Father Gavril Galev – Christian anthropology according to St. Paul in the Epistles to the Corinthians (Part III)
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The terms “sarx” (σὰρξ), “soma” (σῶμα), “psyche” (ψυχήν) and “pnevma” (πνεῦμά).
Apostle Paul was not a classical writer and did not write his letters as classic literary works, but all of Paul’s letters were written according to the current needs and circumstances in the Church. His writings are pastoral letters addressed to certain communities, created spontaneously to help their needs for edification, advancement, misunderstandings and unresolved issues of faith, problems and anomalies in the given community etc.
We say this because Paul’s terminology on this subject is not clear enough and defined. The Apostle Paul did not think about the systematic writing and the etymology of the words. As he says, my preaching is not by sublime words and human wisdom, but by the demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1 Cor. 2: 1, 4).
In the analysis of exegesis, it must be noted that St. Paul uses the same terms in different contexts. There are several reasons for this lack of clarity. It is a fact that the Apostle came from moderately Hellenised Judaism. The language of his epistles is Greek, the line of thought is determined by the Semitic teachings with biblical roots. He mainly quotes the Septuagint, in which, as we know, the same Hebrew words are often translated with different Greek words. Finally, in his epistles, St. Paul did not deviate from the conventional, common language of his hellenised environment. This influence is a consequence of the shift of the centre of Christianity from the Jewish to the Hellenic world. [1] That was characteristic by the dualistic view of the man (in different ways).
The main terms used for the body are “sarks” (σὰρξ) and “soma” (σῶμα). And for the soul, i.e., the spiritual side of the man: “psyche” (ψυχήν) and “pnevma” (πνεῦμά). In the Old Testament we cannot find a difference between the two terms of body: “sarks” (σὰρξ) and “soma” (σῶμα). This is also the case in the Septuagint translation, where the word “bashar” is used.
However, in the New Testament and the writings of St. Paul, we can distinguish two terms for defining the body: “sarks” and “soma”. In Greek, the word “soma” has the root “sw” (integer). The adjective means “whole, intact, healthy”. Soma is a person as a whole, indivisible as a synonym you can use the Greek “Ґtomoj”, and Latin “individuum”. That is, he possesses an authentic “soma”, an authentic body (whole). (1 Cor 5: 3). [2]
“Sarx” literally means meat, corpse, carcass, and it translates as body. It is most often associated with a body with passions and weaknesses, material, fallen body, sinful body, bodily wisdom (2 Cor. 1:12); and a dead body (2 Cor. 4: 1) and sometimes, very rarely, it has the meaning of “soma” – body.
“Sarx” has a different ethical quality than “soma”. In the first letter to the Corinthians in the fifth chapter, when he speaks of his body as an individual, he says “soma” (1 Cor. 5: 5), and when he speaks of the adulterous body of a fornicator, he uses the term “sarks” (1 Cor. 5: 3). In the sixth chapter, when he speaks of the term body, as a temple of God which is not for fornication, he uses the word “soma” (1 Cor. 6: 13-20), whilst in the seventh chapter, when he speaks of carnal passion, he uses the word “sarks”. He also uses “soma” in his description of the first Eucharistic communities with the blood and body of Christ, as well as the Church as a body (1 Cor. 10:16; 12:27).
In regard to the spiritual element of our existence we find the terms “pnevma” (spirit) and “psihikos” (soul). The spirit is the higher of the two, granted by the grace form of the life of the human soul. As in the Old Testament “nefesh” and “ruah” are often used interchangeably, so as with the Apostle Paul “soul” and “spirit” are often identical in meaning. “Spirit” is not a definite principle compared to “body” or “soul”. “Spirit” is, like “body” and “soul”, man. But if the “body” is a person in its objectivity, then “spirit” is interpreted in a subjective sense, mainly with respect to knowledge. In this sense, the spirit (pnevma) is on occasions used as a synonym for the word “mind” (nous) (1 Cor. 2: 10-16).[3] The term “spirit” is more closely related to the Greek word “nous”, which is the highest part of the human soul, and the ability by which man knows God and enters into communion with Him. [4] Elsewhere in the epistles of St. Apostle Paul, he also writes about the human spirit and calls it mind i.e., spiritual nous (reason). However, he does not strictly adhere to this definition, and both terms are used in exactly the same sense.
Discussion about translation into English language
Translations are a very sensitive thing. Through them, the meaning of the text can be specified and made clearer, and it can also deviate from the true meaning and be wrong. The quality of translation is determined in a greater part by the quality of the translator and the spirit of the language. English language and culture differ spiritually from Eastern Hebrew and Greek, the language of the Bible, and therefore it may in some ways be inaccurate and, in some places, superficial.
In our field of research, we want to emphasize the word “natural” from the Greek word “ψυχικό”. The English translation “natural” from the Greek word “ψυχικό”, in point my view and according to the orthodox ascetic-hesychastic practice, is not an appropriate translation and does not give the exact meaning of the term. A natural person or a complete person is a person who lives by his nature like Adam before the fall, and therefore is also not associated with decay (1 Cor. 15: 44-46). According to Professor Romanidis,[5] the term “natural”, often sounds like a positive epithet to the modern, non-church going, western man. In the Christian consciousness, in which the idea of “fallen nature” is rooted, the word ‘natural’ expectedly occupies a completely different place on the scale of analysis and evaluation.
Also, even Kovach noticed that the word Phychikos – “body”, is difficult to translate into English. Instead, he gives other possible translations such as: “Ensouled body”, “physical body”, “soul animated body”, “non-spiritual”.[6]
Another such term that is difficult to understand and translate is the word “psyche” (soul). This word has many meanings in the Holy Scriptures and in the teaching of the Holy Father. The life that exists in every creature, as in plants and animals, is called “soul” and it means life. Life and psyche refer to human beings and translated into English means “person without spirit” (1 Cor. 2:14), which would mean the opposite of the Christian concept. Interpreting this term, Professor Fr. John Romanides notes: “The word which is used for ‘unspiritual’ or ‘natural’ (psychic), bodily (sarkikos) and “behaves in the manner of ordinary people’ has the same meaning.”[7]
Eschatology
The act of creation will not be complete unless it gives the final solution to human existence, which is eternal life. The whole tragedy of today’s “humanists” is that they do not have the answer to the most painful and important question of humanity, and that is death. In Adam (the humanism) all die, and in Christ (the Church) all shall be made alive (1 Cor. 15: 20-22). Therefore, we have Christ, the incarnate Word of God, through whom all things are, and through Him we live (1 Cor. 8: 6). Christ, the One risen from the dead.
Death has not existence and it is not a created category. God did not create death, but it was unavoidable after the fall because of the sin that infected human nature and made it mortal. Bailey observes: “If I take my body with me out of death, then every permanent damage I do to it in this life has eternal significance.” [8]
Sin has become as a second nature to us, and it is the “outer man” whom the holy Apostle Paul points out that must be transfigured. It is necessary for us to be transfigured in order for life to swallow up death and to have eternal dwelling in heaven (1 Cor. 15: 12-24; 2 Cor. 5: 1-4). Through the ascetic Christian struggle, God with His uncreated energy penetrates and constantly transfigures the created human energy and, in this God-human synergy in the Church, the mystery of the deification of man is contained, i.e. the mystery and fullness of life in the Eschaton.
In this way God creates everything new, and we are His “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). Spiritual body, transfigured body, body in communion with God. When the physical body dies, then the spiritual body will be resurrected, like the resurrected body of Jesus Christ, therefore He is called “the last Adam”[9] through whom we will inherit the incorruptible Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15: 35-50)
Being amazed by the mercy of God, St. Paul triumphantly declares to the Corinthians: “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all repose, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed; for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Victory has swallowed up Death.” “Oh, death, where is your sting?” Oh Hades, where is your victory? ”The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the Law. But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15: 51-57).
Conclusion
In summary, we repeat what we conceived in the beginning, that as never before, society pays so much attention to man and his needs and at the same time, as never before, people have been so lonely and lost. This is because humanity has lost its true foundation and criterion of values, and that needs to be changed.
As with mathematics, when the equation is set incorrectly, and we do not notice and correct it in time, the whole process will go in the wrong direction, we will arrive at the wrong solution and we will miss the goal. Therefore, there is no other foundation for St. Paul other than Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). By His incarnation, the God-Man Christ becomes the foundation and criterion for all values and puts things back in a normal footing (order). According to Christian anthropology and St. Paul, man is a psychophysical being of a material body and an immaterial soul/spirit. The body is submissive to the soul, and the soul with its energy keeps the body alive. The grace of God, on the other hand, keeps the soul alive.
The soul has its own essence and energy. The heart is the centre of the soul. There are three energies in the heart: the mind as intellectual (rational) and the will and the desire are irrational (subconscious). When the mind directs its primary energy in communication with the uncreated energies of God, then it is termed pure mind (or simply mind) and this is called contemplation. When the mind communicates with the created world, then it is called intellect (reason) which is also an experience. The most important thing is the soul, i.e., the mind to be directed to God, not towards the material world, not even if be directed towards man himself as it is the case of the humanists.
The human being is the centre of the psycho-physical world. Crown of everything created. Micro cosmos in macro cosmos. Image and likeness of God. Potential god and god by grace. God created man good with wonderful harmony and coordination of all his powers. That harmony is disturbed by sin, because of which the heart through its three powers (mind, will and desire) is infected and trapped by passions. But in the same way, when one turns to God with the same powers, the heart is cleansed or healed.
Our whole effort is to help humanity to transfigure the “outer man” through constant ascetic-hesychastic struggle and sacramental life in the Church. First of all, to return to the original state, and later to rise to the likeness of God, that is, to deified ourselves according to the testimony of the St. Paul: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows that he was caught up, and carried away into Paradise, and that he heard inexpressible words which man cannot utter” (2 Cor. 12: 2-4).
This is the true and only purpose of the human being and his existence (aim) because all that God has prepared for us, “theosis”, deification.
Adelaide College of Divinity
Postgraduate studies at the Orthodox Institute of Sts. Cyril and Methodius
Subject: Interpretation of I and II Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians
Professor: Very Rev. Dr Peter A. L. Hill
Student: Archimandrite Gavril Galev
Bibliography
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[1] John S Romanides, “Original Sin According to St. Paul.” The Romans, http://www.romanity.org/htm/rom.10.en.original_sin_according_to_st._paul.01.htm#180 (accessed June 4, 2019)
[2] John S Romanides, Original Sin,
[3]Ivliev, Ianuary, “The Main Anthropological Concepts In The Epistles Of The Holy Apostle Paul”, Almanac: Alpha and Omega, no.31, 2002
http://aliom.orthodoxy.ru/fr_summ.htm (accessed June 4, 2019)
[4] Michael, Pomazanski, Orthodox Dogmatyc, 138
[5] John S Romanides, Original Sin
[6]Kovacs, Judith L., 1 Corinhians: Interpreted by Early Christian Commentators. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publish Co: Grand Rapids, Cambridghe, U.K, 2005, 67
[7] John S Romanides, Original Sin
[8] Bailey, Kenneth E., Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes, 185
[9]Pappas, Barbara, First and Second Corinthians: A Study of Paul’s Letters. Salisbury: Regina Orthodox Press, 2005, 193
