Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 15:47

"The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven." — 1 Corinthians 15:47 (ASV)

The first man. Adam.

Is of the earth. He was made of the dust. See Genesis 2:7.

Earthy. Partaking of the earth, he was a mass of animated clay and could be appropriately called DUST (Genesis 3:19). Of course, he must partake of a nature that was low, mean, mortal, and corruptible.

The second man. Christ. (See the comments on 1 Corinthians 15:45).

He is called the second man, as being the second who sustained a relation to men that was materially to affect their conduct and destiny; the second and the last (1 Corinthians 15:45) who should sustain a peculiar headship to the race.

The Lord from heaven. He is called in 1 Corinthians 2:8 the Lord of glory. (See the comments on 1 Corinthians 2:8).

This expression refers to the fact that the Lord Jesus had a heavenly origin, in contrast to Adam, who was formed from the earth.

The Latin Vulgate renders this, "the second man from heaven is heavenly," and this idea seems to agree with the meaning in the first part of the verse.

The meaning is evidently this: just as the first man had an earthly origin and was therefore earthy, so the second man, being from heaven as his true home, would have a body suited to that dwelling place. This body would be unlike that which was earthy and would be fitted to his exalted nature and to the world where he would live.

Therefore, while the phrase "from heaven" refers to his heavenly origin, the essential idea is that he would have a body adapted to such an origin and such a world—a body unlike that which was earthy.

That is, Christ had a glorified body, to which the bodies of the saints must still be made like.