I saw the following comment on 1 Corinthians 15:45, "The first man, Adam, was made a living soul (psuche): the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit pneuma." (small 's').
Here, pneuma is used of the resurrection body of Christ, which had "flesh and bones," but not "flesh and blood"; for "flesh and blood" cannot enter into the ki gdom of heaven (see Luke 24:39, and compare 1 Corinthians 15:50).
We have no means of knowing what the first man was, as created of God. We have no means of knowing how great was the "fall," or what the change was which then took place in what had been created. There is no mention of "blood" till after the fall. That it became very different from the Resurrection body we are told. That it was very different from the first created body is clearly implied.
The resurrection body is a spirit-body; yet it will not be like either that of angels or demons, which are merely pneumata or spiritual beings.
Nor is it like that of human beings.
To understand what the human body will be when it is raised from the dead, and "changed," and made like unto Christ's risen and glorified body (Philippians 3:21), we must remember all that we are told about that body.
As the "Son of Man," "born of a woman," Christ was a "living soul," and had a human body of "flesh and blood." This was in incarnation. But i. Ressurrection He " became life-giving pneuma."
The present psychical, "natural," or human body of "flesh and blood" has "blood" for the life thereof." (see Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:11 and 14; and Deuteronomy 12:23) But the risen body has no "blood"; it is "flesh and bones." Instead of "blood," it has pneuma for its life. This pneuma gives life immortal and eternal to the risen body. Therefore it is called "life-giving pneuma" (not life-giving "blood").
What the "blood" is to the human body, pneuma will be to the resurrection body. "Blood" is the life of the human body, and therefore there can be no immortality for the body "except it die": except it gives up its blood. Hence the necessity of the Saviour's "shedding of blood." This was necessary to the laying down of the life of the "first Adam," so that, in resurrection, He might become - not again "a living soul" - but, instead, "the second man," "a life-giving pneuma," as "the last Adam."
Man, as man, has nothing to give or to get, in "exchange for his life," or "living soul." But for those "in Christ" there will be a blessed and glorious "exchange." This exchange will be "the gift of God"; for "God giveth it a body, as it hath pleased Him" (1 Corinthians 15:38).
As "living soul," man lisses pneuma in a material organism; and food is absolutely necessary to preserve and keep up the vital connection and relation. But, in the resurrection body, while it is able to partake of food (Psalm 78:25, Matthew 26:29; Acts 10:41), the pneuma itself will preserve, for ever, this vital connection. Hence it is then called "life-giving pneuma." Thus, life-giving pneuma will be to the future resurrection body what blood is now to the present human body.
We know how food is disposed of in the human body, or "living soul." But we know nothing of what becomes of it in the spiritual body which has a life-giving pneuma. We know full well that that body will not be more limited i. its powers than the human body. We cannot imagine what those wondrous powers will be. We kniw only what is revealed; and this, only "in part." It is useless, therefore, for us to speculate.
We know that the body, in Genesis 2:7, had an existence (but not life) apart from pneuma; but only as formed clay, or "dust." The pneuma also had a separate existence with God before it was breathed into the body. The body is of dust, and to dust it will return. The pneuma is Divine, and therefore immortal. At death, man becomes "a dead soul": because the pneuma, its life, "returns to God Who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
Body and Spirit united, is called man, or "a living soul": but separated in death man becomes "a dead soul."
This very expression is used in Numbers 9:6, 7, 10, in which passages tge Hebrew expression "dead soul" is translated, "dead body", without a word i. the margin to show the English reader that such a serious change has been made. It is actually rendered, "body," in Leviticus 21:11; Numbers 6:6; 19:11, 13. The word "soul" is also rendered "dead" in Leviticus 19:28; 21:1; 22:4: Numbers 5:2; 6:11; Haggai 2:13, where again, is no intimation that this is the case.
All these passages prove the fact that, at death, which is the separation of spirit and body, man, who had been "a living soul," becomes a "dead soul." And that it is only in resurrection that the spirit and body are re-united and raised again in the likeness of Christ (Philippians 3:21). Man becomes, not again a "living soul," but "a spiritual body"; and has "a life-giving pneuma." Hence the vital importance of the doctrine of resurrection; which is the distinguishing article of the Christian Faith; marking it off as being absolutely distinct from man's "religions," which have no place for resurrection.
Spirit-beings, like angels or demons, who have never had a material body, are never spoken of as "souls," or called "living soul."
All we know about the resurrection body, at present, is revealed in 1 Corinthians 15:42-53.
Praise God!
(Ref: 'The Giver and His Gifts' by Dr E.W. Bullinger)
In Christ Jesus
our risen and glorified
Saviour, Lord and Head.
Chris
PS. Please forgive any spelling mistakes or typo's, but this has been typed with one finger on my Kindle.
Here, pneuma is used of the resurrection body of Christ, which had "flesh and bones," but not "flesh and blood"; for "flesh and blood" cannot enter into the ki gdom of heaven (see Luke 24:39, and compare 1 Corinthians 15:50).
We have no means of knowing what the first man was, as created of God. We have no means of knowing how great was the "fall," or what the change was which then took place in what had been created. There is no mention of "blood" till after the fall. That it became very different from the Resurrection body we are told. That it was very different from the first created body is clearly implied.
The resurrection body is a spirit-body; yet it will not be like either that of angels or demons, which are merely pneumata or spiritual beings.
Nor is it like that of human beings.
To understand what the human body will be when it is raised from the dead, and "changed," and made like unto Christ's risen and glorified body (Philippians 3:21), we must remember all that we are told about that body.
As the "Son of Man," "born of a woman," Christ was a "living soul," and had a human body of "flesh and blood." This was in incarnation. But i. Ressurrection He " became life-giving pneuma."
The present psychical, "natural," or human body of "flesh and blood" has "blood" for the life thereof." (see Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:11 and 14; and Deuteronomy 12:23) But the risen body has no "blood"; it is "flesh and bones." Instead of "blood," it has pneuma for its life. This pneuma gives life immortal and eternal to the risen body. Therefore it is called "life-giving pneuma" (not life-giving "blood").
What the "blood" is to the human body, pneuma will be to the resurrection body. "Blood" is the life of the human body, and therefore there can be no immortality for the body "except it die": except it gives up its blood. Hence the necessity of the Saviour's "shedding of blood." This was necessary to the laying down of the life of the "first Adam," so that, in resurrection, He might become - not again "a living soul" - but, instead, "the second man," "a life-giving pneuma," as "the last Adam."
Man, as man, has nothing to give or to get, in "exchange for his life," or "living soul." But for those "in Christ" there will be a blessed and glorious "exchange." This exchange will be "the gift of God"; for "God giveth it a body, as it hath pleased Him" (1 Corinthians 15:38).
As "living soul," man lisses pneuma in a material organism; and food is absolutely necessary to preserve and keep up the vital connection and relation. But, in the resurrection body, while it is able to partake of food (Psalm 78:25, Matthew 26:29; Acts 10:41), the pneuma itself will preserve, for ever, this vital connection. Hence it is then called "life-giving pneuma." Thus, life-giving pneuma will be to the future resurrection body what blood is now to the present human body.
We know how food is disposed of in the human body, or "living soul." But we know nothing of what becomes of it in the spiritual body which has a life-giving pneuma. We know full well that that body will not be more limited i. its powers than the human body. We cannot imagine what those wondrous powers will be. We kniw only what is revealed; and this, only "in part." It is useless, therefore, for us to speculate.
We know that the body, in Genesis 2:7, had an existence (but not life) apart from pneuma; but only as formed clay, or "dust." The pneuma also had a separate existence with God before it was breathed into the body. The body is of dust, and to dust it will return. The pneuma is Divine, and therefore immortal. At death, man becomes "a dead soul": because the pneuma, its life, "returns to God Who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
Body and Spirit united, is called man, or "a living soul": but separated in death man becomes "a dead soul."
This very expression is used in Numbers 9:6, 7, 10, in which passages tge Hebrew expression "dead soul" is translated, "dead body", without a word i. the margin to show the English reader that such a serious change has been made. It is actually rendered, "body," in Leviticus 21:11; Numbers 6:6; 19:11, 13. The word "soul" is also rendered "dead" in Leviticus 19:28; 21:1; 22:4: Numbers 5:2; 6:11; Haggai 2:13, where again, is no intimation that this is the case.
All these passages prove the fact that, at death, which is the separation of spirit and body, man, who had been "a living soul," becomes a "dead soul." And that it is only in resurrection that the spirit and body are re-united and raised again in the likeness of Christ (Philippians 3:21). Man becomes, not again a "living soul," but "a spiritual body"; and has "a life-giving pneuma." Hence the vital importance of the doctrine of resurrection; which is the distinguishing article of the Christian Faith; marking it off as being absolutely distinct from man's "religions," which have no place for resurrection.
Spirit-beings, like angels or demons, who have never had a material body, are never spoken of as "souls," or called "living soul."
All we know about the resurrection body, at present, is revealed in 1 Corinthians 15:42-53.
Praise God!
(Ref: 'The Giver and His Gifts' by Dr E.W. Bullinger)
In Christ Jesus
our risen and glorified
Saviour, Lord and Head.
Chris
PS. Please forgive any spelling mistakes or typo's, but this has been typed with one finger on my Kindle.
