Men are "body, soul and spirit", but this is meant not just literally, but also spiritually; for example, is both "OUTWARD MAN" and "INNER MAN" (as if "dual in nature"):
- THE OUTWARD MAN can be seen as a dwelling, a "house or a tabernacle" (2 Cor. 5:1,4; 2 Pet. 1:13,14)(Job 10:11 - skin and flesh, bones and sinews) - sometimes referred to as "body"; and
- THE INNER MAN is a spirit ("spirit within")(Zech 12:1; Job 32:18) - sometimes referred to as "soul" (and some scholars refer to the inner man as "spirit/soul").
According to Zech 12:1 each person has a spirit formed within (Zec 12:1 - "The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him"), which means that within the "BODY" there is a "SOUL".
- (Mat 10:28) "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both SOUL and BODY in hell".
In some scriptures the word "body" is used for the outward man, and the word "soul" for the inner man, but other Scriptures referred to it using the terms OUTWARD MAN and INNER MAN (2Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16); for example: - (2Co 4:16) "For which cause we faint not; but though our OUTWARD MAN perish, yet the INWARD MAN man is renewed day by day". In case of the "spiritual man" it is the inner man that's renewed (not yet the outward man), and is also in fact renewed day by day... (- to understand this better, please do the study "put on Christ").
However, this all said, it is interesting to take note that the terms "body", "soul" and "spirit" are not always used literally in Scripture, but also figuratively/spiritually (scroll down for explanation). In that sense both outward man (as the "literal") and inner man (as the "spiritual") is sometimes seen as body, soul and spirit (each); although it's not Scriptural to put it this way!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Inner man:
The INNER MAN is sometimes referred to as "SPIRIT WITHIN" (Zach. 12:1; Job 32:18; Ps. 143:4; Prov. 20:27; Isa. 26:9; Eze. 11:19 etc.). Some scholars refer to it as "SPIRIT/SOUL", because indeed it is sometimes called "soul", and is a "spirit" within... (thus, "is a spirit" - "living soul")(Gen 2:7 - "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul"). The term "living soul" does not just refer to the literal workings of the body as a breathing creature, but is also about the spiritual self , the mind etc. For example, the inner man is sometimes described as will, emotions, thoughts, desires etc..
The term "spirits of all (human) flesh" (Num. 16:22; 27:16; Job 12:10) used in scripture, refers to the spirits within men (thus the "inner man" of each person). For example, an idol doesn't have a spirit within, so it cannot talk, think etc. (Hab 2:18,19).
When men die it is the outward man that dies, not the inner man. The inner man ("soul") then leaves the "body" (leaves the outward man) - man is then like a spirit without a body. "Death" is about the death of the outward man ("first death"); Second death is about the death of both (both "body and soul" - Matt. 10:28)(Rev. 20).
A dead person can be seen as a spirit without "flesh and bone" ("a soul without a body")(Luk. 16:23; Jonah 2:2), but has desires, is able to feel, think, speak, see, hear, move etc. (Ex. 20:17; Jas 4:2; Gen. 6:5; Col. 3:2); for example, according to Luke 16, Lazarus and the rich man (that both died) was able to do all these things (feel, speak, move etc.). After death, the soul of a natural man go to a different place than the soul of a spiritual man (Luke 16). Take note that the term "flesh & bone" is normally used for genealogies (families), but is also used figuratively in the sense of that natural men is born of Adam's seed - born of flesh / born in sin (Ps. 51:5); and spiritual men is born of God - born of His seed and (because their sins were washed away) "not seen as sinners". In that sense, the inner man of the spiritual man is like a new "person", as if born again! Spiritual men will be judged differently than natural men (referring to the difference in their inner men); and not only this, but those who died in Christ, or those (spiritual men) still alive when He comes back, also have the promise of new BODIES one day (in the coming resurrection) in which they will receive new glorified, spiritual, immortal bodies (a new "outward man" / a new "tent"). The second death has no power over those taking part in the coming first resurrection (referring to those who will be raised to eternal life)(Rev. 20:6).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The outward man:
If you do a study on the terms body, soul and spirit (1 Thess. 5:23), it can be really helpful in order to understand better exactly what is meant by "outward man", which is about the literal body - "flesh and bone, skin, sinews" and also, the literal working of the body - heart, blood, organs etc., and breath ("spirit/ghost")(we are living beings because of breath - and dies without breath)(dies at giving up of ghost - Job 11:20; Luk. 23:46). Literally it is not only the flesh and bone and skin and sinews etc. that describe the outward man, but also the inner workings of the body, that can also be seen as "seed" growing and need breath or light to be alive, and food and water to stay alive. The term "flesh and bone" is commonly used not just for the literal body, but also in the context of "family" (Gen. 29:14; 2:23; 37:27; 2 Sam. 5:1; 19:12,13; 1 Chron. 11:1; Judg 9:2). For the Greek and Hebrew meaning as well as to understand what else "body" refers to, please do the study on "body".
Spiritual men are sometimes described as seed planted in this world to grow to trees and bear fruit... - thus, the outward man ("body") can be compared to ground (1 Cor. 15:37) -and is in fact made of dust and turn back to dust when someone dies- Gen. 2) (whereas "soul" is sometimes compared to seed (Mark 4:26-28; 1 Pet. 2:23) and " breath" to light).
When the outward man dies, it returns to dust (Gen. 3:19) - "breath" then leaves the body, back to God who gave it and the soul (inner man) leaves the body ... (Gen. 25:17; Ps. 146:4; Mark. 15:37; Job 34:14)(Eccl. 12:7). In other words, the outward man then comes to a halt - breath leaves the body and the heart stops, the body is buried and wait on the resurrection (and the "soul"/inner man awaits in a different place from the "body"/outer man).
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Literal & figurative:
In order to understand the inner man better it can be explained as a spirit - maybe also seen as a "body, soul and spirit", but not in a literal way as is the case with the outward man, but seen spiritually - of course, putting it this way is not completely biblical!, but is sometimes used as a way to understand the inner man better. The inner of the natural man looks different from the inner of the spiritual man.
Thus, man consists of BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT (Gen. 2:7; 1 Thess. 5:23) but these terms are not always dealt with in a literal sense in the Bible, but also figuratively. For example, in the same way the body (the outward man) needs food and water to stay alive, and breath ("spirit / light") to be alive, the same way the inner man needs these things, but meant spiritually. The outward man needs literal food and water; the inner man need spiritual food and water (for example, God, Jesus, the word, the Holy Spirit is food and water for the "soul")(Matt./Luk. 4:4; John 6:33, 35, 48, 51; Jer. 2:13; John 7:38). Let's also have a quick look at the term "spirit" (breath) - the outward man needs breath in order to be alive; the inner man also needs "spirit"/ breath (for example, in the case of the "natural man" he has the "spirit of the world"; and in the case of the "spiritual man" he has the Holy Spirit, through whom he not only live, but have the promise of erternal life). For this reasons, in the same way a plant cannot bear fruit without food and water. Christians are also seen as seed or trees planted in this world in order to bear fruit but will not bear any if they don't abide in the Lord (who is like food and water for their "soul")(John 15).
The outward man is indeed literally made of dust and return to dust when he dies, but comparing "body" to "ground" is not just used literally, but used in many Scriptures figuratively of the inner man, for example the new "body" of the spirital man, a new heart, and spiritual men receive the Holy Spirit in order to live... So it is clear that the terms body, soul and spirit are not just used literally but also figuratively. Let's look at more specific examples of "body" in Scripture, used figuratively:
BODY - Literally the word "body" refers not only to flesh, skin and family, but also to works, food, the self, clothing and nudeness (and can also refer to the organs). Spritiually "body" is referenced in all these meanings as well, but of course figuratively used, not literally - for example:
- "flesh & skin" -(the spiritual man lays down the old flesh and becomes a new man; lay down desires of flesh - are slave for Christ etc.);
- "family" -(flesh & bone)(body & blood)(Christians part of the spiritual family - part of Christ's flesh & bone - part of the body of Christ, as in family); (flesh & blood - as natural men are all children of Adam's seed, spiritual men are born of God's seed);
- "works" -(and rest) - (figuratively about good or evil works)(spiritual men rest from works, for example of the law)(spiritual men will eventually enter promised rest...);
- "food" -(as described above);
- "the self" - (living being; living soul) (inner man can also not live without breath, for example natural men have the spirit of the world, but spiritual men have the Holy Spirit) (it's also about "taking up your cross", as in who you obey - spiritual men slaves of Jesus Christ);
- "clothing" -(cover nudeness)(spiritual have "put on Christ" - their nudeness is covered - sins forgiven).
Now the same can be done with the soul and spirit, for example blood in soul used figuratively, refers to how spiritual men share in the "same blood" (has to do with family) - other terms like heart, liver etc. is also used figuratively, for example "thoughts of the heart". Spiritually therefore soul has to do with will, emotions, thoughts etc. Spirit is also used figuratively and different for natural men (spirit of the world) and spiritual men (breath of the Holy Spirit). For example, without the breath of the Holy Spirit you cannot live forever and will fail to have a good understanding of what truth is...
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