Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: cms@dragon.uucp Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Transubstantiation/Power of God Message-ID: Date: 3 Dec 89 17:33:35 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Computer Projects Unlimited Lines: 61 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu [This continues the discussion of the meaning of "soma" (body) in the Greek NT. THe original claim was "this is my body" means "this is my whole person", i.e. that soma had a wider set of meaning than the English body. Most responses suggest that "body" is in fact a reasonable translation. --clh] You sent me to my sources. In my RSV Interlinear, the word does indeed translate literally "body." My Greek-English lexicon has this to say: "Soma, n: the physical body of persons, animals, or plants, either dead or alive -- 'body.' (The use of soma in connection with plants is quite rare in extrabiblical Greek and perhaps only occurs in 1 Cor 15.37 because of the analogy between plants and persons in treating the theme of the resurrection body.) [Examples deleted] In a number of languages a clear distinction must be made between the body of a living persona and a dead body (or corpse). Other languages distinguish betweeen the bodies of persons and the bodies of animals, and frequently the term for a body of a plant is distinct from those referring to persons or animals. Often a term for body consists of a phrase, for example, 'flesh and bones,' and in a number of languages a reference to the body is made primarily by referring to the person himself. For example, in Mt 26.12 ('has poured this ointment on my body') the appropriate equivalent may be 'has poured this ointment on me.' In certain instances 'body' may be rendered as something which is experienced. For example, in 1 Cor 6.20 'glorify God through your body' may be rendered as 'glorify God through what you do' or ...do in your body.' Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words puts it this way: "Soma is 'the body as a whole, the instrument of life,' whether of man living, e.g., Matt. 6:22, or dead, Matt. 27:52; or in resurrection, 1 Cor 15:44; or of beasts, Heb. 13:11, of grain, 1 Cor. 15:37-38; of the heavenly hosts, 1 Cor. 15:40. In Rev. 18:13 it is translated "slaves." In its figurative uses the essential idea is preserved. "Sometimes the word stands, by synecdoche, for 'the complete man,' Matt. 5:29; 6:22; Rom 12:1; Jas. 3:6, Rev. 18:13. Sometimes the person is identified with his or her "body," Acts 9:37; 13:36, and this is so even of the Lord Jesus, John 19:40 with 42. The "body" is not the man, for he himself can exist apart from his "body," 2 Cor. 12:2-3. The "body" is an essential part of the man and therefore the redeemed are not perfected till the resurrection, Heb. 11:40; no man in his final state will be without his "body," John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:13. "The word is also used for physical nature, as distinct from pneuma, 'the spiritual nature,' e.g., 1 Cor. 5:3, and from psuche, 'the soul,' e.g, 1Thess.5:23. Soma, 'body,' and pneuma, 'spirit,' may be separated; pneuma and psuche, 'soul,' can only be distinguished' (Cremer). "It is also used metaphorically, of the mystic body of Christ, with reference to the whole church, e.g., Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18, 22, 24; also of a local church, 1 Cor. 12:27." The word for corpse, incidentally, is "ptoma," litterally, that which is fallen; a corpse. I hope this will shed some light on the Eucharist discussion. Sincerely, These are my own opinions, oy vey! they are mine. SPAWN OF A Very few people believe in Heaven in quite the same JEWISH way they believe in Australia. CARPENTER -- C.S. Lewis