The Building From God (2 Cor. 5:1-3)

Will Christians get new “buildings”–that is, new physical bodies–from God at the Resurrection? Those who say “yes” often point to Paul’s words in Corinthians:

“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. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked” (2 Cor. 5:1–3).

Is Paul teaching that Christians will one day (at the Resurrection) get new physical bodies from God?

Response: This passage describes the spiritual new covenant temple from God–not new physical bodies for Christians. “Our earthly house, this tent” refers to the physical temple that was destroyed in AD 70; and “the building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” refers to the spiritual temple that replaced it in AD 70.

Compare Paul’s description of “a house, from God, made without hands” (in the passage being discussed) to Stephen’s description of the temple in Acts 7:

“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness [aka: the Tent of Meeting, where God met with Moses]…But Solomon built Him a house [Solomon’s Temple]. However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?'” (Acts 7:44–50)

Both passages contrast the physical temple/tent built by man…with the spiritual temple built by God.

Notice, also, how John prophesied (in AD 65) about the tabernacle (building) from God coming down from heaven (soon):

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people…Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand'” (Rev. 21:1–3, 22:10).

This is the same “building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” that Paul described in 2 Corinthians 5 (the passage being discussed)–and it came down from heaven in AD 70!

Conclusion: The “tent being destroyed” refers to the physical temple that was destroyed in AD 70; and the “building made by God” refers to the spiritual New Covenant temple–of which Jesus is the Cornerstone (2 Pet. 1:4-9)–that replaced it.

For more about the Resurrection, see my book The End Is Here: How the New Testament’s Prophecies Were Fulfilled.

Or, click here to see the many articles and videos about the Resurrection at The Bible Fulfilled.

By: Alex Polyak, Director of The Bible Fulfilled   July 12, 2024