trast between the bodies of these celestial beings and those of men. 2. Others suppose that the reference is to the bodies of the saints in heaven. There are many kinds of bodies here on earth, and there are also celestial as well as terrestrial bodies. The one differing from the other in glory. 3. The common opinion is that the apostle means what is now gene- rally meant by " the heavenly bodies," viz., the sun, moon and stars. To this it is objected that it is to make the apostle use the language of modern astronomy. This, however, has little force ; for whatever the ancients conceived the sun, moon and stars to be, they regarded them as bodies, and used the word (Tuifxa in reference to them or to the universe. Galen, who was born not more than sixty or seventy years after the date of this epistle, uses nearly the same language as the apostle does. He too contrasts ra avw o-w/Aara (meaning the sun, moon and stars,) with to, yrj'iva o-w/xara. See Wetstein. The common interpretation is also sustained by the context, for the sun, moon and stars mentioned in the next verse are evidently included in the heavenly bodies here intended.
41. (There is) one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars ; for (one) star difFereth from (another) star in glory.
Not only do the heavenly bodies differ from the earthly bodies in glory^ but there is great diversity among the heaven- ly bodies themselves. How different is the sun from the moon, the moon from the stars, and even one star from another. Standing, therefore, as we do in the midst of this wonderful universe, in which we see matter in every conceivable modifi- cation, from a clod of earth to a sunbeam, from dust to the lustre of the human eye, how unutterably absurd is it to say that if we are to have bodies hereafter, they must be as gross, and heavy, and as corruptible as those which we have now.
42. So also (is) the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption :
So also is the resurrection of the dead. That is, as the heavenly bodies differ from the earthly bodies, and as one star differs from another star, so the resurrection body will differ irom our present body. The apostle does not mean that as cne star differs from another star in glory, so one risen believer