23. Every one in his own order. Here we have an anticipation of a question that might be proposed: “If Christ’s life,” some one might say, “draws ours along with it, why does not this appear? Instead of this, while Christ has risen from the grave, we lie rotting there.” Paul’s answer is, that God has appointed another order of things. Let us therefore reckon it enough, that we now have in Christ the first-fruits, (51) and that his coming (52) will be the time of our resurrection. For our life must still be hid with him, because he has not yet appeared. (Colossians 3:3.) It would therefore be preposterous to wish to anticipate that day of the revelation of Christ.
(51) “ Les premices de la resurrection;” — “The first-fruits of the resurrection.”
(52) “ Quand il viendra en jugement;” — “When he will come to judgment.”