Common concerns re: soul means life

Following are some of the Bible texts which are quoted as supposedly supporting the view of man having an immortal soul, together with brief explanations. Please note that the quotations regarding heaven as a place of reward are dealt with in the “Further Reading” section of Topic 12 of this series

“And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died).” Genesis 35:18

To say that the souls of dying persons depart is to say nothing about whether or not the soul is immortal, or where, if any place, it might depart.
In everyday speech it is appropriate to say “X lost the sight in his right eye” or “X lost his hearing after the accident”. To use these expressions is not to imply that the eyesight was removed to another location or that the hearing departed to another abode. Likewise, “her soul was in departing” does not imply that her soul went to heaven, hell or anywhere else. The expression is synonymous with “her life was ebbing”.
The Hebrew word, “nephesh” rendered “soul” in this passage is translated “life” in one hundred other passages, eg, Exodus 4:19; 21; 23, 21:30.

The Witch of Endor – 1 Samuel 28

Samuel (a righteous man) came “up” out of the earth, not down from heaven (vs 15).
The witch saw an old man, not an intangible soul (vs 14).
Samuel said “Why hast thou disquieted me…?” indicating he was not enjoying the bliss of heaven, but rather the sleep of death (cf Job 3:17; Ecc 9:5,10, John 11 esp vs 11, 24, 25, 44).
the witch “cried with a loud voice” (vs 12) when suddenly confronted by an unexpectedSamuel.

“And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.” 1 Kings 17:21

The child was dead. He died when life was lost, he became living when life was restored. The Hebrew word, “nephesh” translated “soul” in this passage is translated “life” in Genesis 9;4, Lev 17:11, Deut 12:23.
If the soul of the child went immediately to bliss in heaven, would it not have been better for the prophet to have left the soul of the child to enjoy bliss in heaven rather than to recall it to the travail of earthly life?

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Ecclesiastes 12:7

“Rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell: is proof that the soul is destructible and therefore, not immortal.
Since both soul and body can be destroyed in hell (“Gehenna” – the garbage dump outside the walls of Jerusalem), this indicates that the soul is as destructible as the body since both can be destroyed in the same place.
What is meant by “not able to kill the soul”? Simply, “Fear not (for an instant) them which kill the body, but are not able to destroy you utterly and finally.” For the disciple, his life is “hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3) and although men may kill the body, in the resurrection the life will be given back to the body. (See Col 3:4)

“The spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7

The passage makes no distinction between “good” and “bad” spirits.
If the spirit is to return to God, it must have come from God. But who would suggest one has a conscious existence before the earthly life begins? Therefore, there is no reason to expect a conscious existence when this life ends.
The word, “spirit” (Heb. “ruach”) is the same as in Ecc 3:19 (Heb “ruach”, translated “breath”). Would any argue that beasts have, or are, immortal “spirits”?
The writer of Ecclesiastes emphatically teaches the mortality of man. (See Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10; 3:19, 20).

The rich man and Lazarus – Luke 16:19-31

Although not stated specifically, this passage is a parable. Only 11 of the 26 parables recorded in Luke’s gospel are actually named “parables”.
This passage mentions neither heaven nor souls.
Note that the passage speaks about bodies not souls, eg, eyes, bosom (vs 23) tip of finger and tongue (vs 24).
Souls are said to be immaterial – how then could Lazarus (if really a soul) be carried by angels? (v22)
The passage states that there was a great gulf fixed between Abraham and the rich man, yet they could both see and converse with each other (vs 26). Is the great gulf to be taken literally?
Is heaven literally a place where conversations can be carried on between those enjoying bliss and those agonising in hell?
How could Lazarus go literally to Abraham’s bosom? Abraham (as now) was unquestionably dead and without his reward (Hebrews 11:8, 13, 39, 40).
Jesus used a false idea of the Pharisees (immortality of the soul) to convey a lesson as he did in Matthew 12:27 where he makes reference to Beelzebub, “the lord of the fly”, but this does not commit him to a belief in a real “lord of the fly”.

“Lord Jesus receive my spirit.” Acts 7:59

If the real Stephen was the spirit, what is the “he” of verse 60 which “fell asleep”? The personal pronouns are associated with the body not something inside the body. This use of the pronouns is at variance with the idea that the real Stephen was an immortal essence within the body.
“Sleep” is a scriptural expression describing the unconsciousness of death and implying the waking at the Resurrection Day. For this there is unimpeachable evidence in John 1: esp vs 11, 14, 24, 25 cf Dan 12:2, 1 Cor 15:6,18. The fact that Stephen fell asleep indicates he did not immediately go to his reward. (See 1 Thess 4:13-16).
Jesus uttered similar words to those of Stephen, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit”. (Luke 23:45). But Christ went to hell, not heaven. (Acts 2:27, cf John 20:17 “I am not yet ascended to my Father”).

“Spirit and soul and body.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23

The words “spirit” (“pneuma) and “soul” (“psuche”) are used in a variety of ways in Scripture. However, they are never referred to as conscious immortal entities within man.
It is likely that in the passage under consideration by “spirit” is meant “mind”, and by “soul” is meant “life”. The expression, “spirit and soul and body” is synonymous with thewholeperson since the preceeding words, “And the very God of peace sactify you whollyimply a parallelism between the two expressions.
The word “spirit” is used elsewhere by the Apostle Paul as synonymous with the “mind”. For example: “For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit…” (1 Cor 5:3). “That ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind…” (Phil 1:27). “See also 1 Cor 7:34, 2 Cor 7:1. The word “soul” is used elsewhere by the Apostle for “life”. For example: “So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.” (1 Thess 2:8). “Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul…” (2 Cor 1:23).

“The spirits of just men made perfect.” Hebrews 12:23

The same writer to the Hebrews expressly states that the great cloud of witnesses catalogued in the 11th chapter, “having obtained a good report through faith, received NOT the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11;39,40). The perfect tense is used to describe an event yet future. This mode of expression is a common feature of Scripture and is clearly stated in Romans 4:16,17.
When will the spirits of “just men” be made “perfect”? Not until after resurrection and judgement when immortality is granted. (2 Cor 5:10, cf Phil 3:9-12 – “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect”). A person is justified (made righteous) by appropriating the great salvation of the gospel at his baptism. (Romans 6:3, 4 cf vs 17, 18; 4:24). The law of Moses could not make the offerer of sacrifices perfect (Heb 10:1), but Christ “by one offering…hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10;14). The spirit of life of the believer is not made perfect until he has endured unto the end, overcoming the world. (Matt 24:13, Rev 2:26,27), but God can speak of believers coming unto the spirits of “just men made perfect” since known to Him are all His works from the “beginning of the world.” (Acts 15:18). In actuality the spirits will not be made perfect until the granting of immortality at the Lord’s return.

“The spirits in prison.” 1 Peter 3:19

How can the “spirit” go back to God who gave it, (Ecclesiastes 12:7), and yet be imprisoned in hades?
The word “spirits” never signifies disembodied persons in Scripture. Even angels who are called “spirits”, (Hebrews 1:7) are bodily beings. Lot called them “men”, (Gen 19:1,8) and Jacob wrestled with one of them. (Gen 32:24). Similarly, the Apostle John admonishes believers to “try the spirits” (1 John 4:1) but the same verse identifies the spirits with false prophets.
“Spirits in prison” is an expression for a person in bondage to sin and death. Prison has this association in the following passages: “I the LORD have called thee (Christ)…to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” (Isaiah 42:6,7). “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” (Isaiah 61:1).
See also Eph 2:1,2 – Prior to becoming believers, Paul told the Ephesians: “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”
The passage does not state that Jesus personally preached to the spirits in prison, but rather, “by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.” (vs19). It was the “Spirit of Christ” in Noah which preached to the spirits in prison (live persons in bondage to sin and death) many years before Jesus was born in the days of Herod the King. (Matt 2:1).

“I saw under the altar the souls.” Revelation 6:9

It is generally taught that souls which go to heaven enjoy a state of bliss, but this passage speaks of souls crying “with a loud voice.” (vs 10).
Instead of this passage supporting the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, the context shows the passage to be directly opposed to it. The souls are given white robes (vs 11). Can immaterial souls be clothed?
The souls in this text are under the altar. Is this where immortal souls are said to reside?
It is a principle of Scripture that “the life of the flesh [soul, ‘nephesh’] is in the blood.” (Lev 17:11). By personification, a slain person’s blood is said to “cry” or “speak”. (Gen 4:10 cf Heb 12:24). The Revelation contains over 500 references to the Old Testament, and in this text the allusion is to the blood of the burnt offering which was poured at the base of the brasen altar. (Lev 4:7). The passage, therefore, refers to the lives of martyrs given as a testimony to their faith.