The Make Up of Man (slight return)

[JohnD]

I'll try this once again.

 

[JohnD]

Genesis 2:7 (AV)
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.

If that were all that was written in scripture about the subject. Then every time the word soul (nephesh / psuche). For example:

Revelation 18:13 (AV)
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

But the Greek text actually reads "bodies and souls":

Interesting how the often disparaged NIV is one of the few that gets the verse right:

Revelation 18:13 (NIV84)
13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men.

Not to worry, there are examples in the AV one being:

Isaiah 10:18 (AV)
18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth.

So what is it then?

Body-soul (one and the same)?

Or body and soul (two components)?

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV84)
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

εἰσελθεῖν εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν κατάπαυσιν, ἵνα μὴ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τις ὑποδείγματι πέσῃ τῆς ἀπειθείας. 12 Ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας· 13 καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν κτίσις ἀφανὴς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, πάντα δὲ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ, πρὸς ὃν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος.
 

Another one the NIV got right. There is no and between spirit and joints.  Therefore the spirit and the soul are not one and the same. And the soul and the body are not one and the same. Factoring in the Genesis 2:7 text establishes a link with the body and the breath of life (the spirit) that gives the body life / autonomy. 

The argument "we are the soul" is as applicable as "we are the body" and "we are the spirit."

The Bible reveals the make up of man is threefold body / soul / spirit.

 

[JohnD]

Some might argue that man was only body / soul (the spiritual death argument). But we read 

in the Old Testament (Genesis 45:26-27):

The spirit of Jacob was revived (pneuma in the LXX and ruah in Torah)

Edited November 26, 2020 by JohnD

[JohnD]

Matthew 10:28 (NIV84)
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

The Bible makes the distinction between body and soul.

Interesting that the passage in the omission of the spirit being destroyed in hell. Along with passage Luke 9:43-48 proves hell / the lake of fire are 

places of eternal punishment for the spirits of condemned humanity as well as the devil and his angels.

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by JohnD

[JohnD]

1 hour ago, rhomphaeam said:

... snipped...

 

I appreciate your earlier insight (wherever I read it) on the difference between theology and truth. I'm paraphrasing what you said.

So the qualifier "biblical" theology is missing. For the word "theology" can apply to ANY system or belief or thought with regard to

anyone's idea or opinion regarding the study of god (theology)...

My endeavor is towards biblical theology true theology about the true God.

[JohnD]

1 hour ago, rhomphaeam said:

And so what is the benefit of bringing into sight that man was created according to Genesis 2:7 and therein is expressed the three components you have spoken about in your posts?

Only to respond to the implication held by some that in our makeup the soul is the combination of the body and spirit (breath of life). "We ARE the soul."  We are three components making one being

not two making one being (a kind of dualism). 

I won't go so far as to say we are like the triune make up of God because God is not like an egg with three distinct parts forming one (as are we, btw). God is spirit (John 4:24) and God is equal in nature and ability (Philippians 2:6, John 5:18 etc.). God is the unity of three eternal omniscient omnipotent omnipresent Spirit individuals who are the one God. Man is body, soul, spirit (like the egg).

[JohnD]

We are made in the image and likeness of Jesus who is the image of the invisible God.

Colossians 1:15 (NIV84)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

That  is how we are made in the image of God. For we are unlike God in every other way.

[JohnD]

1 hour ago, rhomphaeam said:

Maybe we would also want to speak of what God meant when he told Adam that in the day he ate of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil, he would die. If Adam didn't die in some way then God lied to Him.

2 Peter 3:8 (NIV84)
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

There are those who reject this as an explanation out of hand. But it does cover the entire life span of of Adam (and apparently Eve). 

[JohnD]

1 hour ago, rhomphaeam said:

Adam told God that it was because he was naked. Yet he wasn't naked. He had already covered himself with an apron of leaves because of shame...

Isaiah 47:1–3 (NIV84)
1 “Go down, sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, Daughter of the Babylonians. No more will you be called tender or delicate.
2 Take millstones and grind flour; take off your veil. Lift up your skirts, bare your legs, and wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness will be exposed and your shame uncovered. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.”

An apron / loin cloth of leaves obviously did not do the job of actually covering them.

 

[JohnD]

1 hour ago, rhomphaeam said:

That effect of dying in the day he sinned and that response of his mind (soul) and his need to hide (fear) demonstrate what element of his being was still functioning properly albeit now independently of his spiritual life from God.

The effect of dying is not awareness anymore than children learning there is no Santa, Easter Bunny, or stork that delivers babies.