Soul and Spirit
Soul and Spirit
Recently my view that a person is a spirit, has a soul, and lives in a body has been brought into question. In the past I have written about this very confidently. Some have pointed out that unless I could show this clearly, I should consider softening my remarks so that they did not appear dogmatic on a topic not clearly stated in scripture. I am grateful for that because it is very important that I teach only what is written or clearly communicated in the Bible.
Here are my current thoughts on this issue:
First a short definition of terms. “Dichotomists view man as consisting of two parts (or substances), material and immaterial, with spirit and soul denoting the immaterial and bearing only a functional and not a metaphysical difference. Trichotomists also view man as consisting of two parts (or substances), but with spirit and soul representing in some contexts a real subdivision of the immaterial.” Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament.
Before creation, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (see Genesis 1:1) The Hebrew word for “spirit” is ruach (Strong’s number H7307). This word means spirit, wind, breath, or very rarely blast—as in “breathed into” which we will see below translated from the word more commonly used for that.
IN Genesis 2:7 (AV) we read, “7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
When God created Adam, He breathed the breath of life into him. The Hebrew word for “breathed” is napakh. This is a primitive root word that is used in several ways, but generally means blowing, or breathing. It is used in similar ways to the word rendered “breath” (of life) in the same verse. The Hebrew word in this case is neshama, which also means breathing, but this word more often carries the idea of spirit as in Job 26:4.
This life-breath instilled by God made Adam a living soul, according to the KJV. Other translations translate this as “living being.” The word translated “soul” or “living being” is nephesh. (Strong’s number H5315) This word is similar to the others. Its meaning is the inner being with its thoughts and emotions, a soul. It is used as referring to the entire being as well. See Genesis 12:5 and Ezekiel 18:4 for two examples. In the KJV the word soul is used to translate nephesh with only a single exception (Isaiah 57:16) where the underlying word is nehsama. We learn from this that thoughts of the mind, along with emotions are in the domain of the nephesh or soul.
There are many additional examples of the primary words used to communicate the idea of spirit and the idea of soul. These examples are typical of the Hebrew use of the words and show that there is often no clear distinction between the concept of soul and spirit in the Hebrew mind. One important note however, is that the word ruach, is used uniformly when speaking of the Holy Spirit. He is never referred to as nephesh, or soul. Ruach is translated “spirit” in the overwhelming majority of cases. Two exceptions occur. A different Hebrew word is used when speaking of divination of spirits, or evil spirits, and on one occasion (in Proverbs 20:27) neshama (breath of life) is translated “spirit” when referring to the spirit of a man.
In the New Testament the Greek word pneuma (Strong’s number G4151) is used when referring to the Holy Spirit and the spirit of a person. The word spirit is used to translate the word pneuma with only a single exception. “Spirit” is used to translate a different word only when speaking of divination of “spirits” or evil spirits, such as those exorcised by Jesus.
Soul, on the other hand, is used exclusively to translate the Greek word psuche (Strong’s number G5590). This word can mean to breathe, but its primary meaning and usage is as a reference to the immaterial part of a person held in common with animals—according to The Complete Word Study Disctionary: New Testament, Spiros Zodhiates. This distinction is important in my view. We need only live with a dog to know that animals have a will and emotions. We had two dogs one time and when one of them died, the other howled inconsolably until it was hoarse and was obviously grieved for at least a month. We all know that dogs have a mind of their own and try to pull us where they want to go. We are not the same as animals, so it follows that we have something they lack. I would argue that something is spirit.
Many people group soul and spirit. The idea of grouping soul and spirit into a singular concept is not foreign to scripture. Paul speaks of “the inner man” in Ephesians 3:16. He employs neither psuche nor pneuma for this purpose, but it seems clear that he is referring to the parts of a person that are unseen. The verse is part of a prayer asking that Father would strengthen the saints by His Spirit (pneuma) in “the inner man.”
The use of the word heart is another example of a broad definition leading to a lack of clarity. The word heart, perhaps more than any other word in this study, is broadly defined. According to Spiros Zodhiates, in The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, it is “The seat and center of human life. In the NT, used only figuratively.” In the New Testament the common word for heart is kardia. Heart translates this word, or a form of it, almost exclusively. The two exceptions are Luke 21:26 where heart translates apopsucho, which is faint heartedness, and Ephesians 6:6, where heart translates psuche (usually soul) in the context of doing the will of God from the heart.
In Deuteronomy 6:5 we read, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” The word soul is nephesh as we would expect. The word heart is lebab (Strong’s number H3844). This word is translated heart. Heart is used to translate nephesh (usually soul) eleven times. A different word is found in Psalms 40:8 when referring specifically to the physical organ. In Daniel 6:14 we find bal translated heart in the KJV. This Hebrew word occurs only one time in all of scripture. It is more akin to mind. “The king set his heart on Daniel”—he set his mind on him to release him. The word strength in the Hebrew refers to might and power, which I view as a function of one’s body.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (AV) reads “23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here, spirit is pneuma, soul is psuche, and body is soma. I have to understand these as three separate components or concepts because the author used three different words and because they are separated by “and.” Kardia is not used here, and no other grouping of inner being vs body, or outer being, is suggested.
I am trichotomist in my understanding of the makeup of humankind. I believe that a person is a spirit, who has a soul, and lives in a body. I hold this view for several reasons. The fact that different words for soul and spirit are used in the original languages from which our English Bible is translated is strong evidence to me that these are distinct—though deeply related—concepts. I must trust the translators when they select the English word soul for nephesh and psuche and spirit for ruach and pneuma.
Like many, I find the use of the concepts to be unclear. Even so, a three-part being seems the best explanation for passages such as Ezekiel 18:31 and 36:26 where we find reference to heart, spirit, and flesh. Passages that speak of our old self being crucified with Christ, such as Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20 also seem to make more sense using this model.
At salvation something profound is changed. We see this in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (AV) “17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” We read just a few verses later in 2 Corinthians 5:21 (AV) “21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Becoming a new creature and becoming the righteousness of God in Christ are enormous changes. There must be a coinciding effect, yet our bodies do not change, and our basic personalities remain the same. We do not forget our past. Our skills and talents are not replaced. This indicates to me that my spirit was transformed—indeed completely re-created, while my soul and body remain as they were. It is in my spirit then where I have been recreated and made righteous.
To me, understanding my composition as being three parts also helps me understand God’s statement that humankind was originally created in His image. He is triune, and to me it makes sense that I am comprised of three components. I am a spirit, I have a soul, and I live in a body. My body is not my soul or spirit, my soul is not my body or spirit, and my spirit is not my soul or body. This echoes the Trinity.
All this said, if one can understand these spiritual truths about the change Father has made in us and the freedom from the law of sin and death it brings while holding a dichotomist view of the makeup of humankind, then I have no problem with that point of view.
For my part, I believe this understanding of my makeup has practical ramifications for living the Christian life. Jesus promised abundant life, an easy yoke, and a light burden. He promised that I would bear the fruit of the Spirit, that He would live in me and that we would be one as He and the Father are one. I find no satisfactory way to explain these things or to live a victorious Christian life without understanding myself as having three parts. I do not find anything in scripture that specifically proves one position over the other, but I believe that the trichotomist view best fits with the message of scripture overall.
