There are some who suppose that resurrection can be spoken only of the body, and therefore they contend that this first resurrection (of the Apocalypse) is a bodily resurrection. For, they say, “to rise again” can only be said of things that fall. Now, bodies fall in death. There cannot, therefore, be a resurrection of souls, but of bodies. But what do they say to the apostle who speaks of a resurrection of souls? For certainly it was in the inner and not the outer man that those had risen again to whom he says, “If you have risen with Christ, set your mind on the things that are above.” Colossians 3:1 He conveyed the same sense elsewhere in other words, saying, “That as Christ has risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4 So, too, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. Ephesians 5:14 ” As to what they say about nothing being able to rise again but what falls, from which they conclude that resurrection belongs to bodies only, and not to souls, because bodies fall, why do they make nothing of the words, “You who fear the Lord, wait for His mercy; and do not turn aside, or you will fall;”⁠a and “To his own Master he stands or falls;” Romans 14:4 and “Whoever thinks he stands, let him take care that he does not fall?” 1 Corinthians 10:12 For I suppose this fall that we are to guard against is a fall of the soul, not of the body. If, then, rising again belongs to things that fall, and souls fall, it must be admitted that souls also rise again. To the words, “In them the second death has no power,” are added the words, “but they shall be priests of God and Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years;” and this refers not to the bishops alone, and presbyters, who are now specially called priests in the Church; but as we call all believers Christians on account of the mystical chrism, so we call all priests because they are members of the one Priest. Of them the Apostle Peter says, “A holy people, a royal priesthood.” 1 Peter 2:9 Certainly he implied, though in a passing and incidental way, that Christ is God, saying priests of God and Christ, that is, of the Father and the Son, though it was in His form of a servant and as Son of man that Christ was made a Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedec. But this we have already explained more than once.