What is the meaning behind "spirit" & "soul" both emerging from "breath"?

Question

SPIRIT: from Latin "spiritus" Greek "pneuma," and Hebrew "ruach," all meaning breath.

SOUL: from Latin "anima" (breath), Greek "psyche" (self), and Hebrew "nephesh" (vital breath).

What meaning do ascribe to these terms, especially since they tend to describe living beings as those who are breathing?

Answer 1

haven't you heard the saying, 'the breath of life"?

it's about the soul being fluid like air, and able to enter anyone, that it can be everywhere, and why it can be unseen.

Answer 2

It means the soul's existence depends on spirit or breath. If you're not breathing it, you're a dead soul. When your brain is deprived of oxygen, the mind (the soul's core) slowly turns off and you might hallucinate and when revived you'll think you went somewhere. To really go somewhere, Christ must come and resurrect us. Angels can also can often take the form humans or can show visions of real humans and demons can tamper with them to make the characters seem to interact with the physical world. Thus the origin of ghosts and doppelgangers.

The soul was translated from the words nephesh and psuche which both refer to self, the person, the mind, the body, etc. The spirit is translated from words like neshama (breath), ruach (spirit), and pneuma (breath). The soul (the person) needs the spirit of life (or breath) to live.

Answer 3

From a mystical viewpoint--the breath is the essense of the soul--which comes into the body with the breath and leaves when the body stops breathing. Breath practices used by various mystical schools helps the student become more aware of the Real.

Answer 4

I am glad you asked that question. 1st Thessalonians 5:23 gives the key to the image of man in the likeness of God : "Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again."

Genesis 2:7 says, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." In the beginning, God created the figure of a man with the dust of the earth and then breathed into his nostrils "the breath of life." When the breath of life came in contact with man's body, the soul was produced. The soul is the consummation of man's body and his spirit. This is why the Bible calls man "a living soul." This "breath of life" is man's spirit, the source of man's life. The Lord Jesus tells us that "it is the Spirit who gives life" (John 6:63). This breath of life comes from the Creator. Yet we should not confuse this spirit, which is the "breath of life," with the Holy Spirit of God. There is a difference between the Holy Spirit and the human spirit. Romans 8:16 shows us that the spirit of man is different from the Holy Spirit; the two are not the same. "The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God." The word "life" in the expression "the breath of life" is chay; it is plural in number. This tells us that God's breathing produces two lives, a spiritual one and a soulish one. This means that when God's breath of life entered the human body, it became the spirit. At the same time, when this spirit came in contact with the body, it produced the soul. This is the source of the two lives, the spiritual life and the soulish life, within us. But we should make a distinction here: this spirit is not the life of God Himself; it is merely "the breath of the Almighty [which] hath given me life" (Job 33:4). It is not the entrance of the uncreated life of God into man.

Further, the difference between the three:

The body is the "world-consciousness," the soul is the "self-consciousness," and the spirit is the "God-consciousness." There are five organs in the body which afford man the five senses. This physical body enables man to communicate with the physical world. This is why it is called the "world- consciousness." The soul comprises that part in man known as the intellect, which makes man's existence possible. The part of love generates affections toward other human beings or objects. Affections originate from the senses. All these are parts of man himself; they form the personality of man. Hence, they are called the "self-consciousness." The spirit is the part with which man communicates with God. With this part man worships God, serves Him, and understands his relationship with God. Hence, it is called "God-consciousness." Just as God dwells in the spirit, the self dwells in the soul, and the senses dwell in the body.

The soul is the meeting point; here the spirit and the body join. Man communicates with God's Spirit and the spiritual realm through the spirit and receives and expresses power and life in the spiritual realm through this spirit. He communicates with the outside world of senses through the body; the world and the body interact with one another. The soul lies in between these two worlds and belongs to these two worlds. On the one hand, it communicates with the spiritual realm through the spirit, and on the other hand, it communicates with the physical world through the body. The soul has the power of self-determination; it can make decisions concerning the things related to it in the environment and can choose or reject them. It is impossible for the spirit to control the body directly; it requires a medium. This medium is the soul, which was produced when the spirit touched the body. The soul is in between the spirit and the body; it binds the spirit and the body together as one. The spirit can rule over the body through the soul and subject it under God's power. The body can also induce the spirit through the soul to love the world.

Among the three elements of man, the spirit is joined to God and is the highest. The body is in contact with the material world and is the lowest. In between the two is the soul. It takes as its nature the nature of the other two. As such it becomes the linkage of the other two parts. Through the soul the two parts can fellowship with each other and can work together. The function of the soul is to maintain the spirit and the body in their proper order so that they will not lose their proper relationship with one another. In this way, the body, which is the lowest, will submit to the spirit, and the spirit, which is the highest, will be able to control the body through the soul. The soul is indeed the chief element in man. The soul looks to the spirit for the supply which the latter has received from the Holy Spirit and communicates to the body what it has received so that the body may partake of the perfection of the Holy Spirit and become a spiritual body.

Man's spirit is the noblest part of man; it dwells in man's innermost part. The body is the lowest and remains outside. The soul dwells between the spirit and the body and is the medium of the two. The body is the outer shell of the soul, while the soul is the outer shell of the spirit. When the spirit tries to control the body, it has to do so with the help of the intermediary soul. Before man fell, it was the spirit (through the soul) that controlled the whole being. When the spirit wanted to do something, it communicated to the soul, and the soul activated the body to follow the order of the spirit. This is what it means for the soul to be the medium.

from The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee
available online at http://www.ministrybooks.org

Answer 5

The Spirit and soul are essentially the same thing. It's our mind, will and emotions. This has been given to us by our creator when He breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of father of the human race, Adam. (Genesis 2:7)

Answer 6

Its obvious isn't it?

Living things breathed and since they knew nothing about biology and anatomy - let alone the neurobiology behind thought and emotion they invoked the idea of souls and spirits to explain it. Later they believed that anima was given by electricity - hence the Frankenstein story.

Its nothing but wilful ignorance and a love of stupidity that encourages people to believe in spirits and souls in this day and age.

Answer 7

Some people will say this inverse; but I will try to explain.

GOD is the life force that is in everything that is alive. It can be seen like electricity. Our Spirit is the part of us that mixes with and is part of this life force. Our soul is the mind and flesh that is animated by the life force.

Answer 8

An Immortal Soul
Do We Have One?


by Dan J. Love, Minister
(Refined 7-20-2003)


Neither the word immortal nor the word soul or any variant of the two words can be found together anywhere in the Bible concerning physical life or otherwise. The BIBLE SIMPLY DOESN'T STATE OR SUGGEST that humans have an immortal soul. YHWH's word does state, however, that the human body is corruptible (capable of decay), and that at the "FIRST RESURRECTION" those that are "Chosen" (The Elect) will put on "Immortality" for the first time. Now the last time I checked, the Resurrection had not occurred.



1 Corinthians 15:51-54

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all SLEEP (Greek "koimesis" is Sleep Or Physical Death), but WE (Yahweh's Chosen) will all be changed (from mortal to immortal),

52 in a moment, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, at the LAST (Seventh) TRUMPET. For the trumpet will sound, and the DEAD (Greek "nekros" is corpse) will be raised incorruptible (Greek "aphthartos" is Immortal), and WE will be changed (from mortal to immortal).

Note: REMEMBER The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) Is The Annual Sabbath Symbolizing This Future Event. Also, remember that this message was only directed to True Believers.

53 For this CORRUPTIBLE (Greek "phthartos" is decayed) must put on INCORRUPTION , and this mortal MUST PUT ON immortality (Greek "aphtharsia is immortality).




Note: If Humans Already Have An Immortal Soul, Then Why Would We Need To Put On Immortality Again?



54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death (Eternal Death) is swallowed up in victory.



These last two verses state, that (at the First Resurrection "To Eternal Life") those who are physically dead, ashes, decaying (ASLEEP IN THE GRAVE), and they who are still living, will both BECOME Immortal. Of course, the First Resurrection will NOT be for everyone, only those who are "CHOSEN" by YHWH.



Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for MANY Be Called, but FEW CHOSEN.




Note: There are several words used in the ancient texts that were translated as SOUL, but only the Hebrew word "NEPHESH" from the root word "NEPHASH" is the simple definition. The other words add a condition of MENTAL state to the definition, such as "Troubled Soul" or the FEELING of being physically "untethered".



Nephesh is simply the word used to describe the condition of being physically alive (a breathing creature or a creature with natural pneuma), and it is used to describe both humans, and animals. A dead person or animal is not a soul, but living, thinking, breathing humans and animals are a soul (Not have a soul). The concept of a soul being an immortal spirit is an erroneous concept. At best a human soul is a physically living creature that has the "Breath of Life" (natural pneuma). NAPHASH the root word for NEPHESH simply means "to breathe". If you haven't already done so, it would greatly benefit you to study the message on The Holy Spirit. At death the natural pneuma (physical breath of life and mental awareness) leaves the body, but the natural pneuma is neither immortal nor can it bring about immortality. Only the Holy Pneuma of Yahweh can bring about immortality, and the Holy pneuma (Holy Spirit) resides forever in the "Mind of Yahweh" and as YHWH's Spiritually transplanted "Nature" in the physical "Minds of Yahweh's Chosen". When one of Yahweh's Chosen dies physically, Yahweh retains his or her Holy Spirit or Holy Pneuma within His own Holy Spirit or Holy Pneuma until the time of The Resurrection. Then (at that time) Yahweh REMEMBERS His Chosen, and they are REGENERATED (Resurrected)!

Therefore, when a baby is born it becomes a living, and breathing soul; and when the baby or adult dies it becomes a dead body (corpse) without the breath of life. It is entirely wrong to think of a dead person as having a soul. A soul is not something you possess. A Soul is something that you are (a condition of being alive), and as long as we are physical (mortal) we are not immortal souls, but some of us do possess the promise of becoming immortal souls at the First Resurrection (Regeneration) if we died while under "Grace" (favor) in Yahweh's eyes or are living and under "Grace" at the time of the First Resurrection."



"The Breath of Life" (natural pneuma) is what scientists have been trying to discover for centuries. Just what is it? We know that it is from Yahweh, and that it gives us temporary physical life, and It Is Found in the blood (just like Oxygen). It, also, provides the energy necessary to spark the nervous system into operation. Another definition of pneuma is a functioning nervous system complete with attitude and reasoning as in the case of human beings. But only "Yahweh's HOLY SPIRIT" (Holy Pneuma or Ruwach Qodesh) can give us immortal life.

REMEMBER, Yahweh uses the physical as an "anthropomorphic" parallel to the spiritual. So, one can only come to the conclusion that "The Physical Breath of Life" (Greek "pneuma") is the physical parallel of "The Immortal Holy Spirit", but not the same.

We should always Remember . EVERY HUMAN BEING THAT HAS EVER BEEN BORN IS STILL ALIVE IN THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY POSSIBLE. Our Creator Yahweh Keeps Us Alive In HIS MEMORY (Yahweh's Holy Pneuma) and Yahweh never forgets us (those who love Him)!



JOB 14:13 "Oh that you would hide me in Sheol (The Grave), That you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, That you would APPOINT ME A SET TIME, AND REMEMBER ME!



LUKE 23:42 He said to Yahshua Messiah, "Lord, REMEMBER ME when you come into Your Kingdom (ON EARTH)." (in other words, please don't forget me!)



Note: And when Messiah Yahshua replied "This Day" (on this particular day) you will be with me in Paradise. Messiah Yahshua meant "This Day When I Come Into My Kingdom "On Earth" . . . . . . . You will Be With Me . . . . . . . For You Shall Rise Up To Meet With me in The Clouds, And You Will Descend With me To The Earth. Well, Messiah Yahshua has Not Yet come into His Kingdom On Earth, and The Thief has Not Yet entered into Paradise EXCEPT as a memory in the Sacred MIND of YHWH.

Answer 9

Body + spirit (unconscious breath) = soul
soul - spirit (breath) = (dead) body

The "soul" is a combination of body + breath of God. We call human beings "living souls". It doesn't mean that they are ghosts.

Answer 10

I have always understood it as: Spirit--the breath of God that gives you life and goes back to him when you die. Soul--What makes you , you. Your personality.