The Bible contains both metaphorical and literal references to the soul. In the Old Testament, the soul is sometimes referred to as nephesh, which is a Hebrew word used to describe the living spirit of a person. In the New Testament, the Greek word psuche is used to refer to a person’s soul. Nevertheless, both of these words are still largely interpreted to refer to a person’s immortal spirit, or immaterial life principle. Where is this immaterial life principle located?
From a Biblical perspective, the soul is kept safe in the hands of God. Psalm 49:15 states “But God will redeem my soul from the power of death”. This can be interpreted as God being responsible for the afterlife, or eternity our souls spend after death. The Bible also states that when we die our souls will be living with Christ, which is an assurance to believers that death is a reunion with the “true life”, or an embracing of a spiritual eternity.
Although the Bible does not explicitly state the location of the soul, many theologians have adopted a doctrine of the soul being found in the heart. This is largely derived from Jesus’ words in Mathew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”. The phrase “pure in heart” is interpreted as suggesting that the soul is located in the heart, which can be interpreted as an allusion to the spiritual rather than the physical.
In Ancient Hebrew and Greek culture, the heart was more than just an organ – it represented the centre of emotions, courage, understanding, trust and life itself. To die of a broken heart, or ‘heartache’ was a phrase used to articulate a deep emotional despair or guilt. It is no wonder that the heart took on such symbolic significance in early Christian and Jewish texts – it was a physical representation of the soul itself.
Ultimately, the soul is not a physical or tangible thing. The Bible offers hints of the soul residing in the heart and that death transports the soul to eternity, in a way that it cannot be expressed or explained by physical or psychological terms. It is through faith that one gains security of one’s soul and trust in the Lord’s care of the soul, both before and after death.
How the Heart Became Symbol for the Soul
Ancient cultures around the world have come to equate the human heart with the soul. The heart symbolizes emotions and thoughts – the ‘inner self’ of a person. In Ancient Greek culture, the dynamics of the heart represented the duality between intellect, reason and mortality. Ancient Medicine saw the heart as a mediator for the soul and its environment. This metaphor is present in many cultures across the world and continues to be one of the most popular ways to express the location of the soul.
An Ancient Chinese text, ‘The Heart Sutra’ is concerned with the search for enlightenment. The sutra is seen as representing the core essence of Buddhist teachings and states ‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form’ – a concept which is reflected in ancient Chinese thought; the physical is connected to the metaphysical. It is clear that these ancient metaphor used to express the soul are still employed by scholars today.
The Ancient Egyptians had a concept of the soul which focused on the heart. In their language the word for heart (ib) was interchangeable with the word for life and shadow (ka). This symbolized a deep rooted belief in the soul residing deep within the heart. This was also reflected in their funerary practices, which includes a hieroglyph design of a scarab beetle carried by a human heart.
These ancient metaphors for the soul have been employed by early religious and pagan cultures to express the literal and metaphysical aspects of life. The heart became the dominant symbol for expressing the emotional components of life. Its hidden depths became a symbol of the soul and its eternal nature.
History of the Soul and Believing in the Afterlife
The concept of the soul has had a long history and has been a source of debate amongst philosophers and theologians for centuries. Plato himself theorized that the soul was a distinct form of existence, existing separately from the body. Socrates argued that the human soul was immortal and that it is our duties to cultivate its divine nature.
Believing in the afterlife, or a place where the soul can go after death, is a common aspect of most religions. The Bible states that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This suggests that for believers, the afterlife provides an opportunity to reunite with Christ and partake in eternal life.
Though some individuals may express a belief in the afterlife without being religious, the core foundation of belief involves the concept of the soul and its destination after death. Most religions have a physical aspect to their afterlife beliefs; those of Buddhism, for example, consider the afterlife to be the reincarnation of the soul in another body. Ultimately, the Bible provides an assurance to believers that their soul will be with Christ in eternity.
The Bible’s Influence on Understandings of the Soul
The Bible has had a major influence on the understandings of the soul in Western culture. It has contributed to the notion of the soul as a distinct and immaterial being, with a spiritual connection to immortality. The Bible offers more substance and guidance than traditional philosophy alone, making it an integral source of information regarding life and afterlife.
The notion of the body and soul being separate concepts has shaped beliefs in purgatory, limbo and heaven; in a very real metaphysical sense, the concept of the soul has integrated with traditional Christian teachings. The significance of the soul is underlined by the Lord’s Prayer, in which it is recited “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”.
Ultimately, the Bible has made us more conscious of the soul as a metaphysical being. The concept of the soul has become increasingly concrete and tangible, with many having a personal conviction that the soul is not merely an allegorical representation of life. People become more conscious of their own spiritual journey and become more conscious of eternity.
Modern Understandings of the Soul
Modern discuss of the soul exists in several different forms. This includes scientific theories such as materialism and dualism; materialism being the belief that the soul does not exist and dualism holding the belief that the soul is a distinct physical entity. These theories have had a major influence on the way we view death and the afterlife.
Today, many people still cling to religious beliefs, particularly those which offer hope and assurance in the afterlife. The Bible still provides a major source of information regarding the soul’s place in our universe.
The soul is the focal point of death, where the physical body is no longer able to interact with the world and the soul is released into the intangible realm of eternity. Ultimately, the question of where is the soul located?According to the Bible, the answer is that it resides in the hands of God, who will redeem our soul from death and take us to eternity.
The Role of Faith in Religion and the Soul
Faith is a core component of the belief in eternal life. It is through faith that we gain assurance in the existence and safety of our souls. In Christianity, faith is the main component which binds belief in eternal life with the Bible. This is established in the “Great Commission” in Mathew 28 where Jesus instructs his followers to make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and to teach them to “obey all that I have commanded you”. By following these instructions, believers can experience God’s assurance in the afterlife.
Modern secular culture is largely based on materialistic understandings of life and the afterlife. Faith offers the assurance of secure transport to eternity. It is faith itself which helps the believer find comfort, by embracing the concept of the soul residing in the spiritual realms of eternity, away from the physical realms of mortality.
The Bible, holy scriptures and religious authorities offer guidance in understanding the place of the soul in our universe. This guidance allows believers to accept the soul as a physical and metaphysical concept and to find comfort in the assurance of the afterlife. It is clear that faith plays a central role in religious belief and allows believers to brush aside their doubts and embrace the concept of the soul in its entirety.
The Influence of the Bible on Our Understanding of the Soul
The Bible has been a major influence on our understanding of the soul. When considering the afterlife, the Bible offers assurances and hope for believers to accept the existence of the soul and to have faith in the security of its eternal destination.
From a theological perspective, the Bible states that the soul is the essential aspect of a person and that death is just a doorway to eternity. This offers comfort and a source of hope to believers that their souls will be kept safe in the hands of God.
The idea of the soul being located in the heart is a metaphorical expression which has been absorbed into Christian and Jewish beliefs and cultures around the world. This powerful symbolism has endured in culture, literature and belief systems and serves as reminder of the spiritual nature of the soul.
Ultimately, the Bible provides an assurance to believers that their souls will be kept safe in eternity. Believing in the afterlife affords believers the ability to accept the idea of the soul living beyond physical death and to embrace the concept of life as something much grander than our physical understanding of it.
