adversary teaching that contradicts the faith in resurrection, demonstrating the seriousness of such a teaching: (1) Denying the resurrection of the dead, is a commitment to deny the resurrection of Christ (13) (2) Denying the resurrection of Christ makes our preaching and faith vain (14). (3) That false teaching bears an accusation that the apostles are false witnesses and wicked (15). (4) Without the resurrection of Christ, the Corinthians shut before themselves the gates of hope for the forgiveness of their sins (16, 17). (5) Without the resurrection of Christ, all those who have fallen asleep in Christ would be counted as perished (18). (6) Without it, the believers would be of all men the most pitiable (19). (7) Without it, faith in baptism would be vain; as it would be just a burial with Christ, yet with no resurrection (29) (8) Without it the endurance of the labor of preaching and martyrdom would be useless (30-32). “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (12) If all of us (the apostles), as eyewitnesses, preach the resurrection from the dead; how could some Corinthians deny it? The talk of Paul clarifies that, although the Corinthians have already realized, through sure evidences, the truth of the resurrection of Christ; yet some of them claimed that it is something impossible to happen. Those were either of Jewish origin who are still committed to the views of the Sadducees, the deniers of the resurrection; or of the Gentiles, who were influenced by some of the Gnostic philosophies that corrupted their minds. Paul sets his proof of the resurrection of the dead on the fact that Christ is risen. The later fact gives a guarantee to the former one2. (St. John Chrysostom) 1 In 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 1. 2 On 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 2. 454 What a serious crime to deny the resurrection of the dead; as if we would not be, Christ would have died in vain, and is not risen; And if he did not rise for our sake, he is not risen at all; as there would be no reason that commits Him to rise for His own sake1! (St. Ambrose) “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen” (13) Having shared with us in flesh and blood, the incarnate Word of God promised to resurrect humanity from the dead by His own resurrection; If there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ would not have risen as well. If there is no general resurrection from the dead; It would follow that there is no resurrection by Christ; As the later would become meaningless, if it does not present to us the possibility of resurrection.. What is enjoyed by the Head, would also be enjoyed by the rest of the body. Our resurrection is bound to His, and is not separate from it (1 Corinthians 15: 20, 22; John 14: 19). As one depends on the other, You either believe in both, or deny them both2. (Pelagius) It is not as though, what happened need a proof; but to reveal that both are worthy of believing in them on equal basis3. (St. John Chrysostom) “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain” (14) The word “vain” means (void), (not true), or (useless). Paul here, means to say, that beside contradicting the historical facts, the denial of the resurrection of Christ would become for the Corinthians something absolutely terrifying; as in that case, his preaching to them would be useless, and their faith would consequently be meaningless4. (St. John Chrysostom) “Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He has raised Christ, whom he did not rise up – if in fact the dead do not rise” (15) As the apostle and all the others testified that Christ is risen from the dead; denying the resurrection of the dead would therefore be an accusation against them all that they are found false witnesses of God. And if they are, would it be possible for over five hundred to testify falsely, of some event they have all together seen at the same time?! Was there not a single one who may expose the falsity of their testimony?! The testimony to the resurrection of Christ is therefore a well established fact, that could never be denied. “For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen” (16) “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins” (17) 1 On His Brother Satyrus, 2: 103. 2 Comm.. On 1 Cor., 15. 3 In 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 2. 4 In 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 3. 455 Look how great is the secret of that divine ordinance! If after death, it could no more take away sin, Sin therefore, would remain, and so would death and the curse that dwelt on them; Our preaching would be vain, and so would be your faith1. If that is unreasonable, and if God has not risen Him as you say, that would also be followed by other unreasonable things … If He is not risen, he would not also be slain; and if He is not slain, sin would not be taken away, and you would still be in sin; our preaching would be vain, and so would be your faith that you were reconciled. Moreover death would be forever, if He has not taken it away; As how could He take death away from others, if He Himself is held in it?! Hence he adds: “Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished” (18) 2. (St. John Chrysostom) If the cross is a wrong view, so would be resurrection; And if Christ is not risen, we would still be in our sins. If the cross is deception, so would be ascension; and everything therefore, would be useless3. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) “Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished” (18) On account of that their hope is without basis, and their faith is not set on the truth; Those who were martyred or died in faith in Christ Jesus, have perished, their bodies would get corrupt in the earth, and the promise of the Lord Christ would not be realized, that they would be risen on the ultimate day of judgment (11: 25, 26). When the apostle talks about Christ, he says: He “died”, to confirm the truth of His passion, crucifixion, and death; Whereas, when he talks about the believers, he says: they have “fallen asleep”, to confirm that through their fellowship with Him as members of His body, they have the hope of resurrection; they are more like fallen asleep to eventually wake up. Concerning Christ, as His resurrection is already been realized, he did not hesitate to say that He died; because His death became glorified by His resurrection; While concerning us, as the resurrection of our bodies will be realized through hope; hence he uses the expression “fall asleep” to put our souls at peace. It is difficult for man to accept the idea of not being risen from the dead, when a relative or friend falls asleep, while sanctified in the Lord; As by it, he would count him as forever lost! Who can accept a teaching that bears such a bitter end?! “Fallen asleep”; So Paul says; that the Corinthians would not listen to the false teachers who claim that their loved ones who have fallen asleep, are taken away forever from them4. (Ambrosiaster) “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable” (19) If our hope in Christ stops at our present life, we would be deceived, on account of that we endure sufferings more than anyone else; are daily put to death; and are persecuted. If the pagans are without hope (Ephesians 2: 12; 1 Thessalonians 4: 13); We would be more miserable than them, because we deny ourselves any enjoyment of the 1 In 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 3. 2 In 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 3. 3 Catechetical Lectures, 13. 4 CSEL 81: 170. 456 present pleasures! Our hope is not in the separation of the soul from the body; but in the union of the soul with the body risen from the dead. Some scholars assumed that Paul is talking here about the apostles; but it is clear his talk covers all believers who are true in their faith and strife; As, on one aspect, the previous phrases did not concern just the apostles alone; and on another aspect, all the true believers are called to bear the cross, and to enter through the narrow door and the difficult road, to share with Christ His sufferings and crucifixion. If the true Christian feels that he is the happiest being on earth, this would be through his union with Christ, risen from the dead, and through the opening of the gates of heaven before him, in the hope of the perfection of eternal glory. Without the resurrection from the dead, he would be the most pitiable, as he endures bitter sufferings, enters through a difficult road that ends in the grave without return; and at the same time, he is subject here to persecutions, and chooses to deprive himself of pleasures; on account of that he is enjoying the deposit of heavenly ones. Saying so, Paul does not mean to say that hope in Christ is pitiable, but that Christ prepares another life for those hoping for Him; As this present life is prone to sin; but there is an exalted life kept as a reward for us1. (St. Ambrose) It is obvious that we have hope in Christ, both in this life and that to come. Christ does not deny His ministers, but grants them grace here; And in the future, they will be received in eternal glory. (Ambrosiaster) In case the body is not risen, the soul remain uncrowned without that beatitude in heaven; and consequently, we would enjoy nothing at all; and our reward would then only be in the present … He so says to confirm the resurrection of the body, and to exhort them to care for the eternal life; and not to assume that everything will come to an end with the end of this world … Here is an obvious testimony that his talk does not concern the resurrection from sin, but that of the body; the resurrection from this world to the one to come2. (St. John Chrysostom) Hence, hope in Christ would not be, just for the sake of the present life, where evil could prevail more than goodness; where those who practice evil would be happier; and those who practice a kind of life full of transgressions, are richer3. (Maximus, Bishop of Turin) 3- THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS A GUARANTEE FOR OUR RESURRECTION: Having shown the results of unbelieving in the resurrection of the Lord Christ, and consequently in not being resurrected ourselves from the dead; And having said that it would corrupt the preaching, destroy the gospel, refer to the apostles as false witnesses, close the doors of hope in heaven, and turn the Christian life into bitter affliction; the 1 ON His Brother Satyrus, 2: 124. 2 In 1 Cor., Hom 39: 4. 3 Maximus of Turin: Sermons 96: 1. 457 apostle strongly declares it is rather an un-doubtable fact; that needs no proof; that would open before us the doors of hope; and that would turn our life into an unutterable glorious joy, crying out with the spirit of strength. “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (20) As the firstfruits confirm the existence of the harvest; and as the resurrection of Christ confirms the realization of our resurrection, it would be fitting to call the resurrection of Christ the firstfruits of our resurrection.; As, according to the Jewish rite, the Passover should come first, to be followed by the great Sabbath; then on the next day the firstfruits should be offered; So is our Christ, our crucified Passover; His crucifixion s to be followed by the Sabbath, then the firstfruits should be offered on Sunday, the first day of the week, on which the Firstfruit is risen from the dead. The firstfruit has the privilege of preceding all, surpassing all, of being consecrated to God, and by it all the crop is sanctified. Time wise the Lord Christ was not the first to be risen from the dead; as he was preceded by the dead man who was risen when his body got in contact with Elisha’s bones; by the little girl, the daughter of Jajrus; by the young man the only son of the widow; and by Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, who were all risen from the dead by a command of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet all of those were risen for a certain time then eventually died again; whereas the Savior is risen through His own authority, as an exalted Firstfruit who would die no more. He is the first ripe head of grain, held by the priest, to proclaim that it is consecrated for God, by which the whole crop would be sanctified. So says Paul in response to the false teachers who claim that Christ was never born, and consequently was never crucified. The resurrection from the dead is a proof that Christ was a man, and consequently, by His righteousness is worthy of being risen from the dead. (Ambrosiaster) He tasted death for the sake of all; although by nature, He, Himself was the Life and resurrection. He surrounded His body with death, then by His mighty power, He treaded upon death to become the Firstfruit among the dead, and the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep. If the resurrection from the dead happens through man; and the Man we Know is the Word begotten by God; Through Him the power of death has been destroyed1. The deity of the Word, being God, did not suffer, but, according to His ordinance, the sufferings came on His body as Man. For, how could He be the Firstfruit of all creation, through whom the principalities, the hosts, the thrones, and the rulers, all gather together; And in what way would He be the Firstfruit among the dead, and the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep, unless He is the Word, being God, who created His body to be born and to suffer2? (St. Cyril the Great) 1 Letter 17: 11. 2 Letter 50: 14. 458 4- THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS A DIVINE TREATMENT FOR OUR FALL: “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead” (21) By man here, he means Adam, through whose disobedience death entered into the world, or dwelt upon human nature. It was therefore a Commitment, that dealing with that issue has to be in the same way; namely, through a Man, capable of abolishing that disobedience, of renewing the human nature, and of bringing it forth to resurrection or eternity. Therefore by man, corruption came to the world; and a Man healed that corruption. Resurrection came through another Man, the incarnate divine Word, by whose authority, He grants the resurrection to the dead In Adam, death was not instantly realized, as all his seed were not yet born, but dwelt upon the human nature, and came to have authority over all humanity to come. Now, in Jesus Christ, humanity gained by faith, an authority, that death would not prevail on it, but would became just a way for those abiding in Him to cross over to the glorious resurrection. By the fall of Adam, the spiritual death dwelt as well upon human nature; and by the resurrection of Christ, the first, the spiritual Resurrection would dwell upon those who believe in Him, who unite with Him, and who bear His righteousness; so that our resurrection would be realized because of our union with Him; for no favor on our part. Christ became one of us, carried our manhood; so that, as by one man we have fallen under death; by one man the resurrection became ours. As our first firstfruit brought the curse of death on us, the Second brought to us the glory of resurrection. By the sacrifice of His body, He put an end to the law that was against us, and set a new beginning for life, by the hope in the resurrection He grants us. As it was by one man, death reigned over men; By the Word of God who became man, the perdition of death and the resurrection of life were realized1 (Pope Athanasius the Apostolic) If the Lord’s journey in the body did not happen, the Savior would not have paid the price by His death; and He would not have destroyed the authority of death by his power. If the body that submitted to death was different from that which the Lord has taken, Death would not have stopped practicing its work; the suffering of the incarnate God would not have had any benefit; And we, who died in Adam would not be able to live in Christ2. (St. Basil the Great) We know Him as the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep, of the dead; And without any further discussion, as the firstfruit has the same features, and the same nature of the rest of the fruits; … that is why, as the firstfruit of death was in Adam; the firstfruit of the resurrection is in Christ3. 1 On the Incarnation, 10. 2 ;etters, 261, to the Citizens of Sozoplis. 3 On His Brother Satyrus, 2: 91. 459 (St. Ambrose) For the sake of every man, He tasted death in His body; He who could have endured death without losing being Himself Life. That is why, although it is said that He suffered in His body, yet He did not receive the suffering in the nature of His Godhead, but in His body prone to suffering1. (St. Cyril the Great) The human nature that came down, is committed, itself, to acquire the conquest, as by that way its disgrace would be taken away2. (St. John Chrysostom) “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (22) Death came by Adam, and eternity is realized by Christ. As all by Adam, submitted by nature to death; By grace, all will have the resurrection by Jesus Christ. If Adam is a symbol of Christ; the sleep of Adam is a symbol of the death of Christ; And the wound in the side of Christ would be a symbol of the church, the true mother of everyone3. (The scholar Tertullian) As no man enters into death except through Adam, No one enters into life except through Christ. This is the significance of the repetition of the word “all”; As all humans belong to Adam through their first birth, that of the body; So it is for all humans who belong to Christ, they will come to the second birth, the spiritual. That is why he says “all” in both situations; for as all those who die, die only in Adam; so are all those who live, will only live in Christ4. We generally say that all enter into a house through one door; not that all human race will enter that house; but on account that no one can enter into it except through that door. According to the same meaning, as in Adam all die, all who live will live in Christ; As there is no other name under heaven, beside the One and only Intercessor between God and men, the Man Jesus Christ, by whom we may be saved5. That does not mean that all who die in Adam will become members of Christ; as the majority will be punished in eternity by a second death. The apostle uses the term “all” in both phrases; as no one would die in a natural body except in Adam; and so will no one become alive again in a spiritual body except in Christ6. Man actually brought death upon himself; whereas the Son of Man, by His death and resurrection, brought life to man7. (St. Augustne) 1 Letter 55: 34. 2 On 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 5. 3 On the Soul 43: 10. 4 To Jerome 167: 21. 5 Against Julian 24. 6 City of God 13: 23. 7 To Honoratus 140: 9. 460 To be correct, not all men die; For Enoch and Elijah, for example, did not die; and there will be others living on the day of the second coming of the Savior. (Severian, Bishop of Gebalah) Adam died because he sinned; And Christ died, who is without sin, to overcome the death that came because of sin. All will equally rise up in Christ, the righteous, as well as the wicked; Yet the unbelievers will be delivered to punishment. Despite appearing as though risen from death; yet they will receive their bodies to endure an eternal punishment because of their denial1. (Ambrosiaster) Notice how he confirms: “one” and “one”; namely, Adam and Christ; one for judgment, and One for justification … It is obvious that he is talking about the resurrection of the righteous, when there will be the eternal life; and not about the resurrection of the wicked, when there will be the eternal death. Those who will live are in contrast to those who will go down to hell2. As he who is born by the first one will die; He who is born by Christ will live; on condition that he should be clothed in the wedding garment; and be invited to stay, and not to be driven out3. By this way we would be renewed concerning what Adam has lost; namely in the spirit of our minds; But concerning the body sowed as a natural body, it will rise up as a spiritual body. When we are renewed, we shall enjoy a better status, never enjoyed since Adam4. (St. Augustine) “But each one in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (23) The apostle refers to three orders: the first for Christ who is risen by His own authority as the Firstfruit of the dead; Then those who are Christ’s will be risen to get eternity and the eternal reward at His ultimate coming on the day of judgment; And finally, the end will be realized with the declaration of the defeat of the devil and his hosts. At first, the lord Christ is risen, the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep; to be followed by all humanity on the day of judgment. But it so seems that the believers will rise up together like one holy bride, separated from the wicked; So, the wicked will also rise up, to look from afar at the glory of the righteous and their joy in their encounter with the Lord; of which they will be denied, and will get an eternal punishment. That is why the parables said by Christ concerning the resurrection, always began with the reward of the righteous, then followed by the punishment of the wicked. In the resurrection, all will be risen in a moment, in the blink of an eye; Yet each one in his own order, will get his reward. But the devil and those who accepted the sonhood to him, will be the last of all. 1 CSEL 81: 171. 2 TO Hilarius 157. 3 Sermons on New Testament Lessons, 40: 7. 4 The Literal Meaning of Genesis (ACW0, 6: 27: 37. 461 The Hebrew word translated as (order), came like what takes place in the military system. It is as though the apostle is looking at the resurrection procession, as a military procession of those who enjoyed the conquest over the enemy, advancing to enter the capital, to be received by the songs and cheers of the people. The procession will be led by the Lord Christ, who conquered the devil and his kingdom, followed by His victorious hosts, each one in his order, according to his practical faith, and his enjoyment of conquests. Being the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep, He opened the door of hope before the dead to rise up. The dead came to be like the Jewish crop, to be counted as an offering by God, accepted and blessed through the offering of the firstfruits. The whole church became sure, through her Head, risen from the dead, that she will also enjoy the resurrection together with Him. “For He will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonian 4: 14). So His resurrection would become a deposit for our resurrection, if we believe in Him, and unite with Him. Although all were put together in one faith, and were cleansed by one baptism, yet the process of maturation in faith is not the same for all, but everyone according to his own order1. (The scholar Origen) Although the fruit of the divine mercy is the same for all, yet the order of worthiness is different2. (St. Ambrose) It is not that, because all will be risen from the dead, that you think all will enjoy the same privileges. As in punishment, not all will suffer the same, but the difference will be great; The difference will be much more between the sinners and the righteous, as they are separated from one another3. My beloved; Look at how some unreasonably and deniably say: Why have we been granted the freedom of will?! … How, in all things we referred to, could we liken God, unless we are not granted the freedom of will? I will judge angels, So will you by Him who is the Firstfruit (53). I will sit on the royal throne, So will you in Him the Firstfruit. It was said: “He raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2: 6). By Him, the Firstfruit, we shall be honored by the cherubim and the Seraphim, together with all the heavenly hosts, the principalities, the thrones, and the rulers. So, do not ever belittle the value of your body that will enjoy such great honors, before which all the hosts will tremble4. (St. John Chysostom) 5- THE RESURRECTION AND CHALLENGING THE DEATH: “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power” (24) The resurrection proclaimed His kingdom with its authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28: 18). His came to have a name above every name; every knee will 1 In Genesis, Hom. 2. 2 On His Brother Satyrus 2: 92. 3 In 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 5. 4 In 1 Tim., Hom. 15. 462 worship Him; and every tongue will confess that He is the Lord (Philippians 2: 9-11). The One risen from the dead will hold the reign of the kingdom, till He has put an end to the opponent hosts, and submit His enemies under His feet (25); and the last enemy that will be destroyed is death (26). Some may wonder: Was the divine Word not a Lord, a King, and One of authority, even before His incarnation? To answer is that by His incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, He set us kings and of authority. By the resurrection He reigned, and made us, the members of His body, kings; and destroyed the enemy under His feet. He granted us the spirit of conquest, and put an end to death, for in Him we gain the resurrection. By His resurrection He proclaimed His reign as the Lord over both the living and the dead (Romans 14: 9); and brings His people safe to His glory, and destroys their enemy under their feet; then comes the end (24). The apostle probably looked at the Roman system, in which the rulers and governors, at the end of their terms, deliver their authority into the hands of the emperor. In a similar way, all authority will be taken away from the principalities of this wicked world, together with the forces of darkness, and the spiritual hosts of evil, Their kingdom will come to an end, for the perfection of the heavenly kingdom of God to be proclaimed. Yet that does not mean that the end will come after the resurrection, but, with the resurrection, and at the same instant, the end of the world will be realized. The word “end” means putting an end to something, or the realization of its goal. The “end” here refers to the realization of the perfection of the work of salvation, when the believers come to enjoy glory, and when every believer get attached to God as children, friends, and members in the glorified body of Christ. The “end” here also means the end of human life on earth, and the end of the kingdoms of this world. The word “Father” is sometimes used to refer to the First Person of the Holy Trinity, and some other time to the Holy Godhead as being God who embraces all, the Almighty who takes care of all. When Christ delivers the kingdom to God the Father; the living creatures, who were before part of the kingdom of Christ, will also be delivered together with all the kingdom to the reign of the father; Being a part of all, they will gain God; Who will be all in all in them as well1. (The scholar Origen) Concerning us, the end of everything we do, to which we hasten, is the life desired in the world to come2. (St. Basil the Great) What rule and power will Christ destroy? Is it that of the angels or of the believers? Certainly not! It is that of the devils, about whom the Scripture says that our strife is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness in this age (Ephesians 6: 12) 3. (St. John Chrysostom) 1 De Principiis 1: 8. 2 On Ps. 48, Hom. 19. 3 On 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 6. 463 The spiritual hosts of evil got the titles of principalities and rulers, on account of that they rule and have authority over diverse nations, and have influence over other spirits and demons. The gospels wrote about the existence of ‘legions’ (see Mark 5: 20). They would not be called principalities and rulers, unless there are those on whom they practice their rule. The Pharisees, blaspheming the Lord Christ said: “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons” (Luke 11: 15); And the demons were called: “The rulers of the darkness of the world” (Ephesians 6: 12); and one of them was called “the ruler of this world” (John 14: 30); And talking about how the authority of those principalities and powers will come to an end when all will submit to the Lord Christ, the blessed Paul says: “When He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power” (1 Corinthians 1: 24) 1. (Father Cerinus) “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet” (25) The Lord Christ reigns on His glorious church, His body in heaven, and His reign will be forever (Revelation 11: 15); “Reigns on the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1: 33); “His dominion is an everlasting dominion” *Daniel 7: 14; Micah 4: 7). By saying: “He must reign”, he refers to the continuation of His reign, which the Scripture said it should be realized. The Psalmist looked forward to see that joyful day, in which the only-begotten Son will sit together with His victorious holy church on the right hand of Glory; when all the hosts of darkness will dissolve, and fall under His feet (Psalm 110: 1). He is One with the Father, but what happens on that day to His church, His holy body, is counted as His own. While the world collapses, and the devil and his hosts fall, the Lord Christ, the King of kings will reign, and will set out of His people, kings and priests to His God and Father (Revelation 1: 6). Shall God reign only “till He has put all enemies under His feet”, then reigns no more?! Of course not. It means that, then, He will start to reign with the full meaning of the word2. (St. Jerome) It is a misunderstanding of the word “till”, that it does not only refer to what will happen until then, but to what will also happen afterward. As an example, saying: “I am with you till the end of time” does not mean that after that He will be no more with us3! (St. Gregory the Nezenzian) To say that, once He puts His enemies under His feet, He will reign no more, is foolish and an evil thing to say. As if He is a King before defeating His enemies, Would it not be more befitting for Him to be as such after He submit them altogether4?! (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) 1Cassian: Conferences 8: 14. 2 Against Helvidius 6. 3 Theological Orations 30, On the Sin, 4. 4 Catechetical Lectures 15: 29. 464 He will reign forever. Anyway, concerning the war under His leadership against the devil; It is obvious that it will continue until He puts His enemies under His feet; After that, there would be no war, when we enjoy full peace1. “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Psalm 110: 1); Sitting on the right side does not contradict with making enemies His footstool. Or according to the apostle: “For He must reign till He put all enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15: 25). As even when they are put under His feet, he will not cease to reign; but He will reign forever, and they will stay perpetually under His feet2. (St. Augustine) “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death” (26) The Lord Christ defeated death by His death on the cross, to realize its vanity completely by the resurrection of the believers and their enjoyment of the eternal kingdom. The other enemies will become vain before the end, with the destruction of the animosity of the human heart against God by the preaching of the gospel; and the breaking and taking away of the scepter of the devil. Then God will spiritually reign everywhere, and all will submit to Him, when the kingdom of sin and its tyranny will come to an end. By His resurrection He presented to us the resurrection from the dead, to become secure, with no more fear of any enemy, nor of death. The destruction of the last enemy may be understood, not that the matter created by God would perish, but that the adversary and controversial will that does not come from God, but on its own, will come to an end and be no more. Anyway, that will not happen all of a sudden, but gradually and in stages through several limitless generations. Reform and correction will be realized slowly and in different ways in different individuals3. (The scholar Origen) We are in the time being doing well by warring against death; but it will be different when this enemy will be no more, when death, the last enemy will come to an end. The new life now begins by faith, continues by hope, and reaches its end when death is swallowed by conquest; with the final perdition of this enemy; when we change and become like angels. Now we prevail on fear with faith; but prevalence will be realized by love through vision4. (St. Augustine) How could death be “the last” after the devil and all the other things? The counsel of the devil came first, followed by our disobedience, and then came death. Theoretically, death is no more now; but practically that will actually be realized later on! That is why death was put the last of all, as in it victory over the rest will be pronounced; and 1 Question 69: 8. 2 Sermon on the Mount 1: 11: 30. 3 De Principiis 3: 6: 5. 4 Letter to Janarius. 55. 465 it would be easy for the unbeliever to accept it, with the destruction of the devil who brought the death up, and when his work is no more1. (St. John Chrysostom) 6- OUR ETERNAL SITUATION: “For: ‘God has put all things in subjection under his feet’, but when He says: ‘all things are put in subjection,’ it is plain that this does not include the One who put all things in subjection under Him” (27) As an Intercessor before God the Father, He who sat together with His Father on His throne, will puts all things in subjection under Him (Revelation 3: 12). He sat to practice His royal divine intercession, as a reward for delivering Himself an atonement for man by the sacrifice of the cross (Philippians 2: 6-12). By His ascension to heaven He became Head of all things to the account of His church, He got the authority to rule and to protect the church against all her enemies; and ultimately, He will realize the complete salvation for those believing in Him, when they partake of His glory. Saying “all things”, that includes death as well (Ephesians 1: 22; Philippians 3: 21; Hebrew 2: 8; 1 Peter 3: 22). And saying: “put all things in subjection under His feet”, he confirms that there is no other way. God has put all things in subjection under His feet through His promise to Him, and His divine plan “to give Him authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28: 18; John 17: 2; Ephesians 1: 20-22). As is also testified in Psalm 8: 6 concerning man, who was given by God the authority over all things; which would not be realized except by our Lord Jesus Christ. Why does he say: “This does not include the One who put all things in subjection under Him?”. It is to avoid the possibility of raising some foolish objections by some, who may misunderstand the expression “all things” to include God the Father! The same with the Gentiles who believed that Jupiter (Zeus) has put his father away from his throne and from heaven! And to avoid the misunderstanding that Paul exaggerates in his talk about the authority of the Son, to make Him greater than God the Father! If the Son has incarnated, and, being the Son of Man, submitted to the Father; After the resurrection and the consummation of His intercession work, it is obvious that the equality of the Father and the Son will appear as it was before the incarnation. The Lord Christ Himself will teach those capable of receiving Him, the feature of wisdom; That after their initial training in His holy virtues, He will reign together with them, until the time comes to submit them to God the Father, together with all things. When they are able to receive God, He will become to them all in all2. By such a fact, Christ would teach us the idea of authority3. (The scholar Origen) He considers your submission as His own … He calls Himself naked if any of you is naked … a prisoner if any is in prison … He bore our weaknesses, and the burden of our maladies…. And as one of our weaknesses is the lack of submission, He carried it 1 In 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 6, 8. 2 De Principiis 3: 6: 9. 3 De Principiis 3: 5: 6. 466 as well. Even the calamities that dwell upon us, the Lord counts them as His own; He put our sufferings upon Himself; because of His fellowship with us1. (St. Basil) The first stage in the mystery is that all things submit to Him; Then He Himself will submit to whom all things will submit. The way we submit our souls to the glory of His body who reigns; the lord Himself in the same mystery, submits Himself in the glory of His body, to whom all things submit. We submit to the glory of His body, so as to acquire the glory that He possesses in the body, to become like His body2. (St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitier) (In response to the followers od Arius and Onomius). The apostle does not talk about Christ in His Godhead, but in His manhood; as all the discussion concerns the resurrection of the body. In His manhood, He submits, together with all humanity to the Godhead3. (Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus) Paul writes to the Greeks who received faith; who previously used to worship ‘Zeus’, and who believed that he rebelled against his father, and confiscated his kingdom. He feared that they probably imagined the same, concerning the relationship between Christ and His Father. (Oecumenius) God the all in all: “Now when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who put all things in subjection under Him, so that God may be all in all” (28) a- Submission of the Son as the Head of the church: What does it mean that the Son will be subjected to the Father, who will be all in all? The incarnate Word of God, the One with His Father, and equal to Him in the same essence, became Man, to be an Intercessor between God and men. Now, after the role of intercession came to an end, He no longer intercedes for anyone, and is no longer subjected to the Father as Man. Being the Head of the church, the submission of the Son here is not the same as that of the creation; but is the submission of the One with His Father, and equal to Him in the same essence. The Son who took the role of the Intercessor, presented Himself a sacrifice of love on behalf of humanity, and became the Head of the church, proclaims His submission to the Father as a mutual honor between themselves. The Son honors the Father; and the Father honors the Son; “And all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father” (John 5: 22-23; Hebrew 1: 6). The submission of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity to the First Person, is not being less than Him; but having consented to incarnate, to die, and to be risen as the Head and the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep; He submits to the Father in the name of the church as a whole, and to her account. That does not imply a separation of the Godhead from the manhood; as, with the complete splendor of the Godhead on the manhood, the Son submits. 1 An apology to the Caesareans, Letter 8. 2 Trinity 11: 36. 3 Comm. On 1 Cor. 271-72. 467 Why does Paul talk about the submission of the Son to the Father, after ending his talk about the submission of all things to Christ? The apostle talks in a certain way, when he talks about the Godhead alone; And in another way, when he talks about the divine ordinance. As an example, having put the text concerning the incarnation of our Lord, Paul no more fears to talk about his many humble works; as this would not be unbefitting of the incarnate Christ; even if it becomes obvious that it could not apply to God. In the present text, about which of the two things does he talk? Having referred to the death and the resurrection of Christ, both of which do not apply to God the Father, it is obvious that he means the divine ordinance of incarnation in which the Son submits to the Father by His own will. But you should notice how he added a correction, saying that He who submitted all things to Him, has exempted Himself of this “all”; meaning that he reminds us that Christ the Word is the true God1. (St. John Chrysostom) By this, He has consummated the work entrusted to Him, that God would be All in All2. (The scholar Origen) He wishes for you to understand the vision of His form (as incarnated), the form in which all creation together conform to that form by which the Son of God – the Man, submits to God. By that form, the Son Himself submits to Him to whom all things submit; for God to become All in All3. (St. Augustine) b-The submission does not subtract anything from the Son: The Son loses nothing by giving all things; and loses nothing when the Father receives the reign; and the Father loses nothing by giving what is His to the Son4. (St. Ambrose) The submission of the Son to the Father is not like our own submission to the Son; As our submission is a dependence on Him, and not a union of equals. (Ambrosiaster) Just as when the Son submits all things to the Father, So does the Father to the Son: One by His work, and the Other through His pleasure5. (St. Gregory the Nezenzian) c-That was said for our sake: As long as we are still in the world, we have not reached perfection as we should. It is said that even the saints do not perfectly comprehend that God is All in All. In other words, this is not perfectly realized in them as long as they are still in the body in this world; only to be realized with the dwelling of the resurrection, when everyone of them feels that, for him God is All in All. 1 On 1 Cor., Hom. 39: 7. 2 In Levticus 7: 6. 3 The Trinity 1: 12: 28. 4 The Holy Spirit 1: 3: 49. 5 Theological Orations, 4 On the Son 30: 5. 468 Here, he does not say that “the Father becomes All in All”; As, once the believers enjoy the eternal reward, they will no longer see every divine Person as having His own work. The Father put the ordinance of salvation; The Son delivered His life as a sacrifice of love for our salvation; And the Holy Spirit granted us the fellowship to enjoy the union with God, and to bear the icon of the incarnate Word Now, that all those divine works are realized, we shall only see God as “The Holy Trinity”. He is submitting to the Father; Not that He needs to submit before the father, but for my own sake; Having not consummated that work of His yet, that is why it is said that He is not yet submitted; “for we are the body of Christ and His members” (1 Corinthians 12: 27) 1. Those heretics do not understand that the submission of Christ to the Father, proclaims the blessing of our perfection; and shows the coronation of the glory of the work bestowed on Him2. (The scholar Origen) God will be All in All in each man in a certain way, by which everything that the reason feels, understands, or think, will be God’s. When he get purified from every cloud of evil, the mind will no longer feel anything other than God, or beside God. The mind will think of God, see God, and acquire God; for God will become the way of all his movements and measures; And by that God will become All in All3. (The scholar Origen) God will become All in All, when we no longer be, like we are today, bearing a multitude of motives and emotions, beside only some or nothing of those of God in us; But, we wholly become like God, giving all space to God, and to Him alone. This is the maturation to which we hasten to reach4. (St. Gregory the Nezenzian) God will become everything in all; that wisdom is no longer only in Solomon; the meekness of the spirit only in David; the zeal only in Elijah and Phinehas; the faith only in Abraham; the perfect love only in Peter; the zeal of preaching only in the chosen vessel Paul; and two or three virtues in others But God will wholly be in all. All the saints will be glorified by a chorus of virtues; And God will become everything in all5. (St. Jerome) The people of God will eternally dwell in this house together with, and in their God; And God will dwell together with, and in His people; God will fill His people, and His people will be filled by Him; until God becomes All in All; God Himself will become their reward, the way He was their strength in the battle6. (St. Augustine) 1 In Levticus 7: 4. 2 De Principiis 3: 5: 7. 3 De Principiis 3: 6: 3. 4 Theological Orations, 4 On the Son 30: 7. 5 Against the Pelagians, 18. 6 Coty of God 17: 12. 469 “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. That is the kingdom of God, where no other will prevails over that of God, neither in heaven nor on earth; when God becomes the Guide of all to the end; He who lives, works, possesses, and is everything; when, according to the apostle, He becomes all in all1. (Father Peter Christologos) God is the Grantor of virtue, and Himself will be its reward; As there is nothing equal nor greater than God’s promise to give Himself. What does He mean by saying through the prophet: “I will be your God, and you shall be My people” (Leviticus 26: 12), but to become your satisfaction; to become everything of what man desires in an honorable way: his life, health, strength, riches, glory, honor, peace, and everything? This is the sound interpretation of the saying of the apostle that God will be all in all (28); He will be the ultimate sum of our desires; seen without limit, loved without limit, and praised without boredom. As such flow of love and ministry, will be the eternal life itself, presented to all2. He will restore to you your body, complete with even the full count of your hair; will set you with the angels forever, where you will no more need His chastising hand, but will posses His exalted happiness; God Himself will become our Shepherd; God Himself will become our Cup, Our Glory, our Riches. What more do you need? He alone will become everything to you3 In heaven, we shall not have the experience of need; by that we shall be happy, we shall be satisfied by God. For us, God will be everything we see here as of great value4. (St. Augustine) When the apostle says that God will become “all in all”, it so seem to me that this uttering confirms the idea we have reached; that that God will be instead of all things, “all in all”. While our present life bears diverse activities and forms; And the things to which we are bound, are as diverse, like time, air, location, food, drink, sun rays, and the rest of life necessities, which, although many, yet nothing of them are for God … Whereas the blessed life for which we hope, does not need any of those things; as the divine Being will be for us, All, and instead of all, presenting Himself to satisfy all our needs. From the Holy Book it is obvious that God will be, to him who deserves: the dwelling, the clothing, the Food, the drink, the light, the riches, the authority; He will be “all in all”. It so seems to me that the Holy Book teaches us here that evil will utterly be no more. For as God will be in all things, it is obvious that evil will be no longer connected to any of them. For if someone assumes the presence of evil, how could God be “all in all” 5? (St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa) We are committed not to retreat from our strife because of serious despair, For “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11: 12). 1 Fr. Peter Chrysologus: Selescted Sermons (Frs. Of the Church), 67. 2 Coty of God 20: 30. 3 Sermon on New Testament Lessons, 5: 4. 4 Easter Sermons 255: 8. 5 On the Soul and the Resurrection. 470 No virtue could be had without strife, and no mind could be controlled without deep grief of the heart; For “Man is born for trouble” (Job 5: 7); And, to reach “to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4: 13), we are committed to be all the time in great strife, with limitless care. No one can reach to the fullness of that measure, except him who takes that measure into consideration before hand, trains himself on it from now, tastes it in this world, becomes for him the sign of membership in Christ; posses while still in this body, a deposit of that complete union with the body of Christ; has a yearning and thirst for only one thing; making, not only his works, but also his thoughts concentrated on one thing: on keeping now and forever the deposit of the blessed life to come, that of the saints; namely, for God to become “all in all” (1 Corinthians 15: 28) 1. (Father Serinus) Wishing to demonstrate to us this (spiritual retreat), the Lord intended to give us an example … Being the untouchable Source of holiness, who needs no outside help, nor that of the solitude (retreat); for the perfection of His purity could never be influenced by people around, nor become polluted by mixing with men; For He is the One to sanctify and purify the defiled things; Yet we see Him go into seclusion on the mountain, alone to pray. His seclusion teaches us that, if we desire approaching God with love coming from a heart pure of defilement, we are committed to separate ourselves from any disturbance of the multitudes until our souls are trained, while still in the body, on tasting the happiness promised to the saints: namely, that God becomes “all in all” (1 Corinthians 15: 28) 2. Father Isaac We could not see Christ Himself has already achieved the “all in all”, according to the apostle (28), until we discover Christ a bit by bit in all; For about Him it is written: “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from of God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1: 30). Consequently in Him we find the wisdom, another time the righteousness, another the sanctification, another the compassion, another the meekness, and another the humility or longsuffering. Christ, now (proclaimed in His saints), is divided, member by member, among the saintly fathers; But, once all come to the unity of faith and virtue, He would become “a perfect man” *Ephesians 4: 13), consummating His one body by the features and attributes of all His members. The time will come when God becomes “all in all” – as we have already mentioned – by the virtues; but He still is not “all in all”, on account that they are still not in the measure of their perfection3. (St. John Cassian) The Holy Trinity is all in all: By saying that “God is all in all”, he proclaims that the Holy Trinity is all in all; For it is said that “Christ is all and in all” (Colossians 3: 11; Zechariah 14: 9). Several scholars believe that the expression that “God becomes all in all”, does not refer to the 1 Cassian: Conferences 7: 6. 2 Cassian: Conferences 10: 6. 3 Institutions 5: 4. 471 Father alone, but to the Godhead of the Holy Trinity, without reference to any one Person. 7- THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND THE NEW MOTIVES: “Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? (29) As the apostle Paul did not explain for us what he means by “baptism for the dead”, some believe that this phrase is the most difficult of what came in the New Testament. The fathers of the church and the Interpreters of the Holy Book up to this very day attempt to present an interpretation for it, among which are the following: (1) Baptism is the crucifixion, death, and burial of the Lord Christ (Romans 6: 3- 5). We, who died by sin, die together with Him the death that grants the resurrected life; we are buried together with Him by baptism for death; where we are sown together with him in the likeness of His death to enjoy His resurrection. That is why some believe that, by the dead here, he means the Person of the Lord Christ who died, and in His name we are baptized. For, if He is not risen, what would be the value of baptism, if the One in whose name we are baptized is still dead and is not risen? Some interpret the phrase: “they are baptized for the dead” that it is a baptism in Christ and a burial with Him by being plunged in water like dead. But many reject this interpretation, on account that the word “dead” here is in the plural sense, means more than one dead. And that the word “baptized” came to mean particular persons, and not all Christians in general. (2) The word “baptized” refers to the martyrs; For if they are niot risen, why did they endure the sufferings of martyrdom, which is the baptism by blood for the sake of faith? Those depend upon, that the Lord Christ called it a baptism of blood. But how were those martyred; or how were they baptized for the dead? (3) Some believe that there has been a custom among the Corinthians, that someone become baptized in the name of a Catechumen who received faith, but died before being baptized; on account that some believers used to postpone their baptism until just before they die, for fear of committing sins after being baptized; Yet, because some of them happen to die before being baptized, one of their living relatives become baptized on their behalf (according to the scholar Tertullian and St. Ambrose). Yet there is no historical proof that that custom was there in the days of the apostle Paul. On another aspect, even if it was, how could the apostle use that custom which does not harmonize with the word of God, as a proof of the resurrection, without a reference to its futility?! He talks about those who practice baptism in the absent sense, as a group other than that to whom he talks; most probably a group of heretics who used to practice baptism on behalf of the dead, a custom not known before the appearance of Mercion. Some believe that some at that time used to be baptized for the sake of the dead, for fear that certain of those not baptized, would not rise al all, or rise to be judged1. (Ambrosiaster) The followers of Mercion used to baptize the living to the account of the dead unbelievers, not aware that baptism only concerns the person who gets it. (St. Dedymus the blind) 1 CSEL 81: 175. 472 Sin brought forth death over the world; and we get baptized in the hope that our dead bodies will be risen in the resurrection. So if there is no resurrection, our baptism would be meaningless; and our bodies would remain dead as they are now1. (St. John Chrysostom) You will probably laugh, yet I shall refer to it in an attempt to wipe away that nonsense! When a Catechumen happen to die, those heretics used to hide one of the livings under his bed; then they approach the dead body and ask him if he would like to be baptized; and as they get no response, and the one under the bed says that he is ready to get baptized on his behalf, they do it as though they are acting on a stage2. (St. John Chrysostom) “And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour?” (30) In the previous phrase he talked in the absent tense, while here, he talks about himself, those who are with him, and probably those to whom he wrote his epistle, saying “We” The apostle says that it would be foolish for a Christian to be subject to the danger of dying, particularly if he is an apostle, if there is no resurrection from the dead. We may say that this verse interprets the last one; As what would be our motive to receive the daily death, happily, and by our own free will; and why should we submit ourselves to so numerous risks and sufferings every day, and even every hour, if the dead are not risen? We should consider the cost; we would not accept death by our own free will, if there is no resurrection! If the soul is not eternal, and if the body is not risen from the dead, there would be no point in going through risks for the sake of faith. (St. Dedymus the blind) “I die every day! That is as certain brothers and sisters as my boasting of you – a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord”(31) “As my boasting” is a sort of vow to confirm something by a strong zeal, on account of that it touches his life and feelings; which some interpret as: ‘I proclaim my boasting or my rejoice in You in Christ Jesus’. Some believe that the Corinthians used to boast that they managed to humiliate Paul and to tread over him with their feet every day like dead; which the apostle counts as a disgrace in Christ to be accepted with joy. While some others believe that the apostle boasts what he has in Christ Jesus who died for his sake, and is risen for his justification; that he no longer fear sufferings nor death; and is ready to die every day. He probably means to boast every day for the sake of his eternal salvation. by saying: “I die every day, …as my boasting of you”, he probably means that for the sake of their enjoyment of joy, he would exult to die every day; the same way he says that by teaching them, he would, himself, be taught; namely, by teaching them, his knowledge would become perfect. Look again at how he strives to evaluate the teaching through his labor, and rather through the labor of the other apostles as well; which is something not of little value, that the teachers are full of strong conviction; showing that, not only by words but also 1 On 1 Cor., Hom. 40: 2. 2In 1 Cor., Hom. 40:1. 473 by deeds. By his boasting he refers to their progress. And lest it might be thought that he refers to his risks in a sorrowful way, he as though says: ‘Far from it that I grieve, but I boast when I refer to it for your sake; I would even find pleasure in dying for your sake and for your benefit’. To die every day would be by being prepared and always ready to die1! Paul rejoices in his sufferings, for he sees the amazing results they bring forth in people like the Christians in Corinth2. (St. John Chrysostom) Here, Paul puts the broad lines for both the enormity of the problems he confronts, and for the greatness of God’s care for him3. (Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus) “If in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, What advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise?, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’” (32) “If in the manner of men”, Some believe that the apostle means to say: ‘If I speak as a man, or like men’, or: ‘If I fought beasts like some of those who do, in a way just enough to stay alive’, or ‘If I speak like a man who confronts men as voracious as beasts’. To confirm that the apostle does not mean it in the literal sense, but only symbolically, some present the following argument: a- When he talked later on, about the difficulties he encountered (2 Corinthians 11: 24), he did not refer to being made to wrestle against beasts. b- Historically, St. Luke, in his Book of Acts, did not refer to that. c- Having been spared of being scourged on account of his Roman citizenship; he would never be thrown to beasts. d- Scholar Tertullian and St. John John Chrysostom, and others rejected the literal interpretation of this verse. Therefore, some believe that the beasts here refer to some men as violent and cruel as beasts; like for example Demetrius the silversmith and his co-workers; although the apostle most probably wrote this epistle before that episode. … Hercletes the Ephesian called his fellow citizens voracious beasts, 400 years before the time of the apostle Paul. So did Epimenides about the Cretians. … The apostle was still in Ephesus when he wrote this epistle, where his life was subject to daily risk. On another aspect, some others believe that his talk was too obvious to believe that he meant it literally; based on the following argument: a- St. Luke the Evangelist did not refer to all the dangers confronted by the apostle Paul. And the apostle himself, parading those dangers said: “in many deaths”; which may indicate that one of them could be being thrown to the beasts. b- Enciphorus tells us that the apostle Paul has actually been subject to such a confrontation with beasts in arenas; which turned back on approaching him. 1 In 1 Cor., Hom. 40: 3. 2On 1 Cor., Hom. 40: 3. 3 Comm.. On 1 Cor., 275. 474 c- This could be an event that actually happened in Ephesus; Yet the apostle did not refer to it when presenting a list of his sufferings, on account that it ended up in gaining the honor that the beasts were reluctant to approach him. The apostle quoted the phrase: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” from the Septuagint version of the prophet Isaiah 22: 13, which the prophet used when Jerusalem was put under siege by Senecherib and the army of the Assyrians. Having lost every hope in being saved, the people in Jerusalem surrendered to death, found it futile to labor or to strive, and no benefit in fighting back, nor in praying to God’; And instead of repenting, fasting, weeping, or feeling humiliated, they held banquets, with the slogan: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’; …. That is what would happen to those who lose their hope in the eternal salvation; who do not anticipate the heavenly glory, nor the happiness in the life to come. “Tomorrow we die”; namely, as long as the belief in resurrection is not true any more. death will soon chase us, with no return of life. And if there is no resurrection from the dead, it would be better for man, instead of suffering for the sake of faith, to eat and drink before he dies (Isaiah 22: 13). Intending to respond to those who doubt the resurrection, the apostle probably quoted what one of them said: ‘If we are going to die like animals, and will not rise again, let us then behave like them!’. Those who denied the resurrection were most probably, originally ‘Sadducees’ who say that there is no resurrection, and no angels or spirit (Acts 23: 8). As though man in his wholeness is just a body having nothing worth to remain after death. This word, he surely uttered with some scoffing; he quoted from Isaiah, the prophet with the sweet voice, who was addressing certain corrupt sensual people, with the same words: “In that day the Lord God of hosts called to weeping and mourning, to baldness and putting on sackcloth; but instead there was joy ans festivity, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating meat and drinking wine. ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’. The Lord of hosts has revealed Himself in my ears: Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die, says the Lord God of hosts” (Isaiah 22: 13-14 LXX) … If those who so said were denied forgiveness, that would be much more in the era of grace1. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (32). Tell me now what would be the end, but corruption2! (St. John Chrysostom) If all hope in the resurrection is lost, let us then eat and drink, and not deny ourselves the pleasures of the present things; as there would be nothing in the future! … Some say that they seek the pleasures because death means nothing to them; showing that they live as carnal and not spiritual; that they practice, not the work of the soul, but that of the body; on the assumption that all the work of life will come to an end with the separation of the soul from the body3. (St. Ambrose) 1 In 1 Cor., Hom 40: 4. 2 In Ephes., Hom. 12. 3 Letters to Priests 59. 475 Those who so say are dead, dead indeed, dead to God1! (St. Clement of Alexandria) “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (33) The apostles ends his debate concerning faith in resurrection from the dead, by warning against the evil deceitful people with loosely life and no principles. He who desires to keep his innocence and goodness, is committed to be aware of the evil company. He who walks together with the wise will find wisdom; while he who keep company with the ignorant will perish (Proverb 13: 20). Intimate friendship with those who deny the resurrection from the dead would corrupt the minds of believers and does harm to their behavior and life; Those who claim that the resurrection is a purely spiritual issue that has nothing to do with the body; and that the throne of sin is the body alone, which it will forsake as the soul comes out of the body; when the soul will live, and the body will perish. While you despise the gold, someone else may love it; While you reject the riches, he may earnestly seek it; While you love silence, and the private way of life, he may find pleasure in vain talk in public places, streets and with bad company Do not stay together with him under one roof. Do not depend on your past chastity to protect you against such bad influence; as you would not be holier than David, or wiser than Solomon If your clerical role commits you to visit a widow or a virgin, do not go there alone, take with you someone of good reputation; If a woman has something confidential to tell you, she has to be accompanied by a governess, a widow, a virgin, or a married friend; Do not sit with her alone, secretly, and with no witnesses2. (St. Jerome) Do not you see that “Evil company corrupts good habits?” In it, you cannot utter the words of the gospel, but would hear those of the idols. By it you would lose the Truth, that Christ is God3. (St. Augustine) He so said to rebuke them for they lacked the understanding; Yet, to draw them to repentance, he tried to find for them some excuse by casting the blame on bad company from their past4. (St. John Chrysostom) “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (34) Accusing them of gluttony, lack of understanding, slothfulness, and vanity, the apostle tried to cast the blame for all that on their bad company of evil friends; seeking their separation from them, and their return by repentance to their past blessed life. And to keep them from falling into despair or resorting to stubbornness, he says: “I speak this to your shame” (34). “Awake”, and the literal translation is “Awake you drunkards” from your carnal slump in which you cast yourselves through the bad influence of those who deny the 1 Paesagogus 2: 11: 81. 2 Letter 32. 3 Sermons on New Testament Lessons. 4 In 1 Cor., Hom. 40: 4. 476 resurrection from the dead (See Joel 1: 5); Life is no more than a passing moment; but heaven anticipates to grant us blessings with no limits. “do not sin”; For, having denied the resurrection, they cast themselves into the pleasures of carnal covetousness. The apostle asks them not to disregard God, their souls, and their eternity. “to your shame”; Namely he exhorts the Christian Corinthians, who boast their knowledge, to keep away from those who deny the resurrection, as they bring them shame. Again he warns them; as it would be a shame and disgrace for Christians not to know God; For he who denies the resurrection from the dead, who eats, drinks, does not care for the life to come, and does not watch for the sake of his own salvation, would be counted as though he does not know God Himself. The corrupt life is a kind of practical atheism, and a disregard of the existence of God, his care, and his eternal reward for the righteous, and His punishment of the wicked. The lack of understanding is like darkness that would keep the soul from beholding the light of God; There is nothing worse for the soul than to stay in the darkness without the knowledge of God. Here, the apostle probably talks about those who were once enlightened, and practiced the new holy life; but the bad company of the wicked has corrupted their vision. He draws their attention that it is disgraceful to leave the way of light and do down to the depths of the darkness in ignorance. It seems as though Paul is talking to some drunkards and people out of their minds; because only those would practice such a drastic sudden change of behavior; telling them that those who deny the resurrection from the dead, have no knowledge of God1. (St. John Chrysostom) 8- THE RISEN BODY: Here, he moves to the second part of His essay on the resurrection from the dead; to talk about the nature of the risen body. He starts by responding to some objections to the resurrection, as: How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Two aspects of the same question. By what power, or how could the resurrection be realized? As it is according to them something impossible. And the second aspect is, if we suppose this to be possible, Will the body be risen with the same form and members?! The first aspect is the objection of the atheists who deny the power of God to realize the resurrection. And the second aspect is a kind of question out of curiosity from those who doubt. “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” (35) In a kind of reproach, the apostle presents the questions of those who doubt the resurrection, saying: It is not right to doubt what God proclaims, for the mere inability of the mind to imagine the possibility of their realization. Instead of asking “why?” man should have faith in the power of God to realize it; the way the prophet Ezekiel did when 1 On 1 Cor., Hom 40: 4. 477 he was asked about the possibility that dry bones can again live! His answer was: “O Lord God, You know” (Ezekiel 37: 3). Some may wonder how would bodies that have deteriorated become whole again? And the members that were scattered and destroyed, how could they be restored? Yet no one would wonder how the delicate seeds that deteriorate under the burden of wet soil, could suddenly burst into growth and become green! They would not wonder how those deteriorated seeds, hidden and buried in the soil, get a kind of life-giving warmth, as though by a caring mother toward her little ones, protecting them by some kinds of covers against the freezing cold and the sizzling sun rays; to grow gradually into a shoot carrying heads of grains1. (St. Ambrose) Why does Paul present such an evidence instead of simply referring to the power of God, the way he did in many other situations? Here, dealing with unbelievers, he had to present to them mental proofs of what he says2. (St. John Chrysostom) “Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies” (36) Concerning the first aspect, the apostle answers by saying that the resurrection lies in the possibility of the Almighty God who perpetually works by His divine power in our daily life, in what liken the resurrection. The same way the grain of wheat deteriorates, and seems as though has completely perished, before it returns to present fruits of the same kind; It so happens with our own body. It is as though he says: Why do you foolishly deny the power of God, the Grantor of resurrection, when we, on a daily basis, experience His amazing life-giving power to dead things? The apostle here calls him who asks question concerning the resurrection, disregarding the power of God, and boasting the human philosophy. “a foolish one”. The apostle answers the question “How?”, by a practical example well known to everyone; Namely, any protest against the possibility of resurrection is baseless through the practical actuality. The resurrection of Christ who died for our sake, did not take away from us the death of the body, that dwelt upon us through Adam; but presents us to him to enjoy a heavenly new life, that emerges from His life-giving death. Saying: “Foolish one!”, he addresses the deceptive teachers or the false apostles who, depending upon their human wisdom, take an opposing position against God and men, to become truly foolish. And on another aspect, having counted God as incapable of raising the dead, they became foolish. In an attempt to solve a problem presented by the Gentiles against the resurrection, he deals with two difficulties: one concerning the way of resurrection; and the second concerning the kind of the risen bodies. He calls them “foolish ones” for they are ignorant of what happen with them on a daily basis, through things involving resurrection, and yet they doubt the ability of God. That is why he confirms, saying: “What you sow”(36), O you prone to death and perdition3 … (St. John Chrysostom) 1 On His Brother Satyrus, 2: 55. 2 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 2. 3 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 2. 478 It so seems that we are committed to take those words in this meaning; and to assume that those whom God will find alive on earth, on His second coming, in such a narrow period of time, will die and gain eternity; when the same apostle says: “In Christ, all shall be made alive” (22); while, talking about the resurrection of the body, he says: “What you sow is not made alive unless it dies” (36). How then, could those whom Christ will find alive on earth, live in (no-death), unless they die? If we cannot talk as is befitting, concerning that the human bodies could not live unless, by their death, they return to earth, to realize what God uttered against the fallen early father of all mankind, saying: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3: 19); It would be befitting of us to know that those who will still be in the body on His second coming, would be exempted of the words mentioned by the apostle, and in the Book of Genesis; As by being lifted up on the clouds, they would certainly not be sown in the earth, having not experienced death at all; or they may die for a moment in the air1. (St. Augustine) “And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain – perhaps wheat or some other grain” (37) Man would not sow the heads of grain which he is going to reap, but a mere seed, out of which a whole plant of the same king will come out, yet even better and greater. It is the same with us; We are sown a body, to be risen up in the same body, yet with more beauty and splendor; with a new spiritually glorious nature, greater than what was sown. Death would not be only a way of crossing over of the body, and its return; but a way to glorify the body, to share with the soul her eternal splendor. This essay of his is no more concerning the fact of resurrection, but its way: “How are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come?”; whether it will be of the same kind, or better, and more glorious? … What does he say? “You do not sow that body that shall be”; namely the same whole head of wheat; the material is the same, but it will grow into a new, better, and more beautiful body2. Somebody may say: But that is the work of nature!… Now tell me: what nature? In this case it is certainly God who makes all, and not nature, nor the earth, or the sun, or the rain; “God gives it a body as He pleases” (38). Therefore, it is unbefitting of us to ask or to be preoccupied with how and in what way that will be realized, when we know that all will be realized by the power and will of God3. (St. John Chrysostom) If the seed dies, then gives other benefits to men, why would it be unreasonable that the human body will be risen by the power of God in an utterly equal being4?! (Ambrosiaster) If you are sown like other things, why should you wonder that you will be risen like other things? … You believe in what happen to the seed because you see it; but you do not believe in the resurrection because you do not see it. “Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20: 29). Not all seasons are suitable for all 1 City of God 20: 20. 2 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 3. 3 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 3. 4 On His Brother Satyrus, 2: 57. 479 seeds to grow; the wheat are sown in certain time, and grow in another; other times for the vines; and still others for the olives. Yet none of them grow by its own power, but by that of God1. (St. Ambrose) “But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body” (38) “God gives it a body as He pleases”. What would please God more than for the body to enjoy the blessed heavenly life? It would be His pleasure to grant the body, that shared with the soul her strife in this world, to share her glory as well. Every kind of seed produces a body of its own kind; We do not hear of a seed of wheat that produces barley; Nor a seed of apples that produces lemon. “All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fish, and another of birds” (39) It came a time when scientists claimed that what the apostle Paul say is wrong; for the bodies of man, the beasts, the fish, and the birds, are all the same, all formed of the cellular protoplasm, namely, the living matter of the cells. But now, scientists know that the cytoplasm and its nucleus differ in those four kinds of bodies2. The body of man, risen by God is a true body, with a special nature, yet spiritual and glorified; It is not an imaginary body as some believe. In the resurrection, a better body will be risen; with no flesh or blood as it is now, but an un-perishable living eternal being. (Theodor, Bishop of El-Messisa) “There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another” (40) When he speaks here about the celestial and the terrestrial bodies, he does not mean the heaven and earth in the general sense; but by heaven he means the sun, the moon, and the rest of the celestial bodies; Whereas by the earth he means its regular material body. Again he compares between our body of dust, like that of Adam, and that which we shall get, like the body of Christ risen from the dead. There is no point of comparison between the glory of the body of dust, and that of the heavenly spiritual body; In heaven, the body will be glorified, splendid, and perfect. Here, even in this world, our body of dust enjoys the deposit of the inner glory and splendor; But on the day of the Lord, “He will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to His glorious body, by the power that also enables Him to make all things subject to Himself” (Philippians 3: 21). And as the Lord Christ promised us: “The righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father” (Matthew 13: 43). Speaking here about the celestial bodies, he probably does not mean the sun, the moon, and the stars, but he probably means the angels and the heavenly hosts. Although they are spirits, yet, compared to the Spirit of God, they are counted as having bodies. And as we partake with them of the heavenly life, our bodies will be spiritual; yet still different from those of the heavenly creatures. By the heavenly bodies, he also probably means the body of Christ and those of the saints, risen from the dead; While by the earthly bodies he probably means our bodies during this temporal life here on earth. 1 On His Brother Satyrus, 2: 60. 2 William S. Dea;: Baker's Pictorial Ontroduction to the Bible, 1967, P. 342. 480 Even among the earthly human bodies, the difference may not be little; as some are Greeks, others are Barbarians; And among the Barbarians, some are more violent than others; some have exalted laws, and others have lowly ones, while still others are not governed by any laws1. (The scholar Origen) If God has created the sun, the moon, and the stars, What would be the problem for Him to create for us new bodies2?! (Pelagius) “There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars, for one star differs from another in glory” (41) The resurrection grants the believer here, the power to destroy sin, and to break the sting of death, to live with the exulting spirit of conquest. While the believer longs to know how his body will be in the resurrection; the unbeliever wonders with doubt, what will be the condition of the body risen from the dead! The apostle clarifies in a joyful language that our body, risen from the dead will have the following features: 1- Raised in incorruption (42) 2- Raised in glory (43) 3- Raised in power (43) 4- Raised a spiritual body (44) 5- Shall bear the image of the second Man – the Lord in heaven (45-50) Yes indeed, all will be raised in power and incorruption; Yet in that incorruptible glory, all will not enjoy the same honor and security3. Although it is one resurrection, yet there will be huge differences in honor between one body and another4. As there are differences among the earthly bodies, there are also differences among the heavenly bodies. Although the sun, the moon, and the stars are all in heaven, yet some have more glory than others. We learn from this that, although all the righteous will be in the kingdom of God, yet not all will enjoy the same reward; The same way, although all sinners will be in hell, yet not all shall suffer the same punishment5. (St. John Chrysostom) (Our spirits will only unite with God alone) It is the Holy Trinity alone who has the possibility to penetrate every mental nature; not only to embrace and to surround it, but even to enters into it … As despite our conviction that we partake of certain of the spiritual natures of angels, archangels, and the other heavenly hosts; Yet we should not consider these heavenly creatures (incorporeal); as they actually have bodies, albeit much lighter than ours; according to the words of the apostle: “there are celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies” (40); and, “It is 1 De Principiis 2: 9: 3. 2 Comm.. On 1 Cor. 3 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 5. 4 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 4. 5 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 4. 481 sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (44). It is obvious that there is nothing incorporeal except God, who alone can penetrate every spiritual and mental material; as He, alone, is perfect, exists in everything, sees the thoughts of men, their inner emotions, and all the hidden things of their spirits. About Him the apostle says: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrew 4: 12, 13). And the blessed David says: “He knows the secrets of the hearts” (Psalm 44: 21); and, “He considers all their works” (Psalm 33: 15). And Solomon says: “For You alone knows the hearts of the sons of men” (2 Chronicles 6: 30) 1. (Father Serinus) We believe in vast differences between the heirs of the kingdom of heaven, and the heirs of earth; between the wicked and those who are pure in heart, who shall see God (Matthew 5: 8). “There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory” (41); So it will be in the resurrection from the dead2. (Father Sherimon) “So also is the resurrection of the dead; the body is sown in corruption; it is risen in incorruption” (42) Burying the dead is like sowing the seed. Some Rabbis believe that among the righteous, there will be nine levels of glory; while others believe that there are seven levels: The first level: The righteous who keep the covenant with the Holy God; who control all the evil feelings. The second level: Those who walk upright along the ways of God; find pleasure; and give God pleasure by so doing. The third level: The perfect who walk along the ways of God, and never question His ordinances. The fourth level: The saints; the most exalted on the earth; and the subject of pleasure of God. The fifth level: The repentant, who break down the brass gates, and return to God. The sixth level: The meek scholars, who do not challenge God. The seventh level: The godly, who reach up to the summit above all the previous levels. In the Rabbinic heritage, there are certain phrases that are similar to those said by the apostle; as for example that the souls of the righteous in the world to come shall shine like the suns, the moons, and the stars; and like the minaret in the temple of God. “Sown in corruption” (42); namely, the body will be subject to deterioration. It is raised in incorruption”; As a glorious body that will no more be subject to corruption, deterioration, or death. 1 Cassian: Conferences 7: 13. 2 Cassian: Conferences 11: 12. 482 As the rational soul is not good or bad in itself, but is capable of being as such; So is the body, it is not destructible or indestructible by nature, but acquires these features with time. (St. Dedymus the blind) Although the saints are spiritual in mind, yet they are still carnal in the corruptible body, which remains a burden on the soul. They will become spiritual in the body, as well, when their carnal body is sown and raised again as a spiritual body. They are still prisoners in the stronghold of sin, as long as they submit to the seductions of the lusts they do not approve. As such, I understood this issue, as it happened with Hilary, Gregory, Ambrose, and others of the famous teachers of the church, who believed that the apostle, by words, has strongly fought the same battle against the carnal thoughts he did not approve1. (St. Augustine) As when the spirit serves the body, it is truly called ‘carnal’; So it is when the body serves the spirit, it is truly called spiritual. That does not mean that it would transform into a spirit as some wrongly interpret the words “is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption” (42); But, because it submits to the spirit in an amazing readiness for perfect obedience, and because it responds in everything to the will that entered eternity, it will get rid of all slothfulness, corruption, and laziness. The body will, not only become better that it used to be now in its best health condition, but will even exalt above the bodies of our early parents who sinned2. In a certain way, virginity will shine there; and in another way, the chastity of marriage will shine; and in a third way, the holy widowhood will shine as well. All will shine in different ways, yet all will be there3. (St. Augustine) “It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power” (43) “It is sown in dishonor”. Because of sin, the body, its energies, senses, and feelings, have been deprived of every glory, has become in dishonor, and its destiny was death. Yet it will be raised in glory, will enjoy eternity, and will be eternally liberated from the bondage of death. “It is sown in weakness”. Having been prone to illness; Then “is raised in power”, no more prone to exhaustion, illness, old age, deterioration, and death. The word “sown’ came as a joyful term instead of (buried). What does he mean by the word “power” here? He certainly does not mean power like that of God nor of His angels; It is not the muscular strength; but it is a power to consummates what seems impossible to achieve now. Power here is also contradictory to weakness to which the body is prone in this world. It is as though the power means nonsubmission of the body to illness, weakness, and bodily needs of food, drink, and sleep; …death, corruption, or deterioration, will never dwell on it. 1 Against Julian 70. 2 City of God 13: 20. 3 Sermons on New Testament Lessons, 82: 3. 483 “It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (44) “It is sown a natural body”, formed of muscles, bones, nerves, arteries, and veins, etc. and with the same system functions; like those of the digestive, respiratory, vascular, nervous system, and so on. “It is raised a spiritual body”, perfect, and in no need of outer help, like food, drink, air, etc.; does not submit to death; has a spiritual existence, and spiritual provisions. In the Jewish heritage in the time of the apostle, there were similar expressions, as for example: In ‘Sohar Chadash’ it came: [So it will be in the resurrection from the dead; except for the old defilement]. According to Rabbi Bechai: [When the righteous are raised, their bodies will be pure and innocent, obedient to the motives of the soul; and there will be no controversy, nor any evil illness]. According to Rabbi Pinchas: [The Holy blessing God will make the bodies of the righteous beautiful like that of Adam when he first entered into paradise]. And according to Rabbi Levi: [Once the soul is in heaven, it will be clothed in heavenly light; and when it returns to the body, having its same role, the body will shine with the splendor of the firmament; Then humans will enjoy the knowledge of what is perfect]. The ‘carnal body’ is sometimes translated as ‘natural body’, namely the body by which the animal practices the activities of its life, like eating, drinking, breathing, etc. has senses, and needs rest and sleep. The ‘spiritual body’, on the other hand, does not mean ‘a spirit’, as the spirit has no body. Is our present body, not as spiritual as it should be? It is indeed spiritual, yet it will become more spiritual; As now, the rich grace of the Holy Spirit would most probably forsake it, once it commits serious sins. But after the resurrection, the Spirit will perpetually dwell in the body of the righteous, together with the soul, and the conquest will be his eternal ally. By that you will believe that God is able to transform these corruptible bodies into incorruptible, and more exalted than the seen bodies1. (St. John Chrysostom) When the body which is formed by physical relationship between male and female, is sown, it will be weak and frail, on account of that it is the body of a soul that partakes of its features. But once it is raised by the power of God, it will appear as a spiritual body that bears non-perdition, power, and honor. (St. Dedymus the blind) This body will be raised, yet not in its present weakness. The same body will be raised, yet after its transformation and taking away its corruption, according to the will of God who raises us; like the iron that becomes fire when it unites with fire. This body will therefore be raised; but it will not remain in its present condition, but will become an eternal body, in no need of the provisions of life as it is now; but will become spiritual; … What an amazing issue that we ask God to reveal to us2. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) 1 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 5. 2 Catechetical Lectures, 18. 484 The body is sown in corruption, as, in the grave, it is wrapped in strips of linen, in which it gets corrupt and consumed by maggots; but it will be raised up in glory, and every trace of weakness will disappear1. (Ambrosiaster) Although we shall still be in bodies, yet we shall live by the spirit; namely, although we shall keep the material of the body, yet without suffering its weaknesses2. As when the spirit serves the body, it would not be wrong to call it ‘carnal’; So it is when the body serves the spirit, it could be truly called ‘spiritual’; not that it is transformed into a spirit, as is wrongly assumed by those who misinterpret the text saying: “It is sown a natural body, and is raised a spiritual body”; But on account of that the body will submit in complete, amazing, and flexible obedience to the spirit; receiving its own non-corruptible law of eternity, and driving away from it any feeling of exhaustion, every shadow of suffering, and every sign of lowliness. This spiritual body, will not only be better than any other body on earth in perfect health, but will even be superior to those of Adam and Eve before falling into sin3. (St. Augustine) As far as the nature of our body is concerned, It is befitting of us to understand that there is no body we know, in lowliness, corruption, and weakness; and another different body that we shall use later on, in non-corruption, power, and glory. But it is rather the same body, from which its present weakness is taken away, and is transformed to a spiritual glorious body. The ultimate result will be that what has been a vessel of weakness, the same will be purified, and will turn into a vessel of honor, and a dwelling place of blessings4. The spiritual body is fitting for the dwelling, not only of the saints and perfect souls; but of all the creation that get rid of the bondage of corruption. 5 (The scholar Origen) 9- WE SHALL BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY MAN: “And so it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’. The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit” (45) Here, the apostle Paul refers to what is written in the Book of Genesis 2: 7, that Adam became a living being. Whereas, concerning the second Adam, who became a lifegiving Spirit; some Jews, say that the Spirit of the Messiah, is “the Spirit of God that was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1: 2) to give life; They were perpetually referring to the Messiah, that He gives life to those dwelling in the dust. In the gospel, according to John, it came: “In Him was life” (John 1: 4). God set Adam as a living being; yet, because he was in need of life from outside, God granted him a wife, he called ‘Eve’, namely, (life) to bring forth life, and to be the mother of every living being; but, instead, she brought forth death. The second Adam, on the other hand, the life-giving incarnate Word, confirms to us: “I am the life and the resurrection and the life”. (John 11: 25). 1 CSEL 81: 181. 2 City of God 13: 22. 3 City of God 13: 20. 4 De Principiis 3: 6: 3. 5 De Principiis 3: 6: 4. 485 The fruit of our connection to our early father, the first Adam, was that we bore a carnal body; whereas our connection to our new father, the second Adam, is that we have become a spiritual body; as He grants us the eternal heavenly life. The apostle says these things to teach us that the signs and promises of the present life and the life to come have dwelt on us now. He mentions the good things that were hoped for, referring to them as have already begun; because their roots and source have been proclaimed. Being so, there is no need for doubt that the fruits will appear in due time1. (St. John Chrysostom) The saintly apostle looks at two men as the source of mankind; namely, Adam and Christ; Who although both are men, yet they are different in worthiness; although alike in their body members, yet they are truly different in their beginning. The first man – Adam – according to the text became a living being; whereas the second Man became a life-giving Spirit. The first man was followed by the second, from whom he got his soul to live; whereas the second Man formed Himself; as He alone does not wait for another to give Him life, but He gives it to all men. The first man was created out of very cheap dust; whereas the second man came from the precious womb of a virgin. In case of the first man, dust was transformed into a body; whereas for the second man, the body itself ascended to God. I can say more than that: The later man is Adam, whose image He first created; that is why (Christ) took on Himself the same role like the first one, and, caring for him, he took up his name to keep him from perdition, and created him in His image. The first Adam has a beginning, while the second Adam has neither a beginning nor an end. The second Adam is in truth the First; He says: “I am the First and the Last” (Revelation 1: 11); He is surely limitless. According to the text: “However, The spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual” (46). Surely, although the earth comes before the fruit; yet it is not as valuable. The earth produces sighs and labors; whereas the fruit gives existence and life. Glorifying such a fruit, the prophet says: “The Lord has sworn in truth to David, He will not urn from it: ‘I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body” (Psalm 132: 11). The text goes on to say: “The first man was of the earth, made of dust, the second man is the Lord from heaven” (47). Where are they, who claim that the conception of the virgin, and giving birth to her son, are like what happen to any other woman?! As far as other women are concerned, it is from the earth; while for the holy virgin it is from heaven. One came by a divine power, while the other came through human weakness. One happened through a body submitted to lusts; while the other, through the tranquility of the divine Spirit, and the peace of the human body. The womb of the holy virgin was completely relaxed during the heavenly visit. The Creator of the body clothed Himself with a garment from the body of man, in order 1 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 6. 486 to turn Him, who was not only grantd the earth, but will be granted heaven as well, and could become a heavenly man1. (Peter Christologus) “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual” (46) The ‘carnal’ or ‘natural’ is first, being the body in which Adam was created to live on earth. Whereas the ‘spiritual’ is the same body, after it is glorified, to clothe the soul in the resurrection, and to live in heaven as a being ‘spiritual-like’ From the early parents of mankind, ‘Cain’ was the firstfruit, who belonged to the city of men; followed by ‘Abel’, who belonged to city of God. Now, according to the phrase said by the apostle: “The spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual”; Every man is first born from Adam, evil and carnal; then becomes good and spiritual, once he is grafted in Christ by the renewal; which will be the case for the whole mankind2. The spiritual body is understood as a body submitted to the spirit to be suitable for its heavenly dwelling. Every earthly weakness, corruption, and change, will turn into heavenly purity3. (St. Augustine) According to God’s plan, what is least shall pass away, and we shall expect what is better; which is also expressed by the apostle Paul. That is why the farmer does not feel sad when he sees the seeds deteriorate4. (St. John Chrysostom) “The first man is of the earth, made of dust; the second man is the Lord from heaven” (47) Some believe that this text originally came as: “The first man is of the earth, made of dust; the second man is heavenly (from the Lord)”; as it was said by Eve when she gave birth to Cain: “I have brought forth a man with the help of the Lord” (Genesis 4: 1). However, in many versions, as well as in the writings of the early fathers of the church, the word “Lord” was not mentioned. The Jews used the expressions: ‘the bigger Adam’, and the ‘the smaller Adam’; namely the heavenly and the earthly; or Adam before the resurrection, and Adam after the resurrection. “Of the earth” does not imply just walking on earth which is dust, but bearing a mortal earthly nature. The first difference was between the present life and the one to come; while this difference is between the life before and after the proclamation of the grace5. (St. John Chrysostom) The heavenly Lord became earthly, to turn the earthly into heavenly. The eternal became mortal through taking on Himself the form of a servant and not through a 1 Fr. Peter Chrysologus: Selected Sermons (Frs. Of the Church), 117. 2 City of God 15: 1. 3 Faith ad The Creed 6: 13. 4 On 1 Cor., Hom. 41: 6. 5 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 1. 487 change of His nature as Lord; in order to turn the mortal into eternal, through their enjoyment of the grace of the Lord, and their non-preoccupation with the disobedience of the servant1. (St. Augustine) The first man came from earth, and the second from heaven. By saying “the man”, he refers to his birth from the Virgin, who did according to the nature of her race, in her pregnancy and giving birth to man. And when he confirms that the second man is from heaven, he testifies that His origin is through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Virgin. Namely, while He is a man, He is, at the same time, heavenly; while His birth is by the Virgin, the pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit2. (St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitier) “As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are heavenly” (48) As was Adam who was conformed from dust, so also his descendants are submitted to weakness, deterioration, and death. And as is the Heavenly, so also those who unite with Him, will partake of His heavenly glory. In case you stay in how you came from the earth, you will ultimately turn into it; you have to change; You are committed to become heavenly3. (The scholar Origen) Adam was conformed from dust by God’s hands; And Christ was conformed in the womb of a virgin by God’s Spirit4. (Maximus, Bishop of Turin) What then? Did not that Man also die? Yes indeed He died; but was not harmed by that; He rather put an end to death5. (St. John Chrysostom) I wish we listen to what follows: “As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are heavenly” (48). How could those who were not born heavenly, become heavenly? It would not be through remaining in the way they were born, but by becoming according to the new birth. Brethren, that is the reason why the heavenly Spirit, through a secret order to His Light, gave fertility to the womb of the virgin mother. He intended, for those who are from an inherited origin of dust, and so became pitiable earthly humans, to become heavenly beings. He intended to bring them forth to the image of their Creator. Therefore, I wish that we, who are already born again, and have been conformed in the image of our Creator, bring into effect what the apostle said. Even though we bear the likeness of the earthly, let us also bear that of the heavenly. 1 Letter to Consentius, 205. 2 Trinity, 10. 3 In Genesis, Hom. 9. 4 Maximus of Turin: Sermons, 50: 2. 5 On 1 Cor., Ho. 42: 2. 488 Let us understand that all that was necessary. Being conformed from the earth, we are unable to produce heavenly fruits; Being born out of lust, we cannot avoid lust; Being born out of the strong seductions of the body, and having to carry the burden of its seductions, we counted this world as our home, and became captives of its evils. But being born again in the image of our Lord (as we already mentioned) who was conceived by the Virgin, we would live by the spirit, bear humility, perfection, and innocence, learn sanctification, train on virtue; to be worthy of being adopted by God as His children. Let us then bear the image of our Creator in fullness; … Let that be a reproduction, not of the unique majesty, but of the innocence, simplicity, meekness, perseverance, humility, mercy, and peace, designated to Him to become one with us. I wish the disturbing iniquities become vain; the seductions of the serious sins be defeated, and the eye, the source of all evil is put under control. I wish all the fog of mental issues scatter out of our senses. I wish all the weaknesses of the worldly covetousness are driven out of our minds. I wish we receive the poverty of Christ, who stores for us eternal riches in heaven. I wish we keep fully the sanctification of the soul and the body, to carry the image of our Creator, cherish it within us, not through its volume, but through its way of work. The apostle confirms what we say by saying: “I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (50). Look how he preaches the resurrection of the body! There, the spirit posses the body, and not the other way round; as is clear from the words that follow: “nor does corruption inherit incorruption” (50). Here you see that it is not the body itself that will perish, but the element of corruption; not the man, but his faults; not the person, but his sins; That he who lives in God, and is risen by Him, would rejoice by reaching the salvation from his sins1. (Father Peter Christologus) “And as we have borne the likeness of the man of dust, we shall also bear the likeness of the heavenly Man” (49) In the resurrection, the body will be clothed by glory, to become like the body of the Lord Christ risen from the dead; by which it can go through the earthly hurdles, pass through the air, and shines with splendor reflected on it from that of the Lord Christ. As children of Adam, borne in his likeness, and submit to what he was submitted, Now, as we unite with the heavenly, we would equally enjoy His likeness. By saying “we shall bear …” he makes it clear that the likeness of the heavenly Man is like a garment we put on and hide in. Our body is there, yet it bears a new nature, shining with great splendor. Now, listening to all these things, you should be purified of every earthly burden by the word of God; that the image of the heavenly would shine in you2. In case one bears the likeness of the earthly according to the outer man, he would move by the earthly lusts and the temporal love. Whereas the lust and love of him who bears the likeness of the heavenly in his inner man, are heavenly. The soul moves by the heavenly love and the heavenly longing, when, seeing clearly the beauty and 1 Fr. Peter Chrysologus: Selected Sermons (Frs. Of the Church), 117. 2 In Genesis, Hom. 13: 4. 489 perfection of the Word of God, it falls into the depths of His love, and receives the Word Himself as an Arrow who wounds it with love1. (The scholar Origen) This means that, as we bear the corrupt body of Adam from dust; we shall, in the future, also bear the incorrupt body like that of the risen Christ2. (Ambrosiaster) Paul means: As we have borne the likeness of the earthly, namely, the evil works; let us also bear that of the heavenly – the exalted heavenly way of life. If we are speaking about nature, we would not be in need of an advice or exhortation; it is obvious that he talks here about our way of life3. To bear an image is not something that concerns nature, but is according to our own choice and behavior4. (St. John Chrysostom) Do not ask God why He created you that way! Do not be mire, but be a son of God through the mercy of Him who grants the believers in His name, the power to be the children of God; although this is not yet given as such to those who intend to know the divinities before believing in them5. (St. Augustine) “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption” (50) “Flesh and blood” is a Jewish expression that refers to man in his present state; as with his fall, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God; his nature does not conform to that place; By his present weakness he would not be able to endure the exaltation of the splendor of the heavenly glory. That is why he has to die, and to have the nature of his body changed to one worthy of existing in that glory. By the “flesh and blood” he means, not the body itself, but what is mortal and corrupt in it, and all traces of sin; our corrupt body cannot enjoy the divine kingdom in its present condition. By the body here, Paul means the evil intentional works. The body, in itself, is not an obstacle; but, because of our wickedness, it cannot inherit the kingdom of God6. (St. John Chrysostom) I wish we do not despise the body in any way; but only reject its works. We should not despise the body which will reign in heaven together with Christ. Saying that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, does not refer to the body as such, but to its works7. (St. Jerome) 1 Comm.. On Song of Songs, Prol. 2.. (ACW). 2 Csel 81: 182-83. 3 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 2. 4 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 2. 5 Questions 68: 3. 6 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 2. 7 On Psalm 143, hom. 34. 490 Then, there will be some kind of harmony between the body and the spirit; the spirit gives life to the ministering body, not expecting anything in return; There would then be no struggle within us. As there will be no enemies from outside to endure, there will also be no enemies from inside1. (St. Augustine) By the “flesh” here the apostle means the evil works that man does; according to the words: “You are not in the flesh, but in the spirit” (Romans 8: 8-9) … Now, if he is talking about the body in terms of corruption, it is not corruption, but prone to corruption; That is why he consummates his talk about him, not calling him ‘corruption’, but ‘corruptible’, saying: “when this corruptible has put on incorruption” (54) 2. (St. John Chrysostom) 10 - THE LAST TRUMPET: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (51) Here, the apostle reveals a mystery unknown to the Jews before; which is that not all humanity will die, but all will change. “We shall not all sleep”. Now, as there would be no resurrection unless preceded by death; And as we understand from this phrase that ‘sleeping’ is nothing but death, How then could all of us sleep or be risen, if many will be found on the second coming of Christ, in the body, having not slept nor risen?! If we believe that there will be saints found living at the coming of the Lord, and will ascend to encounter Him; And if we also believe that, while ascending they will be changed from death to non-death; We shall find no difficulty to understand the words of the apostle. As to saying: “What you sow is not made alive unless it dies” (36), or saying: “we shall not all be risen”, and “we shall not all sleep”; Even the saints will live to non-death after they first die. In short, and accordingly, they will not be exempted from the resurrection preceded by death. Why would it seem unreasonable to us that a group of bodies are to be sown in air, and to be changed from corruption to non-corruption, when we believe in the testimony of the same apostle that resurrection will be realized in the blink of an eye; and that the dust of the bodies of those persons found alive, will turn into an incomprehensible exaltation3. (St. Augustine) He who does not change in this world will not be able to enjoy the experience of change in the other world4. Shining and glittering in the resurrection, the saints will be like the angels of God. They will be purified and will become in splendor to be able to behold the greatness of 1 Enchiridion 23: 9. 2 On 1 Cor., hom. 42: 3. 3 City of God 20: 20. 4 Cassidorus: Explanation of the Psalms, 20. 491 God by the eyes of the heart; for they cannot stir at the divine light unless they change to the better1. (Cassidorus) He means that we, as well, (who will die) will become immortal, for those (who will be alive at the second coming of the Lord) are mortal as well. Therefore, do not be afraid of dying as though you would not be risen, because even those whose bodies will not die, will have to change to incorruption … Saying: “We, he is not talking about himself, but about those who will be found alive at that time. (St. John Chrysostom) “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (52) “In a moment; and “in the twinkling of an eye”, namely, in an indivisible period of time, the resurrection will be realized in a divine way, that needs no time to consummate Rabbi ‘Akiba’ says the Holy God will blow the trumpet to produce an extended sound that will be heard all over the earth. At the first blow, the earth will shake; In the second the dust will separate from each other; At the third, the bones will gather together; At the fourth, the body organs will get warm; At the fifth, the skulls will get covered with skin; At the sixth, the souls will unite with their bodies; And at the seventh, life will get into all, to stand properly clothed, to appear before the divine throne for judgment. Blowing the trumpet on the day of the coming of the Lord is a Scripture teaching that came in Zechariah 9: 14; Matthew 24: 31; John 25: 5; 1 Thessalonian 4: 16). What does he mean by the last trumpet? There are several trumpets; The Book of Revelation tells us about the seven trumpets that are blown along the generations until the coming of the Lord Christ to realize the plan of God. In the Old Testament, the law was presented with the blowing of a trumpet (Exodus 19: 19). And the trumpets were blown for the priests and the people to get prepared to celebrate the major feasts, especially at the beginning of the seventh month that refers to the end of the world and the consummation of time; at the tenth day – the feast of atonement; at the fifteenth day – the feast of the tabernacles, to celebrate the spiritual salvation from Egypt (Psalm 50: 1-7; Zechariah 14: 18-19). Lazarus was raised from the dead with a great voice (John 11: 43). So, there will be the last trumpet at the ultimate coming of the Lord for judgment (Matthew 24: 31; 1 Thessalonian 4: 16). At the blowing of the last trumpet, the earth and all its inhabitants will be in terror; but you will rejoice. The world will grieve and sigh, for the Lord is coming to judge them. The tribes of the earth will strike their chests; the mighty kings will tremble in their nakedness; Jupiter and all his descendents will be on fire; Plato, together with his disciples will appear foolish; and Aristotle’s proofs will become vain. You may be poor and modest, yet you will b glorified and will laugh, saying: ‘Behold, the Crucified, my God! Behold, my Judge2!’. (St. Jerome) 1 Cassidorus: Explanation of the Psalms, 3. 2 Letters, 14: 11. 492 By saying “trumpet”, he intends for us to understand that the episode will become intensely clear, and with a designated sign; In another location he calls it the voice of an archangel, and the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonian 4: 15) 1. It is equally easy for God to raise from the dead those who recently died, as well as those who died since a long time2. (St. Augustine) In his first epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul proclaims that time will suddenly come to an end, and things will change to a contrary way, saying: “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet” (51-52). He teaches us that the change will take place in a moment, indivisible, and inextensible; ‘the twinkling of an eye’. There will be no more chance for anyone in that last moment of time to get by death that change of resurrection… Those who are alive will change to become like those who had the change through the resurrection, namely the change to incorruption. There will be no more body weight to bring them down to earth, but they will be lifted up on the clouds to encounter the Lord in air; to be perpetually together with Him3. Concerning the description of the wonders of the events of resurrection by the apostle; How could any man easily deal with such an issue? … How, with a scream, or by the blowing of a trumpet, in the twinkling of an eye, could all the dead change, to eternal beings4?! (St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa) “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (53) Whether man dies or not, what is important is that he changes to be qualified to inherit the kingdom of God. I shall see my brother ‘Caesarius’, not in captivity, buried, sad, or in need of someone to commiserate with him; but I shall see him in splendor, glory, and exaltation5. (St. Gregory, the Nezenzian) He who was able to create you from naught, Will he not be able to raise you up, when you were already existing6?! O death! Behold, you are stricken! You are wounded! You have fallen to the ground! He who created me has been wounded, died for my sake; and by His death He conquered you! ”O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (55). We, as well, will be renewed in the body when this corruptible will put on incorruption, to become a spiritual body. Adam did not change to such a body, which he was supposed to have, if he was not qualified for death7, because of sin, even by his 1 Letter 34. 2 Six Questions Answered for Pagans. 3 On the Making Man, 22: 3. 4 On the Soul and the Resurrection. 5 Funeral Sermon: On His Brother Caesarius, 21. 6 Sermons for the Feast of Ascension 26: 4: 6. 7 Sermons on New Testament Lesons, 78: 10. 493 natural body. Finally, Paul did not say “the body will be dead because of sin”, but said: “the body died because of sin” 1. (St. Augustine) The two genders: the males and the females will remain as they are created. All bodies of males and females who will be in the kingdom of God will be glorious; yet their glory will differ according to their good deeds2. (Fulgentius) Our minds will be liberated from the sufferings of the earth; From Him we shall receive the gift of light; and by a way unknown to us, we shall unite with Him; our understanding will be in a blessed happiness, and we shall enjoy His splendid light3. (The so-called Dionysus) The body will endure, yet, when eternity and incorruptibility dwell on it, being put to death and corruptibility will become vain4. Anyway, “this corruptible” (the body), “must put on incorruption” (53). Whereas the soul, on the other hand, will never have corruption … Now, if we are to depart to the other world while having corruption, this corruptible will become without corruption, nor an end. It will burn, yet not consumed to perdition; struck with worms, yet not corrupted; It will be like that of the blessed ‘Job’, who endured a long time with “his flesh caked with worms and dust” (Job 7: 5 LXX) 5. Lest, when someone hears that “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God”, (50), he may assume that our bodies will not be raised, he added: “Nor does corruption inherit incorruption”, and, “This mortal must put on immortality”. Now, the body is corrupt and mortal; Yet it will indeed remain; its corruption and mortality will be no more, and on it, incorruption and immortality will dwell. Now, do not ever ask again how you are going to live a life with no end! You have already heard how your body will turn into incorruption6. (St. John Chrysostom) If we ask a good Christian, married and with children, whether he wishes to have physical relationship with his wife in the kingdom of God; Despite his love for his wife in the present life, he will not hesitate one moment to refuse to have physical relationship with her in heaven; For he only cares for that life in which the corruptible puts on incorruption, and the mortal puts on immortality (53, 54). But if we ask the same man whether he wishes to have his wife with him there after resurrection, where she would have that angelic change, promised by God for the saints, He will surely answer in the positive, as powerfully as he rejected the first suggestion. 1 The Lireral Meaning of Genesis (ACW), 6: 24: 35, 36. 2 Fulgentius: To Peter on the Faith, 237. 3 Pseudo-Dionysus: The Divine Names, 1: 4. 4 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 3. 5 In Ephes., Hom. 24. 6 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 3. 494 What a good Christian likes in his woman, is her being a divine creature, for whom he wishes to have the renewal and change, not caring for any lustful relationship1. In the same way, man loves his enemy, for whom he desires to have the same success he would himself have; namely, to reach the kingdom of God. That also apply to fatherhood, motherhood, and the rest of human blood relationships. As much as we reject the physical relationships in them, we love everything that would bring them forth to the kingdom of God. As there, we do not call anyone ‘father’, for we shall all say “Our Father!”; and will not call anyone ‘mother’, but we shall all call the heavenly Jerusalem “our mother”; and we shall not call a certain person ‘brother’, but each one of us will call the other “my brother”. Truly, there will be matrimony on our part! As we shall all become as one wife to Him who saved us from the defilement of this world by shedding His precious blood. Therefore, as disciple of Christ, as much as we reject all those mortal relationships concerning our relatives; we should rather love their persons, and wish for them an eternal life2. (St. Augustine) “So when the corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘death is swallowed up in victory’” (54) The sword of death will no more have authority over humanity, but will be forever destroyed before eternity. Here he introduces death as a fierce being that swallows humanity in all its generations… But through the resurrection of the body and the collapse of the kingdom of death, death itself will be swallowed and destroyed by eternity; Then God will reign, and death will be no more. By saying: “then shall be brought to pass”, he confirms that up to the day of resurrection, the sting of death is not completely destroyed; our body in the world will still be under its deadly sword; but after that, the sting and the authority of death will be no more. The Lord Christ will swallow death and will destroy it to non-existence. Namely, death will be completely destroyed, no part of it will remain or hope to remain; as the incorruption destroys corruption3. (St. John Chrysostom) “O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (55) The apostle personifies death and Hades; providing death with a sting; and Hades with a kingdom that always had complete victory and conquest over men and beasts; and from them, not any single one could escape. In the ancient inscriptions, death was portrayed as a skeleton bearing a crown on its head, and holding a spear in its hand by which he kills everyone. The Jews, on the 1 نفھم من أقوال أغسطینوس أن على الزوجین أن یحبا بعضھما البعض ویھتم كل منھما بالحیاة الروحیة للآخر فلا یكون علاقتھما ببعض مجرد اتصال جسدي، سوف ینتھي ویزول بزوال العالم... وذلك كنظرتنا إلى الطعام، فھو لیس بالشيء المحرم أو النجس ومع ذلك فینبغي ألا یكون ھدفًا لنا، لأنھ طعام فاسد لا یبقى إلى الأبد. فالزواج سرّ مقدس لھ كرامتھ وقدسیتھ أن مؤسسھ رب المجد نفسھ. ویقول عنھ أغسطینوس نفسھ "إن قداسة الشر، لھا في زیجتنا (المسیحیة) قوة أكثر .(32 :24 ، من قوة ثمرة الأولاد في الدم (في الزیجة 21 :18 2 Sermon on the Mmount 1: 15: 41. 3 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 4. 495 other hand, used to portray the angel of death carrying a sword from which deadly drops of blood flow in the mouths of all men. The word ‘grave’ or ‘tomb’, was often used instead of the word ‘Hades’, being the place where souls separate from human bodies. In case you think of those who died through wounds and blood shed; or think of how the weakness of the life-giving power keeps them from enjoying grace? Just have a look at Him, whose hands were pierced with nails, and His side was stabbed with a spear; Put your fingers on the scars of the nails, and your hand in the hole in His side If He is risen, we can then do well by uttering the praise of conquest, said by the apostle, concerning the dead1. (St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa) When the body is in harmony with the mind, and when death is swallowed up in victory (54); There will be no more struggle by the carnal covetousness. And when the struggle on earth will pass away, the war of the heart will be no more; and the saying: “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5: 17) 2, will come to an end. Man, by nature, fears death and the deterioration of the body; Yet it is amazing that he who is clothed by faith in the cross, will despise even what is fearsome by nature; And for the sake of Christ, he is not afraid of death3. (Pope St. Athansius) Yet, as long as I am still here, the corruptible body will pass under the soul. So let us say what is said after that: “Who redeems your life from destruction (corruption)?” (Psalm 103: 4). What would remain after salvation from corruption? When this corruptible puts on incorruption; and this mortal puts on immortality; When the written Scripture: “O death, where is your sting?” passes away. Yes indeed, where is the sting of death? “The sting of death is sin”; these are the words of the apostle and not mine. You search for it, but it is nowhere to be found. Then it will be said: “O death, where is your sting?” Sin will no more be there to shock you, to fight against you, nor inflame your conscience4. Where is death? Search for it in Christ, It will be no where to be found; Death is now dead! O God! O Life! O Killer of death! Let us then be with a good heart, that death dies in us as well. What happened to our Head will also happen to His members; Death will die in us as well. But when? At the end of the world, at the resurrection from the dead, in which we believe, and which we never doubt5. Then, we shall, not only disobey any seductions of the sin; but this kind of seductions that we are commanded to disobey, will never be there in the first place6. 1 On the Making of Man, 35. 2 Sermons on New Testament Lessons, 6: 8. 3 On Incarnation 28. 4 Sermons on New Testament Lessons, 6: 8. 5 Sermons for the Easter Season 233: 4. 6 Letter to Asellicus 196. 496 For the sake of the activities, necessary for this life, do not despise health, until this mortal puts on mortality. That is the true and complete health that does not come to an end, which is not revived by corrupt pleasures, when it fails through the worldly weakness, but would become well established by a heavenly power, and be youthful through eternal incorruption1. (St. Augustine) Incorruption swallows corruption, and leaves nothing of the past life behind2. Do you see the exaltation of his soul? How he, as a man presents a sacrifice in the hope of conquest? When Paul got the inspiration to see the things to come as though it already happened, he jumped up with joy, trampling upon death as though fallen under his feet, and utters the cries of conquest on the head of death, with power and exultation: “O death, where is your sting; O grave, where is your victory?” Death is no more; Christ, not only took away his weapon, He conquered it and destroyed it, to utter extinction3. (St. John Chrysostom) “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law” (56) If it was not for the sin, there would be no death. Man’s disobedience separated him from God, the source of life; and let him submit to the authority and the law of death. Without the law, we would not discern sin (Romans 3: 20; 4: 15; 5: 13). When the law, gave us the chance to reveal what we bear inside us of rebellion and opposition against the will of God, sin lived in us. Sin is the mother of death; as “through one man, sin entered into the world, and death through sin” (Romans 5: 12). Baptism destroys the sting of death. You descend into its water weighed down with your sins; but the call of grace grants your souls this seal, that you will no more be led by it to get swallowed by the horrible serpent. You descend into it dead in sin, and ascend alive with righteousness4. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) Forbidding by the law, would always increase the sinful desire, as long as the love and joy in holiness are weak and not able to overcome the tendency toward sin. That is why, without the divine grace, it would be impossible for man to love and rejoice in holiness5. When the law forbids a certain thing, we sin in a more serious way than if we are not forbidden by it. Any way, once grace dwells, it consummates the law more easily and more readily, than if the law itself presses us to do it. We are no longer slaves to the law through the letter, but we came to be friends through love, and slaves to righteousness, which, itself was the source of what the law proclaimed6. (St. Augustine) 1 Letter to Proda 130. 2 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 2. 3 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 4. 4 Catechetical Lecture on Baptism 3: 11-12. 5 Ciry of God 13: 5. 6 Question 44. 497 As without the law, sin was wea. Although it was practiced without the law, yet its judgment was not complete. And although evil has got a place, yet it was not so obviously referred to; Hence the law caused a substantial change. It first made us recognize sin in a better way, and presented the punishment for it … Yes, but to reveal that the law, in itself, does not give strength to sin, Christ consummated all the law, while being without sin1. (St. John Chrysostom) “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (57) The life of victory grants the believer a life of thanksgiving to God; as though the resurrection of the Lord prepares man to present a sacrifice of thanksgiving, well received by God. Victory would never be realized by ourselves alone; but it is a gift of our Lord Jesus Christ to us. Christ did not gain victory for His own sake, but for our benefit. Having become a Man, yet He remained as God and conquered the devil. He, who has never sinned acquired victory for our sake, we, who were bound in death because of sin. The death of Christ conquered the devil, who was committed to deliver all those who died because of sin2. (Ambrosiaster) Lest we do what pleases us in a non-legitimate way; and lest, in this battle, we suffer many troubles and risks, hoping for sure victory by our own power, or referring it when it happens to our own power, and not to the grace of Him, the apostle says: “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ3”. (St. Augustine) He, Himself, has set the victory; Yet He granted us to share it to get the crowns; not as a debt, but for the sake of mercy alone4. (St. John Chrysostom) “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (58) As faith, by the resurrection of Christ, grants us victory over sin, we present a sacrifice of thanksgiving, not only with uttered words, but also by a fruitful life in the Lord. As thanksgiving is a life of fellowship, serious and fruitful by the Spirit of God. By this, the apostle Paul consummates his talk about the resurrection from the dead, by a call to walk by the new risen life, as a deposit for the enjoyment of the eternal life. If victory is a divine gift, By saying “Be steadfast”, he confirms the believer’s confidence in himself that he is capable by grace to become steadfast and immovable in his faith, and no one, whatever is his position or abilities, can let him fall down. It is befitting of us, therefore, not only to strive in the Lord, but to do it in abundance even to the flow. Man’s strife after his expulsion from paradise is a punishment for his 1 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 4. 2 CSEL 81: 186-87. 3 City of God 22: 23. 4 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 4. 498 disobedience; yet this strife (supported by grace) is also the foundation of the rewards to come1. (St. John Chrysostom) 1 On 1 Cor., Hom. 42: 5. 499 AN INSPIRATION FROM 1 CORINTHIANS 15 MY BODY MOANS WITHIN ME WHEN SHALL I TAKE OFF THE CORRUPTION TO PUT ON THE INCORRUPTION? my God! You created me to live together with You in Your heavens. Your pleasure was to let me share Your glory. But with my foolishness, and with my human experience, heaven for me became a fantasy. And the resurrection of my body became an impossibility. For my sake, You became Man, and shared with me even the grave. You resurrected and encountered many, to give peace to my soul. Your resurrection has risen my mind from the death of doubts. Your resurrection has granted my body the hope to be risen together with You. Your resurrection has inflamed my heart, longing to the day of Your coming. You are risen, O the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep, for all to be risen together with You. You have presented Yourself a seed cast on earth; To turn into a life-giving head of grain. Let me be sown in the dust, to be risen in heaven. I have been sown with the first Adam; And here I am, risen with You, O the second Adam. I am sown a carnal body, and is risen with You a spiritual body. Thanks be to You for the gift of resurrection. Instead of corruption, You grant me incorruption. Instead of death, You grant me eternity. And instead of weakness, You grant me an eternal glory. Your resurrection inflamed my heart with the fire of love. Your resurrection gave me the spirit of power, and not of failure. By You, I challenge death, and will not fear it. By You I trample upon Hades, It will have no authority over me. By You I confront the sufferings of time with joy. I find in persecution a fellowship of Your life-giving passions. I wish You hasten to bring the resurrection along. To make me see what you have prepared for humanity before the foundation of the world. To see Your believers as splendid glittering stars. To see for each of them his own designated glory. It will be Your amazing wedding day. My wedding day, In which I enjoy a heavenly procession that gathers the heavenly congregation.
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