The Soul and the Spirit Part 1

I'll not quote the cliche, but I do get a definite sense about a persons eyes.  Most of the time, I just pick up on the degree of clarity which I take as an indicator of overall health, but every so often, I get a really strong sense, usually in the positive.  Those are the times that my impression is of something greater, more along the lines of (I use these terms creatively) a pure or vibrant spirit, a kindred spirit, a young soul or an old soul.  It's unmistakable when it happens, or is shown to me (it doesn't happen at my will).

What is the soul?  Is it separate from the body?  Does it depart the body when we die?

Genesis 35:18 (ASV)  And it came to pass, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.

This passage is in reference to Rebecca dying in childbirth.  In the Latin Vulgate, the word used for soul is anima which could also be translated as breath, air, breath of life, life, living being, or spirit (www.biblegateway.com).

The Hebrew and Greek words are nephesh and psuche respectively.  In the KJV they are almost always translated soul, but  there may be other words that more closely illustrate the meaning depending on the context.  In death, such as in Genesis 35:18, the Hebrew nephesh means only life departing and not any reference to a transcendental soul.

In the New Testament (Matthew 10:28), Jesus said, "Be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."  Here, Jesus differentiated between the soul and the body.  Paul used the terms soul, spirit, and body.  Some interpret this to mean the "totality of human life" and that "the Word of God (Jesus himself) probes the deepest parts of our person-hood, or human self (http://www.gci.org/spiritual/soulspirit)."

However, the idea of our soul being no more than the totality of our person-hood feels limited to me after having accepted that God sent his holy spirit unto Mary and subsequently that Jesus was God incarnate.  Let's wait and see what can be learned about spirit in Part 2 of this post.