Bible Question: is the Soul actually your mind and the Spirit your emotions? I've been reading a study that claims this and it brought up many questions for me. |
Bible Answer: Hi heseeshisson To be answering your question, it comes down to more a question of (Translation). “soulish” is a sound biblical word (2 Timothy 1:13), which when properly used can be easily appreciated. It is an adjective that accurately describes your body, as distinct from a spiritual body. Your body, flesh, soul, and spirit are all distinguished in Scripture with great precision, but not always in translations. We are soulish by nature but we do not possess a solely fleshly nature. Flesh is what makes up the body. The body is the structure of our flesh. The flesh alone has no thinking capacity, but the flesh which makes up the body (“body of flesh,” Colossians 1:22, 2:11, cf. Ephesians 5:30) does have needs such as hunger, thirst, weariness, pain, a need for sleep, etc. The flesh communicates those needs in a very efficient manner. Our soul (a combination of the body and spirit in man, Genesis 2:7, 1 Corinthians 15:45) is what gives us our consciousness and personality. It is our soul which is subject to judgment. Of course, the word “nature” is not used in the Bible as we use it today in common English to denote “human nature.” The word “soulish” best translates the Greek word psuchikos. It is the adjective of the noun “soul” which should always be translated from psuche. How else would anyone translate the adjective psuchikos except “soulish”? However, the word is translated with all-too-common KJV confusion as ”natural” 4x and “sensual” 2x. Describing our nature as a “soulish nature” is very accurate. The following verse translations use the adjective “natural” or “sensual” but the Greek word is psuchikos, meaning “soulish,” derived directly from the root noun psuche or soul. “But the natural (psuchikos, soulish) man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 “It (the body) is sown a natural (psuchikos, soulish) body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural (psuchikos, soulish) body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul (psuche, soul); the last Adam was made a quickening spirit (pneuma, spirit). Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural (psuchikos, soulish); and afterward that which is spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 15:44–46 “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual (psuchikos, soulish), devilish.” James 3:13–15 “These be they (mockers) who separate themselves, sensual (psuchikos, soulish), having not the Spirit.” Jude 1:19 You will note that in these verses the adjective “soulish” qualifies and describes the nouns “man,” “body,” “wisdom,” and “mockers” (in Jude 1:18). There is a precise distinction between the soul and the spirit which is made more explicit by the proper understanding of “soulish.” The Greek adjective “soulish” (psuchikos) is different from the usual King James rendering of “nature” which is derived from the Greek phusis. Most often phusis is associated with the flesh or fleshly nature. from - - - David Sielaff Associates for Scriptural Knowledge I have something else for you -- Vintage68 |