Celestial

Celestial - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

CELESTIAL, a.

1. Heavenly; belonging or relating to heaven; dwelling in heaven; as celestial spirits; celestial joys. Hence the word conveys the idea of superior excellence, delight, purity, _c.

2. Belonging to the upper regions, or visible heaven; as celestial signs; the celestial globe.

3. Descending from heaven; as a suit of celestial armor.

CELESTIAL, n. An inhabitant of heaven.

se-les'-chal (epouranios, "above the sky," "heavenly"): Peculiar to Paul's majestic argument on the resurrection: celestial verses terrestrial bodies (1Co 15:40) with reference possibly to sun and moon, etc., but more probably to the bodies of angels in distinction from those of beasts and mortal men (compare Christ's words, Mt 22:30; Lu 20:36); including also doubtless in the apostle's thought the resurrection-body of Jesus and of the saints already taken-into glory. Light is thrown on its meaning by the rendering of the same Greek original as "heavenly places" (Eph 1:3,20; 2:6; 3:10); "heavenly" (1Co 15:48). Hence, "celestial" as used by Paul indicates the soul's continued life beyond the grave, the spiritual body of the redeemed in heaven, who, in Christ, have put on immortality.

Dwight M. Pratt