Does the Bible teach that there are Three Degrees of Glory in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41?

There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. (1 Corinthians 15:40-41)

Many Latter-day Saints use 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 to show that the Bible teaches about three Degrees of Glory: The Celestial Kingdom, The Terrestrial Kingdom, and The Telestial Kingdom.

But what is 1 Corinthians 15 actually about? Is Paul really trying to help us understand the finer points of heavenly kingdoms in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41? Or is The Apostle speaking about something entirely different?

Verse References
  • 1 Corinthians 15:12
  • 1 Corinthians 15:17
  • 1 Corinthians 15:19
  • 1 Corinthians 15:35
  • 1 Corinthians 15:37
  • 1 Corinthians 15:39
  • 1 Corinthians 15:40-41
  • 1 Corinthians 15:42

 

What is Paul really trying to teach in 1 Corinthians 15?