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On the Resurrection of the Flesh

Tertullian

Chapter 44

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XLIV.—Sundry Other Passages of St. Paul Explained in a Sentence Confirmatory of Our Doctrine.

Now, if you will examine the words which precede

‹ Chapter 43 Chapter 45 ›

the

passage

where

mention

is

made

of

the

outward

and

the

inward

man

,

will

you

not

discover

the

whole

truth

,

both

of

the

dignity

and

the

hope

of

the

flesh

?

For

,

when

he

speaks

of

the

“

light

which

God

hath

commanded

to

shine

in

our

hearts

,

to

give

the

light

of

the

knowledge

of

the

glory

of

the

Lord

in

the

person

of

Jesus

Christ

,

”

and

says

that

“

we

have

this

treasure

in

earthen

vessels

,

”

meaning

of

course

the

flesh

,

which

is

meant

—

that

the

flesh

shall

be

destroyed

,

because

it

is

“

an

earthen

vessel

,

”

deriving

its

origin

from

clay

;

or

that

it

is

to

be

glorified

,

as

being

the

receptacle

of

a

divine

treasure

?

Now

if

that

true

light

,

which

is

in

the

person

of

Christ

,

contains

in

itself

life

,

and

that

life

with

its

light

is

committed

to

the

flesh

,

is

that

destined

to

perish

which

has

life

entrusted

to

it

?

Then

,

of

course

,

the

treasure

will

perish

also

;

for

perishable

things

are

entrusted

to

things

which

are

themselves

perishable

,

which

is

like

putting

new

wine

into

old

bottles

.

When

also

he

adds

,

“

Always

bearing

about

in

our

body

the

dying

of

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

,

”

what

sort

of

substance

is

that

which

,

after

(

being

called

)

the

temple

of

God

,

can

now

be

also

designated

the

tomb

of

Christ

?

But

why

do

we

bear

about

in

the

body

the

dying

of

the

Lord

?

In

order

,

as

he

says

,

“

that

His

life

also

may

be

manifested

.

”

Where

?

“

In

the

body

.

”

In

what

body

?

“

In

our

mortal

body

.

”

Therefore

in

the

flesh

,

which

is

mortal

indeed

through

sin

,

but

living

through

grace

—

how

great

a

grace

you

may

see

when

the

purpose

is

,

“

that

the

life

of

Christ

may

be

manifested

in

it

.

”

Is

it

then

in

a

thing

which

is

a

stranger

to

salvation

,

in

a

substance

which

is

perpetually

dissolved

,

that

the

life

of

Christ

will

be

manifested

,

which

is

eternal

,

continuous

,

incorruptible

,

and

already

the

life

of

God

?

Else

to

what

epoch

belongs

that

life

of

the

Lord

which

is

to

be

manifested

in

our

body

?

It

surely

is

the

life

which

He

lived

up

to

His

passion

,

which

was

not

only

openly

shown

among

the

Jews

,

but

has

now

been

displayed

even

to

all

nations

.

Therefore

that

life

is

meant

which

“

has

broken

the

adamantine

gates

of

death

and

the

brazen

bars

of

the

lower

world

,

”

—

a

life

which

thenceforth

has

been

and

will

be

ours

.

Lastly

,

it

is

to

be

manifested

in

the

body

.

When

?

After

death

.

How

?

By

rising

in

our

body

,

as

Christ

also

rose

in

His

.

But

lest

any

one

should

here

object

,

that

the

life

of

Jesus

has

even

now

to

be

manifested

in

our

body

by

the

discipline

of

holiness

,

and

patience

,

and

righteousness

,

and

wisdom

,

in

which

the

Lord’s

life

abounded

,

the

most

provident

wisdom

of

the

apostle

inserts

this

purpose

:

“

For

we

which

live

are

alway

delivered

unto

death

for

Jesus

’

sake

,

that

His

life

may

be

manifested

in

our

mortal

body

.

”

In

us

,

therefore

,

even

when

dead

,

does

he

say

that

this

is

to

take

place

in

us

.

And

if

so

,

how

is

this

possible

except

in

our

body

after

its

resurrection

?

Therefore

he

adds

in

the

concluding

sentence

:

“

Knowing

that

He

which

raised

up

the

Lord

Jesus

,

shall

raise

up

us

also

with

Him

,

”

risen

as

He

is

already

from

the

dead

.

But

perhaps

“

with

Him

”

means

“

like

Him

:

”

well

then

,

if

it

be

like

Him

,

it

is

not

of

course

without

the

flesh

.

Notes

1
2 Cor. iv. 6.
2
Ver. 7.
3
2 Cor. iv. 10.
4
Ver. 10.
5
Ver. 10.
6
Ps. cvii. 16.
7
2 Cor. iv. 11.
8
Ver. 14.