Belief in the resurrection from the dead is a part of the good news of the kingdom, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:1, 2. Belief in a future resurrection for humans, hinges on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that this really happened. Therefore, Paul begins his chapter of 57 verses about the resurrection, pointing to proofs that Jesus really was raised from the dead. We read in verses 15:3-8:
3 For I handed on to YOU, among the first things, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4 and that he was buried, yes, that he has been raised up the third day according to the Scriptures; 5 and that he appeared to Ce’phas, then to the twelve. 6 After that he appeared to upward of five hundred brothers at one time, the most of whom remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep [in death]. 7 After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 but last of all he appeared also to me as if to one born prematurely.
Humans cannot see spirit creatures. But after his resurrection, Jesus materialized a body, similarly to what angels had previously done. And Paul shows that many people have seen the materialized Jesus. This is proof that he has been raised from the dead.
We can use the words of Paul in Colossians 1:20 as a background for our study of 1 Corinthians chapter 15:
20 and through him to reconcile again to himself all [other] things by making peace through the blood [he shed] on the torture stake, no matter whether they are the things upon the earth or the things in the heavens.
In verse 19, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is mentioned, and verse 20 speaks about the reconciliation of two groups, “the things upon the earth” and “the things in the heavens.” The expression “the things” can be misunderstood. In the Greek text, there is only the neuter plural article that is translated by “the things.” But because inanimate matter needs no reconciliation, this article refers to living persons.
The reconciliation “through the blood on the torture stake” relates to humans. The angels in heaven need no reconciliation, and “the things in the heavens” must, therefore, refer to the anointed Christians who will receive a heavenly resurrection. (Hebrews 3:1) And “the things on the earth” must refer to those who will receive a resurrection on “the inhabited earth to come.” (Hebrews 2:5)
The two mentioned groups are also mentioned in Ephesians 1:10, and several other places. The important question in our context is whether Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, discusses the resurrection of both “the things in the heavens” and “the things upon the earth.”
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THE ISSUE: Verse 23: “but each one in his own rank.” Verse 40: “there are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies.” Do these words refer to two kinds of resurrection, one heavenly resurrection (the things in the heavens) and one earthly resurrection (the things on the earth)? |
DIFFERENT KINDS OF BODIES ARE RESURRECTED
The answer to the question box is Yes. While the focus of Paul is the heavenly resurrection, which he and the Corinthians will experience, he also mentions the earthly resurrection. We see this in 1 Corinthians 15:35-38.
35 Nevertheless, someone will say: “How are the dead to be raised up? Yes, with what sort (poios) of body are they coming?” 36 You unreasonable person! What you sow (speiroō) is not made alive unless first it dies; 37 and as for what you sow, you sow, not the body that will develop, but a bare grain (kokkos), it may be, of wheat or any one of the rest.
38 but God gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and to each of the seeds (sperma) its own body (sōma).
There are two important points in these verses:
36: What you sow (speiroō) is not made alive unless first it dies.
38: but God gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and to each of the seeds (sperma) its own body (sōma).
The points are 1) that to be resurrected, a person must first die, and 2) there are different kinds of bodies that die, and each kind of body that dies gets a different body in the resurrection.
Paul uses the illustration of wheat and other grains. Each kind of grain is put in the earth to “die,” and when the different kinds “die,” they produce different kinds of plants. In a similar way, there are different kinds of seeds (sperma, human bodies) that die and are put into the earth, and different kinds of bodies (soma) are given in the resurrection, one kind of body for each kind of seed. The verse does not tell how many kinds of seed (human bodies) are put into the earth.
THE TWO KINDS OF “SEED” (HUMAN BODIES) THAT DIE
We have seen that seeds (sperma), which represent human bodies, are sown when persons die. In what follows, we will see that there are two different kinds of seed that are sown. One of the seeds is mentioned in 15:22:
22 For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.
The descendants of Adam have inherited sin, and the penalty for sin is death. The words “dying in Adam” mean that humans die because they have inherited sin from Adam. These represent one kind of “seed,” those who die as a penalty for their sins that they have inherited. The Corinthians represented the other kind of “seed.” How so?
The Corinthians had experienced something that those who “are dying in Adam” have not experienced. We see that in 2 Corinthians 5:1, 7:
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, should be dissolved, we are to have a building from God, a house not made with hands, everlasting in the heavens…
17 Consequently if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away, look! new things have come into existence.
The Corinthians had become new creations. This means that they were declared righteous on the basis of the ransom sacrifice, they had been baptized with holy spirit, and they had been born again as new creations. Jesus expressed the consequence of this in John 5:24:
24 Most truly I say to YOU, He that hears my word and believes him that sent me has everlasting life, and he does not come into judgment but has passed over from death to life.
The persons who are new creations have been declared righteous. This means that from Jehovah’s point of view, they do not have sin, and therefore, they will not die as a penalty for sin. But they have passed over from death to life.
Their bodies must die, so they can get a heavenly resurrection. But because they are declared righteous, they do not die as a penalty for sin. What this means, we see in Romans 6:3-7 (above) and Philippians 3:10 (below):
3 Or do YOU not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him through our baptism into his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, we also should likewise walk in a newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall certainly also be [united with him in the likeness] of his resurrection; 6 because we know that our old personality was impaled with [him], that our sinful body might be made inactive, that we should no longer go on being slaves to sin. 7 For he who has died has been acquitted from [his] sin.
10 so as to know him and the power of his resurrection and a sharing in his sufferings, submitting myself to a death like his.
Paul shows that he and the Romans would experience “the likeness of his death,” and Paul also says that he will experience “a death like his.” The deaths of the new creations do not add anything to the ransom sacrifice. But Jesus did not die as a penalty for sin, but he sacrificed his body and blood as a ransom sacrifice. In a similar way, the new creations who have been declared righteous do not die as a penalty for sin. But they sacrifice their bodies in order to receive spiritual bodies in the heavenly resurrection.
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THE TWO KINDS OF SEED 1) Those who die as a penalty for the sin they have inherited from Adam. 2) Those who die with the purpose of sacrificing their bodies, in order to receive spiritual bodies in the heavenly resurrection. |
The Watchtower of September 1, 1972, page 519, has a very interesting article discussing the death of persons with the heavenly calling:
When Jesus died, he certainly did not die as a sinner. What, then, about those of the Christian congregation, the spirit-begotten sons of God, anointed by his spirit? (1 John 2:27; 3:1) These, according to the Scriptures, number 144,000 and are joint heirs with Jesus Christ, to be kings and priests in the heavens with him. (Rev. 14:1-4; 5:9, 10) At their death they likewise do not die as sinners. Why not?…
Consequently, these anointed ones are not viewed or counted by God as sinners, and are not living and suffering as sinners. They win the conflict that they wage against the sin in their fleshly bodies by reason of the sacrifice and help of their great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Paul explains: “Those in union with Christ Jesus have no condemnation. For the law of that spirit which gives life in union with Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”—Rom. 7:21–8:2.
Christ’s spiritual brothers, therefore, die a death like Christ’s. Not that it supplies a part of the propitiatory sacrifice for sins. Only Christ’s perfect sacrifice could do that. But they give up all human things in order to serve as vindicators of Jehovah’s name. The apostle Paul said: “Daily I face death.” Whether fighting temptation, opposition, misrepresentation and persecution, and yet maintaining faithfulness to God, it is all a suffering for righteousness’ sake as integrity keepers.—1 Cor. 15:31; 1 Pet. 5:9, 10.
THE TWO KINDS OF BODIES THAT WILL BE RESURRECTED
I start by quoting 15:38 one time more.
38 but God gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and to each of the seeds (sperma) its own body (sōma).
As already mentioned, Paul shows that there is more than one kind of “seed” (sperma), namely the bodies that die and are put into the earth. And he also shows that there is more than one kind of bodies (soma) that is given in the resurrection.
To show that there are different resurrection bodies, Paul uses the illustration of different kinds of seed sown into the earth, with different kinds of plants that come up from the earth. Now he uses another illustration to make the same point. We read in 15:39-41:
39 Not all flesh is the same flesh, but there is one of mankind, and there is another flesh of cattle, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 And there are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly bodies is one sort, and that of the earthly bodies is a different sort. 41 The glory of the sun is one sort, and the glory of the moon is another, and the glory of the stars is another; in fact, star differs from star in glory.
In order to illustrate the difference between the “seeds” — the bodies that die — and different bodies that are given in the resurrection, he points out that there are different kinds of flesh on the earth, and there are different kinds of inanimate heavenly bodies. Then he applies his illustration, first with focus on the heavenly resurrection, as we see in 15:41-44:
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It (the body laid down in death) is sown (speiroō) in corruption, it (the body laid down in death) is raised up in incorruption. 43 It (the body laid down in death) is sown (speiroō) in dishonor, it (the body laid down in death) is raised up in glory. It (the body laid down in death) is sown (speiroō) in weakness, it (the body laid down in death) is raised up in power. 44 It (the body laid down in death) is sown (speiroō) a physical body (sōma), it (the body laid down in death) is raised up a spiritual body (sōma). If there is a physical body (sōma), there is also a spiritual one.
The verb speirō means “to sow seed (sperma).” With focus on the heavenly resurrection, Paul shows that “seed,” which represents the physical bodies that die, is sown, and a spiritual body (soma) is raised.
The chapter naturally focuses on the Corinthians’ heavenly resurrection. However, Paul has mentioned that there are different resurrection bodies, and he illuminates this in 15:45-49:
45 It is even so written: “The first man Adam became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.46 Nevertheless, the first is, not that which is spiritual, but that which is physical, afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is out of the earth and made of dust; the second man is out of heaven. 48 As the one made of dust [is], so those made of dust [are] also; and as the heavenly one [is], so those who are heavenly [are] also. 49 And just as we have borne (foreō, aorist) the image of the one made of dust, we shall bear (foreō, future) also the image of the heavenly one.
Paul shows the contrast between Adam, who became a living soul on the earth, and Jesus, the second Adam, who became a life-giving spirit. Regarding resurrection, he draws a conclusion in verse 48. The temporal reference in this verse is generally wrong in all Bible translations of which I know. The problem is that the verse lacks verbs, so the temporal reference must be inferred from the context. Below is a word-for-word rendering of verse 48.
48 Just as the earthly one of such kind also the earthly ones and just as the heavenly one of such kind also the heavenly ones.
The “heavenly ones” must refer to those who will receive heavenly bodies, including the Corinthians. To be like the second Adam, the Corinthians and others must get spiritual bodies in the resurrection. But they were still on the earth and had not yet received spiritual bodies and become like the second Adam. Therefore, it is contextually impossible to use present tense. It is contextually impossible to translate, “and as the heavenly one is, so those who are heavenly are also” The only possibility is to use future tense. This is confirmed in verse 49 with the words “We shall bear (Greek future) also the image of the heavenly one.”
I translate verses 48 and 49 in the following way:
48 Just as the earthly one was, of such kind also the earthly ones will be, and just as the heavenly one is, of such kind also the heavenly ones will become. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly one.
Paul uses the personal pronoun “we” because he and the Corinthians were new creations and would receive a heavenly resurrection in the future. But he also mentions “the earthly ones” which refers to those who will get a resurrection in the coming inhabited earth (Hebrews 2:5), who also are called “the things on the earth.” (Colossians 1:20)
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THE TWO KINDS OF SEED 1) Those who die as a penalty for the sin they have inherited from Adam. 2) Those who die with the purpose of sacrificing their lives, in order to receive spiritual bodies in the heavenly resurrection. THE TWO KINDS OF RESURRECTION BODIES 1) The “earthly ones” who will become of such kind as the earthly one. 2) The “heavenly ones” who will become of such kind as the heavenly one. |
ALL WHO DIE IN ADAM WILL BE RESURRECTED
In chapter 15, Paul uses the pronouns “you” and “yours” seven times and “we” nine times. Thus, the chapter focuses on the heavenly reward of Paul and the Corinthians. However, as I have already shown, the earthly resurrection is also mentioned. This is also the case in 15:22, 23:
22 For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each one in his own rank (tagma): Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence.
I have already shown that those who were new creations did not “die in Adam,” because of inherited sin. But they would die because they sacrificed their lives with the heavenly resurrection in view. This means that those who are mentioned in verse 22 as those who “will be made alive” are those who will receive a resurrection on the coming inhabited earth. This includes all Adam’s descendants, except the 144,000 who will receive a heavenly resurrection, who will not “die in Adam.” It also includes all who have sinned against the holy spirit because they die as a penalty for their unforgivable sin, and not because of inherited sin.
All those who “die in Adam” will get their resurrection during the thousand-year-long Judgment Day. But what do the words “in his own rank” mean? The Greek word is tagma; let us see how this word is used in the Septuagint. I quote Numbers 2:3 (above) and 2 Samuel 23:13 (below) from the NETS translation of the Septuagint:
3 “And those camping eastward toward the sunrising will be the [three-tribe] division (tagma, dægæl) of the camp of Judah in their armies, and the chieftain for the sons of Judah is Nahʹshon the son of Am·minʹa·dab.
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band (tagma, hayā) of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim
The Greek word tagma has the meaning “anything placed in order; in NT order of succession, class, group.” (Mounce) In Numbers 2:3, tagma refers to the divisions of the camp of the sons of Judah. The Hebrew word that is translated with tagma is dægæl, and its meaning is “standard, banner — standard, partic. of separate tribes of Isr.” (BDB Lexicon). Each tribe in Israel had a standard (a banner), and both the Greek word tagma and the Hebrew word dægæl refer to the practice of organizing the camp with different tribes under different banners.
In 2 Samuel 23:13, tagma is used of a group of Philistines. The Hebrew word that is translated by tagma is hayā, with the meaning “band, army; people, home.” (Kohlenberger and Mounce). The word hayā comes from a root meaning “life,” and a band or an army consists of many “lives” or living people.
We do not know exactly what Paul had in mind when he used the word tagma. But according to Acts 24:15 he said that there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous.
According to Revelation 7:9, 14 a great crowd of righteous persons will survive the great tribulation. Evidently, these will make the earth ready for the resurrection by building houses, cultivate the land and store food for those who will be resurrected. Unrighteous persons can cause problems if there are no righteous persons to check them and help them follow God’s laws.
In view of this, it is likely that the righteous will receive their resurrection first. If that is the case, there will be a great number of righteous persons who will take care of the unrighteous ones when they gradually get their resurrection. So, the different “ranks” (groups) may refer to these two groups. We should note that if the basic meaning of tagma is “order,” this would also fit the situation in which the resurrection of the righteous comes first, followed by the resurrection of the unrighteous.
Verse 23 in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 says that Christ is the firstfruits, and afterward those who belong to Christ during his presence. The NWT84 has a colon after “rank,” indicating that what follows — the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of those belonging to Christ during his presence — is part of the word tagma (“rank”). This is misleading. There is no relationship between the first clause ending with “rank” and the next clause beginning with “the firstfruits” in the Greek text.
The following understanding is more likely: Paul refers to the earthly resurrection of all who die in Adam, noting that in this resurrection, there will be a rank or order of at least two groups. Then Paul refers to the other two kinds of resurrection. Jesus was the first one to get a resurrection to endless life, and those who belong to Christ, the new creations, will get a resurrection during the presence of Jesus.
I have discussed the two kinds of resurrection, the heavenly one and the earthly one, in a topical way. Now I will make a chronological table.
Table 1.1 The heavenly and the earthly resurrection according to 1 Corinthians chapter 15
| VERSES |
COMMENTS |
| 22 | All descendants of Adam, except the 144,000 and those who sin against the holy spirit, will get an earthly resurrection during the thousand-year-long Judgment Day. |
| 23 | The group of 144,000 will get a heavenly resurrection during the presence of Jesus. |
| 38 | There are two kinds of bodies that are laid down in death, the bodies of those who die because of inherited sin, and the bodies of those who die because they sacrifice their lives. |
| 38 | God gives different kinds of bodies to the two kinds of “seed” that are laid down in death. |
| 40 | The two kinds of resurrection bodies are mentioned: heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. |
| 48 | Those who get an earthly resurrection receive bodies that resemble the body of Adam. Those who get a heavenly resurrection receive bodies that resemble the body of the life-giving spirit, Jesus Christ. |
CONCLUSION
The focus of 1 Corinthians 15 is the heavenly resurrection with spiritual bodies of Paul and the Corinthians. But Paul also mentions the earthly resurrection. The important doctrinal point we can learn is that all Adam’s descendants, except the 144,000 with the heavenly calling and those who have sinned against the holy spirit, will receive a resurrection.
This accords with the words of Jesus in John 5:28, 29 that all those in the memorial tombs will receive a resurrection, and the words of Revelation 20:13 that hades and the sea will be emptied of the dead in them.
