The Transformation of Body and Soul
We speak of a fifth essence, just as some have conjectured regarding the stars, which we always say to be incorruptible; but we say incorruptible to mean that which, having come from the corruptible, is made incorruptible by the grace of God. In this way, it is to be unchanging and unalterable according to change, for such a thing has undergone change, but it exists for the sake of enduring unto everlasting life, whether being chastened or honored (1 Kor 15:44-46).
Since the body is sown from the entanglement of the male toward the female, it is reasonable that honor and dishonor and weakness shall be about it, as it happens to be a body of a soul being corrupted in its prior quality; it stands up by the power of God, having been shown to be a spiritual body possessing incorruptibility, power, and honor, an organ of a soul, moreover not of a soul simply, but of the Holy Spirit, through the stability of a substantial change and having transitioned into spirit. Since the soul remaining in passions is such, it is reasonable that the body of such a soul is called psychic. But if the soul ascends above the passive state, it becomes spiritual, and the body of such a soul which is entwined with it is called spiritual. Since the soul, progressing, ascends toward the spiritual, he first said there would be a psychic body, then a spiritual one.
It must be understood, however, that the body of those being raised from the dead resembles the spiritual body of Christ having come to be after the resurrection. Therefore, we do not pay attention to those saying that the body stands up such as Adam had, a psychic one; for the life of the first Adam, living in a soul, prepared the man to live, but the life according to Christ is not living in a soul but is life-giving in the spirit. And the spiritual life-giving is inborn to those being raised from the dead. And he spoke fittingly, first and last, not indeed first and second man, so that we might learn that there have become some in the middle, between the first and the last man, in a state of being.
Since regarding the resurrection, theory has a depth of understanding, it is reasonable he says: Behold, I say a mystery to you (1 Kor 15:51): indeed all having died we shall sleep, but only the righteous shall be changed, having shone like...
Like the sun; for only these, changing toward the better in soul and body, will be changed. For it is not following to say in a different kind of change—such is the scripture: 'Not all shall sleep, but all shall be changed' (1 Kor 15:52-53), because of that which is immediately coming, and we also shall be changed. For if all are being changed, it is superfluous to say 'and we also shall be changed.'
The dead shall be raised from their bodies, which formerly was corruptible, having become incorruptible (1 Kor 15:52-53). But some say here that 'we shall be changed' instead of 'like others being,' regarding the dead, who, he says, are raised incorruptible in bodies, but the souls are being made better and more divine in quality. Another says that the sinners are the dead, the incorruptible ones being raised to endure eternal punishments, but those having grown vigorous in virtue are being changed from glory to glory; therefore, there is mortal and corruptible, but not again. So the corruptible puts on incorruption, and the mortal puts on immortality at the time of the resurrection of the dead (1 Kor 15:54-56).
Just as where virtue is present evil does not exist, so where immortality is present death is made to vanish (1 Kor 15:54). Therefore, the mortal having put on immortality, death having been defeated is swallowed up (1 Kor 15:54), as it is said to him: 'Where is your victory, with which conquering you made dead? Where is your sting, with which pricking, you were strong?' (1 Kor 15:55-56). For it stings by entering into the thoughts, casting sin into those struck by it, but it conquers those sinning in practice. The usage lies in Hosea, not in the very words; for instead of 'the justice of' your God, the apostle said 'victory' (1 Kor 15:57).
Since the enemy death has been released, you stand faithfully and firmly, working continually and without division the work set before you by the Lord (1 Kor 15:58), undauntedly emboldened, as the labor of you in the Lord is not in vain, an eternal reward lying in store for those who always do the work (1 Kor 15:58). On the first of the Saturdays, the resurrection day of the Lord, you treasure up (1 Kor 16:2)...
Greek
πέμπτην οὐσίαν λέγομεν, ὥς τινες περὶ τῶν ἄστρων ὑπενόησαν ἣν ἀεί φαμεν ἄφθαρτον εἶναι, ἀλλ' ἄφθαρτον λέγομεν τὸ ἐκ φθαρτοῦ γεγονὸς ἄφθαρτον χάριτι θεοῦ. οὕτως ἄτρεπτον καὶ ἀναλλοίωτον εἶναι κατὰ μεταβολὴν ** γὰρ ὑπέστη τὸ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τῷ διαρκεῖν εἰς μακραίωνα ζωὴν ἤτοι κολαζόμενον ἢ τιμώμενον. 1 Kor 15,44-46 Ἐπειδὴ σπείρεται τὸ σῶμα ἐκ τῆς περιπλοκῆς τοῦ ἄρρενος πρὸς τὸ θῆλυ, εὐλόγως καὶ ἀτιμία καὶ ἀσθένεια περὶ αὐτὸ ἔσται, τυγχάνον ψυχῆς σῶμα φθαρείσης ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς προλαβούσης ποιότητος, ἀνίσταται θεοῦ δυνάμει, ἀφθαρσίαν καὶ δύναμιν καὶ τιμὴν ἔχον πνευματικὸν σῶμα ἀποδειχθέν, ὄργανον ψυχῆς ὑπάρχον, λοιπὸν οὐ ψυχῆς ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου μετουσίᾳ ἀνασταθείσης καὶ οἱονεὶ εἰς πνεῦμα μεταβαλούσης. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ τοῖς πάθεσιν ἐμμένουσα ψυχή, εἰκότως καὶ τὸ τῆς τοιαύτης ψυχῆς σῶμα ψυχικὸν καλεῖται. ἐὰν δὲ ὑπεραναβῇ τὴν παθητικὴν ἕξιν ἡ ψυχή, γίνεται πνευματική, καὶ λέγεται τὸ σῶμα τῆς τοιαύτης ψυχῆς τῆς συμπλεκομένης αὐτὸ πνευματικόν. Ἐπειδὴ προκόπτουσα ἡ ψυχὴ ἐπὶ τὸ πνευματικὸν ἀναβαίνει, πρῶτον εἶπεν εἶναι τὸ ψυχικὸν σῶμα, ἔπειτα τὸ πνευματικόν. νοητέον δὲ ὅτι τὸ τῶν ἐγειρομένων ἐκ νεκρῶν σῶμα ὁμοιοῦται τῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σώματι πνευματικῷ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν γεγονότι. διὸ οὐ προσέχομεν τοῖς λέγουσιν ὅτι τοιοῦτον ἀνίσταται τὸ σῶμα οἷον εἶχεν ὁ Ἀδὰμ ψυχικόν· ἡ μὲν οὖν τοῦ πρώτου Ἀδὰμ ζωὴ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν παρεσκεύαζε τὸν ἄνθρωπον ζῆν, ἡ δὲ κατὰ Χριστὸν ζωὴ οὐκ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν ἀλλ' εἰς πνεῦμα ζωοποιοῦν. ἡ δὲ πνευματικὴ ζωοποίησις συμφυής ἐστι τοῖς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγειρομένοις. πρῶτον δὲ καὶ ἔσχατον ἁρμοδίως εἶπεν, οὐ μὴν πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον ἄνθρωπον, ἵνα μάθωμεν ὅτι γεγόνασί τινες μέσοι, τοῦ πρώτου καὶ ἐσχάτου ἀνθρώπου ἐν πολιτείᾳ. 11 1 Kor 15,51 Ἐπειδὴ περὶ ἀναστάσεως θεωρία βάθος ἔχειν νοήσεως, εἰκότως φησίν· ἰδοὺ μυστήριον ὑμῖν λέγω· πάντες μὲν τεθνηξόμενοι κοιμηθησόμεθα, μόνοι δὲ οἱ δίκαιοι ἀλλαγησόμεθα, ἐκλάμψαντες ὡς ὁ ἥλιος· μόνοι γὰρ οὗτοι ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον κατὰ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα μεταβάλλοντες ἀλλαγήσονται. οὐ γὰρ ἀκόλουθον λέγειν ἐν ἀλλάξει κατά τινα ἑτέραν φερομένην οὕτω γραφήν· οὐ πάντες μὲν κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα διὰ τὸ εὐθὺς ἐπιφερόμενον καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀλλαγησόμεθα. εἰ γὰρ πάντες ἀλλάττονται, περιττὸν λέγεσθαι καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀλλαγησόμεθα. 1 Kor 15,52-53 Ἐγερθήσονται οἱ νεκροὶ τοῦ σώματος αὐτῶν, ὃ πάλαι φθαρτὸν ἦν, ἀφθάρτου γενησομένου. τινὲς δὲ λέγουσιν ὧδε τὸ ἡ μεῖς ἀλλαγησόμεθα ἀντὶ τοῦ οἷα ἄλλοι τινὲς ὄντες παρὰ τοὺς νεκρούς, οἵτινες, φησίν, ἄφθαρτοι ἐγειρόμεθα τὰ σώματα, ἀλλασσομενῶν τῶν ψυχῶν κατὰ κρείττονα καὶ θειοτέραν ποιότητα ἀλλοιουμενῶν. ἄλλος δέ φησι τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἶναι τοὺς νεκρούς, τοὺς ἀφθάρτους ἐγειρομένους ἐπὶ τῷ διαρκέσαι πρὸς τὰς αἰωνίους κολάσεις, ἀλλασσομένους δὲ ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν τοὺς κατ' ἀρετὴν βεβιωκότας· ἔστι μὲν οὖν θνητὸν καὶ φθαρτὸν οὐ μὴν ἔμπαλιν. διὸ τὸ φθαρτὸν ἀφθαρσίαν, τὸ δὲ θνητὸν ἀθανασίαν ἐνδύεται ἐν τῷ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν νεκρῶν καιρῷ. 1 Kor 15,54-56 Ὥσπερ ἀρετῆς παρούσης οὐχ ὑπάρχει κακία, οὕτως ἀθανασίας παρούσης ὁ θάνατος ἀφανίζεται. διὸ τοῦ θνητοῦ τὴν ἀθανασίαν ἐνδυσαμένου ὁ θάνατος ἡττηθεὶς καταπίνεται, ὡς λέγεσθαι αὐτῷ· ποῦ σου τὸ νῖκος ἐν ᾧ νικῶν νεκροὺς ἐποίεις; ποῦ σου τὸ κέντρον ᾧ τιτρώσκων ἰσχυρὸς ἦς; κεντεῖ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἐμβάλλων ἁμαρτίας τοῖς πληττομένοις ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, νικᾷ δὲ τοὺς πρακτικῶς ἁμαρτάνοντας. κεῖται δὲ ἡ χρῆσις ἐν Ὠσηὲ οὐκ αὐταῖς λέξεσιν· ἀντὶ γὰρ τοῦ ἡ δίκη 3 σου ὁ ἀπόστολος εἶπε νῖκος. 1 Kor 15,58 Ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἐχθρὸς θάνατος κατελύθη, πιστῶς ἑστηκότες ἑδραῖοι διατελεῖτε, ἐργαζόμενοι συνεχῶς καὶ ἀδιασπάστως τὸ προσταχθὲν ὑμῖν 12 ἔργον ὑπὸ κυρίου, ἀδιστάκτως θαρροῦντες, ὡς ὁ ἐν κυρίῳ κάματος ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔστι μάταιος, αἰωνίου μισθοῦ ἀποκειμένου τοῖς πάντοτε τὸ ἔργον ποιοῦσιν. 1 Kor 16,2 Μίαν σαββάτων, ἡ ἀναστάσιμος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμέρα, θησαυρίζετε
About this text
Didymus the Blind explains Paul's gospel, revealing how Christ's resurrection and reign bring salvation and defeat evil.
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Khazarzar scan
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- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
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