Don Mormons base their “three degrees of glory” on an incorrect interpretation of 1 Cor. 15:40-42?
No, it’s based on revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith. The passage in 1 Cor. 15 does appear to be limited to heavenly and earthly bodies and not the concept of the Resurrection itself, but we know that early Christians did understand it in much the same way LDS people do. Barry Bickmore made the following comments (used with permission) in 2003 in e-mail correspondence to someone questioning the standard LDS interpretation of 1 Cor. 15:40-42: Consider the following commentary by Origen: Our understanding of the passage indeed is, that the Apostle, wishing to describe the great difference among those who rise again in glory, i.e., of the saints, borrowed a comparison from the heavenly bodies, saying, “One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, another the glory of the stars. [Origen, De Principiis 2:10:2, in ANF 4:294.] Consider also the following by John Chrysostom: And having said this, he ascends again to the heaven, saying, “There is one glory of the sun, and ano
