In this Bible study on 1 Corinthians 15:39–45, Fr. Gabriel unpacks Paul’s rich theological reflection on the resurrection and the transformation of the body. Paul emphasizes that there are many kinds of bodies—plants, animals, humans, and even celestial bodies like stars—all with different glories. Likewise, the human body will be changed in the resurrection. Just as a seed must die to bring forth new life, our earthly bodies are sown in corruption but raised in incorruption, sown in weakness but raised in power.
Paul contrasts Adam, the first man who became a living being, with Christ, the “last Adam,” who becomes a life-giving spirit. While Adam’s body was natural and mortal, Christ’s resurrected body is spiritual and fully united with the Holy Spirit. Fr. Gabriel reflects on how Christ’s resurrection is a Trinitarian act—the Father wills it, the Son undergoes it, and the Spirit animates it—making Christ the first to rise with a transformed, spiritual body.
This mystery points to the hope and destiny of all Christians: that through death, we too will be raised into spiritual bodies, fully animated by the Holy Spirit, no longer subject to decay. Our current bodies are formed from the dust, but in Christ, we are promised a new, glorified existence. Paul invites us to contemplate this transformation deeply, reminding us that belief in the resurrection should shape how we live today.