Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) says:
For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; ...
GNT:
ZWN GAR hO LOGOS TOU QEOU KAI ENERGHS KAI TOMWTEROS hUPER PASAN MAXAIRAN
DISTOMON KAI DIIKNOUMENOS AXRI MERISMOU PSUXHS KAI PNEUMATOS, hARMWN TE
KAI MUELWN, .....
Now what I am wondering is what the difference is (if any) between
PNEMATOS and PSUXHS?
I have heard it argued that the emphasis in this verse is on penetration
and that soul an spirit is essentially a hendiadys (oh yes! that word
again)...however that would seem to suggest that joints and marrow have a
similar relationship, but they are clearly different. Anyway i find this
explanation a bit wanting.
I initially thought the soul was a person's consciousness and the spirit
was their defining inner being - their mind and personality.
However the NT seems to use these words interchangably. Also, KARDIA is
another word that has a bearing on this. Where does that fit in?
Any ideas?
cheers,
Andrew