Commentary on the Apostles' Creed 45–48

These things have been said in proof of our profession, by which we confess in the Creed the resurrection of this flesh. For see how consistent the addition "this" is with all the things we have recalled from the divine books. For what else is indicated in the words of Job, which we set out above, when he says, "For he will raise up my skin, which now drains this cup", that is, which suffers these torments? Does he not say plainly that there will be a resurrection of this flesh, of this, I say, which now endures the torments of tribulations and temptations? And when the Apostle says, "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality", is it not the voice of one touching his own body, as it were, and feeling it with his finger? This body, then, which is now corruptible, will by the grace of the resurrection be incorruptible; and this which is now mortal will be clothed with the powers of immortality; so that, as Christ, rising from the dead, dies no more, death will no longer have dominion over him, so those who rise in Christ will no longer feel corruption or death: not with the nature of the flesh cast off, but with its condition and quality changed. The body, then, that rises from the dead will be incorruptible and immortal, not only of the righteous but also of sinners: of the righteous, so that they may remain always with Christ; of sinners, so that they may pay their due penalties without being destroyed.

That the righteous will remain always with our Lord Christ we have already taught above, where we showed that the Apostle says: "Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." And do not wonder if the flesh of the saints will be changed by the resurrection into such glory that, borne up on clouds, it is caught up to meet God and carried in the air, since the Apostle himself, setting out how much God bestows on those who love him, says: "For he will transform the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory." It is nothing absurd, then, if the bodies of the saints are said to be raised in the air on clouds, since they are said to be refashioned after the form of Christ's body, which sits at the right hand of God. And the holy Apostle adds this too, of himself or of others of his rank or merit, and says: "For he will raise us up together with Christ, and make us sit together in the heavenly places." Since, then, the saints of God have these and very many like them in the promises for the resurrection of the righteous, it will no longer be difficult to believe also what the prophets foretold: that the righteous will shine like the sun and like the brightness of the firmament in the kingdom of God. For to whom will it seem difficult that they should have the brightness of the sun, and be adorned with the splendour of the stars and of this firmament, for whom either the life and conduct of the angels of God is prepared in heaven, or who are said to be conformed to the glory of Christ's body? Looking to that glory, promised by the Saviour's mouth, the holy Apostle says: "For it is sown a natural body, it will rise a spiritual body." For if it is true, as it certainly is true, that the divine condescension will join all the righteous and holy to the fellowship of the angels, it is certain that it will also turn their bodies into the glory of a spiritual body.

Nor let this seem to you to be promised against the natural principle of the body. For if we believe, according to what is written, that God took the slime of the earth and formed man, and this was the nature of our body, that by God's will earth was turned into flesh, why does it seem to you absurd or contrary if it is believed that, by the same principles by which earth is said to have advanced into a natural body, the natural body advances again into a spiritual body? This and many things like it you will find in the divine Scriptures about the resurrection of the righteous. But to sinners too, as we said above, the condition of incorruption and immortality will be given by the resurrection: so that, as God provides it to the righteous for the perpetuity of glory, so he provides it to sinners for the prolonging of shame and punishment. For so the prophetic word, which we recalled a little earlier, has defined it, where it says: "And many will rise from the dust of the earth, some to eternal life, others to shame and eternal reproach."

If, then, we have understood with what reverence God is called the almighty Father, by what mystery our Lord Jesus Christ is held to be his only Son, and with what perfection his Holy Spirit is named; and how the holy Trinity is one in substance but distinct in relation and persons; and what the Virgin's giving birth is, what the birth of the Word in the flesh, what the mystery of the cross, what the benefit of the divine descent into hell, what the glory of the resurrection and the captivity of souls called back from hell, what too his ascent to heaven and the expectation of the coming Judge; and also what knowledge we ought to have of the holy church against the assemblies of vanity, what the number of the sacred books is, and what conventicles of heretics are to be avoided; and that in the forgiveness of sins natural reason in no way stands against the divine freedom; and that not only the divine words but also the example of our Lord and Saviour himself and the consequences of natural reason establish the resurrection of our flesh: if, I say, we have reached these things in order, according to the rule of the tradition set out above, we pray that the Lord may grant to us and to all who hear these things that, keeping the faith we have received and having finished the course, we may look for the crown of righteousness laid up for us, and be found among those who rise to eternal life, and be delivered from shame and eternal reproach; through Christ our Lord, through whom be glory and dominion to God the Father almighty with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.