when it is said the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed like the fats of lambs and burns up root and branch it means that it is the body only that is consumed and destroyed, while the man, the responsible man, is not? Such a position would place the punishment upon that which, according to the theory held, is in no way responsible, while the responsible man would be exempt. If the soul is the man separate from the body, and the body is not the thinking part of man, why should it be said that the body becomes unconscious? Is it not that which is conscious when it is alive that becomes unconscious when dead? Is it not that which is responsible for sins committed that suffers destruction as punishment? It is the man, which is a being of bodily form, made and kept alive by the Spirit of God, which gives life to all living beings, that dies, becomes unconscious in death, is raised from the dead, judged according to his deeds, given eternal life if worthy, punished with eternal death--the opposite of eternal life--if unworthy.
You will, however, ask, What is the soul? Why is it that it is claimed that the soul is immortal? And so we will briefly deal with the question of the soul.
16. The soul not immortal, but is the mortal, bodily being called man
PROPOSITION 16.
The Soul Is Not Immortal, But Is the Mortal, Bodily Being Called Man
This proposition gives the primary meaning of soul as used in the Bible; but the word is also used for life and mind, and it is applied to animals as well as to man.
We quote the following from the Emphatic Diaglott:
"The Hebrew word nephesh, of the Old Testament, occurs about 700 times, and is rendered soul 471 times, life and living about 150 times; and the same word is also rendered a man, a person, self, they, me, him, anyone, breath, heart, mind, appetite, the body (dead or alive), lust, creature, and even a beast; for it is 28 times applied to beasts and to every creeping thing. The Greek word psuche of the New Testament corresponds with nephesh of the Old. It occurs 105 times, and is rendered soul 50 times and life 40 times. The same word is also rendered mind, us, you, heart, heartily, and is twice applied to the beasts that perish. Psuchicas, an adjective derived from psuche, occurs 6 times, and is translated natural and sensual; it is properly translated animal in modern translations. Perhaps it may be worthy of notice that in all the 700 times which nephesh occurs, and the 105 times of psuche, not once is the word immortal or immortality or deathless or never-dying found ,in connection as qualifying the term.
Animals Are Called Souls and the Word Soul Is Applied to the Life of the Beasts
Num. 31:28 And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle; one soul of five hundred, of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses and of the sheep.
Gen. 1:20 (The very first place where the word nephesh, the word rendered soul occurs) And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life (nephesh, soul, see margin), and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Gen. 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth wherein there is life (margin living soul) I have given every green herb for meat.
Gen. 2:19 And Adam called (named) every living creature (Hebrew nephesh, soul).
Gen. 9:10 And I will establish my covenant with every living creature (Hebrew nephesh, soul) that is with you of fowl, of cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you. See also verses 15, 16.
Job l2:10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
Souls Die and Are Destroyed
Josh. 10:28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword; and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein. See also verses 30, 32, 35, 37, 39.
Judges 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death.
Job 7:15 So that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather than my life.
Psa. 33:19 To deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.
Psa. 78:50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death.
Isa. 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death.
Ezek. 13:10 And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live.
Ezek. 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Verse 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
Matt. 20:38 My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.
Jas. 5:20 Let him know-that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death.
Rev. 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.
Souls Destructible and Destroyed
Psa. 35:17 Lord how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions.
Psa. 63:0 But those that seek my soul to destroy it shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Acts 3:23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people.
In the following testimonies the Hebrew word nephesh and the Greek word psuche, which are so frequently rendered soul, are rendered life. Substitute the word soul for life in the reading of these and it will be seen that, instead of soul being indestructible and immortal, it is the opposite.
Exo. 4:10 Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
Matt. 2:20 For they are dead which sought the young Child’s life.
Mark 3:4 Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill (life or soul)?
Rev. 8:9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life (soul) died.
Rev. 12:11 And they overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives (souls) unto the death.
Souls Go to and Are Delivered From the Pit, or the Grave
Job 33:18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit (grave) and his life from perishing by the sword. Also verses 28, 30.
Psa. 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the grave), neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Psa. 30:3 0 Lord, thou has brought up my soul from the grave;
