Spirit
Hebrew ruach, Greek pneuma. Man in his normal integrity ("whole," holokleeron, complete in all its parts, 1Th 5:23) consists of "spirit, soul, and body." The spirit links man with higher intelligences, and is that highest part receptive of the quickening Holy Spirit (1Co 15:47). The soul (Hebrew nephesh, Greek psuchee) is intermediate between body and spirit; it is the sphere of the will and affections.
In the unspiritual, the spirit is so sunk under the animal soul (which it ought to keep under) that such are "animal" ("seasonal," having merely the body of organized matter and the soul, the immaterial animating essence), "having not the spirit" (Jud 1:19; Jam 3:15; 1Co 2:14; 1Co 15:44-48; Joh 3:6). The unbeliever shall rise with an animal (soul-animated) body, but not, like the believer, with a spiritual (spirit-endued) body like Christ's (Rom 8:11).
The soul is the seat of the appetites, the desires, the will; hunger, thirst, sorrow, joy; love, hope, fear, etc.; so that nephesh is the man himself, and is used for person, self, creature, any: a virtual contradiction of materialism, implying that the unseen soul rather than the seen body is the man. "Man was made" not a living body but "a living soul." "The blood, the life," links together body and soul (Lev 17:11).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Spirit
Spirit spir'-it (ruach; pneuma; Latin, spiritus): 1. Primary and Figurative Senses (1) As Wind, Breath (2) As Anger or Fury (3) As Mental and Moral Qualities in Man 2. Shades of Meaning (1) As Life-Principle (2) As Surviving Death (3) Spiritual Manifestations 3. Human and Divine Spirit (1) The Human as Related with the Divine (2) Operations of the Divine Spirit as Third Person of the Trinity 4. Old Testament Applications 5. Various Interpretations ⇒See a list of verses on SPIRIT in the Bible. 1. Primary and Figurative Senses: (1) As Wind, Breath: ⇒See the definition of spirit in the KJV Dictionary Used primarily in the Old Testament and New Testament of the wind, as in Ge 8:1; Nu 11:31; Am 4:13 ("createth the wind"); Heb 1:7 (angels, "spirits" or "winds" in margin); often used of the breath, as in Job 12:10; 15:30, and in 2Th 2:8 (wicked consumed by "the breath of his mouth"). (2) As Anger or Fury: ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia. In a figurative sense it was used as indicating anger or fury, and as such applied even to God, who destroys by the "breath of his…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Spirit
Besides its use for the Supreme Spirit, — the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Iloly Spirit, the Spirit ot truth, etc., — this word is occasionally used for the extreme opiiosite, as weuixa. Saiixoviou anaBiprov (Lk 4''). Then there is its secondary use for an influence, or power, as 'spirit of error' (1 Jn 4"), ' spirit of the worlil ' ( Eph 2^), ' of bond.ige ' and ' of sonship' (Ilo 8"), etc., yet often with a refer- ence to the spiritual personality controlling these influences. But the main use of it is ]isychologicaI, where it is immensely indebted to the Bible and to Christianity. Indc irit.' I, nn, lit. "wind' (80 often in OT) ; used of the breath of life (rfia/i hayyim) whi(;h animates (io ) ; and of intelligence and will, Kzk 'M»'', Pr \lfii 21' 2412, Dt 2™, Job 209; of an inexplicable or unoontrollabto impulse, Nu 61-1- 30, Is 10'* 288 2010 87\ Hos 4ia 6'. When used with reference to God, riial^ is usedot the brooding (ncniD) and creative activity of His spirit (On 13, Ps 10430), which imparts itself to men with the result of capacitat…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia