The Trichotomy of Man in the Writings of Iranaeus

Posted on July 1, 2026 by jbwoodward

In Man as Spirit, Soul, and Body: A Study of Biblical Psychology, I survey the record of church history in chapter 5. J.B. Heard observed that “Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Didymus of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, and Basil of Caesarea all note the distinction between soul and spirit, and designate the spirit as that which bears the truest image of God.[1]

Consider the first example just cited. Who was Iranaeus?

“St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202 AD) was a prominent Greek bishop, apologist, and leading Christian theologian of the second century who fundamentally shaped early Christian orthodoxy. He is best known for defending the church against internal divisions and external heresies—specifically Gnosticism” (Wikipedia)

Irenaeus’ view on man’s makeup

Irenaeus taught that the complete human being consists of body, soul, and spirit. He explicitly says:

“…There are three things out of which, as I have shown, the complete man is composed — flesh, soul, and spirit. One of these does indeed preserve and fashion [the man]— this is the spirit; while as to another it is united and formed — that is the flesh; then [comes] that which is between these two — that is the soul, which sometimes indeed, when it follows the spirit, is raised up by it, but sometimes it sympathizes with the flesh, and falls into carnal lusts.”[2]

This quote demonstrates that:

Body (flesh) is an essential component of humanity.
Soul and spirit are distinguishable, yet neither by itself constitutes the whole person.
The soul occupies a mediating position regarding flesh and spirit.

Iranaeus was also holistic in the sense that three three aspects are essential to human nature created in God’s image.

“Thus also, if any one take away the image and set aside the handiwork, he cannot then understand this as being a man, but as either some part of a man, as I have already said, or as something else than a man. For that flesh which has been moulded is not a perfect man in itself, but the body of a man, and part of a man. Neither is the soul itself, considered apart by itself, the man; but it is the soul of a man, and part of a man. Neither is the spirit a man, for it is called the spirit, and not a man; but the commingling and union of all these constitutes the perfect man. And for this cause does the apostle, explaining himself, make it clear that the saved man is a complete man as well as a spiritual man; saying thus in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, “Now the God of peace sanctify you perfect (perfectos); and may your spirit, and soul, and body be preserved whole without complaint to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.” [3]

What kind of trichotomy?

Because pneuma is used both of the human spirit and the Holy Spirit of God, some have contended that Iranaeus only held to a theological view of the trichotomy of man, i.e. that the distinct spirit in man is the Holy Spirit).[4] Which is kind of trichotomy was taught by this church father? I suggest, both are correct, when taken in context.

Iranaeus did affirm the trichotomy of man as created by God, and even the unregenerate man has a human spirit (a psychological trichotomy). See the two quotes above.

[However, the unsaved person is] “destitute of the celestial Spirit.” [Book V, 9]

But to be redeemed, man must be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. This involves receiving the Spirit of God also (a theological trichotomy).

“Inasmuch, therefore, as without the Spirit of God we cannot be saved…” [Book V, 9]

“On the other hand, as many as fear God and trust in His Son’s advent, and who through faith do establish the Spirit of God in their hearts — such men as these shall be properly called both “pure,” and “spiritual,” and “those living to God,” because they possess the Spirit of the Father, who purifies man, and raises him up to the life of God. [Book V, 6] (emphasis added)

The trichotomy of Iranaeus has a firm biblical basis.

Man has a distinct human spirit and in the New birth he becomes indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. Ezekiel prophesies of God’s blessings in the New Covenant: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes” (Ezek. 36: 26,27 NKJV emphasis added).

The apostle Paul affirmed, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His … you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our [human] spirit that we are children of God, Rom. 8:9,15,16 NKJV emphasis added).

A case could be made that if John Calvin followed the biblical anthropology/psychology of Iranaeus instead of Augustine, holistic trichotomy would be the majority view among Bible teachers and students today.

JBW

J. B. Heard, The Tripartite Nature of Man
Against Heresies (Book V, Chapter 9)
Against Heresies (Book V, Chapter 6) on 1 Thess. 5:23
“Part One: 2- The Theological Education of Saint Irenaeus” https://www.orthodoxonline.org/theology/en/orthodox-library/faith-and-doctrine/on-the-apostolic-preaching/

Dr. Mason on 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Posted on June 4, 2026 by jbwoodward

The commentator

Rev. Arthur James Mason M.A., D.D., (1851 – 1928) was an English clergyman, theologian and classical scholar. He was Lady Margaret’s Professor of Divinity, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. (Wikipedia)

The commentary

An excerpt from THE EPISTLES OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS, in Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:23 NKJV).

Spirit and soul and body.—This is St. Paul’s fullest and most scientific psychology, not merely a rhetorical piling up of words without any particular meaning being assigned to them. Elsewhere, he merely divides man according to popular language, into two parts, visible and invisible, “body and spirit” (1Corinthians 6:20; 1Corinthians 7:34, et al.); the division into “body and soul” he never uses. (Comp. Note on 1Corinthians 2:14.) The “spirit” (pneuma) is the part by which we apprehend realities intuitively—i.e., without reasoning upon them; with it we touch, see, serve, worship God (John 4:23-24; Romans 1:9; 1Corinthians 6:17; Revelation 1:10, et al.); it is the very inmost consciousness of the man (see, e.g., 1Corinthians 2:11); it is the part of him which survives death (Hebrews 12:23; 1Peter 3:19; comp. Luke 23:46; Acts 7:59). The “soul.” (psyche) includes the intellect, the affections, and the will: and it is of the very essence of the gospel to force sharply upon men the distinction between it and the spirit (Hebrews 4:12). Low-living men may have soul (i.e., intellect, affection, will) in abundance, but their spirit falls into complete abeyance (Jude 1:19); the soul belongs altogether to the lower nature, so that when St. Paul uses the two-fold division, “body and spirit,” the soul is reckoned (not, probably, as Bishop Ellicott says on our present passage, as part of the spirit, but) as part of the body; and when St. Paul describes the “works of the flesh,” he includes among them such distinctly soul-sins as “heresies” (Galatians 5:20). Sanctification preserves all these three divisions entire, and in their due relation to each other…”

Endorsement by author Hebert Lockyer: “No pastor’s study should be without this set of beneficial expositions. We have no hesitation in affirming that Seminaries, Bible Institutes and Christian Colleges adding Ellicott’s Commentary on the Whole Bible to their library will prove it to be the most sought after work of its kind. Students for the ministry will not be long in discovering the rich mine of truth its pages contain.” (1954)

The full commentary is available online at
https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/ebc/1-thessalonians.html

Displacing the Kingdom of Self

Posted on May 5, 2026 by jbwoodward

Chaplain Earl Jabay recorded important insights for pastoral care and counseling. For example, in his book, The Kingdom of Self, he presents the root cause of mental and emotional problems and also the biblical solution for wellness. The back cover includes some of the qualifications of the author:

“Earl Jabay has had quiet continuing success in thousands of counseling situations… An ordained minister of the Reformed Church in America, with two pastorates behind him and extensive grounding in modern psychiatry, Earl Jabay joined the staff of the famed Neuro–Psychiatric Institute at Princeton in 1959, as a clinically trained Chaplain…”

An bookseller’s synopsis states:

“The Kingdom of Self … explores the concept of self-centeredness, arguing that excessive self-focus leads to self-destruction and mental illness, and offers a path to mental health through a spiritual, less self-absorbed life. Jabay, a chaplain, presents a revolutionary approach to mental well-being by reframing the “kingdom of self” as the source of problems, contrasting it with a healthier, God-centered life.

After showing the pervasive problems related of selfish living and the ineffective approaches of secular therapy, Jabay ends his book with a chapter called “The Power to Deliver,” where he talks about the One who can change and restore lives.

“King Self completely devoted himself throughout his life to acquiring power. From earliest childhood, he dreamed of controlling his world. Even supernatural power was called upon to support (but not control, thank you) the exciting destiny of himself as a god-king. The results, we know all too well, were completely disastrous. It was because King Self was fascinated with his own power. He was right in that he needed power—but wrong in looking to himself as the source of that power. This is the basic problem with all egocentrics: we lack the power to deliver ourselves from the power of evil. This is why we must turn away from the pseudo-religionists and the psychologists and turn to the God of all power. This God—this God of all power—has a name.   He is the Holy Spirit.”  

As he discusses the positive characteristics of Spirit-filled ministries, he observes the significance of man as spirit, soul, and body.

“The movement of the Holy Spirit accurately discerns the spiritual nature of our basic problem in life.   Most charismatics [those who value spiritual gifts], following the teaching of that most unusual Chinese Christian, Watchman Nee, affirm the biblical teaching that man is composed of spirit, soul, and body. Modern psychology ignores man’s spirit, because the behavioral scientists are so completely absorbed in the study of man’s soul (intellect, will, and emotions). [In secular psychotherapy] We are encouraged to develop our soulish powers by which to assert our mastery over life. Watchman Nee correctly discerned that this is the very worst mistake man can make. What we need is not soul-development but for our dead human spirits to be brought to life and joined by the Holy Spirit. We cannot really be helped until we are born of the Holy Spirit. Once our spiritual need is met by the Holy Spirit joining Himself to our spirits, a sure foundation for emotional health is laid.   What this means is that the problem with man is basically spiritual rather than psychological or genetic or environmental. We are human spirits who need the Holy Spirit. When “he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (1 Corinthians 6:17), the basic life-problem is solved. How simple!” (bold font added) 

It is important to recognize that the spiritual answer to freedom from self-centered living is clarified through observing that man not only has potential for nobler aspirations in the soul, but has been created with a human spirit (Gen. 2:7; Prov. 20:27). This spirit needs rebirth (John 3:3-6), and then should be given ascendancy in man’s functioning (1 Cor. 2:10-16) as illumined and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Kingdom of Self, Earl Jabay. (Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1980), ch. 9. His other published books include The God Players, Power Greater Than Ourselves, and The Search for Identity.

Clarification: This book is critiquing self-centeredness, which corresponds to being in the flesh (an unsaved person’s state – Rom 8:8,9), or walking after the flesh (the condition of the carnal Christian – 1 Cor. 3:1-3). Note, however that there are three other aspects of “self” to define. See https://gracenotebook.com/sorting-your-self-out/

JBW

Four Spiritual States in Psalm 32

Posted on April 3, 2026 by jbwoodward

There are four different spiritual states that need to be discerned in the study of biblical psychology. Consider Psalm 32 as a passage of Scripture that conveys these different states.

Animals have no human spirit.
“Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.” v. 9

When God created man in His image, He did not speak him into existence (as in the case of lower forms of life such as animals), but “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath [spirit] of life; and man became a living being [soul]” (Gen. 2:7; cf. Heb. 12:9).

All people have a human spirit, but the unregenerate person (unsaved person) has a spirit that is dead toward God.

“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;” v. 10a

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” (Eph 2:1; cf. Gen. 2:17).

Regenerate believers (who are born again spiritually) may lapse into a carnal condition in their soul (which can also include negative physical consequences).

“When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah.” vv. 3-4

For unhindered fellowship with God to be restored, confession and repentance are necessary.

“I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah” vv.5-6

Disobedience and harboring sin can lead to divine chastisement for correction (vv. 3,4; cf. 1 Cor. 11:30,31; Heb. 12:5-11).

Regenerate believers are called to live as spiritual people, in unhindered fellowship with God.

Appreciating God’s pardon and cleansing

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not [b]impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” vv. 1-2

Praying and trusting the Lord

“For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah” vv. 6-7

“…But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.” v. 10b

Looking to God’s instruction and guidance

[God responds to the psalmist]
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.” v. 8

Expressing joyful worship

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” v. 11

Conclusion

These states of people (numbers 2,3,4 above) are also described in 1 Corinthians as

The natural (soulical) man who Ispiritually dead. (1 Cor. 2:14)
The carnal (fleshly) Christian (1 Cor. 3:1-4; cf. James 4:1-4)
The spiritual Christian (1 Cor. 2:6-12, 15, 16).

May we discern these states of spiritual condition in order to appreciate our dignity as created in God image, to share the gospel with the unregenerate, and live and counsel children of God to turn away from a carnal condition to live as spiritual, Holy Spirit-filled believers (Eph. 5:18).

JBW

The Anatomy of the Brain: A Marvelous Illustration

Posted on March 2, 2026 by jbwoodward

After giving the biblical, historical, doctrinal, and clinical evidence for holistic trichotomy of man (spirit, soul and body), we look for potential illustrations.

In chapter 6 of Man as Spirit, Soul, and Body I refer to an analogy in the design and function of the human brain:

The human brain is one unit, with the cerebrum divided into halves—the left cerebral hemisphere and the right cerebral hemisphere. Researchers have assigned distinct types of reasoning processes to each hemisphere. However, the dynamics of right and left hemispheres of the human brain are not merely different types of reasoning; they are biologically distinct. Even so, man has one immaterial element, yet this is composed of two parts (hemispheres), similar to the physical distinction of the right and left parts of the brain. [1]

In the newsletter of Reasons to Believe, Anastasia Young probes deeper and notices a three-in-one analogy in the brain. (She applies this illustration to God as the Trinity, but—since we are made in God’s image—it is not surprising to see this can also illustrate man’s triune makeup.)

Did you know the human brain is commonly described as having three major anatomical structures: the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem? This isn’t a metaphor. It’s simply how neurologists describe the brain.

What’s striking isn’t just that there are three, but how they relate:

They are genuinely distinct, with different roles and structures

They are inseparable in function, never operating alone

Each is truly brain—yet none is the whole by itself

Damage to any part affects the entire person. Unity isn’t erased by distinction—and distinction doesn’t shatter unity.

…Creation does something important: it can train us to recognize that unity and real distinction are not contradictions. [2]

May we marvel at the design, complexity and function of our brain as created by God. May we also discern that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” as triune: spirit, soul, and body.

JBW

[1] John Woodward, Man As Spirit, Soul And Body: A Study of Biblical Psychology (Grace Fellowship International, 2007), p. 92.

[2] https://reasons.org/blog

The Word of God: Written and Incarnate

Posted on February 1, 2026 by jbwoodward

In the study of biblical psychology, we explore how the soul and spirit are interrelated yet ontologically distinct. That is, the immaterial side of man is unified, yet has two distinct aspects —soul and spirit. One way to illustrate this sometime subtle, but also important distinction is to present a similar case of an “interrelated, yet distinct” relationship in biblical theology.

Consider the interrelationship of the written Word of God (the Bible) and the incarnate Word of God (The Son of God).

1. These two aspects of “The word of God” have much in common. (This phrase occurs about 200 times in the Holy Bible.)

The scriptural word of God: “So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (Deut. 8:3; cf 17:17;27:3; 29:29; Isaiah 1:1; 2:1; 55:11).

The incarnate Word of God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God… And the Word became flesh [Jesus Christ] and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14; cf; Rev. 19:13).

They are both the revelation of God (Prov. 30:5; Heb. 1:1-4; Col. 1:15)
They are both given through the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21; Matt. 1:18)

2. These two aspects of the word of God are interrelated.

The Son of God is the central character of the Holy Bible (Rev. 19:10). The written word has many Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Son of God. The four Gospels, for example, are devoted to recording His person, words and works. The rest of the New Testament was authorized by Christ and unfolds further revelation of Him and about Him (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22; John 16:13).

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). (Whereas most commentators interpret the “word of God” in Hebrews 4:12 as referring to the inspired Scripture (as indicated in the context – Hebrews 4:2,5,6,7,8), Greek Orthodox interpreters have applied this verse to the Son of God.) [1]

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, quotes and confirms the Old Testament as inspired. These examples are also recorded in the written word of God (John 15:39; 10:35; Luke 24:25-27). When the Incarnate Word of God quotes the written word of God they overlap in meaning even further (Luke 4:4; Deut 8:3).

3. These two aspects of the Word of God cannot be separated, i.e, one aspect does not disregard the other. As noted above, there is no Holy Bible without the incarnate Word of God (the Son), and the Son cannot be rightly regarded apart from this role in, and endorsement of, the written word of God.

4. However, these two aspects of the word of God are ontological distinct from each other. Here are obvious examples of some differences. (This is to show that distinguishing the written word of God and the incarnate Word of God is more than semantics; it is essential for orthodoxy.)

To state the obvious, unlike the Word of God incarnate (the Lord Jesus Christ)…
the written word of God:

Is not preexistent
Is not a man
Is not the Son of God
Was not born of the Virgin Mary
Was not baptized by the prophet John
Did not die on the Cross
Was not bodily resurrected
Did not bodily ascend to heaven
Will not return to earth at the end of the age…
(The list goes on.)

Therefore, it is obvious that the written word of God and the incarnate Word of God are not merely synonyms for the same thing/person.

Similarly, there is ample biblical evidence from word studies and New Testament exposition to see that the soul and spirit in man are interrelated, yet distinct. That is, although these aspects of the immaterial side of man sometimes overlap, or are used interchangeably, soul and spirit are ontologically distinct.

JBW

Trichotomy: Biblical Study

Posted on January 8, 2026 by jbwoodward

Over a century ago Dr. S.H. Kellogg wrote a 28 page scholarly journal article titled Trichotomy: Biblical Study.

The author introduced

Dr. Kellogg (1839-1899) was a Presbyterian minister and missionary to India. He graduated from Princeton and after 1864 served the Lord as a missionary to India. The Dictionary of Christian Biography in Asia recorded this about his knowledge and ministry:

[After 1879] He spent the next 15 years in the US and Canada, pastoring two large churches, the Third Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh and the St James Square Presbyterian Church in Toronto. In between, he had a tenure at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Allegheny, Pa. … Kellogg also published profusely and was prominent in the General Assembly’s work of the Presbyterian Church of Canada. His book The Jews, or Prediction and Fulfilment, an Argument for the Times was favourably received. The Light of Asia and the Light of the World appeared in 1885 and was pronounced “critical, scholarly and brilliant”. One critic said that there was no other book in the English language which filled exactly its place as a thoroughly comprehensive and clearly discriminating comparison of the legend, doctrines and ethics of Buddha and of Christ. In 1892, Kellogg received a call to return to India to assist in the revision of the Hindi translation of the Old Testament. All the stakeholders in the project felt that he had special qualifications for this work, as he was recognised as an expert in Hindi and was also an accomplished Hebrew scholar.[1]

The article summarized

To begin, it is obvious from Scripture than man has two seperable parts, material and immaterial. However, the important question is whether the human soul and spirit are not merely synonyms, but ontologically distinct. “Stated as a biblical question, the question may put in this form: When the sacred writers speak as they do of body, soul, and spirit, do they mean thereby to denote the soul and spirit being in some sense different and distinct entities, or do these two words simply denote the same thing under two different aspects?” (462).

It is acknowledged the Platonism had a different kind of trichotomy, and Gnosticism and the controversy of Apollinarius (4th century A.D) have created a negative bias regarding the trichotomy of man.[2] However, this is a timely and important subject: “There are many indications that our time, partly as a result of exegesis [and we being] less than in former days under the control of the dogmatic spirit, and still more in consequence of recent discoveries in physiology, the minds many are inclining again to affirm the reality of a true trichotomy in human nature, as attested apparently both by Holy Scripture and modern physiological research” (462).

Kellogg than quotes A.A. Hodge who rejected human trichotomy” The word pneuma designates the one soul, emphasizing its quality as rational. The word psuche designates the same soul, emphasizing its quality the vital and animating principle the body.” Hodge’s argument for this interpretation is as follows: “That the psuche and pneuma are distinct entities cannot be the doctrine the New Testament, because they are habitually used interchangeably and indifferently” (462).

Kellogg’s “Biblical Study” article, then, is primarily based upon testing this conclusion by careful word studies of “soul” and “spirit” in the Old Testament and New Testament.

He noted the importance pf progressive revelation, that we see doctrines in basic form progressively developed over 1,500 years of Genesis to Revelation (pp.463,468).

Kellogg summarized the observations on the usage of nephesh (soul) and ruach (spirit) in the Hebrew O.T. with eight conclusions, including these: “4. While nephesh frequently is used to denote the whole man, soul and body, ruach is never thus employed. Still less can ruach be used, like nephesh, to designate irrational animal, as made up of a soul and a body. 5. While nephesh is even applied the body after the soul has left it, such a usage never occurs with ruach. On the contrary, ruach is contrasted with basar, ‘flesh,’ as something vastly higher (Isa. 31:3)… But finally, whenever the reference is to God or to angels, ruach is always found, and nephesh never. In other words, nephesh is never used except of the immaterial principle as in connection with the animal body (465,66).

The study continues with a detailed study of the Geek words for spirit (pneuma) and soul (psuche) in the New Testament. The classic text is given close examination: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJV). He agrees with Alford’s conclusion about this test: “‘Pneuma is the SPIRIT, the highest and distinctive part of man, the immortal and responsible soul, in our common parlance: psuche is the lower animal soul, containing the passions and desires which we have common with the brutes, but which in us is ennobled and drawn up by the pneuma...'” Kellogg then quotes from Bishop Ellicott who came to the same conclusion in his commentary.

The study proceeds to an examination of soul and spirit as described in 1 Corinthians 15;44 in context. “It [the dead, physical body] is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural [adjectival form of psuche] body, and there is a spiritual [adjectival form of pneuma] body” (NKJV). After discussing the implications of this text, he noted that Charles Hodge (who followed A. A. Hodge in advocating a dichotomy of man) conceded that this text implies a distinction of soul and spirit.

The article continues with a review of additional texts which are considered as confirming evidence of the soul/spirit distinction in man:

“But the natural [adjectival form of psuche] man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual [adjectival form of pneuma] judges all things” (1 Cor 1:14,15 NKJV). Similarly, Jude 19; 2 Pet. 2:12 are considered.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow [body], and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart [the functional center of man]” (Heb. 4:12, NKJV).

Dellitzsch (who wrote the full length book affirming human trichotomy, Biblical Psychology) is favorably quoted.

The article then clarifies that trichotomy is not requiring soul and spirit to be different in substance (both are spiritual in the sense of being immaterial). So there is a sense in which man is dichotomous, with two separable elements, material and immaterial. However, the results of this biblical study show that soul and spirit are nevertheless ontologically distinct (480-82).

The article then connects the conclusion of these word studies and expository observations with doctrinal implications including the nature of creation, the fall, regeneration, and future resurrection (483-88).

Having presented this study, the article concludes with seven propositions that support man a spirit, soul and body (489-90).

A PDF of the full article is available here and deserves to be read by students of biblical psychology.

Dr. S.H. Kellogg, Trichotomy: Biblical Study in Bibliotheca Sacra 1890-07: Vol 47, iss. 187. pp 461-89. Accessed at https://archive.org/details/sim_the-bibliotheca-sacra_1890-07_47_187

[1] https://dcbasia.org/biography/kellogg-samuel-h

[2] The Platonists’ trichotomy was different; they [wrongly] believed that the mind (GK nous) in man was a part of the eternal self-existent God, or Logos (p. 470).

For a discussion of the Christology of Apollinaris, why it was condemned, and Augustine’s influence on the history of doctrine, see Man as Spirit, Soul and Body, chapter 5.

JBW

Oswald Chambers on Biblical Psychology

Posted on December 9, 2025 by jbwoodward

One of the most respected devotional writers of the last century is Oswald Chambers. Although best known for his daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, The Complete Works edition of his writings contains more than 40 titles.[1] In 1911 Chambers founded and was principal of the Bible Training College in London, England.

In his book, Biblical Psychology, Chambers presents a detailed biblical study of the nature of man. The Discovery House edition gives this description: “In this pioneering work, Chambers looks deeply at the theology of the soul. Basing his teaching on the foundation that God created people as relational creatures, Chambers looks at the psychology of man’s inner life and how he relates to God, to others, and to himself. He explores the moral dilemmas and emotional complexities Christians face as they try to reconcile their faith with a world full of fear, anger, shame, and selfishness; and he offers scriptural answers for these struggles. Here we see Chambers’ acute mind at work, sorting through Scripture and what God reveals there about the heart, soul, and spirit of people, and the effect redemption has on us and our relationship to God.” [2]

Throughout this study Chambers identifies three essential aspects of human design: spirit, soul, and body. In other words, the author of the best selling devotional book of all time was a trichotomist. Here are sample excerpts.

In reference to the creation account in Genesis

“God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life [Genesis 2:7] which became man’s spirit… Thus in man, degenerate or regenerate, there are three aspects, spirit, soul and body.” (p.14)

The distinct aspects and functions of man

“So man’s soul is not his body or his spirit, but is that creation which holds his spirit and his body together, and is the medium of expressing his spirit in his body … it is his spirit that moulds his body, and his soul is the medium the spirit uses to express itself.” (p.15)

Before and after the fall:

The more you meditate on the verse, [Genesis 3:7 “nakedness” before the fall] the more will you find in it, and there is quite sufficient to indicate this — that when Adam’s spirit, soul and body were in perfect faith and love to God, united to God, his soul was the medium which brought down the marvelous life of the Spirit of God, the very image of God, into his material body and clothed it in inconceivable splendor of light, until the whole man was the likeness of God. Instantly he disobeyed, that went, the connection with God was shut off, and spirit, soul and body tumbled into death… ” (p. 25)

The nature of regeneration

What does regeneration mean? The Holy Spirit lifting man straight back again out of the slough he has got into by death and sin, into a totally new realm, and by sudden intuitions and impulses that new life is able to lift soul and body up … The new birth God has given it is to get it to a place where soul and body will be identified with Christ, until spirit and soul and body are sanctified here and now, and preserved in that condition … by a certain, conscious, superior, moral integrity, transfigured through and through by the union made by the Spirit with God through the atonement of Jesus Christ.” (p. 27)

Dynamics of sanctification and glorification

The uniting of man’s personality, body, soul and spirit, may be brought about in various ways [artificially] … but the Holy Ghost alone through Jesus Christ will do it rightly, this is the only at-one-ment. When our personality is sanctified, it is not God’s Spirit that is sanctified, it is our spirit (1 Thess. 5:23) …” [that is sanctified]. (p.14)

“The marvelous hope before us is that in and through Jesus Christ, our personality in its three aspects is sanctified and preserved in that condition blameless in this dispensation, and that in another dispensation body, soul and spirit will be all instinct with the glory of God.” (p.16).

Conclusion

Oswald Chambers’ discernment of man as spirit, soul, and body was based on a grasp of the whole counsel of God in Scripture. We affirm that this perspective contributed to his profound and influential discipleship teaching.

JBW

[1] https://ourdailybreadpublishing.org/fv162.html

[2] https://ourdailybreadpublishing.org/biblical-psychology.html

Quotations from Chambers’ Biblical Psychology are from the 1914 edition available online at Internet Archive.

The Trinity of Man

Posted on November 10, 2025 by jbwoodward

The Trinity of Man was published in 1979 by Logos International (now Bridge Logos). It is rare for a full length book on this topic to be published by a trade publisher. Additional distinctive features of this volume include:

It was written by a prominent husband and wife team, Dennis and Rita Bennett, who published other books (separately and together).
The first quarter of the book is written in a novel style, introducing the issues of salvation, discipleship, and the model of man.
In the remaining chapters, the book covers the scope of redemption history and how it relates to man as spirit, soul, and body: creation, the fall, regeneration, and sanctification.
This volume is not theoretical, by applied pastoral theology. The orientaion is to engae the reader at a popular level and relate the clarified model of man to discipleship, counseling, and soul healing.
Several diagrams are used in the book to illustrate various aspects of biblical anthropology as it relates to unfolding topics addressed.

Since the terms soul and spirit are sometimes used interchangeably, the authors recommend that the reader consult a Greek concordance to do their own New Testament word study. Today that is much easier task using Bible research tools such as BlueLetterBible.org (interlinear tools).

When discussing the topic of spiritual warfare, the authors correctly discern that the human spirit is sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13; 4:30) and secure from demonic attachment. However, the warnings of Ephesians 6:10-18 are very relevant concerning the Enemy’s potential oppression of the believer’s soul and body (chapter 22).

Note about the author’s charismatic orientation

Dennis J. Bennett (1917 – 1991) was an American Episcopal priest. He was born in England but raised in California. Bennett was a seminal figure in the Charismatic Movement within the Christian church.[1] Since 2010 The library of Regent University (Virginia) hosts the collection of these authors.

“In 1966 he [Dennis] married Rita Reed, and soon after, they co-founded the Christian Renewal Association, taught numerous workshops and retreats together, and, eventually, co-authored five books. In 1981, Rev. Bennett was designated a Canon of Honor of the Diocese of Olympia in recognition of his work in the charismatic movement. That same year, he resigned as rector of St. Luke’s to write and conduct seminars and conferences. With his wife Rita, he ministered in evangelism, healing, and church renewal throughout the U.S. and the world. In 2012 he was posthumously awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity by Oral Roberts University.”[2]

Although BiblicalPsychology.net does not teach from a Pentecostal/charismatic interpretation of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the expected use of speaking in tongues, nevertheless, this book covers the topic of the trinity of man effectively and practically. Readers with a charismatic/Pentecostal view and experience would be even more appreciative of this volume.

JBW

[1] Larsen, Timothy; Bebbington, David; Noll, Mark A. (2015). Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals. Inter-Varsity Press. p. 45. cf Encyclopedia Britannica

[2] https://libguides.regent.edu/djbennett

Derek Prince on The Triune Nature of Man

Posted on October 2, 2025 by jbwoodward

Derek Prince (1915-2003) was born in India to British parents and was a scholar of Greek and Latin, attending both Eton College and Cambridge University. At university he described himself as an atheist, but while serving with the British army in World War II, he began studying the Bible and became a Christian.{1]

Derek Prince Publications began in 1971 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. By 1990 Derek this ministry had expanded, distributing free Bible teaching material had in 140 countries. Currently Derek Prince Ministries has offices in over 45 countries with over 50 books published and translated into more than 60 languages. There is also a large archive of audio and visual material online.[2]

Derek Prince believed and taught man as spirit, soul, and body. I believe this clarity contributed to the popularity and appreciation of his teaching.[3] This view of the nature of man was integral to his teaching as in:

What is Man? (2 sessions) Audio CD and MP3
Bible Psychology (8 sessions) Audio CD and MP3 Only the mirror of Scripture can reveals to man his own inner nature and restore true harmony. The tabernacle and its furnishings are inspired patterns which reveal the God-ordained functions of spirit, soul and body.
The New Creation ( 2 sessions) Audio CD and MP3 How does the new creation affect man’s spirit? His soul? His body? What is the nature of the new man?

Here is a sample recording from Prince’s 10 part series titled “Total Man.”
https://www.derekprince.com/radio/802
Description: God made man of spirit, soul, and body. Today Derek looks at these three parts to define what they are and how they work together. Apart from God, man’s soulish nature tries to run things. The divine connection of man’s spirit to God’s Spirit is necessary for man to become what he was made to be.

After surveying relevant Scriptures (such as Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:45), Derek Prince summarized:

“Spirit has life in itself. It gives life. But soul must first receive life from spirit before it can live. So there we have the divine breath of God, the eternal, self-existent breath of God, breathed into that body of clay and the result a living soul a nefesh, something that is essentially dependent on spirit, dependent on God to receive life and to maintain life. So those are the three elements that make up man in his total personality. The spirit from above, the body from beneath and the soul which is produced by union of spirit and body, a living human personality.”

Prince then emphasized the need for biblical revelation to understand the tri-une nature of man. He testified,

“For many years I studied Greek philosophy in the original language, and Greek philosophy, in a certain sense, revolves around the soul. But the interesting thing is that there are none, or almost no words in English that begin with pneuma. And in Greek philosophy, really nothing was ever devoted to that [spiritual] element of man. What does that mean? It means this. That apart from the mirror of God’s revelation, man is aware he has a soul. He’s really unaware of his own spirit. There’s an element in him deeper than his understanding which he cannot plumb, which he cannot fathom, which he can only know about through divine revelation. So again we see that we are absolutely shut up to the mirror of God’s Word if we want to know the truth about ourselves.”

This observation is confirmed in Hebrews 4:12: “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit…” AMPC

JBW

[1] Wikipedia.com

[2] DerekPrince.com

[3] The doctrine of holistic trichotomy of man is not merely theoretical but of great practical value.

Audio and ebook content is available at https://store-us.derekprince.com/