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THE SOUL

Term translating the Greek word [Psuche] and the Hebrew word [Nephesh]. The Greek philosopher Plato {fourth century BC} perceived the soul as the eternal element in humans; whereas the body perishes at death, the soul is indestructible. At death the soul enters another body; if it has been wicked in this life, it may be sent into an inferior human being or even an animal or bird. By means of transmigration from one body to another, the soul is eventually purged of evil. In the early centuries of Yeshua Moshiach’s era, Gnosticism also taught that the body was the prison house of the soul. Redemption comes to those initiated into the Gnostic secrets, leading to the release of the soul from the body. Biblical thought about the soul is different. In the Old Testament the soul signifies that which is vital to humans in the broadest sense. The Hebrew and Greek words for soul often can be translated as [life]; occasionally, they can be used for the life of creatures -- Genesis 1:20; Leviticus 11:10. [Soul for soul] means [life for life] -- Exodus 21:23. In legal writings, a soul refers to a person in relation to a particular law [e.g., If a soul shall sin… -- Leviticus 4:2]. When people were counted, they were counted as souls, that is persons -- Exodus 1:5; Deuteronomy 10:22. In a narrower sense, the soul denotes human emotions and inner powers. People are called to Love YHVH with all their heart and soul -- Deuteronomy 13:3. Knowledge and understanding -- Psalm 139:14, thought -- 1 Samuel 20:3, love -- 1 Samuel 18:1, and memory -- Lamentations 3:20, all originate in the soul. Here the soul comes close to what today would be called the self, one’s person, personality or ego. There is no suggestion in the Old Testament of the transmigration of the soul as an immaterial, immortal entity. Man is a unity of body and soul; terms that describe not so much two separate entities in a person as much as one person from different standpoints. Hence, in the description of man’s creation in -- Genesis 2:7, the phrase [a living soul] is better translated as [a living being.] The thought is not that men and women became souls, for clearly, they had bodies. The use of the word in the original draw attention to the vital aspect of humans as [living beings.] The Hebrew view of the unity of the person may help to explain why people in the Old Testament had only a shadowy view of life after death, for it would be difficult to conceive how people could exist without a body -- Psalms 16:10; 49:15; 88:3-12. Where hope of an afterlife exists, it is not because of the intrinsic character of the soul itself [as in Plato]. It is grounded in confidence in our YHVH who has Power over death and the belief that communion with Him cannot be broken even by death -- Exodus 3:6; 1 Samuel 2:6; Job 19:25-26; Psalms 16:10-11; 73:24-25; Isaiah 25:8; 26:19; Daniel 12:2; Hosea 6:1-3; 13:14. In the New Testament the word for soul [Psuche] has a range of meanings similar to that in the Old Testament. Often it is synonymous with life itself. Followers of Yeshua are said to have risked their lives [souls] for His sake -- Acts 15:26; cf. John 13:37; Romans 16:4; Philippians 2:30. As the Son of Man, Yeshua came not to be served but to serve and to give His Life [soul] as a ransom for many -- Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45. As the Good Shepherd, He lays down His Life [soul] for the sheep -- John 10:14, 17-18. In -- Luke 14:26 the condition of discipleship is to hate one’s soul, that is to be willing to deny oneself to the point of losing one’s life for Moshiach’s sake -- cf. Luke 9:23; Revelation 12:11.

Frequently [soul] can mean [person] -- Acts 2:43; 3:23; 7:14; Romans 2:9; 13:1; 1 Peter 3:20. The expression [every living soul] -- Revelation 16:3, reflects the vital aspect of living beings. As in the Old Testament, the soul can denote not only the vital aspect of the person on the physical level, but it can also connote one’s emotional energies. It denotes the person himself, the seat of his or her emotions, one’s inmost being. For example, when Yeshua was agonizing about His death, He spoke of His Soul being crushed -- Matthew 26:38; Mark 14:34; cf. Psalm 42:6. In an entirely different setting, Yeshua promised rest to the souls of those who come to Him -- Matthew 11:29. Here, as elsewhere, [soul] denotes the essential person -- cf. Luke 2:35; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; 3 John 1:2. Several passages place the Soul alongside the Spirit. -- Luke 1:46 is probably a case of Hebrew poetic parallelism, which expresses the same idea in two different ways. Both terms denote Mary as a person in the depths of her being. Similarly, in -- Hebrews 4:12, dividing the Soul and the Spirit is a graphic way of saying how the Word of YHVH probes the inmost recesses of our being. The prayer in -- 1 Thessalonians 5:23; that the readers may be kept blameless in Spirit, Soul and Body; is a way of speaking of the whole being. Here soul probably suggests physical existence, as in -- Genesis 2:7 and -- 1 Corinthians 2:14, whereas spirit may imply the higher or [spiritual] side of life. In other passages, the emotions, the will and even the mind come to the fore, though in each case there is the accompanying idea of a person’s inmost being. People are to Love YHVH with all their Soul -- Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; cf. Deuteronomy 6:5. The expression [from the soul] -- Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 3:23, means [from the heart,] with all one’s being. In -- Philippians 1:27 believers are called to be of one mind -- cf. Acts 4:32; 14:2. Passages that speak of the soul in relation to salvation include -- Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5; Hebrews 6:19; 10:39; 12:3; 13:7; James 1:21; 5:20; 1 Peter 1:9, 22-23; 2:25; 4:19; and Revelation 6:9; 20:4. Such passages speak of the soul either to stress the essential human being, as distinct from the physical body or to express man’s continued existence with YHVH prior to the resurrection.

How Can Our Soul Be Guarded And Preserved?

The Human Soul Is Out Of Reach Of Other People.

[When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. O YHVH, I praise Your Word. I trust in YHVH, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?] -- Psalm 56:3-4. David stated, [What can mere mortals do to me?] How much harm can people do to us? They can inflict pain, suffering and death. But no person can rob us of our soul or our future beyond this life. How much harm can we do to ourselves? The worst thing we can do is to reject YHVH and lose our eternal future. Yeshua said, [Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul] -- Matthew 10:28. Instead, we should fear YHVH, who controls this life and the next.

We Can Place Our Souls Under The Protection Of Yeshua Moshiach.

[My sheep recognize My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from Me, for My Father has given them to Me and He is more powerful than anyone else. So, no one can take them from Me.] -- John 10:27-29. Just as a shepherd protects his sheep, Yeshua protects His people from eternal harm. While believers can expect to suffer on earth, Satan cannot harm their soul or take away their eternal life with YHVH. There are many reasons to be afraid here on earth because this is the devil’s domain -- 1 Peter 5:8. But if you choose to follow Yeshua, He will give you everlasting safety.

Souls Placed Under YHVH’s Protection Are Safe.

[I saw another angel coming from the east, carrying the seal of the Living YHVH. And he shouted out to those four angels who had been given power to injure land and sea: Wait! Do not hurt the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of YHVH on the foreheads of His servants.] -- Revelation 7:2-3. A seal on a scroll or document identified and protected its contents. YHVH places His own Seal on His followers, identifying them as His own and guaranteeing His protection over their souls. This shows how valuable we are to Him. Our physical body may be beaten, maimed or even destroyed, but nothing can harm our soul when we have been sealed by YHVH. -- See Ephesians 1:13 for more on the seal of Ruach HaKodesh.

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