His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, in this lecture, speaks about the meaning of the soul in the Holy Bible, explaining its different dimensions. The soul is the source of bodily life in a human being, as written in Leviticus: “The life of the man is in his blood,” meaning that blood carries the body’s life.
1. The Soul as the Source of Bodily Life: The soul is the element through which the body lives. When blood is shed, the soul departs, meaning that physical life ceases.
2. The Soul Meaning the Whole Human Being: Sometimes the word “soul” is used to refer to the entire person, as when Scripture says “eight souls were saved in the ark,” referring to eight people. Similarly, when the King of Sodom said to Abraham “Give me the souls,” he meant “Give me the people.”
3. The Soul as the Spirit: In other places, the word “soul” refers to the spirit, as when the Lord Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul,” meaning that the soul here represents the spirit, which cannot be destroyed by man.
Spiritual Message: Through this teaching, the Pope shows that the soul is not a single concept but the mystery of human life in all its physical and spiritual dimensions. It is the essence that makes a person truly alive and complete. The Holy Scripture shows that the soul has great value before God, for it represents the entire human life and being, which must be kept holy for Him.
“For better translation support, please contact the center.”
Terms in the Bible – Soul
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, in this lecture, speaks about the meaning of the soul in the Holy Bible, explaining its different dimensions. The soul is the source of bodily life in a human being, as written in Leviticus: “The life of the man is in his blood,” meaning that blood carries the body’s life.
1. The Soul as the Source of Bodily Life:
The soul is the element through which the body lives. When blood is shed, the soul departs, meaning that physical life ceases.
2. The Soul Meaning the Whole Human Being:
Sometimes the word “soul” is used to refer to the entire person, as when Scripture says “eight souls were saved in the ark,” referring to eight people. Similarly, when the King of Sodom said to Abraham “Give me the souls,” he meant “Give me the people.”
3. The Soul as the Spirit:
In other places, the word “soul” refers to the spirit, as when the Lord Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul,” meaning that the soul here represents the spirit, which cannot be destroyed by man.
Spiritual Message:
Through this teaching, the Pope shows that the soul is not a single concept but the mystery of human life in all its physical and spiritual dimensions. It is the essence that makes a person truly alive and complete. The Holy Scripture shows that the soul has great value before God, for it represents the entire human life and being, which must be kept holy for Him.
“For better translation support, please contact the center.”