The first epistle to the Corinthians is considered by many to present irreconcilable difficulties to those who reject the idea of a material quickening. To me, looking at it in the light of Christian Science, the entire argument seems favorable. The comparison is that of a seed which, when planted, grows up into a tree; it does not remain a seed, but out of it proceeds that which takes its place and preserves the identity.
1. This simile is not perfect if these bodies of flesh are raised, because we would not think of saying that a seed is raised—it is the tree that grows up. So it is not flesh that rises, but we are to be manifested in a spiritual body like to Christ's.
2. The phrase "it is sown" (verses 42, 43,) does not mean a body is sown, i.e. laid in the grave. The earliest mode of burial was in tombs, and for many of those Christians there was to be no burial at all. Accordingly, the "planting" of a corpse would not have been a legitimate figure of speech. But the expression here used is peculiar to the early languages, and is used again by Paul in Rom. x. 10, "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Both italicized expressions are single words in the original text. In modern languages, this construction is variously rendered. In English, a noun is usually supplied from the meaning of the verb, as we believe man believes, or better yet, a belief is entertained.
