Sōma - Body
(4983)

• Literally, the entity which houses the organs and appendages of man
  

• whether living: Matt. 6:25; Mark 5:29; Luke 12:22; 23; Rom. 4:19; 12:1; 2 Cor. 4:10; 5:6, 10; 12:2, 3; Gal. 6:17; Eph. 5:28; Phl. 1:20; 3:21; Col. 1:22; 2:23; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:22; James 2:16; 3:2

• or dead: Matt. 27:52, 58, 59; Mark 15:43; Luke 17:37; John 19:31; Acts 9:40; 2 Cor. 5:8; James 2:26; Jude 1:9

• the human body, though living, is yet mortal, subject to death: Rom. 6:12; 7:24; 8:10, 11
  

• Literally, the human body as potentially subject to hell: Matt. 5:29, 30; 10:28; Luke 12:4-5
  

• Literally, the human body with ethical, spiritual, and sexual overtones,
  

• a body which can be defiled with sin (sometimes this body is called "the flesh"): Matt. 6:22, 23; Luke 11:34, 36; Rom. 1:24; 6:6; 8:13; James 3:6

• Christians are to present their bodies as a living and holy sacrifice: Rom. 12:1

• The purpose of the body: not for immorality, but for the Lord: 1 Cor. 6:13

• The "one flesh" reality of co-habitation applies even to a casual exchange with a prostitute: 1 Cor. 6:16

• The immoral man sins against his own body: 1 Cor. 6:18

• The Christian's body is a temple of the Holy Spirit: 1 Cor. 6:19

• The believer is obligated to glorify God with His body: 1 Cor. 6:20

• Sexual authority over the human body in a Christian marriage: 1 Cor. 7:4

• The single woman's concern to be holy both in body and spirit: 1 Cor. 7:34

• The necessity of disciplining one's body to avoid being disqualified: 1 Cor. 9:27

• The Christian is to carry about in his body the death of Jesus so that Jesus' life might be manifested in his body: 2 Cor. 4:10

• Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies: Eph. 5:28

• If a man can control his speech, he can control his whole body: James 3:2
  

• Literally, with reference to the physical body of Christ, offered to pay for human sin: Matt. 26:12; 27:58-59; Mark 14:8; 15:43; Luke 23:52, 55; 24:3, 23; John 2:21; 19:38, 40; 20:12; Rom. 7:4; Col. 1:22; Heb. 10:5, 10; 1 Pet. 2:24

• Metaphorically,
  

• not physically present: 1 Cor. 5:3

• as a metaphor for exteme self-sacrifice, but without love: 1 Cor. 13:3

• with reference to our spiritual circumcision accomplished by Christ: Col. 2:11
  

• "bodies" meaning "bodies of slaves": Rev. 18:13
  

• Literally, the entity which houses the organs and appendages of  different kinds of animals,
  

• whose flesh (sárx, 4561) is distinct from that of man and that of other kinds of animals: 1 Cor. 15:39

• With a bit we can control the entire body of a horse: James 3:3
  

• Literally, with reference to bodies of animals sacrificed for temporary forgiveness of human sin: Heb. 13:11
  

• Literally, with reference to plants (whether the seed or the plant resulting therefrom): 1 Cor. 15:36, 37, 38

• Literally, with reference to created entities in space such as the the sun, moon, planets, comets, and stars: 1 Cor. 15:40. Paul identifies these as "heavenly (epouránios, 2032) bodies" as opposed to "earthly" (epígeios, 1919) or "terrestrial" bodies.
  

• In a metaphorical sense, with reference to communion bread as representing the deceased body of Christ, sacrificed or contemplated to be sacrificed for the sins of the world: Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:24, 27, 29

• In an illustrative sense, the members of the human body illustrate the complexity and diversity of the Body of Christ: Rom. 12:4
  

• In a metaphorical sense, with reference to individual Christians, both Jewish and Gentile, as being immersed by the Holy Spirit into the spiritual Body of Christ: Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 10:17; 12:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27; Eph. 1:23; 2:16; 4:4, 12, 16; 5:30; Col. 2:19; 3:15; Heb. 13:3

• one body: Eph. 4:4
  

• the purpose of different gifted members of the body: building up of the body of Christ: Eph. 4:12, 16
  

• whether they be Jewish or Gentile: Eph. 2:11-16
  

• therefore "members of Christ": 1 Cor. 6:15, and unfit to join to a prostitute
  

• which spiritual body of Christ is also called the church or assembly (ekklēsía, 1577), the sum total of all who believe in Jesus in this present age: Eph. 1:22, 23; 5:23; Col. 1:18, 24

• Christ is the head of the body, the church: Eph. 1:22; 5:23; Col. 1:18; 2:19
  

• Christians are members of Christ's body: Eph. 5:30

• Christians are called to peace and thankfulness as participants in the one body of Christ: Col. 3:15
  

• In a literal, but eschatological sense,
  

• with reference to the future glorified resurrection body of believers: Rom. 8:11, 2

• An unidentified "mocker's" questioning of the logistical possibility of a resurrection: 1 Cor. 15:35
  

• Paul describes this resurrected body as a "spiritual" (pneumatikós, 4152) body as opposed to the unresurrected, therefore mortal, "natural" (psukikós, 5591) body: 1 Cor. 15:44

• Our body will be comparable to Christ's glorified body: Philippians. 3:21

• The purpose of formerly evil, alienated and hostile Gentiles being reconciled to Christ through His bodily death is for them ultimately to be holy, blameless, and beyond reproach: Col. 1:22
  

• with reference to the future Judgment Seat of Christ: All Christians must stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to be recompensed for the deeds he has performed in his earthly body, whether they be good deeds or bad deeds: 2 Cor. 5:10

• Paul prayed that the Thessalonians' spirit and soul and body might be preserved complete and blameless at the coming of their Lord Jesus Christ: 1 Thess. 5:23
  

• In a metaphorical and eschatological sense, with reference to the future realities signified by present rituals which are but a shadow of the future: Col. 2:16-17

• Miscellaneous:
  

• With reference to Paul's unimpressive bodily presence: 2 Cor. 10:10

• With reference to Paul's "in-body" or "out-of-body" experience of being caught up to the third heaven: 2 Cor. 12:2, 3

• Paul's bearing on his own body the scars of serving Jesus: Gal. 6:17

• Paul's hope that he will be put to shame in nothing, but that Christ will always be exalted in his body, whether in life or in death: Philippians 1:20

• Asceticism, which is unbiblical, often includes severe treatment of the human body, and is ineffective in fighting fleshly indulgence: Col. 2:23

• Christians' hearts have been sprinkled from an evil conscience, and their bodies have been washed with pure water: Heb. 10:22. This latter clause refers, I believe, to water baptism, a ceremony that does not actually remove dirt from the flesh, but serves as an appeal to God for a good conscience (1 Pet. 3:21).

• Of Special Note

• Jesus Christ will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the  body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. (Philippians 3:21)

• Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for the deeds done in his body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:9-10)

• Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He will also bring it to pass. (1 Thess. 5:23-24)
  

Initially posted July 30, 2024

Updated August 7, 2024