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Principles for Understanding Differential Use of “Soul” and “Spirit” in the New Testament1 min read

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The Triadic (a.k.a. “tripartite”) model of Biblical anthropology declares that humans are composed of three distinct parts – spirit, soul, and body (1 Thes. 5:23). The New Testament uses the Greek words psyche (soul) and pneuma (spirit) to describe discreet parts of the human with largely discreet functions, revealing specific and important doctrinal distinctions. These distinctions are obfuscated or entirely missed when the words are considered synonymous (conflation) or of indeterminate definition (ambiguity or equivocation). The use of some unique hermeneutical principles and the Triadic anthropological model can significantly help in explaining why each word is used in each context, and reveal truths hidden behind the confusion of the dualist approach.

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