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That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die, and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain. It may chance of wheat, or of some other grain.
You scorned my counsels, and obstinately persisted in clinging to your false ideals; worse still you drew your sister into the path of error with you, and led her to lose her moral principles and sense of shame. Now you are both in a bad way. Well, as thou sowest, so shalt thou reap!" As he said this he walked up and down the room.
Paul tells you about this very matter in that glorious chapter which is read in the burial-service, "how when thou sowest seed, thou sowest not that body which it will have, but bare grain; but God gives it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed its own body."
It was "bare grain" when it fell into the earth; but the corn, with its stalk, and leaves, and the curious ear, with its silk, and its wrappings, the multiplication of the "bare grain" into such a product, are an illustration of the apostle's words, "Thou sowest not that body that shall be;" hence, he argues, say not, incredulously, "How are the dead raised, and with what body do they come?"
"Good evening," I said. He glanced at me, and at once dropped his eyes on his drawing. "What do you want?" he asked, after waiting a little. "I have come to tell you my sister's very ill. She can't live very long," I added in a hollow voice. "Well," sighed my father, taking off his spectacles, and laying them on the table. "What thou sowest that shalt thou reap.
"Thou fool, that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain." He listened through the wonderful nature-picture, dimly understanding the reasoning; on to the words: "So also is the resurrection of the dead.
'Thou sowest not that which shall be, but bare grain ... and God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him. 'And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20. And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21.
We have to interpret 'the resurrection of the body' by the definite apostolic declaration, 'Thou sowest not that body that shall be... but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him'; and we have to give full weight to the contrasts which the Apostle draws between the characteristics of that which is 'sown' and of that which is 'raised. The one is 'sown in corruption and raised in incorruption. Natural decay is contrasted with immortal youth.
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die.... It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. ...
That is true even on earth, and still more true in heaven. 'Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? What surprises will wait Christ's humble servants in heaven, when they see what was the true nature and the widespread consequences of their humble deeds! 'Thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, ... but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him.
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