Matthew 10:28

[Jennifer Johnson]

Matthew 10:28 Starts out:

Jesus says, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul….” (Soul in this passage being psuchen. As I understand it, that is equivalent to the Hebrew nephesh……well, psyche is)

If a man’s soul and body are linked in death, how could someone kill a man’s body and not his soul?

 

I know the next part of this passage is debated: what does it mean that both body and soul are DESTROYED in hell? But the first part seems to indicate that, prior to that destruction by God, there is a soul that can be living without a body.

 

I suppose one could argue that the body can be destroyed and that “soul” sleeps until God calls it to resurrection or judgment. Thus, it is not destroyed until it is destroyed by God. But if a “living soul” is represented by an alive body, then this seems like an odd statement from Jesus. Would it not make more sense for Jesus to have said, “And do not fear them who are able to cause your soul to sleep with your fathers. Rather fear Him who can destroy your soul in hell”?

[Author]

Posts