Perhaps there are two gospels (kinda).

[John Mullally]

At Gethsemane after rebuking his disciples he identified their problem as being their spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Hebrews 4:12 speaks of the sword of the spirit dividing between the spirit and the soul. The NT is historic Christianity.

 

[ViaCrucis]

At Gethsemane after rebuking his disciples he identified their problem as being their spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Hebrews 4:12 speaks of the sword of the spirit dividing between the spirit and the soul. The NT is historic Christianity.

Nope, Hebrews 4:12 doesn't say it divides between spirit and soul, it says,

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

It's not cutting between soul and spirit, it cuts through both, through joints and marrow. That is, it pierces right to the center.

And mention of the word "spirit" does not mean there is a human spirit distinct from a human soul. Both speak of the life of a person (as does the body). Since man is a physical creature, a rational creature, a worshiping creature, a moral creature.

I don't have something called a "spirit" nor do I have something called a "soul". I am both of these things, just as I am my body, and I am my mind, and I am my consciousness, and all my emotions, feelings, experiences, sensations, and memories are all me.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[John Mullally]

Nope, Hebrews 4:12 doesn't say it divides between spirit and soul, it says,

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

It's not cutting between soul and spirit, it cuts through both, through joints and marrow. That is, it pierces right to the center.

And mention of the word "spirit" does not mean there is a human spirit distinct from a human soul. Both speak of the life of a person (as does the body). Since man is a physical creature, a rational creature, a worshiping creature, a moral creature.

I don't have something called a "spirit" nor do I have something called a "soul". I am both of these things, just as I am my body, and I am my mind, and I am my consciousness, and all my emotions, feelings, experiences, sensations, and memories are all me.

-CryptoLutheran

You say you don’t have a spirit or a soul but you are an amalgamation of that and other things. I am not taking my dog to a vet that says she does not have legs, eyes, teeth, stomach, etc but consists of all those things.
The Lord leads us through our spirit (Proverbs 20:27).

 

[pescador]

Nope, Hebrews 4:12 doesn't say it divides between spirit and soul, it says,

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

It's not cutting between soul and spirit, it cuts through both, through joints and marrow. That is, it pierces right to the center.

And mention of the word "spirit" does not mean there is a human spirit distinct from a human soul. Both speak of the life of a person (as does the body). Since man is a physical creature, a rational creature, a worshiping creature, a moral creature.

I don't have something called a "spirit" nor do I have something called a "soul". I am both of these things, just as I am my body, and I am my mind, and I am my consciousness, and all my emotions, feelings, experiences, sensations, and memories are all me.

-CryptoLutheran

It doesn't say it divides between spirit and soul? So what does "piercing to the division of soul and of spirit" or, in another translation, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart."

The Bible says what it says, clearly in this case.

 

[ViaCrucis]

It doesn't say it divides between spirit and soul? So what does "piercing to the division of soul and of spirit" or, in another translation, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart."

The Bible says what it says, clearly in this case.

Alright, let's look at the Greek,

Ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς τε καὶ πνεύματος ἁρμῶν τὲ καὶ μυελῶν καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας·

The phrase to take closer attention to is ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς τε καὶ πνεύματος (achri merismou psyches te kai pneumatos): "even-until dividing asunder of soul and of spirit". It does not say dividing soul from the spirit, but the division, the tearing asunder, of soul and spirit. Just as the next phrase ἁρμῶν τὲ καὶ μυελῶν (harmon te kai myelon), "of joints and the marrow"; not joints from the marrow, but the division or tearing assunder of joints and of marrow. To what end is it speaking?

καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας (kai kritikos enthymeseon kai ennoion kardias), "and critically-discerning thoughts and intentions of the heart".

What would it even mean to divide soul from spirit? How would that make sense in the context of the point of the sharpness of the word, namely that it critically examines--and therefore knows and understands the truth of the matter--the thoughts and intentions of the heart. The word of God pierces down to the center, it sees a thing for what it is. It splits right through the middle--it calls us out, it speaks truth, it reads us, and understands us, all our secret thoughts, all our ulterior motives.

When I ask what does it even mean to divide soul from spirit, I'm asking for a genuine answer. What does that mean theologically, or practically, or in any context? I genuinely don't know.

-CryptoLutheran