1 Cor. 15:47. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Lest they grow negligent regarding the beautiful life, he now wishes to persuade them toward a God-pleasing life, and says that Adam was from the earth, from which he was also so named; for Adam means earthly and dusty. But the second man was the Lord from heaven. He gives the first a name from the worse, and the second from the better, not because the man, that is, the assumed human nature, was from heaven, as the foolish Apollinarius babbled, but because there is one person in one Christ. By reason of this union it is said that He is a man from heaven; for the same reason it is said that God was crucified (1 Cor. 2:8).
1 Cor. 15:48. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy.
That is, they will also perish and die; or those who were attached to the earth will die the death of sin.
1 Cor. 15:48. And as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
That is, they will likewise be immortal and glorious. For although the second Adam also died, He died in order to destroy death. Or: those who led a godlike life will be glorified as those who set their minds on heavenly things.
1 Cor. 15:49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Here he more clearly reveals the exhortatory tone of his discourse. By the image of the earthly he means wicked deeds, and by the image of the heavenly – good deeds. Therefore, just as before we lived in wickedness, as sons of the earthly one and being mindful of earthly things, so now we must live in virtue, in order to preserve the image and likeness of the heavenly one. The image of the earthly consists in the following: "dust you are, and to dust you shall return" (Gen. 3:19), and the image of the heavenly – in the resurrection from the dead and incorruption. Therefore, if what is said about the resurrection must be understood not as referring to a way of life, then the words "let us also bear the image of the heavenly" must be understood or written as an indication of a future event, that is, that we shall be clothed.
1 Cor. 15:50. But this I say to you, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
Since he said: "the image of the earthy," he says as if in explanation of it that the image of the earthy is "flesh and blood," that is, fleshly deeds and those proper to the corpulence of the body, which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
1 Cor. 15:50. And corruption does not inherit incorruption.
That is, wickedness, which corrupts the nobility of the soul, cannot inherit that glory and incorruptible blessings. You may also understand all this as spoken not about the manner of life, but about the resurrection. For example, the words "flesh and blood" mean: in the age to come, it is not the present body, consisting of flesh and blood, that will enjoy the kingdom. For there is no food or drink there by which the present body is nourished. "And corruption," that is, the corruptible body does not inherit the incorruptible. Therefore it is necessary for our body to become spiritual and incorruptible. Nevertheless, know that Chrysostom understood these words of the apostle as an exhortation to a better life.
1 Cor. 15:51. I tell you a mystery.
Again he returns to the teaching on the resurrection and says that he intends to tell them something fearful and hidden. By this he also shows great respect toward them, inasmuch as he shares mysteries with them.
1 Cor. 15:51. We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed.
Although, he says, not all will die, yet all will be changed, that is, even those who will not die will be clothed in incorruption. Therefore, when you are dying, do not fear that you will not be resurrected. For behold, I tell you that some will not die, and this alone is not sufficient for them for that resurrection, unless they are changed, and thus pass into immortality from that mortality of bodies which they possess. Therefore, just as it is not beneficial for them not to die, so it is not harmful for us to die. For even for them the change serves as death, because in them corruption dies, being changed into incorruption.
1 Cor. 15:52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
In the briefest and most imperceptible time, in which one can only blink one's eyelashes, so many and such great things will be accomplished. This is truly wondrous. For one must marvel not only at the fact that decayed bodies will rise again, and that each will receive his own, but also that all this will be accomplished so quickly that it cannot even be expressed. The words "at the last trumpet" some understood as referring to the one written about in the Revelation (Rev. 8–10) of the Evangelist John. He said that there are seven trumpets, the first of which bring destruction upon people, for not all die together, but in stages, and this, he says, is by God's design, so that those remaining, seeing the first ones perishing, might themselves repent. But the last trumpet will bring about the resurrection and the transformation of those already risen, swiftly, in the twinkling of an eye.
1 Cor. 15:52. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.
So that no one should doubt how these things will be accomplished in the twinkling of an eye, he confirms the trustworthiness of his word by the power of God who brings them about: and he says that "the trumpet shall sound," and it shall come to pass; similar to this: "He spoke, and it was done" (Ps. 33:9). For the trumpet signifies nothing other than the command and will of God, which precedes all things.
1 Cor. 15:52. But we shall be changed.
He says this not about himself, but about those who will then be alive.
1 Cor. 15:53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Lest anyone, having heard that flesh and blood do not inherit the Kingdom of God and that the dead will rise incorruptible, should think that bodies will not rise, since they presently consist of flesh and blood, he adds that bodies will rise, not such as are flesh and blood, but transformed into incorruption. Note these words against those who say that the bodies that will rise are not the same, but different ones; for he says of the corruptible "this" and the mortal "this" — not another, but he says demonstratively: "this." Therefore the body will remain the same (for it is that which is clothed), but mortality and corruption are destroyed, since it will be clothed in incorruption and immortality. There is a difference between death and corruption: the word "death" is used only of animate beings, while "corruption" is used also of inanimate things. We too have something resembling the inanimate, for example, hair and nails, but even these things will be clothed in incorruption.
1 Cor. 15:54. When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the word that is written: death is swallowed up in victory.