Is Man 2 Parts or 3?
Is Man Three Parts?
Those who find man being three parts, body, soul, and spirit are called trichotomists. The word comes from the Greek tricha meaning "three" and temno meaning "to cut." Historically, the eastern (Greek Orthodox/Constantinople) church were trichotomists.
The definition and descriptions of the trichotomous theory go like this:
- The material part of man, the body, is the physical constitution.
- The soul is the principle of the "animal life" of man.
- The spirit is the principle of man's "rational life."
- Obviously, the same Greek terms, pschue and pneuma, are used.
Scriptural support for the trichotomous theory:
Gen 2:7 does absolutely
require a twofold being. The first portion of the Hebrew is, in fact,
plural, not singular as usually translated.
"Breathed into his nostrils the breath of [lives],
and man became a living being [KJV – soul – nephesh]."
Note, however, that there is no clear indication of a three-part being and the phrase "living being" is the same phrase used of animals and translated "living creature" in Gen 1:21, 24.
1 Thess 5:23 seems to state
a three part being.
Many see Hebrew 4:12 saying the same thing.
1 Cor 2:14-3:4 implies a three part being analogous to the "natural,"
"carnal," and "spiritual" man.
Watchman Nee writes: "God dwells in the spirit, self dwells in the soul, while senses dwell in the body. . . The soul stands between these two worlds [spiritual God and sensual world], yet belongs to both. . . The work of the soul is to keep these two in their proper order so that they may not lose their right relationship."
