TWO-EDGED SWORD

TWO-EDGED SWORD

Sunday, October 04, 2015

Hebrews 4:9-14 So then there remains a rest to the people of God. For he who has entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Therefore let us labor to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of unbelief. For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul [G5590] and spirit [G4151], and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

“Here's my collaborative question - this passage days the sword divides the spirit from the soul - I thought the spirit and the soul were the same thing!   Cheri (NV)” 9/15/15

  When people unpleasantly respond to our witnessing as to the authenticity of the Word of God they appear to be resentful toward us. The other evening in just such a sidewalk encounter I experienced the most polite rebuke to date. As though from Downton Abbey, a spot on sophisticated rebuke. The chap, who obviously likes me otherwise, wasn’t reacting adversely to my words. He was countering the discomfort of the Word’s deep surgery; God’s painful dissection.

  Friend Cheri is not such an adverse reactor. She asks want-to-know questions. Her life evidences the desire to live under the hand of the Great Physician.

  So, what is the distinction between soul and spirit?

  As Cheri states, the soul and spirit are one and the same to most of us. Obviously we don’t naturally see as God sees. He is our Maker and knows the difference quite clearly.

  Using Strong’s Greek Dictionary what do we see?

“soul” G5590

Ψυχή; psuchē; psoo-khay'

From G5594; breath, that is, (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew [H5315], [H7307] and [H2416]: - heart (+ -ily), life, mind, soul, + us, + you.

“spirit” G4151

πνεῦμα; pneuma; pnyoo'-mah

From G4154; a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively a spirit, that is, (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy spirit: - ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Compare G5590.

  Now what do we see?

EBB4