Death in the New Testament

Just what does the New Testament has to say about death? How is death described?

There are several euphemisms used in the New Testament for death.

Departure out of this world

2Tim 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

Dissolving the earthly house of this tabernacle

2 Cor 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Sleep

John 11:11 He said these things. And after this, He said to them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going that I may awaken him.

Giving up the ghost or spirit

Acts 5:10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

2 Cor 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Sleeping in Jesus

1 Thes 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Sleep Understood to Mean Death?

Many believe that sleep is the best description and one most recognized as a euphemism for death. Yet when Jesus used this euphemism, his disciples did not even recognize that he was discussing the death of Lazarus:

John 11:11-13 He said these things. And after this, He said to them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going that I may awaken him. Then His disciples said, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover. But Jesus had spoken about his death, but they thought that He spoke of the sleep of slumber.

Death and the Departure of the Soul

Death in the NT is overwhelmingly described as the departure of the soul (psuche) from the body. There is a clear separation between the body (soma) and the soul (psuche) at death.

Mt 2:20 saying, Rising up, take along the child and His mother and pass over into the land of Israel; for those seeking the soul (psuche) of the child have expired.

Mt 10:28 And you should not fear the ones killing the body (soma), but not being able to kill the soul (psuche). But rather fear Him being able to destroy both soul (psuche) and body (soma) in Hell (Gehenna).

Mt 10:39 The one finding his life (psuche) shall lose it. And the one losing his life (psuche) on account of Me shall find it.

Mt 16:25 For whoever may desire to save his life (psuche) will lose it. But whoever may lose his life (psuche) for My sake will find it.

Mt 16:26 For what will a man be benefited if he should gain the whole world, but forfeits his soul (psuche)? Or what will a man give as an exchange for his soul (psuche)?

Notice that when you die, you give up your psuche.

Mt 20:28 Even as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life (psuche) a ransom for many.

Ac 15:26 men who have given up their souls (psuche) on behalf of the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Next, Paul indicates that the young man that fell from a window after a late night sermon was still alive. The way he said it is interesting--his soul (psuche) is in him.

Ac 20:10 But going down Paul fell on him, and embracing him, he said, Do not be terrified, for his soul (psuche) is in him.

When Paul was on the ship that was about to sink, he indicated that the sailors would lose their souls.

Ac 27:10 saying, Men, I see that the voyage is about to be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and of the ship, but also of our souls (psuche).

And when the ship only was to be lost, he indicated that none of their souls would be cast away.

Ac 27:22 And now I exhort you to be cheered, for there will be no casting away of soul (psuche) from among you, only of the ship.

1Jo 3:16 By this we have known the love of God, because that One laid down His life (psuche) for us; and on behalf of the brothers we ought to lay down our lives (psuche).

Death: Separation of Soul and Body

It is clear that death is represented as the separation of the soul from the body. We have seen that after this separation, the soul went the Sheol in the Old Testament. It may be different in the New Testament, but in any case, the basic concept of death being the separation of soul from the body is the same.

John sees the souls of those who had been martyred because of their convictions. This is not describing the resurrected bodies, but apparently disembodied souls.

Re 6:9 And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls (psuche) of those having been slain for the word of God, and for the witness which they had

Here in Revelation 20:2-7 is the only place in Scripture defining the 1,000-year period. Again, John saw the disembodied souls, not resurrected bodies sitting with Christ. (I don't want to extend this discourse any further to deal with that here.)

Re 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them. And judgment was given to them, and the souls (psuche) of the ones having been beheaded because of the witness of Jesus, and because of the Word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast nor its image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Body Not Soul Placed in Tomb

The New Testament pictures man being composed of a dual nature. Just as the Jews pictured the inner man and the outer appearance, New Testament authors picture man in a similar fashion. The soul was the inner man and the body the outer appearance. Just to be clear, let's notice how the Greek word for tomb (mnemeion) is used and what was placed in the tomb:

Mt 27:52 And the tombs (mnemeion) were opened, and many bodies (soma) of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.

After John the Baptist was beheaded, his disciples claimed the body and placed it in a tomb.

Mark 6:29 And hearing, his disciples went and took his corpse (ptoma=fallen body of one dead or slain) and placed it in a tomb (mnemeion).

What was done with Jesus's body?

Mat 27:59-61 And taking the body (soma), Joseph wrapped it in clean linen, and laid it in his new tomb (mnemeion), which he had cut out in the rock. And rolling a great stone to the door of the tomb (mnemeion), he departed. And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, sitting across from the grave (taphos).

Lu 23:55 And also women were following, who were accompanying Him out of Galilee, who watched the tomb (mnemeion), and how His body (soma) was placed.

Summary

In both the OT and NT, the soul (nephesh, psuche) leaves the body at or just after death. Those saints who chose death were said to have given up their psuche. After leaving the body it goes to the place of departed spirits (Sheol, Hades). People believed they could contact these departed souls and converse with them. The meanings of these terms included the concept that the psuche experienced pain or other distress in Hades.

The body, the physical remains, were placed in a tomb. Nothing could be more clear.

Next, let's look at the conscious soul in the New Testament.

Conscious soul in the New Testament

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