Questions | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 21, 1882

Questions.

1. Do THE words, mind, soul, spirit, heart, and bowels, all refer to the same part of man in the following passages? Dan. 5:20; Job. 30:25, 27; Gen. 41:8.

As some of the words are used tropically, it is impossible to give a brief and very direct answer to this question. In Gen. 41:8—his spirit was troubled—the word used is that usually rendered spirit; the translation is literal. The word is variously used, and in this text means his mind was troubled, or, as might be said, he was troubled. In Job. 30:25 also the translation is literal; the word used is that usually rendered soul. The meaning is evident—I was grieved. Verse 27, the translation is literal, but the word (bowels) is used with much latitude. Its use here is explained by Gesenius, in his definitions, thus: "d. Tropically, like the breast, heart, etc., for the inmost part, as the seat of grief, pity, affection. Job. 30:27," etc. Dan. 5:20—his heart was lifted up—a literal translation. Its use needs no explanation. His mind was hardened—the original is the same word which is used in Gen. 41:8, generally rendered spirit. As before said, it is used with considerable latitude. No definition could be given of such terms which would literally and strictly apply in all passages.

2. What is the soul of man, and is it material or immaterial?

Where the word is used with the possessive preposition as in the question—"of man"—it is always used in a secondary sense, and it is difficult to answer the question directly in such cases. Thus in the text: "Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil." Rom. 2:9. And also, "As the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sinneth it shall die," Eze. 18:4. It is used periphrastically. It means simply this: As the father, so also the son is mine; the one, or person, who sins shall die. Tribulation and anguish upon every man. The original word in the Hebrew, neh-phesh, is used over seven hundred and fifty times, and its general use is to express personality or being. It is translated "person" a number of times, and might have been correctly so rendered in a multitude of other cases. It is translated "creature," and also by the various pronouns, etc. According to its primary use, it is material; when used tropically we could hardly say so. But that does not effect its first or primary meaning.

3. What is the meaning of the terms "natural man," in 1 Cor. 2:14, and "natural," in 1 Cor. 15:46?

The word is the same in both texts. Greenfield gives the following definitions: "Animal, i. e. having animal life, existing by breathing. 1 Cor. 15:44, 46. Animal, natural, i. e. accommodated to animal existence, swayed by the affections and passions of human nature, sensual. 1 Cor. 2:14; Jas. 3:15; Jude 19." This gives a complete answer to the question.