The Mystery Of The Resurrection Body

by JAS. MARTIN | Category: The Mysteries | Nov 1960

(Mystery, in the Scriptures, denotes that which is only known through revelation to those taught by the Holy Spirit)

The Scriptures reveal that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous and of the unrighteous dead. In Daniel's prophecy (12.2) we read, "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (abhorrence, R.V.M.). The Lord Jesus said to the Jews, "Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done ill, unto the resurrection of judgement" (John 5. 28, 29). Paul, also, in his speech before Felix, states that the hope of Jews and of Christians is " that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust" (Acts 24.15). The comprehensive word in 1 Corinthians 15.22 (the chapter dealing with the subject of this article), is, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (" in" meaning "the cause" in both cases).

Resurrection in the Scriptures has reference mainly to the bodies, both of those who will know eternal bliss and of those who will experience eternal woe. Resurrection is not used in reference to the soul, nor is the " sleep of the soul," as some erroneously teach, found in the scriptures. Both the righteous and the unrighteous dead are in a state of consciousness, as we learn from Luke 16.19-31, and other scriptures. After the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the souls of the saints of the Old Testament were liberated by Him from upper Sheol (Greek, Hades), and they are now in His presence, though their bodies still remain in the earth.

There is also " an order," or sequence, in resurrection : first of all, that of the Lord Himself, " the Firstfruits of them that are asleep," which will be followed, at His coming to the air, as Son of God, by the resurrection of all who are in the Church, His Body. These, with others of the redeemed, are described as "Christ's" in 1 Corinthians 15. 23. This agrees with the teaching concerning what will take place at the Rapture of the Church, as more fully expounded in 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18. There is a feature of His Parousia (1 Corinthians 15.23) that affects the righteous of other dispensations and the infants, who are not "in Christ," as are those of this dispensation, but who are also " Christ's." These will be raised when the Lord returns as Son of Man to this earth, at the beginning of His millennial reign on earth. (See Daniel 12.1, 2; Revelation 11.15-18 and 20.4-6). Finally, "the rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished" (Revelation 20.5), to be brought to judgement before the Great White Throne.

The rest of this article will be mainly concerned with the nature, or kind, or description of the resurrection body of those who constitute the Church, the Body of Christ, that is, of those saved in the period from Pentecost to the Rapture. Truth concerning this is made known in the mystery about which we are writing. "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ... the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15.51-53). From this scripture it may be deduced that the mystery dealing with the "resurrection body" includes, in its meaning, not only the "changed and raised and incorruptible" body, but also the "changed immortal" body of the saint, living at the time of the Rapture.

A question of great interest is propounded in 1 Corinthians 15.35, "How are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come? " Full details are not provided as to "flow," but it will be "according to the working whereby He is able even to subject all things unto Himself" (Philippians 3. 21). A parallel is given, however, to seed sown in the earth. The sequence is this : the grain is sown, death to the seed ensues, and then a quickening takes place, and a new plant is produced. What is sown is not that which rises again, but it has a marked relationship thereto. The plant that rises is more complex and more beautiful than the seed, but it is the outgrowth of that seed which was sown. "So also is the resurrection of the dead."

It would appear that there will be various classes of glory appertaining to the resurrected bodies, and although, as stated in Philippians 3. 21, each will have a likeness to the Lord, yet there will be differences that will ensure recognition of the individual. In verses 85-54 some detail is given as to" with what manner of body" they do come.

The resurrection body of the saint will be an incorruptible body, a glorious body, "conformed to the body of His glory," a body with inherent power, a spiritual (Gk., pneumatikos) as contrasted with a natural (Gk., psuchikos) body. These attributes are in direct contrast to the present body of our humiliation." One great difference between the natural body and the spiritual body was propounded by the Lord to the "Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection," when He said to them, "When they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as angels in heaven" (Mark 12.18-25). The Sadducees were in gross error, because they knew not " the Scriptures nor the power of God." Natural things and relationships that pertain to this life, such as birth and marriage, will cease as far as those who shall have a "resurrection body" are concerned.

In our present body we have borne the image of Adam, "the earthy." In resurrection we shall bear the image of Christ, "the heavenly" (1 Corinthians 15.49). In this wonderful "mystery" is revealed the fact that in the twinkling of an eye the great change will take place, at the last trump, from corruption to incorruption and from mortality to immortality!

In his second letter to the Corinthians (5.1-10) the apostle Paul further expounds this mystery. Our present body is described as "the earthly house of our tabernacle" or "bodily frame." Each believer, however, has "a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens." The saint, who has died before the coming again of the Son of God, has put off his "tabernacle," and, in that sense, is" found naked." His soul had gone, at his death, to " be with Christ for it is very far better" (Philippians 1.28). At the Rapture, his' corruptible body will "be clothed upon with" the "habitation which is from God," or, as already expounded in 1 Corinthians 15, the corruptible will put on incorruption.

Those who have not been "unclothed" at His coming, that is, those who are still in mortal body, will also be clothed upon with the habitation which is from heaven, and the mortal shall be "swallowed up of life," from mortal to immortal. What a glorious victory that will be when the words of Isaiah 25.8 will come to pass, "He hath swallowed up death for ever"

The apostle John, towards the end of the first century, writes, It is not yet made manifest what we shall be." But he continues, "We know that, if He shall be manifested, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him even as He is " (1 John 3.2). Therefore it is not within our province to probe further into "With what manner of body do they come?" However, we recall that at the Lord's ascension from over against Bethany, two men in white apparel said to the upward-gazing disciples, "Why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, which was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld Him going into heaven" (Acts 1. 11). We may ask, What manner of body had He in resurrection? This is holy ground, and we must not speculate nor draw parallels too far. We know that some women took hold of His feet (Matthew 28. 9-11): with Cleopas and another He travelled and talked and sat down to meat with them (Luke 24.13-35): He also said to the disciples, " Handle Me, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye behold Me having" (Luke 24.89): and He continued with the words, "Have ye here anything to eat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish" (Luke 24.41, 42). Much has been revealed, but we repeat John's words, "It is not yet made manifest what we shall be."

The manner of the body of the unrighteous dead is outside the "mystery" of 1 Corinthians 15.51, et seq., but we would solemnly draw attention to the answer of the Lord to John, concerning those who will be cast into hell (Gk., Gehenna) ... "their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire" (Mark 9.38-50). John, writing later in Revelation 20.10, states, "The devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." These two dreadful beings had been cast into the lake of fire, one thousand years earlier (Revelation 19. 20), and were still there, at the end of the millennial reign! It is an awe-inspiring revelation!

Happy indeed the people who can comfort, and be comforted, with the words of the apostle in 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

JAS. MARTIN | Nov 1960
The Mysteries