PMW 2025-038 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I am concluding a series on the resurrection body as found in 1 Corinthians 15. I am arguing for the position of historic Christianity that the resurrection body is a qualitatively transformed physical body rather than an altogether new spiritual body, as per Gnosticism.

The “problem” we face
In this article I will focus on 1 Cor. 15:44, which is an important verse that can easily mislead the incautious reader. This verse states of the physical body that dies and is resurrected that:

“it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”

Obviously the phrase “spiritual body” (soma pneumatikon) is the source of confusion. But this statement does not speak of the substance of the resurrected body. Paul no more states that it is composed of spirit, than the statement “this is a Coca-Cola bottle” speaks of a bottle composed of Coca-Cola. As James Ware puts it, here “Paul refers not to a body composed of material spirit but to the risen body of flesh and bones given life by the Spirit of God.” This is a common-place interpretation, especially in Reformed theology (e.g., Geehardus Vos, Richard Gaffin, etc.).

THE APOCALYPSE OF JOHN
by Milton S. Terry
This book is Terry’s preterist commentary on the Book of Revelation. It was originally the last half of his much larger work, Biblical Apocalyptics. It is deeply-exegetical, tightly-argued, and clearly-presented.

For more study materials: https://www.kennethgentry.com/

(As an aside, when I first entered seminary at Grace Theological Seminary in 1973, I was a dispensationalist. But I became discouraged with dispensationalism and transferred to Reformed Theological Seminary to study theology from a Reformed perspective. There I was introduced to biblical theology and the whole idea of covenantalism. One eye-opening course was on biblical theology taught by Dr. Gerard Van Groningen. The professor not only taught from but required us to read Geerhardus Vos’ Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments, which offered me remarkable insights into the Scriptures. But transferring out of a dispensational seminary into a Reformed seminary caused me to have to go to seminary for four years instead of the usual three years, because of the different courses required at RTS. However, I profited theologically from my move. And I did learn about 1 Cor. 15:44 from a classically Reformed perspective, which was helpful. But now, back to work.)

But how are we to understand this verse? It seems so clear. How could historic, orthodox Christianity have developed a doctrine of the physical resurrection of the body as a key component of the essence of its faith with this verse staring it in the face for 2000 years? Especially after Paul declares anyone contradicting his view of the resurrection is a “fool” (1 Cor. 15:36)!

The “spiritual body” explained
In the first place we must recognize that Paul does not speak of a “fleshly” body and a “spiritual” body. Had that been his point he would have called the unresurrected body a sarkinos (from sarx, “flesh”) body. But “flesh” and “spirit” are not being contrasted here. We can see this in the unusual fact that he compares a “soulish” (psuchikos from psuche, “soul”) with the “spiritual” (pneumatikos) body. The psuchikos body is clearly not a body made up of soul material in contrast to a pneumatikos body made up of spirit material. Such would be absurd. And Gnostically-oriented hyper-preterism is absurd.

Reformed Eschatology in the Writings of Geerhardus Vos
Ed. by Ken Gentry and Bill Boney
This is a collection of several key eschatological studies by the renowned Reformed theologian Geehardus Vos. We have modernized Vos’ grammar and syntax and updated his layout style according to modern publishing conventions (shorter sentences and paragraphs). We did this without changing any of Vos’ arguments.

For more information on this new Vos work or to order it, see:
https://www.kennethgentry.com/reformed-eschatology-in-the-writings-of-geerhardus-vos/

What Paul is describing here by “natural body” is a body activated or driven by the human soul. Otherwise this would demand that Paul sees our current bodies as made up purely of soul! This, then, would not be a body such as we live in now, a body of “flesh and blood” (as per v. 50).

Rather, the “soulish/natural body” and the “spiritual body” refer to the body’s source of its life and direction. A soulish body is a body controlled by natural life and its animal appetites and needs. Whereas a spiritual body is a body raised and driven by the Spirit of God. The “spiritual” body is the “Spirit-raised” and therefore “Spirit-driven” body.

In the second place, Paul has already anticipated this understanding earlier in this very epistle. For in 1 Cor. 2:14–15 Paul contrasts the psuchikos anthropos (translated “natural man”) with the pneumatikos man:

“But a natural man [psuchikos anthropos] does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual [pneumatikos] appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.

Here Paul is surely not declaring that some men are made of “spirit” (pneuma) and are to be preferred over those who are made out of “soul” (psuchikos)! Both of these persons are simply flesh-and-blood individuals, one is led by the Spirit and the other has no concern for the things of the Spirit. That which makes the two different is just this important fact: one is led by the Spirit of God (to pneuma tou theou) (2:11), the “Spirit who is from God” (to pneuma to ek tou theou) (2:12). But the other is not.

Tongues-speaking: Meaning, Purpose, and Cessation

by Ken Gentry

The position presented within is that tongues-speaking allowed the gift person to speak in a known human language without previously knowing it; tongues brought inspired revelation from God; the gift was a sign confirming the apostolic witness and warning of the coming destruction of Jerusalem; and therefore the gift ceased in the first century.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

In fact, nowhere in Paul’s writings does the adjective pneumatikos mean “made of spirit” (cp. 1 Cor. 2:15: 3:1; 10:3–4;14:37). It always speaks of the activity of the Holy Spirit being somehow involved. Consequently, the “spiritual body” (15:44) is the resurrected body activated by the Spirit of God.

In the third place, the soma pneumatikon speaks of the body resurrected by the Spirit, i.e., given the fullness of eternal life by God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit is often spoken of by Paul as the primary agent of the resurrection, both of believers and of Christ himself (Rom. 8:9–11, 23; 2 Cor. 5:4–5; Gal. 5:25; 6:7–8). In fact, this is the direct link between the believer and Christ, for: “if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11).

Conclusion
In his conclusion to his insightful article on 1 Corinthians 15:36–54, Ware writes (in part):

“In conclusion regarding the soma pneumatikon of 15:44: the syntax of the passage, the lexical evidence of Paul’s key terms in their wider ancient context, Paul’s usage elsewhere in the letter, and the larger context of Paul’s own thought each preclude the notion that the adjectives. psuchikos and pneumatikos in this passage refer to the body’s composition. Rather, the term soma psuchikon describes the present body as given life by the soul, the life given by the very breath of God (1 Cor. 15:45a, egeneto ho protos anthropos Adam eis psuchen zosan, ‘the first man, Adam, became a soul that is living’ [echoing Gen 2:7]), but in Adam subject to mortality and decay (l Cor 15:21–22). In the same way, the term soma pneumatikos describes the resurrected body as given life by the Spirit of God, the life given by Christ, the new Adam (1 Cor 15:45b … ‘the last Adam became a Spirit that is life-giving’), and thus bestowing on the body a mode of existence that is immortal and imperishable (l Cor. 5:20–26, 42–43, 46–49, 52–54). The soma pneumatikon in Paul’s thought is not a body composed of ethereal pneuma but the body of flesh and bones endowed with imperishable life by the power of the Spirit.”

GOODBIRTH AND THE TWO AGES
I am currently researching a technical study on the concept of the Two Ages in Scripture. This study is not only important for understanding the proper biblical concept of the structure of redemptive history. But it is also absolutely essential for fully grasping the significance of the Disciples’ questions in Matthew 24:3, which spark the Olivet Discourse. This book will be the forerunner to a fuller commentary on the Olivet Discourse in Matthew’s comprehensive presentation. This issue must be dealt with before one can seriously delve into the Discourse itself.

If you would like to support me in my research, I invite you to consider giving a tax-deductible contribution to my research and writing ministry: GoodBirth Ministries. Your help is much appreciated! https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4XXFLGKEQU48C&ssrt=1740411591428