Corruption
The Greek words that are often translated as corruption in the Bible are aphizo, diaphthero (from which we get the word diphtheria), kapeleuo, sapros, and sepo (from which we get the word septic). And the word that is often translated as incorruptible or clean is aphthartos. So as you can see, each word can be translated into many English words, for a single meaning won’t make any sense in every instance in the Bible.
So, why are we discussing these words? Primarily because we wish to find out what Paul meant when he wrote (at 1 Corinthians 15:50-54), ‘I tell you this, brothers: Flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom, nor can [anything that's] corruptible (diaphthero) inherit something that’s incorruptible (aphthartos). Look, I tell you a mystery: Not all of us will be laid to rest, but we’ll be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, during the last trumpet. The trumpet will blow and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. Then that which is incorruptible will put on incorruptibility and that which is dying will put on immortality. But, when that which is dying puts on immortality, the words that were written are fulfilled, Death is swallowed in victory.’
Much has been written about the meanings of these verses in the past, and translators have used many terms to translate the Greek words that appear there. However, just what was Paul talking about? Was he equating incorruptibility with immortality, or was he speaking of impurity being changed into something that’s pure?
Actually, the words aphizo, aphthartos, and diaphthero all seem to be closely related, for aphizo and diaphthero are used interchangeably between writers of the Gospels, and they indicate a deteriorating condition, and aphthartos is the opposite of those two words. Whereas the unrelated word kapeleuo has more to do with the corrupt business or political practices, and sapros and sepo seem to indicate filth, rotting, putrefying, and decaying.
So, to find out what Paul likely meant when he used the words aphthartos and diaphthero, let’s see how they were used in a situation where we know how matters turned out, as in the case of Jesus.
At Acts 13:34-37 we read, ‘Why, the fact that He resurrected him from the dead and that he wasn’t about to return to corruption (gr. diaphthero) was proven when He said: I will make a Sacred Agreement of everlasting love with David, for those who are faithful. And He said in another place, You wouldn’t allow your Holy one to see corruption. So, David (who served his generation well and followed God’s instructions) fell asleep [in death], was buried with his ancestors, and saw corruption. However, the one who God raised didn’t see corruption.’
In these cases, we can see that Paul’s use of the word diaphthero specifically meant a deteriorating body condition in the grave, for that’s what happened to the body of David after he died. However, in the case of the body of Jesus, the body didn’t deteriorate, for it was taken away.
What happened to Jesus’ body? Although countless hours have been wasted debating the subject, we simply don’t know, because the Bible doesn’t tell us… and it makes no difference anyhow. However, people like to argue trivial viewpoints and details.
As you can see from the example above, it isn’t likely that the situation was the same in both Bible accounts, since the one in Acts is talking about the condition of dead bodies, and the one in 1 Corinthians 15 is talking about those who are being resurrected.
Then, could Paul have been speaking of a type of moral purity that the resurrected would attain? That doesn’t seem to be the case, for if that were true he would likely have used the more appropriate Greek word kapeleuo.
Rather, there is another Greek meaning for diaphthero. We find it at 2 Corinthians 4:16, where Paul wrote, ‘Although the man [you see] on the outside is wasting away (gr. diaphtheiretai), the man on the inside is being renewed day by day.’
So, in this case Paul used a form of the word diaphthero to indicate man’s deteriorating and aging condition. And if this is how he was using the word at 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, he was talking about all humans being resurrected in a non-deteriorating or non-aging condition.
But why did we say that all humans will be resurrected in a non-deteriorating or non-aging condition? For, wasn’t Paul speaking of just those who go to heaven as receiving incorruption? No, for notice that he said, ‘The trumpet will blow and the dead will be raised incorruptible.’ So, he was clearly speaking of those whom God considers to be the dead as receiving non-deteriorating bodies in the resurrection. This agrees with Paul’s words at Romans 6:7, where he wrote ‘because those who have died are acquitted of sin.’ Then notice how Paul (at 1 Corinthians 15:52) changes the discussion by adding ‘and we will be changed.’ So, he was clearly discussing two different groups here, the dead and the living (the ‘we’ who will be changed).
For more information, see the linked document, ‘God’s Promise of an Inheritance.’