1Corinthians 2:14 – The handicap of the soulish man

Now the soulish man is not receiving those things which are of the spirit of God, for they are stupidity to him and he is not able to know them, seeing that they are spiritually examined.

Soulish is the man who is controlled by the soul, the psyche, because that is the Greek word Paul uses here. The soul represents the sensations that are stimulated by the senses. In the Scriptures, man does not have a soul in the first place, but he is a soul (Gen. 2:7). Just like an animal. The first times that the word “soul” appears in Scripture, it is precisely about animals (Gen. 1:20,21). Animals know sensations and emotions just like humans. Fueled by the beating heart. Hence the soul is in the blood (Lev. 17:11).

“Those things which are of the spirit of God” on the other hand do not enter through the eyes and they do not mean to trigger sensations. ‘Spirit’ is a collective term for what is by definition invisible. ‘Spirit’ does not speak to the eyes either, but to the ears. For faith is out of hearing (Rom.10:17). The soulish man is looking for sensation and feeling good. The spiritual man, on the other hand seeks truth. A totally different orientation.

Delen: