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A common belief regarding the nature of mankind is that we have a body, a soul and a spirit. This is known as the Tripartite Nature of Man.

What is the essential argument in favor of this view? I would also be interested to know how early in the Scriptures this is indicated or understood. It would be really interesting to know how the Old Testament speaks of this and whether or not that idea was held by Jewish people prior to the coming of Jesus.

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+1, interesting question, but is this the same question to which I have already added a comment? – Elberich Schneider Jan 8 '14 at 19:55
@ElberichSchneider I'm distinguishing support for the Tripartite nature and the Dual nature. To have both in one question is something we typically don't do. – Narnian Jan 8 '14 at 19:55
Narn., thank you for your clarification, but, however, I didn't want to criticize the question, though, sorry, anyway. – Elberich Schneider Jan 8 '14 at 20:01
@ElberichSchneider Understood. No problem. – Narnian Jan 8 '14 at 20:23

Your question is one with which I wrestled for several years before making these discoveries in Scripture and I hope that it will give you the answer you are seeking.

Genesis 1:26 and 27 King James Version



So I researched the word image and it's true meaning. The original Hebrew word was:


tselem (tseh'-lem) n-m.

  1. a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance

  2. (hence) a representative figure, especially an idol [from an unused root meaning to shade]

KJV: image, vain shew.

notice the translation Phantom. this word has no connection to any physical substance, and in this case must be talking about other properties other than Physical. That leaves us to deduce that it must refer to spiritual characteristics.

Also please note the word * likeness* in verse 26. the original word used was:

dmuwth (dem-ooth') n-f.

  1. resemblance

  2. (concretely) model, shape

  3. (adverbially) like


Since the word is used in its adverbial form it means like, and the word our makes it plural.

Actually in the interlinear Hebrew translation the phrase 'in our image' was:



which literally translated means 'in our image.'

This leaves us to understand that it is in reference to Spiritual beings and it must refer to a multiplicity.

So how do we get from there to what the likeness to that multiplicity means regarding man.

We must go back to: Genesis 2:7 KJV


We need to begin with what is the breath of life.

Breath: נְשָׁמָה

nshamah (nesh-aw-maw') n-f.


KJV: blast, (that) breath(-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.

Life: חַי

chay (khah'-ee) adj.

  1. alive

  2. (hence) raw (flesh)

  3. fresh (plant, water, year), strong



It is imperative that we first understand that the noun here is nshamah or breath and chay alive is an adjective.

That 'God breathed into his nostrils' means that God transferred from himself to man's nose his breath. The noteworthy point here is that since God is Eternal that of necessity requires that his breath is also eternal.

Why this is important lies in what is said next ' man became a living Soul.

The significance of that is that the Soul created by the breath of life is an eternal being.

The importance of that was given by Christ in:

Matthew 10:28 KJV


The true significance of that statement is that only God has the ability to destroy the soul.

So now we have covered the body and soul, but if we are to be in the image of the trinity we need a third part, and that third part is the Spirit.

So what is the Spirit, and how is it different from the soul? The Hebrew word is:


pneuma (pnyoo`-mah) n.


  2. (by analogy or figuratively) a spirit

  3. (humanly) the rational soul


  5. (superhumanly) an angel, demon



According to the Hebrew it is the rational soul, or the vital principle, or mental disposition. So the Spirit and soul are inextricably joined and the Spirit is the composite of all the persons knowledge and personality.

These are the conclusions I have reached from my study of the Bible.

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I think you've mistaken Greek for Hebrew in the πνεῦμα section. That's Greek. The Hebrew correspondent is usually רוח. – Susan Nov 22 '14 at 2:02
@Susan thanks for the correction. – BYE Nov 22 '14 at 14:24

I have found the 1 Thess.5:27 passage's inclusion of "spirit and soul and body" very compelling in that it affirms a nature given to man, one of bearing the image of God, that is easily associated with the knowable nature of God (as opposed to all that which is unknowable), His triune existence.
There seems to be an example of this type of unity that may serve to illustrate it: the computer. A computer exists in three senses. It has a body, all that is material. It has an operating system which serves as its basis of operation, which parallels the 'spirit'. Its first two components then form the vehicle through which software can do useful functions, which parallels the 'soul'. In this illustration, the 'spirit', or system, is the repository of the values, or things that are permissible for the computer to do. Values are indeed maintained here in the 'heart' of the computer. (In the computer systems that are available to purchasers, there is a choice between two systems: Apple or PC. There are two options of internal values in humans which are manifested: one in the lost and one in the redeemed.) Also, in this illustration, the 'soul' (software/applications) is dedicated to doing its work as it is designed to be in accord with what is permissible by its operating system (spirit); i.e. Apple programs won't run on a PC. No illustration is perfect in such matters as these, but in this there might be something of value. The heart, or spirit, contains our values (either God-placed or of ungodly origin). When the soul is about its daily business of directing the body, there is constant communication with the spirit, consulting over what those values permit or disallow. There seems to be a working interface between these separate entities that would be called 'the conscience'. When God vacated man's spirit, this place of values became open to all other input. In the unregenerate, there may be remnants of godly values mixed with much of the ungodly. In the regenerate, the spirit becomes the place of the Holy Spirit's residence and begins the patient, internal work of forming God's values there.

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Please edit this to add paragraph breaks. And it would help if you could add more Bible references, because while analogies can be good, there are also analogies for things which contradict the scriptures. – curiousdannii Nov 22 '14 at 12:15
Hi and welcome to the site! Further to curiosdannii's comment, if you could also review our help centre it would help to clarify what is expected of answers (and posts in general) here. – bruised reed Nov 22 '14 at 15:29

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