One truth that should give each Christian encouragement and confidence to keep on keeping on in the Christian life is our promised home in Heaven! Paul said, “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). No matter what happens to the present, physical body, we will have a new body in the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:50-58).
The Physical Body
The present, physical body is not meant to be permanent. The word “earthly” indicates “of this world.” It is the same word translated “terrestrial” [bodies] (1 Corinthians 15:40; John 3:12; Philippians 2:10; 3:19; James 3:15). The word translated “house” [“home” ESV] usually refers to a literal, structural house but can refer to a person’s life (Matthew 7:24-27) or, as in 2 Corinthians 5:1, a person’s body. On earth, our human body is but a “tent” [“tabernacle” KJV], which indicates a temporary body for this earthly realm. “Tent” here is not from the usual Greek word for “tent.” The word occurs again only a few verses later (2 Corinthians 5:4). The Greek word is used in an apocryphal work called the Wisdom of Solomon (9:15) and throughout the papyri to refer to the human body (Kruse 112), which meaning certainly fits this context (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10). The persecutions Paul endured could have at any moment resulted in his death (2 Corinthians 1:8; 11:23-27).
From a Jewish perspective, the use of this word for “tent” would be reminiscent of the Feast of Tabernacles. During this feast, the Israelites were to dwell in tents as a reminder of God taking care of them throughout the wilderness wanderings (Leviticus 23:34-36, 39-43). This would suggest to Paul’s readers that “the Christian would have to live in a booth before reaching the promised land” (Rogers and Rogers 401). The word “destroyed” [“dissolved” KJV] lets us know this body will not be permanent. The word means to destroy or tear down (Matthew 5:17; 24:2; 26:61; 27:40; Galatians 2:18). According to Thompson, “It is the word for the dismantling of a tent when the time comes to move on” (72).
The Resurrected Body
In contrast to this earthly body or “tent,” the future resurrected body or “house not made with hands” will be made for permanency (2 Corinthians 5:1b). A “building” refers to a solid structure (Matthew 24:1). The word is also used figuratively for edification (2 Corinthians 10:8; 12:19; 13:10). Whereas a tent is temporary and insecure, a building is both permanent and secure! Jesus used the word “temple” to refer to this building (John 2:21-22). “Not made with hands” describes something that is not of this world (1 Corinthians 15:42-54).
Conclusion
Let us not get too comfortable with the world and this temporal life (Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 9:27). Rather, let us live in such a way as to make our eternal home with God in Heaven! Have we accepted life (Revelation 22:17)?
