What is a Human? Part 5 The Body
In the Modern framework, the body is the physical part of the human. Compared to the immaterial parts, scientists can better define the basic functions and the form of what constituents the body. This is because the scientific method is best suited for studying physical things.
Over the centuries, medical researchers have reached an advanced understanding of human health compared to the ancient world and have created many life-saving treatments.
However, the Bible has a different understanding of the body. This post will unpack the difference between this Modern view and the early Christian view.
Body and Flesh
The word for body in Greek is soma (σῶμα). While the word for flesh is sarx (σάρξ). These tend to have different meanings in the New Testament and if we don’t understand this, we are in danger of misunderstanding the text.
Romans 8 v 13
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
In this verse, we are told that if we live in line with the desires and passions of the flesh, we will die. But if we live by the Spirit, we will stop our body commuting the sinful actions. Here, we can notice the key difference between the flesh and the body. The body has activity.
An example is how the ear is part of the flesh, but the hearing is the body. The lungs are part of the flesh, but the body is the act of breathing.
In other words, we could say the flesh is the physical lump of meat, but the body is the activity associated with it.
Who Governs the Body?
All the parts of the whole person are in relationship with each other, and have varying degrees of influence. When it comes to the body, there seems to be a specific conflict between the carnal passions of the flesh and the desire to do what is righteous.
Many carnal temptations start with the desires of the flesh trying to get the body to fulfil its wants in the moment, rather than what is good for the whole person.
It is as though the body has two masters, the carnal passions and the spirit.
The Lamp of the Body
In the verse below, we read Jesus says that the eye is the lamp of the body.
Matthew 6:22-23
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
On one level, this may mean that if we are careful and only look at virtuous things, then our bodies will be ‘full of light’. It could be assumed that being filled with light is the opposite to being filled with darkness and sin.
Another way of reading this, is to look at the preceding verse.
Matthew 6 v 21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
If these two verses are read together, this implies there is a link between the heart and the eye. In the last post, we read about how the nous (mind) is the ‘eye of the heart’. So I wonder, if what Christ means, is that if we focus our nous on things which are good, righteous and true, then our bodies will not fulfil the lustful desires of the flesh.
But if our nous is darkened, then our bodies will be filled with darkness. And our flesh will have full reign. We will then find it difficult to resist the carnal passions.
Resurrection Bodies
Below St Paul poses a question. Some commentators believe the Corinthians thought the body would be resuscitated at the Resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15 v 35
But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”
St Paul then lays out how that the Resurrection will involve receiving a spiritual body, not a revived physical one. He also mentions the existence of heavenly and earthly bodies.
1 Corinthians 15 v 40-41
There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour.
It could be taken that the heavenly bodies only relate to the Sun, Moon and stars, but the context of this verse is within the question about the Resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15 v 42
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
St Paul finishes off saying there are two types of body, the natural physical body and a heavenly spiritual body.
So the argument follows, a spiritual being has a body, but not flesh. And equally, a physical creature has a body too.
A definition of a body is therefore the ‘focal point of the activity of a creature’, whether physical or spiritual. The body of an angel or a demon is not flesh and blood, but the point where it focuses its activity or energies.
A terrestrial creature’s body is where it expresses its activity in a particular time and space. We can’t cause our physical body to have a physical influence beyond our flesh.
In terms of the Resurrection, I have no idea how to explain what a human spiritual body looks like. We could look to Christ’s resurrected body as a clue. But truly, I don’t know.
Luke 24:39
Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
The Body of Christ
The Church is the Body of Christ. We are not the flesh (sarx) of Christ on Earth, because that would mean we would physically be Jesus. So as the Body (soma), we are an instrument of Christ’s activity on Earth.
We are not His flesh, but carry out His desires through His Spirit, the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for reading this far.
Like with the soul and spirit, these words are sometimes see flesh and body used interchangeably. But in general there is a split between the two. This distinction has helped me to better understand Scripture and how I view myself.
The next post will unpack what the flesh is.
Below is a pay wall. I put this in place because I sometimes want to talk about more sensitive issues.
This time, I want to discuss the implications of treating humans as mere animals, especially around the termination of life.
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