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The following article was written for the 2004 "Speaking as the Oracles of God" Lectureship book Time and Eternity – Part Two When the Morning Breaks Eternal. "THE VALUE OF THE SOUL" "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matt. 16:26)? What is the most valuable thing in this world? According to the Lord it is the soul of man (Matt. 16:26). What makes the soul of man so valuable? It cannot be the value of the elements which make up the physical body of man. Several years ago one chemist estimated the value of the chemical elements of man at worth approximately ninety-eight cents. Some years later another chemist revised that estimate to thirty-one dollars. This estimate was based on the value of sulphur, lime, fat, iron, phosphorus, sugar, potassium, water, etc., which are some of the elements that compose the human body. Man is composed of much more than mere chemical elements, therefore, the question to ask is, what does the Bible say concerning the value of the soul? Jesus said, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matt. 16:26)? Why does the Lord consider the soul of man so valuable? SEARCHING TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THE SOUL Searching to understand the value of the soul requires that one study the Bible (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16,17; 2 Pet. 1:3; Psa. 119:160). What does the Bible say concerning the soul of man, the spirit of man and the physical part of man? The Psalmist asked the question "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him" (Psa. 8:4). This question was repeated by the Hebrews writer (Heb. 2:6).Searching to understand the value of the soul requires that one study the meaning of words. What does the word "soul" mean? What does the word "spirit" mean? What does the word "man" mean? What does the word "profited" mean? The study of the meaning of words requires studying how words are used in context. The word "soul" is found four hundred fifty eight times in the Bible. The word "soul" is found four hundred nineteen times in the Old Testament and thirty-nine times in the New Testament. The word "souls" is found fifty nine times in the Old Testament and nineteen times in the New Testament. There are three different words translated "soul" in the Old Testament. One word which is translated "soul" is found only in Job 30:15. This word means "elevated and happy state, excellency" (Wilson 406). Another word which is translated "souls" is found only in Isaiah 57:16. This word means "breath, spirit; the vital spirit" (Wilson 406). The other word (nephesh) which is translated "soul" or "souls" is found four hundred seventy six times. This word has various meanings depending upon the context in which it is found. This word can mean "a breathing creature (man or animal), breath, respiration, life; soul, spirit, mind; a living being, a creature, a person, self...it is the soul by which the body lives..." (Zodhiates 1615). The word (psuche’) translated "soul" or "souls" in the New Testament is found one hundred five times. This word (psuche’) is translated "soul" or "souls" fifty eight times, "life" forty times, "mind" three times (Acts 14:2; Phil. 1:27; Heb. 12:3), "heart" (Eph. 6:6), and "heartily" (Col. 3:23) (Smith 377). This word means "that immaterial part of man held in common with animals...sometimes psuche’ stands for the immaterial part of man made up of the soul, psuche’ in the restrictive sense of the animus, the life element, and the pneuma, spirit. But animals are not said to possess a spirit; this is only in man, giving him the ability to communicate with God" (Zodhiates 1740). The word "soul" is used in various ways in the Bible. The late Guy N. Woods wrote, "the soul is a generic term, the context determining its significance, in any given instance. It is used (a) to designate the whole person (Acts 2:41; 1 Pet. 3:20); (b) the animal life which man possesses, and which ends in death (Psa. 78:50)."The word "spirit" is found five hundred five times in the Bible. The word "spirit" is found two hundred forty four times in the Old Testament and two hundred sixty one times in the New Testament. The context of this word is very important because one must determine whether or not the word is used in reference to the Spirit of God or the spirit of man. The word (ruwach) which is translated "spirit" most often in the Old Testament has several meanings "it means air for breathing, air that is being breathed (Judges 15:19; Jer. 14:6), breath (Job 41:16; Jer. 2:24)...the creative Word of God (Isa. 11:4)...the element of life in a person (Gen. 7:22; Psa. 104:29)...the human spirit as breathed by God into man (Gen. 2:7)...came to mean the entire immaterial consciousness of man (Psa. 32:2; Prov. 16:32; Isa. 26:9)..." (Zodhiates 1637). The word (pneu’ma) which is translated "spirit" is found three hundred eighty five times in the New Testament. This word is translated "Spirit" one hundred eleven times, "Holy Ghost" eighty nine times, "Spirit (of God)" thirteen times, "(My) Spirit" three times (Matt. 12:18; Acts 2:17-18), "Spirit (of truth)" three times (John 14:17;15:26; 16:13), "Spirit (of Christ)" two times (Rom. 8:9c; 1 Pet. 1:11), "(human) spirit" forty nine times, "(evil) spirit" forty seven times, "spirit (general)" twenty six times, "spirit" eight times, "(Jesus’ own) spirit" six times, "(Jesus’ own) ghost" two times (Matt. 27:50; John 19:30), etc. (Smith 296). This word translated "spirit" means "the wind (John 3:8; Heb. 1:7); the breath (2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 11:11; 13:15); the immaterial invisible part of man (Luke 8:55; 24:37,39; Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 5:3-5; Heb. 12:23; James 2:26; 1 Peter 3:19); the element in man by which he perceives, reflects, feels, desires (Matt. 5:3; 26:41; Mark 2:8); purpose, aim (2 Cor. 12:18; Phil. 1:27; Eph. 4:23; Rev. 19:10)..." (Zodhiates 1722). Larry Powers continued next week |
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