Chapter XXV.
But against this true and firm doctrine, supported by such clear evidence and every virtue, heretics often oppose the following statement of the Apostle (Tertullian, On the Resurrection, ch. 52): 'Not all flesh is the same flesh, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, and another for birds' (1 Corinthians 15:39), not understanding, poor wretches, that the blessed Apostle spoke of this honor of the body, not of a difference in species. Therefore, one flesh is for humans, that is, for the servants of God, and another for animals, that is, for the pagans and sinners and heretics, who, though they were redeemed and honored by the blood of Christ, did not understand but became like foolish beasts and were made similar to them (Psalm 48:13). There are different kinds of birds, that is, martyrs, who ascend to the heavenly realms on the wings of the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of fish, that is, those who are taken up after the water of baptism by the Savior. There are different kinds of glory of the sun, that is, of Christ: and different kinds of glory of the moon, that is, of the Church: and different kinds of glory of the stars, that is, of the seed of Abraham, and of those who through faith and good works show themselves to be his children; for one star differs from another star in glory (1 Cor. 15:41), that is, the apostles and prophets, who desired to see and hear Christ: but those who saw and heard him, and the heavenly bodies and the earthly bodies, that is, of Christians and Jews. Finally, however, in order to demonstrate the resurrection of all, he concluded his argument by saying: so also is the resurrection of the dead. (Ibidem 42). In order for this to be understood, let us consider examples of our condition, which occurs in this world. For when an infant grows into a boy, the boy into a youth, the youth into a man, and the man into an old man, he does not perish at each stage of life, but remains the same as he was. Therefore, this age gradually changes, but not nature. But in that heavenly Jerusalem, where this sun and moon will shine sevenfold, there will be no divisions of ages; for there neither infant, nor old man, nor child will exist, who does not fulfill their days, being a son of the resurrection, and reaching the measure of the fullness of Christ's age, so that neither will there be lacking to anyone the spaces of years, nor will there be an excess. In that time, therefore, when the age of all is one, both the holy and the sinner will be perfected by a similar resurrection, and they will not vary in time among themselves: but one is led to eternal rewards, and to receive goods multiplied a hundredfold, while another is dragged into eternal punishments. Therefore, since in the human race people are born in different ways, in the resurrection of the flesh there will be one resurrection for all and it will be the same; for Adam was born differently, Eve was born differently, Cain and Abel were born differently, and all people are born and have been born differently. But Christ Jesus, who is the mediator between God and humans, was born differently. So even though humans are born in different ways, the nature of humanity does not differ in the resurrection of the flesh and of all the limbs. All these limbs are declared by the same judgment of the Lord, for it spoke of that man who did not have the wedding garment, nor did he keep that commandment: 'At all times may your garments be clean.' He commanded him to be bound and taken away with hands and feet so that he would not recline at the banquet, nor sit on the throne, nor stand at the right hand of God, but to be thrown into the fires of Gehenna, where there is weeping of eyes and gnashing of teeth.