1 Corinthians 15:39-41

All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

Suitability of bodies, however various to their species: the flesh of the several species of animals; bodies celestial and terrestrial; the various kinds of light in the sun, moon, and stars. Flesh - animal organism. Our resurrection bodies shall be really flesh, though glorified and spiritualized; not mere phantoms. So some of the oldest creeds (Tertullian, 'De Virg. vel,' 100:i.; Cyril, Ruffinus, Augustine) expressed it, 'I believe in the resurrection of the flesh.' Compare as to Jesus' own resurrection body, Luke 24:39; John 20:27; to which ours shall be made like, and therefore shall be flesh, but not of animal organism (Philippians 3:21) and liable to corruption. 1 Corinthians 15:50 implies, it is not "flesh and blood" in the animal sense; for these "shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Not the same - not of the same nature and excellency. As the kinds of flesh, however widely differing, do not cease to be flesh, so the kinds of bodies, however differing from one another, are still bodies. All this illustrates the difference of the celestial body from its terrestrial seed, while substantially identical.

Beasts - quadrupeds.

Another of fish, and another of birds. So G. But 'Aleph (') A B Delta read thus, 'another FLESH of birds, and another of fish:' the order of nature.

Verse 40. Celestial bodies - not the sun moon, and stars, which are first introduced 1 Corinthians 15:41, but the bodies (organisms) of angels, as distinguished from those of earthly creatures.

The glory of the celestial (Luke 9:26).

Glory of the terrestrial (Matthew 6:28; 1 Peter 1:1).

One ... another. The two wholes, celestial and terrestrial bodies, are contrasted by terms [ hetera (G2087)

... hetera (G2087)] distinct from those contrasting the individuals classed under them [ allee (G243) ... allee (G243)].

Verse 41. One glory of the sun, and another of the moon. The analogy is not to prove different degrees of glory among the blessed (whether this be or not indirectly hinted), but this: As the various fountains of light, which is so similar in its properties, differ (the sun from the moon, and the moon from the stars; and even one star from another, though all seem so much alike); so it is no unreasonable doctrine that our present bodies differ much from our resurrection bodies, though still continuing bodies (cf. the simile, Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:43). Also that of seed in the same parable (Matthew 13:24; Galatians 6:7).