The Soul

It may be profitable for us to consider the uses of the word soul," especially in the New Testament Scriptures.

The Greek word Psuche, " soul " or breath," applies to that part of man which cannot be destroyed or annihilated, and not to his perishable body which can be reduced to dust of which it is made. Soul in this sense is man's true self. Psuche is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Nephesh, which means " that which breathes" or "a breathing creature."

Similarly the Greek word Pneuma, "spirit, wind, air, breath," corresponds to the Hebrew word Ruach, "spirit, wind, breath."

It will be seen that there is some relationship contained in the words Psuche, soul, and Pneuma, spirit. The soul like the spirit is not material in its nature, and it would be impossible for us to know that there is any distinction between soul and spirit were it not for the revelation given to us in the Scriptures.

Paul writes of the sharpness of the word of God to distinguish between things that differ, in Hebrews 4.12, when he says, For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit." His words also in 1 Thessalonians 5.23 make the matter quite clear, when he writes of your spirit and soul and body." Also Mary's words in her song add their testimony, when she says,

"My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1.46, 47).

There are various uses of the word soul " in the Scriptures and we shall deal with the matter mainly from the New Testament Scriptures. We shall cite some of the uses of the word soul " for the help of our readers.

Soul first of all applies to the entire human being.

"Adam become a living soul," which means that he became a living person (Genesis 2.7; 1 Corinthians 15.45).

"Let every soul (person) be in subjection to the higher powers

(Romans 13.1).

"There were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls" (persons) (Acts. 2.41).

"Eight souls (persons) were saved through water" (1 Peter 3.20).

"threescore and fifteen souls" (persons) (Acts 27.37).

"My soul (the Lord Himself) is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." This simply means, "I am exceedingly sorrowful" (Matthew 26.38).

God speaks of Himself as His soul.

"Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen;

My Beloved in whom My soul is welt pleased" (Matthew 12.18).

"But My righteous one shall live by faith:

And if he shrink back, My soul hath no pleasure in him" (Hebrews

10.38).

(A)Soul is used in the sense that it forms part of man's tripartite being, of spirit and soul and body, as seen in the passages already referred to (Luke 1.46, 47 ; Hebrews 4. 12 ; 1 Thessalonians 5.23).

"A sword shall pierce through thine own soul" (Luke 2.35).

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind" (Luke 10.27).

"Be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell"

(Gehenna, the place of eternal fire). (Matthew 10. 28).

"Ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11.29).

"Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth " (3 John 2).

"Fleshly lusts, which war against the soul " (1 Peter 2. 11).

(B)At death the unity of spirit and soul and body is dissolved. The human spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12.7). The soul or person goes either to Heaven (2 Corinthians 5.8) or to Hell (Luke 16.22, 23). As to the body, the dust returns to the earth as it was " (Ecclesiastes 12.7; Genesis 3.19).

The Lord at death went to Hell (Sheol or Hades), not to the place of punishment therein, but to that part of Hell which He called Paradise, to which also the repentant robber went the same day. The words of Luke 23.42, 43 are, "And he said, Jesus, remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom. And He said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." Let none of my readers be trapped by those who believe in the theory of the soul sleeping between death and resurrection, or by others who believe that the soul or person does not exist at all after death ; such even teach that the Lord did not exist at all between death and resurrection, and that the Man Jesus will never rise from the dead I say let none believe such lying words. Some have twisted the words of the Lord, and read what he said thus, "Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise," as though "today" referred to what He said that day to the robber. No Greek version gives the meaning thus, and every English version of any worth follows the Greek by translating the words, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise."

The Lord went to Paradise, Hades or Hell, when He died, as Peter, quoting the words of Psalm 16.8-11, said on the day of Pentecost:

"Because Thou wilt not leave My soul in Hades,

Neither wilt Thou give Thy Holy One to see corruption."

Note the R.V. rendering of Acts 2.81, which is the correct translation of the verse

"He (David) foreseeing this spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was He left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption."

My soul " of verse 27 is " He " of verse 31. The personality of the Lord is shown to be in His soul. He on the cross committed His spirit to God (Luke 23.46), He Himself (His soul) went to that place in Hades which He called Paradise (Luke 23.43; Acts 2.27, 81), and Joseph buried the Lord's body in his own new tomb (Luke 23.50-53).

In Luke 16.19-31 we have corroboration of these facts pertaining to the soul which leaves the body at death, in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. First we are told of the death of Lazarus, who was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. This means at the dissolution of the spirit and soul and body of Lazarus, he, that is, his soul, was carried to Abraham's bosom, the place of bliss, as the Jews called it. The Lord did not reveal what happened to the beggar's much afflicted body. Then we read that "the rich man died; and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes being in torments." We must avoid those deceivers who say that Hades or Hell is the grave. The words of the preface to the R.V. on the Hebrew word Sheol are helpful. I quote part of what is said:

Similarly, the Hebrew Sheol, which signifies the abode of departed spirits, and corresponds to the Greek Hades, or the underworld, is variously rendered in the Authorised Version by 'grave', 'pit', and ' hell'.... The Revisers therefore in the historical narratives have left the rendering 'the grave ' or 'the pit ' in the text, with a marginal note ' Heb. Sheol' to indicate that it does not signify ' the place of burial '."

Some would twist the passage in Luke to read, "The rich man also died, and was buried in Hades or Hell," an utter perversion of Scripture. This is absolutely not what the Greek says. "He was buried" refers to his body. Then the next sentence says, "And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments." There is no lifting up of the eyes of the dead in the grave, neither are there any torments or flame there. The soul of the rich man was in torments, not his

body.

unknown | Feb 1958
The Soul