The Philosophy of Man
The Greeks philosophized on the nature man and has written about his soul (psyche) and body (soma). Not much is written about his spirit (pneuma). Man cannot really know much about himself apart from the Bible. The Bible is our mirror of what we are made of.
To simplify what man is made of, I will tell you the story of two kingdoms.
The Story of Two Kingdoms
Once upon a time, there are two kingdoms: Kingdom of Man and the Kingdom of Woman. Each kingdom has a Soul and a Body. The Holy Spirit appointed the Spirit to rule the Soul of each kingdom. The Soul in turn was to rule the Body of the kingdom.
All was well in the two Kingdoms. There was peace. There was joy. There was abundance.
The Body is in perfect order. The systems were supported by different organs. The organs were supported by every tissues. The tissues were supported by every cells. All the systems all worked in concerted effort for the good of Man.
The Soul is the seat of Intellect, Will, and Emotions. All is well because the Spirit guides the Soul and helps him understand about everything. The Soul lacks nothing. The Spirit got him covered.
The Soul is growing in wisdom and knowledge under the guidance of the Spirit. But Soul in the Kingdom of Woman is wondering why he needed to be under the power of the Spirit. He believed he is as good as the Spirit. He believed he can be better than the Spirit.
And what’s with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? Why is Man not allowed to take of it and eat? What is good? What is evil?
One opportune time, a serpent came to offer a solution to Soul in the Kingdom of Woman. Soul can have complete authority over the Kingdom, the serpent said. Just eat a bite of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. What the Spirit said is rubbish about dying. The Kingdom cannot die? How can it? The serpent said that the fruit the ultimate solution from the Spirit’s rulership and tyranny.Surely the SPirit just wants to lord it over the Soul and Body? Surely, the Spirit does not have their best interest? The Soul need not depend on the Spirit for guidance anymore. They can have it from the just eating the fruit. The Soul can have the knowledge that he wants. The Body opined that the fruit looks good for nourishment. It can benefit the kingdom.
Despite the Spirit’s warning, Soul and Body decided to rebel. They took for themselves the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Soul became infected with rebellion. Soul and Body dethroned the Spirit in the rulership of the Kingdom of Woman. They overthrew the Spirit. In their rebellion, the sting of death killed the Spirit. The poison of death is injected into the Body. The Spirit of the Kingdom of Woman was overthrown and was killed.
The Kingdom of Woman went to the Kingdom of Man and sought his alliance. The same fate befell the Spirit in the Kingdom of Man.
This story is inspired by Derek Prince lecture series which you can find here: https://youtu.be/8yO4X3ScPsI
Here are my notes on the first 4 sermons from this series.
Genesis 1:6, God is one yet more than one; three persons/ triune being; Man is created in the likeness of God
Genesis 2: 7, man is made of clay molded by God, God’s spirit breathed into man.
3 Elements of Man
- God’s breath/spirit from above
- The clay from which the body was molded from below
- Union of Spirit from above and clay from beneath produced a soul
Ruach is the Hebrew word for spirit; suggests steady, continuous, outgoing breath
Nefesh is the Hebrew word soul; suggests two processes 1) taking in breath 2, breathing it out; nature of soul is dependent on the spirit
Adam, the first Adam became a living soul
Jesus, the last Adam who became a life-giving Spirit
Genesis 2:17, spirit died as a result of soul’s rebellion; Adam and Eve alienated from God
Isaiah 59:2 “Your iniquities have separated you from your God.”
Ephesians 2:1-2 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience””
