Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 15:37

"and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind;" — 1 Corinthians 15:37 (ASV)

And that which thou sowest. The seed which is sown.

Not that body that shall be. You sow one kernel which is to produce many others. They will not be the same as that which is sown. They will be new kernels raised from that; of the same kind, indeed, and showing their intimate and necessary connection with that which is sown.

It is implied here that the body that will be raised will not be the same in the sense that the same particles of matter will compose it. Rather, it will be the same only in the sense that it will have sprung up from that which died. This resurrected body will constitute the same order, rank, and species of being, and be subject to the same laws, and deserve the same course of treatment as the body that died.

This is analogous to how the grain produced is subject to the same laws and belongs to the same rank, order, and species as that which is sown.

And just as the same particles of matter that are sown do not enter into what will be in the harvest, so it is taught that the same particles of matter that constitute the body when it dies do not constitute the new body at the resurrection.

But bare grain. Mere grain; a mere kernel, without any husk, leaf, blade, or covering of any kind. These are added in the process of reproduction. The design of this is to make it appear more remarkable and to destroy the force of the objection. It was not only distinct from the grain that would be produced, but it was also without the appendages and ornaments like the blade, flower, and beard of the new grain. How could anyone know that it would not be so in the resurrection? How could anyone know that there might not be appendages and ornaments there, which were not connected with the body that died?

It may chance of wheat, etc. For example, suppose it is wheat or any other grain. The apostle adduces this merely as an example, not to intimate that there is any chance involved.