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On the Resurrection of the Flesh

Tertullian

Chapter 43

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XLIII.—No Disparagement of Our Doctrine in St. Paul’s Phrase, Which Calls Our Residence in the Flesh Absence from the Lord.

In the same way, when he says, “

‹ Chapter 42 Chapter 44 ›

Therefore

we

are

always

confident

,

and

fully

aware

,

that

while

we

are

at

home

in

the

body

we

are

absent

from

the

Lord

;

for

we

walk

by

faith

,

not

be

sight

,

”

it

is

manifest

that

in

this

statement

there

is

no

design

of

disparaging

the

flesh

,

as

if

it

separated

us

from

the

Lord

.

For

there

is

here

pointedly

addressed

to

us

an

exhortation

to

disregard

this

present

life

,

since

we

are

absent

from

the

Lord

as

long

as

we

are

passing

through

it

—

walking

by

faith

,

not

by

sight

;

in

other

words

,

in

hope

,

not

in

reality

.

Accordingly

he

adds

:

“

We

are

indeed

confident

and

deem

it

good

rather

to

be

absent

from

the

body

,

and

present

with

the

Lord

;

”

in

order

,

that

is

,

that

we

may

walk

by

sight

rather

than

by

faith

,

in

realization

rather

than

in

hope

.

Observe

how

he

here

also

ascribes

to

the

excellence

of

martyrdom

a

contempt

for

the

body

.

For

no

one

,

on

becoming

absent

from

the

body

,

is

at

once

a

dweller

in

the

presence

of

the

Lord

,

except

by

the

prerogative

of

martyrdom

,

he

gains

a

lodging

in

Paradise

,

not

in

the

lower

regions

.

Now

,

had

the

apostle

been

at

a

loss

for

words

to

describe

the

departure

from

the

body

?

Or

does

he

purposely

use

a

novel

phraseology

?

For

,

wanting

to

express

our

temporary

absence

from

the

body

,

he

says

that

we

are

strangers

,

absent

from

it

,

because

a

man

who

goes

abroad

returns

after

a

while

to

his

home

.

Then

he

says

even

to

all

:

“

We

therefore

earnestly

desire

to

be

acceptable

unto

God

,

whether

absent

or

present

;

for

we

must

all

appear

before

the

judgment

-

seat

of

Christ

Jesus

.

”

If

all

of

us

,

then

all

of

us

wholly

;

if

wholly

,

then

our

inward

man

and

outward

too

—

that

is

,

our

bodies

no

less

than

our

souls

.

“

That

every

one

,

”

as

he

goes

on

to

say

,

“

may

receive

the

things

done

in

his

body

,

according

to

that

he

hath

done

,

whether

it

be

good

or

bad

.

”

Now

I

ask

,

how

do

you

read

this

passage

?

Do

you

take

it

to

be

confusedly

constructed

,

with

a

transposition

of

ideas

?

Is

the

question

about

what

things

will

have

to

be

received

by

the

body

,

or

the

things

which

have

been

already

done

in

the

body

?

Well

,

if

the

things

which

are

to

be

borne

by

the

body

are

meant

,

then

undoubtedly

a

resurrection

of

the

body

is

implied

;

and

if

the

things

which

have

been

already

done

in

the

body

are

referred

to

,

(

the

same

conclusion

follows

)

:

for

of

course

the

retribution

will

have

to

be

paid

by

the

body

,

since

it

was

by

the

body

that

the

actions

were

performed

.

Thus

the

apostle’s

whole

argument

from

the

beginning

is

unravelled

in

this

concluding

clause

,

wherein

the

resurrection

of

the

flesh

is

set

forth

;

and

it

ought

to

be

understood

in

a

sense

which

is

strictly

in

accordance

with

this

conclusion

.

Notes

1
2 Cor. v. 6, 7.
2
Ver. 8.
3
Comp. his De Anima, c. lv. [Elucidation III.]
4
2 Cor. v. 9, 10.
5
2 Cor. v. 10.
6
Per hyperbaton.