In his comments on 1 Cor 15:39-41, Ambrosiaster understands Paul to be
teaching about the different gradations of glories that people will be raised
to:
39For not all flesh is alike, but there is one
kind for men, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.
Since all flesh comes ultimately from the same
matter, how does it come about that there is so much diversity among these
beings, and that one basic material makes so many different species? Let the
Sophists of the world and the astrologers explain this if they can understand
things outside themselves, while being totally ignorant of what is inside them!
The philosophers of this world are unwilling to submit their minds to the law
of God in order to believe in him, and instead they confound one another with
diverse and mutually contradictory theories, none of which can be proved. God,
on the other hand, does not argue. Instead, he demonstrates his power, which no
words can resist.
So, just as the flesh of living creatures is
diverse, even though it is made from the same basic material, human beings will
differ in dignity at the resurrection, even though they are all of the same
flesh. Everyone will appear in the manner befitting his merit, so that here too
we can see a diversity of bodies.
40There are celestial bodies and there are
terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the
terrestrial is another.
Heavenly bodies are those of people who rise again,
but all bodies are earthly before they die or rise. It is because Christ is heavenly
[to begin with] that heavenly bodies are called after him, whereas earthly
bodies are called after Adam, who is earthly.
41There is one glory of the sun, and another
glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star
in glory.
Paul compares different items of a single nature in
order to present a logical discussion of a single category of being. The sun,
moon and stars are of one nature, but they differ in their brightness, and in
the same way, human beings, although they are of one species, will differ in
glory according to what they deserve. The honor of those bearing the number one
hundred, who have aimed for the highest rank in an effort to become perfect,
will be equal to that of the sun. It has been said of them: Then the righteous shall shine forth like
the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Those whose good works have earned them the
number sixty will be comparable to the brightness of the moon, and have merit
of the second rank. The merits of those who have sought to achieve the number
thirty by their righteous endeavors will be compared with the brighter stars.
Sinful men, who have not been able to acquire any of the three ranks, are to be
likened to the remaining stars, which are halfway between the bright and the
semidarkened ones. The resurrection of unbelievers is like the flickering
stars, the last ones of all, because in following error they are like stars
which lead people astray, as Jude the apostle says in his letter. Unbelief
cannot have a bright resurrection, because just as charcoal is darkened when it
is covered with its own ash, so these people will lack light, being surrounded
by the shadows of error as a result of their unbelief. (Ambrosiaster, Commentaries on Romans and 1-2 Corinthians
[ed. Thomas C. Oden and Gerald L. Bray; trans. Gerald L. Bray; Ancient
Christian Texts; Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity
Press, 2009], 198–199)