1 Corinthians 15:50-52 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Now this I say, brethren This I offer to your consideration as a great and important truth, that we must first undergo an entire change; for flesh and blood Such as we are now clothed with; cannot inherit the kingdom of God Cannot enter that happy place which Christ hath gone to prepare for the reception of his people, (John 14:7,) cannot possess that kingdom which is wholly spiritual, because it affords no objects suited either to the senses or to the appetites of such a body. Neither doth corruption This corruptible body; inherit incorruption That incorruptible kingdom. Spirits, clothed with corruptible bodies like our present bodies, cannot enjoy objects that are incorruptible. They are not capable of enjoying the divine vision, nor of performing the exalted services, nor of relishing the pure pleasures, which constitute the glory and felicity of the kingdom of God. Behold, I show you a mystery A truth hitherto unknown, and not yet fully revealed to any of the sons of men. We Christians: the apostle considers them all as one in their succeeding generations; shall not die Suffer a separation of soul and body; but we shall all Who do not die; be changed So that this animal body shall become spiritual; in a moment Amazing work of omnipotence! in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump Blown by the divine command. For the trumpet shall sound, &c. At the giving of the law from Sinai, there was heard a great noise, like the sounding of a trumpet, exceeding loud, which sounded long, and waxed louder and louder. In like manner, at the descent of Christ from heaven, a great noise called the trump of God, (1 Thessalonians 4:16,) will be made by the attending angels, as the signal for the righteous to come forth from their graves. And this noise being made at Christ's command, it is called by himself, his voice, John 5:25. After the righteous are raised, the trumpet shall sound a second time; on which account it is called here the last trumpet. And while it sounds, the righteous who are alive on the earth shall be changed. And the dead shall be raised incorruptible Though this expression be general, yet, as appears from 1 Corinthians 15:51, and indeed from the whole latter part of the chapter, it is evident it must be restricted to the dead in Christ, of whom alone the apostle is discoursing. Besides, as appears from 1 Thessalonians 4:16, the wicked are not to be raised at the same time with the righteous.