Friday, June 27, 2014

A Voice from the Past - Ambrose

Why doubt that body shall rise again from body? Grain is sown, grain comes up again: fruit is sown, fruit comes up again; but the grain is clothed with blossom and husk. "And this mortal must put on immortality, and this corruptible must put on incorruption."  The blossom of the resurrection is immortality, the blossom of the resurrection is incorruption.  For what is more fruitful than perpetual rest? what supplied with richer store than everlasting security? Here is that abundant fruit, by whose increase man's nature shoots forth more abundantly after death.

Ambrose, 337-397 AD, On Belief in the Resurrection, Book II, 54 (translated by Rev. H. De Romestin, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, T & T Clark and Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997, Second Series, Vol. X, p. 182)

What does it mean that the resurrected body is as plant to seed? How does this affect our understanding of it?

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