The word ipvxrj, when contrasted with -vlv\La, always desig- nates the principle of animal life, as distinguished from the prin- ciple of intelligence and moral agency, which is the nveupa. A (jtifia ifwxuzbV) translated natural body, evidently means a body endowed with animal life, and adapted to the present condition of the soul, and to the present physical constitution of the world it inhabits. A g&w TTvevfiariKov, translated spiritual body, is a body adapted to the use of the soul in its future glorified estate, and to the moral and physical conditions of the heavenly world,
LITERAL RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 441
and to this end assimilated by the Holy Ghost, who dwells in it; to the glorified body of Christ, 1 Cor. xv., 45-48.
5. Eow does it appear that the same body is to rise that is deposited in the grave ?
The passages of Scripture which treat of this subject make it plain that the same bodies are to be raised that are deposited in the grave, by the phrases by which they designate the bodies raised : 1st, " our bodies," Phil, iii., 21 ; 2d, " this corruptible/' 1 Cor. xv., 53, 54 ; 3d, " all who are in their graves," John v., 28 ; 4th, " they who are asleep," 1 Thess. iv., 13-17; 5th, "our bodies are the members of Christ," 1 Cor. vi., 15 ; 6th, our resurrection is to be because of and like that of Christ, which was of his identical body, John xx., 27.
6. Hoiu does it appear that the final resurrection is to be simultaneous and general ?
See below, Chap. XXXVL, questions 9 and 10.
7. What do the Scriptures teach concerning the nature of the resurrection body t
1st. It is to be spiritual, 1 Cor. xv., 44. See above, question 4. 2d. It is to be like Christ's body, Phil, iii., 21. 3d. Glori- ous, incorruptible and powerful, 1 Cor. xv., 54. 4th. It shall never die, Kev. xxi, 4. 5th. Never be given in marriage, Matt, xxii., 30.
8. How may it be proved that the material body of Christ i*ose from the dead ?
1st. Christ predicted it, John ii., 19-21. 2d. His resurrection is referred to as a miraculous attestation of the truth of his mis- sion, but unless his body rose literally there was nothing miracu- lous in his continued life. 3d. The whole language of the in- spired narratives necessarily implies this, the roiling away of the stone, the folding up of the garments, etc. 4th. He did not rise until the third day, which proves that it was a physical change, and not a mere continuance of spiritual existence, 1 Cor. xv., 4 5th. His body was seen, handled and examined, for the space of
442 THE RESURRECTION.
forty days, in order to establish this very fact, Luke xxiv., 39. — Dr. Hodge.
9. How can the materiality of Christ's resurrection body be reconciled with what is said as to the modes of its manifestation, and of its ascension into heaven ?
The events of his suddenly appearing and vanishing from sight, recorded in Luke xxiv., 31 ; John xx., 19 ; Acts i., 9, were accomplished through a miraculous interference with the ordinary laws regulating material bodies, of the same kind precisely with many miracles which Jesus wrought in his body before his death, e. g., his walking on the sea, Matt, xiv., 25 ; John vi., 9-14.
10. Sow does the resurrection of Christ secure and illustrate that of his people ?
Body and soul together constitute the one person, and man in his entire person, and not his soul separately, is embraced in both the covenants of works and of grace, and in federal and vital union with both the first and the second Adam. Christ's resur- rection secures ours, 1st, because his resurrection seals and con- summates his redemptive power ; and the redemption of our per- sons involves the redemption of our bodies, Eom. viii., 23. 2d. Because of our federal and vital union with Christ, 1 Cor. xv., 21, 22 ; 1 Thess. iv., 14. 3d. Because of his Spirit, which dwells in us, (Rom. viii., 11,) making our bodies his members, 1 Cor. vi., 15. 4th. Because Christ by covenant is Lord both of the living and the dead, Rom. xiv., 9. This same federal and vital union of the Christian with Christ (see above, Chap. XXVIII.) like- wise causes the resurrection of the believer to be similar to, as well as consequent upon that of Christ, 1 Cor. xv., 49 ; Phil, iii., 21; 1 John iii., 2.
11. How far are objections of a scientific character against the doctrine of the resurrection of the body entitled to weight ?
All truth is one, and of God, and necessarily consistent, whether revealed by means of the phenomena of nature or of the words of inspiration On the other hand, it follows from our par- tial knowledge and often erroneous interpretation of the data both of science and revelation, that we often are unable to discern the
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