Heavenly Bodies

ΕΡΑΝ. Ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω γέγραπται. Ἀλλὰ τὸ σῶμα, μετὰ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάληψιν, οὐκ οἶμαί σε δείξειν ὑπὸ τῶν πνευματοφόρων ἀνδρῶν προσαγορευόμενον σῶμα. ΟΡΘ. Μάλιστα μὲν καὶ τὰ προειρημένα τοῦ σώματος ὑπάρχει δηλωτικά· τὸ γὰρ ὁρώμενον, σῶμα· δείξω δὲ ὅμως καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάληψιν σῶμα καλούμενον τοῦ δεσπότου τὸ σῶμα. Ἄκουσον τοίνυν τοῦ ἀποστόλου διδάσκοντος· Ἡμῶν γὰρ τὸ πολίτευμα ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑπάρχει, ἐξ οὗ καὶ σωτῆρα ἀπεκδεχόμεθα Kύριον Ἰησοῦν, ὃς μετα σχηματίσει τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸ σύμμορφον τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ. Οὐ τοίνυν εἰς ἑτέραν μετα βέβληται φύσιν, ἀλλὰ μεμένηκε σῶμα, θείας μέντοι δόξης πεπληρωμένον καὶ φωτὸς ἐκπέμπον ἀκτῖνας· ἐκείνῳ τὰ τῶν ἁγίων σώματα γενήσεται σύμμορφα. Εἰ δὲ εἰς ἑτέραν ἐκεῖνο μετεβλήθη φύσιν, καὶ τὰ τούτων ὡσαύτως μεταβληθήσεται. Σύμμορφα γὰρ ἐκείνῳ γενήσεται. Εἰ δὲ τὰ τῶν ἁγίων φυλάττει τὸν χαρακτῆρα τῆς φύσεως, καὶ τὸ δεσποτικὸν ἄρα ὡσαύτως τὴν οἰκείαν οὐσίαν ἀμετάβλητον ἔχει. ΕΡΑΝ. Ἴσα τοίνυν ἔσται τῷ δεσποτικῷ σώματι τὰ τῶν ἁγίων σώματα; ΟΡΘ. Τῆς μὲν ἀφθαρσίας καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῆς ἀθανασίας μεθέξει καὶ ταῦτα. Κοινωνήσει δὲ καὶ τῆς δόξης, καθά φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος· Εἴπερ συμπάσχομεν, ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν. Ἐν δέ γε τῇ ποσότητι πολὺ τὸ διάφορον ἔστιν εὑρεῖν, καὶ τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἡλίου πρὸς ἀστέρας, μᾶλλον δὲ ὅσον δεσπότου πρὸς δούλους, καὶ τοῦ φωτίζοντος πρὸς τὸ φωτιζόμενον. Μεταδέδωκε δὲ ὅμως τῶν οἰκείων ὀνομάτων τοῖς δούλοις, καὶ φῶς καλούμενος, φῶς τοὺς ἁγίους ἐκάλεσεν· Υμεῖς, γάρ φησιν, ἐστὲ τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. Καὶ ἥλιος δικαιοσύνης ὀνομαζόμενος, περὶ τῶν δούλων φησί· Τότε ἐκλάμψουσιν οἱ δίκαιοι ὡς ὁ ἥλιος. Κατὰ τὸ ποιὸν τοίνυν, οὐ κατὰ τὸ ποσόν, σύμμορφα ἔσται τῷ δεσποτικῷ σώματι τῶν ἁγίων τὰ σώματα. Θεοδώρητος Ἐπίσκοπος Κύρρος, Ἐρανιστής ή Πολύμορφος, Διάλογος Β' Source: Migne PG 80.165a-c

Eranistes: These things are so written, but I do not think that you will be able to show that the body, after the ascension into heaven, is called 'body' by inspired men. Orthodoxus: What has been already said indicates the body clearly, for what is seen is a body. But as that may be I will show to you that even after the assumption the body of the Lord is called a body. Hear, then, the teaching of the Apostle: 'For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus, who shall change our humble body that it may be like His glorious body.' 1 It was not, then, changed into some other nature, but remained a body, though full of Divine glory, and sending forth bright beams. The bodies of the saints shall be made like it. But if it was changed into another nature, theirs will be likewise changed, for they shall be made like it. But if the bodies of the saints preserve the character of their nature, so the body of the Lord in like manner keeps its own nature unchanged. Eranistes: Then it will be that the bodies of the saints are equal with the body of the Lord? Orthodoxus: They will share in its incorruption and its immortality. And they will partake of its glory, as the Apostle says, 'If we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him.' 2 It is in quantity that the great difference is to be found, and it is as great as between the sun and the stars, or rather as between master and servants, and as between that which gives light and that which receives light. Yet even as He has given a share of His own name to His servants and as He is called Light, He calls His saints light, for 'You,' He says, 'are the light of the world,' 3 And He who is named 'Sun of Righteousness' 4 says of His servants: 'Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun.' 5 Therefore, according to quality, not quantity, shall the bodies of the saints be like the body of the Lord. Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Eranistes or Polymorphus, Second Dialogue 1 Rom 6.12 2 Rom 8.17 3 Mt 5.14 4 Malachi 4.2 5 Mt 13.43