1 Corinthians 15:45 – A living soul

If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also. Thus it is written also, the first man Adam “became a living soul;” the last Adam a vivifying Spirit.

Just as corruptible stands against incorruptible, without honor against glory, weak against strong, so soul stands against spiritual. The first serves to introduce the second. It is like the dark background that the artist creates to make his subject shine.

Paul is quoting Genesis 2: 7 here, which refers to a soul for the fifth time. This time not referring to an animal, but to humans. “The first man” who is actually also the name bearer of the whole family. Because Adam means “human”. In him is included all his offspring.

Adam was formed from the material of the ground, and YAHWEH breathed into his nostrils the breath of life “and thus man became a living soul.” Later, when the same Adam was denied access to “the tree of life,” he , the “living soul,” became “dying” (Gen.2: 17). And once the last breath had been blown out, he was a “dead soul” (Lev. 19:28). If it ended here, it would be a truly pathetic story. But it gets very lively!

Delen: