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On the Resurrection of the Flesh

Tertullian

Chapter 54

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter LIV.—Death Swallowed Up of Life. Meaning of This Phrase in Relation to the Resurrection of the Body.

Then, again, questions very often are suggested by

‹ Chapter 53 Chapter 55 ›

occasional

and

isolated

terms

,

just

as

much

as

they

are

by

connected

sentences

.

Thus

,

because

of

the

apostle’s

expression

,

“

that

mortality

may

be

swallowed

up

of

life

”

—

in

reference

to

the

flesh

—

they

wrest

the

word

swallowed

up

into

the

sense

of

the

actual

destruction

of

the

flesh

;

as

if

we

might

not

speak

of

ourselves

as

swallowing

bile

,

or

swallowing

grief

,

meaning

that

we

conceal

and

hide

it

,

and

keep

it

within

ourselves

.

The

truth

is

,

when

it

is

written

,

“

This

mortal

must

put

on

immortality

,

”

it

is

explained

in

what

sense

it

is

that

“

mortality

is

swallowed

up

of

life

”

—

even

whilst

,

clothed

with

immortality

,

it

is

hidden

and

concealed

,

and

contained

within

it

,

not

as

consumed

,

and

destroyed

,

and

lost

.

But

death

,

you

will

say

in

reply

to

me

,

at

this

rate

,

must

be

safe

,

even

when

it

has

been

swallowed

up

.

Well

,

then

,

I

ask

you

to

distinguish

words

which

are

similar

in

form

according

to

their

proper

meanings

.

Death

is

one

thing

,

and

mortality

is

another

.

It

is

one

thing

for

death

to

be

swallowed

up

,

and

another

thing

for

mortality

to

be

swallowed

up

.

Death

is

incapable

of

immortality

,

but

not

so

mortality

.

Besides

,

as

it

is

written

that

“

this

mortal

must

put

on

immortality

,

”

how

is

this

possible

when

it

is

swallowed

up

of

life

?

But

how

is

it

swallowed

up

of

life

,

(

in

the

sense

of

destroyed

by

it

)

when

it

is

actually

received

,

and

restored

,

and

included

in

it

?

For

the

rest

,

it

is

only

just

and

right

that

death

should

be

swallowed

up

in

utter

destruction

,

since

it

does

itself

devour

with

this

same

intent

.

Death

,

says

the

apostle

,

has

devoured

by

exercising

its

strength

,

and

therefore

has

been

itself

devoured

in

the

struggle

“

swallowed

up

in

victory

.

”

“

O

death

,

where

is

thy

sting

?

O

death

,

where

is

thy

victory

?

”

Therefore

life

,

too

,

as

the

great

antagonist

of

death

,

will

in

the

struggle

swallow

up

for

salvation

what

death

,

in

its

struggle

,

had

swallowed

up

for

destruction

.

Notes

1
2 Cor. v. 4.
2
1 Cor. xv. 53.
3
1 Cor. xv. 53.
4
Ver. 54.
5
Ver. 55.