1 Corinthians 15:50

If flesh and blood cannot enter heaven, then how can there be a physical resurrection?

PROBLEM: The Bible speaks of the resurrection of the physical body from the grave (John 5:28-29), which is composed of “flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39) and which leaves an empty tomb behind (Matthew 28:6). However, according to this verse, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”

SOLUTION: To conclude from this phrase that the resurrection body will not be a body of physical flesh is without biblical justification.

Second, to convince the frightened disciples that He was not an immaterial spirit (Luke 24:37), Jesus emphatically told them, “Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself! Touch Me and see; a ghost does not haveflesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39,NIV). Peter declared that the resurrection body would be the same body offlesh that went into the tomb and never saw corruption (Acts 2:31). Paul also reaffirmed this truth in a parallel passage (Acts 13:35). And John implies that it is against Christ to deny that He remains “in theflesh” even after His resurrection (1 John 4:2; 2 John 1:7).

Fourth, the phrase “flesh and blood” in this context apparently means mortal flesh and blood, that is, a mere human being. This is supported by parallel uses in the NT. When Jesus said to Peter, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you” (Matthew 16:17), He could not have been referring to the mere substance of the body as such, which obviously could not reveal that He was the Son of God. Rather, the most natural interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:50 seems to be that humans, as they now are, earth- bound and perishable creatures, cannot have a place in God’s glorious, heavenly kingdom.